thoughts on packing light + useful travel items for little kids

I've been thinking about packing a lot lately. You know, the stuff you have to take with you when you go places. Oh, the stuff. But the places! I love the places.

^^lamma island, hong kong. july 2011.^^

Back in the days before you had to pay to check luggage, I was a serious overpacker. I'd just throw everything I might need into a suitcase and then rejoice once I'd left it in the hands of the airlines so I could walk lightly to my gate.

But a few years back, when the fee for luggage was firmly in place, I made a decision: I would become a light packer. It was right before a week-long trip to Europe, and Dan and I were determined to take only carry-ons for the trip. At the time, it seemed impossible. How on earth could we go to a wedding in France and take just a carry-on suitcase!? But I was both fed-up with paying fees to check luggage and also fed-up with lugging my luggage around. It seemed like having so many belongings was getting in my way of enjoying the destinations to which I traveled.

^^first trip as a light packer! at seatac airport heading to switzerland, france, and italy. july 2010^^

We all know it's hard to change. But I made the change from over-packer to light packer very well. All it really took was buying the best carry-on suitcase ever as well as a great lightweight hiking backpack.

^^off to southeast asia for three weeks in july 2011^^

For at least 3 years, I didn't pay any luggage fees. Not a one. And then I had a baby.

Everyone tells you that when you have kids you're going to little by little acquire more and more stuff. As much as I've resisted this, it's still happened to some extent. I firmly believe that babies and kids don't need a lot of stuff. They need to be clothed and fed and loved and entertained, but just like with adults, having more things does not result in a happier baby. And yet, when we went to California last weekend, it felt like we had so much stuff. Two carry-on bags, two "personal items," a heavy carseat, and a 20-some pound toddler in a carrier.

^^en route to boston. decemeber 2013.^^

Overall, I think I've been able to maintain my status as a light packer. We travel with more than we used to, but a lot less than many people! It's the carseat that really weighs you down. There's no getting around it. It's the law. Safety first. It's especially hard to get around without one in the US, where public transportation is often not that convenient. But when we go to Europe someday, I will not be taking a carseat, that's for sure! You can also rent them at your destination, but once you've shelled out $200+ for one at home, do you really want to spend more money?

Thankfully, they do make great items for traveling with little kids. I'm convinced a main component of parenting is the never-ending process of deciding which items fit your lifestyle best. Because there are so many options out there! And they're all pretty expensive! The most useful things we've found so far are:

phil&teds Traveller Crib I wanted this crib when I was pregnant, but decided not to get it because of the high price tag. Instead, we got a Pack-n-Play. Once we were traveling places by plane and needed a crib, I found a used one on eBay for around $120. I'm so glad we have it, since it's pretty much the smallest option out there (comparable to the Baby Bjorn model). But it still takes up a good amount of room. It won't fit in a carry-on, and annoyingly airlines don't gaurentee they'll check it for free (as they do with strollers and carseats), so you pretty much have to check a bag if you're taking it with you. But it's still very convenient. Although, I am also glad we have the Pack-n-Play. It was great for the first 6 months when Willa was sleeping in our room. It just wasn't great for travel. It's big and doesn't have a handle.

Diono Radian convertible carseat We just got this carseat for Christmas since it was clear that W was almost too big for her infant seat. I picked this one because it's the only foldable carseat on the market, and it is also the narrowest. Additionally, you can keep your child rear-facing up to 45lbs. in this seat (most are 40lbs.) and it's also a seat you can use from birth to 120lbs. Plus it's FAA approved so you can use it for flying.

totseat I just bought this recently, and am really excited about it. At home we use a phil&teds portable chair, and while it's come in handy at a lot of restaurants, it's a bit big to carry if you want to pack light, and it's also not compatible with some tables. I'm a big believer in kids eating at the table, and Willa is still at an age where she needs to be strapped in (I know that's debatable, but that's my opinion!).

Beco /ergo carrier I love both these carriers. The Beco was ideal when W was little, but now as toddler I find the Ergo to be more convenient. But either way, the carrier is the way to go. I do not believe in traveling with a stroller. Too big! Too much!

tegu blocks travel set I got these blocks from a dear friend when Willa was born. They're my favorite toy to bring along on trips, and people are always asking about them. The magnets in the blocks not only make them fun to play with, but stick to any metal structure. This comes in handy on planes and in restaurants! I recently took them to a Super Bowl party, and I totally lost it when one block went missing. (Perhaps I am too consumed by things?) Not to worry though, the party host found it. Phew.

^^trip home to new york. may 2013.^^

Despite these useful items, my back and shoulders are still always sore on a trip...perhaps I should just accept it, but I'm going to keep striving to be the lightest packer possible! And if you have thoughts or tips, please share!

a quick trip to cali

We spent last weekend in California visiting family and friends and eating lots of great food (Johnny Doughnuts!). It was a quick trip, but always worth it to see loved ones. AND, Willa was a flying champ. She didn't fuss at all on either flight. Just happily played with ice, the earphones, the seatbelt buckle and a few of the toys we brought. I've been on so many flights where I've seen other, calmer children, and I've thought to myself, "why can't W be like that?" This time she was! I was so proud. It made the weekend much more relaxing, and gave me lots of "hey, we got this," confidence. (To surely be shattered sometime in the near future, but that's parenting, no?) We picked up a cold somewhere along the way, so this week has been a bit of a drag, but these sunny pictures make me happy:

^^the ferry bringing our friend CC for a visit!^^

^^it's always great to see old friends.^^

^^so happy on daddy's shoulders^^

^^she kept saying, "wow!"^^

^^learning to skip rocks^^

^^boats! exciting for W, and always nice to look at when you're visiting from land-locked denver.^^

the many noodles of boston

Since Thanksgiving, Dan's birthday, my birthday, Christmas, and New Year's didn't seem like enough for a one-and-a-half-month period, we thought we'd squeeze in a trip to Boston in the middle! (Because when else but December would you go to New England!? It's not cold at all or anything.) We've been meaning to make a trip back for ages to visit with friends, and we finally made it. We stayed with Rachel and Rob in South Boston, but were able to reconnect with several other great folks, and even made a quick little trip to Rhode Island.

