If you are close enough to Bellingham to pay The Garden Spot a visit this holiday season, it's well worth the trip! This weekend I attended their holiday celebration this weekend and had a chance to view some of their wonderful foliage, ready to be taken home and enjoyed.
Evenf you didn't make it to this outstanding nursery for their holiday event, you haven't missed your chance to peruse winter plants such as these bright primroses,
and hellebore and heather of many varieties.
Don't forget to check out the irresistible lawn accoutrements:
Don't have yard space for new greenery? No problem. The Garden Spot even has tiny tropical plants for your apartment windowsill.
Whether you're searching for just the right gift or planning to brighten your yard this winter, The Garden Spot can help.
In case you weren't aware of the
entertaining, educational and relaxing venue for patrons of all ages and
interests, consider yourself updated! There is an amazing zoo in
Tacoma, WA that you simply must visit this spring/summer, especially if
you have never been or haven't recently visited.
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
used to be the neglected step-sister of the Woodland Park Zoo, but
incredible vision, planning and hard work have made PDZA one of the
premier zoos on the west coast. Breeding programs, exhibit designs,
educational programs and live animal presentations propelled this
city-run park into the nation's top tier of animal facilities.
So why should you go?
3.) The weather.
Western Washington has had a couple of
really tough summer seasons with temperatures lingering in the 60's, and
clouds dominating the Doppler for months. Not so this year! It's only
May and I have already worn shorts to work several times! Amazing. The
outdoor exhibits are delightful to view on these brighter days, as
tigers and tapirs lounge in the sun. They also make good days for
picnicking on the zoo's lawn.
2.) Babies. The fuzzy, striped or spotted kinds that steal your
heart on sight. Point Defiance participates in a number of breeding
efforts as part of Species Survival Programs. The keepers' diligence and
experience is paying off this year as the zoo welcomed meerkat babies,
clouded leopard cubs and just this week, a litter of endangered red wolf
pups.
1.) The Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater.
I'm
a little biased on this one, but I'm declaring the new animal show as
the number one reason to visit Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium this
season. The show debuting this year is the fast-paced, animal-filled
"Captain Adventure vs. Dr. Do-Nothing," featuring a cast of characters
including Tilli the aardvark, Cactus Jack the porcupine, Caper the
macaw, Herald the Wonderdog, and many more. The show is geared toward
children, but audience members of all ages are feeling inspired to get
up and try some fun outdoor activities.
I don't want to speak for all Seattlites, but I know that it came as a surprise to me (and many people I talked to) that Seattle had a roller derby league. Roller derby seems like a thing of the past somehow, and invokes images of burly women who, as Jim Croce would say, are "built like a 'frigerator with a head."
Not so, Blogfans, not so.
Some friends and I went to the Rat City Rollergirls bout at the Key Arena this January, not really knowing what to expect. Specifically, I wondered what kind of people go to roller derby bouts. As it turned out, the spectators were people in their 50's, hipsters, teenagers, nerds, and everyone in between. And they all seemed to love roller derby.
Having never been to or even heard of anyone going to a roller derby bout, I had to look up the rules and read them ahead of time to know how the scoring worked, but the energetic announcers clarified what was happening, so you don't have to be a derby expert to follow the bout.
Another assumption I held about roller derby was that the sport was very violent. While it's true that the skaters got knocked down and body checked and went sprawling across the rink frequently, the nature of the collisions spills was not malicious. There were none of the aggressive, angry confrontations one sees in hockey games, for instance. The skaters here got back up, continued to skate and then talked and laughed with the opposing team when they returned to the lineup together.
It's hard to tell from my photos, which are taken from a distance with a zoom lens, but the participants vary in size and shape. Some of the girls were very large, as per the stereotype, but many were average-size women and a few were actually quite small. One thing I loved was that each girl has a derby name, so she creates her own persona, such as Anya Heels, Kamikaze Kim and Missile America. The smallest skater called herself Nehi (knee-high) Nightmare.
Watching the amazing displays of athleticism was really the highlight of this event. The skaters are quick, strong, agile and extremely tough. I would say that the Rollergirls' bouts are fun for the whole family, but in truth, you might want to be aware that there will be some references that parents might not want young children to be exposed to. A skater named "Muffstache" and a team called the Sockit Wenches are just a couple of examples, but nothing rated R. Maybe PG-13.
