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Blue Ribbon Cooking School primarily offers classes centered on certain menus, the likes of which vary, but are always pretty classy. You might learn how to cook lobster a number of ways or you...
Blue Ribbon Cooking School primarily offers classes centered on certain menus, the likes of which vary, but are always pretty classy. You might learn how to cook lobster a number of ways or you might learn how to put together a Thanksgiving meal. It's definitely a more authentic kitchen experience than what I've seen at places like Sur La Table, but it isn't ideal for beginners who are unsure about their cooking skills to begin with. At the very least, take a class to see their very pretty, but functional demo kitchen. I wish my house had a kitchen that big!
The owners here seem fairly authentic in their cooking experience, but the learning experience is only so-so. The classes here are mostly hands-on. You'll actually work on real recipes that require you to put together ingredients from scratch. Students rotate from station to station participating in the prep of various dishes that you then sit down to eat together in the diningroom. Because of the way the classes are designed, you don't actually get to work on any one recipe from start to finish (because no kitchen operates serially when an entire meal has to be put together in a matter of hours), but you get to take the recipes home and the chefs at each station will fill you in on what just happened and what will happen with the food after you move to the next station.
The menus and the quality of the food is good and you can learn tidbits of information along the way if you care to ask, but this is not a place where you'll master cooking essentials. Furthermore, you'll have to be prepared to tiptoe around the kitchen. Don't be surprised when Virginia, one of the co-owners, berates you for an offense such as...oh, taking the wrong kind of wine glass into the kitchen. Thank goodness her husband, the other co-owner, is more laid-back and will converse with you about subjects, like where to buy meat (Costco, apparently), without making you feel like a child. If I remember correctly, though, my comment about his handiwork with the knife elicited not a brief explanation of knife technique, but rather, a throwaway response that it just takes practice.
I'll probably come back someday, but only if a menu looks particularly interesting (but then, classes fill up way ahead of time) or if I happen to come back as part of an event (they host big groups for morale events and small receptions).
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Seward Park
Category:
Playgrounds Parks & Trails
5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S
Seattle, Washington 98105
(206) 684-4396
Seattleites looking for exercise, nature, and quality time with the family come to Seward Park. On any given day, but especially Saturday or Sunday, this place is teeming with people but never feels...
Seattleites looking for exercise, nature, and quality time with the family come to Seward Park. On any given day, but especially Saturday or Sunday, this place is teeming with people but never feels crowded unless you happen to hit it on a race day. Seward Park is used for triathlons and other race courses because it has a smooth asphalt jogging loop (2.4 miles the whole way around), several gravel swimming beaches, easy access to I-90, and plenty of green lawn for spectators and picnickers. For more information: http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/parkspaces/sewardpark.htm
This is my favorite place to jog because: 1) the asphalt is smooth and relatively flat all the way around; 2) you get to run right alongside Lake Washington for three-quarters of the loop; and 3) it has mileposts that indicate each half mile so you know your progress. I should note that using the mile markers is a little confusing because the start/end appears to be somewhere in the nether region that is basically the main parking lot. As a result, the first half-mile marker will appear sooner than you think. (On 5K race days, officials use the entire loop as well as add an additional climb up and back down a service road in the interior of the park.)
There are always people walking, jogging, or biking along the loop. Kids love the playground with the slides built into the small hill. I've even seen meditation groups on the beach here. Seward Park is especially popular as a dog-walking spot. There are tons of families who walk their dogs here as a family unit. There are also lots of parents who bring their kids here to ride bikes because even when the kids zoom ahead, they're almost always in sight. In the interior of the park, there are hiking trails. It's a neat way to disappear into "the woods" without leaving the city. Tons of eagles and other birds make the park their home, so it's a great place for birdwatchers.
It's important to note that you should never leave anything valuable in your car. There is a very real problem with break-ins because prowlers know that you'll be away from your car for as long as it takes to do the loop. I've never seen the lurkers, but one time, they broke the window of my in-laws' SUV, which was loaded up with stuff from a road trip, and stole a very nice camera. I come here all the time and have never had my car broken into, but it's got an alarm and I don't keep anything tempting inside.
