Here is Us

last weekend at the Seattle Square. We're toying with the idea of creating a family traveling circus and touring the south. Still dialing in the details, but I think we're well on our way.

Our $5,000 Hotel Room (Yes, American dollars)

Last night Clay and I had the best hotel experience we'll ever have in this life (or any future lives). It was at the Presidential Suite of the Four Seasons Hotel in Downtown Seattle. The room is listed on their Web site as available for $5,000 a night. Yes, that's American dollars. It's just under 2,500 square feet of pure swank with one of the best views of the Seattle waterfront you'll every experience. And it was all FREE.

First the Whoopie Pie contest and now this!

I won the free stay a few months back in a raffle drawing from my friend Debbie for Passports with Purpose.

We've been waiting for a chance to redeem it and decided the weekend before my birthday would be perfect.

Nana and Baba arrived with their suitcase of toys, DVDs and sugary cereals and Clay and I took the No. 10 bus downtown. (I wonder if we're the first guests of the Presidential Suite to ever take the city bus to get there. I suspect we very well may be.)

We were expecting an elegant broom closet, but we didn't care. It's a Four Seasons broom closet! And no kids!

As we checked in, the receptionist casually mentioned we've been upgraded to the Presidential Suite.

What?! The Suite Presidential?

I became giddy and overflowing with thanks. Clay, seeming confused asked, "Is this a good upgrade?" Poor, sweet Clay... He grew up in Vancouver, WA.

No, I explain. I haven't seen this room. But if Barack Obama or Bill Clinton came to Seattle, this is where they'd stay. It's "Presidential" as in "The President." (Although George Bush would probably be forced to stay at the Holiday Inn on Aurora.)

Did I mention the room is 2,500 square feet (and has no children in it)?

It does, however, have a kitchen, two bathrooms, an office, a living room, a dining room that seats eight, a slice of birthday cake, a dressing room, a bidet, a steam room and a double shower with about a dozen shower heads. If that isn't enough, it also has an enormous tub and lots of expensive smelling bubble bath. And yes, it has a king-size bed.








And this view. Ahhhhhh...



We were so appreciative and happy and went out for dinner to celebrate everything fabulous. I accidentally ordered $50 salmon and later got a black eye. The two are unrelated.

It was a perfect outing (other than the $50 salmon and the black eye). And I'm now exactly one week away from turning 40.

And the Winner is...

Last week Eliza, the seven-year-old next door, calls my cell phone and leaves a message. Because of a bad connection the only word I can decipher is Whoopie pie, which peaks my interest. I quickly call her back. Apparently there's going to be a Whoopie Pie baking contest at Odd Fellows Cafe and she thinks we should go. And there are going to be samples!

Feeling cocky, I say we shouldn't just go. We should enter the contest. In retrospect I'm not really sure why I was feeling cocky because the only time I've ever baked Whoopie Pies was for Nancy and she threw the uneaten ones in her garbage that same evening. (Yes, I still remember, Nancy!)

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. Eliza and I bake two batches of Whoopies Pies. (The first batch goes directly in the compost bin because the oven was accidentally set on broil. Not a great start to this endeavor.)

But the pies seem good. Actually, very good. I make other neighbors and Mike give honest feedback and go to bed feeling confident.

Fast forward again to the morning of the event. Eliza, who has given us the nick names Chef Eliza and Sous Chef Robin, has a dentist appointment. She'll get to the event after she gets her teeth cleaned.

Clay drives me to the venue and I enter our pies.



When I say "enter" I mean take the saran wrap off my plates, poke fresh mint on toothpicks into our pies and have a panic attack watching the professionals plate their beautiful creations.

Plates of pies keep piling on and the place is packed. Eliza and I are competing against 24 other bakers.

Finally the contest begins! Our beautiful pies are butchered and served to the judges and the remaining are on display for onlookers to taste.



Aysa and Chloe came with Mike to sample and cheer us on. Aren't they adorable?

After an hour of waiting around, the judges have reached a verdict...

And the winner for Best Classic Whoopie Pie Is: Eliza and I!

Heather from Volunteer Park Cafe, and my favorite baker in all of Seattle, wins the award for Most Interesting Take on a Whoopie Pie.

They liked us, they really liked us!

Here is Eliza with our award-winning creation.



More info and pictures here.

A Quiet Child

is most often a naughty child.



At least in my experience.

