Fun-filled Friday!

We have been talking a lot about dreams at work lately.  At a leadership gathering recently we were fortunate enough to have Matthew Kelly, the author of Dream Manager, do a motivational speech.  He asked us many times to question, "What is your dream for 2012?".  One of the things that truly fulfills my life are my family and friends.  I am surrounded by some of the most amazing people in the world.!  In 2011 I have not made enough time to cultivate these relationships and my dream for 2012 is to let my family and friends know how much I love them!

In the last few weeks I have been living my 2012 dream and have gotten together with some family and friends who I have not seen in a loooonnnnggg time!  Yesterday was one of those days.
After getting up at 4am, turning in my final paper for the quarter, and catching up on work emails and projects, I headed off to Seattle to meet my friend David B.  He chose a local coffee shop called Voxx (http://voxxseattle.com/) to hang out and catch up.  The coffee was super yummy, but the company was inspiring, comforting and full of positive energy and laughter!  For those of us fortunate enough to be friends with David, we are so incredibly blessed!!

I arrived home late afternoon and then it was off to Gig Harbor with hubby to our dear friends the Lehosky's.  They cooked the most incredible coconut shrimp, roasted butternut squash with blue cheese and pecan's and Dan's homemade "This is how I have always eaten my salad" salad.  I loved catching up in the kitchen while they cooked and laughing our butts off the whole evening!  One comment that Dan made when I talked about my dream for 2012 was to be "intentional" when making plans with family and friends.  It's one things to say you are going to get together, but how is it different when you intentionally get together?  It's the difference between saying and doing.  Love it!!

Hubby realizes also that we have not seen a few of our other friends in awhile.  He got on the horn to rally his buddies to show up and support our friend Red who is the new owner of Red's Valley Pub (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reds-Valley-Pub/313241512024839?ref=ts) in the dome district in Tacoma, WA.  Red has been a bartender for many years at local, successful bars in Tacoma.  This year he realized his dream by purchasing his own bar and he has made it his own.  It was fun to see our friends gathered around drinking and laughing and supporting his dream!  For those of you in the area, head in for a pint!

All in all, yesterday was an incredibly full day of catching up and living my dream.

What is your dream for 2012????

Mt. Rainier Putting On a Show

This has nothing to do with shopping, but this is what I saw on the way to work yesterday.  AMAZING!!!!  I love my life!!!!!!!!!!

My hubby and I got married in Mineral, WA on my Dad and Step-Mom's property which looks out at Mt. Rainier.  We had hoped to have a view of the Mountain, but the fact that it stopped raining just a few hours before the ceremony and that we actually had blue skies and sunshine were enough for me.

The Heavens did open up again late that night when we finally headed off to Wellspring Spa in Ashford, WA to spend our first night as a married couple (http://www.wellspringspa.com/).  Wellspring is locally owned and one-of-a-kind.  All of the cabins are super cozy!  We stayed in the Turiya guestroom which has a back patio that looks out into a calming garden and pond.  I remember being able to hear the rain....it RAINED like I had not heard it rain in a loooooong time, but it was so incredibly peaceful after such an amazing day celebrating our marriage with family and friends.

We talk about going back to Wellspring and just need to book it for a wonderful weekend away on Mt. Rainier.

Jake's Bar and Bistro, Steilacoom, WA

I was just starting my post about Jake's Bar & Bistro in Steilacoom, WA when hubby started reading me a horribly sad story in the News Tribune about Jake's closing down.  The News Tribune tells one story (http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/13/1944220/jakes-in-steilacoom-another-economic.html) and Jake's website tells another (http://jakesbarandbistro.com/).  When I began my post I wanted to talk about how important it is to support local businesses, but if what Jake says on his website is true, the new "Tiki" bar going in in Jake's place is not one I will be supporting.

Jake's was fun!  Jake's had an amazing sunset view from their deck.  Jake's had great microbrew beer on tap and local Washington and Oregon wines on their bar menu.  Jake's has great food!