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Andaluz
Category:
Retail Shopping
4998 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 760-1900
This tiny boutique next to Columbia City Ale House could use some better signage, but until it gets that, it can be our little secret. Nestled in among eateries in Columbia City's restaurant row,...
This tiny boutique next to Columbia City Ale House could use some better signage, but until it gets that, it can be our little secret. Nestled in among eateries in Columbia City's restaurant row, Andaluz offers an unexpected way to satisfy your appetite while you wait for a table at one of the many popular restaurants nearby. Similar to the boutiques that are all over Fremont, but less pretentious and thus way more welcoming, Andaluz is where you're likely to find your next pretty skirt, vintage dress, special tee, funky earrings, or fruity soap all because you were on a long list at Geraldine's.
Despite (or perhaps because of) the limited square footage, Andaluz has packed their racks and shelves with choice items from local designers like Kimmi, Balentyne, and the Bella Sisters, as well as bigger names like Kenzie. They even make room for a few vintage pieces. There's also a lot of stock in accessories like leather cuffs that resemble corsages, bags from local favorite Queen Bee and equally fun purses from Crystalyn Kae, and earrings with stones and swirls that will complete any look (although they're probably best suited for the current boho trend). The clothes here probably appeal most to girls who like to look pretty but not too precious, although their racks do hold plenty of satin (courtesy of local label Suzabelle) and tulle. As with most boutiques, quantities and sizes are limited, but you can always call or leave your name in case the owner places another order on something you're dying to own.
If you're looking for an easy gift, thumb through their books, notebooks, and notecards, or peruse the jewelry hidden in pockets throughout the store. Specialty soaps, perfumes, and makeup also abound. Because of the way the store is laid out, browsing is the name of the game... And it's a clever game, too, because you'll feel compelled to examine every dimly lit corner carefully in case you missed something. In the process, you'll probably find one or two or three things to take home.
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I wholeheartedly recommend Adam Tailor for alterations and custom tailoring. They are really far away from my house now that they are no longer located at 23rd and Union, but I still save up all my...
I wholeheartedly recommend Adam Tailor for alterations and custom tailoring. They are really far away from my house now that they are no longer located at 23rd and Union, but I still save up all my pants to bring to them. My husband also brings every single one of his dress shirts to Adam Tailor so they can be brought in on the sides (no more billowing!). We save up all our new purchases and make about four trips a year here. They're not open on Sunday, so it's hard for us to come more frequently.
If you take their skill and craftsmanship into account, you might expect to pay major bucks, but you won't. I once brought in five pairs of pants (four pairs of slacks and one pair of jeans) and a skirt. I needed a liner added to the filmy, elastic-waisted skirt and hemming for the pants. When I came back a week later, my bill was $40, half of which was for the skirt because of the complexity of the project and which they had warned me would be a difficult job. It costs a lot more if you want to keep the original hem on your jeans, but I don't remember how much more. (The same as the cost at Nordstrom, I think.)
When Adam Tailor made my wedding dress, a knockoff that I requested using only two less-than-ideal photos, they measured me once, told me how much silk to buy, saw me for two fittings total, and charged me $120. I spent less than a tenth of the cost (silk crepe purchase included!) of the designer dress I lusted after. The back of the dress wasn't exactly the same as the original, but I didn't have a photo or drawing of it. Even though I wasn't able to describe the back as well as I wanted, the dress still turned out lovely. The ao dai that they made for me was absolutely perfect. They had the fabric on the premises and I picked it out after seeing an album with another bride in the same dress. When I tried the dress on at home before my wedding, it made me look so good that my dad lavished praise on me like he's never done before or since. If that's not a testament to the skill of the seamstresses at Adam Tailor, I don't know what is!
If you're having a Vietnamese wedding or if you want you to rent an ao dai to wear to a dress-up event, check out the selection at Adam Tailor. That is, unless your body is anywhere outside the norm. My husband is 6'3" and had to have his custom-made! It, too, fit perfectly, just as an ao dai should. Plus, he's got it in the closet in case he ever has a reason to wear it again.
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If you feel a snack attack coming on, try satisfying your cravings with something other than the same old Cheetos and Red Vines, however crazy delicious they may be. Instead, head on over to Vua Kho...
