10/28/2010

I'm kind of obsessed and in love with fall right now.

This is the view from my bedroom window




Aggie Spirit Trees

10/26/2010

Due to popular demand, actually the nagging of two individuals, I suppose it is time to begin updating this again. WAH! I'm so far behind! It's daunting. Believe me, on numerous occasions I sat down to post, but then I got side tracked by new recipes and web comics (Melinda!) and other people's pretty picture blogs.

Since trying to cram a busy/whirlwind month into one entry will be the length of a novella, I'm going to stick to the highlights much like a Christmas letter.

First off, it's fall. All the trees are changing colors and the weather is cool and crisp and drizzly. It's absolutely beautiful and all I want to be is a slugabed. And eat stews and soups! And plan trips (starting with a stay in the "sweet room" at this hotel in Milan: http://www.maisonmoschino.com/en/maison-moschino-rooms-suites). Speaking of trips, my dates have been set and I will be in Dallas for Thanksgiving & Christmas! Deck the Halls with Turkey, Stuffing, and Pie!

Second, I have a new house! It's slightly out of the norm, but I'm walking distance to bars/coffee/and Whole Foods. We're kind of a scraggly bunch of roommates, but it seems to work. So here's the skinny:
-The Landlord: He lives in an attached apartment and watches a lot of game shows. He had a stroke and now can't use the right side of his body. Due to the stroke, a ramp has been constructed to get in/out of the side of our house (bike ramp too, score!). His 95 year old mother visits twice a week and has Alzheimer. She's a huge fan of cats, so there are a bunch of kitty magazines laying around the house. Tinga can't wait to meet her. Also, there is a permanent nursing home fragrance in the house (I think they are to blame).
-Dave: He lives in the basement with his up-to-my-waist pooch, Whiskey, who is a complete scaredy cat. So far, Whiskey just stares at me and keeps his distance. I tried bribing him with doggie treats shaped like steaks, but he's a smart lass and must have been privy to my plot. Dave is the house keeper and does all the cleaning/odd jobs. He enjoys painting and baking brownies and cheesecake.
-Gery: He lives upstairs and his door is decorated in Native American style which I find odd because he isn't even partially Indian. He has a little Chihuahua which is permanently glued to his arms. Seriously, his pup is an accessory. He makes Ramen Noodles almost every morning for breakfast, and is a pool shark at night. His trophies are adorning our window sills.
-???: He lives upstairs as well. I met him once and accidentally offended him by addressing him as the 'elusive roommate.' After that we had an incredibly awkward conversation about the toaster. According to Dave, he's 24 and a workaholic.

My room is huge and it's totally quirky.
Pros: There is a faux fireplace and a hidden closet. I can climb out my windows on to the roof of the house. My very own internet.
Cons: I live off a fairly busy street and the sound of cars is a permanent white noise. I have hardwood floors that collects dust and spreads Tinga's litter all over and is extremely cold to my bare footsies in the morning. There is no overhead light, so the room gets a little dark at night, but it kind of makes me feel like Jane Austen (don't ask me why).

Work front: I'm currently temping in Lake Oswego in the hr department for a couple of weeks. The company is a school that provides mental health treatment to children. The school is decorated in Hogwarts theme and I'm kind of loving Snape's Potion Lab. Yesterday the heat went out, so today everyone brought space heaters and heavy coats. Also, the sweet fairy keeps leaving sugar cookies in the break room.

Ben and I have been somewhat glued to the tv this past week playing Heavy Rain (for all those with a PS3 GO BUY NOW). And Ben is now going to be perma-glued since basketball starts this week. Oh joy! At least it gives me an excuse to make chili (or do we need to be watching football for chili?)!

I'll try to be better/more frequent with my updates.

09/21/2010

Seattle pictures, check 'em out!

Click here!

09/15/2010

This job makes me feel like Peter Gibbons, minus an aching desire to crush the copy machine. I pretty much spend my work days performing robotic tasks and cringing every time my coworker answers the phone in her Mr. Mackey voice. My manager though, she sends my fists into a clench. She's a micromanaging, all-up-in-your-business fiend who has mastered the hover technique better than a sea gull (tell me how you really feel, right?). I love/hate her and I can't stand the feelings of paradox. It sends me into a frenzy. Honestly, my manager is really nice, just a little always hangin' around for my taste. My last day is tomorrow and then it's back into the wash bin of unemployment. I am going to miss texting/griping with my coworker, Lauren, and then heading off for cheap drinks at happy hour and Lebanese after work. But, I'm pretty excited to start something new.

And I know, wine, cheese and violins. I love them all!

