Monday, October 25, 2010

The Truth Is...

…whenever I see people eating a frozen TV Dinner I get a little depressed.

 

…yet I occasionally crave one of those highly processed frozen burritos for reasons I just don’t understand. It’s a craving I pretty much never indulge. Mostly because I think it would depress me the same way that other people’s TV Dinners do.

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Text Score, attempt two: PERCUSSION

Arrive with a stack of books and pages and scatter them on the table. Pick one off the table. Open it. Flip through the pages. Read a word aloud. Read a sentence. Read words as notes. Flip more pages. Read a paragraph. Now read the punctuation. Read the punctuation out loud. Whatever that means. Use your breath. Use whatever means necessary.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Text Score, attempt one: TALKING

Place a walkie talkie on the table next to you. Look at it. Do not look at anyone else's walkie talkie. Turn it on and consider what turning it on means. Turn it off when you are ready. Turn it on again, when you are ready. When you are ready, set it to a station that feels like the right station for you to communicate. Consider your fingers. Finger the walkie talkie button. Hold the walkie talkie until you feel compelled to speak. Speak. Words. Hum. Listen to others speaking. Consider the person who speaks to you. Answer their sound with a sound. Click your fingernails on the table. Answer their noise with a noise, or, sound to call a sound. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat until you are finished. Leave the walkie talkie on. When you are ready, hold the button and listen to the white noise. Let go. Silence.

Really Cooking



(Pictured above: Roasted vegetables (yam, onion, mushroom, mixed fingerling potatoes) with carmelized fig)

It’s nice to know that I can recreate most meals that I experience in a restaurant. The carmelized fig, above, was inspired by a meal had at the Dahlia Lounge—one of local restauranteur Tom Douglas’s restaurants.

Living in Seattle has been so wonderful. Living in Ballard, blocks away from some fabulous bars, restaurants, a movie theater, Cupcake Royale, The Ballard Locks, and Golden Gardens (the beach, baby!)… Then just a bus away from pretty much anything else.

So, take this weekend, for example.

Thursday night, went to a friend’s house to watch All About My Mother on his projector.

I don’t work Fridays so I went to see this Merce Cunningham dance performance. It was phenomenal. They had a live John Cage music performance that they danced to. I rushed home to try to get some chores done (dishes, cooking, laundry). But didn’t. Got home later than expected and then met a friend for some jazz at this club only blocks from my place. Then we went on the prowl for French fries, which we acquired here. Their fries had green flecks like my favorite Boise establishment. What a treat!

Saturday I fit in the previously needed to do list. Went to the grocery store, made some individual pot pies using this awesome cookbook I have full of recipes from Seattle chefs. Then joined my friend Dana to see Eye Music, a local experimental band, in preparation for a poetry project we will be embarking upon.

Sunday, I went to work. While the morning had been rather rainy, the day turned out rather nicely so I rode along the wonderous Burke-Gilman trail to arrive safely at my homestead. I hadn’t had much opportunity to watch football this year, and the few bars that I had attempted hadn’t really satisfied. I decided to try a new one: The Viking, only blocks from my house. The atmosphere was right, and the prices, up until people started showing up. Clientele was something of a turnoff. When that place didn’t work out, I crossed the street to the Copper Gate and discovered a ship shaped bar, walls plastered with Pin Ups and vintage vibrators, and a Sunday night Burlesque show. Not to mention a stunning menu written partially in Swedish with some amazing looking dishes. I can’t wait to eat there.

Finally we have to thank Monday Night Football and Senior Andrew for letting me know that good bars with good prices and a not totally unsettling client base does exist. The Waterwheel Lounge. They have hand cut French fries. They have two different kinds of bbq sauce and one of the best Pulled Pork Sandwiches I have ever tasted. And they have happy hour until 7pm with $2 well drinks and $3 micro brews. They also have a Wednesday night trivia AND Karaoke on Fridays AND Saturdays. I don’t think they could have built a better bar for me. Yes. It’s love.

I hope you enjoyed this magical link festival. I know I enjoyed getting us here.