Loves It

As expected the week was a great week, work and all. I have been analyzing the exact same station model in SAP (earlier brother to SAFE) to model the interaction between station floor levels and get a second result to compare the first to. So back to modeling I go. But really I am happy to be learning how to use SAP and have made great and quick progress in modeling the station. The Gorge bulkhead memo is FINALLY submitted after passing all QA/QC and I finished another small assignment for the geotechs on the UW fuel tank.

Social events were fun and are helping the days seem longer when the early setting sun normally just sends me right to lazy and boring. I’ve enjoyed low key nights in with friends, shopping at the mall after work, still grilling, and the occasional read of a good book. I went to an extreme ski film held at this theater downtown to watch the film, caught a hat thrown in the air and everyone received a free ski pass to Stevens Pass or Mount Bachelor to use anytime this year.

I went to Crush in the Central District/Cap Hill on Thursday for Seattle Restaurant Week and it was soooooooooooooo good. Full blown gourmet meal at a place that normally rings up $$$$ on the Yelp scale. Loved it but probably wouldn’t go back because their normal tasting menu is at a steep $90 (of course it is also 6 courses versus 3). They first brought out water in real crystal glasses along with cheddar and green onion bisquity things. The first course I selected the very delicious roasted acorn squash brown butter soup with creme fraiche and this sweet little crouton thing on top. The soup was so creamy and flavorful (reminded me of Senora) and I also enjoyed a bite of my dining partner’s seared pork belly with lentil salad and arugula. For the second course I selected the spice crusted cod that was seared and cooked to perfection served along with fresh herb salsa, the butteriest and smoothest cream corn, and escarole. Yummy! The last course was actually my least favorite because I was expecting them to be different than what they were. We shared two of the dessert options: the sugared beignets with spanish coffee sauce and pomegranate jelly and the vanilla ice cream mini sandwiches with salted shortbread cookies and chocolate sauce and huckleberry preserves. Neither were chocolatey (minus some points) and the beignets were not as airy as I thought they would be, weren’t served with enough sauce, and weren’t in general as good as our little doughnuts JA gets from the Pike Place Market stall on Fridays are. We also opted for the wine pairing to go with the dinner. Our wines were different from each other because of our different selected courses but mine came first with a 2oz pour of some really great white wine that I don’t remember what kind it was (a variety that was new to me), the second was a 2oz pour of a great Pinot Noir, and the dessert course served us each with an outstanding 1oz pour of Sherry. I tried Sherry in Spain (where it comes from, the city of Jerez) and didn’t like it. I was skeptical but man that stuff was good, strong and tasted like brown sugar. The waitstaff were the best I ever had. The restaurant was so cool because it was situated in two floors of this old house but was decked out in modern furniture. It was definitely a great and fun meal.

Friday night I went to a great concert of two young musicians from Nashville playing for their first time on the West Coast. They were so good and so cute with their enthusiasm and excitement. Came back to a full blown party at the house with the everlasting smell of pumpkin since everything was themed around pumpkin. I did my own carving of a pumpkin at Ashley’s on Saturday with just a handful of people but I officially can’t take the smell anymore. I realized I hadn’t carved a pumpkin since before I went to college. Wow, using the stencils and all brought back so many memories. We also did a different spin and made pumpkin seed butter instead of roasting the seeds. Yummo!

I caught some of the great football games Saturday night while I was bowling with the UM alumni club. I actually managed to win both of the games I played, and both because I am amazing in the 10th frame, seriously. This keeps being my game plan as of late. Though I won my games I wasn’t the highest score out of all so I didn’t win the prize. There was a good showing. I met some cool people and a few of the Microsoft friends of my roommate were there and the friend and coworker of B’s was there who I had been hiking with. Plus an EGL grad so I liked the mix of knowns and unknowns. It was for people new to Seattle so most people are still recent grads and still new to the area but everyone seems to love the city.

Sunday was a perfect day!! Scooter is temporarily out of commission (and a major pain in the arse right now) so I opted instead to do my own stretching version of yoga at home (also can’t find my DVDs and wanted to do Hillary’s). I realized I know my yoga now. I can do a pretty good job sequencing. But I stuck to really just stretching because shortly later B and I went for an amazing bike ride around Mercer Island. We both agreed that is where we would want to end up living. Gorgeous! Secluded but cozy and elegant. Some great views, some gorgeous houses, and not far from the city. Plus Bill Gate’s house is there so you know it’s nice. Yes, I have already searched costs of living on the island. Didn’t realize the distance was as long as it was going to be, so the 15 miler was definitely longer than anything I have done since probably the epic cottage trip. It was so pretty though and we went knowing that we were going to have a gorgeous fall day on our hands and we were right. Beautiful! Mom, you are going for a ride around the island when you come back…I have two mountain bikes.

Then we cleaned up quickly and headed to SNF dinner which was the best one yet. The Saints were actually playing the night game and walloped the other team. We had a completley New Orleans menu with delicious chicken and sausage gumbo, rice, mac and cheese, ceasar, and finished with bourbon glazed bread pudding. Oh, and several glasses of wine. We had a big group (11 I think) attending and the jokes and teasing in sued. Loved it! I’m beginning to LOVE Sundays: activity/yoga, big dinner with lots of good friends, passing out to Desperate Housewives. So simple, so good.

We might luck out with some good weather this week. Let’s hope. We’ve been lucky so far with a pleasant October.

Chelsea