I can't remember where I found the recipe that I used as my springboard, but I've started making this potato chowder when the weather's crap and I didn't want to forget it.

Ingredients and my whys
1 onion-(sliced)
Heavy part of flavor. Cut in half (from tip of bulb to root) and slice. Easier for bacon to mingle with during browning.

6-8oz of bacon or ham (or more if you like)
For flavor. I prefer bacon, easier to chop up and chuck in the pan with onions.

3c. chicken stock- soup basic

1/3-1/2 bottle of white wine
Sounds unnecessary but actually a huge help in giving the chowder a salty/sour twang.
Try to pick a dry to medium balanced wine with alcohol content 9-11%, it will cook out, but anything over 11 will need longer to cook and will taste too alcoholic. Do not get a dessert wine. Do recommend cheap Trader Joe's Wine, as most are less than $5 and are pretty decent.
[mostly theory but if omitting wine, add 6-8 oz sour cream and in place of half and half with 1/4c. milk and 3/4c. chicken stock(in addition) I'd go with the wine personally...

4-5 Russet potatoes-cut into bite size pieces
Needs to be russets/baking potatoes. Starch content crucial for thick, chowder-y consistency, especially with its tendency to breakdown over simmering over medium-low heat

1/2 c. baby carrots
because it's easier than peeling and chopping carrots into even bite sizes

1/4 c. frozen corn
Corn is delicious or could switch with lima beans, corn haters.

1/2 pt. half and half
Most recipes called for heavy cream instead. After cooking with heavy cream, I think using half and half gave it the fat consistency that it needed from the cream, while thinning it out for a much smoother balance. (maybe a bit healthier) Using only milk will stifle the starch from the potatoes. I think the fat is necessary to help the flavor.

Salt and white pepper or pepper


With that out of the way:
Brown onions with bacon in a 4qt. pot, When onions get translucent and slightly brown add carrots and 2c. chicken stock, bring to a boil on medium high. At boil for 5 min, reduce to medium-low, add wine. (If not using wine see end omit notes)
taste (add 1 c. of chicken brown to taste or thin out wine if necessary)
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 min., turn heat to low until potatoes are soft. Add corn.

When potatoes are so soft they disintegrate, add half and half. Stir until mixed for 3 min. Salt and white pepper to taste. Serve.

If omitting wine, add all the chicken stock in at once. Save the dairy ingredients for after the potatoes are soft. After adding dairy products, let warm from the coldness of dairy products. Then salt pepper to taste.


I like the wine version best.

I'm writing a anti-love story that's with lots of endearing animosity. Almost like the Odd Couple and Merteuil with Valmont. I keep rewriting the same paragraphs trying to give it poise and structure without being pretentious. I think the latter has the boundary that is hard to cross.
I find myself stopping mid-sentence and thinking, ah this is good. Then I read it again and find myself annoyed that it sounds so full of itself. I end up not feeling satisfied until I've torn about the sentence until it becomes more sensible and some humility. Then it goes too far and I have to rewrite again. It's very slow going but I think it's coming along.

Things that are new:
I'm trying out contacts. So far so good. I enter into the world of long denied sunglasses.
Playing Scribblenauts. That game is so addictive and cute! I can pit God against a Liger.
Saw puppet show based on King Henry the VII, complete with decapitations.
The Mytouch is cool. Got mine on Friday after ordering through Bing cashback. Pretty happy with it because it runs Google Voice and gives me a choice to run it.
We had Matt's friend Max stay with us for a while. It was fun. We got him addicted to It's Always Sunny, with lots of intent to convert the British masses in Dec.

Things I'm excited about at the moment:
I think tonight is quiz night.
SAM is going to have some Michelangelo exhibit.
Going home to play Scribblenauts.
Need to think of things to do in London.
Knitting soapholders to sell to the shop guy at Bliss. He said he'd buy any.
We bought some throw pillows at IKEA.

Things that are the same:
Vic is going to buy a house.
Mark and Jen bought a house and are getting married in Nov.
Mom is still dating her bf.
Dad is a teacher in TX.
Stepsis has a kid, stepbro expecting.

That's it for now.

I saw two people dressed up as a giant vulva and a giant penis running towards each other in the noon day sun at the park today. They embraced and the vagina ran away. I think it was a HUMP movie.

They had to do many takes because at one point as they were running towards each other, a runner ran up to them yelling, Phallic man! Vagina Woman! I love you! and gave them both a huge hug.