I have fond memories of dinners with hubby in the bar and on the deck during summer, my friend Holly and me sneaking a cold drink and a much coveted breeze on a very hot summer's day...as well as having dinner with my Washington, California and Germany family to celebrate their visit in 2009.  

The closing of Jake's will come as a huge surprise to a lot of people.... We will miss it!

:(

Tacoma Boys---shop local in Tacoma, Puyallup and Lakewood

As a child I remember loading up in the car with Mom to go to Tacoma Boys.  She would pick up buckets of berries to freeze or make into jam.  She would pick up flats of green beans and asparagus as well as buckets of corn and peas to blanch and freeze.  This is one of the ways Mom stocked our freezer for the year.

I didn't think much of Tacoma Boys until I moved back to WA in 2006 and found one on South Hill in Puyallup.  It is open 24 hours per day and has an amazing selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, cheese, wine and beer.  And there is always that special something you didn't know you were coming for, but found anyway.  I mean, please, who can resist their homemade tortilla chips and salsa?  www.tacomaboys.com
They sell a ton of locally made products including jams, jerky, wine, beer and even their TB locally canned fruits just to name a few.  It's a great place to get items to make gift baskets strictly from local goodies.

One of the things I love to do is stop in on my way home...I always gain new inspiration to cook dinner!  PLUS everyone who works there is so friendly!  This is also one of the best places to purchase local Washington wines as well as Washington and Oregon made microbrews.

There are three locations to serve you: 6th Ave off Hwy 16, South Hill Puyallup as you turn to go to Costco off of 9th onto 39th and in Lakewood it is known as H&L produce on the corner of Lakewood Drive and 74th. A word of warning at the H&L location: because they are located in a shopping area with a freestanding wine shop and fish market, you won't be able to get these items at H&L.

Thinking about what to make for your holiday dinner?  Trying to decide how to find something unique to stuff stockings with?  This is your store!!

Happy Shopping!
Kirty

Dreaming of Maui

This year in May, after almost two years of wedded bliss, hubby and I flew to Maui to celebrate our honeymoon and relax in the sunshine for 10 days.  We stayed in one of my favorite condos (http://www.aliiresorts.com/sugar_beach_resort.htm), which meant we mostly got to cook for ourselves, which saved us a ton of money.  But when we did eat out, we ate local.  We even had time to attend a fundraising event and see my wonderful Maui family!

First you must call Ali'i Resorts (http://www.aliiresorts.com/) and speak with Terri when you want to book your accommodations on Maui.  She took great care of us and was able to answer a ton of questions before we booked.  We stayed in condo #418 at Sugar Beach Resort in Kiehi which I've noticed has recently been remodeled.  I would definitely stay in this unit again!

Not long after arriving, we were sitting on our balcony enjoying the waves crashing on the beach and reading Maui travel magazines.  Hubby says, "Hey look...a beer festival!"  If you know my husband you know he loves microbrew beers.  The price was not cheap but we justified it by noting that it was for charity...haha!  One of the featured brewers was Maui Brewing Company (http://www.mauibrewingco.com), which is located north of Lahaina in Kapalua.  The day we visited the brewery we met some of the nicest people.  Their IPA fell flat, but the rest of the beer is quite refreshing and they have the coolest bar length icy coaster where you can set your beer to keep it cold.  On the way back to the condo we stopped at Aloha Mixed Plate (http://www.alohamixedplate.com) and ate some fresh Kalua pig.  The portions are huge!  Plenty for two people to share or take your leftovers back to the condo and have them for lunch the next day.

We did most of our shopping at Foodland in Kihei, which is locally owned.  I will confess that we made one exception and stopped at Costco for some staples.  We, again, met the nicest people while shopping and even got some produce advice from the employees.  One of my favorite sections was where they sell the poke and sushi.  It was inexpensive and absolutely delicious!  I could eat it for every meal....and on some days it felt like we did.

