First post is up! More to come. Check us out!
http://www.thedansinhawaii.blogspot.com
Imperfect Paradise by Dan Dembiczak
12 years ago
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I love summer
See
My vegetable garden is a bit of a success! We harvested broccoli last week, and had it with our dinner.
What an accomplished feeling to create our own food! Doing well also: squash, cucumber, carrots, tomato
Still hope, but in need of a comeback: basil, red pepper.
So, it turns out I really dig gardening (veggies in particular). I'd like to learn more, and next year build some raised beds to keep the critters out. I was too late for rhubarb this year, and that's one crop I really enjoy. Reminds me of growing up and eating the sauce and pies and cobblers and jams my mom would make from the garden we had in the backyard.
Eat
I've been to Cafe Flora twice in the past week, both sort of related to work. Last week I was invited to a dinner with the Database Resarch group (who I work with) and I tried the Yakima Valley polenta. It came with many seasonal fruits and veggies (bing cherries, snap peas, kale) and some cheese and a raspberry coulis. It was tasty, but nothing can beat their yam fries with cayenne aioli. Yum.
Last night my co-worker Ashish and his wife, Shalene took us out to celebrate our recent wedding (really, I don't know when it will all end with the generosity, but I'm completely grateful and surprised when it happens). I suggested Cafe Flora because I knew Shalene didn't eat meat, and I think it was a good choice. This time I had the "french dip" which used portobello mushroom instead of roast beef. It was served on a nice toasty bun with melted swiss cheese, along with a cup of mushroom au jus and a nice helping of those delicious yam fries. Beyond gastronomical delights, the evening was full of good energy, catching up and learning a bit more about each other.
Drink
It's summer so anything cold seems epicurean, but last week I got hold of a Chateau St. Michele Dry Rose that knocked my socks off! I have to re-post the label when I get the image uploaded. But who knew? Rose. Yum.
Update: here is the pic, taken near our recycling bin
Read
I have been reading this book I got in Hilo last month. It is a bit dense at times (particularly in summer, on a crowded bus, which is too often when I find time to read), but the encyclopedia style is user-friendly and helpful if you get lost or need to go back and reference something you didn't fully absorb the first time. It is essentially a look at Hawaiian words, what they meant in ancient times, how they related to a specific belief or custom and what the significance is (in 1972) today.
I think the book is targeted toward case workers so that they can better understand their clients of native Hawaiian descent, but for Hawaii-philes like myself there is definitely plenty to dig into from a purely cultural awareness perspective.
Remember
I just volunteered to help with the first ever Live Aloha Festival happening on September 7th from 11am-7pm at Seattle Center. Every year as part of their FESTAL programming they offer up a whole weekend for a particular culture. So far Hawai`i has been left out. But this year, thanks to many who rallied for it, a one-day festival will take place in hopes for future expansion. More on that to come!
Also, I went to Discovery Park for the first time EVER on Saturday. What a beautiful spot! We hiked on the trails for an hour or more, soaking up the sun and enjoying the natural surroundings.
I love summer!
My vegetable garden is a bit of a success! We harvested broccoli last week, and had it with our dinner.
What an accomplished feeling to create our own food! Doing well also: squash, cucumber, carrots, tomato
Still hope, but in need of a comeback: basil, red pepper.
So, it turns out I really dig gardening (veggies in particular). I'd like to learn more, and next year build some raised beds to keep the critters out. I was too late for rhubarb this year, and that's one crop I really enjoy. Reminds me of growing up and eating the sauce and pies and cobblers and jams my mom would make from the garden we had in the backyard.
Eat
I've been to Cafe Flora twice in the past week, both sort of related to work. Last week I was invited to a dinner with the Database Resarch group (who I work with) and I tried the Yakima Valley polenta. It came with many seasonal fruits and veggies (bing cherries, snap peas, kale) and some cheese and a raspberry coulis. It was tasty, but nothing can beat their yam fries with cayenne aioli. Yum.
Last night my co-worker Ashish and his wife, Shalene took us out to celebrate our recent wedding (really, I don't know when it will all end with the generosity, but I'm completely grateful and surprised when it happens). I suggested Cafe Flora because I knew Shalene didn't eat meat, and I think it was a good choice. This time I had the "french dip" which used portobello mushroom instead of roast beef. It was served on a nice toasty bun with melted swiss cheese, along with a cup of mushroom au jus and a nice helping of those delicious yam fries. Beyond gastronomical delights, the evening was full of good energy, catching up and learning a bit more about each other.
