Milk Bar in Bellevue, WA

I am so happy I finally made it over to Christina Tosi's Milk Bar location attached to Nordstrom in Bellevue, Washington. 

I ordered her famous Cereal Milk soft serve with Corn Flake Crunch topping and I thought that it was delicious. It's an undeniably American creation that is both comforting and craveable. The corn flake crunch is a must - it adds so much flavor and texture. I loved it. In fact, I think I want it on most ice cream sundaes going forward.

I am such a fan of Christina Tosi. I love her approach to baking and the creation of sweets for American tastes. I have her original Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook and I think it is brilliant. She looks at sugar and desserts through a very interesting lens and her desserts definitely make sense. You can tell that she created them and believe that they'll be good, if that makes sense. I guess I'm saying that I like how she thinks and I admire how she invents new fun desserts from old classics. I can't wait to see what she does next.

There's a great feature on Christina Tosi on Netflix's Chef's Table Pastry

I also wanted to tell you that during the pandemic, I was also amazed to see her hosting free baking classes on Zoom every week. She decided that it would be fun to form a Bake Club to help everyone, included her, cope with the strange times. I joined every once in a while and I really enjoyed it. She posted the ingredients we'd need the night before. It was such a neat way to spend a weekday afternoon. 

So Christina Tosi, I'm a fan. And I'm grateful that you brought your deliciousness to the Pacific Northwest.

Makerspace: Bellevue Library Offers So Much

My focus on delight has included highlighting things that are beautiful and interesting. In this case, it is a location where the beautiful and interesting can be created.

In the last 10 years, the equipment available to make things has exploded. There are 3D printers that make something by printing with plastic, Laser cutters that can engrave wood & acrylic, Cricut-style machines that cut adhesive vinyl, leather, balsa wood, Sewing machines that can embroider intricate designs. My mind has been swirling with the possibilities. The trick is knowing what you want machine would suit you best, exploring how to use it and considering if you'd like to own one.

When I read that the Bellevue, Washington library had a Makerspace available to adults and kids I was very interested to see how it worked. For my purposes, I wanted to see a Cricut and how it worked and ask about what was required to use a laser cutter. I made a reservation for the Open Lab and spent 2 hours investigating the process.       

The staff librarian was very helpful and provided me with a laptop and headphones to log into the Cricut Online Training website so I could create an account and watch a few tutorials as I compared the video to the machine in front of me. They provide scrap vinyl and encourage attendees to plan their projects ahead of time to maximize their lab time. 

I really just wanted to be an observer and I was really interested to see a young mother and her 2 children arrive and she start using the equipment at the next table immediately. At the same time, a middle age man was designing on Adobe Creative Cloud software in one glass room, while another patron was using the laser cutter with supervision in another glass room. It was so great to see these expensive and complicated tools available to the public for free.

Anyone with drive and a library card could teach themselves how these machines work and get some hands on experience. 

I concluded that I did not have a future in cutting vinyl or wood. There are simply not enough projects that I want to make that would warrant my mastering a new machine. Yet I got a great explanation and could see it all up close, which I appreciated. I learned that I should become comfortable with Adobe Illustrator (and perhaps design what I want to print ahead of time) if I decide to pursue laser cutting. This is what I needed to know! 

Always be on the lookout for special opportunities to explore new technology or crafts. I may not be a regular patron at this library Makerspace, but I can tell people all about how it might work for them. 

#makerspace #beautifulandinteresting #finddelight #bellevuewa #technology
 

Avocado Toast: A Light Bite at Bellden Cafe

I keep notes in my phone (and a larger notebook at home) of recommendations so that I can pursue people's favorite spots when I'm in the vicinity. I was at the intersection of lunchtime and Bellevue, WA when I realized that I could track down the cafe of the woman who spoke at the Facebook Women in Business event. Her name is Claire Sumadiwirya and her restaurant is Bellden Cafe. She spoke about her desire to create a place where the community would be drawn to the food and the warmth. It sounded like an "everyone knows your name" kind of place and I wanted to support her and visit her cafe.

I had my first avocado toast (it's all the rage on Instagram, you know) and it was delicious. Ricotta cheese, Himalayan salt and crusty bread made it special and satisfying. I'm so glad I had to visit and share this delightful cafe with you. If you're in Bellevue, I think you'll appreciate having this spot on your radar.

#avocadotoast #bellevuewa #foodie #belldencafe #momentsofdelight

Seattle: Bellevue's Crab Pot Serves Up Fresh Seafood

It was a seafood spectacle! We went to The Crab Pot in Bellevue with mallets in mind. We were in the mood for the best of the Pacific Northwest. It was a calm 70 degree night - perfect for dinner by the lake.

