Saturday InstAwesome: June Vol. 3

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1. Home made quick pickles - suuuper yummy!

2. (Also) home made spring rolls with eggplant!

3. First day of summer, gorgeous weather outside!  Decided to sit on the back patio and work on some crafts (SHRINKY DINKS!!!)

4. That damn Add-a-Cat app!!!

5. Snack time - also added coconut rum to my coconut iced tea.  Yummmmerz.

6. Blooms on my snap pea vines.  Can't wait to start eating them!

7.  Last night's dinner - simple salad!

8.  Salted caramel ice cream from Ice Cream Social.  If you're in the Tacoma area on a Tuesday, I highly recommend checking out the 6th Ave Farmers Market to get some of her ice cream!  

9.  Picked up my scrubs for work, and SERIOUSLY, they have Greys Anatomy "brand" scrubs.  And SERIOUSLY I got a pair.  

This weekend is going to be a lot of prepping myself to get back to work, celebrating birthdays, and continuing a Harry Potter marathon with a friend.  Oh, and freaking out over the new job.  Eeeeeeeeeeeek!

As always and forever, have a FABULOUS weekend!

Currently, My Taste Buds Are Loving: Blended Strawberry Wine

This past week has been quite the roller coaster - started off with a dead battery in my car, Brian's car breaking down en route to saving my car of death, and just all around stress.  When it rains, it pours.

But, luckily there was something to help brighten my outlook - Friday I went in for a quick interview for a coordinator position with a skin & eye center looking to get into clinical research.  While I was hesitant to continue my work life in the field of drug science, it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

The interview was with the lead doctor who would serve as principal investigator on the study, and the head of human resources (who happens to be a friend's mom, and the same friend ALSO happens to work there).

While I feel pretty confident in my regulatory and coordinating abilities with clinical research, the position requires the coordinator to be a Jane of all trades - hunt down sponsors to work with, help negotiate contracts, set up the proper regulatory documents, create source documents, data entry, draw/process/ship blood samples (which I am NOT trained to do) - basically do any and all things that aren't legally designated for the doctor to do.

The interview went well, the doctor is very nice, and I felt that I remained very honest about my abilities and work history.

Walking out, I didn't feel very sure I'd even get the job, since there was much stress put on the fact that they want someone who is certified in the whole lab element of a research study.

Add on the fact that I was stuck in the parking lot for an hour because my battery was dead.  In the sun.  In work pants & a cardigan sweater.  Sweating up a storm.

Tuesday, in the midst of drama drama drama, I got a phone call from their human resources offering me the position!  And, of course, I accepted!  It'll be A LOT of work, but it'll be with really encouraging people.  The position is new, some of the work is already done and ready for me, so I just need to keep confident and push through it.

Monday at 8am I start work there - tomorrow I'm going in to sign some papers and try on PINK scrubs (I don't know how I feel about that).  It's so SO exciting, and so SOOOOO terrifying!

In celebration Tuesday night, I made myself a delicious frozen booze drink.  And I think you should make it too, to help me celebrate:

1. Get together about 1 C frozen strawberries & a white wine 
• I chose riesling, because I like the sweetness of it.  But go ahead and use what you like - oh man, like CHAMPAGNE!
2. Blend the strawberries with about 2 tbsp of the wine to make a slush
3. Put the strawberry mixture in a glass
4. Top off with wine

AND DRINK!  It's delightful.  Especially when drinking on the back patio on a warm summer night.  

Currently, My Eyes Are Loving: Summer Unplugged- June 2012

Pretty sure we've all been there - hop online to check your email in the morning (real quick, I'll be done in 5 minutes!), where we see an email to a link - "CLICK HERE, IT"S SUPER AWESOME!", where we go to a website that gives us the option to share with our friends on Facebook - "My BFF is totally gonna love this!", where we share, end up on Facebook, see that so-and-so just had a baby -"Ooooooo, those cheeks!", notice a link to a contest on a famous blog, go to the blog, leave a comment, sign up for whatever newsletter is required, share the contest, end up back on Facebook, see photos from a friend's vacation...

...and 2 hours later, you've wasted your entire morning.  

