ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
The Cascade Lake Loop on Orcas Island in Washington is a pleasant way to explore part of Moran State Park. Its most interesting feature is a twisted Douglas fir that seems out of place. The other evergreens all around it are straight and tall, making you wonder what traumas it withstood during its lifetime. Its... Continue Reading →
Shanghai Cafe remains my go-to Chinese restaurant even as new ones open in the Seattle area. My wife and I tend to order the same things every time, menu items that have stood the test of time over the 20 years we’ve been customers. (You can read about our favorites here.) Years ago, one of... Continue Reading →
It’s the thing nowadays to have street food at restaurants. Many of us have gone traveling abroad that noshing on things foreign is not the hesitation it once was. International food is now within easy reach, a cookbook, restaurant or food truck away. These are exciting times if your palate runs far and wide. In Seattle,... Continue Reading →
During a hike through Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, my wife and I came across the most breathtaking madrone we've ever seen, probably because it stands by itself in a grassy field just north of Alexander's Castle and thus given the freedom to spread its wings. As majestic as the Western red cedar... Continue Reading →
In its northwest corner, Washington State is blessed with one of the world's great ferry systems. Taking the sailing between Seattle and Bainbridge Island on a beautiful sunny day, I became lost in thought staring out at Puget Sound and was reminded again how fortunate I am to live here.
Loco moco is not the first thing I'd normally order when breakfasting in Hawaii. Steamed white rice topped with a fried egg and brown gravy sound tasty enough, not so different in concept from an egg benedict really. It's the ground beef patty that gives me pause, the potential always there for lean and rubbery... Continue Reading →
"Spokane Doesn't Suck." Did it take a young, Texas migrant who moved here recently to defend his new home by marketing apparel decorated with these words? Derrick Oliver loves Spokane. Spokane is Washington state's second largest city—for now—with over 200,000 residents. It could be overtaken by Tacoma any day now. Yet, if you ask folks... Continue Reading →
Monday was a fine sunny day to visit Seattle Center. The Space Needle is so tall (605ft/184m) that it can be seen from anywhere on the 40-acre campus, even through leafy trees.
Potato chips aren't typically the subject of food posts. French fries maybe, but potato chips? What I thought would be a fun snack to munch on at Matt's in the Market is deserving of a cult following. I noticed afterward that other diners were ordering it too, so they were either as curious as me or were indulging... Continue Reading →
Despite the wettest weather we've had on record, signs of spring are everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. I visit the Bellevue Botanical Garden at this time of year to admire the plants, flowers and trees that remind me that this is the season of rejuvenation. The garden is undergoing extensive renovation to improve the visitor's experience. Remarkably, admission... Continue Reading →
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