{No. 116} GOOD EATS :: CAFE MUNIR

Cafe Munir in Ballard

One thing I love about living in Seattle is the variety of ethnic foods we have available. I wouldn't call myself a foodie, but I do love trying new dishes and experiencing cultures through food. Tonight, I had the chance to meet up with an old friend for dinner, and she suggested we try Cafe Munir in Ballard. I'm not terribly familiar with Lebanese food (aside from the dishes mixed into your typical "Mediterranean" menu), but I was up for the challenge.

Cafe Munir is a great local Lebanese restaurant and whiskey bar in the heart of Ballard. I wouldn't call it a hole in the wall for any reason other than if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't know it was there. Tucked away between 24th and 25th Avenue, its airy, modest decor sets the stage for simple and elegant dishes. The menu is set up in traditional Lebanese family style, where everyone at the table shares all of the food, and most dishes are served with the traditional thin Lebanese bread.

Since my friend had spent a lot of time across the pond, I let her make the call on what to order. We started with a few small mezze--the Besara, a classic dip, made with lentils, caramelized onions and cilantro; the Muhammara, a roasted red pepper dip with chilies, walnuts, and pomegranate; and a side of fresh veggies. Both the Besara and Muhammara were delicious, the Muhammara being slightly sweeter, a perfect complement to the more complex Besara.

Basara, Muhammara, and fresh veggies at Cafe Munir

For the main dishes, we ordered Shish Taouk--two skewers of chicken breast, marinated with lemon and a side of garlic sauce. This was my favorite; the sauce was amazing, though if you're not a fan of garlic, you can still enjoy the grilled chicken in the lemon marinade.

Shish Taouk, at Cafe Munir

After the chicken, we moved to the Lamb Shank, slow braised with spices and spring vegetables. The shank was delicious, with aromatic spices, including hints of pumpkin and cinnamon. We finished the meal with Arabic coffee, a small, strong liquid, served plain in tiny fenjan.

Lamb Shank with spring vegetables at Cafe Munir

Best of all, Cafe Munir is focused on supporting the local community, using food suppliers like Goodies Mediterranean Market, Grace Harbor farms, Olsen farms, Sammish Bay Cheese, Better Meat in Ballard, and Fresh Fish Company. The menu is vegetarian/vegan friendly, and full of healthy, delicious choices.

I'm not very familiar with traditional Lebanese cuisine, but everything we tried at Cafe Munir was beyond my expectation. If you're a seasoned foodie looking for a new dinner spot, or just curious about Lebanese food, definitely try Cafe Munir. I'm hoping my next visit will include a whiskey pairing!

Check out their blog for more mouthwatering photos, as well as a fun Whiskey of the week.

Cafe Munir
www.cafemunir.com
2408 NW 80th St
Seattle, WA 98117

{No. 115} GOOD EATS :: PIZZA NIGHT

In case you were too busy watching the Academy Awards last Sunday to pay attention to my Instagram feed, you may have missed out on the drool-inducing glamour shots I posted of my homemade pizzas (after all, an awards show that long deserves some carbs, am I right?).

After getting a few requests for the recipes, I thought I'd share them here. These are largely based off of others' recipes, with modifications (for the better, if I do say so myself). If you want to peruse the original instructions, I've included them below.

Disclaimer: A big not-so-secret secret of mine when making homemade pizza is to skip the dough if I'm short on time. I love Trader Joe's pizza dough, and it makes the pizza making much more fun and less stressful. Though I'm sure some pizza purists out there may balk at my store-bought shortcut, it's a great way to cut down on the time without sacrificing on taste.

{Caramelized Onion + Gorgonzola + Pear Pizza}

(original recipe here)

{Carmelized Onion + Gorgonzola + Pear Pizza}

Ingredients

+ One 16oz. bag of TJ's Regular or Whole Wheat pizza dough

+ One medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced

+ 1/8 cup butter

+ 1tbsp olive oil

+ 1tbsp sugar

+ 2 large pears, cored and sliced lengthwise

+ 1tbsp lemon juice

+ 4tbsp balsamic vinegar

+ 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

+ 2oz. gorgonzola cheese (more or less to taste)

+ Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Take pizza dough out of the bag and lightly flour a countertop or surface for rolling out the dough. Allow dough to rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°. If using a pizza stone, place this in the oven now (pizza stones should be hot for the crust).
3. Slice the onion; core and slice the pears, tossing in lemon juice so they don't brown.
4. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the olive oil so the butter doesn't burn. When the oil and butter mixture is hot, add the sliced onions and sprinkle with sugar. Sauté the onion until it begins to brown; Stir in 4tbsp balsamic vinegar and continue to sauté until the onions are caramelized. 
5. Flatten the ball of dough into a disk shape, and shape into a disk about 10-12in in diameter and approximately 1/8in thick. Roll out dough using a rolling pin to achieve this thickness, or, if you prefer more of a pizza rustica, use your hands! Lightly flour dough on what will be the bottom of the pizza and transfer to the hot pizza stone or a cookie sheet.
6. Spread the caramelized onions and sauce over the pizza crust. Evenly arrange the pear slices on the pizza and sprinkle with gorgonzola crumbles, salt, and pepper; distribute shredded mozzarella.
7. Place pizza and stone or cookie sheet in the oven and bake for ~12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. 
8. Remove pizza from the oven, slice, and serve!

{Goat Cheese + Prosciutto + Arugula Pizza}

(original recipe here)

{Goat Cheese + Prosciutto + Arugula Pizza}

Ingredients

+ One 16oz. bag of TJ's Garlic + Herb pizza dough

+ 4-6tbsp pesto sauce (I like Trader Joe's Pesto alla Genovese) 

+ Tomatoes, thinly sliced (the original recipe calls for 3 roma tomatoes, though I used several baby heirloom tomatoes for a little more color)

+ One 8oz. package of goat cheese

+ 4oz. sliced prosciutto

+ 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

+ Two cloves garlic, peeled and minced

+ One cup arugula (add more if you love arugula as much as I do)

Directions

1. Take pizza dough out of the bag and lightly flour a countertop or surface for rolling out the dough. Allow dough to rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°. If using a pizza stone, place this in the oven now (pizza stones should be hot for the crust).
3. Slice the tomatoes, mince the garlic, slice the goat cheese into thin medallions (this is easiest if the cheese is cold, not room temperature), and slice the prosciutto into thin strips.
4. Flatten the ball of dough into a disk shape, and shape into a disk about 10-12in in diameter and approximately 1/8in thick. Roll out dough using a rolling pin to achieve this thickness, or, if you prefer more of a pizza rustica, use your hands! Lightly flour dough on what will be the bottom of the pizza and transfer to the hot pizza stone or a cookie sheet.
5. Dab pesto in the center of the crust, and evenly distribute the sauce using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
6. Spread or crumble goat cheese medallions over the pesto. Arrange tomato slices and garlic over goat cheese; place prosciutto strips evenly over the tomatoes and sprinkle with mozzarella.
7. Place pizza and stone or cookie sheet in the oven and bake for ~12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. 
8. Remove pizza from the oven; allow the pizza to cool just until the cheese has set. After a few minutes, cover the pizza with handfuls of arugula. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

{No. 114} FIT TO BE FLY :: DIARY OF A FLYWHEEL VIRGIN

For those of you who know me, you probably know I'm not the most athletic person you'll ever meet.  Sure, I'm a great ballet or jazz dancer, and I can hold my own among the yogis, but if you've ever seen me attempt to kick a soccer ball, or spike a volleyball over the net, you'll know what I'm talking about. Once, I even caught my own out in kickball. I'm telling you, it takes talent to be as uncoordinated as I am. Which is why, in hindsight, I really can't believe I'm alive enough to even type this right now. You see, my co-workers (my athletic, kick ass, beautiful, driven, take-no-prisoners-attitude co-workers) talked me into signing up for FLYWHEEL. And people, I lived to tell the tale.

It all started when a colleague of mine suggested that a few of us get together after work one day to try out Flywheel, the latest spinning sensation. Granted, this is a woman who was a college athlete, and has clearly been on more bikes than I. Excited and naive, I obliged and signed up for the class, thinking, "YES! I AM WOMAN! HEAR ME ROAR!" Her anecdotes of the classes she had experienced sounded fun, and I figured if it wasn't for me, I could politely decline next time, knowing I gave it a shot. After all, my New Year's resolutions included "Say Yes" and "Live Better," so clearly I couldn't say no.

Now, If you're thinking you know what I'm talking about when I say spinning class, you really don't. This is spinning on steroids. Below is how Flywheel describes it. I, on the other hand, describe it as a heart-pounding, oxygen-robbing, aggressive, terrifying, exhilarating, inspiring experience. And that was all in the first 10 minutes.