I do this ALL THE TIME!  I hop online to print out a recipe, but I forgot where exactly I saw it, search online, and end up spending about 45 minutes playing Plants vs. Zombies somehow.

No matter how much intention I have to stay focused on this one task, it always seems futile.

Luckily, through the networking of Alt Summit, where I was shown a Facebook group dedicated to Seattle bloggers, the lovely Emily Peck of Peck Life asked, in better terms, who wants to unplug this summer?

No computer, no phone (although, I cheated on that one), no social media - just being there, in the moment, intentionally working and focusing on whats important.  And getting back to what's IRL (in real life).

It's a brilliant, although somewhat difficult, challenge that I immediately signed up for.

Yesterday was my "unplug" day - where I intentionally turned off the FB notifications on my phone, left it on vibrate for when someone called, did not turn on my computer, and spent the most part of my day working on things around the house, and also really taking the time to appreciate the house.  I cheated, by still using my phone to take photos.  But I SWEAR I didn't use it for anything else!

Started my morning with the usual of dishes & coffee - maybe I added some Irish cream to the mix.  And maybe I stared at the cactus Brian's mom got me for about half an hour.  Maybe.

Headed outside to tend to the garden - my oh my are things growing like crazy!  I LOVE IT!

Thought about mowing the lawn (and by lawn, I mean the small field of weeds in the backyard), but felt that was something better left to Brian.  Cleaned out the fire bowl in the back - it was filled with rain and started smelling funky.  Not good.

Found yet ANOTHER colony of ants near our house.  Went inside and got my trusty arsenal of:

• peppermint soap - mixed with water, to kill the ones walking around already, and to set up a perimeter
• sugar + Borax mix - the homemade alternative to other ant bait you find in the stores - the ant takes it back to their colony, where eventually the queen ant will eat the poison, die, and the rest of the colony will die soon after
• corn meal - same idea as sugar + Borax, except that the ants end up exploding.  The corn meal expands, and they don't have the proper enzymes to digest it!

This combo has worked on two different colonies living under our house, so I'm sticking to it!

Pulled a radish and some more bok choy from the garden - it's so refreshing to know that if I want veggies, I just have to walk to the back yard.  The Meows found something outside that she so desperately wanted to hunt - eyes on the prize.  Settled in on the bed between loads of laundry to read - A BOOK!  A REAL BOOK!

Ended up falling asleep for a spell, where the cats I'm SURE sensed that I wasn't going to move for a while, and came in for the snuggles.  Got up for some water, and our little love spot on the fridge always makes me smile.  We make me sick.

Made some chocolate coconut milk ice cream, and added some toffee bits on that sucka.  Soooo good.  Checked the mail, and I got a bunch of free samples from Target (one good thing about getting lost on Facebook - finding sign ups for free stuff!!!)

The night ended with Brian and I on the couch, watching Star Trek - like usual.  :)

Today is the first day of summer, and man is it a sunny one.  Sucks that I'm going to go lay in bed moaning, hoping the Midol will kick in ASAP (or I will kick someones ass).

Head on over to Peck Life for more info on a summer of unplugging, and to see who else is joining in!

Do you dedicate time to just staying away from all the technology life has to offer, so you can enjoy all the beauty life has to offer?

Currently, My Ears Are Loving: My Happiness

In an attempt to be cool like my friends by creating a list of my top 50 favorite songs, I wrote down a very rough, un-ranked list of what my ears love the most.  Now I'm sharing it with you, song by song.  <3


There are few moments when I feel like a really cool person.  Sometimes I feel cool when I have a giant cup of froyo with a mountain of toppings (Yeah, I'ma eat all of this.  Yeah, I'm lactose-intolerant.  What?!)


Other times is when I can say that I've seen a certain band in concert - which, also doesn't happen very often.  


My freshman year of high school, after my non-stop complaining about moving so far away from my friends (a suburb near Chicago is pretty far away from a suburb near Seattle), my mom decided to let me take a trip back to Seattle to visit, and go to a concert with a friend for her birthday.

It was the first time Coldplay came to Seattle, not long after they released their song "Yellow", and coincided with my friend Amber's birthday.  Her mom drove us to The Showbox near Pike Place Market, where we got in early enough to be right next to the stage - and to hear the opening act.

