Travels with George and Marta – Page 13 – Journeys in the Botanical World

Seattle’s oldest bar

Posted on February 15, 2013 by MartaFebruary 15, 2013

Do you ever go to Costco and end up buying something that you had not planned? We did about a month ago. G had mentioned a while back that maybe it was time for a new TV. We bought our last TV – a 32″ flat screen Sony back in 2006. It was pretty pricey back then but we’ve never really been totally happy with it. Recently the 32″ just wasn’t big enough – we’d drag one of the sofas closer so we could have a better experience while watching movies.

We went on our routine Costco run to pick up the usual, apples, peanuts, olive oil, fruit, shrimp. But it was a couple of weeks before Superbowl and I knew TVs were one sale so I decided to cruise the selection. We hadn’t talked about it so I started looking at the 42″ backlit LED which were pretty cheap. I really wanted a Sharp Aquos but I already knew that the smallest model that they made was like 60″ – too large. But G surprised me and said he wanted something around 50″. Whoa. Let’s move up to the front were the bigger TVs were located.

One stood out – a 50″ Samsung Plasma. I know… I know… Plasma is probably like betamax or 8 track – the better technology that will probably become obsolete soon. But we loved the way the blacks really stood out and it was on special just less than $700 with the discount.

So we went home and did some research. For a ‘bargain’ TV, it was really highly recommended. We were getting sold but now came the challenge of how to get it home in our Honda. G finally decided we could probably bungee down the trunk and carry it home because it wouldn’t fit in the back seat.

We bought it and we love it! It has a much better picture (and larger). We had a little challenge setting it up but we got some advice at a different way to cable it and we were set.

This week G remarked… I wonder if there is a place to recycle the Styro foam that the TV was packed in. I went to work searching on Google and found Styro Recycle in Renton. Time for a trip to South Seattle. I wanted to make it worth while so we dug out all our old computer electronic boxes from the past 10 years that were in our crawl space and loaded up the back seat. We stuffed it full. We also had a very ancient Windows 3.11 computer that we bought back in 1996 that I had wiped clean recently. I found a place in Renton that recycled for free. It was our day to help the earth.

To reward ourselves, I also wanted to have lunch and a brew. My friend E mentioned that she enjoyed Jules Maes in Georgetown. Georgetown neighborhood is just north of Boeing Field and is one of the oldest areas in Seattle. For a long time, it has been run down, abandoned area where small businesses have been located. But recently, a lot of young people have been moving there attracted to the low costs and funky atmosphere. A lot of the neighborhoods that used to attract this alternative crowd have now gentrified.

It turns out that Jules Maes is the oldest bar in Seattle. It opened in 1888. There is even a rumor of a ghost or two. It has a good pub food menu and an excellent brew list from the local Georgetown breweries. G had a falafel burger with tater tots and I had a lamb burger. We really enjoyed the Lucille IPA from near by Georgetown Brewery.

I mapped out a route to the recycle stops, IKEA, the Macadam Winter Garden and Jules Maes. The route took us through several sections of South Seattle that we had not been in even after 35 years. Plus the day was gorgeous – Sunny – over 50 degrees. A local road trip, early spring cleaning and good beer.

Back seat stuffed with styrofoam and packing peanuts

V&G Styro Recycle

Georgetown

The bar at Jules Maes

Falafel burger with tater tots

Lamb Burger

Two Lucille IPA from Georgetown Brewery

A day with the Snowy Owls – Damon Point

Posted on February 13, 2013 by MartaFebruary 13, 2013

February 3, 2013

We always love a good treasure hunt be it searching for wildflowers or birdwatching. Last year was irruption year – a year where the food sources become low and the young snowy owls fly south in search of better food. They must have found the hunting great because several have returned this year.

I have been following the Tweeters bird email postings on the sitings in the area. The best areas last year and this year have been Boundary Bay in Canada and Damon Point in Ocean Shores. Postings have mentioned seeing 5-9 birds among the grassy dunes.

We headed to the parking area at the south tip of the peninsula. Just past the Marina, you will see to porta-potties and usually several cars parked along grassy sides of the road. Park here. The trail starts off here and goes along the curvy beach. We walked on the west side along the sand looking for the birders. It was a breezy day and there were many kite surfers along the east (bay) side of the spit. We stayed along the shore and could see a group of birders ahead. It was our first owl.