Now, on to the happy, happy times that is Seattle.

I left Seattle on Sunday kicking and screaming. Ben has the bruises to prove it! From now on he will pack a bike helmet and hockey gear on all future vacations. Seattle was amazing! And plagued with steep inclines and stairs, which as shocking. I wasn't expecting Dallas flats, but I wasn't expecting San Francisco tumbles either. Aside from the work-out inducing, take-my-breath-away hills, Seattle was incredible. Actually, including the hills, Seattle was incredible!

We stayed in an apartment in Capitol Hill that had a breakfast nook and was a short walk to coffee shops/restaurants and was basically a Hawthorne Street duplicate. Ben was a little trooper and was up and dressed before eleven! I almost wish I had time stamped my pictures as proof for all the skeptics. We ate brunch at the Coastal Kitchen, which on the weekends has a 45 minute line that competes with Gravy. Lady luck was with our tummies, because we walked straight in the door and to a booth. I was in hashbrown heaven for the entirety of our meal.

We grabbed a bus to the Sci-fi/Experimental Music Project Museum. Ben spent an hour in the music museum lusting after guitars and talking about grunge while I lusted after first edition P.K. Dick and H.G. Wells novels. Also, the entire time I was there I couldn’t get Mr. Tony Daniels, my sci-fi professor in college…whom I found dull, out of my head. I kept expecting to see Metaplanetary: A Novel of Interplanetary Civil War in one of the glass cases. Unfortunately (fortunately?), he has not yet made it the sci-fi hall of fame.

Pike Place Market was packed and filled with jewelry booths, flower stands and fish mongers. It’s three stories, and on floor number two is the most amazing comic book/Spencers conglomeration. Also joining the ranks on floor 2, is the book store narrator who yells non sequiturs at his customers and talks like he’s hyped up on a pound of espresso beans. It is in that store that I bought my only souvenir from Seattle (besides the added pounds), a Jane Austen portrait bookmark.

Since markets aren’t Ben’s thing, he got to pick the next activity--- the arcades. Ben and I spent an hour and a half playing pinball, skee ball, and air hockey. We spent $13.00 and left with a mini-deck of cards, a glitter bouncy ball and some green play dough.

Ben booked reservations at Seattle’s second best rated “romantic restaurant.” One of its walls is home to the “Gum Wall” which I find horribly ironic. Romantic with a tinge of gross-factor! The food was delicious. Ben was brilliant and got a fish deluxe plate, ie Katie proof. I had the penne special and later experienced wicked indigestion. Apparently when you shovel an appetizer, wine, and your whole meal down your throat like a piggie, you get stomach aches. In hind sight, totally worth it!

The next morning we made our way to this pizza shop around the corner--- home to the most mouth-watering pizza. I dare say, better than Dominos! I know, Bonbon/Popeye, you guys must be in shock right now. But I assure you, I have never had this pizza’s equivalent.

My number one, must-do in Seattle, top-of-my-list, will digress into toddler mode if we don’t do it, was ride a ferry boat. And luckily, for my lungs and pride, Ben took me on a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island over the Puget Sound. We met Allen, the super geeky marine lawyer, who talked about Evil Dead and Neil Gaimon to us while we sipped on beer. Inspired by ferry boats, we have decided to save up for an Alaskan cruise. We want to eat like kings on a cruise ship and look at glaciers. Bainbridge was this charming island city on the Kitsap Peninsula that had yarn stores, book shops and icecream! Oh my, oh my, oh my I scream, you scream, we're all screaming for this icecream. No joke, best.icecream.ever.

Dane and I are checking out a house tonight. Keep your fingers crossed this house is a keeper! Oh yeah, and pictures from Seattle to come.

09/01/2010

I've been obsessed with lists today. My grocery list is charmingly essential. My wish list is excessive and borderline superfluous and titled 'Gimmie, Gimmie!' and mostly features books/graphic novels and end tables (yes, run on sentence).

Last Thursday, Ben, Elisa and I went to Billy Rays for pinball and cheap beer. Medieval Madness kept sucking my ball and taking my quarters. I gave up and played trivia. Trivia highlighted our stupidity and we made out with honorable mention...aka, last place. My contributions: Au, Dolly Parton, Jupiter, and Tropic of Cancer. We played four rounds. Team player, yeah!