The Australian band Powderfinger opened for Coldplay that night, and "My Happiness" was the 3rd song they played.  The other songs they played didn't really have an impact on me, but for some reason, "My Happiness" stuck to me like glue.  While the lyrics at the time were of no significance to me (which seems to be the case with a lot of songs I love), the music itself is what really got me.  

Fast-foward to a couple years ago, and I finally felt connected to the song as a whole - the lyrics represented a pivotal part of my relationship with Brian, after spending time apart to figure things out.

The rest of their music is kind of so-so for me, and I'm not exactly sure what it is about this particular song of theirs that makes it so great for me.  Perhaps I was going through something the first time I heard it live, almost 12 years ago (ouch...), not realizing the song related to the situation.

Whatever it is that keeps me coming back to this song, it definitely is part of my happiness.

Is there a song you loved when you were younger, only to hear it as an now and have it apply so heavily to a current situation?

Currently, My Heart Is Loving: Father's Day - The Man With The Black Jeans

I would love to say that he's NOT peeing in the snow.  But I can't.  And I don't care.  Because this is my step father, William A. Kelly, Sr. at his finest - with his Ray Ban sunglasses and black jeans, acting like it's 1987, all day, everyday.  

I'd also like to say that our step daughter/step father relationship was awesome and rainbows and sunshine out our asses since my mom introduced me to him.  But I can't.  And that's quite alright.  

When he and my mom got together, I was in the 3rd grade.  Still a kid, he let me ride my bike around the block alone, much to my mom's despair.  He took me on the most frightening ride on a motorcycle, which had nothing to do with his riding abilities, and all to do with the fact that I had NO metal around me.  When I went to China to see him & my mom for the summer, he and I went out on the water of Phuket, Thailand on a jet ski.  And to this day I am terrified of them.  This time, it had a lot to do with his jet-skiing abilities.  And also a lot to do with the fact that we were in so far away from the shore.  But mostly it's because of him.

 Sorry, Mr Bill.  

In the beginning, everything was pretty much awesome and rainbows and sunshine out our asses - until puberty struck.  Damn it, puberty, I hate you on so many levels...

Being a man who raised two sons (partly) on his own, he had no idea what kind of fiery wrath I would lay upon his life once we hit this part in our lives.  While sons can have the emotional moody stage during their formidable years, I really doubt he experienced anything like what he experienced with me.  

We are the classiest of the classy in Vegas

We have had many moments of wanting to knock each other out - me with my super-sensitive anger management issues, and he with his inability to filter ANYTHING he says to ensure nothing comes out offensively ("What?  I was just asking a question!") - it was a match made in step-parent relationship hell for a while there.

But, like I said, that's quite alright.

Through him I learned a lot about science.  I developed a strong love for Steve Martin & Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  I grew up knowing what it was like to be completely mortified by my father, "MOM, tell Bill to put his teeth back in! I have friends over!!!"

Through him I had the amazing opportunity to experience many areas of mainland Asia - although it was wasted on my angst-ridden self, "I don't wana spend summer in CHINAAAA" - I was able to learn about a completely different culture.  The same trip also began my love of experiencing new foods.  How many people can say they ate, and honestly enjoyed, frogs legs at the age of 12?  Seriously, that shit tastes like chicken.

Typical Bill - cigarette, coffee, Harley shirt, AND THOSE DAMN BLACK JEANS!!!

Through him I have a love and appreciation for classic rock, motorcycles, and starting DIY projects that take forever to finish.  I also learned to adore someone who is very much set in their ways - black coffee in the morning with a little bit of water to cool it down; always saying "IT'S ALIIIIIVE!" when I walk into the room after having woken up; Budweiser in either a can or bottle, or give him death; and whenever mom yells at him for touching her stomach, "But I love ALL of you, Barbie!"  Oh, and can't forget the fine art of burping "Barrrbbb, get me a beeer".  

Adorable.

Through him, I felt loved.  I felt cared for.  Through him I learned what it felt like to WANT to make someone proud.  

