Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Archives for 2011

Playing Tourist: Seattle’s Market Theater Gum Wall

· Narrative

When Sarah and I were planning our trip to Seattle a few weeks ago, I asked one of the local Starbucks reps that we were working with to suggest a few off-the-beaten path things for us to do and visit while we were there.  As soon as I saw her mention of Seattle’s gum wall, I was so in.  I mean, visiting the Space Needle is a given.  But a disgusting gum wall?  Even better.  Sarah, on the other hand, needed a bit more convincing.  And that was before we knew it was voted the second germiest tourist attraction in 2009 (the Blarney Stone took top honors).

We knew the general area where it was, but not an exact location.  As soon as I saw this graffiti-filled alleyway, I knew we were in the right place.
Seattle Alley

And I was right.

I thought it was awesome. In a disgusting sort of way. My inner germophobe might have been hurling just a bit, but it was just one of those fun things to cross off our virtual bucket list. Even though Sarah still swears this never appeared on her bucket list, I bet she’s secretly glad we went anyway.

Seattle Gum Wall - Other Tourists

Grossness

It’s across the alley way from a little club, in the vicinity of a theater, and the start of a ghost tour (totally missed that! we’ll just have to go back). Back in 2008, Jennifer Aniston actually filmed a scene from Love Happens right by this very wall. If disgusting gum walls are your thing, there is another one in Cali that bears checking out.  That one has been around a lot longer, with its inception dating somewhere around WWII.  By comparison, the Seattle one “officially” started in 1999, after locals were unsuccessful in getting people to stop putting gum there.

Apartment Building

Wad

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Eat. Live. Be. for a Better 2011: I Loathe Change

· Eat. Live. Be.

How’s that for a positive title, eh?  Anyone who knows me will tell you that it’s true. I *hate* change. Abhor it.  With a passion.  It took me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to make the change from cassingles to CDs.  From VHS tapes to DVDs.  From my favorite cell phone to my can’t-live-without-it BlackBerry.  To move.  To cut my hair.  To cut in bangs.  You name the change, and I have likely fought it, kicking and screaming all the way.  It’s just part of my DNA.  I make no apologies for it, it’s how I’m wired. That being said, I am the first to admit that once I have made the change, I am undoubtedly happier for it.  I also hating reading manuals too, and usually just learn intuitively, but that’s another post entirely.

So this week’s topic for our Eat. Live. Be. crew is change, and how important it is to meeting your goals.  Can you tell I am *so* not the person to answer this one for you?  But, I have certainly said it before, when it comes to fitness and health goals, change is absolutely, positively important.  A downright must. As much as I hate it, I love meeting my goals successfully more, so have incorporated change, albeit a bit slowly sometimes, throughout the course of Cate Version 2.0.  Your body gets in a rut.  It’s just life.  I was taking five Zumba classes a week, minimum, and I was doing it for so long that my body got used to it and no longer dropped weight because of it.  It had just become part of my “normal routine,” which was sucky on a multitude of levels.  So I dropped one or two of those classes and augmented the others with walking and kettlebell.  Once my ankle heals, jogging is being thrown into the mix.

The same goes for food.  A co-worker and I were talking about this last week, and how important change is to our diets as well.  We all tend to get in the same rut of rotating amongst a handful of “good” choices for snacks and meals, and while the food items are still solid, healthy choices, your body no longer continues to respond to it in the same way.  To combat being in a rut (and embracing change), I started by making a list of about 40 snacks and now make a bigger effort to rotate through them, so that each day, each week, my body is being fueled by something good, but something different.

I am not the poster child for change. FAR FROM IT.  But eventually, when I come around, I do realize it is good.  Most of the time.  And important.  For us to move forward.  Whether it’s in work, diet, fitness regimes or even relationships.  Change, although hard to swallow, can be its own just reward.  So says the person who is awaiting a new BlackBerry to, um, replace her current BlackBerry.  Never said I was an early adopter!

To see what the rest of the ELB crew thinks about change, and whether or not it’s important, go check ’em out:

Seattle Fashion, Embrace Your Camera and Soccer Feet

· Narrative

One of the things I noticed about the fashion in Seattle is that the lower half of everyone’s bodies is definitely not ignored.  It made it so fun to see the tights, stockings and boots that everyone paired with their other clothing items, and I snapped quite a few pictures of Seattle legs.  Somewhere I have about six or seven more pictures … it’s either on a camera card I have not yet unpacked or in the section on my card that got corrupted.  Sincerely hoping it’s the former and not the latter.  Because if it’s the latter, I will seriously cry.

June
This is June, one of 12 Starbucks’ tasters in the world (10 of which are in the Seattle office where we were). She is exactly who you want to befriend if you move to Seattle, and we were lucky enough to hang out with her for two days.

June and Roasting Room

Alisa

Barista Feet

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On Cuddling and Coffee

· Narrative

“That arm rest goes up,” the waitress said as she stood in front of us.

Ok, thank you.

“You just push it up to get it out of the way,” she said, rephrasing her words in case I didn’t understand what she meant the first time.

Ok, thanks, I said, nodding my head thinking “I’ve got it.  Swear!”

