tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21634336156829972962011-07-07T13:43:19.286-07:00This is meant to keep record of my adventures moving and settling into a new city. Inspired by my friend Paula's blog about her move to Denmark, I want to share my feelings, impressions and anecdotes about living in a new place with friends and family.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-54605521137652231872009-12-04T13:45:00.001-08:002009-12-04T14:57:43.004-08:00

This month, the Triangle Art Gallery features an exhibit called "Art as Therapy". I helped organize the opening reception last night and was really happy to see how many people came to show their support. The show features work from Seattle-area teens that have been guided through therapeutic art practice at local Neighborcare Health centers. These brave kids have been grappling with difficult

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-3619180031151950272009-11-26T17:43:00.000-08:002009-11-28T10:52:26.100-08:00

Today is American Thanksgiving -one of this country's most beloved holidays. Most Americans enjoy a 4-day weekend and make big efforts (traveling across the country sometimes) to share the occasion with friends and family. Canadians also celebrate Thanksgiving (albeit in mid-October) but while the traditions are almost identical (big family feast of turkey, potatoes, gravy, squash, cranberries,

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-18065296652093115252009-11-23T09:58:00.001-08:002009-11-26T19:03:55.132-08:00

pic from Seattle TimesMallar and I are rarely in a car. We mostly walk, bike and/or bus most places. In the event that we do need to drive, however, we will reserve a Zip car. Zip car is a car-sharing service that allows you to use a car without the hassle of owning it (or paying for gas or insurance). It's actually a rather genius system. Anyway, as we were on a little road trip this weekend in

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-78416512591849782452009-11-10T10:37:00.000-08:002009-11-10T11:08:22.894-08:00

Bailey Coy Books, one of my favorite neighborhood bookstores, is in the process of liquidating stock in preparation for its final closing. I went in last week to pick up a few discounted items. I felt a bit like a scavenger doing it especially given my buzzard like behavior of circling and circling around the shop to find the good "remains". They were even selling window display decorations. So

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-34054638565193917712009-11-06T14:41:00.000-08:002009-11-06T15:14:34.613-08:00

I have one more week left in my essay writing course and while I have enjoyed the classes immensely, I have found the writing process challenging. As I sit down to write about meaningful episodes in my life, (with style and universal appeal) -I realize that I have been working through a fair number of dramatic issues and events over the last couple of years. Sometimes I feel like the stories are

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-70137254162616813262009-11-03T09:40:00.000-08:002009-11-03T14:39:33.896-08:00

In the days leading up to Halloween, Mallar and I began to notice that a number of our neighbours were erecting monstrous ghouls (grim reepers, skeletons, furries!?) and setting up other impressive engineering feats in preparation for the big night. As we inquired more about the extraordinary effort being put forth in our particular block (notorious for its displays, apparently) we were told that

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-27201441959140797682009-10-14T08:28:00.001-07:002009-10-14T09:11:13.510-07:00

Last night I attended my final Michael Jackson dance class for the crowd-pleasing Thriller choreography. The 4-week course also covered Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Bad. The MJ class is another one of Century Ballroom's offerings (I took the Beyoncé Single Ladies class with them as well). I have to say that I love the idea of tribute-style dance classes. I only wish that Century

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-45217280938447934682009-10-12T12:28:00.000-07:002009-10-12T13:18:53.238-07:00

Today is "Columbus Day" -an American federal holiday marking Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World over 500 years ago. It is a strange commemoration in many ways as some Americans celebrate it as an anniversary of the European "discovery" of America and others lament it as the onset of a period of exploitation, slavery and outright genocide of the indigenous peoples (who of course, were

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-68800753400633619822009-10-08T22:13:00.000-07:002009-10-08T22:50:39.811-07:00

Today I attended the first class of a 6-week course called, Pilfering Our Way Through the Great Personal Essays. The course is one of many writing courses offered at the Richard Hugo House, a Seattle literary arts center that supports writers of all ages and backgrounds. There were 9 women in my class this morning, with varied levels of writing experience. Some have been crafting personal essays

