A Day in the Life of the Traveling Mingles

We spent this past weekend in Seattle and although Mr. Mingle and I were only in Seattle together for two full days, we made the most of it. And, as I had predicted prior to leaving – we ate our way through the City…

Saturday 10am: After a leisurely wake-up and get-ready, we left the hotel in search of brunch. Mr. Mingle had planned ahead and printed out a list of recommended brunch places but when we looked at where hour hotel was, compared to where we wanted to end up – the Seattle Space Needle, we abandoned the list, thinking the places were all too out of the way.

An hour of walking later, we did in fact end up at one of the restaurants, Le Pichet, but not near the Space Needle. Oh well, change of plans are good.

Brunch was delicious, but not a typical American breakfast of heavy eggs/bacon/potatoes, so although we were pleasantly full, we were not stuffed and set off towards the Pike Place Market. We visited a few quaint shops on the way, and took note of a wine tasting shop that would be open later on.

12ish: After thoroughly exploring the market, we decided that is was time to find the next food stop. After careful investigation of a piroshki shop and a couple of bakeries, we settled on a cheese shop where we could get mac ‘n cheese and a crab and cheese sandwich. While there we also picked up some special cheese to have as hors d’oeuvres later on in our room. (In other words – we like cheese)

1:30: Next stop – Pioneer Square about a mile away. We continued to amble along, stopping into shops along the way, including a gelato store where we looked (and admired) but did not buy. Eventually we made it to Pioneer Square and decided to go on the Underground Tour to get a little history of Seattle and do something different (other then eating). The tour guides were fun and informative and we enjoyed it immensely. The tour also started and stopped in a pub so we were very delighted to learn that our ticket got us a $2 beer at the end.

4:00: Left the pub after our $2 beers in search of bread to go along with our cheese for hors d’oeuvres. First we got the bread, and then we went back to the wine tasting shop to find the perfect bottle of wine to go with our cheese and bread. After tasting four Syrah’s that were recommended to go with our cheese, we settled on a different bottle for the cost and the label. (Jester’s Red)

After leaving the wine tasting shop our intention was to go to the Space Needle which was the first place we were headed when we initially set off on our walk in the morning (it was now dark). As we walked we investigated the restaurants along the way to find the one that looked the best for dinner. (Mr. Mingle may say that he scoffs at planning ahead, but when food is involved…puhlease….)
Unfortunately the Space Needle was closed for a private party (it turns out there was a convention of librarians in town who had taken over) so we walked the last 15 minutes to our hotel on Lake Union to enjoy our hard earned wine, cheese and bread.

8:00: Arrived for reservations at Twist. The food was good, I guess you would call it Asian Fusion, and I particularly enjoyed my cocktail – a Mojito with a twist. When we were finished, we weren’t yet ready for dessert so went in search of the next stop…

9:30: Enjoyed dessert at another restaurant across the street: BellTown Bistro. This was the perfect place to end the day – it had a lounge with comfortable leather chairs where we relaxed and traded questions from the Trivial Pursuit box that was sitting next to our chairs. We ordered S’mores which turned out to be just that – flaming sterno, graham crackers, hershey’s chocolate bars and marshmallows. Relaxing in leather chairs making s’mores over a flame – it’s a good life.

(The next day we made it to the Space Needle)

Christmas in Hawaii

This year Mr. Mingle’s brother and sister are both living in Hawaii, so rather then fly to Indiana for the holidays, his mother, and we, flew west to spend Christmas in Oahu. We had a wonderful vacation and it was nice to catch up with the family. We even had a chance to visit with Manoa Missy before she flew back to California to spend the holidays with her own family. Many, many thank yous to Missy for loaning us her apartment and car while we stayed in Hawaii!

My best memory of the trip is also a surprising one, because it doesn’t involve surf, sand or sun. Instead, it was about getting to know my sister-in-law’s mother-in-law. Wait, say that again? Mr. Mingle’s sister’s husband’s mother (got that now?) flew out to Hawaii from Bangor, Maine to spend Christmas with the family as well. I had met her once before at sis-in-law’s wedding in Maine last year, but didn’t get to talk to her much then. Lady M is 80 years old, going on 50. I am absolutely fascinated by this woman’s life and she is sharp as a tack. She certainly likes to talk, but I found her stories so interesting that I really didn’t mind the constant narrative. I especially enjoyed her story of how she went to Norway for her 80th birthday (by herself!) and her luggage didn’t arrive for 4 days. She joked about telling the tour group that she would soon have to resort to wearing her only other piece of clothing – her nightshirt – which she promptly whipped out to show us. A massive nightshirt covered in African safari animals. (She’s also been on four safaris…) We dropped Lady M off at her accommodations a couple of times while in Hawaii, which was at the University down the street from sis-in-law’s house. One of these nights she even invited us up for a nightcap to try some of this special liquer she likes from South Africa. I never thought I would be invited up to an 80-year-old’s place at 11pm for a drink! I hope to be like her when I’m that age.

Although we still had the traditional turkey meal with all the fixins’ on Christmas and opened gifts with the family, it felt very odd being in Hawaii because it was so warm and sunny. On Christmas Day Mr. Mingle and I dawned shorts and t-shirts and hiked up to the top of Diamond Head for the view. The only chance of a white Christmas there is on the beach! Sadly, within two days of returning to an unusually cold SF, Hawaii already seemed like a world away - but luckily there are pictures to remind us of the good times:

Manoa Missy and The Mingles

Spending Christmas Eve at the Beach

(That is our niece playing with the sand)

Brother R with his wife and Sis-in-law (front)

Mr. Mingle and Mom

Mrs. Mingle enjoying the wisdom of Lady M

Happy New Year!

Every year (or so) I write some resolutions for myself which I’m inevitably doomed to fail. For example, there’s the one about, “I will not pick at my fingers” – I’ve been trying to quit this nervous habit since I was in the eighth grade. However, it’s to the point where I don’t even realize I’m doing it, so there is no way a resolution at the start of the new year would get me to stop that cold turkey. And then there’s always the one about “I will get in better shape”…I honestly have the best intentions when I write this one – however, there’s one fatal flaw in my plan. I hate going to the gym. Hate it. The gym to me is just one step above torture. Mr. Mingle on the other hand likes working out so much that he will go to the gym twice, sometimes three times a day, in order to insure he gets his full workout in. If only I could have a quarter of his “I love the gym” energy.

So, this year I have decided to make some resolutions that I can keep. Ones, that at the end of 2007, I can look back and honestly say – “I kept all my resolutions!” I like to call these, Resolutions for the Modern Woman.

I will drink beer.
I will watch the CW channel.
I will wear sweatpants in public.
I will not go to the gym every day.
I will pay a lot to get my hair done.
I will not drink coffee without half & half.
I will stay in bed so the cat can sleep longer.
I will not make a home-cooked meal every night.
I will blame the cat when I belch (or emit other sounds).
I will use my feminine wiles to get my husband to do the chores.