janaford

Edward Gorey

2012-01-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

I grew up reading Edward Gorey books and also books by other authors illustrated by Edward Gorey - so when I found this sweatshirt I fell in love. I am now the proud owner of this most amazing sweatshirt that was given to me as a gift. It pretty much sums up my life.

A Song Of Ice And Fire.

2012-01-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

My book club postings have been suffering a bit, and I am sure everyone has been wondering why ~~hahaha~~. I had to take a little break to jump on the bandwagon that is called, "A Song of Ice and Fire". Oh my, these books are so much fun, and the series is pretty great too. My cousin kept trying to get me into it and I was able to hold off for quite a while, but then after seeing a few of the HBO Game of Thrones episodes I gave in and just couldn't resist.

I'm now on the 5th and latest book and about 200 pages in, which means I have about 1,000 pages more to go. Then maybe some crafting and book club reading can resume.

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T15:11:00.001-08:00

Harmony needles

2011-12-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

After pretty much destroying my nickle plated interchangeable needles I received the harmony wood interchangeable set for Christmas. I used them last night and I love love LOVE them. If you have been thinking about getting some - you should.

photo: eatsleepknit

I have been lurking on ravelry trying to find my next knitting project with yarn from my stash so I can use these needles more. Yay for knitting needles you LOVE. You can find them here.

Intarsia Cosby

2011-12-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

Willy and I have been watching the Cosby Show over the past few months. If you haven't watched it in a while I highly suggest that you re-watch the first season. I have put together a little celebration of intarsia.

Inspired? Some of these sweaters are pretty amazing. Now, check out this video...

yo ga teach eeeeer?

2011-12-22T00:11:00.000-08:00

I went to a new yoga teacher last week and had an amazing workout. She really kicked my butt. I don't mean to brag (yes I do) but after class she told me she was jealous of my flexibility! Which got me thinking: maybe I can become a lawyer and a yoga teacher on my free time - if only I had a little more of it. I have been looking into getting my RYT and it is pretty intense but definitely something to think about...

Oh free time. The things I would do if I had more of you.

Holiday gifts.

2011-12-21T22:23:00.000-08:00

Like every year the people I love get handmade gifts. However, this year when I should have been knitting away I was up to my eyeballs with work / product liability... so this year everyone will be getting something a little different from the norm.

I had a lot of fun making all these little treats for my friends and family. I used an old map for labels and a black sharpie to label. I had a ton of red felt in my studio that I cut into strips and made into bows to give the jars some cheer. Keeping with the food theme I wrapped them with tissue paper and put them in brown paper lunch bags with their names written on them - just like your mom used to. I love how they turned out so much that I am making a list of all the other yummy things I can make this next summer from the garden and give away as gifts next year. Happy holidays.

Heatwave

2011-12-02T21:49:00.001-08:00

Fairbanks is experiencing a heat wave of +2 F! That is soooo cold. I made a cheddar cauliflower soup which was warm and delicious.

Cheddar Cauliflower Soup
1 head of cauliflower
4 small potatoes
1 carrot (you can add more if you'd like and/or celery perhaps)
1 large onion
1 cup veggie broth
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flower
1 cup cream
2 cups milk (you can skip the cream and add 3 cups milk)
2 cups sharp cheddar
1 cup medium cheddar (i really like cheese)
green onions

In a large put bring broth to a boil. Add chopped potatoes, onions, carrots, and cauliflower - not too small, or it will get mushy. boil/cook covered until soft, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn. In a large pan melt butter on medium heat; once tiny bubbles start forming add the flower and mix well. Cook approx 3 minutes until it thickens. slowly add small amounts of milk with whisk and cook until the mixture thickens. Add the cooked veggies with the broth and stir in the cheese until melted. S&P to taste. I always like to add green onions if I have them. Enjoy!

tv: dexter season 6

2011-10-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight the season 6 premere of Dexter finally aired. I'm happy it is back, and as a Battlestar Galactica fan, I'm excited the old man Adama (Edward James Olmos) is going to be guest starring this season!

mini pancakes.

2011-10-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Im not much of a breakfast lover. I would rather do lunch, lunch dinner, but I have been craving buttermilk pancakes lately. Last week I had an important meeting and I wanted to prepare by making myself a breakfast and not rushing around in the morning. I made some mini buttermilk pancakes and they were so delicious. seriously delicious.

I haven't made breakfast food breakfast in such a long time that I didnt realize there wasnt any syrup in the house. I ate them with peanut better instead. I think I am going to be making these again very soon.

Happy birthday roo!

2011-10-01T09:12:00.001-07:00

Today is rooster's 10th birthday.

Happy happy happy birthday!!!

backpacking: shi shi beach/point of arches.

2011-09-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

The hike in was only 8 miles, but 4 of them were on sand. Walking in sand with a pack on your back isn't all that easy and takes much longer, but it was worth it. We camped right on the beach - something I have never done before.

The scenery was amazing but the amount of trash people have left behind was really really sad. We decided to set up our camp a 1/4 mile from the water source, and as we were setting up we noticed someone had left 3 tires next to the driftwood. Tires, really? Plastic buckets, candy wrappers, and broken toys. This really surprised me because we had to obtain 2 different permits to even be allowed onto the beach.

car camping.

2011-09-10T20:58:00.000-07:00

With all the time spent up in the Salish Sea this summer I cant forget to write a little about the Straight of Juan de Fuca and all the fun we had there. We stayed at this communal surfing spot where loads of people with their cars/rv's/tents and surf boards camp out and surf all day.

This sweet little dog became friends with us and would hang out at our campfire and relax. He took us out to the beach and played around. He really cracked me up and had such a good little personality.

bell peppers.

2011-09-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

The bell peppers are doing great with all this heat - I wanted to share a couple. Aren't they cute?

white sewing machine.

2011-09-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Say hello to my new sewing machine. I found it at a bargain/second hand store for $24.00. I made sure there was power, but I couldn't set it up. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. After cleaning it, I found the PDF manual online, and I got started. It only took a few minutes to get the tension set - I still cant believe it, but I actually have perfect tension on one of MY machines! This never ever happens. I used white on the top and black on the bobbin, but you'd never know it cause the tension is PERFECT! I've only been sewing on scrap fabric and playing around with the stitches, but here's hoping that this machine stays amazing.

