6 posts tagged “seattle”
I've been bird watching with the boys recently. Bird watching. The idea of it clashes somewhat with my self image, but I'm learning to be flexible. We haven't taken it (yet?) to the point of tromping through the woods, listening for feathered friends. Our bird watching occurs mainly at meals, watching the bird feeder through our windows.
Until two weeks ago, I knew the basics. I knew that birds could fly. I also knew that their beaks were a reflection of their eating habits. Those two facts were basically the extent of my knowledge. I don't know much more than that today, but I can identify the handful of bird species that frequent our yard. When I can't, Miles and I do some bird research on the Internet. [We found and printed a helpful (PDF) guide to common Seattle birds from the Audobon Society in Seattle. We also found a good photolog of common birds in the Seattle area, assembled by a man in Bellevue.]
Yesterday, we were sitting by the window watching some Dark-eyed Juncos (ground-feeding), Black-cap chickadees (suet snacking), and a Bewick's Wren (executioning spiders in our stone temples). Miles was using the binoculars. (The birds are roughly 15' away, but our 7x50 Nikon binoculars give an intensely good view, even during dark winter days.) Suddenly, all the birds scattered. This behavior was a bit unusual. We're used to the birds arriving and leaving by species; rarely do four species suddenly bolt simultaneously unless something scares them.
Miles paused for a two-count and then put down the binoculars. At once, a juvenile Cooper's Hawk swooped in to our yard and perched in our tree - also 15' away from our windows. He (she?) was clearly hunting the birds that were congregating around our feeders. He stayed in our tree for a few minutes as Miles and I passed the binoculars back and forth. He was a spectacular bird and I'm still feeling the thrill of seeing him so closely. I understand that the big yellow eyes are a clear indication of a juvenile. I wouldn't have been able to differentiate an adult from a juvenile by size alone; the bird in our tree was pretty substantial. I didn't have a camera nearby, but there is a good picture of a Cooper's Hawk here.
Waiting for my bus five minutes ago, President Clinton walked past me with a dozen police officers. I was watching the police, silently commenting on the waste of a dozen cops in the same block. Then Clinton breezed by me. Then i came to my senses and realized: the ex-pres is scheduled to have dinner with family Gates tonight. At Troiani. Thirty feet from my bus stop. Curses.
Typical: about to shut down for the night when one of the adverts for the nokia n93i catches my attention. Of course it does, but I'm not reasonably going to shell out the cash right now. I've replaced half of my appliances in the last month. For reals. So I'm stuck with my 6682 for a bit longer. So tonight is the night that I installed vox mobile. This is the inaugural movox posting. Damn i need to sleep.
The Sugar Shack Baking Co. just opened in our Seattle neighborhood. Until a few weeks ago, the windows have been covered with brown butcher paper. Now it's open and busy. Thankfully, it's not elbow-to-elbow, but a steady stream of people came and went while we visited. Miles tried a cupcake: pink flavor. Lisa and I shared a brownie. Espresso for the adults. Their cakes are moist and delicious. Ditto the brownie (just a bit bitter for my taste, but spot-on for Lisa). My americano was not legendary, but it was solid. It seems that they make full-size cakes, too, but we didn't see any on offer. The case was pretty well picked over by 1:30pm on Saturday. Still, I could subsist on cupcakes, coffee, and brownies exclusively. I saw a "sammich" pass by with perfectly toasted bread. I'll save that experiment for the next trip.
It seems that the Sugar Shackies are trying to figure out the supply/demand curve for their goods. Perhaps we'll start seeing more pies and cakes in the cases. The menu looks promising, with Red Velvet Cake and Chocolate Key Lime insanity.
I'm glad for a new [bakery] coffee shop in our neighborhood. Cafe Vita leaves me cold; perhaps it's the fact that they share a mini-mall with a check cashing outlet, a tanning salon, and a dry cleaners. Plus, Vita's baked goods are standard coffee shop offerings. Blah. Sugar Shack makes the neighborhood feel more like a neighborhood and less like an opportunistic commercial district on Lake City Way.
- Preserving [and enhancing] open space - especially that rare open space in major urban centers - is heroic; we're damn fortunate for the generosity of SAM (and donors).
- The current collection, though it contains some truly stellar pieces, needs an injection of new blood almost immediately. Preference should be given to contemporary rule breakers and pace setters. Double bonus if they're local. (Bill Viola should be granted honorary local status.)
- Richard Serra's "Wake" is for touching. And not just for touching. It's for groping and licking and lounging.
In the years since this park was originally envisioned, I have heard and read the Gates/Shirley/Wright trifecta recite the stated purpose of the park on multiple occaisions. Paraphrased: "The OSP will create a space where art, life, and nature are intertwined, with the effect that Art - art in general, art with a big 'A' - becomes demystified." Fine. Great. But. One. Problem. To wit, sniffy little "do not touch the art" signs totally eviscerate the goal of demytifying art. This rule is true without exception. Though such signs are frequently warranted (You, in the back! Please quit picking at the Pollock!) it is the pinnacle of Fatheaded Curator Syndrome to think that Wake is such a case.
It wasn't my birthday. Let's get that point clear from the start. The birthday belonged to my mom, young at sixty-ish. To celebrate, we let her take us to dinner. It was her idea and I don't argue with brilliant plans. It was doubly brilliant because it was at Lark (not old enough to be "venerable", but not new enough to be the punky youth of Seattle haute cuisine); triply if you factor in the two small children we left at home. Megans, you are spectacular!
Anyway, if this is a post about food, it should include a list of food and some relevant commentary. Too difficult and I
don't much care, except to say that Lark continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Small plates are the best invention. Not since anything. Well, maybe since ever. I social graze. Lark provides the venue. I provide a wallet (except in this case) and the stamina to get the job done right, the first time. Anyway, Chico ordered. So that this doesn't become a big list, here is a short list: foie gras, rilletes,cheese, dirty martini (he's not that dirty, y'all), something else, something else, a Medoc wine, sell-your-children-for-a-taste crispy pork belly, and desert. Can you dig it?
Chico lost his suit pants. That happened before dinner. But he had a backup and the backup involved other pants and it's a long story. The other patrons seemed content with it, so we didn't stress or make him put down a towel.
Leaving out a lot of other details, the next day I made coq au vin, from an interview I heard on NPR the previous Thursday. I used too little wine and cooked the whole mess for a touch too long. But it was easy, easy, easy and tasted great. Perhaps I post a recipe later. Probably not. We ate raspberry cake and drank more wine. We slept. You're current now. Rekanize.
