In The Bowl Vegetarian Noodle Bistro

It was a drippy Thursday night. I got home late and cleaned my surprisingly messy apartment. It was 8:30 before I realized I was hungry. I have lived in this apartment since August and I have never ordered in. I decided to change that. Besides, I finally bought a microwave today and it should be put to work heating up left overs.

To find a restaurant near First Hill, I turned to Google (of course). After sifting through review after review, and calling a few restaurant that didn't deliver I found In The Bowl Vegetarian Noodle Bistro. In The Bowl is in Capitol Hill and sounded tasty and unique. I scanned the reviews for what to order because I didn't have a menu. I settled on something called Tac Team, an order of spring rolls and some soup. Everything I read said that In The Bowl is a restaurant that doesn't skimp on the spice so I scaled my typical 4 star down to a 2.

One of the things that makes In The Bowl unique is it's a completely vegetarian restaurant. But they go beyond tofu, they have vegetarian duck, chicken and beef! I'm a new vegetarian and haven't been very creative so far. I was really excited to see what "fake meat" tasted like.

The service was very fast. They told me, over the phone, that it would be there in about 40 minutes. I was surprised when someone buzzed my apartment twenty minutes later. The food was great. Faux Chicken doesn't taste like chicken... which I actually found comforting. It would be a little too weird if someone could make meatless chicken taste like chicken. It's very good though. I was glad I went with the 2 star, it was plenty spicy enough. The soup was delicious and there was a lot of it. It was full of fresh mushrooms, fried tofu, coconut milk and spices. I would order it again in a heartbeat. I'm not sure what it's called though, I had the woman add it to my order to reach the $20 delivery minimum. In fact, I ordered enough food to feed at least two people to reach that $20 minimum. On the plus side it saved me from eating a PB&J sandwich the next day.

My favorite part, aside from how fast the food got here, was the little (free!) desert added to my order. It's not very helpful that I don't know what it's called either. But I know it involved sweet red beans and some condensed milk (or cream or soy milk...?). And it was one of the best things I've ever tasted. They gave me two. Based on how much food I ordered they must have thought someone else was helping me. Yum! More free dessert for me!

I need to stop by and experience this restaurant in person, but if I want to eat in my sweats again and have someone else bring the yum right to my door their number is on my fridge.

Prices: Enjoy a full meal for under $10.
If you want delivery: muster up a big appetite or grab a friend, the minimum is $20.
Hours: Monday, Wednesday-Thursday 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Address: 1554 E Olive Way, Seattle WA, 98102 (Capitol Hill)
Phone: (206) 568-2343

New Park in Fremont - Great View and Greek Mythology

This weekend Owen and I went on a quest to find Fremont Peak Park, the new park in Fremont. It opened on November 10, 2007. We thought it would be big and easy to find, but after driving around in circles we hadn't stumbled upon the park. Finally, we started calling anyone who might be near a computer and could point us to the park. We found it! And it was little and poetic. There is only one entrance to the park, and it begins by telling the Greek myth in which Ariadne gave Theseus a spool of silver thread to help him trace his way through a labyrinth to slay the minotaur. The story is engraved on silver "thread" along the ground. Then you follow the silver "thread" to a clearing with an amazing view of Puget Sound, from the Space Needle to Ballard.
The park might be small but it is deep. By that I mean it is filled with symbolism from Greek Mythology to Cosmology. The more I read about the park the more complex I understand the artist's and architects vision to be. So if you'd like to feed your head and enjoy a beautiful view - visit Fremont Peak Park.

Price: Free! The best kind of fun!
Location: Palatine Ave N. and N. 45th Street, Seattle WA (the north hillside of Fremont)
Hours: 4am - 11:30pm
More Information:
Friends of Fremont Peak Park
Meet the Artists: Haddad & Drugan

City Home Store - More than Furniture

If you live in Seattle you may know City Home Store in Capitol Hill as the place to find contemporary furniture for small living spaces. Their chic couches and ottomans double as storage units, their desks and vanities become end tables... basically they sell magic furniture. Magic furniture with surprising ways to save space without sacrificing your personal style.
I went into the store expecting beautiful furniture that would look great in my small studio. What I didn't expect was everything else. This store is filled with delightful additions for any home - at a great price. And what I really loved was that, unlike other knick-knack filled stores that leave me overwhelmed and sneaking politely for the door, the City Home Store has the perfect amount of unique products. It's as if the Goldie Locks of home decor has blessed them.
Also, the shopping assistants were friendly, attentive and never overbearing. They checked in when it was clear I had too much to hold, and made a little stash for me by the register.
My favorite finds include a mat made entirely of smooth beach stones (perfect for the bathroom), a photo album made of beautiful pressed leaves and bamboo as well as classy black and white screen printed sheets.
This is a store that is constantly getting new goodies in, and is fun to wander through. Trust me, you'll find something you didn't know you couldn't live without. And it will be a unique find, which is the best part.

Prices: Depends on what you're shopping for. Furniture isn't cheap, but as we all know you get what you pay for... and this isn't build it yourself. But you won't be shocked - it's well within an average price range. As for rugs, lights, martini glasses and all the other fun stuff it's VERY reasonable. $12-$60
Location: 517 E. Pike Street. Seattle WA. 98122 - Capitol Hill
Website: City Home Store
Hours: Monday through Thursday 11a-7p
Friday and Saturday 10a-8p
Sunday 11a-6p
Reviews: NWSource Shopping Guide - Daily Find