Eco Wool.

2011-09-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

I was gifted 3 skeins of Cascade Eco Wool! YEEEESSSSS! I'm making a sweater, I'm making a sweater, I'm making a sweater....as a gift. I love the color.

flower potholder.

2011-09-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

I love this flower potholder and I plan to make many more. I used some cotton yarn I had in my stash (I actually cant remember the last time I had to buy a ton of yarn for a project) - you gotta love the huge stash. Crocheting is fun!

This isn't a great photo of the potholder. For some reason I found this little thing very hard to photograph. I took this picture on the couch on the front porch. The same front porch that is next door to the building bought by a controversial church from Seattle that equates homosexuality to cancer and believes women shouldn't have jobs, and that stay at home dad's are bad (no matter what - men shouldn't be taking care of their kids, that's a woman's job!).

The news stations have been buzzing around for the past couple of days and yesterday while I was making dinner (barefoot and in the kitchen of course), Willy was interviewed by Fox News. You can read more about it here.

cosby socks.

2011-09-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know these really aren't the intarsia style knitting that Bill Cosby's sweaters were known for, but I did knit these up while watching The Cosby Show.

I knit this basic sock using yarn my aunt gave me a while back. It was one sock per skein so it worked out perfectly (because I only had 2 skeins and this yarn has been discontinued) with only about a yard left over. These DK weight socks knitted on US 3 are medium thick and will be great when the weather gets a little cooler.

letterman's sweater

2011-08-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

We have another baby in the family. Let me introduce you to little Irish baby Seamus O'Rourke. I think he is great and I love him, but I am going to keep the baby pictures to a minimum.

I made this little guy a sweater. I love knitting baby sweaters - they are so cute and knit up so much faster than an adult sweater. Seamus' dad and grandpa are football coaches for a team who's colors are purple and gold. I wanted to make Seamus something he could wear to the games so I made this little varsity letterman's sweater. I based this sweater on the Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down.

It's still a little big, but fortunately there is still some time until football season. Go team!

RIP

2011-08-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Remember these?

I made these Alaska Gloves for my trip to Alaska this past May. I officially ruined these gloves when I caught them on fire. I had thrown them on my lamp next to the bed and didn't think anything of it. Two days later I turned on the lamp and about two minutes later there was smoke, fire, and an awful smell. I am so bummed I was such a ditz and did this. I so rarely knit for myself and I loved these gloves so much. Lesson learned.

no more excuses!

2011-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing much blogging lately. My computer wasn't working and it was a drag to try and type and especially blog. Today my sister gave me her computer, so now I have a computer!!! YAY! Much more blogging to come, but for now I have to get back to island hopping in the San Juans.

sister sewing.

2011-08-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

Before my sister came to visit, she asked if I could help her sew a skirt. We finally got a chance to get patterning, overlocking, and sewing. It didn't take long ~~and I~~ we had sewn this basic but very cute circle skirt.

We had a lot of fun, but the best part might be homemade raspberry Italian soda she made as a thank you.

Today we made a second skirt in reds and blues. The pattern of the skirt is very Scandinavian and so cute.

Tomato.

2011-08-06T10:50:00.001-07:00

The first tomato from the garden is looking pretty amazing.

30 miles.

2011-07-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I have been on a bike. About 10 years ago when I was living in Flagstaff, AZ I got around the mountain town (about 7,000 feet above sea level) on my bike. As of today, all that has changed... Willy tuned up my bike and we went on a 30 mile bike ride.

The ride was great and the weather was amazing. It didn't rain and it wasn't too hot. I'm really looking forward to our next ride.

Puget Sound

2011-07-25T12:38:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the weather was so nice and the water was so clear we swam with the jelly fish. Today is drizzle here in the San Juan Islands.

Here we are crossing the traffic separation zone on the Puget Sound.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

black bean burgers.

2011-07-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

the weather for the past few days has been amazing, and the other night we decided to BBQ for dinner. i whipped up some delicious black bean burgers. seriously, they were so good. i am so sick of veggie burgers and boca burgers but with these black bean burgers i added chili powder, cumin, and some aardvark hot sauce.

siouxon.

2011-07-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

with willy getting back from europe and having a couple of days before he had to get back to work, we decided to take a little 8 mile backpacking trip to siouxon creek. this trail wasn't hard and i recommend it to anyone who just wants to get outside. it was nice being in the shade and the water was so clear i just wanted to jump in - but it was ice cold.

it was so much fun. summer is finally happening! the bugs weren't very bad and the weather was amazing.

baby gift.

2011-06-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

my cousin is having a baby and they have decided not to find out the sex before its born. im going to see my very pregnant cousin this saturday and i wanted to give her and the baby a gift. she is due on the 7th of july, and i am going to make the baby another gift, once i find out the sex and the name.

this is a little baby bunting card i made to go along with the gift.

i love this little octopus.

i cant wait to give this to her. i love just love the way it turned out.

quite the collar.

2011-06-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

last night roo got to take the collar off! i think she was really happy, but she pretended she wasnt. here is a picture i took on the way home from her second check up this past monday.

smoothie.

2011-06-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

i am a firm believer that smoothies do NOT include ice cream. isn't that a milkshake? when i was a kid my mom used to make me a smoothie every morning. yogurt, banana, OJ, or anything other fruit we had in the house. they were delicious. last month i had to be up early and stopped by burgerville for a "fresh fruit smoothie". i was so disappointed when i realized they put in ice cream instead of yogurt. this morning i realized that i had the 3 simple ingredients to make a smoothie.

oj, banana, and yogurt. yum.

garden cauliflower.

2011-06-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

the cauliflower is doing so well! i cant wait until its ready to eat. i cant decided if we should eat it raw or cook it into a casserole or a soup.

i think i will make a soup with some of it. i have soup on the brain right now - i think it's cause at this very moment im using the rest of my emmentaler swiss to make some french onion soup. the strawberries are starting to ripen as well. its going to be a july full of strawberries.

star shaped scones.

2011-06-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

i made star shaped scones. (i just used the betty crocker cookbook) yummy.

and here is something i dont think i could ever pull off but i wish i could...

i love jeffrey campbell!

book 58: A Map of the World by Jane Hamilton

2011-06-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

i really enjoyed reading Jane Hamilton's book The Book of Ruth - a year and a half ago, so it was no surprise that i really enjoyed A Map of the World as well. this book had me hooked. i award this book 5 cheese wedges!

on to book 59...

garden yakisoba.

2011-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

the weather here in pdx has been pretty bad. its june and its raining. last year, gardens didn't do very well because of the rain and lack of sun. i hope that doesn't happen again this year. the first tomato has arrived! i hope it ripens up. im not a huge tomato fan, unless their homegrown and on fresh basil and mozzarella, but i love growing them.

i made an amazing yakisoba this afternoon using veggies from the garden. it is really good. i didnt know what i was doing but it turned out so well i would like to share it, as much as i can remember. i also want to make this again, so it will be good to write down.

garden yakisoba

fresh yakisoba noodles

garden veggies (peas, broccoli)

chopped cabbage

vegetable oil

Asian toasted sesame dressing

i put about a spoonful of oil in a skillet at medium heat. cooked one side about a minute or two then flipped the noodles over to cook the other side for about two minutes. at this point, the noodles were not too hot so i used my hands to separate the noodles and kinda mix them in the skillet. i know i could have used tongs or something, but clearly i was winging it. once the noodles were too hot to touch i washed my hands and added about a quarter cup of water and the veggies and cabbage. stirred and cooked until the veggies softened up a little. then i added the dressing. i started with a little and kept adding for taste. i added some raw garden veggies and some edible flowers. ittadakimasu!

quite the pair.

2011-06-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

roo and i both had to go to the dr today. i took her to the vet cause she was having problems with her eye. turns out she has an ulcer on her eye, poor little thing. she has to wear this collar for a week.

while i went to my dr's appointment i left her at home. when i came back, she somehow got the collar off and hid it! i cant find it anywhere. so now i have to go get another collar. she really hates me right now. she wont come out from under the bed.

i needed to go into the dr today, and finally discovered Zoom Care. if you're in the portland area and like me, are a freelancer, small business owner, or just cant afford and dont have health insurance this place is amazing. you go online and schedule an appointment for same day care and its only $99. not to mention, really really fast. i was in and out in 15 minutes. by the time i drove to pick up my prescription it was all ready for me. yay yay yay!

book 57: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

2011-06-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

i started this book on my way to Abu Dhabi this past january. and i am finally now just finishing it. the big heavy hard backed book wasnt easy to take places with me and so it took me a while. i recently got to finally put in a good dent while i was flying across the country last week. i award this book 4 cheese wedges!

on to book 58...

first trip of the year

2011-06-05T21:54:00.001-07:00

this weekend marked the first backpacking trip of the year!

silver star mt. was beautiful but there was tons of snow - we can't wait to go back and go further.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Heading home

2011-06-02T18:18:00.001-07:00

Im in Chicago heading back to portland and just downloaded an on the go blog app. Giving it a try from the plane...

You see that correctly, I have two empty seats next to me!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Access Rd,Chicago,United States

matryoshka doll.

2011-05-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

i love my new matryoshka pepper mill.

thanks willy.

ALASKA!

2011-05-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

willy surprised me with an amazing trip to Alaska. we rented an RV and toured the Keani peninsula. this was my first time to Alaska and it was even more beautiful than i could have ever imagined. we flew into anchorage and headed south to visit Seward.

the views on our drive down to Seward was like nothing i have ever seen before.

we stopped at Portage Glacier and then drove through the 2.5 mile auto/train tunnel to Whittier. Whittier is a small town and the only way to drive there is to go through the tunnel. they charged us $20 to go through and there is only one lane, so you have to wait until your scheduled time. Whittier had some little restaurants, boardwalk, shops, and an underground pedestrian tunnel that takes you under many sets of train tracks.

a wall of notes people have left on post-its on a wall in a Whittier restaurant.

we stayed the first night in Seward. because we went a week or two before the season starts we were able to pull the RV off the road and stay anywhere that wasnt private property. the state and federal parks werent yet open but they dont open the pay station or lock the gates until the season starts and you are encouraged to stay at the parks/campgrounds for free - which is exactly what we did.

getting some treats at a store in Seward.

we took a hike up to Exit Glacier which was so amazing and fun. the glacier is from the Harding Icefield. they have a bunch of hiking trails around the glacier and you can hike up to the glaciers edge and even up to the top of the Harding Icefield. i would have really liked to have done that hike, but i was pretty sick for the first half of the trip (the plane ride was pretty painful) but we did hike to the edge of Exit Glacier.

the glacier from a distance.

the edge of the glacier.

from Exit Glacier we headed to the west side of the Keani peninsula. we passed through some wonderful small towns and saw many bald eagles and seals and otter. we stayed a night in a little town called Clam Gulch. the view of the ocean was incredible from our camp.

this picture was taken around 11pm. i never quite got used to it.

Homer, Alaska was my absolute favorite. the town is very cute and the views are amazing. driving into Homer our RV was filled with "wow, wow, WOW!!!!" and "check that out! look at that!" we were almost shouting. willy and i spent many days in Homer because we didnt want to leave. Homer is famous for the Homer Spit a 4.5 mile piece of land jutting into the Kachemak Bay.

we camped out on the beach at the very end of the Homer spit, which is also why we didnt want to leave. we were surrounded by the most beautiful mountains.

the view from our camp at the end of the Homer spit. so hard to capture what you actually see.

the salty dawg saloon is on the spit. we walked there and had a beer.

the seafarer's memorial on the spit.

our adventure was so much fun. having campfires, playing cribbage. eating homemade soup, i don't think we could have had a better time. willy and i both recommend Alaska and especially Homer for a vacation. we want to go back and tackle Denali. i am so lucky to have a partner who planned this whole trip just for me.

star wars

2011-05-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

for my mom's birthday last week i made her some crocheted star wars figures. it was a great stash busting project, not to mention that she loves them!

boba fett

darth vader

storm trooper

C3PO

R2D2

han solo

princess leia

luke skywalker

obi wan

chewbacca

ewok

yoda

native robes

2011-05-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

i made some bathrobes 'cause everyone needs a bathrobe! the softest and warmest robe ever. my sewing machine broke during the project but they still turned out amazing.

hopefully i can take my machine in to be fixed, i really dont want to have to buy a new one.

im in trouble.