After that this group of guys walked by with the most adorable little puppy in the world who ran into the shot and jumped on the lady dressed as a vagina. The lady picked it up and the puppy licked her.
I have to say that was one of the weirdest sights.

It's a bit like trigger happy tv isn't it? have pics.

I'm going to write a post about how much has changed in just this last year, was the thought that was running through my mind when I was on the 49 bus home. 5pm. At Belmont and Pine a woman screeched from the back of the bus, "Back door!"

Obviously the bus driver ignored her, one usually pays at the door and the bus driver only lets people off in the back before that if it's full. It wasn't full at all so the bus driver waited, lady didn't move. So bus left the stop. The lady starts screaming "AY! AY! I said back door! Oh no you don't move! Stop the bus! I said Back door and you stop the bus!" then she stomped through from the back of the bus to attack the bus driver. Who was a kind of tiny grandma bus driver. After a screeching holt people came to the driver's rescue, restrained the woman to the bus well where she proceeded to break the glass to the emergency latch and try to escape.
I'm not too clear why but the driver opened the door I think so more people could restrain the attacking woman but as soon as the doors opened the crazy woman fled into the night after so many people had phoned the police on their cell phones.

I think the bus driver was scratched with the lady's nails. There was already a crowd making sure she was ok but holy crap. What is wrong with that woman there is no reason to attack anyone. I hope she gets hers eventually. The driver was visibly terrified.

I like this gravedigger song. It's Renan Luce's Monsieur Marcel
I guess I've been listening to a lot of chansons lately.

I have now, a rug and a coffee table.
I now need some giant pillows, heavy curtains, and an air mattress. The latter for the guests who visit my apartment. I feel like I may be having several.
I just heard that Ana will be visiting me in Seattle at the end of the month from the 21-28. I'm excited! Di, would you like to hang out one night while she's here? :)
And Kat might stay with either Di or me for a little while when she visits. If she can visit, which I hope she does.

Over Labor day I visited the Quinault Rainforest by Lake Quinault. It was amazing. I got to hike some of the trails in the woods, which had a lot of fallen trees because of sea storms that just hit the area. I'll upload pictures eventuall. It was lovely. We also tried to go to the Hoh rainforest but ended up stopping by Kalaboch's beaches. We hit Beach 1 which was surreal looking with lots of driftlogs that piled up and bleached in the sun. It looked like bones on sand. Also near the shoreline were tumor covered trees. Also I went to Ruby Beach which has a few stranded islands that looked very Goonies.
Pax started skipping rocks in the water and taught me how. Though all the sudden we had a whole bunch of other people skipping rocks too. We started a trend. I skipped at least 3 or 4 out of the 30 I did. It's been pretty nice.

Tonight I have to attend a work gig so I dressed up in my finest 'pro' attire. I look very much a realtor or then again I guess every office person sorta does. It's kinda funny but I look nice I think.

This song is still so catchy.

I was standing and waiting for my bus like I usually do. A man in the jersey with a bicycle between his legs stands idly by and notices me.

"Hey there. How's your day going?"

"Oh it's fine, same ol', same ol'," I realize I'm bored and haven't really talked to anyone all day. "How was yours?"

"Oh it's been alright. I've had the hiccups all day. Just can't get rid of 'em."

"Ah...Have you tried scaring yourself?" Trust me, I know I meant have someone else scare you because I realize this sounds quite stupid. It made sense in my head.

"Scaring myself?" He starts laughing uncontrollably.

"It might work" I say, like I know what I'm talking about.

"No, I haven't tried scaring myself, ha!" He giggles on uncontrollably.

I see my bus and say 'Good bye', leaving him there in his fit of giggles.

I was on the bus as the 49 pulled up Pike street to cross over at the Bellevue intersection over to Pine. It was a red light so the bus wasn't moving and I looked out the window.
The little convenience store on the corner had a verizon advertisement in Chinese that made me smile a little bit mostly because it still had the "Can You Hear me now guy" on it.

Then I noticed that there was a dark skinned man on the corner who seemed to be asking for change. I saw a man in a beige linen suit lean over the dark skinned man with fat blond dreads on the corner, I think he gave him some bills and crossed the street. The blond dread man looked into his hands at the bills, like he was just now seeing their denomination and started waving wildly. I think I heard a muffled "HOLY!!!!THANK YOU! Bless!"
and the dark skinned man turned around and did a 'WOOOHOOO! YESSS!' motion with his hands and started walking down Bellevue towards Pine Street.

