Monday, July 30, 2012

Vancouver, Eh!

Ken and I visited Vancouver, Canada, this past weekend! Since renewing our passports in May, we've been trying to find a time to visit this country, which is just shy of three hours by car from us. And last Tuesday, we found an amazing deal on Expedia's last-minute unpublished rates page in a 4-star hotel. (I don't think I've been in one like it since our honeymoon!) So, we decided to go for it. The resort featured a large indoor pool with a water slide and an awesome breakfast buffet, two big selling points for me. We really enjoyed this chance to relax, sight-see, bike around Stanley Park and find creative ways to go down the resort's water slide. 

Vancouver is an incredible city! From the moment we crossed the border last Friday morning, it felt like we were in a completely different country than America (which makes complete sense I guess--haha.) I wasn't expecting Canada's port city to feel so different than its US neighbor but all the subtle differences compound quickly. From the gas stations advertising their $1.87 (Canadian) per liter rate (which is really expensive compared to Seattle!) to the countless "Make Poutine Canada's National Dish!" posters ("poutine", according to my Canadian friend Sheri, is basically french fries covered in gravy and cheese curds), Canada was quite the culture shock to me. 

At times, I felt like I was back home in Hawaii, with its stunning water views and lush mountain slopes. The salty sea breeze and friendly demeanor of the city's residents were welcome and inviting. I then felt confused as we walked through the streets of Vancouver, with its giant skyscrapers, a mix between NYC (which I've only seen in movies) and the "Matrix". I also asked Ken more than once if we were somewhere in Asia, since many citizens are Chinese and Korean. 

While in Vancouver, we ate some tasty sushi and visited various landmarks around town. I'm already looking forward to our next visit, whenever that happens. (I also want to make it farther east, to the small town of Alberta, where my friend lives. I promise to try poutine when I'm there.) Here are some photos of our trip!
















Monday, July 23, 2012

Where the Wild Things Are {Backpacking Adventures}

This past weekend, Ken and I tackled the Cascade Mountains Lewis & Clark Style (well, somewhat.) We had initially planned on venturing outdoors for a two-night backpacking trip, starting Friday afternoon and ending Sunday night but then Ken's professor scheduled a midterm that Friday afternoon. Because of this, we decided to postpone the trip a day so that Ken had ample time to take his test and pack. That was perfect timing for me since I came down with a 24-hour stomach flu that same day. All that to say, we finally hit the road Saturday morning and headed to the lakes near Mount Pilchuk.

Each of our packs weighed between 25-40 lbs, mine being about 25 lbs and Ken's being almost double in weight. This trip, I had much more success in resting the weight of the pack on my hips than in the past. I think my pack has seen many adventures, since we bought it a couple years ago from a local thrift store and it doesn't always adjust well to my body. Loaded with two sleeping bags and pads, our two-person green tent, rain and cool weather gear, our cell phones, matches, a small travel stove, three water bottles and about 2 gallon-size camelbaks, a tiny stainless steel pot, three hot dogs, three peanut butter sandwiches, some bread, one can of baked beans, a pack of quinoa and oatmeal, four homemade granola bars, and a few paper products and spoons, we began our hike to Lake Twenty-Two via the digital map on Ken's phone. There was no trail where we set out on our first attempt to get to the lake and after multiple felled trees blocking our path and mosquito and bush attacks, we turned back to our starting point. Along the way, however, we came across an amazing find: orange, yellow and bright purple and red raspberries! Lush berry plants were all along the road we had taken to reach our supposed trail. We even found high-bush blueberries in that same area--a plant I'd never seen before this trip.

Ken and I eventually decided to make camp along one of the closer lakes we found, since our original plan fell threw. It was so peaceful and unspoiled near the lake. We didn't see any other campers near our campsite until we stumbled across two men, probably a dad and his son, much further down from us. Tall evergreen trees, many old growth, surrounded us. The aromatic smell of the forest was fresh and bright. From our campsite, we could see the lake on one side and the steep slope of the mountain on the other--the best of both worlds.

Ken built an afternoon fire quickly, the mark of an experienced Eagle Scout. That night, we lounged around the fire, cooking hot dogs, baked beans and smores. Inexpensive food always taste better to me when you're out camping. During dinner, Ken and I played word games and shared stories of camping and hiking as children. I love how Ken's parents cultivated a rich fondness of the outdoors in him and his brothers. I want to do the same with our children, teaching them not to fear the outdoors but have a respect for it.