2011-05-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

last night i had Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. im not a huge peanut butter cup fan, i could take them or leave them. but this ice cream... oh man its soooooo good. i had seconds.

i really want to try snickers ice cream. oh dear, im in trouble.

sailing.

2011-05-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

the weather was beautiful and warm today (finally) so we took the boat out and went sailing.

it was so nice to get out on the water. now its time to get ready for our Alaskan adventure!

mozzarella puffs.

2011-04-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

i was craving mozzarella and tomato sauce but wasn't in the mood for pizza. i made some mozzarella puffs instead. they are really fast to prepare and i took a little break from the upcoming garage sale prep and just whipped them right up.

if you want to these this is what i did...

mozzarella puffs

pillsburry grand biscuits

mozzarella cheese

oregano

tomato sauce

for larger biscuits use one biscuit, for smaller biscuits pull apart biscuit dough so it is thinner. using your thumb make a dent in the biscuit. add a pinch of oregano (or as much as you'd like) into the dent. cut chunks of mozzarella cheese and place in the dent. pull up the sides and pinch the dough closed. roll and round the dough in your palms and place pinched side down on baking sheet.

bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 -12 minutes.

heat up tomato sauce (or keep it cold) while puffs cook.

be careful, these puffs are seriously delicious.

italian pasta salad.

2011-04-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

i know, i know, i have been posting a lot about food. my sewing machine broke a couple of days ago, and the yarn involved project that i just finished working on is for my mom's birthday and mother's day - so i cant post it. i have been hard at work going through everything in my house (even boxes from my first year of college) for a HUGE garage sale. it feels good to downsize and it will make moving a breeze.

i was craving vegetables the other day and went to the store and bought a bunch. then i realized that i wont be able to eat all of them before they go bad. i had some leftover broccoli and made a super simple pasta salad.

if you want to make a fast simple yet satisfying pasta salad this is what i did...

italian pasta salad
8 oz any short pasta
1 cup chopped broccoli
3.8 oz can of sliced olives
1 cup chunks of fresh mozzarella (cheddar cheese could work too)
1 cup of italian salad dressing

boil pasta in salted water. drain and run under cool water to cool. set aside. add broccoli, olives, cheese, and dressing in large bowl and combine. mix in cool pasta. place in fridge for a couple hours to cool. *before the pasta cools in the fridge, its going to look like too much dressing, but it will be okay.

enjoy!

the BEST irish soda bread.

2011-04-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

this is the best irish soda bread i have ever tasted. i think it is absolutely prefect, and thank goodness there is no yeast and no waiting for it to rise. and its so easy!

if you want to make irish soda bread this is what i did...

irish soda bread
3 cups flour (i used bread flour, but all-purpose flour works too)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter

preheat the oven to 350 and grease a bread loaf pan (i use pam butter flavor).
combine all dry ingreadents. blend egg and buttermilk together, then add it to the dry mixture. blend until smooth. stir in butter and pour into bread pan.
bake 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool. wrap in foil if you haven't eaten it all.

momma baboi's gingerbread cookies.

2011-04-22T17:49:00.000-07:00

the best gingerbread cookies i have ever had were made by a good friend's mother. she sent him a bunch of homemade breads and cookies and i devoured the gingerbread cookies. because, i ate them all and no one else got to have any, and because they were so good, i asked for his mom's recipe.

i don't know if the recipe comes from a book or its been passed down, but if you want to make the best gingerbread cookies i have ever had here it is:

gingerbread cookies

Parchment Paper

3 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine (I used butter)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

COMBINE dry ingredients and set aside

BEAT butter,brown sugar and molasses in large bowl on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture
until well blended. Divide dough in half. Wrap; refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

HEAT oven to 350degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

ROLL out dough; cut with 5-inch cookie cutters. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

BAKE until edges begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

COOL and decorate.

MAKES approx. 24 cookies

handmade ravioli.

2011-04-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

last month we headed over to L&A's house for dinner, which was a treat cause they have been very busy with their cute store in SE portland. A made amazing handmade cheese spinach ravioli and brussel sprouts. their 8 year old daughter was quite the hostess making sure our glasses were full and the appetizers were flowing. i had to take pictures of the ravioli.

im not exactly sure where A got the recipe, but i really want to make some homemade ravioli sometime soon.

alaska gloves.

2011-04-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

i made these gloves for my upcoming trip to alaska! a little fair isle knitting to get me even more pumped for the trip. these gloves fit perfect and are thick and warm. i cant wait to wear them.

i got the pattern from the book Kristin Knits by Kristin Nicholas.

succulent terrarium.

2011-04-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

i wanted to make something pretty that grows but that i didn't have to water too much. i found this glass bowl for $2 and made a terrarium. they are so pretty and fun to make.

i also made a little tiny terrarium for my mom. she has it on her desk at work. i used a small jelly canning jar. these tiny ones are really cute, and i enjoy making them.

if you want to make a succulent terrarium this is what you need:
small rocks (for drainage)
charcoal (to prevent molding)
soil (i used some from the backyard)
plants of your choosing (i just used succulents from the backyard)
glass bowl, jar, vase, or anything you'd like

place a layer of rocks in the bottom of the bowl. add a layer of charcoal. add a layer of soil. dig little holes and place the plants. make sure the roots are covered in soil. lightly water. it may take a little while until the plants settle and get used to their environment. be sure not to over water, and if you find mold, removed it immediately.

wool slippers.

2011-04-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

i made these felted slippers for willy and sent them as a surprise to NY. i used fisherman wool and made the soles from a leather jacket i got at value village. they fit wonderfully and i have been getting pictures of the slippers on his feet from various places he's been.

i used a pattern from felted knits. i am going to post a tutorial on how you can make your own slipper bottoms!

love letters.

2011-04-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

while willy has been on the road i have been sending him letters, so every night he gets a handmade card. i made these cards using a vintage world map that i found. i think my favorite part might just be the wax seal.

alaska!

2011-04-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

willy is amazing! he just surprised me with a trip to alaska!!! what!? i've never been there before and i am so excited. i leave next month.

time to pull out the winter sweaters and do some "for-alaska" knitting.

baby bow booties.

2011-04-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

i started these booties months ago and when i was cleaning up my studio i found the unfinished project crocheted in cotton ease. today was the day i completely finished (it took about 30 minutes).

these are going to look so cute on little feet.

modern family.

