Monthly Archives: January 2004

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New Seattle Treat! — Crave: Contemporary Comfort Food

Capitol Hill has seen a lot of great restaurants come and go. I have always believed that people in Seattle support their local businesses more than most cities, but with the turnover on Broadway I have become pessimistic in our attempt to think locally. Well I encourage all of you to “go local,” as Michael Shuman would say, and partake of a great new restaurant that we are lucky enough to have in Capitol Hill.

“Crave” opened it’s doors three weeks ago to a slew of eager hipsters looking for a great place to eat and experiment with new flavors. There is something comforting in the 12th street location, perhaps due to the fact it is so closely tied to the Capitol Hill Arts Center. Not to mention that parking is slightly easier due to being less of a main dining drag. Driving by, my sister and I caught a glimpse of the new spot out of the corner of our gluttonous eyes and vowed to try it within the week. After perusing their clean web page, we discovered that Tuesday was half price wine night and that was enough to draw us there.

At 7:15 we wandered through the doors and were greeted immediately by Nathan who would also act as our server for the remainder of the evening. With a view of the kitchen from the foyer, Maddy and I eyed their cheese plate with anticipation. I also noted that you could order any coffee drink of choice at the welcoming counter throughout the day. I like keeping my daily cappuccino options open since I have vowed to support local coffee shops as well.

The menu is the perfect size not to be overwhelming, but varied enough to entice any appetite. While Maddy debated over appetizers I immediately grabbed the wine menu as Nathan encouraged me to ask questions about it, since he had helped create the wine list. Entranced by the myriad of choices I just smiled and he left us to decide. After convincing Maddy that you don’t waste a half price wine night on a glass of wine, but instead buy the whole bottle, we agreed on the Merlot/Cab blend. Then we pondered our appetizer options together.

We settled on the cheese plate of course, but added the Miso Cured Salmon which came with a Wasabi-cucumber coulis, and then agreed that we should share the Duck Confit for an entree. The Salmon was unique, in a good way. On a wedge of sesame cracker, the salmon laid over it like lox, and was lightly covered in the wasabi mix, accompanied by pickled red onions. We both devoured it and enjoyed the Japanese inspired flavor of it all. If you are not a wasabi fan, rest assured that it was a very subtle hint that was a perfect accompaniment.

The cheese plate consisted of a blue cheese type wedge, a rosemary encrusted sample, and a familiar strong cut of something I liked very much but couldn’t place. Alongside of this was a sliced pear sitting in an apricot spread with giant grapes and sweetened, toasted almonds. We held onto this the entire evening, nibbling bits along side our other treats. Then came the duck.

I have never had such a filling and delicious assortment of food in one entree. The duck itself was cooked perfectly with a fig compote and was nestled in the most creative green chile bread pudding. This and the sautéed winter greens made the duck the perfect meal for a chilly January evening.

As Nathan explained when I tasted the wine, he chose that particular blend only after it had been sitting open for a bit and had time to breathe and became less “tight.” After he left us to drink it, Maddy and I discussed what he meant by that, and I speculated that the strong dryness of it might soften a bit. By the end of the meal I think we agreed it had improved during the night and we could really taste the difference. I am confident in Nathan’s recommendations from now on.

He didn’t push us when we said we were full, but somehow glancing at the dessert tray sounded like a grand idea. We told him it would just be for fun and definitely for next time, but after he brought it over to our table we couldn’t say no. We had the choice between three desserts: one was a mango fruit tart that looked quite refreshing, another was a grand mariner mousse type of dessert that towered over the others, but the one that made Maddy and I catch each other’s eye in mid-drool was the mini cream puffs covered in chocolate sauce. Now that may sound sort of trashy, but they were a special almond cream filling inside of a fluffy puff pastry with a warm rich chocolate poured over it. To our surprise it was accompanied by sliced mandarins and a cup of raspberry sauce that made me shiver with a melting happiness.

We both ordered a cappuccino as well, but he took one look at me and suggested a tawny port. Anyone who knows me will know how I swoon for port so I instantly clapped my hands in glee and said yes. With my port, Maddy’s perfect cappuccino, and a dessert to sleep with, we decided we needed to spread the good word before another superb restaurant gets overlooked. Although by the time we left, people were waiting at the door to get in so I am hoping this is a good sign of things to come.

