Cafe Akari


The newest kid on the block. In Long Beach, on the approach... the new Cafe Akari. Aura and I enjoyed an early feast of panini, coconut prawns and big glasses of Merlot.
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Who invents these things?


This is my nomination for the dumbest product. The size of a compact fridge.... and outfitted with multiple growing bulbs, watering system and a fan. It is marketed to provide fresh organic foods...with savings on spoiled store bought herbs and produce. The cost? $3800.
Did I mention the replacement parts (like bulbs and more seeds)? Those start at $150.

Check out flora-cube.com to see for yourself!
I want you to know I saw the ad for it in both of Martha's magazines.

Garlic, Dancing, Sturgeon and running to Chowder


This is a big weekend for the beach! Many activities.

The annual Garlic Festival is happening in Ocean Park. Long Beach has the Run to Chowder. On the Columbia- the annual Sturgeon Derby - filling up Ilwaco and Chinook. Over in Astoria, the Scandinavians are celebrating midsummer.
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State Central Committee Meeting


I traveled to Yakima for the meeting this last weekend.



History was made in Washington State as the Republicans saved the Primary Election. We also voted to give 51% of the popular vote to the delegates.

Note- the Democrats do not chose by the popular vote. They pick their Presidential Candidate by caucus.


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Olea -becoming a favorite

Paris and Aura wanted to experience Olea in the Pearl too. So we went there late after arriving the night before Paris returned to Michigan.

We even sat at the same table I shared with Elizabeth and the hostess asked where she was!

Aura decided to order Elizabeth's chocolate malted trio. Paris
had the triple sorbet and I had the Raspberry Chocolate sponge cake parfait.


No Knead Bread Takes over the World

I am one of the very last in the country to jump on the 'No Knead Bread' fad. It has been going on for over a year now. Jim Lahey of the Sullivan Street Bakery in New York perfected the recipe. The minimalist- Mark Bittman of the New York Times did a video you can see on You Tube. Martha Stewart even had it on her program. (Dad watched that and gave me the recipe after he tried it.) They have had bakery contests and dozens of articles.

What captured my attention was when Vogue Magazine did a huge spread on the recipe complete with footnotes. I was spending my monthly hair time in the chair...and flipping through pages of magazines I no longer purchase. Low and behold- there was that crazy bread recipe!

Moving to the beach has one major flaw. We have no decent bakery! Eureka! Could this really be true? All this praise for a recipe with only 3 cups flour, some salt, yeast and 1-1/2 c water? AND NO KNEADING! The water works the glutens over a 18- 24 hour period. You bake it in a heavy casserole dish in a 500 plus degree oven. The result is manna to the heavens that even fashion magazines with anorexic models feature!? But will my garage sale oven produce this nirvana? (note, the kitchen is still a work in progress) (and yes, even my oven produced a stellar result!) The crust is crunchy and the interior is 'open and chewy'.

The photos show my 2nd attempt. The 1st one was eaten so quickly -fresh and warm from the oven-with moans of joy by Paris, Brett, Aura and me. The second batch was actually turned in to a pizza- so technically this is the 3rd. (It was The BEST pizza ever!)

This recipe has spread thru blogs and newspapers, tv shows, radio shows and word of mouth. AND IT DESERVES EVERY SINGLE MENTION!

I plan to scan the Vogue Magazine article- because the footnotes are so incredible, so scientific, so helpful and so fun. If you want a copy in pdf, let me know and I will send it to you . Have you made this bread? Leave me a comment too.

Olea for Dessert

Elizabeth has a dessert/chocolate thing going. We stopped at Olea in The Pearl to enjoy a nightcap. I had an interesting citron vodka-rosemary adult beverage. She had 3 kinds of malted chocolate. The cookies had ice cream sandwiched between, which you can't see from this angle.
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Moonstruck Chocolate

Elizabeth can be seen here at her favorite chocolate bar off 23rd in Portland.
How does she stay so small? She loves chocolate!
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Holdens Bistro


Elizabeth and I checked out many restaurants in The Pearl.
One evening we dined at Holdens Bistro.
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Carbon Neutral Vehicle

OK, I will NEVER buy another LandRover (unless it is an old classic that has been on African Safaris). But, while in Portland- staying at Madison's loft- and attempting to park in his tiny 7 foot space by the cement column.... I smashed my parking light. That required a trip to Land Rover across the bridge from his loft- just a short distance -to get a new one (which I could quickly install). While walking into the service area- I noticed this new vehicle and got a chuckle out of the 'carbon neutral' decals. I want that. I could add my Historical Salmon Hatchery and Chinook Watershed Restoration on too! (this all transpired BEFORE my car was towed again on Memorial Day) I think the extra towing uses up more global warming points.
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Meeting Elizabeth's Father


Matt (Elizabeth's Father) came to Portland while she shopped for a new loft. I enjoyed meeting him and discovered- as parents of young roadies- we have much in common. (and that our kids have much in common) After he returned to So Cal- I stayed and spent some quality time getting to know Elizabeth.

We had a great time. more photos to follow. This was taken in the Portland Rose Garden.
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Tall Ships in Ilwaco


Brett took some nice photos of the Tall Ships entry into the Columbia River. The Chinook Nation went out to meet them and did a re-enactment of trading with the natives.



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