Day 86 - Will Walk For Food

The gym is closed today and tomorrow because they are doing something electrical to the whole building (which houses Starbucks offices).  BUT, it is also my walking tour day.

DiscoverU is an outfit that offers funky classes in 'lifelong learning' - crafts, hobbies, stuff...  I signed up for a Walking Tour of the International District. 



The house is where I live.  The raindrop is where the class meets and the purple area is the International District.  It is chock full of all things Asian.  This tour is food - centric and includes a tour of the fortune cookie factory!

It's supposed to rain like crazy today but, honestly, that's way better than last Saturday when I would have fried my ass outside in the hot sun.   I know from experience that I do not dissolve in water. 

No sticker, though, until I get home.

Day 86 - Will Walk For Food

The gym is closed today and tomorrow because they are doing something electrical to the whole building (which houses Starbucks offices).  BUT, it is also my walking tour day.

DiscoverU is an outfit that offers funky classes in 'lifelong learning' - crafts, hobbies, stuff...  I signed up for a Walking Tour of the International District. 



The house is where I live.  The raindrop is where the class meets and the purple area is the International District.  It is chock full of all things Asian.  This tour is food - centric and includes a tour of the fortune cookie factory!

It's supposed to rain like crazy today but, honestly, that's way better than last Saturday when I would have fried my ass outside in the hot sun.   I know from experience that I do not dissolve in water. 

No sticker, though, until I get home.

Exercise 10 - the rest? Maybe 4

In fairness, when I went back to look at the class description, I discovered that the class was pretty much exactly as described.

Savor some of the best cuisine this side of the Great Wall-right in our backyard! Have lunch at some hidden gems, enjoy delicate Vietnamese spring rolls in the "Little Saigon" section, meander through stores and street stalls to find "secret" ingredients and bargain prices. In "Chinatown" stop at a fortune cookie factory, an herb and grocery store and a Chinatown business that has not changed in over 80 years. Materials fee covers lunch, bring money for gratuity and parking. Note: Wear comfortable walking shoes.

But, it was still a huge disappointment. I was looking for a tour of the fortune cookie factory.  I was looking for tasting all kinds of great foods and learning about them.  The class was 7 other women and me.  The instructor was a guy about my age.  I'm pretty sure that no one was as impressed with him as he was. 

We did a lot of standing on street corners straining to hear him over the traffic.  In the mostly pouring rain. 

We did not find out about any "secret" ingredients.  He took us into 2 small grocery stores and one produce stand.  We walked in, looked around and left.  While in the stores, he pointed out nothing except the obvious.  The 80 year old business was clearly a friend of his who wanted to sell us candy.  The herb shop was a friend of his who wanted to see us herbs.  And the instructor shilled mightily for both.  We had spring rolls that were good at a little Vietnamese restaurant around the corner for a GREAT Vietnamese restaurant. 

We got to lunch at a nice enough place but he ordered for us - sweet and sour soup for all and sweet and sour chicken for all plus white rice.  WTF????  Who in the hell goes into a Chinese restaurant and orders one thing for everyone??????  Plus, there was not enough.  They served the 9 of us what they would normally server 2 people. 

And... for this, I paid a grand total of $74.  I think it was worth, maybe half that or less.   When we got the closest to my house, I bailed.   They were going on to one more place but I was soaked and tired and had had enough.

But, now I'm home and happy to be here and I'm getting a little dryer.   And yes, rsc, I think I now have substantial proof that I am not the Wicked Witch of the West!! 

Exercise 10 - the rest? Maybe 4

In fairness, when I went back to look at the class description, I discovered that the class was pretty much exactly as described.

Savor some of the best cuisine this side of the Great Wall-right in our backyard! Have lunch at some hidden gems, enjoy delicate Vietnamese spring rolls in the "Little Saigon" section, meander through stores and street stalls to find "secret" ingredients and bargain prices. In "Chinatown" stop at a fortune cookie factory, an herb and grocery store and a Chinatown business that has not changed in over 80 years. Materials fee covers lunch, bring money for gratuity and parking. Note: Wear comfortable walking shoes.

But, it was still a huge disappointment. I was looking for a tour of the fortune cookie factory.  I was looking for tasting all kinds of great foods and learning about them.  The class was 7 other women and me.  The instructor was a guy about my age.  I'm pretty sure that no one was as impressed with him as he was. 

We did a lot of standing on street corners straining to hear him over the traffic.  In the mostly pouring rain. 

We did not find out about any "secret" ingredients.  He took us into 2 small grocery stores and one produce stand.  We walked in, looked around and left.  While in the stores, he pointed out nothing except the obvious.  The 80 year old business was clearly a friend of his who wanted to sell us candy.  The herb shop was a friend of his who wanted to see us herbs.  And the instructor shilled mightily for both.  We had spring rolls that were good at a little Vietnamese restaurant around the corner for a GREAT Vietnamese restaurant. 

We got to lunch at a nice enough place but he ordered for us - sweet and sour soup for all and sweet and sour chicken for all plus white rice.  WTF????  Who in the hell goes into a Chinese restaurant and orders one thing for everyone??????  Plus, there was not enough.  They served the 9 of us what they would normally server 2 people. 

And... for this, I paid a grand total of $74.  I think it was worth, maybe half that or less.   When we got the closest to my house, I bailed.   They were going on to one more place but I was soaked and tired and had had enough.

But, now I'm home and happy to be here and I'm getting a little dryer.   And yes, rsc, I think I now have substantial proof that I am not the Wicked Witch of the West!! 

The fix

So I'm sitting here trying to figure out what's for dinner and everything I think of falls short.  I'm thinking Chinese.  Japanese.  Asian.   So I got into the car and went to my best teriyaki place where they love me and got Mongolian beef and it was delicious.

--

I recently stumbled across a new (to me) artist.  Scott Ward's stuff delights me no end.  There's a local gallery showing his work until mid-July.  I keep forgetting to go see it.  I'm hoping that this entry will help me remember.

--

I broke the cats' water bowl tonight.  Their dishes are especially heavy so Roomba won't futz with them.  I was really pissed about breaking one because I like them and have never found ones I like better.  Then I remembered that I bought them online several years ago.  God bless Gmail.  Found the receipt and went back and ordered a replacement bowl! 

--

I am dry and my rain coat is nearly dry and my purse could well dry out by next week.

The fix

So I'm sitting here trying to figure out what's for dinner and everything I think of falls short.  I'm thinking Chinese.  Japanese.  Asian.   So I got into the car and went to my best teriyaki place where they love me and got Mongolian beef and it was delicious.

--

I recently stumbled across a new (to me) artist.  Scott Ward's stuff delights me no end.  There's a local gallery showing his work until mid-July.  I keep forgetting to go see it.  I'm hoping that this entry will help me remember.

--

I broke the cats' water bowl tonight.  Their dishes are especially heavy so Roomba won't futz with them.  I was really pissed about breaking one because I like them and have never found ones I like better.  Then I remembered that I bought them online several years ago.  God bless Gmail.  Found the receipt and went back and ordered a replacement bowl! 

--

I am dry and my rain coat is nearly dry and my purse could well dry out by next week.