Other notable local establishments we found were: South Shore Tiki Lounge (http://www.southshoretikilounge.com) and Sansei Sushi Restaurant (http://www.sanseihawaii.com/).  We made an attempt to go to Koiso Sushi Bar one night, but unfortunately you need reservations so we were turned away.  The place is small, but was packed! Oh well...next time.

Hubby did his share of snorkeling.  We went to Big Beach, Nukuele point at Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve as well as Wilea beach and Napili.  On the way to Big Beach we found some amazing food trucks parked in what seemed to be classified as "the middle of nowhere".  Both were selling their rendition of fish tacos so we bought at both.  Each was completely different, yet both were our favorites!  Jawz Tacos Big Beach was one food truck and the other was Makena Grill.  No websites, sorry.

By far our most favorite place to celebrate our honeymoon was at Mama's Fish House (http://www.mamasfishhouse.com/).  We had received a gift certificate from my parents who suggested we go at lunch to get the most for our dollar. The view from our table was similar to this photo:

Ahhhh!  Add a fruity cocktail, a warm breeze and some local Hawaiian music and you will feel like you are there.  We started with the ceviche, which is some of the best I've ever had.  Hubby had a seared sesame and ginger crusted Ahi Tuna and I had the stuffed Mahi Mahi.  Needless to say, we were stuffed and enjoyed every bite!

Back to raising money for charity!  If you are ever in Maui in May, you need to attend the Maui Brewer's Festival.  Unlike local brewfests in the Puget Sound, at this festival they feed you tapas/ small plates from local restaurants all over Maui.  The food is free with admission and pairs great with the many beers you get to sample.  Bring your beach chair and set up before you head out to taste.  The amphitheater fills up quickly.  The music was an amazing addition to the event!  All of the artists were local or had grown up in Maui and had flown in to support the event.  Description from the website (http://www.mauiarts.org/special_events.html): 26 breweries from Hawai‘i and around the country poured 54 distinct craft beers and imports (offering something for everyone) and 16 Maui restaurants and caterers served up scrumptious pupu. Guests got into the groove with music by Kanoa, Louis & The Megas, Kanekoa and Off Tomorrow.  The highlight of the night for me was noticing that we were sitting behind my cousin Bill.  After hugs and introductions he moved his beach chair back and joined us.

We packed every minute of our ten days in Maui including seeing the sunrise at Haleakala, relaxing on the beach soaking up the sunshine, walking on the beach, driving to Hana, window shopping in Paia, spending time with my cousins and even doing an early drive up the northwest coast after being turned back by a road block on our first attempt at Haleakala.

My cousin thanked us for coming and supporting Maui and the local businesses.  We arrived not long after the Tsunami had devastated Japan and May is a traditional time for the Japanese to pack the resorts, restaurants and beaches in Maui.  Unfortunately for the locals the Japanese were not traveling, but we felt fortunate to have Maui to ourselves.

Aloha!

Date Night--Gig Harbor, WA

We try to do date night once a week.  Sometimes we aren't able to, but the fun of having date night is that hubby and I get focused time to reconnect.  In the spirit of eating locally and supporting local businesses I made a plan for us to head to Gig Harbor last night.  


I grew up in Gig Harbor and am always amazed at how much it has grown and changed.  The problem historically is that the restaurants have not been very exciting.  True, there is the old stand-by, Tides Tavern, which was the first place I went after turning 21, because it seemed to be the place to go!  Once the excitement of "21" wore off, I realized that it's a solid, waterfront bar with great beer choices and a perfect, traditional bar menu.  It would be my Cheers if I lived in Gig Harbor.


But hey....we're not here to talk about the Tides Tavern.  We are here to talk about 7 Seas Brewery, Morso Wine Bar and JW.


The first thing I did yesterday was get on Yelp and look for new restaurants in Gig Harbor.  JW was the first one to pop up.  I perused their menu, which at first glance seemed interesting.  I then looked at their wine menu and saw that they had some local Washington wines, which pleased me.  Nothing like locals supporting locals.  I called the number, left a message and a few hours later received a friendly call back and a reservation for 7:30pm.  