Without him, I wouldn't have had a healthy male role in my life.  Without him, there wouldn't be so many awesome memories to outnumber the stupid memories - all of which resulting in hilarious inside jokes & punch lines ("Biiiilllll, you're baaaaaaack" & "Screaming corn!!!")

To this day we still have our moments of bickering and snapping, but that's just how it is.  On days when he or I are being super nice, the suspicious question is always asked, "What do you want from me...?  I have no money for you."

But I wouldn't have had it any other way.  He was the man who, without hesitation it seemed, stepped up to the plate and took care of me when the universe put me into his life with my mom.  I adore this man, even with his false teeth, grumpy attitude, and 6 Million Dollar Man lifestyle (we have the technology, we can rebuild him).  

He means the world to me, to my mom, and to his family.  He has the warmest brown eyes ever, and is the man I look to when someone asks about my father - because he is my father, the man who raised me.  

And for all he has sacrificed and gone through with my bullshit, I have nothing but respect and gratitude for him.

Mr. Bill, if mom has forced you to read this (after you two spend 20+ minutes trying to find your reading glasses, at which point she gives up and just reads it TO YOU), please know that deep down in my heart, you are my father, my dad.  And nothing will ever change that.

With my Momster - and again, those.  Damn.  Black.  Jeans.

I love you.

And I hope mom takes you out to dinner on this special day.  Or at least makes you a steak.  And potatoes.  BUT NO VEGGIES - god forbid.

Currently, My Heart Is Loving: Father's Day - The Man Who Is Half of Me

He is half of me.  I have his nose, his face shape, his eyes, his hair, the same creases in our cheeks when we smile.  Pretty much the only thing I didn't get from him are my giant hips and sarcastic attitude (that, my friends, I got from my mama).

It's difficult for me to determine how to write this post - he is my dad, the man who helped create me, but that doesn't mean what it does to a lot of other people.

Unfortunately, there are very few really awesome memories I have with my dad.  We had a very troubled and limited time together.  My dad suffers from a very sever case of schizophrenia, with multiple personality disorder.  

Due to his internal complications, it was and has been difficult, if not impossible, to have a "normal" relationship with him.  It seems that since I could remember, he functioned more as the child, and I the adult. Always trying my hardest to bring him back to reality, convincing him that the delusions he believed were not reality.  

Even to this day he questions my actions (and at times, even inaction), or my intentions.  Even though I am his daughter, he still has the voices in the back of his mind to not trust me, and it's so frustrating and sad. 

He never told his own father that I was even alive until I was in my teens - and I've always wondered why, with all the things done, he would also deprive me of a relationship with the man who I would later call my grandpa, the Polish man who cried when he saw me for the first time (he said I looked just like my grandmother).  Not having a relationship with my grandfather probably hurts more than  not having a relationship with my father, and I honestly blame him for that.

His condition added another level of dysfunction to our relationship that is far too complicated to explain, and is even harder to justify why I still have him in my life.

Despite his problems and flaws, he did all he could to be a father to me in ways unique to him - buying me Barbies all the time (taped in shirt boxes, never wrapped), sending me little pamphlets or magazines from wherever it was he was living, random knick-knacks he somehow got his hands onto.  

The greatest memory I have of him is our trip together to NYC.  My mom and I were in NJ visiting family, and my dad was very adamant about going into the city - something I was very reserved agreeing to.  We drove to the bus station, rode the bus roughly 2-3 hours, and arrived in NYC early in the morning.  We walked all the way down to Chinatown, back up to the Empire State building.  We ate pizza (of course), talked, enjoyed the warm weather, took photos.  We went to Times Square and made jokes about the people we saw.  

Brian had me take a Spider Man action figure with me to take pictures of in random locations throughout the city, and my dad came up with the brilliant idea of having an NY-PD woman take a picture with it - super hilarious!

The trip was amazing, and awesome, and one that I wish I could relive over and over again.  Most importantly, it felt like an average father-daughter trip.  There was nothing weird.  He would randomly make comments about how his medications make him fat, so he couldn't walk as quickly as I could.  But other than that, I felt like I was a normal daughter there, enjoying the sunny day with her daddy.  

Just thinking about that feeling makes me cry now as I write this.  And my heart breaks.

