Quoth the Raven

I am soooo special in a Yelp kind of way!

I love Yelp. Maybe you already knew that, but maybe not. I guess you could say that Yelp is my dirty little secret - well that is about as dirty as I get. Boring. Of course, Yelp is now so popular among people in the know that the secret is now out there. Way out there....

I have to say that my feelings for Yelp are even stronger today. No reason. Ok, so there is a reason and that reason might have something to do with the fact that they have hit my recent post with the coveted title of 'Review of the Day'. How cool is that!

Review of the Day

 Voted by our members!

Faith H.

You say I'm a bitch like it's…

Greenlake Animal Hospital

We love this place so much that Zoe and I are all packed up and ready to move in! Ok, so the initial reason for choosing this vet was location - of course - they are a quick 5 minute walk from my… Read more »

No more words

I am without words.

I am wordless.

Just let me ponder life a moment longer...

Back to school...oops, I mean college

(for the more mature group like myself).

What is it about time and how quickly or slowly it sometimes moves. We all know that in the literal sense of the word time does not change pace through out the day - it just feels like it does.  You know what I'm talking about. Why is it that during the 10 hours that I must sit at my desk the time feels like it is moving so slowly that I can hear the seconds ticking slower, and slower as the day drags. But as soon as I walk in the front door of my home eveything speeds up.

I sit down for a minute just to unwind and the next thing I know it is 6.30pm. Hey, that doesn't sound too bad but then I need to rush Zoe out the door - or is she pushing me - so we both can get some much needed exercise. Don't get me wrong she is not overweight, unlike her mother, she just needs the exercise to get rid of all that pent up energy that she has collected during the day. Whereas I am quite the opposite. I am in dire need of some much needed exercise, not because I have huge reserve of pent up energy but because I have been sitting on my butt all day long doing nothing.

An hour and a half later we are home which means that Joel and I can't begin to contemplate what it is we'll be having for dinner. Our ferrets who have been running free for the past 2 hours are now exhausted and need to be locked up for the night. It all sounds so dramatic but if I were a ferret I wouldn't mind being locked up in a plush 3 level home.

By the time dinner is over it is usually around 9.30pm and we can unwind before hitting the sack and be ready in the morning to go through another day much like this one.

But things are about to change with the onslaught of fall quarter and all the demands that are associated with it just around the corner. Tomorrow to be more precise. This quarter I signed up for two classes; Nutrition (online) and Ceramics (on campus). After contemplating taking two classes on campus I came to the realization that there is no way that I could possibly handle being in classes four nights per week with everything else going on. So an online class seemed like the perfect solution and after taking one in the past they may be convenient but they are definitley not any easier.

So all I am wondering is where I am going to find the time for all the above? But I'll figure that out soon enough...and while I am I may as well get the goods that I need to get me through the quarter in cool style.

First and foremost you will need a funky clock to make sure you don't miss a beat so you better pick up one of these Whacky Wakers from Target, Woodland Park Zoo store, or www.alarmclocksonline.com  for a measly $13.99. That is the kind of price that even a college student can afford! Good guess, when the alarm goes off it does moo for those A+ students who already figured it out.

Next on the list of Fall quarter must-haves is a backpack, but not just any old backpack will do. We know that it must be sturdy to cart the loads of heavy textbooks around but for those students, like myself, who must attend evening college you know that it can get a little disconcerting wandering around the college car park all alone. That is why you need the Carlie Security Backpack which has a velcro cord on the shoulder strap that when pulled trips two 130-decibel alarms and a strobe light. Now that is cooking and at a mere $59.99 it is well worth the peace of mind you now have. Available in pin, black or blue. Now, all you need to do is figure out how to use the strobe alone and imagine all the dance parties you could organise!

I don't know about you but I am always rummaging through my bag trying to find my flash drive, but I won't be doing that any longer with this hip pint-size invention. Meet the fashionable accessory that every gadget savy girl needs - the Imation Wristband Flash Drive - often referred to as 'wearable technology' and it is well worth the $22.99 for storing your homewor, and you will never have to blame your dog for chewing up your homework, ever again. This is available at Target but being such a snazzy pc accessory I am not surprised that I couldn't find it online at Target.com as it probably sold out quickly.

