Central Park Hoodie Update

I started the Central Park Hoodie last winter and then let it go into hibernation when I discovered that I was not alternating my variegated yarn therefore creating pieces of a sweater that were different shades.



After sucking up my pride, I re-knit the left front and knit the right front up. I'm currently working on the sleeves at the same time so they end up equal lengths and allow me to depart sleeve island without a layover.



I decided that I had to finish the Central Park Hoodie before I could begin the February Lady Sweater which I am dying (DYING) to make so it's been a great treat to dangle in front of myself.

Wool Invasion in Downtown Seattle

Wool in the Adidas Store in Downtown Seattle.

WOOL INVASION!



I love it when I see knitting in the real world!

A Visit to the Lunchbox Laboratory

Lunchbox Laboratory
7302 1/2 15th Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98117
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

On Saturday, my eating partner and I headed to the Lunchbox Laboratory for some food infusion. Scott had mentioned that we should visit this restaurant awhile back but this was the first time we had the opportunity to partake in the lab experiment.



We drove along 15th Avenue until I spotted the restaurant sign. It's a smaller restaurant with a small space inside for seating but with plenty tables outside.



The menu was at first a bit overwhelming. You choose from a selection of meats (beef, buffalo, lamb, etc.), cheeses, sauces, toppings and side dishes. They do have some experiments of the day and so I made my choice as did Scott from those dishes. I had my version of the "My Little Allegre" lamb burger which featured lamb, colby jack cheese, maple bacon, balsamic onions and basil ailoi sauce (instead of the recommended BBQ) with sweet potato fries on the side.



Scott had the "Magic Mushroom" burger which featured a beef burger, mushrooms, BBQ sauce and some kind of cheese that I don't remember. He got Tots as his side dish and had to select from the "Salt Menu"



When our food came out from the kitchen (which was hilarious to overhear since the cooks were having some sort of melt-down back there), we wondered if our eyes were deceiving themselves. These were HUGE portions!



We ate and we ate and we ate some more but while Scott was able to clear his plate, I was not able to eat all of my burger. It was delicious and hard to admit to a full stomach.



My final verdict? I'm so going back but next time I'm sharing my burger with my eating partner. Scott summed up our visit well when he told me, "It was Scrumpt-acular!"

February Baby Sweater

It's well known across the knitting-verse that Elizabeth Zimmerman is a genius and after knitting the February Baby Sweater, I completely agree. BUT I do have to say that the pithy directions were a bit mind boggling at times.



I'm getting ready to make the February Lady Sweater and I thought it would be rather smart of me to make the February Baby Sweater first to understand the construction of the sweater. I cast on even though I didn't have a particular baby in mind to give the sweater too but that problem didn't last long. The next day I found out that one of the art directors at work is having his first child (a girl!) and since I love him to pieces, I knew that this sweater was meant for his little girl.



While on the road trip last week, this was my project of choice which was great because it meant I had to figure out Elizabeth Zimmermann's directions on my own and trying to make wise decisions alone. There were some areas where I read the directions to Scott and then asked him if he thought I should do A or B. He's learning so much more about knitting than he ever wanted to.



I have to say that I loved this sweater so much that giving it up was a bit heart-breaking but I did remind myself that I can make another one, ANYTIME I WANT TO!



At the end of the day, EZ is a genius. I'm not fully ready to make my February Lady Sweater once I have finished the Central Park Hoodie (which is about 75% done). I have a feeling I'm going to love it even more than I love the baby sweater.



And yes, the art director was so happy to receive the sweater. He said it was adorable and perfect and too much. But he totally deserved it. His baby is sweater worthy.

Epic Road Trip 2008

This past week, Scott and I went on what we have now termed, "The Epic Road Trip 2008". We had the most amazing time visiting old friends, family and seeing America's natural beauty.



We started the trip by heading down to Lake Tahoe for my friend's wedding. Ali and I became friends in Junior High when she told me that we were going to be friends and that I had to come to her house after school. I was totally intiminated by her and went to her house where we became friends. We hung out together through junior high and high school while having so much fun. After college, Ali moved to California so we just didn't see each other as much but once you have such a good friend, you never let them go in your heart. So when Ali married her true love, I was honored to be there watching them exchange their vows.