Our first stop of the night was 7 Seas Brewery (http://www.7seasbrewing.com/).  We drink their beer at the Swiss and have seen them featured at a few local brew festivals.  My brother Mikey is especially fond of them and keeps telling us we have to go.  I'm not sure what I expected, but when we pulled up, I noticed that there were a lot of people outside in the tented area.  My first thought was, "Smoking section".  Then we walked into the tap room and realized that the people sitting outside freezing couldn't fit in the tap room because it was wall-to-wall people.


For those of you who grew up in Gig Harbor...you used to not be able to go anywhere without seeing people you knew.  Now, not so much...although during the time we were there, I did recognize a few people, but was not sure if they would remember me.  


Hubby ordered a Ballz Deep IPA and I ordered a couple of 1/2 liter growlers for white elephant gifts for a holiday party this weekend.  We were situated in the corner next to the bathroom when someone turned the bathroom light on and there I finally saw my brother's artwork.

He had mentioned that he pinstriped a bunch of growlers for the tap room...Cool!
Anyway, our recommendation is to not show up at the 7 Seas tap room on a payday-Friday.  We had fun people watching, but the place is tiny and we would definitely pick a summer night to go or at least a different night of the week.  The growlers make great gifts and I'll definitely be buying more for holiday gifts.


We decided to head to Anthony's to pass some time in the bar before heading to JW.  We were having trouble finding parking near Anthony's so we turned around, came back down Peacock Hill and there on the right hand side was a sign for Morso Wine Bar (http://morsowinebar.com/home.html).  We decided to venture in and are glad we did.  


They were having a sold-out concert last night, but I assured one of the owners that we would be heading to JW for dinner and only wanted to have a glass of wine.  He smiled and seated us.  We both ordered Washington wines (I had Seven Hills and Hubby had Milbrandt).  The service was amazing and the menu had some incredibly yummy looking items.  We will definitely be back! Steven Lynn, one of the owners, made sure we were on the email list to hear more about special food and wine events they do each year.  


Last stop: JW.  JW(http://www.jwgigharbor.com/#!) is located in the same parking lot as the Gig Harbor Maritime Museum, right across from where the shell of Il Bistro sits (boo!).  ***Please, please, please make reservations so that you aren't disappointed when you show up and the dining room is full.***  

We pulled in early, but they had our table ready.  Jason Winniford and his brother Jarett were both working the restaurant and are incredibly friendly!  Jason brought a sample of an Argentina Malbec to the table along with the dinner specials.  Hubby and I looked at the wine menu long and hard and settled on a 2008 Cuvee Lucia Sangiovese from Andrew Will winery (http://www.andrewwill.com/index.html).  The menu listed the grapes from Red Mountain, WA, so we knew we were in for a treat.  Even better, Jason explained that the winery is on Vashon Island and is touted as one of the best wineries in the state. 

We started with the Honey Almond Prawns, which are in a honey-mayo sauce with crushed almonds.  Yum!  If I were eating bread I would have sopped up the sauce...instead I watched hubby do this.  


For main course hubby chose the flat iron steak and I had the wild boar bourguignon.  Both were delicious!  The flat iron steak was cooked perfectly and the wild boar, which I had never had before, was done in a pot roast style and was rich, warm and perfect for a winter meal.  
For dessert we had traditional creme brulee, which was spot on.  


Overall, date night was a HUGE success!!!  We drank local and we ate local...which is the goal.


Have a great weekend!


Cheers,
Kirty

Fiestaware--made in the USA

I have two dear friends from New Mexico who got me hooked on Fiestaware.  I knew that when I bought my first house I was going to have my own Fiestaware.  There is something about mismatching the colors and the weight of the dishes that makes me feel happy.  Every dinner party I host, I serve in my Fiestaware.  Every party I attend, I try to bring two to three pieces.  There are always a couple of people who ask what it is and where I got it.