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-48124917881822998072009-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:002009-10-13T10:15:18.289-07:00

My dear friend, the "Talented Foreigner" challenged me to come up with this list. Whereas her list was written as a Singaporean in Denmark, I guess my list is as a Canadian in America. It would probably have been juicier a year ago as a Canadian in Denmark but here goes:1. Needless ApologiesEven though there is often nothing to be "sorry" for, I often find myself reflexively apologizing for

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-37830153391329638942009-09-11T18:25:00.000-07:002009-09-11T18:48:48.808-07:00

Last night, Mallar and I went to "Soul Nite" at the Northwest Film Forum. The event is described on their website as follows: "...unforgettable voices, funky grooves, magic moves and smooth styles of 60s and 70s SOUL MUSIC! Curator Peter Lucas culls classic and rare performance footage and hosts electrifying, all-star Soul shows on the big screen (and cranked up loud!) We also have djs spinning

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-77620416766167836222009-08-18T09:45:00.000-07:002009-08-18T10:38:46.142-07:00

Mallar celebrated his 32nd birthday on Sunday and in honour of the occasion we thought we'd go on a cycling excursion in the great outdoors. We have been trying to explore the region a little more and so it was a good opportunity to embark on a day trip to Bainbridge Island.Bainbridge Island is just a 30 minute ferry ride away, across Puget Sound and just west of Seattle. It was really cheap and

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-29391767423832040172009-08-18T09:06:00.001-07:002009-08-18T09:37:33.424-07:00

There is something very satisfying about getting two movies for the price of one and I just discovered that the downtown AMC in Seattle is an ideal place to pull off this guilty pleasure. Mallar and I caught 500 Days of Summer and Paper Heart on Saturday afternoon.Both films are sweet and light-hearted romantic comedies -nothing award-winning but both still quite enjoyable and well-done for the

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-50734626356130130732009-08-14T16:15:00.000-07:002009-08-14T16:31:13.129-07:00

Lately, I've been trying to finally get to all those things I felt I didn't have time for when I was frantically writing my thesis. On Wednesday, I rendez-voused with two women (GNA and Nina) from my scholars meetup group, had a really nice chat with them, then accompanied GNA to the Value Village to see if we could find any good second-hand board games. I admit we also scanned the racks of crazy

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-88711899371165005212009-08-12T11:20:00.000-07:002009-08-12T11:30:42.668-07:00

It's just a small move this time. We are going to relocate just two blocks away from where we live now. Our apartment was alright but it's been up for sale these last months and we got a little tired of the attendant hassles. It was also rather over-priced for what it was.Instead we are moving into the first floor of a beautiful old house (built in 1906). I am really excited about it. It is a

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-90644989943612378772009-08-11T17:03:00.000-07:002009-08-11T19:43:10.818-07:00

This past weekend, Mallar and I drove up to Vancouver, Canada. It was my first time really seeing the city, my previous experience with Vancouver being confined to the airport. In Denmark, a lot of the people we met seemed to associate Canada with Vancouver and it was funny explaining to them that 1) yes, I was Canadian but no, I had never been to that city and 2) that Vancouver was just about as

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-87212641479791146942009-08-03T15:53:00.000-07:002009-08-03T16:15:56.501-07:00

Phew. It's in. Finally.The title: Liverpool ’08: The “Edgy City”Examining the role of cultural discourses in the production of spaceMy European Studies Master's Thesis was officially submitted this morning (thanks in no small part to Paula).It was a crazy last few weeks of writing and revising and cutting (snip, snip, snip). This last week has been especially challenging because Seattle was going

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-70394284531638897412009-06-29T13:11:00.000-07:002009-06-29T13:48:48.779-07:00

June is almost over and I am anxiously heading into the final countdown with respect to my thesis.I am wrapping up this extraordinarily busy month in the small town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (I am here to celebrate my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary).In the last 4 weeks I have flown into Canada to see family twice (for various high-priority reasons) and traveled to San Francisco as

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-762577625433936882009-06-02T10:42:00.000-07:002009-06-02T10:58:53.359-07:00