No matter how earnest I am with my plea for him to stay on his medication and to continue with his therapy, his mind twists my concern into ridicule and judgement, or that I'm working with someone against him.  

Even with our relationship reduced to the occasional email or random giant box delivered in the mail, he's still my daddy.  He's still the man who would let me stay up with him to watch Saturday Night Live, and then fall asleep on his lap during Almost Live (Joel McHale in the 90's, say whaaaat?!)

He was the man, that when I had my first...well..."milestone" of puberty, I went running out to him when he came to pick me up yelling, "DADDY!  DADDY!!  I JUST GOT MY PERIOD!!!"  As awkward as that was, he was seriously proud.  His daughter was growing up!

He's the man who, every chance he gets, apologizes profusely for being who he is, for what our relationship has come to, and that he loves me with all his heart.  His love, while at moments clouded by the lies his mind conjures up, is unconditional and so amazingly strong.  

He is my daddy, and I am his little girl.  And despite all the issues with our past, present, and I'm sure future, I do love him, and want nothing more for him than to be healthy and happy.  For him to be in the present and stable mind to walk me down the aisle when I get married - and to experience the REALITY of it, not what his brain tricks him into thinking.

For all the lessons he taught me unintentionally, and for the moments when he was the greatest dad ever - I hope he has a great Father's Day out in New Jersey.  I'm sad that I can't be there with him, for many reasons.

Grandpa, me, and my dad.  Right before we headed out on our NYC trip.  Three generations of Polish gangstas!  And seriously, could we look anymore like family???

Saturday InstAwesome: June Vol. 2

@nikkihoyhoy - follow me!:

Posting this super late this Saturday - but what chya gonna do when you wake up with a migraine?  Amirite?

1 - Last Saturday morning I "ran" (I use that term very loosely) the Sound to Narrows with a friend of mine.  5k in `46 minutes, a lot better than I thought I would do!

2 - Later that afternoon, my step brother and his wife came to visit from Idaho.  Of COURSE I had to update my chalkboard.

3 - Dinner at Dukes on Ruston Way.  THEY HAVE THE BEST BLOODY MARYS!  It's like a liquid dinner.  Seriously, I can't say enough how much I love that place.  Go during happy hour though, because we didnt, and I almost shat myself over the prices.  Ouchies...

4 - The view of the Puget Sound from the Dukes patio.  Such amazing scenery.

5 - I GREW BOK CHOY!  AND THEY ARE HUGE!!!!

6 - Spent the afternoon with the little nephew coloring, yelling gibberish, throwing giant yoga balls at him while he's running.  Glorious fun.

7 - Happy hour with friends to celebrate a Master & a Manager.  Also gushed about my love of this app for iPhone/Android.  AND, the cat was completely appropriate, seeing as how yesterday's Photo A Day June was "yellow".  Drunk ass cats.

That was pretty much the extent of my week.  Nothing too fun otherwise - lamesauce.

Please, for the love of all that is awesome, have a FABULOUS weekend!

Currently, My Taste Buds Are Loving: Basil & Spinach Pasta (vegan)

In previous Taste Buds posts, I've mentioned how I've been experimenting with vegan recipes - and with making vegan choices when eating.  Lately in my kitchen, there have been a lot of nutritional yeast, cashews, dates, quinoa, coconut milk, and of course MANY fruits & veggies.

With all the fresh, healthy foods around, I've been making better choices in my diet - and the number on my scale is happier than usual!

But sometimes, even with all the hard work and sweat you've been dripping, you just really want to sit down with a cheesy bowl of pasta.  

So with the bounty of veggies, herbs, and nutritional yeast available at my finger tips, I quickly put together a meal for myself one evening - and of course I didn't write down any of the measurements for the ingredients. Why would I, it's not like I have a blog to maintain, right?