My dear hubby was the one who clued me in to the fact that it was made in the USA.  I remember distinctly having a conversation while doing our wedding registry when he said, "I definitely want more Fiestaware.  I love that it is made in the USA".  Up until that point I had not even thought about where it was made.   

I originally purchased my Fiestaware dishes at http://www.fiestafactorydirect.com.  (Part of our wedding registry was with Macy's, which is not a local company and I would not buy my dishes there now).  On the http://www.fiestafactorydirect.com there are specials going on for holiday shopping as well as free ground shipping on purchases of $99 or more.

Imagine eating off Made in the USA dishes every day?  Ok,,, I'm off to get a cup of coffee in my favorite green Fiestaware mug.  Mmmmm coffee!!

Willow Salon and Spa, Tacoma, WA

I got stopped for the bazillionth time this year to ask who does my hair. I'm very blessed to have been with my hairdresser since 2006. Her name is Rachel and she works at Willow Salon and Spa at 21st and Oakes in North Tacoma (http://willowsalontacoma.com/). I also have my facials and eyebrows done by Bridget. Her facials are so relaxing!! She has a special going on right now:

Maintenance Facial with Complimentary Brow Shaping.

This one hour service includes: Deep cleanse with steam, exfoliation, facial massage with essential oils, mask, moisturizer, neck, hand and arm massage, and complimentary brow shaping. *Brow shaping must be booked at the same time as facial.

Only $60.00

The cool thing is they are completely local and they absolutely love to pamper you! "Like" them on Facebook and receive great specials such as free haircuts and color!

You can even purchase gift certificates to surprise the ladies in your life this holiday season.

I gave away my last business card today to someone I've never met, but you can reach Willow Spa here:

http://willowsalontacoma.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Willow-Salon-and-Spa/117708491601498

Willow Salon and Spa 2702 North 21st Street Tacoma, WA 98406 253-759-2000

Go on...spoil yourself or a friend!

Hatcher Winery, Murphys, CA

The first time we went to Murphys, CA we tasted a lot of wine. The one we almost missed turned out to be one of our favorites. If you blink (or have had too much wine to drink) you will miss the Hatcher sign on the South side of the street just before you get to Lavender Ridge tasting room.

Once you locate the sign you must then navigate the stairs down to their tasting room. When you walk in, you feel like you have entered a winery cave: it's dark, it's cool and smells like the earth where the grapes are grown in Calaveras and Amador counties.

That day the place was hoppin', but we bellied up to the tasting bar and after waiting several minutes we were greeted by one of the brothers (Matt and Sewell Hatcher) who create this amazing wine. Side note: I have looked up Hatcher on Yelp and they don't get the best customer service reviews. Let's face it, they have great wine, but if you are looking to be coddled and schmoozed, this is not the place. Now, if you become a wine club member or buy a bunch of their wine in one sitting, they will give you a little more attention...haha! On that note, I cannot imaging how hard it must be some days to work in a tasting room and have people only tasting and not buying, so I'm sure some of the distance comes from not wanting to get attached when you might not even buy. I digress....

Every wine we tasted was incredible! Hubby calls all of our Murphy wines "no resistance" wines meaning a bottle goes down too easily on a summer night sitting on the porch at the cabin. Our favorites from the Hatcher collection are their red zinfandels. We bought several that first trip and we keep going back! In fact, we are wine club members.

If I haven't convinced you yet to visit Murphys, I'm not sure how else to do it. We love, love, love to visit Murphys every time we are in California! We will keep going back and I just saw a new restaurant...new to me anyway...on Google and want to try it the next time we are in town.

Thank you Mom and Mike for introducing us to this wonderful little town and the locals who have become so dear to us!

https://www.facebook.com/HatcherWinery

Cheers!

Silk Thai, Tacoma, WA

I actually had the time to go out to lunch today with a friend from work. We were at Allenmore for a meeting and finished a bit early before my meeting at Tacoma General. She suggested Silk Thai which is a local Thai restaurant located on 6th Avenue in North Tacoma. I was so excited to eat at this restaurant for the first time. Because it is so cold outside I ordered something warm: Chicken Red Curry with brown rice, medium spice. It was so delicious and perfect for a cold, crisp, Winter day. The food was authentic and affordable and the company was delightful.

