Summer in Seattle by Violet

After a long wait it seems that summer is finally here in Seattle. And that means movies out at Red Hook on Thursday nights.

Our first movie was Predator. I don’t know if it was the previously crummy weather or the prospect of watching Arnold Schwarzenegger but the movie was sparsely attended. Which was fine with me because it meant good seats and short beer lines.

 I’ll be back in a few weeks for The Fighter followed by Blues Brothers. Here’s to summer Seattle traditions.

Violet in Steve Madden Tuscaan

Cutting the Cord by violet

We cut cable. Well, not totally. We still get the basics but Bravo, MTV, TLC, ESPN, Comedy Central, et all no longer come beaming into our house with the push of a button.  

We do have Netflix with streaming and a Hulu Plus account, so I can still watch most of my favorites.  

If you know me, you know that this is a pretty BIG deal. I love TV, probably too much. There’s always something wonderful or horrible, horribly wonderful or wonderfully horrible. At any given time, I have a multiple TV shows that I consider appointment viewing.   

So then, why would I cut cable? Well, my attachment is too much. When your life revolves around the TV Guide it might be time to reevaluate your priorities.  

Plus, even with the Netflix account and the Hulu Plus, we save $100 a month.  And still get to see just about every show that we would normally watch. With unexpectedly buying a car, we’ve been looking for ways to pinch pennies and that adds up fast.

How’s it going so far? So far, so good.

I would say we haven’t watched that much less TV just TV we care more about. Something happens when you have to consciously pick a show, rather than just finding a Seinfeld rerun to have on while we cook dinner.     

Also, it’s summer - lots of show are on hiatus and Duck football hasn’t started (40 days!). Once we get into the fall this might be a whole lot harder.  

Violet in Seychelles gold sandals

Victory by violet

Black Holes. by violet

There are certain planning events in adulthood that I’m discovering are black holes. Events that happen in many people’s lives that seem to take over every waking thought - buying a house, having a baby.

I quickly discovered that planning a wedding is going to be much the same way. However, at more than a year out that is going to come and go in waves until it gets a bit closer.

Then I, myself, came face to face with another black hole - buying a car. That’s where I’ve been these last weeks, at dealership after dealership talking to sales person after sales person. Scouring autotrader.com and Kelly Blue Book and taking advice from just about every person I know.

My head is spinning with information – miles per gallon, air bags, cup holders, 1.8 liter, 2.4 liter, cost of ownership, front wheel drive, sport shifter, ABS, ESC, hatchback it’s enough to make you go cross-eyed.

JP and I have been out there test driving cars for two weeks now. And while we are a little bit closer to picking a car, it’s hard not to feel discouraged, overwhelmed and stressed out by the whole thing.

The whole test driving thing is all well and good until you try and leave the lot. They just keep talking and telling you all kinds of things to keep you there, what can I do to earn your business? I’ll work with you on price. Have you met my finance guy? Let me show you another car.

Sir, we told you up front that we were not going to buy a car today. I would love it if you could work with me on price, if you could get that totally awesome car that’s thousands upon thousands over our budget into our range, I would buy it. But you are not so stop acting like it. Second, we told we are not financing the car so why would we need to meet your finance guy? We don’t. And please for the love of god, don’t show me another car. I’m tired; I haven’t eaten in hours and it’s simultaneously raining and a hot in your parking lot. I’d really just like to leave now. No, I don’t want a Kia.

I’m not faulting these guys for trying to earn a living. No shame in the game. But I have to tell you, the people we are most likely to work after visiting quite a number of places now, did not try and spin us that way.

I knew that this was going to be a tough process but I think I under estimated just how much. What I am learning is a life lesson that I seem to keep learning over and over again. That the first and hardest part is figuring out what you want. Then after that you fight like hell to get.

Because that’s the thing they don’t tell you about black holes in science class, the only way out is through.

Violet in Seychelles Password, Gold

I Had Plan. By Violet

I was here. And I told you all that I was going to be back. That I was getting back on my regularly scheduled programming. The bacon bourbon popcorn was a hit. I was planning blog posts and even had a couple written and ready to go. And then, life as it so often does, threw me a curve ball.

On a lovely Thursday afternoon after doing some shopping at the Queen Anne Dispatch and picking up some salmon to cook for dinner, I got into a car accident - more than a fender bender. It was upsetting, jarring and really unnerving.

The good news is that I and the other people involved all walked away with only a few bruises and rattled nerves to show for it.

The bad news is that neither of our cars fared so well. Both had to be towed away from the scene and while I can’t speak for the other car, mine has been assessed as a total.

I will also say this, is that EVERYONE who I have some in contact with as a result of this has been unreasonable nice. The guys in the other car were so kind, when they could have come out, yelling screaming and throwing fists.

The firefighter reassured me through my tears that accidents happen and everyone was ok. The police officers who patiently asked me questions and called the tow truck for me because I was to shaken up to really communicate.