This past week we had a visit from our friend, Adjmal. He flew in from Denmark and after an over 3 hour interrogation by good-ole Homeland Security he was let into our fine city of Seattle.The weather was perfect for the duration of his stay with us and we managed to fit in many activities in and around our work weeks. Highlights include: biking, hiking and kayaking, eating and drinking (of

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-53892149326983465912009-05-27T13:12:00.000-07:002009-05-27T13:21:26.919-07:00

It is a real challenge to get down to work in this city -especially as the season of sunshine is upon us.I am not sure where to work these days to avoid distraction. The Seattle Public Library downtown is, in itself, a wonderful distraction. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004 -this central branch is plain trippy. See the pictures below:

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-37847717928956856692009-05-18T14:53:00.000-07:002009-05-18T15:34:08.164-07:00

Much of this blog has been about eating and drinking. It's true. I make no apologies. And I will likely write a whole lot more about Seattle restaurants and bars (as it is a real pleasure to explore this city with my taste buds). But lest you think that all I do is consume calories, I will highlight some of what I do to burn calories.Firstly, I joined the Seattle YMCA. I like the vibe at the Y. I

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-55781318777225633642009-05-18T13:31:00.001-07:002009-05-18T14:31:44.246-07:00

On Tuesday of last week, Montreal-native, Patrick Watson played at the recently re-opened Crocodile. The Crocodile is a an iconic club here in Seattle. It's a small venue (opened in 1991) but it is a true local music scene hot-spot as it has launched the career of many bands (from Pearl Jam and Nirvana, to Death Cab for Cutie and Modest Mouse). It closed suddenly in 2007 but reopened in March of

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-58951950622990125932009-05-11T09:30:00.000-07:002009-05-11T10:35:44.101-07:00

Mallar and I were originally going to go for a long hike on Saturday. Seemed like a great idea -physical activity, nice weather, good site, etc. However, when we discovered that our friend, Zack (the trail expert), couldn't make it we decided we would try to get a little work done instead.Mallar had a few things to get done at his office in Fremont, so we biked the gorgeous route over to "the

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-57982510010714065152009-05-10T19:11:00.000-07:002009-05-10T19:41:33.101-07:00

In honor of the three years Mallar and I have been together as a couple, we decided to treat ourselves to a night out at a reputable Seattle restaurant called, Wild Ginger. Wild Ginger is a James Beard Award winning restaurant and has been featured in top ten lists in magazines such as Gourmet and Bon Appetit. Apparently Wild Ginger is also noted in the Zagat Guide's "Best Restaurants of the

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-17682925490866993922009-05-06T09:42:00.000-07:002009-05-06T14:40:33.998-07:00

King's Hardware is a great place for beer and burgers in Ballard. King's Western-themed decor (complete with taxidermy on the walls) is kitschy cool and reminiscent of another Linda Derschang fav closer to home, called Smith (more on Smith another time). King's was once (you guessed it) a local hardware store and has been converted into a great space to imbibe alcohol and eat greasy food. We did

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-42981669086841638812009-05-06T09:08:00.000-07:002009-05-06T09:29:24.791-07:00

The Hopvine Pub is a neighborhood favorite -it is actually surprising that I have waited until now to extol its praises. Mallar and I have been to the pub quite regularly for several months. The Hopvine serves really great pizza and has a tasty variety of beers on tap. The staff is always friendly and on the ball and it just feels really easy to spend time here. It is not a pretentious crowd of "

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-38708997789766932782009-04-29T11:41:00.000-07:002009-04-29T14:28:44.087-07:00

I just returned from a fascinating week in Liverpool. I had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people (mostly through CouchSurfing), took in all kinds of interesting sights and learned a great deal about the city.Liverpool as a city dates back 800 years. While it's recent history is probably known to most people, to some degree, because of the legacy of the Beatles (Penny Lane, Strawberry

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-29020668329905799192009-04-28T19:05:00.000-07:002009-04-29T08:06:45.021-07:00