How beautiful. We tried to stay a distance away but everyone was crowded up closer to the bird. Some people recommend staying 150 ft way but it was difficult. He seemed a little stressed looking here and there but stayed perched atop the driftwood.

We moved on down the spit and by now we could spot the owls among the dune grass along with other birders. We stayed and watched two larger birds and saw several flying in the distance. What magnificant birds. Plus the day was warm and sunny. We found our treasure.

After about an hour or so watching the birds (and people) we returned back up the shore and headed home. It was about a 3 hour drive back to Seattle. We were back in time to play with the kittens and have a warm dinner. A wonderful winter weekend at the beach.

Kite Surfers

Birders at Damon Point
Birders – can you spot the owl?

Two owls in this picture

Fluffing feathers in the sun

Doesn’t it look regal? Not the furry talons perfect for snow.

Ocean Shores Sunset

Posted on February 8, 2013 by MartaFebruary 8, 2013

February 1-2, 2013

After visiting the light house in Westport, we started the drive back around the bay. We debated where and if to east. We looked for the Westport Brewing but missed it (it is behind the Shell station) and decided to head on out to Ocean Shores. We drove around to check out the strip and Damon Point before returning to eat. We decided on Bennett’s Fish Shack. It was actually very good. G had a crab melt and I had a combo – fish, clams and fries. And they had an excellent NW microbrew selection on tap. G had the Elysian IPA and I had the Big Al Bitter. Everything was yummy.

We checked into the Best Western Lighthouse Suite Inn at the northern end of the beach. Unfortunately, the fireplace was not working in the room we were booked in and they changed our room to a corner room. Sweet! We had booked a discount senior rate so it was a steal and the perfect winter getaway. Thank you Best Western!

The fourth floor room had a small balcony that over looked the dunes, beach and ocean. The sun was flitting in and out of the clouds but there was still time for a walk out on the beach. We walked the short distance from the hotel to the shoreline and watched an amazing large flock of dunlins waving back and forth over the surf. It was so magical to watch them fly and land while the sun was setting. We walked back to our room in the twilight and spent a relaxing night around the fire.

The next morning we headed to Amici’s for breakfast. We arrived shortly before they opened at 9am (winter hours). It is owned and run by a charming couple. The menu is supper yummy and great service. G had an omelet and I had an excellent corn beef hash. The latte was a perfect wake up. We were stuffed and ready for some bird watching.

View north of the dunes and shoreline from our room

One of five vehicle access points

Dunlins and sunset

Westport

Posted on February 7, 2013 by MartaNovember 28, 2014

February 1, 2013

It was a late start as expected. We hit the road around 10am. The clouds were starting to break up and it looked like the weather gods were on our side. The first part of the drive is on I5 to Olympia where you turn off and head west. The country side soon turns to farms and small towns. The eerie empty towers of the abandoned Satsop nuclear plant peak out over the tree farms. We have always had an abundance of natural energy from the hydroelectrical dams but we have also been a huge supporter of nuclear power. Hanford in Central Washington was established as part of the Manhattan Project and have supplied plutonium to the industry. It was not surprising to find the area embracing nuclear power plants in the late ’70s. They are remnants of the WPPSS fiasco.

We arrive in Aberdeen around noon. We laughed when we saw the sign announcing the city “Welcome to Aberdeen – come as you are”. The sign is a tribute to Kurt Cobain who was born and raised in Aberdeen. We couldn’t check in to our motel until 4pm so we decided to take a side trip out to Westport

Grays Harbor is a large bay formed by the Chehalis river esturary. Two peninsulas jut out into the mouth of the bay, Point with Ocean Shores to the north and Point Chehalis to the south were Westport is located. We may have been in Westport once so it was time for a visit.

It takes about 30 minutes to get there from Aberdeen traveling through cranberry bogs and marshy forests filled with salal and snags of short trees. It is very typical of most of the coast in this central part of Washington. The town itself is not too big – population of just over 2,000. Most of the main street is lined with gray weathered homes; some filled with crab pots and fishing floats, some shut down summer houses. The road leads through a small downtown to the Marina which is one of the main attractions. One side is lined with fish canneries and other marine industries. Closer to the jetty is the marina where the private fish boats leave. The inland side of the marina is line with the typical seaside shops. In February most of them are closed with one or two open with flashing taffy signs. A few cars are clustered around the open restaurants. At the west end is a large viewing tower which gives you a view over the jetty and marina. Just over the jetty seawall are surfers. Yes, Westport is the main area for surfing in Washington state.