If you're looking for an activity that is exciting, out of the ordinary dinner and a movie, and that is empowering to women, go see the Rat City Rollergirls!
The vendor hall at GeekGirl Con was brimming with talented artists, crafters and skilled nerds of all kinds, so I wanted to highlight a few of the standout booths I encountered.
First there is Ra Design and Illustration, run by Rachelle Abellar. Check out her Facebook page to see more photos of indulgently nerdy merchandise like this:
WHO could resist falling in love after receiving one of these?
Next, you won't want to miss EMK Photography's journals, made from up-cycled game boards and hardback book covers. The journals, all filled with recycled paper, ranged from old Scrabble and Risk board games to Care Bears and Dr. Seuss book covers. A wonderful gift for any geek!
I chatted with the proprietor, who said he makes sure that the board games and books are in poor condition and ready to be thrown out, so as not to waste good books and games. How thoughtful! EMK Photography also creates greeting cards with a wickedly nerdy sense of humor:
Lastly, if you are looking for steampunk headgear (and who isn't?) or just something fancy to adorn your coiffure at an upcoming event, Small Rini Lady has what you need:
And if you need more steampunk apparel, go to Team Time Inc. for amazing clothing, hats and pendants:
There are so many great vendors, it was tough to decide which places to focus on, so here are some bonus links for more geekiness.
The Petite Cafe: Adorable clay jewelry made in the shape of tiny food like cupcakes, pie and sushi!
During my recent trip to visit my fabulous aunt in Bellingham, I had the opportunity to visit Bellingham Flat Bread and Bakery, which was one of the (many) highlights of my weekend.
This corner bakery had the most gluten-free options I've seen in any bakery, excluding the entirely gluten-free shop (Haley's) in Kent. One wall's shelves were stacked with gluten-free breads ranging from simple white bread to rosemary garden bread to pumpkin double chocolate mini loaves. The cookie bins held gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, macaroons and more. My sister bought a couple of loaves to take home and the generous proprietor gave us each a gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie to sample.
Delicious!
If the cookies, scones, muffins, cupcakes, breads and cinnamon rolls aren't enough to get you into the bakery immediately, the proprietor also informed us that Bellingham Flat Bread and Bakery is hoping to open an entirely gluten-free venue in the future! So support local business, gluten-free business, and treat yourself to something indulgent!
I'm not normally a reader who is entertained by young adult fiction, but, as many adults were, I succumbed to the power of the Harry Potter series and consumed them all quickly. I wasn't even considering cracking open any other YA books, but my coworkers, who are avid readers, seemed to be pulling YA fantasy, magic, and sci-fi novels and series out of their ears.
I was content to read my non-fiction: Wave, by Susan Casey and The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene. But when a dear friend shoved four of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series at me and insisted I begin reading post haste...I considered it. She didn't give me the first book of the series, which was going to be my excuse for not reading a YA series, but that week at the zoo our intern coincidentally finished book one and loaned it to me. So I started reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief. No more excuses.
First of all, you will notice that the name is too darn long. For anything. You can't even abbreviate it appropriately: PJATO: TLT doesn't have a ring to it.
The series relates the adventures of a teenager who discovers he is the son of a Greek god, entwining tid-bits of mythology that have been updated to more modern settings. I found the plot quite predictable and the characters one-dimensional, and yet, as soon as I closed book one, I opened book two (Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Sea of Monsters). And when I finished book two, I started book three. Despite my desire to find the novels trite and ridiculous, I kind of liked them. Granted, I am speeding through them, not analyzing or savoring the literary genius, but reading them nonetheless.
Mostly I like correlating the situations in the book with real Greek mythology (is that an oxymoron?) and trying to guess who the bad guys and monsters are before Percy does (I always beat him).
I want to stress is that young adult books like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series and the Harry Potter series serve an extremely important function, even if they aren't Shakespeare--these books inspire children to READ!
Last week a couple of my fellow zoo staff from the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater took a trip to visit our sister facility, Northwest Trek, in Eatonville. It's a bit of a commute, but the drive is immeasurably more pleasant with good company.
The forested grounds at the wildlife park provided just the right amount of dappled shade for the warm August day, and despite the high attendance, Trek's wide pathways and spacious viewing areas felt open and uncrowded. First we strolled through Cat Country where a lynx quietly stalked something (imagined) and the most active event at the cougar exhibit was a yawn and a stretch. But what a yawn! The coyotes trotted around to greet us, as did a red fox, but the wolves just eyed us lazily from atop their comfortable napping spots.
