I took a "honeymoon" with my hubby 9 years late to Portland, Oregon. Portland... how I love thee. Every restaurant, pub, coffee shop and bookstore seems to have it's own brewery. I have chipotle beer, which may have permanently changed my life for the better. We luckily hit Cinco De Mayo, so the food was stellar everywhere we went except on shitty Italian place too close to hotels. There is so, so much Vancouver can learn from this city... mainly, relax your damn rules! All over Portland are food cart "ghettoes", parking lots chock full of amazing eats from all over the world, and so cheap!!! (Perhaps it has something to do with Americans not having to pay over 300% the world price for dairy? Hmm?) The streets were spotless, the people were friendly, the coffee amazing, the beer left me speechless. (It totally did not, I talked my face off, but go figure! I was drinking.) The vintage clothing stores.... O.M.G. The art in the city was unpretentious, quirky as fuck, and absolutely everywhere. I want to go back as soon as humanly possible. (Oh yeah, I scored the French Laundry Cookbook!!!!)
My hubby became a lawyer!! Woot Woot!!! 8 years of work, loans, tears and beers, and this man I first knew as the drink-till-you-puke and then drink some more is allowed to legally represent people in a court of law. In front of a judge. Mind Blown. Proud does not cover it, so I cooked. Open house, peeps and parents. I made over 20 dishes, all fancy, not a single photograph. I am the world's worst food blogger. We had a ceasar bar, which was not complete until my friend Jose Doraz showed up as he is the best bartender I currently know. We had "mimosas" when a friend discovered my pink grapefruit granita elevated a glass of champagne into something truly magnificent. There were creme brulees, caviar and lox, white chocolate mousse, poached quails eggs on tiny spoons, ceviche, blue cheese and walnuts, a beautiful cheese tray thanks to appropriately priced American cheese (O say can you seeeEEeeeEEE) salmon tartare with red onion creme fraiche, gingersnap tubes filled with marscapone and candied ginger, roasted beet salad in endive, Chinese slaw in wonton cups, and the typical Italian antipasto tray. And probably more. And NOT A SINGLE DAMN PHOTO. I am so mad at myself, And how do you cap that off? With smores around our outdoor fire pit in the middle of Vancouver, of course. Just perfect.
We went to the Ladner MayDays carnival, which was wonderful. The kids dragged Dad on the tilt-a-whirl so many times I thought he was going to fall over. Free pony rides. Paddleboats. An artisan market. Every ride you could want. A WestCoast Seeds store. Sunshine!!!
I got a new nephew! He's so handsome. I got to hold him, smell him, perhaps tear up a tiny bit.
I got chosen (suckered) to be head of fundraising for my kids' schools' PAC next year, as the government is tearing down the old playground in three years and not replacing it and I have to raise 80,000 dollars. I hate the way our government treats our education system.
My kids did their first Sports Day at their new school and totally rocked the bike parade. I, of course, had nothing to do with that. I also did their annual back-to-back birthday parties, in my typical rabid manner, but I have one more brag (yes, I realize I'm a braggart right now, but holy crap did I ever get a lot done! And as this is my "job" I feel it's okay to share what I have accomplished. IN YOUR FACE.)
I learned marshmallow fondant and filled my son's ultimately doable request for a Super Mario cake, so much better than the precious years request of a replica of a 6 foot tall potted fern. (Weird kid, alright?) I have many friends to thank for all of the achievements listed above, so in the spirit of forgetting no one, I will mention no one. But you all know I love you, right? Hello?
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