My bus passed by him as he was in such good spirits he was giving a little man fist bump to a toddler that was being lifted out of a stroller to get into a building.

I like to think he got $100 bills.

I decided to go looking for a pair of shoes yesterday. My old simples are dying and I needed something to replace them. I thought about ordering another pair of simples, but that would be too easy and I'd have to wait, as I can't find anywhere accessible that carries my Sugar Simples.

So I hit up a Shoe Pavillion, a discount affair, and I find see on sale, the Steve Buscemi shoes. Now Steve Buscemi is a man that illicits both wild abandonate passion and absolute disgust in some women. I find myself falling quite in the middle of could go either way of weird hate-disgust to idle fascination with Steve Buscemi.

These are hideous shoes, canvas with a brown leathery shiny floral tattoo pattern. They're very fugly/obnoxious and strange. For some reason I can't tear myself away. They're comfy,there's no denying it, and it definitely attempts to be stylish. I hate and enjoy these shoes.

I was conflicted. I didn't want to buy them. They are hideous. But I still can't look away and they're cheap and comfy. I guess comfy won out at the end.

And this is why today I own these shoes that I have since dubbed the Steve Buscemi shoes. Now I wonder what absurd adventures they will lead me to.

I don't understand it.

When it's all said and done with, I think back oh how people have always felt the need to "express" themselves in school. There's always been protests of teenagers in school not agreeing with dress codes on the basis that it prohibits an outright expression of character and personality.

I didn't feel one way or another. I never went over the line, never went beyond what the dress code dictated, sure it was fun to play dress up off hours but there was a lot of effort involved.
I was pretty lazy. But I do remember how ardently people would protest the dress code in school.

Now that I've been out of that "restricting" environment for years and years, I think that it's probably a better thing that people develop their personalities more than letting their look define them. How is expressing oneself enforced when one says to not judge a book by its cover? I see older people now with crazy hair colors and punk rock leathers and I feel awkward when I talk to them. It's always the same conversation. Yah yeah..edgy. Woooo.
Are we so ingrained as a culture to keep our personalities so shallow and superficial that we can wear them on a sleeve and be unable to articulate it? Isn't the articulation more important?
I feel so frustrated by counter-cultures and subcultures complaining about not being normal or having people "not getting it" and preaching about expression this or expression that.

Then blip. that train is gone.

I want to go somewhere I've never been before. I've got my passports and a suitcase. Maybe take a dart to a globe.

I decided to make a code. I hope I remember how to solve it later. I put a solution up.

I A S E A O B H L W D K D R A W A T E E E V A N O A T A E Y T M C O K

It's probably way too easy. But it's beginner one.

I've been busy.
The fourth had me checking out the 4th of July fireworks with Paxton at Gasworks park. It was very crowded but for a front seat view of one of the 5 best fireworks displays in the country, it was well worth it. there's a bunch of videos on youtube for it but it was awesome! At least 12 songs set to fireworks in this really all out timed display. I never thought I'd see anything like that to be honest, I can't wait until next year's.
We took the bus to Gasworks and because everything on holiday schedule, we walked from gasworks to the u-distict to catch the 49 back to broadway. It runs til 2 AM.
It wasn't so bad of a walk and we were sure that there were at least hundreds of others waiting for the buses to downtown (that were rerouted because of the traffic congestion) at the usual stop. Yes, we decided that was probably faster to just walk.
It was a very pleasant night.

I can't remember what I did on Sat. I remember being harried about it.

Sunday I went to the farmer's market and bought lots of different fresh veggies and meat. 3 lbs of cherries, 1 lb of stew meat, had a smoothie, and bought a head of lettuce. I wish I bought ground meat and tomatoes but i had enough of that lately.
The afternoon consisted of going to the Arboretum which is not far from my apt. just caught the 11 down to lake washington blvd and we saw the Japanese gardens that I had been hearing so much about. It turned out we just missed the Tanabata celebrations but it's alright. It made me sorta nostalgic. But It's about that time of year.

Finally sat down and finished the Hound of Baskervilles. I keep finishing other books but never the ones I start with a purpose! Now I need something new to read. I think I'll try Brave New World. Maybe that's too heavy.

It's finally looking like summer! The skies have been clear 2 days in a row! HA! HAHA! I laugh at the face of winter! HA~!