In the morning, I awoke to rabbits thumping around our tent, an owl calling from a nearby tree and a woodpecker chomping away at the forest. It felt so freeing to being outdoors, surrounded by trees, breathing in fresh, crisp air. On Sunday, we packed everything up and hiked it back to our car and then turned around and hiked some more. We headed up a steep hill climb and enjoyed the far-reaching views. When my body started to give out from fatigue, we turned around and hiked back to the car. On our drive down the mountain, we made sure to stop multiple times to gather more fresh berries. In all, we gathered just under 4 quarts. I'm so excited to make raspberry jams and pies with our fruit!

What an adventure Ken and I embarked upon. Looking back, I'm so glad that we made time to explore more of God's creation--it's wild and untamed beauty, especially while we live in Washington. Here are some photos of our trip:













Fresh Basil-Lemon Halibut

Since our freezer is half full of halibut fillets from our recent trip to Alaska, I've been on the hunt for an easy, tasty fish recipe. Ken and I love fish and the mild flavor of halibut lends itself well to many seasonings. Yet, I've found many flavors take away from the actual 'fresh fish' taste, which growing up in Hawaii, I learned to treasure. The foil technique included below helps keep the fish moist while it bakes, "steaming" it in the basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. I hope you will enjoy this easy yet simply delicious vinaigrette!

Foil-Steamed Lemon-Basil Halibut

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped and/or crushed
Salt and Pepper, to taste
3-4 six-ounce halibut fillets

Aluminum foil, for baking

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, chopped/crushed and garlic cloves in a small bowl until combined. Stir in fresh basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. With large sheets of foil handy, dip each halibut fillet into the lemon-oil mixture and place onto a large sheet of foil, one fillet per sheet. After placing all the fillets onto separate sheets of foil, gently lift the sides of the foil up, creating a bowl-shape for the fish (so that liquid will not spill out.) If any oil mixture remains in the small bowl, divide it among the fish on the foil sheets. 

Wrap the foil together, loosely sealing the packets of fish, so that no liquid escapes during baking. Transfer the fish packets to a large baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees 10-15 minutes, checking for doneness. (Fish is done when it flakes easily off a fork inserted into it.)

Optional: I cut up slices of yellow squash and included them in the halibut packets. You can easily do this with zucchini or other vegetables.




Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Mr. & Mrs. {A Series of Professional Photos}

Last month, Ken and I visited his parents in Alaska and had the unique opportunity to do a photo shoot with Marilyn Jeffers Photography. Since our second anniversary is coming up next month, Ken and I wanted to commemorate our first couple years with some visual mementos. Our time visiting friends and family in the ruggedly beautiful state of Alaska felt complete after getting to take home some gorgeous photos with mountainous backdrops. Based out of Eagle River, AK, I highly recommend Marilyn's work and ability to capture vivid color and movement.


I hope you enjoy these snapshots!















Saturday, July 14, 2012

Hello Baby Shower Goodies!

Pastel Layer Cake with Buttercream Roses
This afternoon I celebrated a dear friend's soon-to-arrive baby girl. Another friend and I had the privilege of hosting this party and I must say, I love hosting parties! Beating, mixing, whipping, baking, frosting, decorating and prettily packaging cakes and goodies are some of my favorite hobbies. So it was sheer pleasure being asked to provide the treats for today's gathering.  

A few weeks ago, I decided that I'd finally make Martha Stewart's famous pastel layer cake and chocolate whoopie pies (think giant oreo cookies with fluffy creme filling). Yum. Or, in the words of my brother-in-law upon opening his cookie care package I sent, "Nom, nom, nom."

Regarding the roses I made, I have to smile as I think about how much time I spent trying to teach myself how to pipe icing flowers out of soft buttercream frosting earlier this week. Every time I molded the flowers, it didn't work. The icing wasn't stiff enough. So, if you are going to make roses out of icing, please make sure that your icing is stiff enough to support the petals. Also, it's best if the icing hardens within a few hours for easy transport (if you are taking your cake to a friend's house, a party, etc.) I recommend freezing the individual roses and then applying them to the cake when you are ready to leave the house or an hour before serving. Good luck.

Here are some photos and ideas for your next baby shower or celebration. I thought of making the "whoopie!" toothpick tags as a last-minute idea this morning and I'm proud of how cute they turned out. Thanks goes to my husband for helping me cut the paper and glue it onto the toothpicks while I was frantically racing around the kitchen finishing the cake and pies. You're the best! 

I hope you enjoy trying these recipes! See below for links. 


Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling

Toothpick Tags

Pun Intended

Treat & Snack Table



Tissue Paper Flowers add elegance on the cheap

Recipes & Instructions: