anticipation

Banana Bread with Chocolate & Cinnamon Sugar

You've got something magnificent coming to life in the oven. You're waiting, waiting. 35 minutes, 13. Nothing. And then as if at the snap of a finger you catch a faint whiff of it. The sweetness grows stronger and so too does your curiosity, until finally, you make the decision it's worth putting you book down. Next thing you know you're hovering at the open oven door, heat radiating onto your forehead as your eyes catch a peek. 3...2...1. You rush to grab the potholder, whip open the door, and hastily slide the tin off the middle rack and onto the trivet. The toothpick comes out clean. You're in business. Almost. Fifteen minutes for cool down. Cue Dad cutting himself a big slice after dinner. "Mmmmmm." And that's it. That's all you need. Satisfaction.

time.

In the past two weeks I've had a handful of people tell me that I look younger than I actually am. My whole life, that has never ever been said to me before. In fact, I've always been told the exact opposite. I vividly recall being asked what high school and college I went to when I was only in junior high. What has happened since then? And how should I take this? Maybe as I am getting older (because 21 is just sooo old) I should take it as a compliment. Maybe I can look forward to having people take a look at me and think I'm 45 instead of 50. That would be nice. Age aside, these women have remained timeless beauties. 

lazy..

All motivation for the rest of the day ceases to exist when one's body is forced against its will to go in to work at 5 a.m. I laid out in the sun in my backyard and started a new book until my eyes could take the strain no longer. I dozed off, only to wake an hour later and continue draining my body of energy as I lay sprawled out on the lawn. Replenishment took the form of olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt & pepper, orange bell pepper, roasted cherry tomatoes, penne, shrimp and scallions. The lure of sleeping bliss is drawing me to my bed, body pillow and the cool salty breeze blowing through the curtains.

and so it ends.

Three days in celebration of my 21st birthday.

Friday. Cactus in Madison Park. chile relleno. prickly pear. Queen Anne. Menchies. Kerry Park. Seattle Skyline. 

Sunday. August 21st. my birthday. blueberry pancakes. The Farmers Market. 1/2 flat of blackberries + a bunch of carrots + a cucumber + veggie focaccia + a chocolate nib cookie. sun + swimsuit + towel + backyard. plain frozen yogurt + blackberries + ginger snaps. presents. Julie & Julia. 

Tuesday. best friends. laughter + aching cheeks. pappardelle + shrimp + heirloom tomato +  zucchini. the happy birthday song. blowing out a candle. the September issue of Vogue. linen high-waist, wide-leg trousers from Anthopologie. joy in its purest form.

I am blessed. I am thankful. I am happy.

clouds

They loomed inky and sinister above us. I desperately wanted them to break open and pour their libation onto the earth. And they did. And I was happy. Because I was refreshed.

goings away

Joe Fox claimed The Godfather was the answer to all of life's questions. What should I pack for my summer vacation? '"Leave the gun, take the cannoli." Except yesterday for my brother is was him holding up two pairs of shoes and asking, "Which ones?". Me: "The Jordans. The white Nikes. No, you won't wear the yellow ones. You probably won't wear those either." It was reminiscent of Jo March insisting Laurie would need all of his books at college and him protesting against it, but reverse. Now I am sitting sunning my face on the patio with the dog at my feet and an empty house behind me. The rest of my family is making the trek to Pacific Lutheran University, where Lucas will be taking pre-med courses and playing football for the Lutes. While sad to see him fly the nest, I know that God has huge plans for his life, great and wonderful plans. So I sent him off with a shoebox full of chocolate chip cookies that weighed approximately seven pounds, and our usual, always straight thuggin' sideways peace sign. I know he'll visit me and his friends at UW. Whether he wants to see me because I'm his sister, or just wants more cookies, well I guess we'll just have to wait and see ;)

chynna

Bichon Frise. Puddin'. Sister. Happy. Excited. Sassy. Loving. Sweet. Official Greeter. Cuddler. Sprinter. Explorer. Naughty. Suspicious. The Cutest Thing You Ever Saw.

thriving

...on the new Mad Men collection at Banana Republic.

she wants to go to the seaside

Bits and pieces for the home that allow you to always have a little bit of the ocean within view.

thinking

If we're being frank, and we are, then I really must get this off my chest. Seattle, I just don't know if you're the one for me. There, I've said it. Our relationship isn't like Carrie and New York City. Ms. Bradshaw once said, "I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't live without each other love." I want this for where I live. No matter how hard I've tried I never really liked downtown, but Seattle's neighborhoods make it all the more enjoyable. I'm talking about Queen Anne Hill, Madison Park and the like (even University Village for goodness sake!). Places that are clean, comfortable and homey while still having a certain flair. Seattle, make me fall in love with you. You've got me teetering on the edge of general dissatisfaction, as well as huge disappointment in your art museum situation. I think what I'm trying to say is that you're just not mature enough for me, and well, NYC is. If and when the timing in my life is right I will go.

better run.

"All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet." These lyrics from Foster the People took on a whole new meaning to me as I drove home from work tonight, the first night I've been off early enough to see sunset in a while. The saddest part of that last sentence isn't even the fact that I've barely seen the light of day recently. No, the most tragic part is that a month ago my sister and I could take the dog on a walk and get home by 9:30 and still have there be light in the sky. Now, by 8:45 the sun has gone down and midnight blue arisen, with only faint translucent wisps of light on the horizon where a haze of orange and pink once settled. Many observe in mournful silence. While only the second week of August, there is a painful reminder in the recession of time is takes for the last trace of violet to disappear. The dark days of winter are, to our dismay, steadily approaching. Though we try to outrun it, the inevitable is always one step ahead.

bananas & bread

I'm accustomed to being called a squirrel by my friend Bekah. It was a sad day for me when I stopped eating Kirkland Brand Fruit Nut Medley because of added sugars and artificial colors. As a "squirrel" I eat as such. Fruits, whether fresh, frozen or dried (dried plums are my new love), and TJ's almonds are giant staples in my diet. I also really LOVE peanut butter. Like really, I L-O-V-E it. And I also love milk, but that's a whole different protein story. 

Whenever I've been asked the highly illogical questions, "If you could eat the same thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?" and "If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would you bring?" one part of the answer is always peanut butter. Adams Crunchy Organic if you please. And in the 80 ounce tub from Costco if it wouldn't be too much trouble. I realize 25% of my daily fat intake comes from this love. Like I give a hoot!

Anywho. Peanut butter. I made peanut butter banana bread last weekend, courtesy of Joy the Baker. The yogurt made it super moist, and I added much more cinnamon than called for, but how could that ever be wrong? 

Sidenote: In the spirit of using up all the frozen bananas impatiently waiting in the freezer I also made Joy's banana cranberry bread this week. I substituted 1% milkfat vanilla yogurt for the butter and used the lesser 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Super moist, only slightly sweet and bursts of tart fresh cranberries with every bite. Mmmmm. 

townhouse

The dream.