If you feel a snack attack coming on, try satisfying your cravings with something other than the same old Cheetos and Red Vines, however crazy delicious they may be. Instead, head on over to Vua Kho Bo (translated: "King of Beef Jerky", also known as New Jerkey Manufacturing Inc). There, you'll find yourself loading up on pounds and pounds of beef jerky in its many incarnations (flavored with fruit juices, curried, five-spice flavored, pre-sliced for papaya salad, super spicy, a little spicy...). You can also buy venison jerky, cuttlefish jerky, pickled plums, dried mango or papaya, keo me (candied and spiced tamarind), and even mini dried crabs, all in bulk. Prices are by the pound.
The salespeople are quick to offer you a sample of whatever bin it is you've paused in front of. I politely declined the offer of a mini crab. Labels on the bins are in Vietnamese, so it's best you ask what it is you're sampling if you're unsure. You can get a frequent shopper stamp card if you buy at least one pound of beef jerky, which it's shockingly easy to do. Every shopper also gets one Capri-Sun with purchase, which I thought was really cute.
Fun fact: Vua Kho Bo resides in the same T&K shopping center where some of the scenes from "The Fast and the Furious" were filmed!
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With all the hustle and bustle at Seafood World, you might expect to be ignored or be limited in your dim sum options, but this place is run like a military operation. The last time I went, my...
With all the hustle and bustle at Seafood World, you might expect to be ignored or be limited in your dim sum options, but this place is run like a military operation. The last time I went, my family and I must have gotten there a little earlier than normal, 10:30am, because the place wasn't so full that there were twenty people holding numbers outside like there were the time before. They use a perfectly audible, non-crackly PA system to call your number, which I think is pretty slick.
We were seated promptly. The waiter dropped off two plates of hot sauce and mustard at our table before we were even fully settled. Water and tea were delivered to our table almost immediately. I sighed to myself, "This never happens when we go to dim sum in Seattle!" The first cart stopped at our table soon after, bearing many delectable options. We pulled five different dishes from that cart alone. All the dishes are the best versions I've ever had. I especially like their fried "football"-shaped dumplings and their egg custard. The steamed shrimp balls are delicately cooked and not so gummy that they can't be separated from the dish or one another. The gai lan (Chinese broccoli), which we go delivered with a minimum of arm-waving to the waiter, was perfectly cooked and served with sauce on the side. I saw many dishes both familiar and completely foreign. The diversity of dishes at this dim sum restaurant completely blows any other out of the water.
Seafood World's service is also unparalleled in the world of dim sum. Our water was refilled at least three times during the meal. It was easy to flag down a waiter to reconcile the bill. A variety of carts came by frequently, although they could have come by even more often. When the table next to us was vacated, a busser was over there in seconds, removed the white cloth tablecloth, replaced it with a fresh one, and had a new group seated before we finished paying our bill. Also, their prices can't be beat: $23.70 for four. Though, it should be noted that my dad is not a big eater!
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The Kung Fu Kids program at Seattle Kajukenbo is really popular. The kids' program begins with students as young as four. When I come in for the adult classes and catch the tail end of the kids'...
The Kung Fu Kids program at Seattle Kajukenbo is really popular. The kids' program begins with students as young as four. When I come in for the adult classes and catch the tail end of the kids' classes, they are all having such a blast that I almost want to join them. Our Sifu and her assistant instructors are all amazing with kids. They are incredibly patient and really seem to know how to engage kids with the material. Class attendance is sometimes pretty high, but the kids always break out and work with partners or small groups while the instructors circle the room and give them feedback. More so than the adult classes, the kids' classes seem to be broken up by belt rank or experience (as well as by age group). The kids' program focuses on self-defense principles and building self-esteem and confidence, but it also includes training in kung fu basics, most of which overlaps with the adult material covered at the same belt rank. For more information about the school, visit the website: http://www.seattle-kajukenbo.com/index2.html
Both kids and adults are taught the Charles Gaylord method of Chuan Fa Kajukenbo Kung Fu. It's an eclectic martial art that incorporates techniques (and takes it name) from KArate, JUjitsu and judo, KENpo, and Chinese BOxing (kung fu). Kajukenbo was developed to be an effective martial art for street fighting (aka real-life fight situations). From the very start of your training at Seattle Kajukenbo, you learn kicks, hand techniques, street fighting targets and combinations, techniques for countering punches from an attacker, sparring, forms (choreographed fight moves), and how to fight with and defend against weapons (sticks/clubs and knives). It's very exciting and challenging, but I've never seen anyone forced or feel pressured to do anything they're not capable of. I've been training for just over a year. It's the first time I've ever studied a martial art and I'm very happy that I picked this style to learn.