Check out a local eatery: http://www.silkthaicafe.com/index.html

Mud Bay---Natural Foods for Dogs & Cats

We got a dog this year. I'm not a dog person, so this was a stretch for me. Hubby had an Irish Setter when he was a boy and he was pretty much set on getting this breed over any other. Our buddy's name is Murphy. He's about 7 months old now and 60 pounds (much bigger now than the picture on the right, but it's just so cute!) In July we made a stop into the Gig Harbor Ace Hardware store for a few things and noticed that right next door there was a pet store called Mud Bay. Immediately when we walked in the sales woman asked if she could give Murphy a treat and began to tell us about getting an Irish Setter for Christmas when she was 11 years old. She loved on Murphy for quite some time and you could tell she was reliving some amazing memories.

Mud Bay (http://www.mudbay.us/) is a local company that opened in Olympia, WA back in 1988. They have a huge selection of natural dog and cat foods along with toys and collars that are made in the USA. There are tons of locations in the Puget Sound, but I've only been to two so far and the GH store is my favorite.

I never thought I would own a dog let alone spoil him like crazy! This is where I'll be getting his Christmas present.

Happy Shopping!

Kirty :)

Thanksgiving Weekend in Walla Walla, WA

As you can tell from a few of my posts, hubby and I love wine. I have mostly focused on collecting California wine, but recently hubby said, "Let's go to Walla Walla!" I told him to book it and I would go. What got him so excited about Walla Walla wines was a fundraising event we attended in May called Northwest Corks & Crush (http://www.multicare.org/home/northwest-corks-crush). This was the first year we attended and there were some amazing wineries showcased from Walla Walla and Red Mountain. Hubby kept saying we should go and finally he pulled the trigger.

We decided to use a portion of the long Thanksgiving weekend to drive over and wound up staying at the Marcus Whitman Hotel (http://www.marcuswhitmanhotel.com/). The room was lovely and centrally located in the downtown area within walking distance of wine tasting rooms and amazing local restaurants.

On the way to Walla Walla we stopped in Prosser and tasted at Willow Crest Winery, Apex Cellars Winery and Milbrandt Vineyards. Willow Crest had a lovely reserve Chardonnay and Milbrandt (www.milbrandtvineyards.com) with a fantastic 2009 Estates Tempranillo.

Walla Walla has four distinct tasting areas appropriately named: Western, Eastern, Southern and Downtown. We began in the Eastern district which is situated right next to the regional airport. There appeared to be nothing going on, but we started wine tasting anyway hoping for a couple of new favorites. Our first stop was Trust Cellars (www.trustcellars.com). The tasting room is tiny, but packed with excellent wine. We enjoyed talking to the owner and walked out with a lovely 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Our next stop was Dunham Cellars (www.dunhamcellars.com). Every wine we tasted was amazing. I had seen their wines before and knew we could get them at Costco, so we skipped the purchase and left the tasting room which was full of wine club members who were hoping we were eavesdropping on their conversation about how great they were. Sigh... I would consider joining their wine club though just to own some bottles from the small batches that sell out.

Back in town we hit Seven Hills Winery where again we tasted some amazing wines. They are also available at Costco and I was hoping to find some smaller wineries that I might not be able to find in stores at home.

Our favorite winery, of the small amount that we were able to get to before closing time, was Otis Kenyon (http://www.otiskenyonwine.com/). When you walk you see the distinct bowler hat perched on a wine barrel near the register. Then you notice that the tasting table is wooden planks set atop more wine barrels. The mirror on the wall is framed in re-purposed boards from old barns. They were pouring only five reds, no whites (love this place!) and each one of them was so unique and incredibly yummy! We stayed, we savored and we even tasted some twice before buying. I purchased the 2008 Syrah. A must if you are in Walla Walla! Rumor has it they also have a tasting room in Woodinville, WA.

