Friday morning, before we went and picked my brother up from the airport, we went down to Pioneer Square and checked out some galleries - my Mom had mentioned maybe warming my new home with some fine art, and I'd been kinda keeping an eye out all week, but didn't find anything. We found something Friday morning!

It's this:
(Ms. Knowles, I hope you don't mind me using the image...)

It's by Amanda Knowles, a (now-) local artist in Seattle, represented by the Davidson Galleries. We looked at about 4 different galleries down there, but about 4 works by this artist really caught my eye, and I narrowed it down to this one. So, thanks to Ms. Knowles, thanks Mom, and as soon as I get it back, thanks to the framers. Finally, my walls won't seem so bare!

I know it's been suspenseful, but I'm still here. My brother arrived Friday without incident, and we immediately started trekking towards Woodinville to get some lunch and check out wineries. After much direction-misreading (and useless conversations with winery employees), we arrived in Woodinville, and promptly checked out the Red Hook Brewery for lunch. The place is pretty ridiculous, a large complex of buildings whose rooflines are like coniferous minarets - an interesting design. In any case, they make a mean summer ale and a commendable bacon cheeseburger, after which we were out the door - for thirty seconds, to Chateau Ste. Michelle winery across the street.

We happened upon Cheateau Ste. Michelle just as a tour was leaving, so we gathered our tickets and checked it out. Winery tours are basically all the same, a very rough outline of the winemaking process, followed by looking at a lot of barrels, but Chateau Ste. Michelle has a bottling line, which was operating at the time, and very exciting. The tour was followed by a tasting of three wines conducted by our tour guide as though everyone tasting was about six years old. Plus, the wines were pretty mediocre. We considered checking out their reserve tasting, but decided our money would be better spent across the street (next to Red Hook) at Columbia Winery, and we were right.

For $5, we got the reserve tasting menu, which was a Chardonnay, a Merlot, two Cabernets, and a Syrah. Both of the Cabernets were good, as was the Syrah - but we noticed that the regular, free menu had some bonuses: A Washington Sangiovese (a varietal popular in Italy, notably made into Brunello di Montalcino), and a reserve Syrah which appeared to be even better than the one on the reserve tasting menu. So they were. The Sangiovese was very good - not quite Italian in taste, but among the best American Sangiovese I've had, and the best (and only) from Washington. The Syrah was also excellent, easily beating his elder brother who I had to pay $5 to taste. As a bonus, we persuaded the clerk that even if my Dad and I both bought a half-case and he had to process them entirely differently and ship one to him, it was still worthy of the case discount - so we did that. If you're in the Seattle area and carrying around a hunk of cheese or a steak, drop by, and I think we can make arrangements.

After that, we headed back to the city for dinner at Wild Ginger, the Thai place everyone talks about - badly. It gets rave reviews from many reviewers, but it seems like every Seattleite I've spoken to about it bitches about the price and quality. Well, I dunno what they're on about - sure, it's pricey, but the food was delicious. Maybe not strictly Thai, but very very good. We had many many pieces of meat en brochette from the Satay bar, all of which were delicious, followed by a refreshing soup - the Wandering Sage soup. It's a simple consomme with pork dumplings, and it was fairly good - until the waiter recommended that we add a little bit of chile puree, and then it was *awesome*. Highly recommended.

Afterwards, my brother and I ventured up to Fremont to hang out with a couple people he went to college with and one of his friends since elementary school from St. Louis - we went to the Triangle Lounge, which was a fine time, and then the George and Dragon Pub, where everything starts to get a little hazy. Fine times were had by all.

Saturday morning started slowly, and indeed progressed that way. Ben went to watch the Oregon vs. Oklahoma game with friends (check out ESPN for the news about that one), and I played Scrabble at my house with my Mom. We walked down Broadway at about 4 and happened upon a charity hot-dog sales event, so we contributed to society a little and walked back. I still don't know what the charity was, but they make a decent dog. As long as you don't let them put cream cheese on it, which is apparently the custom here.

