i saw the sign

i saw this sign along the side of road, and i'm not posting it here because of the bad grammar... well, it's not even bad grammar really, it's just bad stylistically? i probably would have just said "no dumping" and left it at that. well basically, i want to make it clear that i'm not making fun of the person that put this up. (i.e., ha ha! look at how this person can't write english!) my reason for posting this is much more than that: when i saw this - i took it as a philosophical signpost along the road of my life, an omen or a word of caution - something like my horoscope that i'd read in the sunday morning paper. this sign has changed me. i am a different person, and i am no longer dumping everything.

a tree grows in seattle

i got this kaffir lime tree as a birthday gift from erika, and it's providing fresh bai khi hout for the curry and laap i try to make. and immediately after breaking off some leaves for the laap pictured below, it sprouted a brand new stem full of leaves! (well, not immediately, but within the next few weeks after.)



but the point is this - you too can grow your very own lime leaf tree real easily. i transplanted it once, but i think i might need to again because i didn't realize it would grow this well so soon!

on the road

a few of my favorite photos from my recent trip... most of them don't need a caption, but i am putting captions anyway...

push based on the movie "precious" by oprah

called.

only a little kid can pull off white socks and black shoes.

every breath you take... i'll be watching you.

two reasons why

holding up the tree

savatdee

i'd heard from a couple of people that a new thai/Lao restaurant would be opening in town - up in the ravenna neighborhood. so one sunday, a few weeks back, i drove over to have a look at it. (and here is a look at it; see picture below:)

well, as i was out there taking this picture with my camera phone, this white woman walks up to me and asks what i am doing. so i explain that i have a blog, and that i like to post stuff or whatever, and so she tells me, "i met the owner yesterday! they had a nice little open house for people in the neighborhood, served free food and everything! you should meet them!" so next thing you know, i am being forcibly dragged into the restaurant to meet the owners - (which is not my style, i swear. i really don't like to show up to anything without an embossed invite, and even then i'd probably rather stay home.)

but in the end, i am glad the she pushed me to go inside. because the neighbor introduced me to noy, the very friendly owner, and i had a great time talking with her. we sat down and she showed me the plans for the menu (they'll start out with a few Lao dishes, and hopefully expand.) and talked about her family and other restaurants she's been involved with. but this will bring the total number of Lao (or at least Lao-leaning) restaurants in the seattle area to three: savatdee, vieng thong, and thai palms. but noy may do hers a bit different -she mentioned the possibility of serving khao poun - which is my favorite food of my life forever and ever, and something i've never seen a seattle restaurant serve before. so i am there. i am not sure if they're open yet... but if not, it can't be long now. the restaurant is located on the corner of roosevelt and ne 58th st.