Pirates, whales, rats, and cormac.

Last night I dreamt that I sailed out to a cold island off the northern atlantic coast with an old pirate called Pim, and I kept asking him if Cormac Macarthy was really going to be there when we arrived. "This is not for me to say", he said gruffly, tiny diamonds of ice clinging to his beard.
From not far off the coast I could see a great big black whale, bathing itself in the sunshine on the rocky shore. I was scared that it was dead, beached, and told Pim that we needed to help it. But the as we closed in on the whale, it moved and arced its giant fin, I knew it was okay, just maybe taking a break from the waves.

Cormac did greet us at the shore with a black rain slicker and matching hat. He said he had been waiting and there was tea inside the house. Pim said he could stay for an hour but he had to get back on the water before it got too dark and windy. Inside his house, Cormac had miniature animals- real ones, but very tiny, in small, clear compartments on a wall. I asked how they survived and he said they were all quite vegetarian. Paper was scattered about and he kept looking for a record to put on his turntable- I asked him if he had Phillip Glass and he told me that was pretentious. I told him I liked the cinematic feel to it and he said he hated the cinema.
I asked him what he did like and he told me he liked how safe he felt being protected by the giant animals out at sea and protecting the tiny animals on the island. "It give me perspective, and every day I write, look out my window, and wave to God".

Pim had gone without saying good bye and I felt scared and excited at all I could learn.
****
I read this quote today but I'm not sure who wrote it: "It is just that their powerful and golden leonine energy sweeps away everything before it, overwhelming as a mighty wave that doesn't ask permission of ships or shells". I like that, doesn't ask permission of ships or shells. Should we consider these small things? Or should we wave? It reminds me of C.S. Lewis or something.

On a side note, a homeless woman asked me for change this morning on my way to get coffee beans. I said yes and she told me she was trying to remember how to say Mickey Mouse in Spanish. She said the first part, and I said "raton?" She said, "Ah, ci! Raton cita! How did you know this?" I said I don't know, I don't speak Spanish, just a few words.

It was a good way to start out the day! I feel happy.

my week in pictures...

This week has been pretty great. I am also pretty snap happy with my new camera, and wanted to share some photos of what I'm all about lately in Portland. For Christmas, my dad and his wife got me and my sisters gift cards from Anthropologie, a store I mostly avoid due to the high prices and achy feeling of want that I leave with, so this time it was nice to shop for something without sweating the price too much. This is the sweater I got! The collar is like a mock scarf that loops through a hole on the other side. Snap buttons, too! I'm so dorky. And fancy.

Speaking of fancy, I went to a restaurant downtown called Fish Grotto, which has been a bridge town establishment for over 100 years. It was very tasty, and I even tried two things I've turned my nose up to my whole life: Mussels- wow, yum. And RABBIT (pictured below). It was very tasty, actually, and I liked it better than chicken, though I probably won't make a habbit out of it. The next day when I was walking by a department store, a woman with pamphlets asked if I would be interested in an anti-fur organization. On the cover of her pamphlet was a cute little bunny.

On the subject of cute, the kiddos I nanny, Eliza (4) and Zachary (7), have had a fun week due to the cool and rainy weather. One of their favorite things to do is go to the OMSI (Science Museum). Here Eliza found one of the robots disguised as a cute baby doll. She was obsessed with it's strange sounds.



There was a big to do in our neighborhood with the new Whole Foods Market opening just 2 blocks away from our house! My roomie Suzanne is a marketing director for the pacific northwest stores, so she was busy busy at the special Hollywood "Red Carpet" party. We dressed up a bit to feast on the many free samples of food and beverage. They even rented a paparazzi background to get a photo in front of! Tony Starlight, a neighborhood legend, performed oldies with his band right in the store. It was pretty cool for a grocery store opening!

I have been running every day, slowly clearing out my lungs (tomorrow is two weeks without a cigarette!). This also makes me very bake-happy. I made chocolate chip cookies a couple of nights ago, and also french baguettes with whipped sea salt butter last night! Yum. It's amazing how simple it is to bake bread, it's just all about the timing, and having the time to do so. I had to let mine rise for much longer while I was at work, but it still turned out well.
<---(I found this great little bedside table at House of Vintage for $35 as well and rearranged my bedroom).

Anyway, that's about it for now. I am excited to return to Minnesota in a less than a couple of weeks to play The Current's Rock the Cradle event and hang out with some friends... Thanks for reading!




Later/*hb

Chilly Weather Solution for my Midwest homies...