Drink
It's summer so anything cold seems epicurean, but last week I got hold of a Chateau St. Michele Dry Rose that knocked my socks off! I have to re-post the label when I get the image uploaded. But who knew? Rose. Yum.
Update: here is the pic, taken near our recycling bin
Read
I have been reading this book I got in Hilo last month. It is a bit dense at times (particularly in summer, on a crowded bus, which is too often when I find time to read), but the encyclopedia style is user-friendly and helpful if you get lost or need to go back and reference something you didn't fully absorb the first time. It is essentially a look at Hawaiian words, what they meant in ancient times, how they related to a specific belief or custom and what the significance is (in 1972) today.
I think the book is targeted toward case workers so that they can better understand their clients of native Hawaiian descent, but for Hawaii-philes like myself there is definitely plenty to dig into from a purely cultural awareness perspective.
Remember
I just volunteered to help with the first ever Live Aloha Festival happening on September 7th from 11am-7pm at Seattle Center. Every year as part of their FESTAL programming they offer up a whole weekend for a particular culture. So far Hawai`i has been left out. But this year, thanks to many who rallied for it, a one-day festival will take place in hopes for future expansion. More on that to come!
Also, I went to Discovery Park for the first time EVER on Saturday. What a beautiful spot! We hiked on the trails for an hour or more, soaking up the sun and enjoying the natural surroundings.
I love summer!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Star Trek Experience Closing.
I just learned that the Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton is closing, which includes Quark's - my absolute favorite bar in all of the USA! I am not a huge trekkie, but my husband is a bit so we visited the Experience on our first trip to Vegas in May 2004. We got there late so we only got to experience one of the rides.
According to news reports, the Experience will be closing in early September, which means our trip this August will be our last time to share a big bowl of cocktail with dry ice.
Sad. We've been back every time we've visited since and always meet people sitting at the bar. I think being in such a silly atmosphere helps break down barriers and people just feel comfortable to chat and reach out. There are plenty of big city bars out there with red walls, candles, moodiness and sleek. But only one Quark's.
According to news reports, the Experience will be closing in early September, which means our trip this August will be our last time to share a big bowl of cocktail with dry ice.
Sad. We've been back every time we've visited since and always meet people sitting at the bar. I think being in such a silly atmosphere helps break down barriers and people just feel comfortable to chat and reach out. There are plenty of big city bars out there with red walls, candles, moodiness and sleek. But only one Quark's.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A new chapter
It's been some time since I've posted anything so I thought I'd quickly get back in the rhythm of things.
The month or so leading up to the wedding was pretty busy, attending to many details and plans. Everything turned out, well, perfect. Just as I had imagined it. All the planning really paid off in the end. It was a beautiful time, a trip of a lifetime really.
I will post more about it, and Dan & I are also going to work on a new blog just for our Hawaiian adventures.
But for now, here is a link to some photos and descriptions of the trip (more photos from the professional photographers to come):
Dan and Dan in Hawai`i
The month or so leading up to the wedding was pretty busy, attending to many details and plans. Everything turned out, well, perfect. Just as I had imagined it. All the planning really paid off in the end. It was a beautiful time, a trip of a lifetime really.
I will post more about it, and Dan & I are also going to work on a new blog just for our Hawaiian adventures.
But for now, here is a link to some photos and descriptions of the trip (more photos from the professional photographers to come):
Dan and Dan in Hawai`i
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A princess, a show and some noodles
Read
Yesterday I finished reading Pauahi: The Kamehameha Legacy by George Hueu Sanford Kanahele , the free book I received from the Kamehameha schools as an incentive for completing one of their on-line courses. The book seems designed to reach out to the kids in the school system, to invoke in them a sense of pride in the woman who founded the Kamehameha Schools.
Bernice Pauahi Bishop was part of the Kamehameha Dynasty, and was offered the throne twice. Both times she turned it down. She married a haole, a man named Charles Bishop. Together they traveled, studied, and worked hard to make Hawai`i a better place. Upon her death, Pauahi had become the wealthiest woman in Hawai`i after inheriting thousands of acres from her parents and Princess Ruth. She was never able to have children herself, nor did adoption work out for her and Charles. Instead, she became the largest benefactor of Hawaiian eduction and cultural perpetuity ever.
The author does a lot of conjecturing on what Pauahi might have been thinking, or what her impressions of certain experiences and events probably were at the time. It's a quick read, one I did entirely on my bus commutes (which means certain passages I might not have fully comprehended/appreciated because of the noise/distractions). I think one of the truly beautiful things about Hawaiian culture is the constant effort to remind future generations of where things began, to instill gratitude. Whether it's a generous ali`i, a taro root, or the magnificent Sea it's always revered and respected.