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Tamarind Tree has been enjoying its status as belle of the ball in the dancehall known as Seattle's Asian cuisine scene. When I called them Monday night, I was pretty sure they would tell me they...
Tamarind Tree has been enjoying its status as belle of the ball in the dancehall known as Seattle's Asian cuisine scene. When I called them Monday night, I was pretty sure they would tell me they wouldn't be able to seat us until 9pm, but the hostess who answered the phone said: 1) they don't take reservations after 5pm and 2) that they were having a slow night and I should just come on in.
I noticed right away that this place is working its location and will put a hurting on the other Vietnamese restaurants in the plaza. By being located smack dab in the middle of the International District, it gains some credibility. Tom Douglas isn't in the kitchen cooking up Asian fusion, and yet, the restaurant's vibe makes you wonder if maybe he is... There's the austerely modern waterfall gushing water outside the entrance. Because it's pretty much all you see from inside the restaurant (dark and sultry with its dim lighting, cranberry and sunflower walls, grass green wall sconces, and stained concrete), you get the sense you've been transported somewhere far more glamorous than the corner unit of the Asian Plaza shopping center on the corner of 12th and Jackson. It's like no other Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to.
I was a little scared the waiters wouldn't speak Vietnamese, but when the teenage boy who seated us spoke English with a barely detectable accent, I knew his parents had done right. The waiter was similarly authentic when he asked me if we'd also want canh chua, ubiquitous at the Vietnamese dinner table, with the Vietnamese "family" meal I'd put together from the menu.
Almost every table was occupied (so much for a slow night) and at least two groups were in front of us when we arrived, but we were seated almost right away. The good service kind of stopped there, though. The waiter arrived fairly promptly to take our cocktail orders, but took a lot longer bringing them to our table. He seemed a little annoyed that I felt the need to remind him, but he had already delivered three out of four of our dishes and I was beginning to wonder if he'd forgotten we ordered the drinks in the first place. After our food came, we had minimal interaction with our server. He and I had a silent exchange when it was time for more rice. I was holding an empty bowl post-scoop and he was on his way past us with dishes he'd cleared from the table behind us. I caught his eye and he nodded wordlessly. I didn't get the words out until after he was already gone. The rice came, though, so that's good. We had a similar experience when the busser came to clear our table. We said we wanted everything boxed up. I added, "The rice, too." He nodded and took away two plates. He came back awhile later with a styrofoam container in a plastic bag. I wasn't sure he'd come back with the rest of our food later. He did, but I had given it up for lost.
Luckily, this service didn't land Tamarind Tree on my husband's boycott list. I think "the best mojito ever" won him over. I liked my Kumquat Crush, too, but not as much as he liked Tam's Mojito with brown sugar. Vietnamese know their way around limes and mint, I tell you. The cocktails were made by the matriarch. I smiled to myself a lot as I watched her expertly pouring drinks behind the bar.
I got to be the one to order everything. I only got my husband's input on the seafood dish and we ended up ordering something I never would have considered. Even the waiter said, "Are you sure?" when I asked for the mam chung. Ground beef and anchovies topped with the yolk from a preserved egg. "Sure, why not?" It wasn't nearly as salty or fishy as we had hoped it would be. The waiter delivered the mam chung with a dish of herbs and cucumber that we assumed were accompaniment because the flavor was greatly enhanced when eaten wrapped in the basil (hung que), mint (kinh gioi), perilla (tia to), and fish herb (diep ca). The cucumbers also ameliorated the lack of moisture in the patty. I was thankful that they didn't go the lean meat route with the thit kho (braised pork belly in coconut juice) or the thit ga xao xa ot (lemongrass and chili pepper chicken).