Now you won't want to go anyway without this handy sleeve to store your laptop. Kermit the frog didn't have a clue when he sung 'it's not easy being green'. It's got nothing to do with being easy Kermie, it's all about being cool and this Sumo Laptop Sleeve is way cool. It is so easy being green...(FYI the green is due any day now at University Book Store)

And lastly here is the perfect calculator for all you mathematicians out there. It's the TI-84 Plus but as you can see this calculator stands out from the rest in it's pretty-in-pink shell. No way. Yes way. I wouldn't believe it if I couldn't see it for myself. The news is just in - math whizzes are smart and stylish. Available at Staples and Office Depot.

Gee, I am starting to perk up all ready. Bring on Fall quarter... 

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday and I thought I would celebrate by doing very little at work - hey, why not - I only work from 7am - noon on a Friday so it really isn't enough time to commit to real work. So I did just that - nothing!

Nothing that is apart from enjoying my birthday celebrations with a decorated desk and my colleagues singing that horrid birthday song to me. Yeh, you know the one.  The standard Happy Birthday jingle that is so outdated and non-melodic that it really should have been scrapped a long time ago. Any way, I did appreciate the sentiment in spite of the song...oh, and of course I had to blow out the candles on my pastries. Did I mention that I oppose blowing out candles on cakes aswell. Just recently the germaphobe buried deep within me has started to question the disgusting nature of this act. I mean, you cannot tell me that some saliva doesn't sneak its way onto the cake....oh it is so gross.

So by noon I was packing up and on my way to celebrate my birthday. Hey, I had no idea what to do with this afternoon so I went home and watched tv. No, and I didn't waste the afternoon watching day time soaps - please! I stumbled upon that old show 'Judging Amy' the other day and realized how much I love the show so I set the Tivo to tape the series. So I watched re-runs of Judging Amy all afternoon. It was the perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon.

When Joel got home I got to open my present. Believe it or not, I didn't search the basement for it as not knowing what the present is, is so much more enjoyable. There were only a handful of things I wanted - or needed - a mirror from Pottery Barn; a Blackberry and you can never go wrong with vouchers for Powells or Abebooks, so I can add more books to my collection. Well, Joel bought me the mirror and it looks fantastic in my living room.

At 8pm Joel and I arrived at Tilth Restaurant for my birthday dinner, and I was surprised to find the restaurant was nearing full capacity, which is amazing being that they had only been open for a week. Now this restaurant is a little different in that you can either order your standard main meals, or you can order a few smaller portion sizes - which is what we chose to do. This is extremely rare for me as I am usually not very adventurous when it comes to food. (This coming from the person who has been eating at Jalisco Mexican Restaurant every week for two years and eats the same thing every time - chicken fajitas and a midori margarita). But there were so many delicious meals to chose from that I was eager to try them all - except the mini duck burgers which looked cute - if a food can be called cute - but I just can't eat duck. I swear after sampling the many and varied dishes at Tilth, I must admit that Maria Hines - Chef and Owner of Tilth - totally blew me away with the taste and the designs.  I mean the food is more than just food to be fill a hungry stomach. This was an experience, each meal was an extension of Maria Hines, and the food was displayed in such a way that I wanted to take it home and set it on my mantle, as you would an object of art. Exquisite!

I would highly recommend that you check out this place as soon as possible as it won't be too long before you will have to reserve a seat weeks, if not, months in advance! Good luck Maria and thanks for an awesome birthday treat!

What about me?

My Personality

Neuroticism	40
Extraversion	43
Openness To Experience	37
Agreeableness	74
Conscientiousness	90

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report Bebo, Discount Ugg Boots and hi5 by Pulseware Survey Software

Decisions. Decisions.

Well, my birthday is just around the corner and I couldn't decide where to go for dinner. I love the Georgian but we have been there a few times...what about somewhere new? I also love italian and Serafina is the place to go for authentic italian food and a romantic vibe. I searched and I searched and then I stumbled upon Earth and Ocean which serves mostly organic produce from around Washington, and is located in the W Hotel. The Chef, Maria Hines had ignited rave reviews for her menu selection, so I made a booking and left it at that...

Then I found out that Maria Hines was no longer the Chef at Earth & Ocean but has recently gone solo. So now both Joel and I have become fixated on this chef and must dine in her restaurant, which is scheduled to open in Wallingford in late September. Low and behold, much to my amazement the restaurant, Tilth just opened it's doors on Friday so Joel made a reservation for this Friday - exactly one week after opening. You can check out the website but being that it is currently only a front page then you will are more likely to find out a bit more about Tilth if you go to OpenTable.

Stay tuned for all the details about our birthday celebrations at Tilth.