Back in college, Rachel and I studied abroad together in China. Harbin, China to be more specific. (A city most Americans have never heard of even though it's population is larger than New York City's.) In Harbin, we ate a lot of dumplings, noodles, and fried rice. Fried rice with an egg on top. The best thing ever. A lot of bonding happened over those meals. And so, 10 years later, when Rachel and I get together, there pretty much has to be Chinese food involved. This visit was no exception:

^^The day after we arrived, we hit the subway and the streets with Willa in the Ergo and made our way to Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe. The name is a bit odd in English, but even if we'd been worried Rachel would lead us astray (which we weren't), the crowd packed into the tiny Xi'an noodle shop assured us this was the place to be. We contemplated leaving, but ultimately stuck it out and hoped some table space would open up once we'd ordered. Thankfully it did, and we were able to inhale our noodles before they got cold. There are few things that could taste better on a cold winter's day than hand-pulled noodles. I had their simple "Hand-Pulled Noodle," while everyone else tried the Cumin Lamb Hand-Pulled Noodles. Both were delectable. My only complaint was that mine could have had a few more vegetables to accompany the noodles. Molar-less Willa couldn't tackle the doughy noodles, but she enjoyed the tea eggs and the flatbread pork sandwich. She did her eating standing up on a stool at the high counter. It was a tad bit stressful, but the noodles eased our nerves.^^

^^On Saturday morning we hit up Great Taste in Chinatown for dim sum. We were luckily able to get a table on our second try. They were full when we got there, but then the second place we tried essentially refused to seat us due to our littlest diner. So we went back to Great Taste, and they had the perfect table and a high chair. And thank goodness it all worked out how it did, because it was some of the best dim sum I've ever had. Dumplings, taro cakes, scallion noodles with tofu, crab rolls, Chinese broccoli, steamed buns, milk tea...^^

^^We stayed in one evening, but there were still Asian noodles in play. We cooked Phat Thai out of the new Pok Pok cookbook. In the past I haven't had much success making Pad Thai...getting the tamarind paste just right is so tricky! But this recipe was spot on (no surprise there!) and we thoroughly enjoyed two batches of hot, sweet-spicy noodles. Cooking in batches in a wok is the best; just when you're sad it's all gone, you fire up another round! (We also made the Herb Salad from the same cookbook, and it was equally if not more delicious.)^^

^^We didn't eat only Asian: one night we went to the South End and enjoyed a dinner at Coppa. Everything we ordered was delicious, but my favorite dish by far was a chestnut pasta with rabbit, kabocha squash, cranberries, and bianco sardo. I definitely ate more than my fair share.^^

^^Not only were R&R fantastic hosts and friends, as always, but they also taught Willa lots of new things. And introduced her to her first lobster.^^

P.S. The trip brought Willa's state count up to 17, which kind of boggles my mind but makes me quite pleased as well.

my birthday. in healdsburg, sonoma.

Right after Thanksgiving, Dan and I celebrated my 30th birthday in Healdsburg, California. Just the two of us. We'd been to wine country before, but we had heard great things about Healdsburg and were super excited to explore the area. Mostly, I just wanted to have some wine, enjoy the sunshine, eat good food, and relax.

Before leaving Marin, we stopped for a quick lunch at Rustic Bakery. So good! We tried their Saigon sandwich which was basically a bánh mì. Marinated chicken with cilantro, carrots, and daikon. It could have been a bit more spicy, but I guess it wasn't trying to be authentic, so that's fine. We also had their simple green salad which was anything but simple. It was quite flavorful for such a straightforward salad. Apparently Rustic Bakery has three locations - definitely check it out if you're ever in Marin! Oh and the pastries looked divine, but I'd already been showered with birthday cupcakes, so I wasn't in the market for sweets.

Once in Healdsburg, we easily found our hotel, h2, on the main street. We couldn't check in yet, but that didn't matter because our plan was to grab one of the hotel bikes, and head off on a ride through wine country. The concierge provided us with a map, and just moments later we were pedaling down a country road with scenic vineyard vistas galore. Obviously, the plan was to do some wine tasting. But once we were out there, neither of us was particularly thinking about wineries. We were just enjoying the beautiful fall weather. Biking can make you feel so free.

We did, of course, taste some wine. We first stopped at Lambert Bridge where we tried several of delicious reds in their cavernous wooden barn. Further along our bike loop, we found a place that advertised a sparkling white, which we sipped outside in lieu of doing their tasting. Finally, we stopped at Wilson winery which seemed to be letting people taste as many reds as they wanted for just $5. We had a few, but mostly just enjoyed the view of the sun going down over the vineyards.

Just as the the light was disappearing, we arrived back at our hotel, and made our way to our room where our luggage was waiting. The h2 was definitely on trend and quite chic. The room was modern, bright, and comfortable with a fantastic bathroom and a balcony overlooking the hotel pool. And definitely my favorite part was that each floor had a "water bar." Which was really just a place to get water, like even a Super 8 has. But the difference here was that the water bar had not only still water, but sparkling. Yep, unlimited bubbly. I love bubbly water. Especially when I'm enjoying it out of a cool green glass made from a wine bottle.

We hadn’t made a reservation for dinner since we weren’t sure what we’d feel like, but we lucked out by finding our way into Chalkboard. It must have been a birthday gift from the food gods that there was a table free, without even a minute’s wait. The restaurant was just my style: a casual atmosphere with bare wood tables and an open kitchen, a menu full of “farm-to-table” small plates, and a smart cocktail list. (Good golly, we did not need another glass of wine!) Everything we ordered was delicious, but there were two standouts: a crudo of tuna with grapefruit, jalapeño, and avocado cream, and the dungeness crab tater tots. To me they were a bit more like crab cakes than tater tots, but whatever they want to call them, they were delicious. I enjoyed every bite of everything, along with a Vesper cocktail, which very well might be my new favorite drink.

