Aloha Aloha

This past week we moved across Elliott Bay, leaving behind the familiar urban lifestyle of Aloha Street for the neighborhood vibes of North Admiral in West Seattle. The biggest loss of parting from Lower Queen Anne is the farewell to Seattle Center, the landmark of our neighborhood. I still remember finding our apartment on Craigslist and getting excited about the proximity to Seattle Center and the Space Needle. We've had a view of the iconic structure from our window for the last eight years and could even see the elevators go up and down (a favorite pastime of NLW's)! 

Of course there's other aspects I'll miss: the streets I know so well from all our walks with Ebony, the secret P-patch garden, the short jaunt to South Lake Union, our beloved QFC, Citizen coffee, Laredo's - especially those $5 margarita Mondays - and our lovely neighbors! I know we'll create new friendships, new walking routes, and discover new restaurant dishes. That's part of the joy of moving and beginning anew. But the Seattle Center feels a bit irreplaceable to me. 

Here's just a snapshot of memories I've captured for safe-keeping:

- Countless picnics with friends near the fountain
- Playing two-man badminton on the lawn
- Walking to work at Seattle Rep

- The hubbub of Bite of Seattle

- Movies at the mural
- Hearing parts of Bumbershoot from our house and the one year I staffed a booth and got to see "The Head and the Heart" perform
- Our first and best concert in Seattle - "Deck the Hall Ball" in 2012
- Many jogs & walks with Ebony
- Stumbling upon a yoyo competition
- Watching robot wars in the Amory

- Becoming enchanted by the Children's Museum

- Attending a bipartisan political event and then going to a reception in the newly revolving Space Needle

- Meeting friends at just-before-midnight to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks
- Attending a free "Week in Review" KUOW event
- Free Zumba classes in summer evenings
- Just getting our toes wet with our membership at the Pacific Science Center before covid struck
- Discovering the hidden wading pool tucked away behind some steps 

- Admiring the free art exhibits at the A/NT gallery 
- Ice skating at Fisher Pavilion with friends
- Going for solo or duet runs

- Grabbing a snack or dinner at the Armory 
- Visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass with my family and eating at Collections Cafe!
- Saturday morning dates at KEXP
- Walking home from theater and ballet performances
- Volunteering at a blowout Halloween party at MoPop (EMP at the time)
- Taking the monorail to catch a show downtown or to connect to the light rail and continue on to the airport
- BrickCon (a LEGO convention!)
- Seattle Public Library book sales

- Ample Craft Fairs & other Festivals (like the time we went for a run and then went back the same day to enjoy the Italian Festival)

- Running the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and St. Patty's Day Dash - with start/finish lines at Seattle Center! 

**And most recently, the walking route Mr. Fleece established with NLW. So many simple stops and things to see through a child's eyes! They'd often venture out in the late afternoon while I relaxed and made dinner, but I made my fair share of guest appearances :) 

From exercise and entertainment to peaceful walks and unexpected surprises, the Seattle Center will always be a treasure. Unfortunately, I never saw the Rat City Roller Girls play in Key Arena (would still like to see one of their bouts), never went to a performance at The Seattle Children's Theatre, and never attended a free Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony welcoming and celebrating new U.S. Citizens. I had also planned a last "hurrah"for us - to put on our swimsuits and play in the International Fountain (again, something we've never done), but alas, the poor air quality due to recent forest fire smoke meant this wasn't a wise choice. It's always nice to have specific reasons to come back!

A fountain of Seattle Center love,

- SJW

Guest Blogger | Veggie Table

Every so often I'll send my friend a cooking question that morphs into a blog prompt. The most recent inquiry was regarding inspiration for preparing vegetables. I'm all about sheet pan veggie mixes (sweet potatoes, broccoli, red onion, Brussels sprouts, radishes, beets, cauliflower...) but sometimes I feel like I'm in a roasting rut!

I relish Kelly's creativity and thoughtful approach to meals. Here's what she sent back ---

Roasting vegetables can transform them into the most delicious crispy, caramelized versions of themselves. But roasting isn’t the only trick in the book. And with lingering summer heat, cranking the oven up past 400 is simply not bearable in many kitchens around the country. So what’s a veggie lover to do?

When I was tasked with writing about ways to cook vegetables besides roasting them, I honestly had to stop and think. Not because I’m a one-trick pony, but simply because my day-to-day meal planning and preparation relies on very few vegetable sides, and instead focuses on one-pot or one-pan meals that span multiple food groups. So that’s where we’ll begin!

Tip 1 | One Pot Meals 

My number one tip for preparing vegetables is to choose recipes where the vegetables are already incorporated into the dish. If your vegetables are included as a part of the entree, rather than being a distinct side dish, that’s one less thing you have to worry about. A few favorite examples of this method include One Pot Mediterranean Orzo, Salmon Stuffed Acorn Squash, Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala with Chickpeas and Kale, Perfect Baked Salmon with Lentils and Lemon Herb Sauce, and Easy Vegan Weeknight Stir Fry. 

Tip 2 | Sauteed Greens

If a meal is looking heavy on proteins or starches, without much in the way of vegetables, my go-to easy vegetable side is to quickly throw a bunch of collard greens (or other dark leafy green of choice) in warm cast iron skillet with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and call it a day. Leafy greens are so nutritious and compared with their more delicate lettuce counterparts, they can last a long time in the fridge too. You can see examples of this method in this Sundried Tomato Polenta Bowl with Greens and Herb Baked Fish, Brown Rice Risotto with Seared Scallops and Chard, and Walnut Crusted Chicken with Collard Greens and Tomatoes.  

Tip 3 | Grilled Veggies

For whatever reason, preparing food on the grill always adds a layer of excitement and ambiance to a meal, making mealtime feel more like a celebration than a daily routine. One of my favorite grilled vegetable sides are these Charred Green Beans with Harissa Yogurt, which I like to serve alongside these Grilled Salmon and Cherry Tomato Foil Packets. I have also enjoyed Grilled Sugar Snap Peas with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Grilled Shishito Peppers (simply toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper and grill until charred), among other more common veggies.

Tip 4 | Salads

You know how everyone has that one “wow” dish that guests rave about? In my case, it is what we simply call, The Buckwheat Salad, and is a great place to start for people who aren’t normally huge salad fans. No matter which salad you start with though, there is no getting around the fact that salads are simply excellent carriers for vegetables (case in point: this DIY Harvest Bowl). Salads don’t even have to be green to provide you with ample veggies, as in the case of this Nicoise Tuna Salad.

Three cheers for roots, tubers, beans, & leaves!

- Kelly

Kellytoups.com