An evening at Restaurant Zoe

August and September are always busy months for me. We celebrate our wedding anniversary on August 5, then we celebrate Joel's birthday on August 27 and the celebration end on September 8 when we celebrate my birthday. If you have been following my infrequent posts then you are aware that we went to San Francisco for our anniversary this year and had a fabulous time I might add.

For Joel's birthday this year we decided to eat at Restaurant Zoe. Now, we have lived in Seattle for 6 years and I really can't believe that we have never dined at this fabulously cool restaurant. It seems like we have dined at many of the well known haunts; Georgian Room - now known only as the Georgian; The Waterfront; The Pink Door; Teatro Zinzanni; Il Fornaio; Serafina, just to name a few. This year we wanted to go somewhere that we haven'tried before so Joel decided on Restaurant Zoe.

I can only speak for myself but "oh what a night". This place is fantastic! Our waiter, Roddy, was professional and courteous; and the meals were so scrumptious that I had to stop myself from licking the plate clean. You know that I am only kidding, I am certainly not the plate-licking kind of gal but just wanted to express my delight with the meal I was served. 

The day before I had called the restaurant and spoke to the Tom Knowles - the manager, to let him know that we were celebrating Joel's birthday. After arriving at the restaurant Tom recognized my voice from our phone conversation. Hey, I wouldn't even go so far as to call it a conversation as it was little more than a 10 word dialogue...but just the fact that he knew me and remembered my name was something. He proceeded to use my name a couple more times throughout the evening and that just did it for me. This place is fantastic; certainly a 5 star dining experience.  Of course, I cannot imagine the Manager hiring staff that did not treat the diners with the same level of care that he took in greeting us as we entered, so I should have anticipated an exceptional evening. Maybe I should have read some of the reviews like this one. 

”Tom Knowles, Restaurant Zoë’s General Manager, knows how much it means when everything—service, food, atmosphere—come together when dining out, and he'll do all he can to make that happen every night at Zoë.” — ”Best Host” Seattle Magazine, Restaurants Awards

I started with a cocktail...some type of cranberry martini...yum it was delicious. Maybe too delicious which is why I cannot recall the name of it. Joel who is a health fanatic and saves any drinking for special ocassions such as this, was abstaining for reasons you would know if you read a previous post. For an appertizer I went with the endive, frisée & radicchio salad then for the entree I chose the wild troll king salmon, with warm fingerling potato salad, watercress, shaved fennel & red pepper coulis. I ended with the desert special but cannot for the life of me remember what it was? I do remember that it was also made to perfection...the cocktail and the couple of glasses of wine must have effected my long term memory.

We had a perfect birthday celebration and I cannot wait to return to Restaurant Zoe again; hopefully in the very near future.

Are you going to San Francisco?

You bet I am! Actually, Joel and I went down to celebrate our 11yr wedding anniversary and I wanted to tell you all about it before I left but it was a secret. Honestly, it was. Joel planned the trip, our anniversary dinner plans and the tour of Alcatraz as a surprise and I didn't find out where we were going until we arrived at the airport. It was funny that while we were heading to the airport a dance remix of the song "Are you going to San Francisco" came on the radio and I had to tell Joel how much I hated the song when it came out the first time.

Joel did suggest that he contemplated drugging me so I wouldn't know where we were going until we landed in San Fran, but we figured that airport officials may think he was kidnapping me and he just might get himself arrested.

What a wonderful city! We had a great time hitting all the local galleries and viewing numerous beautiful works of art - many that we could never afford. We were fortunate to find that the Fine Arts Museum was hosting a fabulous Monet exhibition. We also took a tour around Alcatraz which was interesting - I recently watched a documentary about life on the island for both the prisoners and the officers who lived there so it was an even richer experience to see it for myself. Of course, now it is basically a huge bird nest where numerous seagulls and other birds stop to mate and poop but the views are awesome.

On our anniversary we dined at a sophisticated little italian restaurant called Venticello, located on Nob Hill I would advise anyone going there to get a cab or to wear sneakers because the hills are a nightmare. Joel definitely made the right choice for our anniversary as this place was absolutely fabulous. Venticello serves truly authentic italian meals and the service was exceptional; warm and friendly while still maintaining a professional attitude. Our meals were served in a timely fashion, with each meal portion almost large enough to feed two people! There was no way that we were even going to contemplate squeezing in dessert, that was until the waitress arrived at our table with a complimentary dessert, a glass of port and a glass of deliciously sweet dessert wine. We had a wonderful time at the restaurant and then headed to a local bar - actually it was right next to our hotel - for reasons of convenience. This proved to be a very good idea after we consumed more alcohol than our bodies needed.

