December craft party

Craft Party #2! I had a few more folks over this time and almost finished a new project (just a bit more to do..). It was so fun to get some quality time with friends, with the bonus of learning some new crafts. Thanks to everyone who joined me!

Kate's giant felted stocking!

my stockings made of leather - we'll see how it works out

Cristopher joins in!

Laura's smart phone mittens - beautiful!
(Laura, I love this picture of you! If only it didn't cut off your eyes...)

my first craft brunch - finally!

After years of wanting to pull something together, I finally hosted my first craft party! Here are some pictures from the day. I am so excited to finally have a space to work with friends, and can't wait for the next one.

Joy's felted mushroom

My so-ugly-it's-perfect curtain

tea tour 2009 & gay bingo

I had such a great Seattle day yesterday. My friend Ash invited a handful of folks on a tea tour. Seattle has lots of tea places and I've been back in to tea quite a bit lately, so I signed right up. The schedule:

1st stop: Ash's house for bisquits & gravy and/or strawberries
2nd: the Panama Hotel Tea House at 6th & Main in the International District - an incredible place. We started with the lychee black tea - I wasn't sure I'd be in to either - but it was delicious. And the place has some amazing history. I would have been fine staying there for the day, but we had to move on - lots of tea out there to taste!
3rd: World Spice Merchants on Western by the Pike Place Market. This was more a spice joint, but on the lower level they had the bulk teas out - I don't think they normally have people come in for tea, but a guy there made us a pot of white tea (I think), was very nice, and gave us GIANT mugs to drink out of. We hung out there on some old stinky couches and debated whether or not all green tea comes from one plant (turns out, it does - along with oolong, black, white, and pu-erh, which I found out about at a later stop). All in all it was a nice stop (although I did get a semi-dirty cup that I had a hard time getting over. It's obvious they generally brew tea only for themselves and not for customers) - some folks bought spices (which looked amazing and I'll go back for), then we headed into the market.
4th: Vital Leaf Tea - this was an amazing place I've passed SO many times in the south end of the market but never realized what a gem it was. We sat down at a long, low bar and the bartender (teatender?) immediately began serving us various teas in thimble-sized tea cups (quite a switch from the stop before). I couldn't begin to name them, but we drank another lychee tea (a little sweeter this time), many many black teas, and herbal teas. I have no idea the number of thimbles I drank, but it was an incredible experience that I'd recommend to anyone who likes teas. I left with a new teapot (with a cool plunger design), the knowledge that you need to rinse black teas and only steep some of them for a second or so, and an ounce of lychee tea.
5th: Remedy Teas - the pièce de résistance. I had heard about this place in Capitol Hill - it's even better than what I expected from all of the hype. We started out with a white tea, then had a matcha shot (the tea version of the wheat grass shot). But that's just part of it. The wall behind the counter lists at least 140 types of teas you can order in bulk. The menu is ginormous and intimidating, but I am determined to conquer it. I ordered 2 green teas and 2 rooibos (which I learned I had been pronouncing wrong - it's 'roy-bos'). The absolute beauty of this place, besides the scrumptious tea, is the labels. After the crash course in teas all day I was definitely concerned that I would not know what to do with the tea. How long do I steep? How many times can I use the leaves? And then the final kicker, What temperature water do I need to use? Well Remedy Teas is brilliant and put all of that info on the package for you. I happily walked out of there with my teas and instructions.

Next we all went to the Elysian for dinner. I was so hopped up on tea that I was in dire need for food. We had a not-so-great waitress but the food did not disappoint, as usual. I opted out of drinking beer (which is a hard thing to do at the Elysian) because C and I were heading to Gay Bingo to table for Camp Ten Trees. I ran Gay Bingo from 2002-2004 so it's always fun to go see how much it's changed, the vibe, etc. It's changed a lot, and it's no longer how I would ever run it, but it does well, everyone has a blast, and it raises money for a great cause. The funny part is the host was Geisha Star, the very drag queen that used to live directly across from me in Capitol Hill. We both lived on the third floor of mid-century buildings and both had windows down the full length of the apartments. Neither of us ever closed our blinds, and I'd see her getting ready, putting on makeup for shows, and rehearsing numbers with her backup dancers in her living room. I loved it, and I'm sure she knew many of us across the street could see her dancing. It was great press. This was the first time I had actually seen her perform outside of her apartment, and she did not disappoint!

So ends the incredible Saturday adventures of this Seattle girl. I can't wait for the reunion tour.

starlings

I run in this well spinning spinning fast in circles up the wall, falling to the dirt floor when momentum fails me. Starting over again not giving up four years now, smoothing the brick so my path isn't so bumpy. A rope & bucket - was it here before? I grab hold and climb - the circle of sky is expanding Light hits my face and I nearly fall from the shock of it. My feet are on thick green grass and I run. Cartwheels! Like I didn't have legs before now. So long since I've seen these spirits I swoop them all up and we all run together Up trees, on rocks in rivers, examining worldpools and laughing at the poetry of it all.

Something yellow is up the road - starry light explosion propelling the golden beast that I now realize is a bus. I chase it like a puppy thrilled with this game - singing loud to the music surrounding me. I am out of breath and lay down in the lush grass to listen to the music, the wonders around me warming me from within as the bus gets smaller and smaller until it disappears in the sun.

On different same journeys.

your girl

Boise & Babies

It's Friday night and I just got back from project leader training in Boise. I met all six of my project leaders for my program, and I'm left feeling exhilarated. It's the dream job I was hoping for, with so much possibility. There's been lots of shit over the last four months, but meeting everyone - all the pls, plus the boise and charlestown staff was great. Everyone is so nice, and it's great to have faces to all the people I have been talking with all this time.

I'm going to be learning to lead better by encouraging others to lead better. I'm so excited - not to mention how much I'm absorbing and learning as I go. I'm inspired - I want to do the best jop and be fantastic support for these people. And I already feel like I've learned from them as well. They are going to teach me how to be a better leader, while they look to me to do the same. How cool is that?

I'm liking traveling too, but tonight's flight SUCKED. It was really bumpy the whole way - I get so ridiculous - I felt like I was going to die, kept mantras going like "smooth," and "I'm on a train, the tracks are bumpy," trying to remember the Chicago trains I rode when I commuted. I was next to an older man from Madrid - he's the VP of Nicklaus Something or Other, Jack Nicklaus the golfer's companies. He also owns two golf courses, too, one in the South of Spain and one on an island in the mediterranean. Crazy. He was nice though, and helped me get through the rough flight.

I had a great walk in Boise along the greenbelt - a path behind the hotel along the snake river. You walk out of the hotel in the back, and if you turn left and walk 45 minutes on the paved path you are in downtown Boise. To the right is almost immediately a dirt/sand path, very windy with frequent small sandy and rock beaches. It was so pretty - very peaceful. It inspired me to walk more. I'm also really thinking about having kids in the Fall, so I'm especially getting motivated to get my body in shape for carrying a child.

Speaking of babies, Becky is pregnant! She's due in November - Matt called me today. I'm so happy for them both. Jenny's also due any day now - the 16th I believe. New babies in the family!

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