So with the best my memory has to offer, I give you - 

Ingredients - 

• pasta of your choice 
• I made a REALLY stupid mistake by using cheese raviolis.  Don't ask, I am blonde and have my moments.  If you feel so inclined to use the same, go for it.  Otherwise, see if you can find a vegan ravioli, or just use regular spaghetti noodles or rigatoni
• 1/2 C peas 
• I used frozen, but you could easily use fresh.  You know how I am - use what I have!
• 1/2 C olive oil
• 1 C spinach, chopped
• 1/4 C fresh basil
• 1/4 C nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• pinch of sea salt 
• go ahead and use regular salt if you don't have sea salt.  Although, I would suggest getting sea salt - it just adds a little more to a dish

Instructions - 

• Cook pasta according to directions
• When pasta is almost done, add in the peas
• Drain pasta - do not rinse pasta, as the carby water & heat will help form your "sauce"
• Dump pasta & peas into a bowl, add olive oil, spinach, basil, and dry ingredients
• Mix until the pasta is covered in all the cheezy, spinachy, basily goodness
• EAT

This was so easy to make on a lazy Sunday, or after a hectic weekday.  Brian, who is your typical meat & potatoes guy, thought the seasonings were amazing.  NEXT TIME, I won't be so stupid as to use cheese raviolis.

What's an easy & fulfilling recipe you always default to when you're pressed for time?

Currently, My Eyes Are Loving: The Life I'm Given

The PNW is notorious for bad weather - always rainy, always grey, always cold.  Granted, it's kinda true, but we do also have (what I believe is) the best summer weather in the nation.

Not too warm.  Sunny.  Surrounded by mountains and rolling hills.  Beautiful.  And my eyes love it all - and am so appreciative of it all, as well.

But because of the reality of the weather, with it being dreary most of the year, it has a major affect on people's health and mentality.  Combine that with the state of financial affairs in the world today, along with the inability to find a job, and a plethora of other life concerns - many people find it too much to handle, and see last resorts by their own hands.  

This morning, while doing my usual Facebook check in, it came to my attention that a group of friends who my boyfriend is very close with had lost a very good friend of theirs - whatever it was she was going through, she felt that the only solution to her problems was suicide.  

While I did not know her personally, it has affected this group of people I know and love, along with the friends and family of her's that I've never met, and the sadness I feel for this entire situation is overwhelming.  

In high school, two members of our group of friends had taken their life - and while it may have ended their suffering of the issues they were dealt, the suffering of those who loved them will live on forever.  It is so unfortunate and amazing the burden people bear, and what choices they make in how to cope.  

For some, the only option they can see is to end their lives.  But by their end, starts a lifetime of sadness felt by those left behind.  

If you recognize the following behaviors in yourself, or someone you know, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

• Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself.
• Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or buying a gun.
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
• Talking about being a burden to others.
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
• Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
• Sleeping too little or too much.
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated.
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
• Displaying extreme mood swings.

In the past, I've spoken about the hotline to friends who either speak of suicide, or were concerned about someone they loved.  Each time, comments were made about how they don't think calling a stranger would be effective - but it is.  The person on the other end is trained to help - and also posses a level of understanding and compassion that can't be learned through handouts or courses. 

With an honest and open (and somewhat ashamed) heart, I can say that this hotline has helped me on two separate occasions, when I felt like there was no other way.  The strangers helped me focus my depression and anxiety on the good that was in my life - and to focus on better ways to deal with my concerns over where my life was going.  To this day I still deal with a heavy amount of depression and anxiety - but I can see myself through it, and I thank the people on the other end of that 1-800 number above.

The main reason why I started this blog was to help myself look at life a little different - to see the extra in the ordinary.  To see that even in the mundane there is beauty, and that I need to learn to gracefully accept & appreciate the life I'm given - even with all of it's shitty moments of doubt and despair.

The ABC's of Life - a perfect plaque I saw while on a lunch date with someone I feel so fortunate to have in my life.

Always look at the things in life that you are grateful for - even if it's as simple as having a comfortable blanket to sleep with, or the ability to drive yourself to work.  Whatever it is, that's what matters.  

You are loved.  Always ALWAYS remember that.

Currently, My Ears Are Loving: Saturday Knight Fever

In an attempt to be cool like my friends by creating a list of my top 50 favorite songs, I wrote down a very rough, un-ranked list of what my ears love the most.  Now I'm sharing it with you, song by song.  <3

When I decided to share this song today, it occurred to me that even in high school, I was the person who used others to help find music I would later love.  A friend of mine, who was kind of flakey and totally strange, was very much into the music scene in the South King county.  He was part of random bands here and there, but knew a lot of local talent personally, which was awesome.  In the rare times that he and I would hang out, I'd randomly meet someone who was part of a group of friends who would later make a name for themselves in the Puget Sound.