At the grizzly bear exhibit, we stood wide-eyed with mouths agape as the two bears snarled and swatted each other, one warning the other to back off from his den. I managed to capture a bit of this display on video.
Next it was time for our tram tour. Our tram was immediately greeted by a female caribou, who tagged along for the first few minutes of the ride, running alongside the tram cars. We also spotted all of the big horn sheep, (including the lambs frolicking!) the mountain goats, the elk herd from a distance, the dozy-looking bison herd and many smaller creatures such as swans, sand hill cranes and pond turtles.
The highlight though, was seeing the sometimes elusive moose lounging right by the tram road!
Of course, I couldn't resist lingering at the bird of prey exhibits; the barn owls posed especially nicely in their faux barn habitat.
In the wetlands area of the park we saw snoozing porcupines, a sunning badger, and a very active wolverine. While we watched the wolverine bouncing around her enclosure, a man behind us declared, "Nasty animal!" My companions and I audibly gasped. The wolverine gets a bad reputation; they are fascinating, playful, intelligent and anything but nasty!
To wrap up our wetlands experience we were greeted by a curious fisher who sat perched on the end of a log just in front of our viewing area. If he could have spoken, I think he'd have given us a guided tour. We also came nose to nose with a raccoon, bobbed along with a beaver and witnessed an otter playing with a wreath of twigs the keepers had given him.
We also took a peek inside the Cheney Discovery Center where we were probably way more interested in the Western Toad than your average zoo-goer. But it was so fat and round!
After seeing all of the exhibit animals, we still weren't quite finished with Northwest Trek. Our last stop was the trailside encounter, led by two seasonal employees. This presentation featured a young beaver who walked (and swam) on a harness. she demonstrated several behaviors on cue, including grooming and opening her mouth to show her teeth. In addition to the sheer entertainment of watching a beaver swim, waddle, and chew on twigs, the trailside encounter offered an educational element. Questions like, "do they eat fish and aren't beavers mean, revealed visitors' ignorance regarding beavers, but the presenters handled all the questions in an engaging, conversational manner that held the audience's attention while dispelling myths and providing interesting information.
If you're looking for a place to take the family before school starts up, a place to take that special someone on an outing, or want an alternative to your usual weekend in front of the TV, visit Northwest Trek!
A granola bar packed with oats, seeds, dried fruits, chocolate chips or whatever tidbits you love best really hits the spot as an afternoon snack or a pick-me-up after a workout. For those of us who've gone gluten-free due to Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, these portable edibles are mostly off-limits.
Before I was diagnosed with Celiac, I loved Luna bars, Nature Valley granola bars and all things oat-y and crunchy. Sadly, Luna bars clearly state "may contain traces of wheat" and Nature Valley doesn't use gluten-free oats, so if you're strict about going gluten-free, those are out too.I tried many types of gluten-free bars only to discover they were mostly the same: nuts covered in sweet goo. I became gluten-free Goldilocks; every bar was too high in calories, too mushy, too expensive, too hard to find, or resembled bird seed too closely.
There is nothing not to love about these products! Think Thin bars, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1.) Every flavor--from brownie crunch to lemon cream pie to cookies and cream is gluten-free.
2.) The full-size bars hover around 200 calories, and these treats are available in Bite Boxes where each mini-bar is only 100 calories.
3.) These bars contain very little sugar (some varieties contain none at all) and they are excellent energy boosters, especially if you try the flavors that boast 20 grams of protein.
4.) I can find these at my local Fred Meyer or even at Winco, where they sell for about 1.30 each. They are probably available elsewhere, too but if you can't find them near you, there's always Amazon!
For a gluten-free bar that is satisfying, nutritious, and very tasty, you can't beat Think Thin bars.
Last weekend Jared and I spent some quality time exploring Seattle's Pike Place Market, which neither of us had visited for a few years. Our excursion reminded me of why I love the Market and Seattle. The people-watching opportunities are superb, the artisans are top-notch, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, even if the weather isn't.
When our stomachs started to grumble, we headed to the Steelhead Diner, where we planned to enjoy a meal we normally wouldn't have the budget for (hooray for gift cards, and many thanks to Stephanie and Andy!).