Overall, Healdsburg was a cute, food-focused town and a great place to stay if you’re looking to hit up Sonoma’s wineries. It was perhaps a tad too touristy for our liking, but still a fantastic spot to celebrate my birthday. The next morning, after a run around town and a tasty complimentary breakfast, we headed back feeling completely relaxed. I am so lucky to have been able to have such a wonderful night away with my husband to celebrate my special day.

been celebrating my birthday...

Last week, I turned 30! That's right folks, I'm in my 30s. Watch out. People have asked how I feel about it, and honestly I haven't felt much. I mean, excited of course. A bit proud too I think, because 30 just feels more accomplished, like I'm actually an adult now. I have heard rumors that your 30s are the best decade, so here's to that! But mostly I just like a reason to spend time with the people I love to celebrate and to eat cake. Thankfully, I have a lot of fantastic people who love me and want to celebrate with me, and who have been providing me with cake. This birthday has brought not just one, but three celebrations! Seems fitting, right? A celebration for each decade I've been me! This post is about celebration numbero uno. With my parents! Since they knew I'd be out of town for my birthday because of Thanksgiving, Willa and I took a trip up to Fort Collins earlier in the week to spend time with them and to par-tay.

^^ in the afternoon we visited an awesome park, and willa had a ball running down the hills. she fell forward a few time and caught air before crashing onto her face, but luckily the grass was nice and soft! ^^

^^ my mom made us a delicious dinner: fish taco rice bowls. like chipotle, which we both love, but better. ^^

^^ after dinner, it was time for the girls to hit the town. the big girls, that is. my mom wanted to show me some of her favorite places in fort collins, so we started with social. it was super hip. you know: reclaimed wood, steel, mustachioed bartenders (although that might just have been because it was november), and exposed lightbulbs. all things i like. the entrance was a bit hidden, with only this small sign, so you felt like you were stumbling upon a secret place. (pretty sure that's what they're going for. but it works.) ^^

^^ this is a S.S.B.S. (strawberry-saffron basil shrub). saffron infused gin, fresh lemon, strawberries, basil, honey syrup, and balsamic vinegar. the waitress highly recommended it as one of their most popular drinks. it was quite good, but actually a bit bland i found despite the ingredient list. i prefered my first drink: a hendrick's martini with a twist.^^

^^ we ended the night at cafe vino. sitting at the bar, we chatted with a bartender my parents have gotten to know. he makes a delicious gimlet. he also was kind enough to bring out this chocolate cake. cafe vino also has duchesse de bourgogne on draft. i love the duchesse. and my mom knows that. it was a great night! (but we did miss my sister. a whole lot.) ^^

a thanksgiving by the bay

We just got back from five days in California. Glorious! It is super sunny in Denver but there's just something about that California sunshine. And the palm trees. And all the water. It makes sense so many people want to live there. (And that there's so much gosh darn traffic.) But anyway! Yes. We spent Thanksgiving in Marin county, north of San Francisco. It was a long weekend full of all the things Thanksgiving long weekends are supposed to include: family, wine, turkey, football, walks, runs, laughs, games, fires, pies, coffee, hugs, dishes, and of course brussels sprouts.

This Thanksgiving was extra special, too, because it was Willa's first Thanksgiving dinner. Last Thanksgiving she made an appearance of course, but it was after a nap that took up most of dinnertime and at just five-months old, there was obviously no turkey or even gravy enjoyed. This year, she sat with us at the table and ate some bites of most of the dishes. Her favorite by far was the pumpkin pie! She tried, not so stealthily, to grab bites by the fistful. It was impossible not to laugh hysterically before composing ourselves and enforcing appropriate manners.

^^ it's going to be a beautiful thanksgiving! ^^

^^ eating cheese appetizers and meeting new friends ^^

^^ one of willa's favorite things to do all weekend was to watch the "ducks," which pretty much meant any and all birds. ^^

^^ bergström pinot noir. and the much-enjoyed cheese plate. ^^

^^ ready to eat! ^^

^^ a beautifully arranged plate of thanksgiving fare, if i do say so myself. many thanks to the hardworking and magnificent chef! as well as those of us who de-leafed brussels sprouts! ^^

^^ willa was really into "cheers"-ing everyone on the deck as we enjoyed post-dinner/pre-dessert wine. it was a real crowd-pleaser. ^^

^^ pumpkin pie face ^^

I also had a great success this year: I'm pretty sure it was the first year in all my Thanksgiving history that I did not stuff myself silly. I ate a full-sized plate of food and went back for seconds. I ate two of the three pies offered. I had several glasses of wine. But I did not feel ill. It was delightful. The reason, I think, was plenty of vegetables. I loaded up on brussels sprouts and squash and cabbage and mushroom stuffing. Patting myself on the back...although, as I'm writing this, I'm kind of wishing I could go back in time and eat a bit more. Gosh I love turkey dinner.

Cheers!

our 36 hours: steamboat springs

We got away last weekend. For a whole weekend. Two nights. Two days. No diapers to wash or highchair to clean. I definitely did miss my smiling, running, chatting, comprehending toddler. But I didn't miss wiping up crumbs off the floor. As is always the case with vacation, it was delightful to get away from the day-to-day stuff and just take a deep breath while soaking in new experiences.

The drive to Steamboat Springs from Denver was beautiful. Rolling hills, snow-capped mountains, and rusty old pick-up trucks leading us into the wilderness. The mountain passes were just a bit snowy, and when we arrived in town it was sunny and clear. We checked in at the Mariposa Lodge, which really didn't entail much besides getting our key and putting our stuff down. I easily found champagne flutes in the kitchen and in moments we were drinking prosecco on the back porch.