As I mentioned previously, hubby and I love to eat local as much as possible. At Trust Cellars we asked the owner if he had any great dinner ideas. He explained that there is a new restaurant in downtown on Main Street called Public House 124 (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Public-House-124/153888451332351). He said to go straight to the back and sit at the bar...no, not that bar...the bar at the kitchen, so we did and we were definitely not disappointed.

The place was packed when we arrived but we walked to the back as if we had been there many times and knew exactly what we were doing. Two chefs were madly cooking away and the smells coming from the kitchen were divine! The menu is full of small specialty items from small plates to sandwiches (burgers) and main courses. The wine and beer menus are full of local labels from both WA and OR.

My eyes and salivary glands quickly gravitated towards four items:

Pork Belly

Slow roasted pork belly with maple butternut squash puree, and topped with a crisp apple salad

No, I'm not that good...the menu is posted on their FB page. Have I mentioned that I love the show Top Chef? Of course I haven't...I've only been blogging for two days now. I love the show Top Chef! I can watch the marathon days that they have before each new season starts. It drives hubby crazy! Anyway, the chefs are always cooking pork belly and the judges are always raving about it...or the chef completely screws it up and a judge says, "Pork belly is my favorite thing. I heard you say the words and I began to salivate, but I have to say I am completely disappointed. You really screwed this up. Please pack your knives and go". Ok, so I made that up, but doesn't it sound a little bit like something Tom or Padma would say?

Pumpkin Salad

Organic sugar pumpkin salad with fried goat cheese, local greens, candied pumpkin seeds and toasted pumpkin vinaigrette

Kraut Kruga

German dumpling stuffed with sweet onion, cabbage, Red Poll beef, and horseradish creme Fraiche

Truffle Fries

Served with garlic aioli dipping sauce

So are you feeling my dilemma? These are all just small plates. The lamb on the main course menu looked amazing and the beef they were cooking up under our noses was slathered in an herb mixture that looked like it would taste spectacular.

I ordered up a glass of local cab sav and settled on the pork belly. Hubby ordered buttermilk fried chicken sliders that were served on homemade biscuits which are not on the menu this week. And what they came with were truffle fries! See, somehow I had to try the truffle fries. They were great, but not as savory as my pork belly.

The pork belly was perfect! They had been slow roasting it all day and before serving it they seared it in a hot pan. There was too much sweet maple in my squash puree, but the tart of the crisp apple salad with the pork and squash was an excellent balance. I could have ordered another but I was completely satisfied!

As we had been up since 4:30am that morning, it was off to bed for us. Stay tuned for my take on Red Mountain aka Benton City, WA.....

Enjoy!

Kirty :)

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese

We had a holiday party last night with the staff from work. I tried a brand-new appetizer that I had been seeing on several blogs. This recipe was one I found on www.thepinkfork.com.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese

1 container of Medjool dates (I bought California dates)

2-3 ounces of goat cheese

1 package of bacon (I used Kirkland thick-sliced brand)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut a slit in each date. I had to removed the pits from mine, so this automatically created a space for the cheese. I put the goat cheese in a zip-close bag and softened in the microwave about 30 seconds. I cut a slit in one of the bottom corners of the bag and piped about 1/2 tsp into each date. I then wrapped about 1/3 of a slice of bacon around each stuffed date and secured with a toothpick. Space evenly on baking sheet so they are not touching. Bake for 15 minutes on first side. Flip over and back for another 10-12 minutes. Serve warm.

Melly does one with blue cheese. I will try this one next: http://www.nhvino.com/The-Kitchen/Recipes/BAAAAYCON/Bacon-Dates-n-Bleu-Cheese.

Enjoy!

The Swiss, Tacoma, WA

Cue the cheers theme song music: Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same You wanna be where everybody knows your name.