We were seated immediately in a booth situated next to a display of neatly labeled fishing lures. A panoramic view of a river dominated one wall and an extreme close-up photograph of salmon roe hung on another.
The menu at this snazzy establishment focuses on fish, as the name would suggest, but I was eager to try a dish from the veggies and legumes selection. While the Steelhead didn't have a special gluten-free menu, our server very kindly pointed out a couple of gluten-free options from the regular menu that looked appetizing.
Jared ordered a hard-to-find Scotch ale, which arrived quickly while I pondered the gluten-free options. I ordered a Revelry Merlot to complement a vegetable chili and pan-seared broccoli topped with toasted almonds.
A lightly baked layer of creamy cheese covered the chili, which was packed with veggies like red peppers, tomatoes and even a little eggplant, I think. The broccoli dish was larger than expected, with a generous topping of warm, roasted almonds. Though the broccoli was a little oilier than I would have preferred, I forgave this because of the fresh citrus-flavor that balanced the nuts.
The waitress was attentive and helpful without being pushy or insincere, which is exactly how I like my waitstaff! She apologized for a delay in taking our order, but I will admit I hadn't noticed, since it takes me so long to decide what to order. As an appeasement, my glass of wine was complimentary.
If you're in the Seattle area, searching for some luscious seafood, quick service and a casual atmosphere where the waitstaff are polite enough to know when to leave you alone, try the Steelhead Diner!
This week I finished reading The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde, a British novel that I expected to be (pun mostly intended) my cup of tea.
In Fforde's parallel universe literature is the most potent force in society--on a nightly basis, throngs of ordinary people who have all memorized Shakespeare's Richard III, dress up in the appropriate attire and perform the play as if it were the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The president of the Bronte society is one of the most powerful men in politics, and youthful street gangs are Marlowe-ists or Baconists who refuse to accept William Shakespeare as the author of his plays.
The heroine in this alternate reality is a Litratech, a detective or policewoman of sorts, whose job it is to track down plagiarists and book thieves. Through a twist of fate Litratech Thursday Next gets assigned to a top priority case chasing a madman whose goal is to destroy Jane Eyre.
I appreciated the literary allusions throughout the novel, but I'm picky about my dialogue and I don't suspend disbelief especially easily. Occasionally Fforde simply clobbers his readers with his points. The characters have some very clunky conversations to move the plot along, and the book lacks some of the subtlety of truly great writing. One of the characters has the audacity to be named Jack Schitt; the villain's name is Hades. Yet, these things are mostly forgivable in a sci-fi novel set in an over-the-top fantastic other-world. I don't however, forgive the writing of Thursday's romantic life, which is wrapped up all too neatly in too few pages tacked on the end of the book.
Despite being a little harsh on pop-literature author Fforde, I think if I come across any of the other books in the Thursday Next series, I would be glad to read them.
Anyone who has been to Bellingham, Washington has had the pants charmed off of them by the city's small-town atmosphere and delightful denizens. This weekend I visited my dear aunt, who introduced me to a Bellingham gem, The Garden Spot.
I will be the first to admit that I don't have a green thumb. I can train a tortoise to turn left and a hawk to land on your head, but plants die slow, agonizing deaths under my care. Still, even I felt inspired when I stepped inside the gates. The Garden Spot's winter exterior displays showed off pussy willows, saplings and statues.
Inside the building hung dozens of wind-chimes that gave me the feeling spring was right around the corner.
In fact, spring sort of was right around the corner! In the greenhouse we found a little haven where it seemed Jack Frost hadn't extended his bony finger. Primroses in red, purple, white, pink and yellow created a rainbow tableaux along the center of the greenhouse and these tiny self-contained gardens lined the edges.
The unusual and chic examples from the nursery's most recent class made an eye-catching display. Sedum wall gardens (I had to read the sign to figure out this term) are wooden boxes filled with ground-covering plants, held in place by a thin wire mesh.
If you haven't stopped in at the Garden Spot yet, now is the time! Drop in to chat with experts about when, what and where to plant. Sign up for classes and get the latest news via the website http://www.garden-spot.com/ Or visit The Garden Spot's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bellingham-Garden-Spot-Nursery/127503553945311.
The Garden Spot Nursery
900 Alabama Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-676-5480
