Crash Diet

April 30, 2009 By Paola 17 Comments

Just to let you know that I was in a car accident on Monday. All pretty much OK, but I’ve been taking some time to rest. I was amazed by how shocked and discombobulated I felt for a day or too afterwards and I’m still feeling rather tired and unable to concentrate.

I appear to have sustained some damage to my jaw and bit my tongue hard, so eating has been rather painful and difficult. It’s getting better and I’m having treatment, but in the meantime I’m living on a diet of Greek yogurt, mashed potato, applesauce and soup. Please do not mention steak or crusty bread in my presence.

I hope to be back posting next Monday. Don’t miss me too much!

Secret Knitting- Part Deux

April 22, 2009 By Paola 1 Comment

I’m sorry this week has all been about knitting and photo collages – still getting back in the groove after spring break.

I was a bit concerned that three knitted dishcloths was a somewhat mean present for Megan (though it seems from your comments that I needn’t have worried) so I took up the tiny bit of blue Sea Silk I have left from the scarf I’m knitting and decided to knit her a lacy garter as well.

Actually this was a very selfish present as I’ve been dying to try out knitting lace and this seemed like the perfect size of project, and I could knit with Sea Silk all day, I love it so. Here’s what I came up with. I found the pattern on Ravelry of course, and it seemed very appropriate since it’s called ‘Eloping’.

I also managed to knit a little Easter gift for the Minx, who is very fond of a soft-boiled egg for breakfast. I was going to make three – one for each member of the family – but the other two are going to have to wait until next year. All details on my Ravelry page. Come and be my friend.

Oh by the way, I’ve decided I LOVE lace knitting and have already embarked upon a lace project for ME.

The Garden in April

April 22, 2009 By Paola 1 Comment

Well I couldn’t be bothered to do a post for March. Due to the incredibly cold spring temperatures, the garden really looked hardly different from February – mostly hellebores and some rather sorry looking daffodils.

But then sometime last week Spring came along and this happened. I can’t begin to tell you how much pleasure this tiny plot of land gives me sometimes.

Portland Envy

April 21, 2009 By Paola 7 Comments

The setting isn’t remotely as naturally stunning as Seattle’s and we spent much of the weekend dodging rain and hail showers, but I came back with serious case of Portland envy.

The architecture is older and therefore more charming to my European eyes, the streets are narrower and more pedestrian-friendly and it just has a cooler and funkier urban vibe, despite being much the smaller city. Just from the clothes people wear you can tell that Portland is a city of artsy types whereas Seattle is the ultimate city of geeks.

Thanks so much for the recommendations, here and on Facebook. Things we really enjoyed – apart from the hotel – include Habibi for great Lebanese food (we used to live near some great Lebanese restaurants in London and its something I really miss); Hot Lips Pizza in the Pearl District for seriously great tasting pizza; Cool Moon Icecream near Jamison Square (the perfect shelter in a hailstorm); Sushiland, also in the Pearl District, for good cheap conveyor belt sushi; Cargo for funky ethnic stuff; Knit Purl for YARN and of course Powell’s for books. The Japanese Garden in Washington Park is stunning and the rose garden must be amazing when the roses are actually out. Lots of amazing rhododendrons when we were there though. I also found the Holocaust Memorial, which we wandered into on the off-chance, very moving.

Mostly though we spent out time wandering the streets, admiring the street art, riding the trolley buses and hoping that Seattle’s urban planners will someday turn South Lake Union or Georgetown into the Pearl District with better views. Keep your fingers crossed.

Secret Knitting Part One – Doctor Who Dishcloths

April 16, 2009 By Paola 14 Comments

I mentioned last week that I’d been knitting secrets and now I can finally reveal all.

As you may know, Megan of Not Martha fame is eloping to Vegas with her fiance’ Scott (check out her wedding blog here) and last Friday we attended a little soiree in their honour.