On the way back, she looked over at us, then the armrest, noting that it was still down, and did it for us, pushing the armrest out of the way so my date and I could sit closer together. Apparently she’s the patron saint of romantic snuggling at the movie theater. I’m sure my date thanks her.

Ladies, I am here to tell you that chivalry is not dead. Gentlemen, thank you for those that continue the tradition. After being married for so long, the days of opening-the-car-for-your-date/significant other stopped, oh, pretty much before that all important walk down the aisle. My date this past weekend, however, opened every single one for me. Well, the ones that he got to first. As much as I love chivalrous gestures, if I get to the door first, I am a-ok with opening it myself. Speaking of opening doors…

Mine

Speaking of opening doors … I mentioned that Sarah and I went to Seattle last weekend.  Talk about opening doors!  It was to attend a Starbucks event, their Coffee College.  They do the event once a year (this was the fifth year) and select a very small group of people to go.  We were honored to be amongst the six.  There are tons of stories and pictures and huge information dumps to follow in future posts, but for now, I will share this one.  One of the portions of our trip including a lesson in how the same coffee brewed different ways can yield completely different results.  Some of the results were subtle differences.  Some were completely night and day different.  Ryan, a Starbucks “partner” (what their employees are all called), led this session using their Kenya blend. 

Single Cup Brew Method
He made the coffee four different ways.  One was with the single cup brewing method, one was with a French Press, the third was a batch brew (from your typical home coffee machine), and the last was on the Clover machine (a machine not available in all the Starbucks).  Consider yourself lucky if your favorite Starbucks stop has it.  It is akin to the Holy Grail.

My Favorite
To say that I went to Seattle a non-coffee drinker would be an understatement.  I am the most shocked of all that I came home a certified coffee drinker.  And I honestly think it was this demonstration that totally did it for me.  My preference out of the four different brewing methods was the single cup version, and I liked it enough that once back in New Jersey, I ordered my very own.  I fell in love with lattes.  And iced coffees.  And what the heck happened to me?  Now I’m having at least one every day.  A destination it only took forty years to arrive at.  The single cup brewing method delivered such a rich, full-bodied flavor, it was hard not to be seduced by it.  I haven’t had a coffee maker in the house since The Ex left, and before then I never used it, drank from it, nor even knew how to operate it.  I now have the single cup brewing thing, coffee beans, filters and a grinder!  But as my date (above) mentioned today when he saw it, it might not be the most practical thing when there is more than one person over who wants coffee.  That might be so, but considering there was no coffee to be had at my house prior to today, I think this is an excellent step in the right direction….

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Review: Madison Bar & Grill

· Narrative

Madison Restaurant

Before leaving to Seattle last week, my mom, sister, sister’s mother-in-law and I went out for a pre-Mother’s Day lunch, choosing the Madison Bar & Grill Restaurant in downtown Hoboken as our spot. It was perfect weather to take advantage of their outdoor seating, and we were lucky enough to get a table after just a few minutes of waiting. Their menu is quite varied, offering everything from salads and sandwiches to burgers and more hearty meals. Which basically means that it’s really hard to make a decision!

Outside Seating
Macaroni and Cheese

My sister is a fan of their macaroni and cheese and after stealing a few bites of hers, I can see why. I thought the mismatched Le Creuset casserole dishes were a little strange (red and green? really?), but the taste of the food will completely distract you from any misgivings about their color pairings.

Salad with Fried Goat Cheese and Grilled Shrimp

Once I saw the Fried Goat Cheese Salad, I closed the menu. I didn’t want to be swayed by anything else. One of these days, I want to attempt to make fried goat cheese rounds at home, but for now, I’m content with letting a restaurant do it. Topped with grilled shrimp, it was perfectly filling and I did everything but lick the plate. I was, after all, dining in public.

Fries

The fries were perfectly salted and straddled that wonderful balance between crispy on the ouside and soft on the inside. Heaven, if you ask me. It came with three different dippings sauces, each one better than the next.

Gorgeous

When I saw this drink go past, I asked the waitess about it. Sangria. The most gorgeous color ever. My sister said I should stop taking pictures of it, lest I weird out the customer who was actually sitting in front of it. But that’s what long lenses are for!

Sangria

Bloody Mary
(my sister’s Bloody Mary)…

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Photos in Review: Seattle Music Scene

· Narrative

Saxophonist - Hands
The internet connection at home has been having fits and starts, and it has been taking a ridiculously long time to access any websites, download pictures or do anything else I need it to do, despite my best efforts. So in the meantime, I’m going to skip the Weekend Photos in Review and take this opportunity to break out some of my Seattle pictures. Today? The music scene.

When you think of Seattle and music, there are quite a few “big names” that quickly pop to mind. Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, Ann & Nancy Wilson (of Heart), Death Cab for Cutie, Foo Fighters, Kenny G, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder all come to mind. But music and Seattle go much deeper than that, as Sarah and I discovered on our trip last week. Many corners downtown, and particularly the Pike Place area, were filled with music. Beautiful haunting tones from a saxophonist. The steady rhythmic beat of a drummer near the water. A guitar playing soulful singer parked outside the first-ever Starbucks store. And a guy who balanced a guitar on his chin whilst playing the harmonica, hula hooping, finger clicking and shaking a tambourine on his feet. To say I was smitten by the music scene would have been an understatement. It made turning down every corner a little adventure on its own, with a new artist just waiting for discovery. Some were doing it for tips, others were doing it for exposure. All were amazing in their own right.