One night during a small house party in South Tacoma, he quickly introduced me to random attendees who casually drank their PBR (before it was oh-so-hipster...maybe), when he introduced me to a bearded fellow who looked like he could have been Asian, but was for sure a DJ of some sort with his turn table and crate of vinyl records.

Later that night, when we jumped in my 89' Ford Escort to head back to our respective homes, he put a CD in and started playing this song:

'45' by The Saturday Knights

A couple beats into the song, I looked at him and said, "I really like this!  Who is it?" "That beardy Asian guy with the headphones I introduced you to?  He's part of this.  It's pretty fucking awesome."

And it was.  And still is.  This song can't ever NOT put me in a fabulous mood after listening to it - from the music, to the lyrics that make me laugh.  My love of word play is indulged through hip-hop - and this song is probably one of my favorites in that arena.

I've yet to see them live - I heard that one of the members left a couple years ago, which is unfortunate, but seeing them in concert still remains on my bucket list.  

They make me want to dance, and that makes me happy.

Have you ever accidentally/unknowingly meet a local/large celebrity?  

Saturday InstAwesome: June Vol. 1

My week in Instagram photos (@nikkihoyhoy - follow me!):

First off - am I the last person to revel in the glory that is PicMonkey?  I LOVE IT.

The photos are in no order of when they were taken - because I got lazy today.  Meh.

1 - Brian and I getting sucked into the falsehood of winning a plush prize at the Spanaway Marketplace.

2 - Trapper's Sushi with Brian & his itty bitty Japanese grandma on Wednesday.  The Barackade roll -  I want it in my mouth at all times.  Nothing weird about that, at all.

3 - Run today ended at Northern Pacific Coffee Co. here in Parkland.  Iced coffee, fancy bagel, Weekly Volcano, and I was happy.

4 - The chalkboard at Northern Pacific Coffee Co.  A couple weeks ago it was a giant octopus!

5 - Cats doing what they do best - sleeping on the clean clothes that I pile on the bed every morning with grand intentions of folding & putting them away.  Alas, they all get shoved onto the floor by bedtime.

6 - 6th Ave Farmers Market has many great vendors - one in particular a friend of mine helps with.  Ice Cream Social is a little cart filled with delicious, home-made ice cream - along with vegan options!  I chose the coconut dark chocolate because I'm coo-coo for coconuts & cocoa!  For realzies, I could live off coconut and chocolate FOREVA.

7 - My step brother and his wife are coming into town for the weekend, so I decided to REALLY clean the house.  I even vacuumed and dusted!  Like, whoa.  Now I want the house this way at all times.  But that's so much woooorrrrrrrrrrrrk...

8 - Impromptu date night with Brian at The Tap Room.  And, I repeat, BBQ chicken pizza is RIDIC!

9 - A dress I found at Goodwill that I have yet to go back to see if it's still there.  Tag line for the photo on Instagram, "Why am I not on Mad Men?!?!  Oh, wait...because I'm not Christina Hendricks.  Duh.  And I can't act.  Double duh."

And because I failed at posting my recipe for veggie burgers yesterday, I suggest you go and make this - baked salt & vinegar potato wedges  - because I have been OBSESSED with them all week.  

Tomorrow I'm running the Sound to Narrows 5k with a great friend.

Let's hope I don't pass out and die 10 steps in!

Have a FABULOUS weekend!  

Currently, My Eyes Are Loving: Waterfront Walk Date Nights

Sundays are usually reserved for Brian and I to spend time together.  He works late most days, including Saturday, so it's rare when we have an entire day together.  While this past Sunday we didn't spend the entire day together, after a much needed nap, we had an impromptu date night - which we haven't done in a long while.  Couldn't resist taking pictures of all I saw to document such a fun evening!

We started out with a really relaxing, and mildly entertaining, walk down the Ruston Way waterfront here in Tacoma.  It has a beautiful view of the Puget Sound, with locally owned restaurants lining the shore - my favorite being Dukes Chowder House.  If you're ever in Tacoma, it's a must try!

