Check out this short audio from NPR on Kirkland (via Kirkland Weblog) and the changes to my adopted hometown over the years.  They are building "Googleplex north" here which is discussed in some detail.  Lots of development (still) going on here – let’s hope the growth is managed for the benefit of us all.

No doubt is from Malena’s Taco Shop in the Queen Anne neighborhood.  The place is small, quick, and really good.  We lived in Queen Anne when we first came to Seattle and enjoyed the giant burritos from here often.  Word of warning – one is enough to feed two..or you need to be really hungry as I was earlier.  I made a trip over there today for an adobado burrito because I woke up with it on the mind.  I am now very, very full.

Good time last weekend here in Kirkland at the PACE 5k.  Yours truly ran it in 25:07…surprising even myself but I was in need of a good run that morning.  Hope that helps for the upcoming Seattle Half-Marathon as my training has not been rigorous this year.   

Marel and I had the opportunity to attend the Washington/Oregon football game this past Saturday.  Going to see the Huskies play at home was something that had been on our list of things to do while living in Seattle and, thanks to our friend Steve, we were able to experience it. 

A few of observations:
1.  This rivalry is pretty intense comparing to ones I know well from the SEC like Georgia/Florida or Tennessee/Alabama – great passion among the fans on both sides.
2.  Tailgating is pretty serious although the tent shelters are to keep the rain off, not the sun.  I saw a few grilling set-ups that were pretty impressive.
3.  You can get hot chocolate (whip cream optional) from the guys walking the stands vs. Coca-Cola.  This is indicative of the goal of staying warm.
4.  They serve Ivar’s clam chowder at the concession stand.  More for staying warm.
5.  The stadium is old school – bleachers in the end zone, running track around the field, and no concentration of big dollar skyboxes.  Classic college football.

All in all, a great experience although the Huskies lost.  Give Willingham a few more years and UW will be a contender.

A bit of a "wind storm" tonight made for white caps and waves blowing over the 520 bridge today on my way home from downtown.  These don’t get as much lip service as the rain out here, but apparently they are another fixture of this place.  This was not as bad as last year when the power was out for days on end and we had 90 mph gusts – although my friend Rob may dispute that as he was landing at Seatac tonight.  Looks like it has passed at this point. 

Congrats to Marel, Anne, Vanessa, and Elena for participating in the Kirkland triathlon this past Sunday.  The little one and I made our way down to Houghton to see folks entering gray and rather choppy water on Lake Washington early Sunday morning.  Everyone did a great job and it was a well done event.  Maybe next year for me…

As posts on food seem popular (my post on cedar plank salmon gets a fair amount of traffic), I thought I would highlight another great part of living in the Northwest and the types of seafood available.  If you’ve never heard of halibut cheeks, I’m sorry.  I hadn’t before we moved here and they are quite possibly one of the most amazing pieces of fish you can eat.  I am even on the halibut cheeks call list at Tim’s Seafood here in Kirkland so that I can get them when they come in.

My favorite way?  Ginger and Soy.  Shave a piece of ginger root and stir it into some soy sauce.  Pour it over the cheeks and let it steam covered.  The most difficult piece of this recipe is finding them – and not sure you’ll see them too far from the Northwest.

If you run or aspire to and live in the greater Seattle area go to Everyday Athlete for you next purchase.  Marel and I were there today and Lance did a fantastic job of getting us set up.  I needed a new pair of shoes and, after developing a nifty case of plantar fasciitis after the Virginia Mason/Seafair half marathon in July, I actually solicited some advice on the best shoe for me based on how I run.  Apparently you are no longer bulletproof in your mid-30s and it is important to both stretch and have a relatively new pair of shoes before you embark on a distance run.  Who knew?

Anyway, overall great experience and recommend you stop in if you are shopping around.  They’ve also got great information on upcoming races and events. 

Another great option is Road Runner Sports over by Green Lake where Marel actually won a pair of shoes a couple years ago. 

Wow.  What a great sunset tonight.  This is from our deck in Kirkland looking West out toward the Olympic Mountains (that you can barely see in bottom left of the pic).

This is how I spent a great couple days near Winthrop, WA this past weekend.  Our group of brave adults decided a real camping trip would be just the thing we all needed and so we hauled most of our belongings along with our dogs and children (all under 3) to the "wilds" of the North Cascades.  Thanks to Marel for putting those consulting skills to work and creating a project plan for the outing – we would have been lost without it.  Not a lot of sleep and a lot of chasing (dogs and kids) but we had a really good time.  Stopped off in Leavenworth on the way up for a brat and beer at the Munchen Haus with our entire entourage (if you were there on Friday, my apologies).  We rounded out the trip with a return via the Methow Valley and North Cascades highway – amazing scenery.