We donned our bibs and dug into "The Westport" Seafest (King crab, Dungeness crab, Snow crab, shrimp in the shell, steamed clams, Pacific mussels, andouille sausage, corn on the cob & red potatoes in their jackets).

Everything tastes better outside and we really enjoyed The Crab Pots take on fresh seafood. Word to the wise, "shrimp in the shell" means that the head is on and all the legs too. Dan had to intercept the shrimp and take care of a few things for me, but once he did, they were delicious.

Have you ever taken a mallet to a crab leg? It had been a while for me but it was like riding a bike. I had that gorgeous meat freed in no time. Messy but fun, I highly recommend an outdoor table at The Crab Pot.

Seattle: Unexpected Farmers Market in Bellevue

There's nothing like driving to Joann Fabrics for inspiration and finding an active farmer's market in the parking lot! I bought  myself a Whidbey Island ice cream bar (butterscotch) and set out to choose a bouquet of dahlias. 

The day was warm, so I decided to take the flowers into Joann's with me, rather than leave them in the car to wither. I received a lot of compliments on the bouquet in my basket and I'm sure that it inspired others to go out outside and choose some flowers for themselves! It's not everyday that fresh flowers are brought to your doorstep. Take advantage of it when it happens. 

Tah-dah! Here they are on display in my room. 

Seattle: Mediterranean Kitchen in Bellevue

Our dinner at the Mediterranean Kitchen in Bellevue was as good as it looks! Though heavy on the garlic, I enjoyed all of the distinct flavors on my appetizer platter called a Mezza Tray.  My favorite was the Zahrah (cauliflower deep-fried, topped with tahini sauce. Garnished with green onions, radish, fresh crushed mint) - yum!

The platter was obviously meant to be a sampler platter for a whole table, but I thought it would be the best way for me to try a little of this and a little of that.  The Mezza Tray is described as "an assortment of delicious Middle Eastern appetizers: Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Labnie, Tabouleh, Zahra, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers." I would order it again, that's for sure!

Dan had a pasta dish that he enjoyed and I had a few bites of his chicken to round out my meal. Yum!

Seattle: Burger Master: A Hot Fudge MIlkshake and Burger

I was sent to Burger Master in Bellevue by my dear friend who knows that "a burger and a milkshake" would be the perfect stop to make with my husband before heading into the Washington Park Arboretum.

Burger Master is a dine-in-your-car hamburger spot that is reminiscent of the 1950's.  They brought our order to our car on a tray which clipped to our window and we were told to turned our headlights on if we needed something - genius!  

I had a wonderful classic cheeseburger (ketchup, pickle, mustard), fries and a drank-every-drop "Hot Fudge" milkshake. The hot fudge shake was recommended by our super-friendly waitress. Of the multitude of shake possibilities on the menu, it was appropriate that she suggested the hot fudge milkshake, as my dad is famous for ordering a milkshake and asking them to "add a scoop" of hot fudge after the shake is made, as if this were the most normal upgrade in the world.  The cute thing is that the ice cream server always thinks it is a great idea.

Burger Master boasts the little bit of Americana that we need in our lives. Park, eat, reminisce, repeat as often as possible.

Seattle: Chism Beach Park in Bellevue:

This lovely little waterfront park is just 4 minutes from the bustling shopping area of Bellevue, Washington.  I was determined to find some large trees in bloom and I thought that a little waterfront park would be a good bet.  No such luck on this particular day at Chism Beach Park, but the sun was so beautiful I didn't mind.

I love seeing huge evergreen trees all over the Seattle area.  They always remind me of mascara wands.  Don't they look like that to you?

When I drove through Bellevue (looking for a park) I noticed some wonderful stores along Bellevue Way that will serve as a magnet to draw me back - I saw a Container Store, Nordstrom, Paper Source, Cost Plus World Market and Apple.  I can definitely have fun - this will be a perfect area to explore on a rainy day.  As for flowering trees, I did find this magnificent magnolia at Denny Blaine Park - the petals had just opened!

Here it is in the distance, to show some perspective. This is the very small park called Denny Blaine.  I can't say that this park has much to offer (it seemed to be a hangout place for kids skipping school) except for this magnificent magnolia and a "mountains in the distance" view.

The magnolia is in full bloom just above this garden door into private property. It reminds me of the magic of The Secret Garden and Julie Andrews' book, Mandy.  Have you read both?  They are wonderful and spring makes me want to be a little girl tending her first garden all over again.

I am constantly in awe of the mountain views that can be seen from so many everyday places.  I am not used to seeing mountains in my daily life.  I like it!