They also serve breakfast and lunch, both of which I can’t wait to try. Breakfast can be had for under $8 and lunch falls into about the same range. Dinner is well worth the $11-15 entree price with appetizers and salad between $3-$8. There are a few vegetarian options as well. It is a small quaint place; try it soon before the word gets out and you have to wait in line for a table. And the best part? They have free wireless internet all day and $2 espresso drinks between 2-4pm. Need I say more? I’ll see you there.

Crave
1621 12th Ave.
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 388-0526
Open Everyday 7am-11pm

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Life is Good Again…

Somewhere in Cyberspace

Well, I finally feel like I have a home again. After moving out of my apartment July 31, 2003, I couch surfed around the country. Actually, if you include Europe then I was quite the little nomad. Then on January 10th I finally slept in my own bed again.

Now you would think that would signify finally being settled. But it didn’t. Don’t get me wrong; sleeping in my bed again is heaven and I definitely look forward to nightfall when I can justify climbing into it and sinking into the featherbed and down comforter. Still, I felt unsettled.

Then my Comcast cable guy arrived. I had him install the hookup in the basement so I wouldn’t have to see any cables and wouldn’t put another hole in my sister’s house (the Dish Network guy had already made a few). Then I spent a pretty penny on a Wireless-G Router, wireless-G card for my desktop, and also one for my laptop. Now both of my computers are neatly set up in my room (my desktop has two monitors so I can work on a few things at once, cuz I’m just that busy) and I’m flying around the internet at warp speed. I even have an extra wireless card for anyone who comes with their laptop and doesn’t have one (or for my work laptop).

Life is Good. I’m finally home.

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It’s Ms. DiFranco To You

Long music related entry to be ignored. In no way should anyone think I’m getting defensive. I just want to share.

It’s clear to me that not too many people like Tori or Ani, which is precisely why I don’t make many of you sit through their music. A few of you may dispute that fact, but the only reason I ever make anyone listen to Ani DiFranco is if we are on a road trip and it’s my turn and I just have to hear her, or if we are discussing songs that affect us and I want to share as well. But usually I am terrified of which song to pick and what mood the person is in and what they might say to forever ruin the song for me. For example, after playing one song that wasn’t necessarily her best, someone actually had the gall to compare her to Alanis Morrisette. I was appalled. But I also could never listen to that song again without hearing what they heard.

With Tori, it’s more about the piano for me and about a time in my life when I first discovered an artist on my own. In high school I was home sick from school and saw the “Silent All These Years” video. Just months before, Metallica’s black album had moved over to make way for the release of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” and Pearl Jam’s “Ten,” so there weren’t a lot of good women artists hitting the charts and the music was being pulled in one specific direction. This enhanced my experience that day because I became entranced with the crisp, clear sound of her piano playing. It was not a background effect, it WAS the music. Just Tori and her piano. At the time, I still considered myself a pianist (although I would never feign to say so now) and I was in awe of what she could do with just a piano and her voice.

These days I listen to Tori once in a blue moon just to reminisce. To remember that 16 year old girl who learned to drive with Tori in the speakers, who drove to Asilomar with friends and played them a few songs while watching a meteor shower, who met her first love due to their shared respect for Ms. Amos. But I have never pulled Tori out in my adult life and made someone listen to her. To me it is like an old shirt I love to wear once in a while and it doesn’t matter if no one likes it.

As I said though, Ani DiFranco is a different story. A few friends introduced me to Ani with her 6th and 7th albums, “Out of Range” and “Not a Pretty Girl.” I was hooked. What Tori had done with the piano, Ani was doing with her guitar. The difference is that Tori’s lyrics were easily ignored. I liked some of her sound but was never totally sure what she was talking about. The girl was crazy and by “Boys for Pele” she wasn’t just swimming in metaphors, she had drowned. Ani on the other hand had a way with words and phrases that pulled images and thoughts to my mind. Things I had felt or experiences I had were suddenly described by her in the most chillingly accurate way. Then on top of identifying with the lyrics, the sound of her music would match the feeling. The exact guitar riff or echoing word managed to pull at my gut and release me. It’s cheesy I know, but how many of you have found yourselves listening to a song and getting to that part where the lyrics and the sound make you shiver. For those who really can’t identify with female artists, maybe an example from Tool would help: in the song, “Prison Sex” when he sings “I have found some kind of temporary sanity in this” and then follows it up with the perfect excessive stuttering power of the music, you feel it.