See/Eat/Drink
On Friday night Dan & I made a trip to old neighborhood (Capitol Hill). Surprisingly, after living there for more than a decade, we don't find ourselves back very often. I think part of it is the parking, and part of it is just that we like our house so much.
We met up with our friends Jason & Jayson, who we hadn't seen in quite some time for dinner at one of their favorite new spots, Boom Noodle. The owners of the successful Blue C. Sushi restaurants are now venturing into noodle territory.
I began with a mojito and then munched on a chicken skewer that was very tender and well seasoned. For my entree I went with something very basic, beef yakisoba but later wished I had been more daring.
After dinner and another drink at the new-and-improved Cha Cha, we went to Annex Theatre to see our friend Spencer's play called S2. It imagined a bleak dystopia, a familiar setting for modern satires, where Corporation meets Government and people speak in robotic, repetitive phrases and a pre-occupation with sex seems to distance real human contact. The acting was quite impressive and the use of visual backdrops was innovative. We all agreed it could have been edited down a bit, but I know how hard it is to let stuff go in a script.
Post show, we went to yet another new Capitol Hill establishment called Grey Gallery & Lounge for another drink. There was a little living room-esque area upstairs that we crowded into, and caught up a bit before calling it a night.
Remember
After our crazy (for us) Friday night, we mostly stuck around the house for the rest of the weekend. Dan finished the patio (pictures to come!) and I planted some carrot seeds and re-potted the tomato plant. Veggies seem to be growing. We've also been using Crest White strips to brighten our smiles for the wedding, and I'm finding them challenging. The bottom ones tend to slip off and for some reason I can't swallow easily while they're in. I will persevere, though, since white teeth are tantamount to a healthy marriage.
Yesterday I finished reading Pauahi: The Kamehameha Legacy by George Hueu Sanford Kanahele , the free book I received from the Kamehameha schools as an incentive for completing one of their on-line courses. The book seems designed to reach out to the kids in the school system, to invoke in them a sense of pride in the woman who founded the Kamehameha Schools.
Bernice Pauahi Bishop was part of the Kamehameha Dynasty, and was offered the throne twice. Both times she turned it down. She married a haole, a man named Charles Bishop. Together they traveled, studied, and worked hard to make Hawai`i a better place. Upon her death, Pauahi had become the wealthiest woman in Hawai`i after inheriting thousands of acres from her parents and Princess Ruth. She was never able to have children herself, nor did adoption work out for her and Charles. Instead, she became the largest benefactor of Hawaiian eduction and cultural perpetuity ever.
The author does a lot of conjecturing on what Pauahi might have been thinking, or what her impressions of certain experiences and events probably were at the time. It's a quick read, one I did entirely on my bus commutes (which means certain passages I might not have fully comprehended/appreciated because of the noise/distractions). I think one of the truly beautiful things about Hawaiian culture is the constant effort to remind future generations of where things began, to instill gratitude. Whether it's a generous ali`i, a taro root, or the magnificent Sea it's always revered and respected.
See/Eat/Drink
On Friday night Dan & I made a trip to old neighborhood (Capitol Hill). Surprisingly, after living there for more than a decade, we don't find ourselves back very often. I think part of it is the parking, and part of it is just that we like our house so much.
We met up with our friends Jason & Jayson, who we hadn't seen in quite some time for dinner at one of their favorite new spots, Boom Noodle. The owners of the successful Blue C. Sushi restaurants are now venturing into noodle territory.
I began with a mojito and then munched on a chicken skewer that was very tender and well seasoned. For my entree I went with something very basic, beef yakisoba but later wished I had been more daring.
After dinner and another drink at the new-and-improved Cha Cha, we went to Annex Theatre to see our friend Spencer's play called S2. It imagined a bleak dystopia, a familiar setting for modern satires, where Corporation meets Government and people speak in robotic, repetitive phrases and a pre-occupation with sex seems to distance real human contact. The acting was quite impressive and the use of visual backdrops was innovative. We all agreed it could have been edited down a bit, but I know how hard it is to let stuff go in a script.
Post show, we went to yet another new Capitol Hill establishment called Grey Gallery & Lounge for another drink. There was a little living room-esque area upstairs that we crowded into, and caught up a bit before calling it a night.