More Scrabble, then dinner at Salty's on Alki - a restaurant reviewed primarily for its views of downtown Seattle from the West Seattle peninsula, which is awesome, and secondarily for its food, which is competent, but certainly not rave-worthy. Actually, they do have a very good seafood chowder, which I'd recommend. I had seared tuna on sticky rice with a balsamic reduction, and it was good, but no need to gush. After dinner (which, after being reserved at an already late-ish 7:30, actually commenced closer to 8:30), I dropped my brother off at his friends' house and went home and went to bed.

Today, up at 9, breakfast at the Corner Cafe again (same meal, this time with Italian sausage rather than bacon), and then dropping the family off at the airport. Now, I'm just relaxing. It's very nice.

On a side note, I'm listening to John Mayer's new album, Continuum - it's pretty good. I don't like it quite as much as Try!, but then, it's a more subdued, poppy studio album. It's still got some good stuff on it.

Man, that's the most eventful weekend I've had in a while. Now you can go about your business.

More updates:

This morning, up bright and early for breakfast at the Corner Cafe, at Madison and Terry. It's a little place, maybe 10 tables around, but they serve a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and have a full-fledged Tully's inside - all the whole-bean coffees, espresso drinks, etc. The breakfast (2 eggs, bacon, sourdough toast, and griddled red potatoes) was very competent, and everyone else seemed pleased. A pancake whose size was described as "the size of my face" by our waitress captured everyone's imagination until it arrived - in reality, it was much bigger than her face.

A quick drive up to the University of Washington campus, then downtown to the ferry terminal to find out that the ferry to Vashon Island from Seattle is passenger only, then a crazy back-roads guessfest over to West Seattle to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal to go to Vashon ensued. Quite a scenic route, I must say. We got to Vashon, drove to Vashon city, and wandered - a small number of little shops and things in their downtown, and then we had lunch at the Rock Island Pizza & Pub, a little joint on the edge of town (one building over would have been the center), but they had a very good pizza, and according to the sign outside, the best subs on Vashon Island. My Dad said it was good, but then, the best on the island probably isn't idle boasting - the only other place I saw was a Subway.

After that we ferried back to West Seattle, then took the far less-scenic route across the middle of the peninsula back to my apartment in Seattle, where we lazed and talked about dinner options for some time. We ended up wandering down Broadway to Julia's, a festive establishment on the fashionable end of Broadway, where I had a spinach, mushroom, and parmesan-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto atop pesto mashed potatoes, which was just as good as it sounds. My Dad had the jambalaya, which I've had there once before (it's very good), and my mom a steak of some kind, which she says was good - I'll never know, I gave the leftovers to a hungry guy on the way home.

We almost were going to have dessert at Julia's, but I said no, we should go to B&O Espresso, I'd heard good things. Man, was I pleased we decided to. After a brief and enjoyable walk (it's nice to get a little walk in between dinner and dessert) we arrived, and started ogling the huge and well-stocked dessert case. We sat down, ordered, and about 5 minutes later had our desserts. I had the B&O Espresso Torte, which was a moist chocolate cake soaked in espresso and filled with chocolate mousse, with a sort of fudgy crust, which was delicious. My Dad had a chocolate cheesecake covered in raspberries (also extremely delicious), and my Mom had a piece of German chocolate cake, the best I've ever tasted. It was just so completely delicious, I get a little weak in the knees just recalling it - and I only had one bite. The place also has a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu, some of the best espresso in the city, a full bar, and free wifi - I think I found a new home. Now if they'd just get some wider doors so I can continue to come and go after a few more desserts there...

After that, a quick walk home, dropping off the folks at their hotel, and I'm back. What'll I do now!?

My brother gets in town tomorrow, then the fun starts - Wild Ginger tomorrow night, and there's talk of El Gaucho on Saturday. I should probably make reservations.

(Hi Dr. Nick!)

Anyway, hey. I just thought I'd write because, well, I get pressured into writing. Also because I don't have anything else to do. So here's the rundown:

My parents are in town. I picked them up from the airport last night, brought them to their very fine hotel (the Sorrento, in case you're interested), and sat around and had a few drinks and little appetizers in the hotel bar, because it was there. Good times were had by all. The hotel itself is just chock full of old-world charm, and the bar is a very traditional dark wood, brass fixtures type place, with one beer on tap: Stella Artois. That's really all you need. So, about 12am, I bid them adieu and came home and slept.