The Mariposa was slightly less picturesque than the website suggested, but as advertised, the key upside was that it was perfect walking distance to town. On Friday night we made our way to Laundry, a new-ish gastro pub inhabiting an old laundromat. The bar was bustling but the dining room was relatively empty. We assumed it'd fill up later in the evening, but it never did.

The highlight of Laundry was definitely their cocktails. The food was decent, but nothing remarkable. The drinks however, were keepers. I first tried their "daily infusion" which was a basil and blackberry infused bourbon mixed with...something. It was fruity and light without being overpowered by sweetness as too many cocktails are. After that I enjoyed a "Kentucky Fall" which was rye whiskey, cider, and ginger peppercorn syrup. Again, not too sweet and perfectly balanced. Plus it had an extra-large ice cube which gets me every time.

Saturday morning I quickly decided I love the "breakfast" part of "bed and breakfast." At 7:55am I rolled out of bed and moments later I was being handed a cup of coffee and a plate of homemade muffin, asparagus souffle, and fresh fruit. The food was good fuel for a hike at Fish Creek Falls, which we started at 9am. Surprisingly, we were the first car in the parking lot and so the whole way up we had the morning sunshine and snowy views all to ourselves. The hike took just over 3 hours roundtrip and passed two waterfalls. One at the very top. It afforded great views of Steamboat and the surrounding hills. Those aspen trees! So pretty.

We clearly needed to replenish the calories burned on the hike, so upon returning to town we went straight to Winona's to try one of their "world famous" cinnamon rolls. Lucky for us, by that point in the day they were 1/2 off! Score. The cinnamon roll took up an entire dinner plate, and was smothered in sweet, non-cream cheese frosting. Sweet heaven! (We ordered a sandwich too just to make it seem more like lunch, but that was really a waste of money. Just get the cinnamon roll.)

A trip to Steamboat wouldn't be complete without a plunge into the hot springs, so on Saturday afternoon we made our way out to Strawberry Park Hot Springs. There were a few more people there than I would have liked, but I was still able to find some peacefulness in the hot pools of natural water. The setting was beautiful: snowy mountain trees and fresh, crisp, autumn air. The admission of $10 seemed a bit steep to me, but by the time we left I was too relaxed to really care about it.

We got our splurge on for dinner Saturday night and headed to bistro c.v. We ended up downtown a bit early for our reservation, so we decided to grab a beer at the Mahogany Ridge Brewery beforehand. Gosh I wish we hadn't. I never, EVER, don't finish a drink, but I could not bring myself to drink their Alpenglow in its entirety. For their sake I hope I got the dregs of a keg or something. It tasted like a homebrew gone wrong.

Thankfully, bistro c.v. erased all bad memories of that beer. What a meal! Every dish we had was spectacular. We started with a steak tartare and a yellowtail crudo, followed by their grilled romaine salad. The trio of lamb and house made whole wheat pasta with fresh mushrooms did not disappoint as entrees, and we closed things out with decadent cappuccinos. Some of the best food I've had in Colorado.

Sunday morning was another tasty breakfast at the Mariposa and a run through town and along Spring Creek trail before heading back to reality. What a weekend. Thanks, Steamboat Springs! We will definitely be back.

the best malaysian dish ever

In July 2011, we went on a monthlong trip around Southeast Asia. We started in Hong Kong, then went to Singapore before taking a train north through Malaysia, stopping to spend several days on Penang island. We then took an "international express" train (over 24 hours!) to Bangkok where we spent time on both ends of a week on Koh Chang island. Before the trip, I couldn't have told you much about food in Malaysia. I had heard, however, that it was a street food paradise, and travel magazines and websites were starting to call it things like "the next big foodie destination." Everywhere we went that trip, we ate delicious food. Dumplings and dim sum in Hong Kong...fresh salads in Thailand...condensed milk sweetened coffee everywhere. But amidst all the deliciousness, one dish made an impression like no other: char kuih kak. Stir-fried radish cake with bean sprouts, eggs, dark soy sauce, and a hearty amout of oil.

During our week on Penang island (Malaysia's "foodie capital"), our days were organized around eating. We'd splurged on a fantastic place to stay; a renovated two-story house on Armenian Street. Each day, we would venture out for some food, then return home to relax and digest, before heading out again. Using EatingAsia's fantastic blog as our guide, we sought out every food Penang had to offer. Indian. Chinese. Malay. And more.

Typically, I don't like to eat the same food over and over again. I like to try new things. But once we'd hit up Chowrasta market and eaten char kuih kak, we were hooked. We probably went back once a day for our remaining time there. Before catching our ferry back to the mainland, we got up extra early for a final meal. I practically cried as we ate the last bite. I wasn't sure if I would ever find the dish again. I hadn't seen it in Singapore. And we were off to Thailand where food would be equally delicious but much less greasy.

In the almost two years since we were in Penang, I've thought about char kuih kak at least weekly. It's the ultimate comfort food. Good for any meal of the day, at any time of the year. When I was 9 months pregnant, I insisted we figure out how to make it. I procured the ingredients from Uwajimaya, and we went to work. We followed a recipe that had been posted on EatingAsia, but it didn't produce the desired result. Too much soy? Who knows. It wasn't right. So we tried again. And again. Until the radish cake ran out. We finally got something tastey, but not perfect. A few weeks later, I had a baby. Char kuih kak was not forgotten, but finding radish cake wasn't at the top of my sleep-deprived to-do list.

Last week, when Rachel was in town, she motivated me to finally find an Asian market in Denver. We found a fantastic one, actually much better than Uwajimaya (gasp!). They had fresh radish cake! So char kuih kak was a must.

On Rachel and Rob's last night here, we heated up the stove, chopped up the radish cake, poured some microbrews, and went to work. The recipe I'd used previous was no longer online, but it was a blessing in disguise. Using my memory as a guide, we were able to recreate the Penang magic. As each batch came off the stove, all four of us dove into the steamy, greasy goodness with our chopsticks. The night only deepened my love for char kuih kak. As far as I'm concerned, it's not only the best Malaysian dish, it may very well be the world's best dish. Needless to say, you should try it.