The blog has been quiet for the last week or so because I have been traveling for my thesis. I am researching the discourses of culture that influence the production of space in the context of the EU "Capital of Culture" program in Liverpool (more on this at another time).My flight to Liverpool was long but thankfully it was broken up by a lovely layover in Amsterdam. I had never been to the

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-42900066669898527182009-04-08T11:42:00.000-07:002009-04-08T12:06:14.395-07:00

One of the most fabulous perks of Mallar's job is that, as an employee of a Paul Allen enterprise, he gets invited to Monday "Rec Nights" at Paul Allen's estate on Mercer Island. As co-founder of Microsoft (see pic of him and Bill Gates circa 1975), Paul Allen is one of the wealthiest men in America.In addition to funding the (non-profit) scientific project Mallar is working on, Allen also owns

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-68509755736493218972009-04-08T11:05:00.000-07:002009-04-08T11:29:19.333-07:00

The bike ride from our place in Capitol Hill to Mallar's office in Fremont is along a pretty route. Mallar makes the trip daily, but I did the trip with him for the first time this weekend to check out the Sunday markets in Fremont and Ballard.Mallar's office is right on the water. From his desk he looks out onto the Lake Washington Ship Canal. There are great bike paths along the length of the

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-50677570124564251762009-04-08T09:19:00.000-07:002009-04-08T11:02:41.660-07:00

Mallar and I have been taking advantage of the good weather these days. On Saturday we decided to go to the Seattle Aquarium for the first time and then walk around downtown taking in the scene. The aquarium was fun but not as impressive as I had hoped.I felt a little incomplete without a throng of young children to corral through the exhibit areas. Hard not to smile at the enthusiasm of the kids

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-43161080723351209122009-04-07T19:11:00.000-07:002009-04-07T19:29:41.119-07:00

Directly across the street from the downtown Seattle Art Museum sits the "Lusty Lady" peep show establishment and the hilarious marquee announcements that adorn it.The Lusty Lady actually has quite an interesting history. I discovered this just now (as I wikipedia-ed it). The San Francisco franchise was apparently bought by the strippers working there and is now managed as a workers' cooperative.

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-70462302002341487562009-04-07T17:40:00.000-07:002009-04-07T18:48:28.215-07:00

Creatively Speaking: The Artist's Point of View is an event put on by SAM (the Seattle Art Museum) to create a dialogue between artist and public. Artists are invited to discuss the philosophies underlying their work and the audience has the rare opportunity to ask questions (about finished work, process, materials, inspiration, etc.). On April 3rd, Mallar and I attended the series that featured

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-5399312940094103062009-03-29T17:54:00.001-07:002009-03-29T18:21:41.907-07:00

This morning we went to the "International District" for Dim Sum and groceries. The International District is basically Seattle's Chinatown. The area was dubbed "International" to reflect the growing diversity in the neighborhood in the 1970s.The Chinese were among the first settlers in Seattle (in the 1800s). There was also a large influx of Japanese settlers in the 1800s. With the Japanese

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-52916211983480720672009-03-28T17:05:00.001-07:002009-03-29T18:22:23.526-07:00

On Thursday night, Mallar and I went to see Bonnie Prince Billy at the stunning Moore Theatre here in Seattle. Bonnie Prince Billy, also known as Will Oldham, is a folk/country singer-songwriter. He is an amazing lyricist who writes beautiful songs, mostly ballads. Mallar and I saw him twice in Denmark last year. He is great live because he really takes the opportunity to change up his songs

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-19001492034063493302009-03-28T16:32:00.000-07:002009-03-28T17:01:22.794-07:00

"La tête gonflée de nuages" is a line from an Ariane Moffatt song about returning to Montreal after spending time away. I like to play it on my i-pod when I fly, train or bus into the city. This time it was the train.Montreal is a fabulous city and full of amazing places to stroll, eat and drink. On the Sunday after my grandmother's birthday party, I got to spend the day cruising around leisurely

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-79758423918571386812009-03-28T11:13:00.001-07:002009-03-28T16:19:45.278-07:00

This past St. Patrick's day was spent in Toronto with Mallar's parents. While our time together did not include green beer and leprechauns, the Chakravartys did have an evening of special Hindu traditions planned in honour of the recent marriage. Mallar's mother had laid out a beautiful blue silk saree with gold embroidery for me to wear along with jewelery and bindi. She helped me get dressed (

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-53743569534022316272009-03-28T10:26:00.000-07:002009-03-28T10:47:19.056-07:00

03/03/09Mallar and I got married in a very private (just the two of us) courthouse ceremony on March 3rd. We had been waiting for a good time to get married for awhile but between thesis writing, job transitions and a couple of huge international moves, the "right" time was never obvious. It was fun to do it low-maintenance and without telling anyone -the day was all the more intimate that way.