Our local hang out spot...our Cheers...is the Swiss on 19th and Jefferson in downtown Tacoma. Hubby has been hanging out there forever and after we started dating I was welcomed by all of his "Swiss" buddies. They always have an amazing selection of local WA, OR and Cali beers on tap along with a great lunch and dinner menu. Most likely if I have every asked you to meet me for a drink in Tacoma, I have asked you to meet me at the Swiss. Check out this great local establishment! You won't be disappointed! http://www.theswisspub.com/

Zoo Lights, Tacoma, WA

Thinking of doing something local with your family for the holidays? How about Zoo Lights? I don't go to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium as much as I used to, but I love going to Zoo Lights! http://www.pdza.org/page.php?id=435. Just got invited to go with friends on December 23rd!! So excited!!

Newsome-Harlow, Murphys, CA

Back to Murphy's, CA. Another one of our favorite wineries is Newsome-Harlow Wines. Owners Scott and Melly make a mean red Zin...actually a few of them! Melly comes up with the most amazing dishes to pair with their wines and even opened "The Kitchen" this year, which hubby and I have not yet been able to enjoy. Melly's LOVE for Bacon far exceeds mine and hopefully one day I can also become the Queen of Bacon. Check out their website at http://www.nhvino.com/. They have some holiday specials going on right now where they will send you a trio of their wines: The 2009 Train Wreck, 2009 Petite Sirah and the 2009 Calaveras Zinfandel for $55. Try them! You will love their wine!

Kiehls

Today's product is made in the USA, local to NY and available here in Washington state. My favorite skin care products are from the Kiehl's company which was started in 1851 in NYC. www.kiehls.com. The products are still made in the USA and are yummy! If you are lucky enough to live nearthe University of Washington you have your very own freestanding store at University Village. If you live in the south end, you can find their products at another local store: Nordstroms at the Tacoma Mall. With every purchase you get 3 free samples of their other products.

Bodega del Sur, Murphys, CA

Another area that we love to visit is Murphys CA. The wine is amazing!! One of the small businesses we support is Bodega del Sur Winery. Evelyn Reyes-Umanaand her husband are the owners. Evelyn has become a friend over the years and we always look forward to stopping in to say Hi, get a hug and catch up when we are in town. Not only are the wines amazing, but Evelyn also won Women Owned Business of the Year in 2009. Check out the wine selection at bodegadelsur.com. Support local business and products that are made in the USA!

Yellow House Yarns, Puyallup, WA

Posted on FB on 11/29/11:

Steve and I are truly supporting local businesses for Holiday gifts including items made in America and homemade gifts. One of the businesses I hope you support this holiday season is Yellow House Yarns. Local and family!!! LOVE the combo! My "cousin" Megan and her business partner Lysa opened this fabulous knitting shop in downtown Puyallup. This knitting shop is the one you want to visit every day. This is where you not only purchase your yummy yarn and knitting supplies, but also where you bring the project you are stuck on where you can get that extra bit of help or just bring your project, grab a cup of coffee and sit and knit. Don't know what to gift your knitter or crocheter this holiday season? Pick up a Yellow House Yarns gift certificate OR encourage them to make a wish list so that you can pick them out something they really want! Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/YellowHouseYarns and in person at 315 2nd Street NE, Puyallup, WA 98372.

Starting a blog

I've never truly had a desire to start a blog, but have recently been making some local eating and shopping recommendations on my Facebook page and one of my friends suggested I turn it into a blog. My thought? "Why not?"

My name is Kirty and I live in western Washington...Washington state, not the other Washington. I have traveled all over the world and through several states in our union. My husband and I love to eat and shop local wherever we travel. You might find my recommendations great and you might not, but I feel I have something to add to your day and your travel experience so I'm going to blog about it. This blog won't just be about Washington state, but rather I will make recommendations from all over the map.

Have you ever noticed when you travel to any country outside of the United States that there are no "chain" restaurants? This is how we like to travel...eat local! These days, more than ever, it's important to support local businesses. What if you and I were to shop and eat local for the next 365 days?

I started putting my recommendations on my Facebook several days ago, so the following posts will be a "catch up" if you will.

I hope you enjoy!