The tow truck driver told me that he got in almost the same kind of accident earlier that week which did make me feel a little better that it could happen to a professional.

My amazing and wonderful fiancé who collected me from a sad street corner, drove me home, got me pizza (since the salmon was ruined) and took care of me.

My parents who assured me that it was all going to be ok. 

Work was understanding when I couldn’t make it into work the next day.

The insurance company (yeah, I know) who have kept me updated and even rearranged things so I could sign paper work before we left for the long weekend.

In all, it is a startling reminder of the goodness of people. That when you are low there are others there to pick you up.

Clearly, losing a car isn’t the end of the world, the important thing is that everyone is ok. And I’m trying to keep it all in perspective.

In the meantime, I’m spending the weekend car shopping. Wish me luck!

Violet in Seychelles Password, Gold

By popular demand. by violet

Seems like quite a few people were intrigued by the notion of bacon bourbon popcorn. And I have to tell you when I first came across it, so was I.  

JP and are I trying to get a tradition of hosting a Kentucky Derby party. It seems like such a charming idea, get dressed up, wear a big hat and drink mint juleps. Well those juleps are pretty powerful drinks and so I knew we needed to feed people. 

While I was searching for traditional Derby treats, I came across an article that mentioned bacon bourbon caramel corn. This particular place kept their recipe a secret but folks this is the age of the internet and there aren’t really secret recipes anymore.  

A quick Google search revealed that many bloggers had covered this territory and were MORE than happy to share. I found one that was a lot like my favorite caramel corn recipe from Organette so I went with that. Because I had practice with it but also because I knew it would be delicious. Basically, the only changes to it are to add fry up the bacon, crumble it up and throw it into the bowl with the popcorn. Then add bourbon to the caramel sauce.  

Ingredients

3-5 strips bacon
3 Tablespoons canola, peanut, or grapeseed oil (high smoke point oil)
1/3 cup of high quality popcorn kernels
1 3-quart covered saucepan
1/2  cup real butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (or light corn syrup)
1 to 2 Tablespoon bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Instruction

- Cook the bacon until crispy, place on paper towels to remove grease, cool.

- Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat. 

- Add the popcorn kernels into the oil. 

- When one kernel pops, cover

- The popcorn should begin popping soon. Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid, and dump the popcorn immediately into a wide bowl. 

- Crumble bacon. Add bacon to popcorn and toss.

- Heat oven to 250 degrees.

- Bring butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly.

- Reduce heat and boil for 5 minutes; remove from heat.

- Stir in bourbon, vanilla, salt, and baking soda and mix. 

- Pour over popped corn and bacon.

- Spread coated popcorn into (2) 11" X 9" X 2" baking pans.

- Bake in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

- Cool for 1 hour, then break up before storing.

One thing that Orangette reminded me to do which I forgot was to take out the un-popped kernels of the popcorn. I had to pick them out while the mixture was cooling and that was a whole lot of work.  

Now, if you look at the ingredient list, you know that this is going to taste delicious.  It’s pretty much a given. But until you actual taste it you aren’t quite prepared for how everything comes together. Caramel corn is great in the first place because of the salty sweet combination adding the bacon and bourbon just ups that by a factor of two. If you happen to eat it while wearing a summer dress and large straw hat then that just makes the experience all the better.  

Violet in Steve Madden Tuscaan

A fresh start. by violet

I’m a procrastinator. Of the worst kind. It seems like I can’t seem to find the motivation unless it has to be done RIGHT NOW. My taxes? April 14th every year.


I can probably count the number of times in which I worked ahead on projects. One was this class in college that was referred to as “Info Hell” by pretty much the entire Journalism School. I had an entire term to write a heavily-researched and well-documented research paper about a public policy issue. Armed with the fear of this class and the knowledge of my procrastinating ways, I created a weekly schedule for the whole term. I turned in my paper two days (two FULL days) early and got an A on both the paper and in the class.

You’d think that would have taught me a lesson. You’d think something would have clicked in my brain and said, hey, this working ahead thing really pays off. Not so much.

So what does this have to do with anything?

I’ve been procrastinating blogging. I’ve been putting it off. There are no deadlines here. No one yells at me or sends me “friendly” reminder e-mails. It’s just the seven of you. Which I’m afraid has now likely dwindled down to way less than that.

It’s not that I haven’t been doing fun things; just this past weekend JP and I explored the Arboretum or our day drinking adventure the weekend before. There has been delicious food – dinner at La Spiga and I didn’t even tell you about the bacon Bourbon caramel popcorn I made for the Derby (yes, and it was amazing). I’ve been to two Barre classes and starting seeing a personal trainer. Things have happened. I just put off writing about them.

So today, I start fresh. It’s the beginning of a new term and I have a plan.

Violet in Seychelles Password, Gold