I've heard through the grapevine, and the weather reports, that the moaning wind coming from the midwest is not just the people living there. In other words, it's really frickin' cold and everyone is bummed. I'd like to say 'ha ha', but it hasn't been much warmer out here in stumptown with the chilling wind and rain making it unpleasant to do much but drink hot beverages and eat warm food as soon as you get inside.
As a gift I recieved a much-coveted copy of Martha Stewart's "Great Food Fast", a wonderful little cookbook divided into seasons, with a whole section in the back about the basics, something that is nice to have around without leafing through a giant book. Last night I tried a VERY EASY vegetarian (vegan, even) version of her "Moroccan Chicken Cous Cous", substituting with tofu instead, and it was delicious. So, my Minnesota friends, this is for you- if I were freezing my butt off with you there I would have a dinner party and cook this belly warmer. Do it!

Moroccan chicken (or tofu) Cous Cous
serves 4-6, takes 45 min. total.

you need:
Half block of extra firm tofu, cubed (or you can do the 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs)
3 carrots, cut into 1.5 " chunks
1.5 onion (the recipe calls for 3 but that is WAY too much), thinly sliced
1 (14.5) oz. can whole tomatoes, drained
1 (15.5) oz. can of garbonzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 c. veggie or chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground ginger (i used fresh, worth it)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp chili powder
course sea salt, ground pepper
2 zucchini, halved crosswise and quartered lengthwise
1/2 fresh jalapeno (optional, but good)
cous cous, for serving (easy recipe at the bottom)

you cook:
1. In large pot with lid combine everything except the zucchini, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, and bring to a simmer. You do not need to pre cook onions or tofu, it all starts together! Once at a simmer, let cook for 15 mins.

2. Add zucchini, stir it up, let it cook for another 15 mins, testing for need of more salt/pepper.
3. Divide cous cous evenly among 4-6 bowls. Spoon the stew on top and serve immediately.


Wasn't that easy?
I hope you enjoy!

love, hb

Best Cous Cous recipe (From Ms. Stewart, of course, or why else would it be called "best"?)
2 c. cous cous, dry.
2 tbls. olive oil
2.5 C boiling water.

1. Put the cous cous in a medium mixing bowl, add oil and stir with a fork until coated. Flatten with the back of the fork.
2. Add 1 cup of boiling water, cover bowl with plastic or plate for 3 mins. Stir. Repeat twice until water is added and cous cous is nice n' fluffy. Add salt if desired.

so long, Mary Travers

When my sisters and I were young, my mother would play us Peter, Paul, and Mary. I recently rediscovered the song "Early in the Morning" by Paul Stooky after it was used at the end of a Mad Men episode and it sent me back into their catalog. I think I've played that song about 50 times in the last few days. I thought since the lovely Mary Travers passed away this year, I would watch some of their old footage, and found this beautiful Gordon Lightfoot cover, "For Lovin' Me". Enjoy.

xo, hb

Almost Armed

So far, 2010 has been a very long year. Yesterday my sister Kelsey and I drove from Rapid City to Denver, sad to leave the family, and got some food at a great restaurant there called City O'City and had some breaded Seitan salads and a celebratory glass of red vine, my last for a while (see new years resolution #5). I decided it was best to stay in for the big night, so I made myself comfy at her friend's house that we were staying at while they went out galavanting like good early 20-somethings should do. Me, I pretended I was a few years older than I am and watched the SyFy (what was wrong with sci-fi?)"Twilight Zone" marathon, which brought me back to a happy time in my childhood when they would do that and once my mom let me stay home from school to watch it all day. At midnight, I watched the ball drop on Times Square, feeling somewhat envious and content at the same time, a little weirded out by the Nivea ads on the ridiculous mad-hatter lids decorating a large portion of the crowd.

After some strange dreams the alarm went off and we found a Clover coffee shop (can't remember the name) before Kelsey dropped me at the airport to return to PDX. Unfortunately I was assigned to take a different flight than I ended up on, taking me not directly home but stopping for 2 hours in Spokane, which ranks on the bottom for US airports that I have been to. I shouldn't be so negative, but I REALLY REALLY don't like airports, airplanes, airport food, security lines, etc. Who does, I guess, but whenever I get home I always feel like my life has lost another year. However, I did start reading The Kite Runner today, which I literally could not put down the entire time.

On the bright side, I am home, my cat Pete is happy to see me, I have 2 discs of Mad Men season 2 to watch, and it isn't freezing cold here. Oh, and I have already completed New Years Resolution #1- I ordered a camera a few days ago, and will soon be armed and posting pictures of all sorts of strange and beautiful stuff very soon.

All that being said, plus the fact that a good majority of our fine country is probably hungover, I say 2010 officially starts... tomorrow.

Ta Ta!
xo, hb