Char Kuih Kak The Asian ingredients you find might be in different amounts. Use the proportions below as a guide, but really you can tweak the amounts to your liking. I like a bit extra egg in mine, while others might enjoy more radish cake or bean sprouts. It's up to you.

23oz radish cake
8oz bean sprouts
4 eggs, beaten
dark soy sauce
sambal oelek (or other chili paste)
Chinese chives (optional), chopped
oil for frying - preferably canola, sunflower, or peanut

1. Cut radish cake into 1/2" x 1/2" cubes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, non-stick pan. Once hot, add half of the radish cake cubes.

3. Stirfry cubes until most sides have browned. Stir or flip them only occasionally to get a good crunch on the sides.

4. Once the cubes are crisped in places, drizzle with 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons sambal olek, depending on the desired spicyness. Toss to coat.

5. Move cubes to the side of pan. Adding a tad more oil if needed, pour in the two eggs and scramble them using a spatula or spoon.

6. Once the eggs are almost done, add approximately 4oz bean sprouts and toss until combined.

7. Mix egg and sprouts with the radish cake in pan, tossing until well incorporated. Add an additional 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce to coat the entire mixture.

8. Sprinkle with chives, if desired, and eat immediately!

Repeat with the remaining radish cake, eggs, and bean sprouts.

eggnog waffles

I. Love. Eggnog. And yes, I love it so much, I should marry it. But, actually, I kind of did. My husband loves eggnog, and that's why I decided to give it a shot a few years back. Growing up, I think I just assumed I didn't like eggnog. I mean, it sounds gross. Eggs? In a drink? And nog? What the heck is nog? Doesn't exactly sound tasty. Kind of sounds like slog. Bleh. But turns out, eggnog is creamy deliciousness! Who knew!? Well, a lot of people, I guess, since it's a widely enjoyed holiday beverage.

Since I married eggnog, it's an integral part of our holiday season. We try to hold ourselves back and not buy it until after Thanksgiving. But we don't show any restraint on the opposite end of the holiday. Because you know what happens after Christmas? The best thing ever. Eggnog goes ON SALE.

My all-time favorite way to enjoy eggnog is in coffee. I know people like nog with booze, but I'm pretty sure eggnog was invented to be the best coffee creamer ever. Heat a quarter cup of eggnog in the microwave, add coffee, sprinkle on some fresh nutmeg, and enjoy. Mmmm.

But. This past weekend we trekked up to Crested Butte for a wintery weekend. Obviously, we brought some eggnog along. And to add to the festiveness, we decided to buy some alcohol to go with our nog. We had an inkling that folks like to drink nog with whiskey, but we're not huge whiskey fans. So instead, we opted for rum. But not Caribbean rum. Colorado spiced rum. Because didn't you know that Colorado is known for rum? Ha. Well, we now know it. Because this rum is GOOD. It's going head-to-head with coffee in the competition to be eggnog's best friend.

After an evening of rum nog, you might need a delicious brunch. In which case, I must recommend you make eggnog waffles. Because, eggnog coffee is probably not quite enough fatty richness for a winter morning.

Eggnog Waffles
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 cup eggnog
1 large egg, separated
2 tablespoons melted butter
Oil or cooking spray for the waffle iron

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and spices in a medium bowl. 2. Whisk eggnog, egg yolk, and butter in another bowl. 3. Stir wet ingredients into the dry until combined; you don’t want the batter to be lumpy or too smooth— just right. 4. Whisk egg white until almost stiff; fold them into the batter. 5. Heat a waffle iron. Grease iron. Pour some of the batter into the middle of the iron. Close and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. 6. Serve with (real!) maple syrup.

And just one more thing. If all this coffee and rum and pancake decadence isn't enough, I recently discovered another eggnog delight: Talenti Old World Eggnog gelato. Yes. You read that right. Eggnog gelato! From Talenti! (Not sure what makes it "old world," but I don't care.) It's amazing. Get some. Now. And if you're feeling crazy, drizzle some rum over your gelato. Or drop a scoop in your coffee. There really aren't any rules.

Happy Holidays!

changes

Back in January, I went on and on about posting more. It's been over four months since my last post. Whoops. Although, I think it's kind of like being overdue on correspondance to friends. You apologize for being delinquent, but you can't dwell on it too much. It's more meaningful if you spend your words on sharing what's new in your life and asking them about theirs. So that's what I'll do here. Just move along. Lots has happened in four months. I had a baby. We moved to Denver. We vacationed in South Dakota. We barbecued lots. I ate more meat. I realized I really can't eat quinoa after all.

I've come out of the haze, and I have been missing this blog. The writing, pictures, and organizing of thoughts and recipes is an important outlet for me. No apologies, but I'm going to keep trying. I hope a few of you will keep reading.

{16th Street Mall, Denver}

anchovies

Months ago, I was flipping through Jamie's Italy, and I came upon a recipe that called for "salt-packed anchovies." Oliver said these were what they used in Sicily, but I knew I hadn't seen them at Whole Foods. What were they exactly? Every anchovy I'd ever seen had come packed in a small tin immersed in oil. But then, a sigh later, my mind and mouth were transported back to July 2010 in Italy's Cinque Terre when I sat in an oceanside restaurant devouring bread topped with anchovies, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and capers, all washed down with a dessert sambuca. Whatever these "more authentic" anchovies were, I needed them.

With just a little Google-ing, I found them on Amazon, and also at DeLaurenti, a fantastic European food store in Pike Place Market.

In November, around my birthday, a few friends asked what I'd like as a gift, and my thoughtful husband responded, "salt-packed anchovies." Not surprisingly, no one got them for me. But then, at Christmas, "Italian Santa" brought me a giant can! I am a notoriously bad present-opener, but I couldn't contain my excitement for my newly acquired culinary ingredient.