In general, I'm of the opinion that any good workout should make you hate the instructor and wish you could pass out so it will all just be over. That means you're pushing yourself to a new level. This was definitely that kind of workout. I'm sure on any other day, if I met our instructor on the street, I'd find her engaging, funny, and would be super jealous of her figure; but in the context of our class, I really, really wanted hate her.

I will agree, however, that my body was challenged and my mind was relaxed, in an "I can't think of anything but how much I want this to be over" kind of way. In the end I felt proud for doing something different, new, and somewhat Herculean, and I will definitely be going back. Perhaps it's best to walk you through the experience step by step, (via my inner monologue, of course):

(t-48 hrs) | Yes! I just signed up for this new thing -- I don't really know what it is, but I know it will be AWESOME! You GO Glen Coco!*

(t-24 hrs) | Okay, starting to get a little nervous. Maybe I was a little too overzealous when I made that reservation. But I can't back out now. Better suck it up.

(t-20 hrs) | Gotta pack my bag, gotta have my Flywheel gear 'cause it's Flywheel, Flywheel, gettin' down on Flywheel, everybody's lookin' forward to the spinning class. Party it, party it (yeah)! Party it, party it (yeah)! Fun, fun, fun, fun....I wonder if I should I bring my inhaler...Nah.**

(t-5 hrs) | College-athlete co-worker asks if I'm pumped for the class. Outside, I give an enthusiastic "You know it!" -- Inside, I'm terrified of falling off the bike.

(t-15 mins) | Shoot, what user name did I sign up with? Do I want to be on the Torqboard? Um, no. Let's skip the humiliation for the day. Also, what are these shoes?

(start of class) | You can do this. You can do this. HOLY....look at our instructor's arms. Yes. I WILL look like that.

(5 mins in) | Wow. I'm out of breath already? This is not good. Where did I put my inhaler?

(10 mins in) | I wonder if people pass out in this class. Guess it wouldn't matter, since we're clicked into the bike. Oops, there goes my water bottle cap. This is not going well.

(15 mins in) | Nope, not lighting my fire, not making me feel better. I kind want to die, actually.

(20 mins in) | Yep. I'm officially dying. At least I'll go down like a bad ass. Clearly this is called FLYwheel because people drop like flies.

(25 mins in) | How can the instructor keep up her pace and still talk like a normal person? She is amazing. This is insanity.

(30 mins in) | Hey I like this song. Wait, I think she's yelling at me. Yes, definitely me. But seriously. Look at her arms. Okay. Do this.

(35 mins in) | Did she really just make us pick up the weights to do arms at the same time as spinning? I definitely deserve a glass of wine tonight.

(40 mins in) | 5 more minutes. 5 more minutes. 5 more minutes.

(end of class) | Don't mind me, I'm just going to melt off the bike.

(home) | I feel great! I don't know what I was thinking back there when my legs were about to fall off. I love spinning! (lifts arms in shower to shampoo) Ouch, that's going to hurt tomorrow. This definitely calls for a Glen Coco moment. Maybe two. And a glass of wine. You GO Glen Coco!

Interested in signing up for a FLYWHEEL class? Here's the Seattle site. See you there! I'll be the one happily struggling.

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*No, Glen Coco is not my alter ego, but it is the ultimate self-high five. If you don't know who Glen Coco is, clearly you did not grow up in the Mean Girls era, and have not seen the greatest movie on earth. I strongly suggest you correct that immediately.

**Yes, I still use an inhaler for my exercise-induced asthma. Coupled with my love for books and inability to see without glasses, growing up I was the ultimate nerd. Leave your judgement on the floor.

{No. 113} RESOLVE 2013

2012 brought a lot of wonderful experiences and hard-learned lessons. I'm not going to re-hash my year here, but just thinking about all the experiences I had makes me so much more excited for the year ahead. I know a lot of people shrug off resolutions as flimsy goals for the next year, but to me, they mean a lot. I think resolutions are a way of reminding ourselves that there's always room for improvement, and you can always expect more, do more, be more. With a little silliness and the best intentions to carry these through the entirety of 2013, here are my New Year's resolutions:

Say 'Yes.'
It can be easy to get stuck in our ways and shut out new experiences, especially if we have a lot going on in our lives. I want to make a practice of opening myself to new experiences. Saying 'Yes,' when I might otherwise say 'No.' Maybe it's to meeting new people, taking the lead on a new project at work, or trying a new food that doesn't exactly fit my palate, I'm excited to try new things this year.

Simplify.
Try not to use 20 words when 10 will do. De-clutter my desk, my house, and my closet (yes, even my shoe collection). Surround myself with only the things and people I truly love, so my life will be richer and lovelier every day.

