ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
"Thick noodles or thin?" "Heavy, medium or thin broth?" "Lean pork or pork belly?" "Firm, medium or soft noodles?" "How much oil do you want?" (more on this below) These are the battery of questions you get asked by the wait staff when you order ramen at Ramen Fujisan in San Gabriel. On top of... Continue Reading →
My son-in-law pointed out the earthquake rubble below us. To my untrained eyes, they just looked like rocks littering the side of Mt Cavendish, but from the gondola car making its way to the top, you could see that many rocks were not covered in lichen, signifying recent movement from their original spots. So many... Continue Reading →
Yesterday's news that a large 6.5 earthquake hit Wellington, New Zealand's capital, following a 5.7 rattler only two days before, was yet another reminder that New Zealand remains seismically active. When I was here earlier in the year, Mt Tongariro on the North Island erupted. Volcanic activity and sudden earth movement are alive and well... Continue Reading →
The biggest Asian restaurant opening to hit the Eastside since Din Tai Fung has been that of Kukai Ramen & Izakaya. Kukai is a highly successful ramen chain in Japan. The Bellevue branch is the first in the States. No sooner had Kukai opened its doors than the lines started forming. For weeks, you could... Continue Reading →
Among the places that popped up when looking for breakfast restaurants on Yelp, Morning Glory was one possibility. What makes it so different was the reason we decided to give it a try; it is a vegan restaurant. We got there just as it was opening up for business, located right around the corner from... Continue Reading →
It's always nice to pull into a larger city on the road just to expand your food and entertainment options. Eugene is the largest city in Oregon after Portland, just barely edging out Salem for that distinction. Downtown Eugene has nice shops, restaurants and cultural amenities without the big city traffic and noise, likely reasons... Continue Reading →
Whenever I drive between Weed and Mt Shasta (the town) along I-5 in northern California, my breath is taken away by the spectacular beauty of Mt Shasta (the mountain) looming to the east. For some odd reason, I had always assumed that Mount Shasta was a national park. Conversely, I never before thought that Mount... Continue Reading →
There are many a Black Bear Diner on the West Coast, 59 and counting. Truthfully, we had never heard of the chain before until we were here in Mt Shasta. And, as it turned out, this is where it all started. There is nothing to suggest a franchise except for the sign outside (above) and... Continue Reading →
VIA magazine pointed us to a gem of a diner, Nancy's Airport Cafe, in Willows, and also highly recommended the The Goat Tavern in Mt Shasta, 150 miles north. According to the article's writer, a food critic for San Francisco magazine, "I found spiritual uplift less than a mile off the highway in a juicy... Continue Reading →
Often described as one of the most beautiful falls in the world, 129-foot Burney Falls is accessible in a state park far removed from a major thoroughfare. Continuing northward along Highway 89 in California, we wanted to make the falls a stopping point. Meltwater from Burney Mountain makes its way down through the porous volcanic... Continue Reading →
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