2011-04-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

i have to say, Modern Family is my favorite new comedy on TV. this show makes me laugh so hard and i cant believe there are only 2 episodes left for the 2nd season.

willy and i were re-watching the first season while eating chocolate peanut butter ice cream. in the episode "Benched" where Cam and Mitchell go Mitchell's potential new bosses house, the potential boss is sitting in a chair talking to them and i kept noticing the pillow on the chair. i had to make one.

i went to value village and found a pillow in the shape that i wanted for about $2. i took out the form and then knitted up the pillow. i had the yarn in my stash. i really wanted to use wool, but i also didnt want to spend any more money on this project - plus the color was perfect.

my purling isnt the best and the acrylic yarn really draws attention to it, but i actually like the homemade quality that it provides. yay for the $2 pillow!

pizza pie.

2011-04-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

well hello you delicious piece of pizza. nom nom nom you yummy side salad. i love crocheting!

loaded.

2011-04-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

i saw these the other day when i was at the gas station. they totally grossed me out, but i had to get them cause i was so curious. i ate the whole bag cause they were so good. seriously, they are good - if you can get past the copy on the back of the bag.

book 56: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

2011-04-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

this was a good book to read. i read most of it in the bathtub. i award this book 4 cheese wedges!

on to book 57...

2011-04-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

my dad stopped by my house today and brought me the Burgerville spicy anasazi bean burger and french fries for lunch. it was soooo good. if you havent yet tried one you absolutely should. it blows any ol' veggie burger out of the water.

it totally hit the spot. thanks dad!

make up bag.

2011-04-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

my blush broke and exploded all over my little make up bag. i was going to clean the bag but then i decided it wasnt worth it cause it was falling apart (im going to save the zipper). the other day i found this awesome bag at value village for $3. its my new make up bag.

i really want to learn how to crochet like this. although, i think adding the beads could get a little tedious. i absolutely love this bag.

kitty blanket.

2011-04-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

i made this kitty blanket this past summer for rooster. i was stash busting and figured that a cat blanket was exactly what she needed. so i got out the remaining skein of yarn and the crochet hook and made her a little something special. as you can tell, she LOVES it!

in all these months, i dont think i have seen her on the blanket once. i did catch her knocking it off the bed. i think what she doesnt like is that i put a picture of a black kitty on the blanket that looks a lot like her nemesis Dixon.

book 55: Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

2011-04-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

this was another case of "dont judge a book by its cover". i mean, look at it. it almost looks sci-fi which i would have been totally rad, but because im so far into this book list - i can see the pattern... i knew it wasn't going to be. i enjoyed this book and i award this book 4 cheese wedges!

on to book 56...

grazed the ground & got a dress.

2011-04-03T01:09:00.000-07:00

i've had back problems for years and i agitated it a couple weeks ago ~~(i think from grazing the ground)~~ and was in pretty bad shape. willy got me some yarn and crochet hooks so i wouldnt go crazy and i made a little bag. he also got me one of those "beginnings of a project" bags that you can find at estate sales, projects that no one ever finished. this was for a dress and in the bag there was a little fabric, two pattern pieces front/back (which were already cut out), but there was no picture or other pattern pieces - so i had to google what the dress was supposed to look like. i was able to hand draft the pattern pieces for the collar, placket, sleeves, and cuffs myself. McCall's 2278.

i absolutely love my dress - and the best part is that it fits! how lucky is that? the fabric is also a really cute poly jacquard. i cant wait for the weather to warm up so i can wear it. i think it will look great on the sail boat. eh...eh...?

why?

2011-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

can-anyone-tell-me-why-sometimes-my-mac-keyboard-on-my-laptop-works-and-sometimes-it-doesn't?_The-first-time-this-happened-was-when-i-was-in-Abu-Dhabi-visiting-my-sister._It-didn't-work-for-about-a-day-and-a-half._Now-it-has-been-over-a-week!!_The-keys-that-don't-work-are-these:

SPACEBAR-CAPSLOCK-DELETE-QUOTE-TAB-LEFT,RIGHT,UP,DOWN,ARROW-BRACKETS-SQUIGGLE.

this-is-almost-as-annoying-as-this-persons-hair-cut!!

book 54: Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

2011-03-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

this book is AHHHHmazing! i read it today while my Irish dinner was cooking and baking (it turned out wonderfully, by the way). these short stories are written incredibly and even though some of them were so intense i couldn't put the book down. i award this book 5 cheese wedges!

on to book 55...

book 53: Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir

2011-03-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

this book was really interesting and incredible. a girl the daughter of a Moroccan general and the adoptive daughter of the King Muhammad V ends up spending twenty years of her life in captivity in terrible conditions. i award this book 4 cheese wedges!

on to book 54...

amazing birthday.

2011-03-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

my birthday was last thursday, and i wasn't really looking forward to it this year. my birthdays in the past haven't turned out to be the greatest and this year, i just decided not to do anything (except with my family) - keep it low key. willy got me the glass electric water kettle that i have been wanting. i first saw one at the house of a friend of mine months ago and mentioned that i really thought it was cool. we have been drinking a lot of tea lately - which is great cause watching the water boil is the coolest!

we had a family birthday at the mexican villa, which has been a tradition for years. it was great and really nice to all be together (with the exception of my sister - i miss her like crazy). after dinner willy and i went and got some tea where he told me he had a surprise for me. i LOVE surprises and tried my best not to bug him too much. he told me i had to pack a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, warm clothes, a swimsuit, and a bunch of other things. friday morning we went to le petit provence for coffee and cheese croissants. we headed out to my surprise - which was freaking amazing!

willy took me to a bed and breakfast in pacific city. this wasn't just any bed and breakfast this was the coolest bed and breakfast ever! it was called the Craftsman and was a beautiful arts and crafts house built in the 1920's! the entire home was filled with Stickley, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mackintosh, Morris, and Greene & Greene elements. it was so beautiful and our room had a private balcony and a HUGE claw-foot soaking tub.

we played cribbage, went to dinner, exploring tide pools, walked the beach, and had a wonderful time.

after the trip to the beach we were heading to go play cribbage with our friend jorri (i just learned how to play cribbage and i am really enjoying it - i also enjoy skunking willy). we decided to meet up at a bar in NE portland and when i walked in they cut the music and everyone stood and clapped. i was really really confused about what was going on. turns out, willy had thrown me a SURPRISE PARTY!! i have always secretly wanted a surprise party, i think i was in shock for quite a while. i had no idea any of this was in the works. he had contacted my close friends and family and did such an amazing job.

this was the best birthday!!

book 52: I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

2011-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

i loved this book so much. i got through the 900 page book in a week. this is another book that i want to recommend for everyone to read. i will admit, i was put off by the cover - its actually why it took me so long to start this book. i award this book 5 cheese wedges!

on to book 53...

oink.

