Finally getting around to writing about our recent Seattle vacation. Jeff and I have both been really jet-lagged and not sleeping well because we got a little spoiled by the super-comfy hotel bed! It’s safe to say a new mattress is in our future.

So anyway — general attitude towards the city of Seattle: I LOVED IT.

The whole frickin’ city felt like it was personally hand-crafted with me in mind. Everywhere we went we were completely blown away by how good the food was, how the vibe was just right, how polite and friendly the people were, how clean the air smelled, how interesting the trees were, how easy it was to get around, how distinct the neighborhoods were, how fresh the fish was, how beautiful the mountains were……..I could go on and on.

I mean, I wasn’t even off the plane before I was in awe of the landscape. Check out this view of Mount Rainier peeking up over the clouds from our plane window.

And beneath us rolled more blue-colored mountains with white-capped peaks covering the landscape like a wrinkled satin bedsheet. It was an amazing welcome.

We spent our first full day walking through literally miles of nature paths. Our first stop was the Japanese Gardens, approximately 3 acres of minutely manicured traditional gardens surrounding a lake full of enormous glittering koi.

I could have watched those koi for hours….if not for being distracted by this little guy….

And these guys…

Apparently there was a steampunk convention going on that day and there were around 20+ people in full garb. Awesome.

After the Japanese Gardens we took a break for lunch and then headed back to the Arboretum. An arboretum is essentially a “tree garden.” This one was over a mile wide and absolutely covered in trails that lead you through many different species of local foliage.

I was so inspired by all the beautiful things around me that I even started putting together an art project! I took a bunch of photos from around the park to include in a “texture study.”

I haven’t felt inspired to create art in a long time. I can’t wait to use those images in a real-life piece!

The arboretum was really amazing. It was a very relaxing way to spend our first full day in Seattle. Touring gardens is probably one of our very favorite things to do on vacations for just that reason.

Tomorrow: The Olympic Sculpture Gardens and the Music and Sci-fi Museum!

May 11, 2011 Alayna Discussion 7 comments

Hope you all enjoyed Lee’s curry recipe yesterday. As you read this we are on a plane heading home, so until we make it back safe and sound, I leave you with one more guest post from another fellow Atlanta blogger.

Kristy is my home-town running hero. Girl eats miles for breakfast, and maybe sometimes some overnight oats. 😉 Thanks Kristy for this wonderful guest post!

Hey, Y’all!  This is Kristy from KristyRuns.com.

Big thanks to Alayna for allowing me to do a guest post for her!  She rocks.

Alayna and I share a love of eating and cooking whole, nutritious foods…although her cooking is, like, phenomenal.  Mine’s more like throw it in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes.  

Since I’m a runner [and always hungry], I keep my fridge and pantry stocked with delicious, healthy foods.  Let’s take a peek inside them, shall we?

Some things I always keep on hand:

Nut butter.  Almond, hazelnut, peanut…you name it, I love it.  Whether straight out of the jar, slathered on a ‘naner, or mixed in a smoothie, the protein plus healthy fats make a satiating and tasty combo.  Love.

Oatmeal.  I can’t even remember the last time I ate this stuff cooked!  I love to make overnight oats with them!  My new favorite way to eat them is with yogurt, chopped almonds, and sliced banana.  Oatmeal is packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and iron. Hello, awesome snack!

‘Naners.  I always have several bunches of bananas on hand.  Between smoothies, yogurt/oatmeal bowls, and slathering them with almond butter, I go through a lot of ’em.

Spinach and carrots.  Speaking of smoothies, you’ve tried a green monster before, right???  So. Good.  My standard recipe includes spinach, carrots, banana, frozen berries, and almond milk.  Since I’m a vegetarian, I give these smoothies all the credit for keeping my iron levels at a normal level.  The vitamin C in the berries helps your body absorb more iron from the spinach.  I can almost hear my body thanking me when I guzzle down one of these babies.

Yogurt:  I used to avoid all animal products before I went to Europe a month ago.  After that trip, I realized that I could eat dairy and eggs in an ethical, responsible way.  Fortunately in Atlanta, we have several local companies that produce quality organic dairy products.  Calcium plus protein?  I’ll take it!

But hey, sometimes you just need some gelato.  😉

What are your favorite healthy foods to keep on hand?

May 7, 2011 Alayna Discussion 5 comments

I hope everyone enjoyed all of our honeymoon photos, I assure you that we’re taking gobs of photos in Seattle to share with you when we get back! For now though, I leave you guys with a post from a fellow Atlanta blogger, Lee. I’ve seen this simple recipe on her blog and have wanted to try it. So here it is, thanks Lee!

Hello Thyme Bombe readers.  My name is Lee and I blog at inmytummy.com.  I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Alayna on several occasions and now I get to post on her blog!

Like many of you, when I get home from work I’m tired and hungry and the last thing I want to do is cook.  I have a lot of go-to, easy meals.  I make a lot of tortilla pizzas and taco salads and use a lot of frozen vegetables.  Those are all great, but sometimes you just want something more, you know?  Something like a real meal.

Enter curry.  I bet you didn’t know that curry could be quick and easy.  Either did I.  In fact, until a few months ago, I don’t think I’d ever made curry, period.  I found that once you have a base curry sauce going, all you really need to do is add protein and veggies.

My go-to sauce is loosely based on the curry sauce in the Skinny Bitch cookbook, although I’ve modified it some.

Curry Base Sauce: (serves 4)

• 1 can light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable broth (this makes it soupy, use less if you want a sauce)
• 1 tbsp curry paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• salt to taste

All you really have to do is bring everything to a boil and make sure the curry paste dissolves.  Then you add your fun stuff!  You really can put anything in the curry.  I’ve tried:

• peppers
• onions
• mushrooms
• okra
• zucchini
• canned diced tomatoes
• chickpeas
• tofu
• broccoli

Add your add-ins and let simmer for about thirty minutes and there you have it, a simple, curry that eats like a real meal.  Serve as a soup or with brown rice or naan (I like Trader Joe’s brand) to sop up the liquid.

Yum! I am such a curry lover. I know I’ll be trying out Lee’s simple recipe for myself!

What’s your favorite curry style? Red, green, yellow, panang, massaman?

May 6, 2011 Alayna Discussion 3 comments