Ani did this every time for me. She has been the most consistently successful at pleasing me with each album release. When she lost all her fans because she got married, it didn’t matter to me. I was a fan of her music, not just loyal because she was an “out”spoken woman. When she began to collaborate with Maceo Parker and got a little bit funkier, I ate it up. Every time she plays with her sound, I appreciate her evolution and respect her for exploring new sounds. She’s gone from a young angry lesbian to a politically aware activist of sorts. I like to see her grow and change. That’s what is supposed to happen.

Because of the respect I have for her and because I believe part of appreciating her music is following this evolution, I never like to force her upon people because I am sensitive to criticism. I don’t think everyone should like her, but I don’t think she should be lumped in with all women artists or flash in the pan crap. She is truly talented and hard working.

I bring all this up because of the two cd’s I just received. Tori’s fits with my nostalgia idea and I was a little disappointed that the accompanying DVD didn’t even come close to being worth watching. No big performance energy from her because it was a sound check clip and I think my friend Jennie in high school did a better video for “Precious Things” than Tori’s done for herself most of the time. Still, I was excited to listen.

Ani’s cd is yet another turn for her. Lately her public performances have been solo, much to my dismay because I truly love the horns and the gang. But I do like the want to get back to some more intimate settings. We all know what a bad idea it is for her to be up on stage with just her guitar at the outdoor stadium during Bumbershoot. Not a good match. This album takes the solo intimate idea to the studio.

Ani takes to her 8-track in a little room alone and plays each instrument, lays each track, mixes it all herself, and as always produces it as well. What you get is a very raw honest sound that makes you feel as if she sent you a personal look at something she’s been playing with. With ambient noise left in and a less than perfect sound quality, it feels like she’s harkening back to the days of creating something real in the studio instead of the plastic coating records usually sound like. As for the music itself, I am eager to spend a little time with it to see how it makes me feel. This could very well be the first album I don’t eat up, and there are a few songs that sound like remixes and rewrites of former songs, but it is still an amazing piece of work that she did single-handedly. Unfortunately, her fans have long ago stopped comparing her to other performers and only hold her up against herself. She is her own competition.

So there it is. My first big long music entry. For those who don’t know me, don’t assume you will find my CaseLogic filled with similar artists. I have eclectic tastes and I like a little of everything. Except New Country. You’ll NEVER find that in my player.

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Making Dewey Proud

I like music, but I have never been the type of person to know every little detail of an artist’s history. I also never pay too much attention to new albums unless something turns me on to it. Except of course Ani DiFranco whose new albums I always anticipate. This used to be true of Tori Amos as well. Alas, my college years and those following, I found myself rooming with adamant anti-Tori and anti-Ani people, so I kept my passions private. Thusly, I also fell out of touch with Tori and to my suprise, while browsing my Amazon account, I discovered that both ladies have come out with new albums in the last few months.

I immediately ordered both cd’s and thought how fun it would be to feel like a kid again opening up a surprise when they come. Well, Tori’s has arrived and I was tickled to find what is essentially her greatest hits entitled, “Tales of a Librarian.” Furthermore if you open the cd, you find each song has been assigned an appropriate Dewey Decimal number and section title.

For example:
230 Christianity and Christian Theology
234 Salvation and Grave (Forgiveness)
Crucify

I’ve only listened to a bit of it so far, but I’ve noticed that she has added some subtle nuances to some old favorites. Not enough to alter the song completely, but just enough to make it a slightly new recording. If you are a Tori fan, it’s enjoyable to break her out again with this cd, but if you listen to her regularly anyway, you may find it to be just a strange assortment of maybe not your favorite selections. Still, it felt like christmas opening the cd and I’m enjoying it since I had such a break from her for awhile there.

I can’t wait to get home today to see if Ani’s cd has arrived, but in the meantime, Tori’s album comes with a Bonus DVD, which I haven’t watched yet. Stayed tuned for a review on that as well perhaps.

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Art in the Afternoon…and the morning…and the evening…well, all day in fact.

Seattle, WA

To all my former co-workers
(and anyone interested in art and coffee shops):

I ran into Susan Elek the other day whom some of you may remember from the Foundation. She left before a lot of us because she wanted to pursue her art. I was excited to see her because I wanted to find out how post-foundation life has been for her.

I was pleased to hear she is having an art showing this month! You can view her paintings at Caffe Ladro in Lower Queen Anne on the SE corner of Roy St. and Queen Anne North. The paintings will be up until the end of January, so try and sneak a peak while you can! Bring your friends and family as well.

Caffe Ladro
600 Queen Anne Ave. North
Seattle, WA
Open: 5:30am – 11pm every day.

