Snapshots from the Weekend

This Sunday, with the crisp air and the sun out, we thought it was the perfect day for a hike. The nice thing about Seattle is we're just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the mountains, where there are endless hiking trails for the picking. We met up with some friends and their dogs and headed up the snowy trail at Rattlesnake Ridge. We ended up not getting too far up the steep trail because of the densely packed snow, but we took a stroll around beautiful Rattlesnake Lake instead. What a fun day outdoors!

P.S. Don't you love the last photo? I was cold, so I swapped my Lulu headband for B's hat, so he sported the thing for all of 2 minutes, just enough time for me to get a photo opp.

Delicioso Paella

Our paella cooking class was a soaring success. Unfortunately I was so wrapped up in cooking I forgot to take pictures, so I opted for a delicious looking paella image via google.

Here's a glimpse at our cooking menu.

• Sauteed squid salad over arugula
• Seafood paella Valenciana
• Chicken and chorizo paella
• Natillas
• Red wine soaked oranges

We made all of these dishes over the course of 3-1/2 hours, in between some Spanish history, friendly, conversation, and glasses of a bountiful Spanish Rioja wine. Delicioso! I must admit, I was a bit nervous about the squid. I've never been a squid fan myself - not even the breaded and fried calamari, but the squid salad was unique and refreshing. I may even be a squid convert! Who knew? One of the best dishes of the evening (aside from the paella entrees of course) was the creamy Spanish custard natillas, poured over red wine soaked oranges. Absolutely delicious!

image/myrecipes

Fill in the Blank Friday

Playing along with Lauren of the little things we do...feel free to join in!

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse the most is... "Good times." Always a good segue-way to another topic, or a filler if a silence gets awkward.

2. Today I am thankful for... My students. The funny things they say keep my days interesting and exciting.

3. My best friend is...I have a few people in my life I consider my "best" friend. Among them, my fiance, and two friends I've been close with since middle school and two from college. I consider these people the closest, they know all my secrets. :)

4. A quirky thing about me is...I never forget birthdays. It's almost photographic in my memory. Tell me your birthday, I'll remember it forever.

5. This weekend I...am taking a cooking class to make paella. Looking forward to some learning how to make delicious seafood + rice goodness!

6. Something that worries me is...Not being able to do everything I want in life...traveling everywhere I want to go, doing everything I want to do, etc.

7. On my night stand you will find...My latest book, chapstick, and my cell phone.

image/weheartit

Happy Weekend

Happy weekend! I'm very happy it's Friday. I've been having a hard time getting up at 5:15 AM everyday after a week of no school and the luxury of sleeping in.

This weekend I'm spending some quality time with my wonderful fiance. Friday, we're finalizing wedding invitations before they go out to the printers, and then heading out to a romantic dinner date in nearby Capitol Hill. Saturday, we're taking a cooking class together - how to make paella! I'm very excited, the last time I had quality paella was during my travels in Spain, nearly 6 years ago! I'm looking forward to taking the class together, so we can cumulatively learn and master the art of paella making so I can whip up some concoctions at home.

Have a splendid weekend!

image/bippityboppityboo

Me and You

I'm loving these "me and you," pencils. Pick your favorite "me and you" pairing and give your sweetie a pencil that represents the two of you. Personally for my foodie fiance and I, I think we'd be either "meat and potatoes," or "eggs and bacon." How fitting. :)

What would you be?

image/etsy

Restaurant #5 - La Casa del Mojito

Restaurant #5 in my new restaurants challenge might be my best find thus far. La Casa del Mojito in North Seattle's hidden gem. I'm baffled that not only had I never been here before, I'd never ever heard of this place! This is THE perfect little place to duck out of Seattle's gray, cold weather and enjoy some savory Latin American fare. The walls inside are painted vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and green, you can feel the warmth radiating throughout this cozy restaurant.

Most of my friends ordered the Parilla Luigi (pictured above); lime marinated steak, tostones, black beans and rice, and an amazing guacamole-like concoction. I ordered a traditional Argentinean dish which while not as aesthetically pleasing was quite delicious! Paired with some slamming mojitos and beers, we had ourselves quite a delicious night!

New Seattle Restaurants Tried in 2011

1. June

2. Nishino

3. Long Provincial

4. Po Dog

5. La Casa del Mojito

Where should I go next?

Wednesday Pretty

What's your signature scent? For many years, my go-to eau de parfum was Chanel Chance - sweet, crisp, and lovely. However, in the past year I've tried to mix it up and experiment with new perfumes. My most recent scent du jour has been Marc Jacobs Daisy - also light, soft, and fragrant. But I'm not very adventurous and I usually stick with what's popular and in high demand.

What's your signature scent?

image/pheartache