2011-03-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

my friends birthday was a few days back and willy and i wanted to make him something special. after looking online for some inspiration i went to my friends blog and knew i had to make these. i know my baked goods decorating skills aren't great i decided not to pipe (is that even the correct term?) the snout with icing - instead i halved a pink "strawberry" marshmallow; i decided not to use gum for the ears and used another marshmallow cut into eighths. willy decided for reese's pieces for the eyes. a choice i think was perfect.

we had so much fun singing and dancing in the kitchen while baking and decorating these little pigs. i think they turned out so cute, but most importantly, the birthday boy loved them! cupcake win.

cinnamon rolls.

2011-03-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

i made these cinnamon rolls from scratch - the dough and everything. they were sooooo amazing. and, i was told, even better than cinnabon! i totally agree. i used a recipe from allrecipes.com and changed it a little because i didnt have a bread machine.

if you want to make the best cinnamon rolls this is what i did...

Cinnamon Rolls
Dough
1 cup warm milk
2 room temp eggs
1/3 cups melted butter
4 1/2 cups bread flower
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup butter

Icing
4oz of cream cheese
1/4 cup room temp butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt

turn on oven to 350 degrees - once heated turn oven OFF! in a large bowl mix yeast and milk and sugar till dissolved. add the remaining dough ingredients. kneed dough then place in the warm oven with a towel over the bowl. leave for about an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

roll dough on a floured surface to approx 15 X 20 inches. mix brown sugar and cinnamon. spread butter on the rolled out dough and add the cinnamon/sugar. roll dough and cut into approx 1 1/4 rolls. place the rolls into a greased pan. **i put the rolls in the fridge over night - but you can stick them in the oven once the rolls have doubled in size**

bake in a preheated oven at 400 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. while the buns are in the oven beat together the icing ingredients. spread the icing over the rolls while they are still hot.

these are amazing warm. but dont just take my word for it. go make some!

baby yoda.

2011-03-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

waaaaay back in august i made a baby yoda hat and sweater for my cousin's baby, elliott, who was born this past january. he is finally the size where he can fit into the sweater/hat but i get the impression that he isnt all that into it.

reconstruction.

2011-02-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

i've had this mens 2XL steeler's sweatshirt for years. it was a size sample from a technical design job i used to have. every now and then i would wear it around the house, but only if my other wearing around the house sweatshirts were dirty. i was going to toss it out but instead decided to cut it apart and reconstruct it back together for my friend ashley who is a huge steelers fan (barf!).

my dress form doesn't have sleeves so the cap doesn't look great with the drag lines. when worn the sleeve has a little puff to it.

(i also feel that i should set the record straight - i do NOT like or support the steelers in any way.)

taco seasoning.

2011-02-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

one of my big cravings lately has been taco seasoning. fresh out of the packet taco seasoning. i sprinkled some on the top of popcorn (which, i shouldn't be eating but splurged) because i felt eating taco seasoning with a spoon was crossing some sort of line.

cox on the beach.

2011-02-27T21:51:00.000-08:00

jill splurged and payed for us to go to a private beach so we could wear our swimsuits on the beach, then she payed a little more for some killer beach chairs. i think this was my first time on a private beach.

we sipped cox's apple on the beach.

it was warm and sunny - and then a sandstorm came in. it was actually really painful to have the sand blown against the skin. if only we were covered...

heritage village.

2011-02-24T00:16:00.000-08:00

jill and i went to Heritage Village in Abu Dhabi on the Arabian gulf and had a wonderful time. the weather was beautiful.

meow!

sheikh zayed grand mosque.

2011-02-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

how could i be so forgetful? i forgot to blog about the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. i mean, it was so awesome we even went there twice!!

i found this picture online, so you could see how beautiful and large the mosque is. i feel my pictures wont do it any justice.

inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

this wall had all of Allah's 99 names, it was huge and incredibly beautiful.

this the the world's 2nd largest chandelier in the world. there were 3 of them!

this is the inside of the domes.

a beautiful prayer clock.

this is the carpet inside the mosque. it was woven in one piece - astonishing!

the carpet is so amazing.

the ceiling in the men's prayer room.

the carpet in the men's room is also one piece. beautiful.

outside the mosque.

this place is so amazing, i feel like photos could never actually give you an accurate picture of what you see when you are here. there is a great picture of my sister and i that i took right before my camera died, but i cant seem to find it. i will post it as soon as i do.

gift bows.

2011-02-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

i have tons and tons and tons of magazines that i don't really need anymore. i would like to keep all my Vogue magazines from the mid '90's to present, but i was running out of space, they were taking up space on my bookshelf, and oh man are they heavy. little by little they have been recycled and now i am trying to find little fun crafty uses for them.

when i was in SD i saw some cute handmade gift bags of out newspaper, and that's where i got the idea for the gift bows.

a very old map of portland.

these were from and old Calvin Klein ad.

laundry smell good.

2011-02-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

the wonderful smell of blue eucalyptus and lavender actually makes me want to do laundry. i have been without it for a couple of months (they didnt have it last time i went to the store) and i picked some up yesterday. i love love love the smell.

i love the smell so much that it makes doing laundry feel like a guilty pleasure. and dont even get me started on the dryer sheets.

hamburger cookies.

2011-02-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

its girl scout cookie time! my mom got me 2 boxes this year (she has been buying me thin mints for as long as i can remember), and i decided to make some little hamburger cookies.

if you want to make them its super easy, this is what you will need:

hamburger cookies

nilla wafers

thin mints

cream cheese frosting

food coloring yellow, red, green

sesame seeds

place thin mints on nilla wafers. place in oven at 350 for 1 minute. mix frosting and food coloring. place each color into a ziplock or sandwich bag and cut of the very tip of the bottom corner. squeeze frosting onto "patty". place nilla wafer on top of frosting. take a brush, dip into water, and lightly wet the nilla wafer so the seeds will stick to the top. sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

tah-duh! now you have your very own little hamburger cookies.

vegetarian enchiladas.

2011-02-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

today for lunch i made vegetarian enchiladas. after being gone for a month, i have just been hanging out at home - which has been really really nice. i was in the mood for enchiladas and just kinda threw this together.

if you want to whip up some enchiladas real fast this is what i did:

vegetarian enchiladas
1 can of refried beans
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 small can of chilies
1 can of mexican corn (drained)
1 small can of sliced olives (drained)
1 cup of salsa (or as much as you would like)
flour or corn tortillas
cheddar cheese
1 can of enchilada sauce
green onions
sour cream

in a large bowl mix refried beans, black beans, chilies, mexican corn, olives, and salsa. take tortilla add cheese (as little or as much as you would like. i used sliced cheese instead of shredded), scoop the mix onto the cheese, roll up and place in a glass baking pan. continue until pan is full. pour sauce over tortillas, cover with cheese.

bake at 400 for 20 minutes. check to see if cheese is bubbly. enjoy!

la.

2011-02-20T14:26:00.000-08:00

i had cereal with milk for the fist time in 15+ years. the hotel we stayed at in Newport Beach was incredibly fancy, right on the water, and had an outstanding continental breakfast. continental breakfasts make me really happy and this one was killer!

from Newport Beach we made our way to LA in our rental car. riding around in the super clean rental car really makes me want to clean out my car (or pay someone else to detail it), but after being home for 3 days, i still havent done it. we popped in at In-N-Out, i have to show the picture again!

nom, nom, nom!

then we went to the La Brea Tar Pits. i love going there. its just so amazing and crazy to see the tar pits right in the middle of the city. and all of the animals they have found in there! mastodons, mammoths, ground sloths, bison, camel, brown bears, black bears, and a sabre-toothed cat - just to name a few.

later that night they played the Echoplex in echo park. it was a fun show and the place was packed. most the shows on this tour have been sold out, super awesome.

hanging out before the show.

i was so tired and hungry after the show. we went downtown in search of food and came across this tiny little hole in the wall not far from the hotel, El Bollo Asado. it was soooooo good. the menu was just pictures on the wall - hundreds of them. my beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, avocado, onion, cilantro burrito was out of this world.

sd.

2011-02-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

i have been wanting to see my bestie laurs for a long time. a really long time. so when it was suggested that i fly to sd a few days before the tour so i could hang out with her i was stoked. i was able to get in some long overdue laurs time. she just bought a rad condo downtown and its right next to balboa park. we spent a day walking around the park and for me, getting some long overdue sun.

the park is so pretty. i love the huge green leaves. i think they have inspired my new bedroom.

tour.

2011-02-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

i was flown down to San Diego for the Murder By Death / The Builders and the Butchers tour. so i could hang out and travel with them in California up to Seattle.

i had so much fun on the west coast section of their tour, and i got to see friends that i havent been able to see in a while. and In-N-Out.... oh how i crave it so. im not going to complain that i have a bf who loves to fly me out when he's on tour.

valentine's dinner.

2011-02-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

taking pictures of food is hard. it never quite looks as amazing as it does when its sitting in front of you smelling delicious. for valentine's day i made vegetarian french onion soup, a green salad, and strawberry shortcake with homemade heart shaped biscuits.

this was a huge hit and a pretty perfect meal. if you would like to make some amazing here are the recipes:

Salad
romaine hearts
Gorgonzola cheese
raspberry vinaigrette
crasions
pine nuts
(1 avocado - i just love them and added it to the side just cause)

toss romaine, gorgonzola, vinaigrette in a large bowl - saving some gorgonzola for garnish.
put on plate or bowl. garnish with crasions, pine nuts, and remaining gorgonzola. if adding avocado slice and put on the side.

Vegetarian French Onion Soup
4 sweet walla-walla onions
1/4 cup butter
32oz veggie broth
pinch of herbes de provence
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 loaf of french bread
1 1/2 cups of swiss cheese

sauté the onions in the butter in a large pot on medium heat until caramelized. add the herbes de provence and cook for another minute or two. add the veggie broth and salt and pepper. bring to slow boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

cut 1/2 slices of french bread and place on baking sheet. broil on high - making sure to watch - until light brown and toasted. flip and toast other side.

grate the swiss cheese and put a little in the bottoms of your oven safe bowls. add soup, cover soup with toasted french bread and top with swiss cheese. place in oven and broil until the cheese melts and is brown and bubbly.

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
your favorite biscuit recipe.
1 egg
1 tablespoon of half and half
2 pints of fresh strawberries
1/2 cup of sugar (give or take, for taste)
whipped cream
heart shaped cookie cutter about 3" wide

take biscuit dough and arrange in a circle approx 1" thick and 7" wide. cut out biscuits and place on parchment paper on a cookie/baking sheet. mix egg and half and half to create a wash and brush over biscuits. bake according to recipe.

cut strawberries in approx 1/4" pieces or size of preference. place in a bowl add half of sugar and mix together. using a hand mixer break down the strawberries creating juice. add the rest of the sugar and keep mixing until you are satisfied with the juice to berry ratio.

my biscuits didn't get very tall so i cut one in half, added the berries, and then put a whole biscuit on the berries. top with whipped cream. and ta-duh!

if you make this meal, you will understand why its my favorite!

valentine's day.

2011-02-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

Alma Chocolate in NE portland is a great little shop/cafe where you can get delicious baked goods, a fantastic latte, and my favorite - the impressive chocolate icons. the dark chocolate icons are made from custom designed original molds and are hand gilded with 23k edible gold leaf. they are so so so cool and such a unique gift for the chocolate lover.

they have a bunch of different designs on their website, but if you can make it to the store its well worth it.

my mom loved her valentine's day sacred heart, its so pretty how could she not? happy valentine's day.

animal style; or things i wish i knew earlier.

2011-02-13T16:52:00.000-08:00

while in california i went to In-N-Out. i had no idea they had a not-so-secret menu - cause i've been on another planet. In-N-Out never appealed to me, being a vegetarian. little did i know they have an amazing grilled cheese with tomato, lettuce, pickles, sauce, and onions and fries that i got animal style (with cheese, onions, and sauce).

i actually kinda get the whole In-N-Out thing now.

happy birthday PBF!