No Flavor

In our house we have certain words we aren't allowed to use: Bored, hate, stupid and motherf***er.

So, this morning while walking to get bagels George told me about a girl in camp. He said he liked her when he first met her, but eventually decided "she had no flavor." I assume by this he meant she was boring. But he found a creative way to describe her without using that forbidden word.

Nice work, George. I prefer people with flavor also.

Speaking of flavor, here is Goldie with her Scout Mint ice cream from Molly Moon's.


That's her flavor!

"It's Better Than Ivar's!"

Warning: The post you are about to read is a recipe. Clay read it and said, "It's a recipe. How interesting can it be?" I happen to think recipes can be very interesting. I often find myself reading cookbooks and cooking magazines in bed.

Clay often reads Tape-Op.

Which is more interesting? Let's take a pole. I mean a poll. Spend 5 minutes on the Tape Op site. (Actually, 30 seconds is all you need.) And then vote which is more interesting. Check back later for results.

So anyway, here is the recipe. Or for those who prefer Tape-Op, go to their latest post titled How To Pack Things for Shipping so They Don't Get Damaged. We have nothing more to say to each other.

One week ago I made Chili Grilled Salmon with Cucumber-Mango Salsa for Ashley and Nancy. The following night I made it again for Debbie and Peyman and the next night for Paul and Leora. I took a night off and then made it for my mom and dad. My dad proclaimed, "This is the best salmon I've ever had. It's better than Ivar's." For those not from Seattle, Ivar's is a local seafood chain that apparently is the gold standard for fine dining as far as my father is concerned.

I made it three more times this week including again for Debbie and Peyman and my parents. I wanted to make it again tonight but made this with pasta instead.

The fish is so good. Trust me, and make it tomorrow night.

Ingredients (for the fish)

1 lb of fresh salmon fillet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbs of vegetable or olive oil
2 tbs of chili powder
2 tsp of dried oregano

Ingredients (for the cucumber-mango salsa)


2 ripe but firm mangoes, flesh removed and finely diced
1/2 English (hothouse) cucumber, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 orange
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp of salt
10 grinds of fresh black pepper


Directions:
Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Rub all over with oil. Mix the chili powder and oregano together in a bowl until evenly combined. Massage over the fish to coat the fish evenly. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator. Add more salt 'cause salt is so good.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Cook the salmon 4-5 minutes per side, until crispy on both sides and cooked medium. (I've also made it on the BBQ, no flipping involved.)

Toss the salsa ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Since it's so healthy you should probably make it with these brownies

Love and Poop

Goldie, as sweet and charming as she may look, occasionally goes into "attack mode" with her little brother. The other day we noticed Milo's right cheek had a crescent-shaped gouge about the size of Goldie's thumb nail. Clay questioned her about it and she admitted to it. When he asked why she had done it, she said "because I love him sooooo much." Clay asked her to not do it again and she said, "OK. I'll just love him a little bit."

Now for the poop part. George has been going to an Egypt theme camp this week. It's four hours each day and I'm always anxious to get a report from the camp staff when I pick him up. Today the director reported that George did the biggest poop she's ever seen come out of such a little guy. And she's been a teacher for a long time. And then 20 minutes later he did it again! She said after the second poop he was in a dramatically better mood.

I've never been such a proud parent.

Spiders and Snakes.. Well Actually, Just Snakes

Yes, that's a real snake. It's the first one George ever captured and held on his own. And what do you think is the first thing he does with that special first snake? That's right. Tries to scare his sister. Is this an instinct that's just bred into their gender? Did cavemen brothers try to scare their cavemen sisters with snakes? I suspect so. Unfortunately for George, Goldie isn't really scared of snakes and just complained because she wanted to hold it too.

Oh, Lollipop!

When George was 18 months we took him on a whirlwind vacation to Spain, France and Austria. Throughout the trip we were shocked by the all the strangers who'd hand George candy. I think it's a European thing. And if that wasn't upsetting enough for first-time parents, a kindly old man on a boardwalk in Oviedo, Spain gave George a cough drop. (No, he wasn't coughing!) It was on this vacation George had his first lollipop only because I couldn't wrestle it away after yet another stranger handed it to him. How did he even know what it was? Fast forward to Milo, just 14 months old and eating a lollipop with George. Now I'm the one with the shocking behavior. Apparently, a third child will make one instantly turn European.