One of the things I always valued about our former place of employment and the people we worked with was how supportive we were of each other. Whether it was sponsoring someone for a health run or taking dinner to a sick co-worker, we really seemed to be an extension of each other’s lives and a source of encouragement for their aspirations. Even if we didn’t know each other very well, we still found time to show an interest.

I think a lot of us have benefited from this “family” that was created through all the positive support. Let’s show Susan the same support, especially in this post-foundation time. Besides, nothing beats a good cappuccino on a cold day in a cozy coffee shop.

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Avoiding Hypocrisy

Same Dungeon, Different Day, Seattle, WA

Last night I got the urge to buy a few books after all that book talk. I have been on a search for a book to review for our Act of Giving newsletter. I wanted the book to be relevant to what we do (i.e. grants, global awareness, social services, non-profit startups, etc.) or at least inspiring and motivating to us. I had a hard time finding something since this was such a broad topic, but I think I found a book last night that might do. You’ll have to wait to see if it’s worthy of being mentioned.

Why I bring this up though is because of where I bought the book. Tonja kept telling me that instead of spending all my money on full price books, not to mention at a chain, that I should instead go to a Capitol Hill spot called Half Price Books. So last night after dragging her all over Seattle looking for a duvet cover for me to no avail, I then asked her to finally take me to the infamous book store.

And let me tell you, the place was spectacular. Not only is it a pleasant environment with tall ceilings of wooden beams, but it also has a great selection of books for half the cost. I walked away with the aforementioned find and two other books that I probably would be embarrassed to admit I’m reading. Just junk. But then it dawned on me, “this isn’t a local store, this is a chain!” There is one in the University District and I was sure there was more to discover. Sure enough, I found this article in The Stranger which reminded me of my other favorite place to go: Twice Sold Tales. The Bookstore where I get my never-ending cat fix.

What’s my point? If you can help it, go to Twice Sold Tales first. Let’s really support our local bookshop. After all, my dream is to own a bookstore so how hypocritical am I buying from B&N, Borders, or even Half Price Books. Argh.

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Book Addict

Basement of Group Health Building aka “The Dungeon”, Seattle, WA

I was perusing the Hawk’s blog and she was listing her most recent reads, which I applaud and welcome. One of her suggestions was “Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier which has to do with the artist Vermeer.

This reminded me of a book I just read the other night that I found on my mother’s nightstand. It was called “Girl in Hyacinth Blue” by Susan Vreeland and also has to do with the artist Vermeer. Whereas it seems Chevelier focuses on a girl who lives with Vermeer, Vreeland tells the story of one of Vermeers paintings by starting at it’s present point and following it back through owners. It is told in a collection of short stories really and I believe was originally published individually in a periodical.

It is slightly depressing, but well written and a unique way to look at the history of a painting. Check it out. Quick read. Hawk, you better read this and let me know what you think.

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Traffic Sucks

Seattle, WA

Well, it’s official. I am living and working in Seattle. You know how I know? Because I had to brave the horrid commute to work, through some horrendous traffic. People always said that Seattle was ranked high on the bad traffic scale, but I always brushed it off as an exaggeration. In all my time here I have only had to take back roads to get to work and usually not during the usual rush hour times.

But not anymore. Living in Ballard and having to go south of Boeing field this morning was not a fun drive. It took over an hour and there were two accidents in my way. One in Ballard where a guy was hit by a car and then dragged. Another on I-5 of course. And now that I sit in my sister’s Capitol Hill apartment because I still don’t have a phone line or internet connection at my place, I can see another accident happening on I-5. I guess I’ll be putting off that commute back to Ballard for now.

I start my training for the new job tomorrow. Today was just orientation and if you want details you have to talk to me yourself, but it’s not very interesting. I’m excited to learn the new computer system though and it looks like I might be on a former co-workers team, unless they decide to switch it. Hopefully not.

I know this is a terribly boring and anti-climactic blog entry considering the length of time you had to wait for me to finally blog, but I’m exhausted. I’ve been packing, moving, painting, packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking, etc. for the last month and I’m tired.

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That Damn Blogger

Seattle, WA

I woke up today excited to read everyone’s New Years Day Blog entries and what do I find? That anyone with a Blogger Blog is being directed to the main “sign me up” blogger page. Argh. Has Blogger decided everyone’s new years resolution should be to get a blog or make your existing one better? Or are they trying to get us to drop them? Good thing I am of the Movable Type Cult.