Saturday, July 31, 2010

Date My Space

Alright ladies, it's date 4 and you've decided that the guy you're seeing isn't a serial killer.

It's time to stop meeting in crowded public places, and let the dude pick you up from your apartment. If things go well, you might even invite him back up for a nightcap -- or a SportsCenter recap, either way. But, before you start planning your whole 'would you like to come up' line, there are a few things you need to make sure you've got handy in that humble abode. Think of it like the dating version of baby-proofing -- instead of covering outlets, you're making sure you're covered when it comes to the necessary apartment accoutrement required to maintain that whole sassy, successful single lady thing you've been selling since date one.

First of all, there are few truisms that are...well, truer, than that whole way-to-a-man's-heart thing. We all know there are certain organs that guys tend to defer to in times of need, and one of them really is their stomach. So
, a well stocked fridge is a must. I'm not saying you need to have homemade cookies and pot roast chilling on your shelves. Hell, you don't even need a real kitchen. But, you do need to have cold water, cold beer and a decent bottle of wine on hand. Depending on the type of guy you're going after, a nice bottle of whiskey couldn't hurt either. I've found that you can get a lot of bang for your buck out of Firestone Double Barrel Ale on the beer front, Barefoot Pinot Noir in the wine rack and Maker's Mark on the liquor shelf -- most guys love all three brands, and none of them will cost you more than a twenty. Have some chips and salsa in your cabinets -- if unopened, they keep forever -- and you're all set for a lovely post-date rendezvous on your couch.

While we're on the topic of booze, nothing is worse than pulling off the perfect wine purchase only to find yourself struggling with the cork while trying to maintain that whole smooth seductress vibe. So, make sure you invest in a decent wine opener and a bottle opener to boot. If you've got $30 to blow, check out The Rabbit (
http://www.amazon.com/Metrokane-6004-Rabbit-Corkscrew-Black/dp/B00004SQ0K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1254602887&sr=8-2). Like the famous fun-time toy that shares its name, it's the Cadillac of its class of gadgets. But, if you'd rather save your cash for the wine, you can do just as well with a model like this onehttp://www.amazon.com/Pedrini-Wine-Pocket-Waiters-Corkscrew/dp/B0002AKKYO/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1254602860&sr=8-12, which basically relies on leverage to get the job done. It's what I have, and let me tell you, it's a boon for babes who don't want to spend the whole night fighting with a stubborn cork when they could be spending the time with a good syrah.

Of course, once you
've got the food and booze covered, what else could a guy possibly want? Well, depending on how much wine you've downed, or how late your little post-date party went, there's a very good chance he'll want a cup of coffee. You know how that old book goes. If you give a mouse a cookie, he'll want a glass of milk. If you give a guy enough booze, he'll probably need a cup of coffee. The easy solution to becoming your own barrista, impressing your date and saving the seven bucks you'd spend at Starbucks? My new favorite toy -- the Melitta one cup coffee brewer, which has all the cool science experiment appeal of a french press without any of the expense. In fact, I got mine for less than $10 at the Ralphs on Sunset. You can also buy them for $8 and change on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Melitta-Coffee-Maker-Ready-Black/dp/B001OBY37U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1254603163&sr=8-5). It's also a great single girl accessory that saves you the counter space, expense and cleaning of a real coffee maker and actually makes a better cup of joe than any electric coffee maker I've ever had.


So, now you've got the food, the booze and the caffeine all taken care of. All you have left to do now is hide those stuffed animals on your bed (save 'em for the fifth date), change the channel to ESPN and make sure you've got your shoe pyramid tucked away in a closet (save all hints of potential high maintenance-ness for the fifth date too). Then, it's time to find the last and possibly most important apartment accessory for us gals dating in LA -- a parking space for your man. Because nothing says 'I'm committed to seeing where this relationship goes' quite like 'I just fought that angry guy in the convertible so you would have a convenient place to put your Prius.'

Written by: Mollie Vandor - SpeedUSA Group Resident Blogger

Monday, July 26, 2010

Off to the Island!

From May to September, Tillicum Village on Blake Island opens its doors to the general public to experience and partake in this special Puget Sound gem. A local caterer opened the village in 1962 in preparation for the 1963 World Fair to showcase the ancient culinary techniques of the native inhabitants of the region.

The 4 hour journey starts on Pier 55 in downtown Seattle, where guests board a private ferry and start the 50 minute cruise Southwest through Puget Sound to Blake Island, which lies directly North of Vashon Island and West of Lincoln Park and the Fauntleroy state ferry launch in West Seattle.

After arriving on Blake Island, stroll up the bleached clam shell-lined path for a reception of steamed clams in the traditional long house built with cedar logs and planks and adorned with Pacific Northwest American Indian Art. Upon entering the long house, the central focus of the Native culture becomes evident- the salmon. Relied upon for centuriesas a source of nutrition, and numerous other necessities, Pacific Northwest Tribes placed a great deal of importance on the role salmon played in their societies. At the Tillicum longhouse, the fish are prepared in the ancient method- by skewering them with short sticks of wood and slowly cooking the flesh over a fire of alder planks.

The salmon is served with a fresh vegetable salad, steamed red potatoes, wild rice pilaf, and a dark earthy bread. Local wines and beers are also available for purchase. This delicious and hearty meal is paired with an amazing visual performance called “Dance on the Wind” by a collection of Native American Elders. The show is put on by world-class producer Greg Thompson and similar to the food, does not disappoint.

I recommend this date on the clearest of days, when the cruise from downtown to Blake Island will be best, and the views of the Cascades, Olympics, and Mt. Rainer will be most breathtaking. Weekdays performances are scheduled at 4:30- which is perfect if you can duck out of work early on an easy summer afternoon. For weekends, chose a Saturday or Sunday right after Labor Day when kids are back in school, but Seattle’s Indian Summer is still in full swing.