I had an ultra lazy day yesterday but I went shopping and bought some pants downtown. I lingered at the Urban Outfitters for a while because they kept playing Beirut and I was looking at their apartment furnishings. I saw a scooter pillow that I thought would have suited Kat. I also saw some candles I thought Jess or Di would like but smell varies from person to person so I have to think on it some.

Today I went to the farmer's market with Rachel which is turning into our regular gig. We went sorta early because we heard they had cherries today. It's a good thing we did too because there was a line! While we were waiting this older lady was waiting behind us and wanted to try a cherry so she plucked two and tried it. After she ate one I asked her how were they? She gave me the other one and said "Deeelicious!" in a Russian accent. (There's a lot of Russians out here.) And I tried it and was blown away at how yummy it was.
I was only going to buy a lb. but the goading of the lady behind me who was buying 3lbs. eventually got me to buy 2 lbs. Rachel bought 3 lbs but she was going to eat them with her husband. The cherry stand girl was so happy I had a tenner she threw in an extra half lb. I have to say I didn't complain one bit!
I think next time I go to the farmer's market I'll buy eggs from there. It'd be so nice to be able to have raw egg with sukiyaki or egg rice again, I've been too afraid to eat them from the supermarket because they didn't seem too fresh.

I need to clean before I go to Boston on Sat. so I came home right after. I think I'll go bike riding after 3 after I figure is the most severe of the sun, which isn't too much of a problem anyway, but I do need to clean. I think I'll tackle the hill that leads to Volunteer park. The houses on 14th are really pretty so it'd be nice to ride near there.

Also Meme stolen from wasurera
who stole it from navi
1. Reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter.
2. List (and upload, if you feel like it) 5 songs that start with that letter.
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions.

C

---

1. Chupee by Cocoon
2. Criminal by Fiona Apple (Haha 1 for 1)
3. Cherry Blossom Girl by Air [this video has some nudity]
4. Come Together by the Beatles
5. City of Delusion by the Muse

I'll do one more with Tori Amos:
Bonus: Cornflake Girl

I've been seeing some really strange things on public transit. I overhear a lot of things too. Generally things aren't bad but I've been thinking about writing them all down because they really amused me.

At the same time though. I'm sure it's been done many times before. Because who hasn't had a bizarre PTE. The Public Transit Experience.

I will think on this.

I wish clarity never came in retrospect.

Lately I found I am enjoying My Brightest Diamond and Cocoon.

Cocoon has a bit of a happy tone, the MBD is very lyrical pretty. I think you guys would dig her more than Cocoon. I didn't realize she was part of the Asthmatic Kitty with Sufjan Stevens. Beautiful voice with flowy bits. I know some of you will want to sing along. No lie.
My Brightest Diamond it's pretty. I heard the new album too very pretty.

( Dragonfly )

I have to say, this has always been the blip in High Fidelity that sticks in my mind.

Marie's guesstimated no fuss Dipping sauce for your udons, sobas, and soumen (ultra thin noodles)that tastes better than what you buy in a bottle.

The easy way:
What you will ultimately need And what it is

Soy Sauce You know what this is, everyone and their grandpa uses this. I like the low sodium kind

Powdered Dashi (Either Kelp or Bonito) This is a soup stock. Bonito comes in Hon-dashi powder as does the Kelp Konbu if you prefer a vegetarian flavor.

Umeboshi (Pickled Plum) I like to get one that's typically pickled with Shiso (perilla) leaves, otherwise they are too sweet. You could get a Katsuo one but they are covered with flakey extra bonito flakes. Do not get a dried one. Go on, try the one in the jar. It's ok, it's not bad it's just misunderstood.

Mirin This is a sweet rice wine

Water Filter it. It'll taste better

What to do with it all
1. Put to boil 2/3 c. of water on High heat.
2. Drop 1 pickled plum in the boiling water and lower heat to Medium.
[Let the water quit bubbling and adjust to its newfound temp.]
3. Add 1 tsp. of powdered dashi.Let simmer 1-2 min.
4. Add 2 tbsp. Mirin. Let simmer 1 min. Using Chopsticks or a fork, stab the pickled plum and shred it in the liquid, break it apart in little chunks.
5. Add 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Mix. Now taste it. (Add more if you feel that it isn't salty enough)
6. Take out the pickled plum chunks (and its pit) and turn off the heat.
Serve warm or cold with your choice of noodles.

