Food in PDX and Beyond

I love good food. So when my friend, Tracie, asked if I wanted to join her for a culinary event where some professional chefs would cook a four-course meal plus drink pairing at someone's house in Portland, I was in. The event was called "Cellar Door" and is something this couple does often in San Diego. The whole event was delicious, warmed my heart, introduced me to some great people, and helped me remember how cool it is when a group of people can gather together around food for discussion and commonality.

Recently, Tracie and I had decided that we both enjoyed the experience so much that we wanted to start to have a supper club where we met every once in while at someone's house to cook and eat together. The first planning meeting took place (of all places) way out in Hillsboro at a tiny little Japanese place that blew my mind called Syun Izakaya. 

If you go, YOU MUST GET THE STUFFED CHICKEN WINGS. No joke, these were delicious. One of the best culinary things I've been lucky enough to put in my mouth. The food here mostly consisted of what they called "Japanese style pub food" which was amazing. We also got this chef selected sushi plate to split so that we could try several different kinds of fish. I was very happy that we did. I also ordered a beef dish that was lightly seared beef with ginger and Brad picked out some clams in sake broth that were amazing. 

We spent all night talking food, planning our next outing and get together. We talked about our favorite donuts, where the best Indian food is, our feeling on ramen, cooking ideas and blogs. Was nice to be out with people that are excited about and appreciate good food. There's so much out there that this made me really excited to get out and find some of the best food that the Portland area has to offer. I drank my sake from the little clay cup I got to choose from a basket and felt excited about all of the possibilities Portland seems to keep throwing my way. 

The Final Rose

Here's another dating post. Be warned.

I finally found two guys recently that I felt like were interesting and wanted to get to know more. Was doing the dating thing and having a hard time figuring out who I might choose for awhile because they both seemed so great (I know, a good problem to have). Everyone kept telling me to go with my gut and that I really couldn't make a wrong decision but I was kinda terrified I'd make a bad choice and regret what I'd done and not be able to undo it. I was afraid that after waiting so long to finally find someone I was interested in that I would be the one to mess it up.

I sat on the decision for a good two days. And all of a sudden, it's like I realized that I was clearly missing seeing one person, thinking of them more, and felt far more secure when I was with them. My dad always tells me, "the only thing that matters to me is that they think you are wonderful and cherish you". Seems like not a hard thing to ask for and also really complicated at the same time.

But I chose the guy who truly cherished me. He never missed an opportunity to see me. He never forgot to tell me how much he enjoyed himself around me. We danced in his kitchen, we played darts, we ate delicious food and cooked together, we smiled and joked, we listened to music, we sang... and at the end of the day today, I think to myself, "how could I not have chosen him?"

He brought me pho for lunch today even though he only had just under an hour to spare. And I just keep thinking to myself how I think I actually made the right choice. How I feel so truly lucky now. Phew.

What is your favorite subject in school?

My favorite subject in school is drama .I   like drama because you could act, play all kinds of games and have fun. When i’m in drama I learn how to show how I feel in pantomimes from Miss Ott. She is one of the most fun teacher’s in Maple Grove and awesomest. Drama is so fun especially when other classmates act. When I act it is so funny I just can’t help myself like when I do funny pantomimes I hope she would still teach next and the next and the next and the next year!!!!!!!!!!!  

-By a 4th Grade Student for a Computers Project

Sometimes it's the little things that make your day. Glad this was shared with me. I got five similar essays.

The Ups (and Downs) of Being a Teacher

Sometimes teaching is hard. And then sometimes I feel inspired and so happy that I'm doing something worthwhile. Sometimes the students drive me nuts. And sometimes they make me smile a mile wide.

Most of the time, I just feel pretty lucky to have a job where I get to hang out with kids and talk about a subject I love. Most of the time, I'm not really sure if they love the subject all that much or not, but I can tell that they just like that I appreciate them for who they are and see the potential of what they can be.

Get What You Deserve

I realize I posted the same National song twice in a row. Clearly that song represented September well for me. Promise to vary my selection more from here on out.

Thinking about the phrase lately, "you get what you deserve". I think that phrase is crap. I know a lot of wonderful people that have had horrible things happen to them and then some pretty negative people in my life that everything seems to go just swimmingly for. I mean, I know we all go through tough times. I know everyone has stuff happen but I don't think anybody ever deserves for bad things to happen, but in thinking about my life and all that I've done or had done to me, and I don't think I'd change any of it.

I am a firm believer in the fact that everything we go through makes us who we are. I've been lucky not to have hit up against anything too terrible so it's maybe easy to say there's nothing I would change. But I do think some of the hard stuff that has happened to me has truly made me a better person and more able to confront the world because I've had practice in getting back up and taking things head on.

This past year has been a year for me of slowly pulling myself off of the ground after being thrown by the horse (so to speak). I wouldn't want to just carelessly hop back on, I knew that I needed to assess what went wrong so as not to be thrown again. And swinging my leg back into that saddle has felt heavier and hard at times. But I've gotten back in. Getting ready for the ride.

In class today I told the story of Romeo and Juliet to 20 captive 8th graders. They've never been so quiet and attentive all year. They were confused by the suicide. They couldn't understand why they would do it. It was hard to explain that it was really a series of miscommunications and complicated situations and events that led up to that point. That it was nothing they really wanted.

But I'm with them. I've never quite understood suicide. I mean I can sympathize and understand that the world can be hard to deal with. But I think I don't understand suicidal thoughts because I love life and I always see potential for growth. I know that loving life means loving the bad along with the good, because it's all part of the same ride. It's never going to stay shitty forever. Not if you don't want it to. No one gets what they deserve. We just get what we get.