Remember
After our crazy (for us) Friday night, we mostly stuck around the house for the rest of the weekend. Dan finished the patio (pictures to come!) and I planted some carrot seeds and re-potted the tomato plant. Veggies seem to be growing. We've also been using Crest White strips to brighten our smiles for the wedding, and I'm finding them challenging. The bottom ones tend to slip off and for some reason I can't swallow easily while they're in. I will persevere, though, since white teeth are tantamount to a healthy marriage.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Fun weekend!
Eat/Drink/See/Remember
I had a super fun weekend!
It started out on Friday with happy hour at Luau, my favorite Seattle bar to celebrate my sister Lisa's last day of work at Amazon. She is now a free agent so we all toasted to that. I had my usual Mai Tai, as I'm sure I've mentioned before that they are the best in town. For dinner, I tried one of the last remaining items on the menu I hadn't yet tasted, the Fried Rice with Sausage. Yum! Leftovers for a great Sunday breakfast, too.
Since we had so many people in our party, we go to sit in the ultra-cool Bora Bora room, which is usually reserved for private parties and requires a fee. It has a nice fish tank that my nephew Jack enjoyed almost as much as his Sprite with cocktail umbrellas!
Saturday morning we awoke early and headed to the Woodland Park Zoo to meet up with my future in-laws for the Garlington Mother's Day fun. It had been years since I'd been to that zoo, and I was impressed by now well they keep the grounds and by the expansive exhibits. I had a great time with my new camera.
It also happened to be "Mom & Me," the second busiest day of the year at the zoo so we opted to go elsewhere for lunch. I had just read in one of the Seattle magazines about May in Wallingford, supposedly the best Thai in the city. It wasn't crowded so we were seated immediately and the lunch menu appears to be the same as the dinner one so all options were available to us. I went with the red curry w/ chicken.
Delicious with some nice heat (as they say on Top Chef!). Dan's parents both ordered the Phad Thai and they mixed it right at the table. All in all, I was impressed by the decor, service, presentation and tasty food. I will be back, maybe to try to lounge downstairs for happy hour. I hear they make a mean cocktail.
After a few quick stops (EE Robbins to pick up our rings being one of them!) and a brief stop at home to wrap Mom's day gift #2, it was back to Wallingford to celebrate the Dembiczak matriarch. My sisters had taken my mom out to a day at the spa, lunch and shopping so we opted for casual this year with some pizzas and a salad. The pies came from Olympia Pizza, which used to be a favorite dining spot for us when we lived on Capitol Hill. It was a pleasant reunion, as I scarfed down 3 slices of garlic chicken.
And for dessert, my sister Lisa brought some tasty chocolate chip cookies.
With all the excitement of Friday and Saturday, it was nice to not have any plans on Sunday. I attended to usual Sunday chores (laundry, grocery shopping, preparing for the work week) in addition to finally planting some veggies! We'll see how green my thumb is, but the line-up is: basil, squash, broccoli, red pepper, cucumber and tomatoes. Dan made great strides with the patio, and I helped him on the first shift. Lifting concrete is hard work!
Only 29 days until we leave for Hilo!
I had a super fun weekend!
It started out on Friday with happy hour at Luau, my favorite Seattle bar to celebrate my sister Lisa's last day of work at Amazon. She is now a free agent so we all toasted to that. I had my usual Mai Tai, as I'm sure I've mentioned before that they are the best in town. For dinner, I tried one of the last remaining items on the menu I hadn't yet tasted, the Fried Rice with Sausage. Yum! Leftovers for a great Sunday breakfast, too.
Since we had so many people in our party, we go to sit in the ultra-cool Bora Bora room, which is usually reserved for private parties and requires a fee. It has a nice fish tank that my nephew Jack enjoyed almost as much as his Sprite with cocktail umbrellas!
Saturday morning we awoke early and headed to the Woodland Park Zoo to meet up with my future in-laws for the Garlington Mother's Day fun. It had been years since I'd been to that zoo, and I was impressed by now well they keep the grounds and by the expansive exhibits. I had a great time with my new camera.
It also happened to be "Mom & Me," the second busiest day of the year at the zoo so we opted to go elsewhere for lunch. I had just read in one of the Seattle magazines about May in Wallingford, supposedly the best Thai in the city. It wasn't crowded so we were seated immediately and the lunch menu appears to be the same as the dinner one so all options were available to us. I went with the red curry w/ chicken.
Delicious with some nice heat (as they say on Top Chef!). Dan's parents both ordered the Phad Thai and they mixed it right at the table. All in all, I was impressed by the decor, service, presentation and tasty food. I will be back, maybe to try to lounge downstairs for happy hour. I hear they make a mean cocktail.