The hunks of pork in the thit kho were a little big, a bad idea because each bite really needs a balance between the lean and fatty parts to not taste either too dry or too fatty. The fat on this pork was truly succulent, melting in your mouth without seeming at all heavy. They included multiple eggs in the pretty, lidded pot that the thit kho came in. I'd never seen thit kho prepared with hard-boiled eggs that had been battered and fried. I don't know if this is some nouveau cuisine thing or just a Tamarind Tree thing, but I liked it. I was less happy with their measly pickled cabbage offering. They used regular cabbage instead of napa cabbage. The cabbage was also slivered and practically fresh, not spitting vinegar and exuding that oxidized dark green that I prefer.
The lemongrass and chili chicken was good, although I detected very little lemongrass flavor on the sticky pieces of dark chicken meat. I'm used to eating lemongrass chicken with so much pounded lemongrass in it that you practically have to pick it out of your teeth, but I was happy enough with the flavor of real peppers. This dish would have been just fine had they called it thit ga xao ot, making no mention of the xa.
Just like at home, our rau muong made the slightest gesture at our attempt to incorporate vegetables into the meal. I guess the canh chua soup would have had tomatoes, pineapple, bean sprouts and probably celery, but we didn't order it... The rau muong was called an inexplicable "Morning Glory Garlic" on the menu, but I didn't much care because I was just excited to see they had it at all. The stems were delightfully crunchy and the garlic in the dish occupied that perfect space between too pungent and too fried out. I love the green cooking liquid rau muong makes. If it was a juice, I'd drink it.
I didn't swoon all over the place like everyone else is doing, but I am curious about their bo bay mon (seven beef courses) and would definitely like to come back to sample some more off their menu. They managed to serve solid Vietnamese fare without padding the menu prices too much, but I think I like the idea that they're aiming to be a classier Vietnamese restaurant best.
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I wish the CD had a good Mexican restaurant. We used to go to El Gallito's pretty frequently, but the place has lost a lot of its charm. They remodeled a few years ago, doubling their dining area...
I wish the CD had a good Mexican restaurant. We used to go to El Gallito's pretty frequently, but the place has lost a lot of its charm. They remodeled a few years ago, doubling their dining area and replacing their retro painted sign out front. They also increased prices on what was already a fairly expensive menu, probably in order to recover some of the cost of the new tables, fixtures, decorations, paint, etc. We get the sense they are aspiring to be a fancier restaurant, but I liked it better when the paint was peeling, the lights flickered, and beer flags hung from the ceiling. It felt like Mexico!
Their menu is broad and you can put together a variety of dinner plates from their myriad combinations, but most things on the menu are only average, at best. I used to have to remind myself not to order the dry tamales. Most of the rest of the food was pretty bland, too. Sometimes I'd get the burritos because they were big and one of the cheapest options on the menu. The chicken mole was decent, but also one of the most expensive items. The only standouts are the freshly fried chips and wonderfully spicy salsa. They are at least nice about refilling the chip baskets.
I'd come here to drink beer or pint glasses of margaritas and eat only the chips and salsa if that was an option.
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The number of sandwiches that they offer is great. I salivate over the detailed descriptions in each section of the menu and want to try something new every time. I have yet to be disappointed with...
The number of sandwiches that they offer is great. I salivate over the detailed descriptions in each section of the menu and want to try something new every time. I have yet to be disappointed with what I order. I like The Chairman because it has sprouts in it. (No one seems to make a sandwich with sprouts anymore!) The hunk of turkey, creamy avocado, and crunchy sprout combination are my favorite in a sandwich. I love that it's on their menu and I don't have to custom order that combination of ingredients. The Italian I had last time was also great, with thick slices of salami, bologna, and mortadella and gooey with melted swiss and provolone. They make their own bread. I love that you're not limited to a white, wheat, or sourdough roll like other chains. The Italian, for example, is on focaccia.
My only complaint is that the sandwiches are so chock full of goodies, seriously overflowing, that they kind of fall apart a bit when you eat them. The paper wrapper for each sandwich is big and of high quality, though, so you've got a way to catch everything.
Their cookies are to die for, although I haven't tried any of their other sweets. I've been craving the chocolate chip cookies for weeks. I also haven't had any of their salads or soups even though the soups seem popular.
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