So am I going back to San Francisco - you bet I am!

Alcohol is bad....mmm'kay

So yesterday was Joel's last day with Pure Networks, which meant the dreaded farewell party. So now you know where this post is going, and the reasoning for my more than appropriate title.

Joel has been through the hardships, and shared many good times with his friends at Pure - but it is now time to move on.So where is he going you ask? He is off to join the world of Google.

But it wouldn't be a proper farewell without a farewell bash. So Joel knew he would have a drink or two so he decided to leave his car at home. Of course, he is a responsible guy and this seems like the responsible thing to do. Mistake Number 1. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend as I had to tie up some lose ends at college. No problem - I would pick up Joel from the Eastlake Bar & Grill when he finished saying his farewells and we would have a relaxing evening being that I finished my finals for summer quarter just the night before. Mistake Number 2.

To cut a long story short, I picked Joel up at 8.30pm (yes, this doesn't sound like a big bash but when your other half who never drinks has been drinking since 4.30pm then it is a hello of a long time). We arrive home just as Joel is about to throw up in my car. That wasn't going to happen as I managed to kick him out before the projectile vomit hit my car door. By now he is laying sprawled on the pavement throwing up.

You know if someone was telling me this story I would be in fits of laughter, but it is strange how things become less amusing when you (as in I) have to deal with the repercussions of someone else's stupid actions. So it wasn't funny at all when I had to take care of the drunk (aka Joel) who was sprawled on the pavement, and had been there for the past 45 minutes - with no thoughts of coming in the house any time soon. Should I remind you my blogger friend that it is now nearing 9.30pm, I haven't eaten dinner yet and will need to get to bed so I can get up at 6am.

Well, I soon learned that this was not going to be a relaxing night vegging out in front of the soap box. It wasn't even going to be a night where I would get a whole lot of sleep.

I managed to convince Joel to drag himself into the house; only after yelling at him that it would not be wise for me to leave him outside like he suggested. So he drags his arse inside, and ends up on the bathroom floor where he continues to throw up till about 11.30pm. By now I was a little concerned as I had done my research online and it appeared that he had a case of alcohol poisoning. Out of concern for my man, and selfish concern that I would not be getting nearly enough beauty sleep tonight, I called 911. The medics felt that he may be fine but I should keep an eye on him and call them if I needed them. Well, it is hard to keep an eye on someone when they are sprawled on the bathroom floor and you are snuggled into your cosy bed with a dog who is traumatised by the evenings entertainment. I surmised that as long as Joel was vomiting then he was still breathing, which meant that he is still alive and has not choked on his own vomit and died...which means I get some shut eye.

At 6am I awoke to the sweet sound of Joel vomiting, which I might add, is not as bad as the dreadful sound of my alarm, and I dragged myself to work. Just another day.....

Summer Quarter is over!

After signing up for a Psychology course for Summer  quarter I began to wonder whether I had done the right thing. It took only two weeks into the course to realize that this was a very stupid move on my behalf. Don't get me wrong, I loved the subject matter but the workload was ridiculous. In order to cram a 12 wk course into 8 wks we were advised to study for 4 hrs per day. This could be difficult! Actually, this is an impossible task with my 10hr work day, caring for an active pit bull and 5 ferrets...not to mention wanting to spend some time with Joel. So on a scale of 1-10 of impossible tasks, this is right up there - unless I am able to function on 3 hrs of sleep per night - which I am not.

So I had 2 options:

1. Work as hard as I can, and if all else fails re-take the course to obtain a higher grade.

OR

2. Withdraw from the class and take it later on in the year.

Now if you know me at all you will know that I am too proud to back out once I commit to a task, so option 2 was out, which left me with no other choice but to work, work, work!

So I did just that. Hey, don't get me wrong it was still extremely difficult. Especially being that my Psych lecturer majored in Biology so he wanted to cover all the heavy biology material such as the Brain, Neurons and cell structure, Neurotransmitters, etc... Again, this was interesting material but was a hell of a lot of information to cover in such a short quarter.

To cut a long story short - I completed the course AND I passed with an A- so I am feeling pretty darn good...and totally relieved that I can now start to enjoy life again and maybe do some much needed housework!

* If you are questioning the relevance of the dog photo in a Psychology discussion it is relating to Pavlov's classical conditioning experiments - very interesting study and highly useful to practice in the workplace.