The beaches in the Puget Sound aren't the sandy beaches most people think of - it's a lot of rocks and drift wood.  Pretty, but for sure hard to walk on.  But, it gave me an opportunity to do some Heart Rock hunting!

Tacoma may not be the most beautiful city at first glance - it's not called the Gritty City for nothing - but there are little bits everywhere that, together, make Tacoma fascinating.

After playing SCUBA STEEEVE with the diver launch area, we drove up to have dinner at my favorite place to eat during the summer - THE TAP ROOM!  

Harmon is a Tacoma brewery that owns three restaurants - Harmon in downtown Tacoma, which is their original brewery; The Hub, that was their second eatery that has a very bright and easy feel to it; and finally The Tap Room, which is their 3rd restaurant and second brew room, located in the bottom half of The Hub.  The Tap Room offers a more rugged feel, with long community tables in their beer garden, and a game area in the back.  Unlike The Hub, who offers thin crust pizza, The Tap Room has thick crust pizza that makes me the happiest person E.V.E.R!  

The BBQ chicken pizza is ridic.  Totes ridic.

Currently, My Ears Are Loving: "Willie" by Cat Power

A few months back on a trip through Portland with two of the best people I know, they talked about a little project they were working on with some other members in a group of friends.  Their goal was to condense a life's worth of music into a list of 50 favorites.  Some attempted to organize the list from favorite -> most favorite -> absolutely the #1 favorite song ever - a task that seems so daunting and impossible to me.

Being that I've never been a person who paid all too much attention to music - mostly just being surrounded by it and always having it around - it made me think about what songs would make my list?  Could I even imagine up songs that have made an impact on my life?  When faced with something as grand as a list of top 50 greatest songs of my life, my mind went blank.


But then I remembered this song, and I smiled, because even though I don't remember the actual moment I heard this song, its still one that I know I could never live without listening to.  When I get bored of the radio or what's playing on Pandora, I look this up on YouTube and all is right with the world:

"Willie" by Cat Power

Per usual, it's a song that has a jazzy, moody tone to it, Charlyn Marie Marshall's rough & beautiful voice that I always seem to be attracted to.  


Prompted by my friend's trip through music memory lane, I started to write down songs I would hear randomly that I have a strong connection to - either through a life experience or just through how I feel when I hear it.  

Tunes for Tuesday.  I think I like it!

Would you be able to create a top 50 of your most beloved songs?  Off the top of your head, what is one that you would include?

Currently, My Imagination Is Loving: Real Estate Stalking - Seattle

From the beginning of forever, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a real estate agent, with a side job in home decoration/real estate staging.  I don't know what it is about homes that just gets me all shades of excited.

When Brian and I worked with our real estate agent to find our home, we looked over SO MANY listings.  She sent us email after email with homes that just didn't quite fit. No reflection on her, but the home we're in now is actually one that I had found online that she had brushed off initially, thinking that it wasn't a fit for us - which obviously ended up not being the case!

Even with our home purchased and settled into, when I get bored, I hop on real estate websites for various areas to see what homes they have to offer.

The other day my alter-ego was being a successful business woman working in Seattle, with an endless amount of money to purchase a home.

With that faux-life, I found this little condo on Harvard St in the vibrant, and my most favorite part of Seattle, Capitol Hill neighborhood:

Source - John L Scott website search

Let me start with this amazing rooftop view

Hello little Space Needle!

Right?!  Oh my goodness, I DIE!

The interior is pretty great, too

While the interior is a little too plane-Jane-modern for my taste, it's simple enough to where it can be updated easily to any style - really, I think only the kitchen would need some work.  Otherwise, the rest of the condo is just about putting in your own furniture to add some character.

Again, though...like...seriously, that damn rooftop view!  I am a person who greatly values outdoor living space.  Even though the weather here in the PNW is usually rainy or gloomy, it is so great to have a great deck or patio to thoroughly enjoy those few days of the year where the weather cannot compare to anywhere else - it truly is priceless.

 This condo could be yours for pocket-change at $1,395,000.00. 

 So, when am I winning the Lotto???