All Fired Up: Bazooka BBQ 2011

Do you remember how junior high was the most awkward and devastating period of your (my) life? Your elementary school friends dumped you because you were pretty uncool (yeah, I didn't get the memo that high-waisted KMart jeans and men's bowling shirts weren't "in"), you spent most lunch periods in the library reading up on Tarot and practicing ESP on the librarians, and your locker was sandwiched between Mikey, the bully with a Napoleon complex who called you fat to your face, and that girl who kept a bowl of melted M & M's on her top shelf that somehow managed to spill all over your English book.

Ugh. I need a drink just thinking about it. 

Luckily, in 8th grade I met the amazing Kimberly Martin who made the end of my Junior High years much more tolerable....even sort of fun. (And, bear in mind, I did manage to make some awesome friends in 7th grade as well; don't worry, I wasn't a complete outcast).

Kim has been a constant in my life since we were 14; some years more constant than others thanks to college, crazy 2-year relationships (ahem, ME) that somehow manage to isolate you COMPLETELY from your friends and loved ones, and distance. Now she lives in Brooklyn and last week she came for a visit! SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE! Again, this post promises to be picture-heavy and longer than most, but it's definitely worth it!

In keeping with the summer theme, we threw a Bazooka BBQ to honor Kimberly and re-unite the fearsome foursome (high school was so much friendlier than junior high).

Excerpt from a note written by Kimberly to me in high school, circa 1996 (used as the image for the BBQ invite)

THEN (circa 2000 or 2001?) Me, Kim, Jared and Craig

NOW (circa last Wednesday) Kim, Jared, Craig and me

Those outfits were unplanned. I think it's all those years of practicing ESP...we just sort of knew what to wear. I would also like to mention that I am much happier without orange hair.

Mar(r)yland: A Wedding Post

I recently returned home from an amazing trip to the Washington DC area, hence the posting hiatus. I was more than a little excited for several reasons:

1. Cousins that I hadn't seen in EONS were going to be there (and one was the groom!).
2. The weather promised to be the opposite of Seattle's 78 minute summer.
3. It was the first trip I've ever taken with just my mom! (and she is really awesome).
4. On my list of sites to see were the stairs that were filmed in The Exorcist!

So, this post is going to be a little longer than most. I considered splitting it up into two, but then I thought NO! It's mostly pictures anyway. And it's Friday; take a break, read a longish blog post.

We stayed in the resort town of National Harbor, Maryland and although it was not exactly a mecca for vegan dining, it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

The atrium roof in our hotel.

Statue (or is it?!?) on the waterfront.

Our hotel as we approach--in style--on the water taxi.

In spite of the resort-y -ness (yes, it's word, now) of National Harbor, there were two restaurants that hit the spot! We were also lucky that much of the food served for the wedding festivities was Indian and therefore extremely vegan friendly.

So, without further adieu, I bring you:

Ellen's Tour of Vegan DC Land! (No, it's not catchy and I don't really mind.)

It's that time of the month!

Girl's niiiiight!

Brandi and decided that a Girl's Night was long overdue. She and I have been getting together pretty frequently to drink beer and make delicious things, like stuffed pretzel rolls, but we hadn't really done the whole Girl's Night adventure.

We picked a night, we chose a venue, we created a menu. Fin.

(Clearly, I should have been either a theater major or a poet).

(Also, am I the only one who wants to spell theater like this: THEATRE)?

Our theme was simple. Black and white. And not even fancy black and white, just black and white. Because nobody (except maybe me) wants to go to the trouble of re-creating an accurate costume depiction of a 1930s French hooker.

Because it has been sunny for three (3) consecutive days this year we decided to RISK IT ALL and throw a barbecue. Luckily, the weather cooperated.