2011-02-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

happy birthday jillie!

today is my little sisters birthday. life would have been less fun and so boring without her!

jill at work = time to explore

2011-02-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

in abu dhabi i was able to see the sights from the front of the bus. this was the sticker placed on the bus windows.

super super super bowl!

2011-02-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

i was lucky enough to get the opportunity to watch the super bowl with my dad. as a seahawks fan, i felt good rooting for the packers for only one day. the packers are my dads favorite team since he was a kid, and its pretty hard to not get behind a team that involves cheese.

into the desert.

2011-02-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

jill and i went out deep into the desert just north of Saudi Arabia. i couldn't believe how amazing the sand dunes were. i had never seen anything like it.

we packed our dinner with us so we could make veggie hot dogs over a campfire. we started the fire right as the sun was going down.

i invented a little something that i call "the genius". its american cheese wrapped (molded) around the dog and roasted in the fire. it is so delicious and i cant wait to make another. i dont think i can ever cook plain dogs ever again.

i feel asleep on the car ride home and would wake up to jill rocking out to CCR. like father like daughter (although, she didnt wreck the car rocking out to CCR, as my dad did about 10 years ago). like

book 51: Cane River by Lalita Tademy

2011-02-05T12:49:00.000-08:00

Cane River was a very interesting book. i enjoyed reading this and found the family history of the author very interesting. i award this book 4 cheese wedges!

on to book 52...

ADNOC: Nacho 'N' Dip

2011-02-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

inspired by my sisters blog and her "Novelty Snack" series, i decided to pick up a novelty snack at the ADNOC when we were filling up.

Novelty Snack: Nacho N Dip
Description:"Flavor of the cinema."
Tastes Like: Poor mans stale Nacho Cheesier Doritos (the chips) and nacho cheese you ate while having a Jolly Rancher in your mouth (the dip)
Verdict: Thumbs neutral for me, thumbs waaaay down for jill

the flavor of the cinema isnt all that great.

fruit market & mac.

2011-02-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

this fruit market was right down the street from jill's place. as a person who hates the grocery store, i have to say that i loved the fruit market. one of the things i loved is that you could actually smell the fruit. when i go to the grocery it is very rare that i can smell the fruit without sticking it right under my nose. two little old men were running the store watching soccer.

jill made me my favorite meal, because she is totally awesome. this was a little Emirati twist on mac and cheese. the cauliflower was a delicious touch and i ate so much mac and cheese. the strawberry salad was also fantastic. i was so excited when i realized there was enough for breakfast the next morning.

jones the grocer.

2011-02-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

jones the grocer is a delicious grocery and quality food store. it's pretty $$$ but sooooo good. i had an amazing sandwich, and you cant knock a good sandwich (no matter the price).

this cheese cooler was so cool. you walk in and get the wonderful aroma that only a true cheese lover could enjoy.

they currently only have stores in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore - but if you ever find yourself anywhere near one, i strongly suggest you stop by.

trader vic's.

2011-01-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

they had a Trader Vic's in portland when i was a kid, and it shut down in the early 90's. i remember going there to eat with my grandma, so they have always had a special little place in my tiki heart. when i saw that jill lived walking distance to the Abu Dhabi Trader Vic's i knew we had to go.

jill had the pina colada (left), and i had the samoan fog cutter (right)

there was a great band playing music and lots of fun and people on the dance floor. they will be reopening Trader Vic's in portland this may. i might have to stop in and get another drink.

ski dubai!!

2011-01-28T05:17:00.000-08:00

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort located inside the Mall of the Emirates. naturally, jill and i decided to ~~learn how~~ attempt to ski for the first time in the desert. growing up an hour away from mt. hood was a little too close and convenient for us.

our ski's from the chairlift.

check out the amazing matching ski outfits.

halfway up the lift there is a chalet where jill and i stopped in to have hot chocolate and watch the skiers and snowboarders.

this picture was taken after skiing. we were exhausted!

we had so much fun, and what an experience! but we both decided that we may not get on snow ski's anytime soon.

the Dubai fountain.

2011-01-26T00:07:00.000-08:00

at the bottom of the Burj Khalifa there is a huge lake and beautiful waterfront. they have a an amazing water fountain show nightly - of course they do - and we checked it out before our trip to the top of the Burj Khalifa.

the music the show was set to was Con te partiro by Satori and sung by Bocelli and Brightman. i didnt happen to take any footage of the water show but i did find this youtube video so you can check out the show.

im going to do some exploring around the city while jill is at work...

burj khalifa: the worlds tallest building.

2011-01-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

the Burj Khalifa is in Dubai and is currently the worlds tallest building. it is so tall that it was almost impossible to get a good picture that would fit in the frame. below is the photo used in the wikipedia entry for the Burj Khalifa so you can see how tall it actually is.

we decided to wait until it was dark to head up to the top so we could see Dubai all lit up at night.

i took some video in the elevator on the way up to show how fast the elevator was moving. the elevator starts at the first floor (i didnt have my camera ready) and heads up to the observation deck on the 124th floor.

the views of Dubai from the worlds tallest building. the observation deck was moving when we stepped outside, this is not for the faint of heart.

i have noticed a few of these gold ATM machines around Dubai and of course they had one at the top of the Burj Khalifa.

jill at the top of the Burj Khalifa.

this is the view we had while walking back to the car from the ground floor of a 10 story parking garage.

the building is so tall that i was getting dizzy just trying to look up at it. going to the top was pretty fun and jill did really well considering heights giver her the heebie jeebies.

dubai mall aquarium.

2011-01-24T03:55:00.000-08:00

jill took me to go see the marine animals at the Dubai Mall in the Dubai aquarium. the sight was pretty amazing, and like most things in Dubai it has set a world record. this aquarium has set a record for the worlds largest viewing panel. you can see the bright colored lights reflecting in the aquarium; those are the lights from Candylicious - the worlds largest candy store.

stingray

nurse shark

giant grouper

scuba diver

the aquarium was quite a sight. they also do glass bottom boat tours, cage snorkeling, shark dives, and an ocean school program. crazy!