This morning, I went back over to their hotel for a nice breakfast (a malted Belgian waffle with honey whipped cream and fresh berries, mmm....), and then we went out on the town. We drove through downtown, I pointed out some of the more interesting sights (my favorite being the Lusty Lady peepshow sandwiched directly between the Harbor Steps apartments (a very desirable address) and the future Four Seasons. I'll bet the owners of both those places are just thrilled.

So, we drove around for a few looking for parking, found a place on the near-downtown and of Belltown, and began wandering. We wandered through the market (for quite a while), wandered past (and maybe into) Pike Place Chowder and grabbed a couple cups of soup for lunch (while being serenaded by a great a capella group singing mostly gospel and blues-type music), and then wandered some more. After that, we took a brief tour of Belltown, stopping in a few galleries and knick-knack type places, and seeing what was perhaps the highlight of the day - a black, high-backed leather settee, which was very comfortable, retailing for the low bargain price of $13,875.

It was quite comfortable.

We then proceeded back to my house, where my Mom and I played the longest, most painful game of Scrabble I've ever played (and that's saying something), and debated dinner.

We eventually decided on the Palace Kitchen, one of famous Seattle chef Tom Douglas' restaurants, and it's a good thing we did - everything was delicious. We started with marinated, apple wood grilled chicken wings (perfectly spicy and tender, mmm!), and what they call "Plins" - little tiny ravioli full of pork sausage and Swiss chard. They're a little bit like a tiny potsticker, but in a creamy sauce. A little sour, a little savory, a little bit of porky heaven. They were good.

For dinner, I decided to talk a walk on the wild side and have Tom's homage to corn - a sweet corn custard served atop a pan-fried white corn cake, atop a bed of sweet corn kernels, heirloom tomatoes, and arugula. I know, lots of corn - but it was delicious! An amazing variety of textures and tastes considering it was all corn - a sweet corn custard is actually a pretty delicious thing, and quite a neat trick.

My Mom had an entire grilled trout with new potatoes and some kind of bean, all of which was delicious, and my Dad had their burger - very well done, traditionally topped, served with a small mountain of the best french fries in recent memory. A rousing success.

Then back to my house, to watch House (I don't buy that diagnosis for a second - I'm watching you, House. The next completely off-the-wall diagnosis and I'm just going to write the *most* scathing letter. The MOST.) and sit around. Looks like tomorrow we'll ferry over to either Vashon Island or Bainbridge island - we've yet to decide.

Any suggestions? You've got almost 12 hours to let me know!

Well, here I am at the end of another boring weekend. Nothing new to report from the previous two days, but I did have a bit of excitement today.

I finally got so bored that I had to leave the house, so I started looking for reasons - I was thinking about going kayaking, but couldn't find anyone interested and didn't feel like going myself, so I abandoned that. About 6, however, I started to get a little hungry and decided that it was as good a time as any to go down to the harbor and have some fish and chips at Ivar's. If you're ever there, I'll attest that the cajun fish and chips and a Coke really hits the spot, though I think $9.50 is a bit excessive considering what you get. I guess you have to pay for the location, though.

So, while I was sitting on the pier eating my fish and watching the world go by, a ferry pulled into Colman dock, just the next pier down from me. I didn't have anything better to do, so I figured I'd ferry on over to Bainbridge Island (about a 35-minute trip), check out what's there, and ferry back. I really wanted to get out of the house, you see. So, I purchased my ticket, whiled away 20 minutes in the ferry terminal reading "The Innocents Abroad," Mark Twain's European travelogue, and trying to ignore the various odors emitted by the ferry terminal and its passengers, and eventually boarded the ferry. I spend the next 35 minutes admiring various views of the sunset over the mountains, the moon over the city, and various other things that, were I not alone, would have caused me to "Oooh" or "Ahhh" audibly to the person next to me.

I arrived at Bainbridge Island a little chilly, but happy about the journey, and walked into Bainbridge Island city center. Well, I don't know if they move the city on weekends or if I didn't find the city center proper, but for 9PM on a Monday, the place was utterly deserted. I had hoped to find a cup of coffee or a cookie or something and read some more before getting back on the ferry. Alas. So, I went back to the ferry terminal, and read there on the gangplank until the next ferry arrived, and then ferried back to the city. Lots more oohs and ahhs would have been muttered, and a cup of cocoa from the hot drinks vending machine on the ferry actually proved to hit the spot quite nicely, exceeding expectations.