Back in Seattle, I pulled out the anchovies and Oliver's recipe for pasta con acciuche e pomodoro. The recipe is full of approximations: "a big handful of raisins," "a large wineglass of red wine." Whose handful? A gigantic American red wine glass? And on top of that, I had to tackle the anchovies. They were kind of scary. Whole, headless, fish.

Once I got over my squeamishness, they weren't too hard to prepare. Chop off the tail, slice down the belly to open them up, and pull out the bones. (If you miss a few bones it's not the end of the world because they're so small that most will disintegrate when they're cooked.) The lack of specifics in the recipe, combined with my inexperience with salt-packed 'chovies, resulted in a dish that was not very good at all. The proportions were off. But the taste was there. Somewhere in there, through the intense saltyness that would have gotten me kicked off Top Chef immediately, there was a hint of an amazing dish.

A few attempts later, I think I've finally got it. The proportions are now quite different from Oliver's, but it's to my liking. And I hope to yours too.

Palermo Pasta with Anchovies, Raisins, and Pine Nuts
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's "pasta con acciughe e pomodoro"

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ raisins
3 Tablespoons tomato purée
2 ounces red wine
6 salt-packed anchovy fillets (or 8 from an oil tin)
½ pound dried pasta (in this case you really do want to splurge on a "fancier" pasta but the type is less important - margarita, bucatini, spaghetti, fettuccine all work well)
homemade breadcrumbs

Heat oil in large, deep skillet over medium-low heat. Fry garlic slowly. Once garlic is golden brown, add raisins, pine nuts, and anchovies. Continue frying, stiring regularly, for 2 minutes. Add tomato purée and wine and stir well until combined.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Try to time it so the pasta is done at about the same time as the sauce. (Serious Italian cooks tell you that rinsing pasta in cold water ruins it, but I've been known to do it quite frequently. I'm working on my timing.) Add the pasta to the sauce and stir until incorporated. Serve garnished with breadcrumbs (they're missing in the picture below, but the crunch they add is really essential!).

Serves 2-3.

OTHER RECIPES WITH ANCHOVIES I WANT TO TRY
Capellini with a Sauce of Anchovies, Capers, and Fresh Tomatoes
Tonnato Deviled Eggs
Spaghetti with Fried Capers and Anchovies
Pesto di Prezzemolo (Parsley Pesto with Anchovies)

generic international lager

I feel like I've been hit by a truck. It could be the aftermath of many things: being in four countries in one 36-hour day, catching a cold from breathing the same air as all my travel companions for hours and hours, the 60 degree weather that Seattle has offered up since my return, not exercising in 3+ weeks...the choices are endless. Most likely, it's coming down from all the delicious, greasy and/or sugar-laden Southeast Asian foods I've eaten this month. Not to mention the beer. The generic, one-note, international lager that is usually amazingly refreshing but sometimes (particularly after 3 weeks of no other alcoholic beverages) devolves into terribly disgusting.

I first encountered the generic international lager in China. Harbin Beer, China's earliest beer (中国最早的啤酒) remains my favorite. How Tsingtao managed to corner the American market on Chinese beer is beyond me. Hapi is so much better. The green-bottle varieties in China are endless. And so cheap. I'm a you-get-what-you-pay-for kind of gal, so mediocre beer that cheaper than Sprite is fine with me.

My travels later took me to Greece, where I enjoyed Mythos. Yep, another lager. And who can ignore the ubiquitous Mexican variety: Corona Extra, La Cerveza Más Fina. Which is, interestingly enough, the only variety I enjoyed first in the U.S.

Point is, I've always thought quite fondly of these pale-lager friends around the world. I was not at all dreading drinking them during my recent Southeast Asian culinary adventure. In fact I was even looking forward to it. But once out there in the land of no ales, somewhere between the Carlsberg, Blue Girl, Tiger, Singha, Leo, & Chang, the lager lost it's luster. Could it be? Have I finally come to like hops? And flavor? Am I officially a microbrew-loving East Coaster/Seattleite? It was a proud revelation. But unfortunately it only made the generic international lager taste worse.

eating las vegas

Many people go to Vegas for the gambling. Some go for the shows. Too many go for Bachelor/ette parties. As for me, I went for the food. Well, actually, I went to celebrate my Mom’s birthday. To celebrate by eating food. Good food. We were there four days and three nights, which allowed for exploring four restaurants. Four restaurants with a side of In-N-Out Burger. Protein style.

They were all really good. Some were great. It was a tight race for the gold:

BRONZE MEDAL: Postrio After pampering ourselves at Caynon Ranch Spa our first morning, we were famished. Strolling under the Venetian's (fake) Italian sky, we ended up picking a restaurant "patio" by the "canal." Such ambiance. It was a pick more or less at random, but Postrio by Wolfgang Puck was quite delicious. But then again he is America's most successful chef, so I'd hope he could put out some edible fare. We opted to order an array of appetizers. Highlights: the tuna tartar and the trio of housemade sausages (!). Very good. Minus the fake sky.

.....

SILVER MEDAL: craftsteak I am what Mark Bittman calls a flexitarian. I don’t eat much meat, but I also don't really have any rules about eating; I eat what I like. But I am not what you would call a carnivore. I get way more excited about arugula than waygu. Nevertheless, I was dying to try out Tom Colicchio's craftsteak. I love Tom. At least I love what I know of him from TV and his Twitter feed. He seems like, as my Mom would say, a “good guy.”

Craftsteak delivered. Big time. When we arrived (after walking what felt like 2 miles in the MGM Grand) they were running a “few minutes” behind on their reservations, and recommended we take a seat at the bar. The dapper bartender wasted no time pouring me my Hendrick's martini extra dry with a twist. It was perfection. My sister opted for one of their specialty cocktails with bourbon and pomegranate juice, while the birthday girl had a heavy-handed gimlet (later to be topped off with just a little more soda).