I gave Ben these options for tonight:
Dinner by Katie- Salisbury Steak, Pancakes & Breakfast Sausage, Homemade mac & cheese, Panko Crusted Chicken Nuggets
Dinner by Frozen- CPK pizza, Bertolli Chicken Parm in a bag
Dinner by Eating Out- Chipotle


Ben chose Chipotle and I'm totally blaming it on our Ricotta Gnocchi failure last week. Also, I keep thinking about Alana's homemade gnocchi and pining. In any case, our "gnocchi" never thoroughly cooked and pretty much turned into warm ricotta fritters. Also, the entire time we were making our dinner Ben made up the "Gnocchi Man" song:

Gnocchi man,
Oh gnocchi man,
Making gnocchi with his gnocchi hands,
Doing whatever a gnocchi man can dooooo

Adorable, right? Also, are you guys a little done with reading the word 'gnocchi?'


Well, I'm not! We paired our ricotta gnocchi with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Our Star Wars indulgence was inspired by: http://weburbanist.com/2010/08/26/how-graffiti-can-be-even-cooler-just-add-star-wars/

Elisa had an intense weekend, see: South American love boy, which called for Sunday brunch and mimosas. Oh men, always complicating things! After getting tired of paying absurd prices for orange juice and cheap champagne, we went to Freddies and picked up our own Mimosa making ingredients. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Project Runway, petting our kitties and sipping delicious alcoholic beverages.

And now, a glimpse of what's to come.
Ben & Katie in the Emerald City- Second week of September. Another list of the day: What To Do In Seattle?

1) Ferry Boat
2) Sci-Fi Museum
3) Gum Wall
4) Fremont Troll
5) Pike Place
6) Ilbistro Romantic Date Night
7) Art Walk
8) Bridge of Glass

Any suggestions?

08/26/2010

I have officially fallen in love with the internet. I have joined the ranks of web-info junkies and would happily sit in front of a computer, self-indulging and reading blogs for an entire work day. Unfortunately, my manager has decided on a "better" way for me to spend my time. I am now in charge of closing out pre-2010 service requests. Readers, if you have ever complained about having the worst job in the world, then you have just been usurped. I officially have the most insipid and banal job that requires opening and closing 4,721 (I'm going to spell this out for effect: FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE. Aka, a lot!) service requests. Not even The Smiths is getting me through the day. And we're talking Morrissey power! Isn't he supposed to like speak to your soul?!

I spent last weekend bouncing from fair to fair. I went to the Downtown Farmer's Market with my roommate, Elisa. She spent the majority of the time discussing her Chilean lover boy while I drifted from booth to booth sampling produce and dairy. My taste buds forced me to fork over money for some fresh ricotta cheese, Pepperhead jelly, and a bundle of strawberries. Ricotta gnocchi is on the menu for this week. That afternoon, the entire household rode our bikes to the Alberta Street Fair. I managed to resist the Italian Ice temptation, but gave in to the black bean garlic Aardvark sauce. Are you guys noticing a trend in my purchases? Handmade jewelry and classic books converted into journals obviously does not tickle my fancy....nor tummy. I spun the Bishops wheel and won a free haircut! Before I could collect my freebie cut coupon, I had to say 'sexy monkey' to the receptionist who hadn't been informed of the "secret code" and stared at me like I was asking for some sort of exotic African haircut. Ben, get your golden locks ready! Just a trim, I promise.

8/19/2010

I am the Summer Survey Call Girl. KinderCare sends out surveys to all our enrolled parents and it's my job to get into contact/create service requests regarding concerns and feedback. I am now that person who sits in a cubicle and talks with my head set all day long. And strangely enough, it's not awful. In fact, it's like being in a soap opera. Today, I talked with a parent who was disgraced by KinderCare's ethics. And most specifically, how a staff member at one of our centers is having an affair with a married man. Her husband. Or another call about the center director threatening "to bat" a parent at an unaffiliated center. Dramarama. The flip side of this job is my coworkers. Yesterday my boss took the Customer Service Reps (there's three full-time and me) out for drinks and appetizers at the Thatch Tiki Bar. We ordered Mai Tais and the "Pu-pu Platter." My manager told an inappropriate joke about a spaceman and getting it on in a car. It was a strange night. And no worries readers: No drinking/driving for me. I rode the MAX home!

My new house has two major flaws: 1) Around the clock construction workers banging/pounding/waking me up at 7:00 am on Saturday. 2) The price. After reevaluating my finances, I've decided that I do not want to set aside the necessary amount to live in this house. It takes up more than half of my monthly income. So, looks like another move is on the way! To be fair, this isn't something that I had completely overlooked when first moving in. I honestly intended to foot the bill and stay put until winter. But, Dane's brother, Rene, is moving into town and they asked me to be their third roommate. And you all know, you can't say no to friends. So, it's looking like Oct 1 is my next move-in-date! And hopefully my last stop for a while. Stability here I come!