After a few quick stops (EE Robbins to pick up our rings being one of them!) and a brief stop at home to wrap Mom's day gift #2, it was back to Wallingford to celebrate the Dembiczak matriarch. My sisters had taken my mom out to a day at the spa, lunch and shopping so we opted for casual this year with some pizzas and a salad. The pies came from Olympia Pizza, which used to be a favorite dining spot for us when we lived on Capitol Hill. It was a pleasant reunion, as I scarfed down 3 slices of garlic chicken.
And for dessert, my sister Lisa brought some tasty chocolate chip cookies.
With all the excitement of Friday and Saturday, it was nice to not have any plans on Sunday. I attended to usual Sunday chores (laundry, grocery shopping, preparing for the work week) in addition to finally planting some veggies! We'll see how green my thumb is, but the line-up is: basil, squash, broccoli, red pepper, cucumber and tomatoes. Dan made great strides with the patio, and I helped him on the first shift. Lifting concrete is hard work!
Only 29 days until we leave for Hilo!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Catching Up
A little bit of everything
Oh dear, it's been forever. I came down with a nasty bug that rendered me useless for a good chunk of April. You can read all about it (and my love affair with hot dogs) in Dan's blog.
Aside from the illness, there have been a whirlwind of wedding plans and that pre-vacation frenzy that happens when you take more than a week off from work.
I have had time to eat/drink/read/see/remember/worry, though.
A few highlights:
On April 26th (Saturday) we drove up to Snoqualmie Falls and stayed a night at the beautiful Salish Lodge. This place has to be the best hotel in the region. The service is impeccable, the place is always spotless and no one raises his or her voice in the lobby or spa. I love it. This was our second time, and the first on our own dime (Dan's parents bought us a spa package a few years back - wonderful!). This time we took my parents up as we got them a gift card toward their stay for their Christmas present. We decided to tag along and got a room next to theirs.
Much good food was had (you can also read all about what we ate on Dan's blog). I particularly loved the ahi nicoise (don't ask me to pronounce) and the smoke salmon brioche with caviar and poached egg I had for breakfast.
Dan is installing a cement patio in our backyard, all made with recycled pieces we got for free. Someone dumped it all off for us in front of our house so transporting it to the back was an exhausting chore. I helped with it some, but Dan ended up doing the lion's share of the work.
I am very excited to see how it turns out. I think it will the perfect place to hang out this summer with friends, food, and firepit!
We decided to take our cat outside and he met our neighbor's dog.
Last week we had to go to Bellevue so we dined on a vast array of pupus at Trader Vic's (they pass the good mai tai test, too!)
So much more, but I am so behind. I'm learning Hawaiian (slowly) by CD and book. I began reading a new book on Bernice Pauahi Bishop. I bought my first suit yesterday.
Only 37 days until we leave for the Big Island! It is really clicking in!
Oh dear, it's been forever. I came down with a nasty bug that rendered me useless for a good chunk of April. You can read all about it (and my love affair with hot dogs) in Dan's blog.
Aside from the illness, there have been a whirlwind of wedding plans and that pre-vacation frenzy that happens when you take more than a week off from work.
I have had time to eat/drink/read/see/remember/worry, though.
A few highlights:
On April 26th (Saturday) we drove up to Snoqualmie Falls and stayed a night at the beautiful Salish Lodge. This place has to be the best hotel in the region. The service is impeccable, the place is always spotless and no one raises his or her voice in the lobby or spa. I love it. This was our second time, and the first on our own dime (Dan's parents bought us a spa package a few years back - wonderful!). This time we took my parents up as we got them a gift card toward their stay for their Christmas present. We decided to tag along and got a room next to theirs.
Much good food was had (you can also read all about what we ate on Dan's blog). I particularly loved the ahi nicoise (don't ask me to pronounce) and the smoke salmon brioche with caviar and poached egg I had for breakfast.
Dan is installing a cement patio in our backyard, all made with recycled pieces we got for free. Someone dumped it all off for us in front of our house so transporting it to the back was an exhausting chore. I helped with it some, but Dan ended up doing the lion's share of the work.
I am very excited to see how it turns out. I think it will the perfect place to hang out this summer with friends, food, and firepit!
We decided to take our cat outside and he met our neighbor's dog.
Last week we had to go to Bellevue so we dined on a vast array of pupus at Trader Vic's (they pass the good mai tai test, too!)
So much more, but I am so behind. I'm learning Hawaiian (slowly) by CD and book. I began reading a new book on Bernice Pauahi Bishop. I bought my first suit yesterday.
Only 37 days until we leave for the Big Island! It is really clicking in!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)