The bar itself was magnificent. Classy but comfortable with bartenders in suits and basketball on the flatscreens. After 20 minutes or so, the hostess came to take us to our table, a perfect round booth just the right size for three so that no one felt like they were left out on an end. Our sever Edgar made us feel relaxed and welcome from the moment we sat down. We knew we were in for a delightful meal.

While the Australian A5 Wagyu Surf + Turf three-course tasting menu at $295 per person was tempting, we opted to go a more modest route. My sister ordered the 10 oz. filet mignon ($56) and Mom opted for surf + turf with lobster ($68). I was beside myself with excitement for the fava bean salad with walnut pesto and pecorino, but added on the Vermont quail dish so as not to seem too lame. Edgar teased me a little, but didn’t seem to mind. We also ordered asparagus and fiddleheads as side vegetables. With the order in, we sipped our wine and devoured the most delicious baked buns. I didn't even know this kind of bun could be homemade. You learn something new everyday.

Here's the thing about craftsteak: I’ve never tasted such a delicious steak. I really had no idea steak could taste so good. I’m not sure what would have happened if I tasted the pricier options. But the real show stealer, was the fava bean salad. I know that seems silly to say, craftsteak being a steakhouse and all, but it was amazing. Fresh favas. Perfectly roasted nuts. Cheese that probably cost $50/lb. Steak and veggies, Tom does it all well.

.....

NO MEDAL: nobu Night two, after a hot day at the Hoover Dam and Red Rocks Caynon, we made our way to the Hard Rock Hotel to try Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's eponymous restaurant. When planning the birthday weekend for our mom, my sister and I had picked this as the dinner of the weekend, given her affinity for sushi. But, unfortunately, it proved to be the eating lowlight.

Things didn’t get off to a good start, I’m not sure why. Some of it may have been a result of us being a bit tired from the long, active, day. But not very much. The vibe of the restaurant was off-putting. It was cramped, loud, chaotic. Our waitress was noticeably condescending, treating us like children who needed to be advised what to order off the kid’s menu. We struggled to order, mostly because her recommendations didn’t jive with what we wanted to eat, but we finally got it done. We ordered tuna tacos, Chef Nobu’s signature black cod with miso, and 3-4 sushi rolls. The food was undeniably delicious, particularly the black cod. It wasn’t much to look at, but the caramelized miso was like nothing I’ve ever had before. The sushi was great too. But the bill? Not so great. At craftsteak we didn’t bat an eye at the bill, because although it was pricey, it felt worth every penny. Nobu, on the other hand, felt like a 20-something club. The food was great, but the ambiance and service just didn't measure up.

.....

GOLD MEDAL: China Poblano For our last night in Vegas, we decided to switch it up and go a bit more casual. It took 20 minutes of wandering around The Cosmopolitan before we found José Andrés’s newest restaurant, China Poblano. The giant Buddha surrounding the entrance welcomed us warmly. At first glance the menu looked fantastic, but first things first: we needed margaritas. We wasted no time selecting, and the bartender delievered expeditiously. Served in a stemless martini glass, the rims were blank, and instead each drink was topped with a delicate salted foam. Genius. Pure genius.

With our awesome waitress’s input, we ordered (likely with foam on our lips):

• Guacamole made one-by-one / fresh tortillas
• Lamb Pot Stickers Stuck On You vegetables / crisp lace
• Coctel de Camarones  fresh shrimp/ jumbo lump crab meat/tomato/ avocado 
• The Unruly Monk hand-cut noodles / bok choy / wild wood ear mushrooms / poached egg / spicy sauce
• Setas taco wild mushrooms / guacamole
• Cochinita  taco Yucatan-style pit barbeque pork/marinated onions
• [another taco that I’m forgetting…]
• Twenty-Vegetable Fried Rice

Decisions were difficult since everything on the menu looked amazing. The only dish that was so-so was the noodle soup. It was good, just not that notable. The tacos were fantastic, particularly the mushroom one which on paper sounds pretty dullsville. It wasn’t. The guacamole was also phenomenal. I venture to say it was the best I’ve ever had. The other highlight was the pot stickers. Lamb seasoned with cumin was unexpected but amazing.

After a second “Salt-Air Margarita,” we were pretty full and happy, but being a birthday dinner number three of three, we needed a festive dessert. And festive we got: out waitress recommended the Chocolate Terra Cotta Warrior. “He” came on a bed of chocolate cookie dust with caramelized bananas, sesame, and ginger gelato. Done and done. My sister proceeded to chop his head off with the first bite, which seemed like the perfect celebratory end to one of the best dinners I’ve had.

Happy Birthday Mom!

bainbridge island

In our nearly three years in Seattle, we've been lucky enough to have a good number of loved ones come visit. One of my go-to activities is to take the ferry from downtown to Bainbridge Island for brunch.

I love grabbing a coffee at Starbucks on the corner of 1st & Marion before walking down the walkway to the terminal, buying a $5 round trip ticket from the electronic kiosk and then walking aboard the ferry. The views of downtown never disappoint, and within 35 minutes (just about the time you realize you're freezing), the boat docks. After disembarking (I love that word, fyi.), it's a short 5 minute walk into the town of Winslow, where all the stores and restaurants are easily accessibly along Winslow Way for browsing and strolling.But the thing is, if it's a weekend, and you're heading to Cafe Nola, which is where you'd be crazy not to be heading, chances are you're not the only one. Awhile back, Giada De Laurentiis did a weekend guide of where to eat in Seattle on the Food Network. To be fair, she's the one that deserves the credit for the brilliant Bainbridge Island brunch trip. But, anyway, whether it's because of Giada or just good marketing and word of mouth, lots of Seattleites head to Cafe Nola for brunch. So when you get off the ferry you have to hustle. I invariably am annoying my companions by insisting we speed walk. "Hurry!" They always thank me. Because we get to Cafe Nola and get one of the last open tables, and we're enjoying our amazing bloody marys while the other suckers are loitering in the entryway waiting for a table. Brunch at Cafe Nola is devine. Their bloody marys are fantastic; the kind with a garden growing upwards out of them. They have different variations to choose from too, like one with beef juice dripped in. I always go classic though. And as far as food goes, it's all good. But the must-order here is the Carmel Pecan French Toast. It is life changing. I promise. It comes with orange bourbon butter. Don't waste any time being indecisive. Just order it. You won't be disappointed. Especially after running from the ferry dock.