Watching an amazing wedding was a great way to start an Epic Road Trip! After Lake Tahoe, Scott and I headed to Yosemite before traveling through Death Valley to Las Vegas. Vegas was exhausting but fun. Death Valley was HOT but beautiful in a strange way.



From Vegas, we headed to the Grand Canyon. The sunset was amazing and we took so many photos before having to hike back in the pitch dark! That freaked me out as well you know wild animals LIVE IN THE PARK and they WANT TO EAT HUMANS!

After making it through without being eaten, we headed to Page, AZ which seriously was dull and strange! We planned to go to Antelope Canyon but I felt the $70 for both of us to see the canyon was completely OUTRAGEOUS and I don't like being robbed. So there.



The next day was beautiful though as we traveled into Zion National Park where we stayed with Scott's cousin. She has a lovely house just outside the park and her husband made us the most delicious meal. They were so gracious.

Scott fell in love with Zion and wanted to stay forever but our next stop was to visit his Uncle in Salt Lake City. It was a bit of a boring drive from Zion to Salt Lake City but we were rewarded with a great time. Scott's Uncle's family was so much fun! They have a 2-month-old and a 2-year-old and a yellow lab. It was like all my favorite things in one. I loved Scott's Aunt and we had a great time together. I would so hang out with her if we lived closer.

After a fun eleven days, we headed home and I'm busy adding photos to my Flickr site. Check back in a few days to see updates to the Epic Road Trip Set.

Busy! Out Road Tripping!

Scott and I are out road tripping across the South Western US. Back soon!

Running and Heart Rate Monitoring

I started my new running group last week and I'm already back in the running fold. I am a group exercise person in that I need a group to tell me when to exercise but I don't actually need to exercise with the group.

This particular running group that I run with uses heart rate monitoring for training purposes which means that a heart rate monitor is crucial.

Before beginning this group, I took myself to the Queen Anne Pool for a swim and I decided to wear my heart rate monitor. Funny thing though, it leaked and well just like that the insides were rusted which meant it no longer worked! The trusty little heart rate monitor that got me through STP, my First and ONLY Marathon, countless triathlons and many, many half marathons, was now leaky and dead. What was I to do without my trusty training partner? The one that was always there for me! The one I treated so shabbily!



Well I replaced her and the new one has a fancy foot pod which measures distances and stuff. It also uploads data to the computer and analyzes my exercises! I love how all the data from my workout is uploaded quickly to PolarRunningCoach.com where I can then analyze the data.

Last night my running group did a heart rate test around Greenlake. I have a cold so I know my data is a bit wonky as my heart rate was a bit higher than usual, not horribly high, just high.

I plan to re-test my heart rate when Julie and I get back from our respective vacations and then I'll be able to compare these two tests easily with my new program.

So unfortunately I didn't learn that good of a lesson here. I learned that if you ruin something you can get something shiney and new that works faster and better than what you had before.

Labor Day Weekending

It was a weekend that flew by with fun, laughter and friends. On Friday, I celebrated a birthday with a knitting friend in Ballard.

Saturday, I awoke with the sun and puttered around the house. Scott was sick so I praticed my nursing minstrations and learned that my bedside manner needs some improvement. I guess telling people that they are NOT SICK when they ARE SICK doesn't really go over well. Saturday evening, Scott and I had dinner with his Mom and her new husband. It was nice to catch up with them. They left for an Alaskan cruise on Sunday and were staying the night in Seattle before they left.

Sunday, we headed down to the Crate and Barrel to look at the couch we wanted to order again. Our building is a bit squeezed and we wanted to make sure that the couch would fit up the stairwell. We debated, we ran into a friend and debated some more.



Sunday evening was magical with a special wedding between friends. It was a small wedding full of love, laughter and toasts. I was influenced to give a toast of my own and while I stuttered some I think I carried it off. Scott and I also took pictures of the ceremony and party for our friends. We both decided that we really enjoyed taking them but that the life of a wedding photographer was not for us.



Monday was welcomed as a day off but one where I discovered that I was now sick. AND I DO NOT GET SICK so I had a talk with myself and decided to run the illness off. It worked somewhat along with use of my Netti Pot. Then we decided to bite the bullet and headed to Crate and Barrel again to purchase the magical couch. Now we have to wait 9-11 weeks for delivery with our fingers crossed the ENTIRE TIME!

And this morning I woke up for work and remembered that I have 8 days until I leave on our Road Trip vacation. I CAN NOT WAIT!