We climb up the tower to take in the view. Next we search for the lighthouse. We found it along Ocean Drive which leads out to the new condo complex. We had intended to just take a few pictures but a gentleman was in a car and asked us if we were going to tour the lighthouse. His wife was a docent and it turned it had just opened for the day. We did not know it was the tallest lighthouse in Washington and the third tallest on the US Pacific Coast. Now we were interested and walked up to do a tour.

The Westport South Beach Historical Society owns and runs the lighthouse. During opening hours you can take a tour and climb to the top. The lighthouse was completed in 1898. It stands 107 feet tall and there are 135 metals steps up the stairs that spiral to the top. It is surprising to see that it is not right at the beach. The beach is maybe 1/4 – 1/2 mile away. It was build at the beach but sand and land has built up and created land. The new land is a result of the jetty. The lantern room at the top holds a third-order clamshell Fresnel lens. The lighthouse was to signal that a safe harbor was nearby. The lighthouse still is working but the large light has been replaced by a small red and white lantern which is lit by a tiny 35 watt bulb. It is amazing that it can be seen farther than the original light. For more on the lighthouse – Lighthouse Friends.

Westport Marina

Businesses along the Marina

Taffy

Surfers near the jetty

View of the marina from the viewing tower

Viewing Tower

Grays Harbor Lighthouse

135 steps to the top

Third-order clamshell Fresnel lens

Washington Coast

Posted on February 4, 2013 by MartaNovember 12, 2014

The winters in Washington can drag on you. The days are short and gray broken by sprinkles. Walks can help but I needed to get away. We have not been to the coast in years. Our last trip was yurt camping at Cape Disappointment and that has been almost 5 years. It was time for a trip.

The Washington coast is very different from the scenic, rocky Oregon and California coast which attract millions. Washington’s coast is mainly an industrial coast where timber and fishing are the main industries. The dense forest hugs the coast line broken by marshy estuaries and a few muddy bays. One thing that is unique are the long stretches of flat sandy beach that would be the envy of most other locations but never have seemed to have taken off as a tourist destination in Washington. The beach areas always seem to be the land of broken dreams; locals resistant to change, broken down houses with small windows covered with moss and dying local factories. But the potential is there – you know someday it will change.

Mid January was cold, foggy and frosty. G was away for a week visiting his parents. I started to dream and plan for a weekend away. We could go on Friday and Saturday and be home in time for me to work Sunday night. But I got my summons for jury duty. G said we could still probably go on Friday and stay one night. Wednesday I was dismissed from my dutiesand I quickly booked a night at the Best Western in Ocean Shores.

Part of the lack of draw is the type of amount of tourist services. Ocean Shores is lined with the small tacky seaside businesses selling cheap trinkets, taffy, kites along with an Indian Casino. Things to do are renting paddle boats or driving your car on the beach. Yes, it is legal to drive on the beach here in Washington. They are actually part of the highway system since the long flat beaches were once the easiest way to get between towns. They are fortunately closed to driving in the summer. The cuisine is mostly deep fried fish and other greasy options. Not much for the foodie. Also many of the tourist shops are closed for the winter and won’t reopen until April.

But we dug up a couple of restaurant options that sounded good. For beer we found: 8th Street Ale House in Hoquiam, Westport Brewing Company, Elk Head Tap Room. Amici’s Cafe sounded great for breakfast and Bennett’s Fish Shack was probably one of the better fry joints.

Our main attraction was the snowy owls at Damon Point. Damon Point is located at the southern tip of the Point Brown peninsula where Ocean Shores is located. The peninsula juts out into Grays Harbor. A.O. Damon bought the southern portion for a trading marina in 1870 and eventually bought the whole peninsula. It passed down to his heirs which used it as cattle land until they sold it back in the late ’60s for a cool million. The state now owns the point and bay as a wildlife area. There have been reports of Snowy Owls among the sea dunes and we wanted to check them out.