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-36685641061975462362009-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:002009-03-28T16:31:55.206-07:00

I have just returned from two weeks in Canada visiting family. My tour began in Niagara and ended in Montreal with a one day stop-over in Toronto. The big occasion driving the trip was the celebration of my grandmother's 80th birthday. My grandmother, Joan Elliott (née Cooper) was born in Niagara on the Lake in 1929. Through her ancestors, my lineage in Canada goes back 9 generations. My

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-3133767980969147662009-03-08T19:41:00.000-07:002009-03-08T20:01:13.941-07:00

On Saturday we went on a little hike with a few of Mallar's co-workers. We drove just north of Seattle to Snohomish County were we walked the Lime Kiln Trail. It was a pretty easy 6.5 miles with low elevation and a lot of moss. The layers of green were really striking and the views of the Stillaguamish river quite pleasant as well. We saw the historic lime kiln and a collection of railroad

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-57149388433449698352009-03-08T10:50:00.000-07:002009-03-08T11:12:43.403-07:00

We went to see Raphael Saadiq on Thursday night at the Showbox near the market. What a fun show! The concert had the full-body, feel-good quality of an old motown performance. The showmanship and energy Saadiq has on stage is impressive and the crowd just loved it.Before going solo, Raphael was one of the lead singers in Tony, Toni, Toné! (I saw them in concert -way back in 1993!), and also key

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-35830840039622667902009-02-28T16:36:00.000-08:002009-02-28T17:33:59.088-08:00

We went to a play last night at a small theatre venue located conveniently on 19th. It really is a perk to live so close to everything -parks, restos, theatres, etc. We just strolled down the street a few blocks after dinner and enjoyed a very entertaining production of The Mistakes Madeline Made. Written by young New Yorker, Elizabeth Merriwether, the absurdist play centers around 20-something

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-838352416257748062009-02-24T11:02:00.000-08:002009-02-24T11:39:24.004-08:00

Located only a few blocks from our apartment, Volunteer Park is a 48.3 acre Olmsted creation. It is a beautiful public space with an almost 100-year old conservatory featuring an assortment of exotic plants from around the world. I was in a bit of a cold/flu haze the first time I strolled through but there really is nothing like lush green and sunshine to pick up your spirits.Rumour has it that

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-59525351661401906162009-02-16T09:47:00.000-08:002009-02-16T10:00:54.090-08:00

No weekend would really be complete (especially a Valentine weekend) without going out for brunch. Mallar and I are suckers for brunch and with no shortage of good brunch places in the city, we tend to indulge. The Coastal Kitchen (while always packed at brunch time), is conveniently located about two steps from our apartment. It does a really good brunch. This weekend we shared the Sonora

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-42169809182086735492009-02-16T09:27:00.000-08:002009-02-16T09:45:00.462-08:00

I decided to buy a spring-form pan the other day as I was out shopping. In Denmark, we didn't want to accumulate too much "stuff" (as we knew we'd have to eventually ship, or get rid of it) so all experiments in baking were done with a single loaf pan -apple-cinnamon loaf, chocolate banana loaf, lemon loaf, cardamom-rhubarb loaf, etc. Now that we are allowing ourselves more stuff, however -I can

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-32076399466864429202009-02-12T08:56:00.000-08:002009-02-12T18:23:21.787-08:00

This week I have been looking into the "hows" of getting a working visa in the States. There are a few teaching jobs opening up in the fall that look promising -both in history (which would be great) and I am in the process of writing up applications and revising my CV. The more I think about being back in a school setting the more I realize how much I've missed it. I definitely feel fortunate to