This past week, my dearest friend Alli was in town for a visit. We really wanted to take a ferry somewhere, so Bainbridge was the natural choice. But, it wasn't the weekend. That meant having brunch at Cafe Nola was not an option. We decided to head there anyway (not walking as fast off the ferry though), and arrived around 2pm. Our friendly waitress popped up to our booth with "Hi! Would you like a Guiness!?" Huh? "In honor of St. Patrick's Day!" Oh. No thanks. We instead looked at the menu. $1 PBRs!!?! You're kidding me. "You basically lose money if you don't order one," advises our server. We'll have two. Lunch food was delicious. We had an arugula salad with roasted squash, blue cheese, and lemon caper vinaigrette accompanied by the more indulgent bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates. Yum. But the real clincher was the $1 PBRs. It wasn't like they brought out the can from the back room. They poured them into the coolest high ball glasses. (It kind of made me want to get some of the same glasses. Until Alli reminded me I have way too many glasses already.) Duly noted: lunch at Cafe Nola is just as amazing as brunch.

Another advantage to the afternoon trip to Bainbridge, we discovered, is wine tasting. Apparently Bainbridge has a growing wine scene, with 8 wineries on the island. We ventured into eleven, where the friendly sommelier Kevin got our tasting started. There are a few other tasting rooms within steps of the ferry (see this guide from Sunset magazine) and I'm sure they're all nice, but I recommend eleven. The wine was impressive, the prices reasonable, and Kevin provided fantastic service.

We opted to taste all 9 of the available wines (at $1 a taste, why not?!). We sipped away while Kevin told us about the winery, where they source their grapes (all from Eastern Washington except those that make their Pinot Gris port), and life living on Bainbridge. The wine was really good. My favorites were their Pinot Grigio and a red blend called La Ronde (65% Malbec, 28% Syrah, and 7% Petit Verdot). Alli treated me to a bottle of the Pinot Grigio and I bought a bottle of the Sweet Sarah port, so we have two bottles of Bainbridge wine to enjoy at some point this spring. Moral of the story is this: if you live in Seattle or come to Seattle, make the day trip to Bainbridge Island. While there, eat at Cafe Nola. After some delicious fare, there are many other fun things to explore - one of which is wine tasting!

Cheers.

restaurants i wish i could fly to

Earlier this month, the New York Times ran an intriguing article: 10 Restaurants Worth a Plane Ride. I must admit, I haven't been to any of them, although one happens to not require a plane ride for me (just a ferry) and another is within affordable striking distance. Reading the article of course got these restaurants on my radar, but mostly it got me to thinking about what restaurants I wish I could fly to from time to time. I'm certain I'm omitting many delicious eating experiences I've had, but here are the places I can't seem to stop missing despite the innumerable delicious Seattle eating establishments:

THE MIDDLEBURY BAGEL DELI - Middlebury, VT I feel pretty strongly that you haven't truly experienced a breakfast sandwich until you've had a bagel-egger from the Bagel Deli: Best. Breakfast. Sandwich. Ever. My preferred order is a bagel egger on poppy seed with bacon and cheddar. Their self service coffee is delish and the donuts make a delightful breakfast appetizer.

BLACK SHEEP BISTRO - Vergennes, VT Clearly I'm partial to this place, since it was the site of our rehearsal dinner. The atmosphere of this Vermont restaurant is both cozy and classy. The food is comforting (fry wheel!) but elegant at the same time. They change their menu regularly and are one of those great places that has a list the options by course, all with the same price. I love that. I'm bad enough with decisions as it is, let alone when I have to decide if I want the duck $4 worth more than I want the pork loin.

PLAN B - Hartford, CT You don't know what you've got till it's gone. That pretty much sums up this place for me. We went all the time when we lived in Connecticut. Burgers, beer, and bourbon. Done right. Exceptional tap list and delicious burgers chuck ground in-house daily. They've expanded to three restaurants in the Hartford area, and according to their website they'll be in Boston, DC, Atlanta, and Chicago soon. So many flight options!

1844 HOUSE - Canton, NY Not a place you'd expect to find fine dining, but this place is a gem. Great service, top-notch food, and an outstanding wine list.

MIAN KU (NOODLE LOFT) - Beijing, China With two (or three?) locations in China's capital, this is a must stop right up there with Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. We first heard about it before our 2006 trip thanks to Anthony Bourdain, and had an adventure or two trying to find it (remember, Amber!?). But it was worth all the headache, the Shanxi noodles were like none I've ever had before. They're hand-tossed at the bar. Kind of like pizza is in New York. I haven't had them in five years (thus the hankering for the plane flight to taste some noodle goodness) but word on the street is they're still going strong. (Check out this recent blog post at the tiny urban kitchen.)

CHALET LA PRICAZ - Montmin, France High atop a mountain in the alps, in July 2010, I devoured the most delicious meal I have ever eaten in France. And from a girl who gain nearly 20 lbs. as an exchange student there before college, that's saying a lot. We celebrated Bastille Day with family following a cousin's wedding at this restaurant famous for it's tartiflette.  The owners have a herd of Tarine cows, who make reblochon cheese on location (farm to table anyone?). Tartiflette is a local specialtiy where the reblochon cheese is melted over potatoes and pancetta. Most of the men at the table ate only 3/4 of their individual cast iron skillets of goodness. The ladies consumed 1/2 max. I ate my entire dish, plus the 1/4 Dan left. I don't regret it one bit. I might never have that meal again. (We were led there by our French hosts, but turns out the restaurant was raved about in the New York Times in 2007.)

Where would you fly?