Columbia City Bakery

In our neighborhood, Columbia City, along Rainier Ave. S sits a wonderful little bakery. This bakery with the unclever name "Columbia City Bakery" ceases to be uninteresting with it's name.

I am a not a stickler for a bakery but I am also not uncritical either. I hate getting things that are too stale, too boring, that were thawed overnight and then baked in the AM etc. But this bakery is doing what bakeries should- baking amazing, delicious wonderful baked goods and serving them up with lattes with art on them (because in Seattle a latte without art is a shitty latte).

I believe that this bakery is so good it is worth an out of the way stop and must be avoided if you live locally (because you'll be hooked). There cookies are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had, their cupcakes are perfectly sweet (and not too sweet -the downfall of many cupcakes), their breads are rich and moist, their coffee cake crumbly but not dry. . . on and on.

Point being. This is not just a coffee shop stop (though you can make it one if you want) this is a wonderfulness stop on the ride of life! Don't miss it.

Mioposto in Mt. Baker neighborhood. Eat it. Enjoy it.

Salad and Pizza A plus!

Review of Winter

So is it strange to review a Season? Yes. Am I going to anyway. Yes.

Having lived in the Southern Midwest and in New England I have experienced the diversity of 4 seasons. Seattle is proving to be a tad bit different, and frankly, weird.

To start off one should know that I HATE being cold. I would rather be hot any day. Except that it has to be REALLY REALLY hot for me to classify as "hot." Also, when I get cold it takes me sometimes hours to warm up.

Seattle is weird. It's not cold in the strictest sense. In fact, it rarely stays below freezing. But that is what is actually hardest. The "mildness" of the winter stops me from wearing long underwear- or bundling really well every time I go outside. So in fact, I am finding that if I am not careful I get colder than I anticipated- because it a bit more mild but not so mild that I don't get cold.

Another new things for me is that at times it warms up into the lower 50's and then it smells like springtime smells in Massachusetts and Illinois- The melting wet ground gives me false springtime hope when in fact, it is only January!

I guess this isn't a review as much as a topic. But so be it.

Seattle Public Libraries

For the first time in my life I am using a public library- frequently. When I was a kid we didn't live in town and my parents bought a library card (don't pay city taxes no free library) and we would venture into town and then the (air-conditioned) library. When I got older and we were in school we stopped going to the library so much and then it was over. I had access to libraries in college, and graduate school do I didn't have the need for public libraries until now.

The Seattle public libraries are rumored to be one of the most well funded library systems in the US. True or not I think they do a great job.

Fees

Fees are minimal, check out lengths are somewhere between finishing the book and forgetting about it.

Book requests

As far as I am concerned they could be a tad faster but pretty much every book I've requested and under every topic I have found something (from Phillipino short stories to Catholic Feminism)

Diversity

Our neighborhood is fairly diverse. And the book options cater to that diversity at our local branch. I am frequently picking up novels (with pretty covers or intriquing names) and finding that the characters are minorities. Or that the books are translated from the original language.

Service

Good. Real people with answers. And they are downright good to kids.

Building

The Columbia City Branch (our branch) is a Carnegie library- so it has interesting architechture. But the flagship is the downtown library. It's just cool. Take the elevator up and walk down the ramp that goes down all the floors. It's a nice weave through the world of literature.

-So obviously I haven't eaten out recently. But I've been reading a lot.

St. Cloud's in Madrona

I love St. Cloud's in Madrona. I have never had anything bad there. In fact, I have never had anything less than wonderful. My problem with St. Cloud's is that I want to eat everything on the menu. They do an amazing brunch, but what inspires me to write this is not their (amazing) brunch but is their amazing dinner. Beloved and I were invited on a whim to go to St. Cloud's. It was late but we hadn't eaten so we shared a dinner.

So my review.

St. Cloud's for dinner ain't cheap. Entrees range from 14-21 (there are a couple things that are market price so periodically more than 21). With a salad or a drink this could add up fast.

We only got one entree: the Parmigiano-Crusted Pork Tenderloin - served on a bed of penne tossed with bacon, spinach, capers & tomato, topped with spinach aioli for 21.00. It was amazing. The flavors mixed well it was definitly comfort food in terms of having carbs and meat- but resisted boring!

The service, as always, was great! After all the same people have worked there for what seems like generations. We happened to be there when there weren't very many guests and we were treated to a piece of birthday cake that had been served in the bar. It was an impressive amount of generosity.

Finally, St. Cloud's feels kind of like you enter into a family when you eat there. Servers remember people, they give back generously to their community. And frankly, I think they love what they do.

Me Gusta St. Clouds. 5 *****

So my beloved and I have eaten here a couple of times since being here. Let me be frank. I think that it is overrated. I think the pizza is okay- but it is soggy. I think that it is reasonably priced but it is not exceptional. Honestly, what I think is the best is the

Beloved and I got the special with broccilicini on it.It was perfectly fine but the broccili was was overcooked, and frankly it didn't blend well with the flavors. Their canolli is pretty good. Their coffee is very good. Even though the place is down the street, I don't think we'll make a habit of it.

Goodwill

Wow, I love the Seattle goodwill on Dearborn Street. It is first of all an amazing gathering of humanity. Many languages, creed, ethnicities, colors. It is a little bit like being in Cambridge- with more real and less education. Oh speaking of colors, I LOVE how GoodWill stores organize their clothing according to color. It makes my heart leap with joy when I see it. I love rainbow organization of clothing.

Okay but beyond my emotional response, the Goodwill has just an amazing amount of stuff. It changes over a lot. The furniture selection there is relatively interesting. Beloved and I got a Nintendo 64 and some controllers their for very cheap- some baskets, fabric, and other decent housewares.

As with all goodwill stores it is hit or miss. And though I celebrated the electronics they had it can be a real bear digging through all the baskets and baskets of cords, adapters etc. It's brutal. Some stuff there is crap like cameras and CD's.

As a fan of garage sales, consignment shops, trash, and salvation army/goodwill stores I highly recommend.