The weather can always be tricky. One trip in February we arrived to find the power out up and down the peninsula and North beach area. But the forecast was for broken clouds and a chance of sun. Perfect for a winter Friday night away.

Ocean Shores

Posted on January 31, 2013 by MartaJanuary 31, 2013

We’re heading for the coast – the Washington coast that is. Our coast is not as scenic as Oregon or California. It is rather rough and very industrial. It is a working coast. We are spending an early weekend at Ocean Shores which is on the north side of Grays Harbor.

We are going to see if we can find snowy owls again this year. They returned again this year to Damon Point which is an inlet that juts out at the peninsula. It is a very slow time for this area. A lot of the places are closed or running low rates. We grabbed a senior rate at the Best Western with a view of the dunes and ocean. I’ve got a couple of places in mind for food and beer. The weather forecast actually has a chance of being decent although one never knows at the beach.

I’ll post pictures when I return

Favorite Winter Walks in the Seattle Area: Meadowdale Park

Posted on December 13, 2012 by MartaNovember 23, 2014

Another gem of a walk is Meadowdale Park. I wrote about it in summer in 2010 but it is great anytime of the year but especially at winter. It is located along the sound so it rarely is frosty. It can be muddy and is rather dark (shaded) since you walk down to the shore along Lund Gulch but it is a great place to get out and about in the dark days of December.

G knew I had been wanting to do it for our walk and suggested it this morning. I took him right up on it. It is about a 15 minute drive north of our house. The parking lot was pretty empty.

The trail starts to descend right at the start going down steps and a huge switchback until it arrives at the bottom of the gulch along the stream. The trail meanders following the stream until it comes to an open park and the raised railroad tracks. Normally you can access the beach via a low tunnel through the track levy. But this is also where the stream enters to Puget Sound and in the winter when the stream runs high, they remove the pedestrian boardwalk over the stream so there is no access to the beach for humans but the salmon can come upstream.

The trail was rather busy. We passed several walkers out for their daily trek and several people walking their dogs. It was nice to get some fresh air between the rain.

Below is what it looks like in December. And here is Meadowdale Beach in the summer.

Start of the trail

Going down!

Stream bed

No access to the beach today

Picnic area

Peace garden

Holiday Baking – Black Walnut Maple Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2012 by MartaDecember 12, 2012

Nut trees grow extremely well in the Central Valley of California. Everyone had a couple of different types in their backyard. We had a couple of English walnut trees. Every Spring they would bloom with long tassels and in the Fall the green husk would start to darken and the nuts would fall. We would gather them up and lay them out on window screens to dry and then spend the days before Christmas shelling them for baking.

They are often grafted on black walnut stock to help prevent disease. These grafted trees line the country roads and the trunks are painted white to alert night drivers of the road edges.

Black walnuts also grew throughout the valley. There is one native species but there are also many trees of the native Eastern US variety. They were a different nut with a very unique wild taste. We used to also gather them up around the neighborhood and dry them in a similar manner. But they were much harder to crack. First the husks were tougher to remove. Your hands would get black and stained from pulling off the husks. The nut also didn’t crack like an English walnut where you could split it and then easily pick out the meat. The black walnuts shell was through out the center and you had to use the pick in a nut cracking set to pull out the meat. We’d also use them in baking but not as much. The most common use was to make divinity which I haven’t seen in ages.

I came across them this holiday season at my local supermarket. The major supplier is Hammon and they must have a contract with Kroger which is why they showed up in my local store this year. I was trying to decide what to make. I was thinking maple would be a good match. I hadn’t made Oatmeal cookies yet this season so I modified an oatmeal cookie to add maple syrup and the black walnuts. Excellent. The maple and brown sugar give the cookie a slight Caramel and the black walnut taste really shines. Fun cookie to bring back older Christmas times.

Black Walnut Maple Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from Got Milk by Peggy Cullen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 Tbs granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup raisins (you could more if you want – up to 1 cup or include chocolate chips)
1/2 cup black walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugars until well combined. Add egg and beat well. Beat in vanilla and maple syrup.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and oatmeal. Add dry ingredients to wet mixing on low until just combined. Stir in raisins and nuts.