Saxophonist - Happy
I could have listened to this guy play for hours. And his smile? Incredible. The sounds of his saxophone carried across several blocks and it was amazingly beautiful.

Saxophonist - Hands - Side

Saxophonist - Back

Street Corner Saxophonist

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Seattle, I Love You

· Narrative

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Earlier this week, Sarah and I embarked on a whilrwind adventure, touching down on the West Coast for a fun and informative event. There will be much more details and photos from the event over the course of the next few months. But Seattle? Seattle, you had me at hello. And what a hello it was.

Courtyard

For both of us, this was our first time visiting Seattle. Because of this, we ended up taking the red-eye back (and going straight to work an hour after landing!) just so we could build in 7 hours of sightseeing before we left.  Perfect decision.

038

019

Enchanting. Simply enchanting. To the point where a job offer and a persuasive conversation with my Ex could convince me to pack up the kids and drive cross-country in an effort to call Seattle our new home.

From the very first person in Seattle we encountered (our driver when we landed) to the very last person we encountered (the Continental ticket agent on our flight back late Tuesday night), we met nothing but friendliness, openness and a willingness to share. Each person more engaging than the next. A city that is much like New York. Only without the grime, the bustle and the rude. There were breathtaking bits of magic around nearly every corner, and I have a little notebook filled to the brim with little highlights from our trip there, ready to share big things and little things with you in due time.  So many laugh out loud moments. Moments of joy. Moments of people that could not be more passionate about the topics they were talking about.  Moments of bliss.  Lots of them.

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Seattle, it was hard to leave you, but you have a piece of our hearts. We’ll be back.

Celebrating Mother’s Day

· Narrative

Apparently the quickest way to insure that you won’t get a Friday post out of me is for me to tell you that it’s coming. Clearly I jinxed myself. The weekend has been a blur, and I’m moments away from getting on a plane and heading out of town, so this will be quick. If I don’t get a chance to pop in here before I get back, I will catch up mid-week. SWEAR.

Couldn’t get approval on my favorite picture, so just picture me, my sister and my mom, and she’s in hysterics, but apparently it wasn’t clear enough, so you’ll just have to play along.

My mom has totally been in my corner since day one. Whether it be not telling my Dad that I got a 5 (yes, a 5 out of a 100) on a math test, or softening the blow when we actually DID tell my Dad something bad, I know even if we don’t always see eye to eye, that she is in my corner in every sense. I tend to show my appreciation in small ways, and not always big heartfelt declarations. Depends. Consider this a little bit of catch-up: THANK YOU, MOM. I LOVE YOU. xoxo There, much better.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, whether you’re a mom to kids, chickens, plants or something in between, it’s sometimes a thankless job but one that certainly reaps countless unexpected rewards. For all the frustrations and challenges and grey hair, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I’m going to leave you with an excerpt from Tina Fey’s new book, Bossypants. It’s a book that I’m bringing on the plane with me, along with three others, my iPod and a mountain of work. Six hours of time to keep myself occupied. Lord help me.

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age….

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Thursday Photos in Review

· Photos

You know, it’s like Weekend Photos in Review, only better, ’cause you weren’t expecting it.  Right? To make it up to you, I’ll be back here tomorrow night with a hardly-ever-happens Friday post.

Recorder ConcertHe’s so handsome with his day-old hair cut. His grade had a Spring recorder concert tonight. Thirty minutes long. I love going to see the kids have their school concerts, presentations and what have you, but more importantly, I think 30 minutes is the PERFECT amount of time for a concert. One hundred and fifty third graders playing their recorders.

When the kids filed into the gym, Nick sat down and started scanning the crowd to find us. His face broke into a huge grin as soon as he did. I’m sure it was way easier to spot us once his sister started shrieking. NICK-O-LESS!!! NICK-O-LESS!!!! Here! Over here!! I love hearing her say his full name; she has an adorable way of doing so.

La La LoveWhen I first took a tour of this school back in April of last year, as soon as I walked into their long hallways, the decision couldn’t have been easier. To say they are serious about art would be an understatement. And we are uber-serious about art in our family.  In addition to regular art class, they have an outside teacher come in during the year and they spend time learning about one specific artist and their own particular techniques. This year, it happened to be Georgia O’Keeffe, a favorite in our family. After the first class on O’Keeffe, Nick excitedly came home and started running through the house looking for something. He recognized one of her paintings from the book at school, and knew we had something similar at home. At the time, he thought it was just something that looked like it, from another artist, not realizing that it was actually from Georgia O’Keeffe. It’s her Poppy, 1927 print, which I adore. It’s just so darn happy, you can’t help but be cheered up by it. That painting above? Nick’s masterpiece. I la la la love it and can’t wait for it to come home so we can frame it.

Fifth Grade Hallway

More Art

Art Wall…

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