This should fill 4 miso soup bowls or two western soup bowls. If you made it too strong add more water to it before you eat it. Remember it's a sauce as opposed to soup, it doesn't need to fill an entire bowl.

Things to add condiment wise:
Chopped/torn up to confetti sized bits of Nori (toasted seaweed)
chopped Green onion bits
Bonito flakes- if you like it extra fishy
wasabi- for the people who want to clear their nose
pureed raw daikon radish- gives it that sharp bite and makes the sauce a bit more filling.

Take it as you will, friends.

So the memorial day weekend:
Friday: I had to go to a mini press conference and meet with two people from Kobe as they came from their cruise ship. They were two old retired folk from the Kobe city gov and they were presenting the mayor's letter and the Kobear to the Commissioner of the Port of Seattle. The old lady gave me a yukata with goldfish on it, which is really cute, haha. I guess you can say it's vintage. Then the commissioner gave me a glass paperweight. Then because it was a long day I went home early.

Sat.: Met with Di at my apartment. I got my shower hooks for my shower! We went to Bainbridge Island and I had a brat before the ferry. I only had a t-shirt and it was cold but I brought a long my trusty enormous poncho and we looked around there. I have to say I don't much care for the airs of yuppie ville. The yarn shop was not a bad selection. I had to stop Di from going PG crazy.
Then we went to the Folklife festival. I liked it. there was much singing and dancing. I think if I was prepared more for it I might've enjoyed it.
I got a button though. Very happy go lucky atmosphere. I heard a girl play the Indiana Jones theme on a violin. Lots of families playing on their banjos singing folk songs. I liked it.
I heard afterwards there was a shooting there with 2 people hurt. Glad we left when we did.

Sun: I bummed around the house. I went to the Farmers Market only to see that the selection was not only so so, it was overpriced. So I stopped by Dicks, the local cheap burger joint, and had a deluxe with fries. The fries are delicious and taste like homemade fries. The burger was decent for a fast food burger. Then I did laundry. I ran into my building manager and he let me wash my laundry for free. I was all "SCORE!" And washed my sheets. Then I did nothing the rest of the night.

Today I bummed around again. I watched Kodocha that I had always been meaning to see the end of. Then I went to Uwaji and bought some things I needed, booze to cook with that sort of thing. Took a short walk around. Overall a very quiet day.

Today I went exploring in the wacky Fremont neighborhood, home to the rocket, the troll, Lenin statue, and Adobe. I saw Google there too.

I wandered around with Rebekah and saw neat things. We wandered into an art gallery called Orange Splot. I saw some art there by Ryan Henry Ward that I really fell in love with. It was very happy and cute, something that I wouldn't mind looking at every day. For a big canvas painting $150 does not seem too bad. But tis' still too much for me to afford right now. Maybe once I'm more settled I'll save up and buy one. Take a look in the artists section and see what I mean. It's really very happy.
Then I had some gelato in a shop behind Lenin. They weren't bad, their sandwiches are delicious! I had a pastrami grinder that made me wish their sandwiches are bigger. Then I had a Risotto/Rice pudding Gelato with a tiny caramel chip "lenny" scoop on top. It was not bad pretty yummy for a sunny Seattle afternoon.

I saw the Fremont library which looks like a tiny villa. Then wandered around the Fremont Sunday Market. Lots of neat yarn recycle booths. We also walked a bit of the Burke Gilman. It's just a little path that's really long. I hope this good weather holds.

Yesterday I wandered the U-District Street Festival, which seemed overall bigger than the Fremont Market. Next Sunday I'm going to wander the Broadway Farmer's Market because it'll be right up the street from me. Hopefully I'll get to explore Volunteer Park next saturday as well. There's lots of really pretty houses past 15th that I want to look at and walk by.

Things I want to buy:
Ryan Henry Ward painting,
TV
coffee table
rug
"little black dress"
Chopsticks (I think I'm gonna order the wheatware ones)

I've been quite busy! Work is going well I get my first official permanent paycheck on thursday...well I could technically cash it already but I work on the honor system. it's really cool being able to do all the HR-y things that I never really paid much attention to before.
It's been a busy month of setting up accounts and insurances and what not.

I've moved into my new place and am still fixing it up.
Thurs. I'm going to see Kids in the Hall and sometime soon I'll buy a rug and a coffee table.

Been busy trying to figure out my bus routes situation. Overall everything is peachy. just hectic.