4. Drop the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet using about a heaping 1/2-1 tsp. Flatten slightly. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are golden. They do brown quickly so you will want to watch. Let sit for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Holiday Baking – Dark Chocolate, Pistachio & Smoked Sea Salt Cookies

Posted on December 10, 2012 by MartaDecember 10, 2012

Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorites. They were one of the first recipes that I learned to bake. I was twelve years old and my sister-in-law was living with us while my brother was in Vietnam. She decided to teach me how to make cookies. We used the recipe on the back of the Nestle Chocolate Chip morsels.

They continued to be my go-to cookie in college. I would make them and take them to my calculus class. My good friend R and I made a trip to Phoenix to see her boyfriend (later to be her husband). He was living with G in a small rental that used to be an office. It had three rooms, a living room/bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. There were three of them living in the house while they went to a technical school. We flew down to visit her boyfriend and helped him move back to the Valley to enlist. His number had been drawn on the draft.

I knew the recipe by heart by then and we made a batch for the boys. It was challenging because there wasn’t a real good thermostat on their oven. We kinda just had to warm it up, stick a batch in and check every few minutes. I think they were some of the best if not the most memorable batch.

G and I were not dating at this time. We went along with my friend and her boyfriend to a couple of items but we did not really click. G stayed in Phoenix since his draft number was over 300. It was almost a year later that he returned to the Valley and we finally went on a real date.

I came across this recipe from Joy the Baker. Using the smoked salt caught my interest. I had read another salted chocolate chip cookie recipe on Slow Travel but this was the first I had seen that used smoked salt.

First challenge was to find smoked salt. We went to downtown Seattle so I was on the look out for it and we found it at DeLaurenti. The second was to find Nestle dark chocolate chips. I wanted to use those instead of chipping up a bar. They are not at my usual store – part of the Kroger chain but I did find them at Safeway. The third was to get shelled pistachios. I went to Trader Joe’s.

I made these today and they are quite tasty. They are baked at a lower temperature and come out crispy and with a little caramel flavor. I wasn’t certain how much salt to use – so I just crumbled a pinch of flakes over each cookie. The smoked flavor is real subtle. I’m not crazy about the shelled pistachios that I got at Trader Joe’s. They were a little stale (soft). They were also dry roasted and I should have probably found regular salted shelled nuts. The Nestle chips were okay – not real dark and still a bit milky. I will definitely try a different brand of dark chocolate chips next time.

I also used half the amount of chocolate chips and pistachios but you may want to use the full amount if you love a cookie full of goodies. If you are a lover of chocolate chip cookies – definitely give these a try.

Dark Chocolate, Pistachio & Smoked Sea Salt Cookies
From Joy the Baker – adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup)
1 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 cup)
smoked salt for topping

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Cream butter and sugars together until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Add vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the mixture all at once to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Finally mix in the chocolate chips and nuts.

From a tablespoon, drop the cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet. For smaller cookies, use about 1/2 tablespoon. Use full tablespoon or two if you want a larger cookie. Leave about 1-2 inches of room between each cookie depending upon how large a drop you are using. Sprinkle generously with smoked sea salt.

Bake cookies for 18 minutes, or until just golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will last, well wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Ingredients used

Coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

Nestle dark chocolate morsels

Combining the final ingredients

Maldon Smoked Sea Salt

Just out of the oven

Holiday Baking – Cranberry White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Posted on December 6, 2012 by MartaDecember 6, 2012

Oh…my..goodness. There are so good and amazing. These drop cookies caught my eye on Pinch My Salt. I had a package of Nestle white chocolate chips that was just ready to use. The combination of cranberry and orange also sounded excellent for the holidays.

G and I made these today. They go together very similar to a Toll House cookie but the flavor modifications are excellent. I absolutely love the orange and bit of almond extract in the cookie. They would also be great with dark chocolate or regular chips. We cut the recipe in half and they are going to be gone in no time.

Perfect for the holiday season. Make these!

Cranberry White Chocolate Pecan Cookies
From Pinch My Salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
zest from one medium orange (about 1 teaspoon)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 slightly heaping cup white chocolate chips
1 slightly heaping cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 slightly heaping cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extracts and orange zest.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, then slowly beat in flour mixture until everything is well combined. By hand, stir in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and pecans.

5. Drop heaping spoonfuls of cookie dough (or use a cookie scoop – one of my favorite kitchen tools), spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots.

Yield: approximately 3 to 4 dozen 3 1/2-inch cookies.