Pan African Market - a dash of west Africa in Pike's Place

Sometimes you miss what's right in front of you, just as I have for so long. The punishment - living in the Seattle for years, going to the Pike Place Market, let's see...at least 52 times a year AND missing out on some fine West African delicacy from Pan African Market on 1st and Pike. It's a great place to sit outside on a sunny day and enjoy a plate of Beef Tibs, which is a delicious tender cut of beef sauteed with onions and peppers or my favorite - the spicy lamb stew - small tender pieces of (carnivorous) heaven which they often run out of and the vegetable sampler - a succulent medley of six different vegetables, almost forming the color of a rainbow and includes cabbage, spinach, peas, carrots, and more. Everything comes with their store made, really soft Injera - a delicacy from west Africa in the form of a flat bread.

Now if you want to go all out - don't be shy to order everything in one plate, roll up your sleeves and jump in with you hands - you won't regret it.

Visconti's Tiramisu

Tucked away in the Northern Cascades range, far away from it's alpine junction is a fascinating Bavarian village - Leavenworth. There in that magical little countryside is a fine Italian diner called Visconti's, named after the legendary rulers of Milan.... OK enough introduction...their Tiramisu is to die for!!! One of the best I've ever had...right there with Mrs. Risso's (friends mom) home made one. This creamy tiramisu just melts in your mouth, with the smooth taste of cocoa and espresso complimenting the very existence of ones taste buds.

Of course, the starters and entree were delicious too...

Happy Holiday with San Francisco

Even though this was not our first trip to San Francisco, we did experience quite a few firsts. So what City Lights was closed on the night of Xmas, we found this quaint little cafe in the North Beach that was serving the most scrumptious cheese cake and defining cappuccino - Caffè Puccini (yea i know - we went for books and ended up with cheescake, not bad huh?).

Well actually, let's take a step back...before all that we took a drive to Santa Cruz and started off in the beach - nice and warm, something that the weather gods nod against in the Puget Sound area in this time of the year.

Next stop was Mystery Spot, a place where the law of physics behaves, well, a little intoxicated, and I kid you not, the gravity of the situation is quite serious. ;) There you will find your center of gravity off base by about 17 deg. So when you think you're standing straight - your level headed friends actually think you're looking funny, leaning forward. There if you pour water in a plank that's leaning one way, the water may actually flow towards the other direction. Why? You got me...I'm sure there's a little bit of showman hanky panky going on, but it does have a true basis.

Ok now comes the super fast exit out of this blog for (most) things we've already done before...

...posing in the golden gate, missing the Alcatraz tour, walking around in Fishermens Warf, yummy street side lobsters, caricature artists, the cable car ride, Pier 39 sea lions, real desi treat from Shalimar, Xmas tree in the Union Square, comfy goose down pillows in pickwick hotel, getting chocolaty in the Ghirardelli Square and more trips to Shalimar!

...there...