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-4145295313191100992009-02-06T09:36:00.001-08:002009-02-06T10:20:45.089-08:00

Last night, Mallar and I went on a "First Thursday" gallery walk. First Thursday takes place each month in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood. From afternoon through early evening, leading art galleries open their doors to introduce their new exhibitions and artists. Apparently, Seattle was the first US city to introduce the art walk (back in 1981).We were tipped off when one of

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-84807968141773505712009-02-02T17:53:00.001-08:002009-02-02T18:12:08.598-08:00

We returned to the market on Sunday to have brunch with the lovely Miss Anna at Lowell's, the over a century old dining establishment known lovingly as, "the living room of the Market". Lowell's slogan, "ALMOST CLASSY", is an apt description of the unpretentious atmosphere of wood stain interiors coupled with delicious dishes. A 2005 NY Times review described Lowell's in this way: "The coffee is

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-2317741408416070892009-02-02T16:27:00.000-08:002009-02-02T16:43:13.070-08:00

The management of the market is quite unique and many efforts have been made to ensure that all businesses are locally owned. Apparently, there is a law prohibiting chain stores and franchises from opening up in the market area. Starbucks is a noteworthy exception however, because the Starbucks at the Pike Place Market was the very first Starbucks to open (in 1971) back when the original mermaid

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-33485327710932185872009-02-02T16:20:00.000-08:002009-02-02T16:22:24.819-08:00

I finally got to experience the famous Pike Place Market this past weekend. One of Seattle’s main tourists attractions, the market is the oldest continuously operating market in the USA. It was established in 1907, had its heyday in the 1930s, escaped plans for demolition in the 1960s and has become today one of Seattle’s most visited areas.It was a busy Saturday afternoon on my first stroll

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-88067601798880634382009-02-02T12:04:00.000-08:002009-02-02T12:20:01.266-08:00

Luckily, one of our friends from Montreal was able to put us in contact with a close friend and university buddy who lives in our neighborhood. Initially we met up with Liberty and her partner, Jake at a place called Oddfellows but when we realized the wait for a table there would be 40 minutes, we walked over to a place called the Stumbling Monk for some good Belgian beer instead. It was in many

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-60377797529589635972009-01-30T17:42:00.000-08:002009-01-30T17:45:36.948-08:00

One of Capitol Hill’s best-loved thoroughfares is a street called, Broadway. A sure-fire winner if you like people watching, Broadway is full of life and eccentricities. There are actually 8 dance-step sculptures made out of bronze that are embedded in the walkways. The steps are the work of artist Jack Mackie. In 1989 the city tore up the sidewalks on Broadway to put overhead wires underground

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-30763543800390943702009-01-30T17:16:00.001-08:002009-01-30T17:19:14.431-08:00

We had a wonderful dinner date with our first visitor last night. We took the lovely Miss Anna (who just happened to be in town for business) to a new restaurant called Poppy. Poppy’s specialty is the “thali” –which is basically a large platter with a lot of little dishes of awesome. The platter last night included: Carrot soup with star anise and cinnamon, shrimp, endive and grapefruit salad,

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-58526972752806241672009-01-29T11:21:00.000-08:002009-01-29T11:24:46.991-08:00

Last night we grabbed a casual meal at the Six Arms Pub (still in Capitol Hill but just at the border of downtown). The Six Arms is a great space, with an eclectic sense of decor and a solid list of home-brewed ales. Apparently they make over 200 different ales per year. Of last night’s trials we liked the India Pale Ale the best. They are also known for their raspberry tinged, Ruby -which I have

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-86590494855426873952009-01-29T11:19:00.001-08:002009-01-29T11:21:04.439-08:00

The apartment is slowly becoming a home. Yesterday’s domestic orgy involved a “triple play” package of: home Internet, a land phone line and cable TV. Having been away from juicy American cable for so long, it is a bit of an adjustment to re-orient myself to all the bells and whistles. As I was scanning the seemingly endless option of channels (and in high definition, to boot), my mind felt like

