#24: Searching for Spring

This month, the kids and I set off for a repeat visit to Patty's Egg nest.  Ever since our last visit back in 2010, I have had a $5 off coupon in my pocket and thought I hate to let it go, I figured it was about time  to cash that puppy in. Plus, with inflation and all I suppose that prices have only gone upwards/   Patty's is just a mile or so downhill from our current abode, but I figured we'd all benefit from a nice hike through Carkeek Park, the crown jewel of Seattle's northside parks.  I figured it would add about 90 more minutes to the walk, and that we'd all be plenty hungry for flapjacks.
 

We hiked up Mary Street and into one of the feeder trails that slice into the southern underbelly of Carkeek.  This particular trail has some landmarks that we enjoy; a lean-to teepee we built last spring, fallen logs that look like dragon heads (and that we beat on our way into the park), an overpass that has great echoes and serves as an imaginary castle gate, and a huge blackberry patch that serves up delicious berries every August.  

I took Yuken in the backpack, Pacifica took the camera, and Issei took out a couple of hard oak wooden swords.  We searched for signs of spring, took pictures, and beat up the dragons, and eventually hit the actual Carkeek trail.  I had skied the trail--or tried to--some weeks back, but it was of course all clear now.  As we headed further east we spotted a couple of banana slugs snaking their way down the trees, and crossed a couple of funky, moss-covered bridges.  Eventually we came to an old apple orchard, where we stopped for reserve snacks and a water break, then pushed forward the last mile to our destination.  

When we finally left the woods, we were all happy and hungry.  I could taste the pancakes and smell the bacon...but when we saw the line of folks dripping out into the stripmall parking lot, my heart sank.  The kids and I walked into Patty's and saw that it was worse than expected; the head of the line was a cluster of 20-odd churchgoers, fresh from prayer and patient as saints.  We, on the other hand, were hungry, impatient, and spattered with mud.  I ran through an inventory of pancake places in the area, but on foot and hungry I figured the odds of us arriving before the kids hit bottom was slim to none.  

I asked anyway...but the kids would have none of it.

We settled on the QFC grocery store--a modest-sized affair that the Egg Nest, a nail salon, gamer workshop and a Mongolian BBQ have sprouted around.  Inside, I deposited our backpacks and loaded a cart with my three kids, and headed straight for the donuts. We each picked our favorites...and though I was tempted to grab two, decided against it.  Then to the yogurts, some milks, a baby-sized roll for the baby, and a box of strawberries.  The older kids pointed out that the strawberries weren't washed, but luckily the lady at the sushi stand was there to give them a thorough soaking, and the Starbucks had a nice cup of hot coffee for me.  

We sat down and tucked into our meal, and though we did not have the chance for a cheap toy from Patty's treasure chest, I heard no complaints. Yuken enjoyed his first strawberries, Issei ate all of the sprinkles off his donut, and Pacifica talked us all into giver her bites of our yogurts.  Before we left, I tucked my $5 coupon back into my wallet, saving it for another day.

#23: Sharp Teeth and Salmon Bay

Right about Halloween, Pacifica, Issei and I went down to Salmon Bay to the Salmon Bay Cafe.  The restaurant sits across the water from the fisherman's terminal, across a run-down street from the condos and hipster joints in Ballard, and nicely wedged between two purveyors of concrete.  Apparently stingy as the parking lot hadn't had an overcoat of asphalt since the first of the three Bush administrations. We went in a bit sceptical--dark doors hung with skeletons for the season-- but left happy, and full of pancakes, and with two full sets of new teeth.


Like the parking lot, the inside of the Salmon Bay Cafe has not been updated for a while.  The layout is typical for a true greasy spoon--an area that once had a counter (by the kitchen), and two areas of booths to accommodate smokers and those that don't want to sit by smokers while they smoke the smokers' smoke.  Fortunately for us, many years have passed since customers were allowed to light up, so while the structure remains, the smells and public smokers are long gone.   The waitstaff were all smiles--led us right to one of the many open booths by the window, with a commanding view of the aforementioned arterial road.  While weathered (and taped) the booths were comfortable and clean, as was the glass table. Not much to ask, but duly noted.  And then the activity pages, crayons and water.  We knew what we wanted.

The menu had everything a typical fisherman or farmer would would need to fuel up for the day; stacks of cakes, eggs a number of ways,  scrambles, eggs benedict, and nothing to unnecessarily fancy to upset the palate so early in the morning.  As a bonus, there is even a section of the menu labeled healthy, just in case you wanted to come in for a $5 cup of oatmeal or some sliced fruit.  But I can't imagine going for that with the smell of bacon in the air....


The Kids, as expected, went straight for pancakes.  Me, I got some sort of scramble...eggs and cheese and potatoes.  Again, staff was excellent--I would say some of the best servers this side of the Cascades--and the chef exceeded all expectations.  Each stack was decorated with a modest face made of fresh fruit, and next to the 800calorie dollops of butter were toothpick-strapped flags and cocktail umbrellas. One of the US, one for Mexico.  This made us think of uncle Brett and his new restaurant in La Cruz, Mexico...Pacifica.  After some discusssion, we all decided that Pacifica should get the Mexican flag.


The portions were perfect--I at half mine and brought the rest home. The kids left nothing for the compost bin, save the butter packs.  Before we left, the servers (did I mention them?) brought over a big bucket of Halloween treats, and let the kids spend time digging through the tattoos, fake blood packets, stickers, and nonsuch.  The kids settled on vampire teeth, which added just the right touch to their costumes. Vampire nutcracker, and vampire Coppelia.