Live Better. 
Okay, everyone has some form of this on their NYRs - eat better, drink less, exercise more. Do yoga, run more, keep up my kickball league. All of these are things I aim to do in the new year in pursuit of a healthier life.

Create.
One thing I wish I would have done more of last year was make time to be creative. Being creative unlocks passion and brings new ideas where stale ideas existed before. Andrew Rosen, CEO of Theory, advises to combine your work with something you love. So this year, I'm going to make that a priority, through blogging, crafting, writing, and pinning my way to creativity.

*Bonus: Overcome (or at least confront) my irrational fear of zombies. 
I've always had a thing for zombies, in the way that they scare the living daylights out of me. Trust me, I know this is completely irrational, so I've taken it upon myself to confront my fear, starting with The Walking Dead. I hope to round out my year with several zombie flicks, like Warm Bodies (which looks hilarious) and a book like World War Z. Wish me luck!

What are your resolutions for the new year?

{No. 112} LISTEN :: MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS

If you're looking for some new tunes, I've had Electra Heart, the latest from Marina And The Diamonds, on my playlist for the past few weeks.

How to Be a Heartbreaker is catchy and fun (and who doesn't love the eye candy in her video?) but really, the whole album is solid.

Besides being a total bombshell, Marina rocks a 'take no prisoners' attitude in Electra, her sophomore album, which comes with a bit more girly pop with a rocker edge than her last, The Family Jewels (2010). Despite not getting a lot of attention in the States, Marina has a ton of potential, and I can tell you that Electra will stay in rotation until her next album debuts.



On repeat: How to Be a Heartbreaker, Primadonna and Radioactive.

{No. 111} FAIL HARDER-ER

Today, I'm inspired by this talk given by Nick Barham of Wieden + Kennedy at PSFK Conference San Francisco. If you have six minutes, take a look - they're doing some very cool and out-there things with Portland start ups to encourage them to stay ahead in their respective industries. Throughout the talk, Nick iterates how the Portland Incubator Experiment (PIE) helps start ups become successful through building connections and encouraging fresh creative ideas.

Part of this work with start ups involves the philosophy of 'failing harder-er,' which means to make things differently, and make different things; try something new without fearing failure. The Fail Harder-er mural in the Portland W+K office is a reminder of this philosophy daily.

Over 100,000 thumbtacks were used to create the mural, which lives in the W+K Portland office.

To me, this is a reminder that creativity is never perfect at first. That's what makes it unique and special. A learning experience. If you're failing, it means you're trying. Innovating. Differentiating.

So, Fail Harder-er.
Fail Beautifully.
Fantastically.
Enthusiastically.
Just Fail.
Because no one ever learned anything new from doing something right the first time.

via PSFK

{No. 110} GIVING THANKS

Today is Thanksgiving. A day to be thankful for all the gifts life has given us; a day of reflection, understanding and love. As I sit cozy on my couch with a cup of coffee, watching the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade and planning for the crazy, family- and food-filled day ahead, it's easy to be thankful for my blessings. But to me, one day a year simply isn't enough. To truly unlock the fullness of life, as Melody Beattie says, we must give thanks every day.

I recently watched the movie HappyThankYouMorePlease (which is a highly underrated flick, in my opinion - check it out!) and there's a particularly memorable point in the movie, where one of the main characters, Annie (played by Malin Akerman), talks about gratitude. She tells the story of a cab driver who taught her a valuable lesson about Bliss:

"About a year ago, I was in this cab, and the cab driver - this Indian guy, starting telling me...he started telling me all sorts of stuff. He was just looking at me in the rear view mirror and he said, 'Bliss. Bliss is your birthright.' And I was like, 'Uh, 45th and Madison?' And he said, 'You have great potential in this lifetime. The key to your life is gratitude. You do not give enough thanks.' And I said, 'Well, how do I do that?' And he said, 'Simple! Say 'thank you.'' And I said, 'Well, when?' And he said, 'All the time! Right now.' And he said that after I say 'thank you,' I should say, 'more please.'"

"With gratitude, the universe is eternally abundant. So, I've been giving gratitude a shot. Thankyoumoreplease. Thankyoumoreplease. Thankyoumoreplease." 