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-87574648623144834762009-01-23T12:25:00.000-08:002009-01-23T12:31:07.865-08:00

City exploration has been deferred for the short term as I have been anxious to finally finish unpacking. I am in full “squirrel mode” right now as I try to stash our stuff in all the right places. It’s fun to see all the books and CDs that we haven’t seen in the year and a half we were in Denmark. There is so much to rediscover. Makes the unpacking take two times as long as I “um” and “ah” over

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-75339236346379413792009-01-20T16:24:00.001-08:002009-01-20T16:27:48.888-08:00

My neighborhood is blue. Blue, blue, blue. I think the stats show that over 95% of Capitol Hill voters chose Obama. People here happily show their love with Obama posters, flags, murals, t-shirts, etc. The pic above is someone’s garage door a few blocks away. There were inauguration viewing events everywhere. I watched the inauguration at the Canterbury Ale and Eats pub 1 block away. It was great

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-50174388145337413602009-01-20T16:22:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:23:43.807-08:00

In a hurry to get ourselves properly set up for living, Mallar and I have been on a shopping binge. From Macy’s to Best Buy to Bed, Bath and Beyond and even IKEA –a store Mallar had resolved not to ever have to return to –we were loading up on all the missing pieces. It was rather nauseating to consume so much all at once -the packaging alone probably cleared a small forest. Recycling is actually

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-38949750449534689582009-01-20T16:18:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:20:30.941-08:00

Not long after the relaxing spa was the big day of deliveries. In the same morning we had all our belongings from Montreal storage delivered (over 40 boxes plus furniture) and a new Queen sized bed from Macy’s. Both went pretty well considering, except that about 5 boxes into the delivery, one of the movers had to go and step in dog shit –and not old crusty dried or frozen dog shit, but new and

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-30123794657224404402009-01-20T16:14:00.000-08:002009-01-20T16:17:52.958-08:00

The short-term antidote to my exam hangover was a morning in a hotel room watching ridiculous Golden Globe red carpet coverage with Ryan Seacrest –deliciously mindless, eye candy (not Seacrest but the parade of celebs). I had forgotten about the blue magic wand that is now employed to underscore the fashion dos and don’ts of colour, couture and accoutrements -so very amusing in its

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-65119109163967246692009-01-19T16:49:00.000-08:002009-01-19T16:53:33.865-08:00

In addition to moving across an ocean, then across a continent (accompanied by all the aggravating storage and shipping issues), the Christmas shopping and the 3-city visiting tour, I also had two exam papers to write. I was without resources (and time) over the holidays and so resigned myself to the not-so-ideal situation of writing the papers in the first week of my arrival in Seattle. This

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-45907617521504252272009-01-19T16:47:00.000-08:002009-01-19T16:48:45.493-08:00

While the interior of our apartment was stressing me out a little, the neighborhood felt right immediately. We live in Capitol Hill, described by Lonely Planet as, “probably Seattle’s most diverse and lively neighborhood because of its distinctly edgy personality”. There are great coffee houses, restaurants and an already favorite pub just 1 block away, and just to the east of us are beautiful

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-36352774332502787442009-01-19T16:44:00.000-08:002009-01-19T16:46:44.462-08:00

The apartment was not ready for us when we arrived late at night after our crazy air travel adventures. Apparently the landlords fell behind their renovation targets when Seattle was hit with a snowstorm in December, making it hard for them to get to the apt. building from their home outside the city center. They had given us some forewarning but I hadn’t anticipated arriving to such a mess.

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2163433615682997296.post-41771730939326107592009-01-18T12:18:00.000-08:002009-03-31T10:07:54.420-07:00

So first things first -the dramatic arrival. Getting to Seattle proved to be a rather crazy adventure. My boyfriend, Mallar and I were flying out of two different cities because of weird complications of weather (freezing rain) and car rentals over the Christmas holidays. I flew out of Montreal and then rendez-voused with him in Toronto, to fly out together to Seattle via Vancouver. On the T.O. -

Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10322644705488240851noreply@blogger.com5