Once back in the city, I was faced with a nearly insurmountable 2-block incline to get back to a bus stop, so I took the obvious alternative, a ten-block detour that, while five times as long, was only slightly inclined the whole way. Plus, the detour had the side effect of allowing me to see what the crazies were up to this fine Monday, which I always like.

My, but the crazies were out in full force. The first struck as I was walking up 1st Avenue, between Union and University streets. A homeless man, thick matted beard and all, approached a pay-phone booth and began to examine the various leavings on the top of it. There were at least 2 fountain soda cups, an empty 40oz, and a pint of milk. To my astonishment, the man instantly reached for the milk, examined it carefully (both tactually and olfactorily), and presumably judged it safe, because he then drank whatever remnants were in the carton. Now, I understand being in need, and thirsty, and crazy; however, if I come to a point in my life where drinking things left on phone kiosks is no longer out of play, I will still maintain a staunch stance on leftover dairy - no milk. Anyway, I gagged a little in empathy, and moved on down the street.

As I was walking to my bus stop at 3rd and Pine, I heard quite a commotion coming from somewhere just up the hill. As I arrived at the top, I saw, across the street, about 5 young gentleman outside the McDonald's across the street, exchanging heated discourse and occasionally punching each other in the teeth. As this progressed, jackets and hats were shed, and then the two groups proceeded to beat the shit out of each other for about five minutes. After this was done, the groups began to retreat, reclaiming their jackets and hats, but then the discussion started up again - more words exchanged, jackets and hats shed, once again, onto the sidewalk outside the McDonald's, but, surprisingly, as the combatants approached each other and seemed about to erupt again, they shook hands and walked away amicably, collecting jackets and hats as they went. The reconciliation might've been related to the fact that three police cars arrived about 10 seconds after it happened, but it might not've. In any case, I couldn't ask for any better entertainment while waiting for the bus.

Shortly thereafter the bus arrived, depositing me back home, where now I think I'll go to bed.

At least I got *something* done today.

Well, at the request of all my readers (both of you!), here's an update.

I finished* my first project at work last week, and finally got some sleep. Everything went relatively smoothly, aside from exposing the fact that when you have a strict deadline, you sometimes have to do things in advance. If you don't, launch day is longer and much more stressful. Now I'm moving on to my next project(s), which seem less overwhelming, and also don't have a do-or-die deadline. Finally, I can relax.

Outside of work...well, there really was no outside of work there for a couple weeks. I did get the opportunity to see my first 2 Mariners games, against the Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Who Had, For A Short Time, Come To Seattle To Play A Series With The Seattle Mariners of South Downtown. Both were good games, although the Angels game was excellent - Felix Hernandez, the Mariners' up-and-coming starter, threw a complete game in 95 pitches, walking none, allowing 5 hits and no runs. Quite a game.

Then, work work work. Friday I got to see Jeff Bezos speak for the first time, presenting to the company his thoughts about the (recent) past and the future. I can't share specifics, of course, but when you're a CEO, you have to have a knack for making outlooks seem rosy. I also saw a video demo for the new Nintendo Wii, and I think I might have to get one. They've eschewed the "3 d-pads is better than 1" idea prevalent in most recent game consoles, and totally overhauled how you play games with the gyroscopic Wiimote. It looks like a lot of fun, and I'd rather have lots of fun and not get arthritis than pay $600 for graphics that are marginally better than some other box and gameplay that was clearly an afterthought.

Plus, the Wii's going to be much cheaper than the 360 or the PS3.

That's about all to report. Mikey and I are shifting the hell out of lots of paradigms, putting together a new application using Extreme Programming (in general, the practice of having a few people develop an application at the same console, in constant communication) despite the fact that we're 1000 miles apart. Maybe when we get a working copy of it, I'll tell you what it does and post a demo here.

Or maybe I'll just keep it nebulous and raise lots of venture capital with which I'll buy Ferraris and marble busts of myself which I'll admire for two weeks before declaring bankruptcy. I really haven't decided yet.

Thanks for listening.

*aside from stuff we're going to fix later.