I decided to knit them some Doctor Who dishcloths as I know Megan is a fan. The colour scheme was chosen to coordinate with their spatulas. The patterns for the Dalek and Tardis dishcloths were found on Ravelry of course, though I had to chart up the Cyberman myself using this fabulous software and a basic chart I found. All details on my Ravelry page.

A propos of not very much I do like close up photos of knitting. Don’t you? (More secret knitting to be revealed after I’ve picked up the Minx and planted some sweet peas. I know you hardly contain yourselves. )

Dressed Up To The Nines

April 16, 2009 By Paola 3 Comments

Photos by Paola Thomas

I have SUCH a weakness for gorgeous hotels. This weekend we managed to get a deal on the recently-opened the Nines in Portland. Great location and a fabulous boutique-y feel for a largeish hotel.

There were some great decor touches. I liked the taupe colour scheme with accents of aqua, lilac, purple and amber in the pillows, sheer drapes, and Murano glass light installations; the subtle taupe on taupe patterning in the wallpapers; and the lovely bespoke carpets which reflected the accent colours and the patterns in the papers and drapes. The Minx adored the sparkly chandeliers and a somewhat strange sculpture of an enormous jewelled necklace in the lobby (I didn’t get a good picture of this though).

The lounge and bar area in the enormous central atrium was fabulous – divided up into a number of different ‘rooms’ each with their own decor, lighting and seating, but working together harmoniously as a whole. And we were quite memerised by Matt McCormick’s art installation comprising four enormous LCD panels showing silhouettes of cars crossing Portland’s Fremont Bridge at sunset in the restaurant. Here’s an article with more about the hotel’s art collection.

All-in-all highly recommended next time you’re staying in Portland.

Socklets

April 9, 2009 By Paola 3 Comments

One thing I did manage to finish last weekend were the Minx’s socks. I love how cute they make her feet look. There’s something very charming about four-year old cankles (unlike my own).

Of course temperatures went up to 70 degrees over the weekend and the beginning of the week and I thought she wouldn’t actually be able to wear them before she grew out of them, but we’re back now to a business-as-usual, grey, overcast, dull, rainy Seattle spring, so she might get a couple of months wear out of them.

Apologies for the lack of bloggery in recent days. I’ve been doing STUFF – painting a fence, building a flower bed, wrestling with a gigantic inbox and knitting some secrets. I have no idea how people not only do stuff round the house but also manage to document it.

We’re also heading for an impromptu trip to Portland over the weekend, so I’ll be back in the middle of next week. Don’t miss me too much. And if you have any recommendations for fabulous shops, restaurants and things to do leave them in the comments and I will love you forever.

Ready For Their Close Up, Mr De Mille

April 7, 2009 By Paola 10 Comments

This weekend the weather was utterly fabulous, so of course we spent it going to Ikea and doing loads of chores around the house and garden. We are in that in-between stage with lots of half-completed jobs and Ikea flatpack boxes lying round the house, but progress of sorts has been made.

We did take a short break on Sunday to go for lunch at the Volunteer Park Cafe and then for a stroll around Volunteer Park, stopping at the conservatory along the way.

I just happened to have my macro lens on my camera, so it was a good opportunity to get up close and personal on some of the flowers.

Another Awesome Video

April 2, 2009 By Paola 4 Comments

For all those of you who have a four-year-old or thereabouts. Prepare for SQUEALING.

Watch more Funny or Die videos on AOL Video

My New Toy

March 31, 2009 By Paola 3 Comments

The vintage Dutch yarn swift I bought off Ebay arrived yesterday and it is so much more beautiful than I hoped – a beautifully carved and lovingly constructed work of art. I love it to bits.

Here it is posing with some new yarn. Ravelry is going to bankrupt us.

Why is all the equipment and stuff associated with knitting just so gorgeous? It used to be so much easier to resist in the days of utilitarian metal needles and scratchy acrylic yarn.