Like Malin's character in the movie, I've been stuck on this idea of karmic balance - that with the good comes the bad - that we have to pay for our joy with some sort of tragedy. I think this is human nature in some way; to be afraid that our joy will one day be swept away by sorrow. And while life can seem that way, it's the ultimate lesson. To experience sorrow only allows us to appreciate our blessings. This gratitude for the good ultimately allows us to push forward and appreciate life in all its chaotic, confusing fullness. So starting today, I too am going to give gratitude a chance. I'm printing out the above quote and sticking it on my bathroom mirror, in my car, at work. All places where I need a shot of gratitude (next time I'm stuck in traffic, instead of getting angry at the car who just cut me off, I'll be thankful that I can afford gas and have a working car).

Tony Robbins says, "Trade your expectation for appreciation and your world changes instantly." My goal is to let go of those expectations that can bog me down and to give thanks every single day, multiple times a day. I'm hoping that with this change, I'll be able to appreciate the unknown a little more and instead of worrying about things I can't control, put that energy toward helping others. I'll let you know how it goes.

To start off, I want to give thanks today for all the blessings I've been offered. Without further adieu, here are 25 things I am giving thanks for right now:

1. My amazing brothers - Each of them (there are 7!) have made me so proud to belong to my crazy clan, and I am so impressed by each and every one of them.
2. My parents - Your unwavering support for the last 27 years has been the hands-down, most impactful reason I am where I am today. Your love for your children and passion for life inspires me to live my dreams without fear of failure.
3. My friends - From the friends I have known since I was young to the new friends I make every day, I'm thankful for those who come into my life and change it for the better - I have so much to learn from every one of you and feel so appreciative of everything you have taught me so far.
4. My health - I know so many people suffering from injury, sickness, disease and emotional/mental struggles - I feel so blessed that my body and mind is in good shape (most of the time anyway).
5. My job - I am so lucky to work at an amazing company that always puts their people first and is consistently working to be a thought leader in the industry. I am so grateful to be able to do what I love with such a talented, wonderful group of people.
6. Fantastic co-workers - You make the crazy hours so much more fun, and you push me to always be better, want more, get results.
7. Yoga - Core-strengthening, muscle-toning and stress relief all in one karmic package. Namaste.
8. Electricity and water - If hurricane Sandy taught us one thing, it's to be thankful for the basic amenities we take advantage of, like hot water, heat, and electicity. My heart goes out to all those who were impacted by the storms on the east coast these last few weeks as they slowly but surely try to get back to normal.
9. Instagram - My photos (which, let's face it, are almost always of food) somehow look a little sexier when I turn the Lo-fi filter on. And who doesn't love pictures of sexy food?
10. Education - I've had the opportunity to receive a world class education and pledge to never let my mind go to waste (despite all the sitcoms/chick lit books/celebrity gossip I may indulge in).
11. Technology - For allowing me to connect with loved ones from London, Tennessee, Minnesota, and Arizona, to all across Washington. Sure, sometimes it's a pain, but it sure beats the Pony Express!
12. The Internet - Providing access to knowledge, laughs, and endless videos of cute kitties.
13. Skinny jeans - Finally a look semi-flattering to my body type that's staying in style. We have a love-hate relationship, but when you find the perfect fit, it's life-changing.
14. Chocolate - Sure, it makes fitting into #12 (skinny jeans) almost laughable, but it's oh-so-delicious (honorable mentions include: pie, cake, ice cream, cookies, candy, and cheese).
15. Wine - Do I really need to explain this one?
16. An awesome apartment - With the best roomie/wifey a girl could ask for, a landlord that makes me not want to pull my hair out, and a view I'll never get sick of.
17. My exes - Strange, I know, but you have taught me about myself, love and what it means to be loved, and those are invaluable lessons I will take with me everywhere I go.
18. Karma - For ensuring that those in #17 find exactly what it is they deserve in this life (I mean that in the best possible way, promise).
19. Pinterest - For providing endless hours of inspiration in the form of delicious recipes, craft ideas, fashion finds and gorgeous home decor. 
20. Music - The ability to tap into emotion, express oneself and share that with others through the gift of song never ceases to amaze me.
21. Shoes - A new pair will never fail to put me in a good mood.
22. Ryan Gosling - Keeping my faith alive that the perfect man DOES exist.
23. Books - There are always new things to learn and I aim to fill my mind with the best humanity has to offer.
24. Texting - Because some things should never be said out loud.
25. My Faith - For getting me through the complicated, the crazy, the heartbreaking. For giving me the gift of perspective, and the ability to trust that everything will make sense in due time.

Thankyoumoreplease. Thankyoumoreplease. Thankyoumoreplease.

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What are you thankful for right now? Let me know in the comments!