Philly Nomad

Recently, I ventured off to Philadelphia, PA for a conference aimed at folks working in law school admissions (that's me!). It was an absolute blast and I met a lot of great people from across the country. I had ample time to explore the city each day, which was chock full of cobblestone and brooding architecture, vibrant colors, great food and a number of statue/fountains bordering on overkill. I also had a long awaited reunion with Founders and Bells beer, which was also a nice treat!

Below are some pics from tramping around town. Enjoy!

 

Society Hill

 

 

I guess you could say I have a thing for graveyards...

 

 

The best cannoli - hand piped by an (assumably) Italian lady as I waited in anticipation!!

 

 

 

 

Um, yep. Blue Belly Bbq. Go there.



FOR THE GREENS ALONE!

 

 

I need one of these.

 

No. Just no.

 

City Hall. Lookin' dark and pist.

 

Rocky n Me.

~The Thinker~

 

 

Chinatown for a bubble tea and Sanrio purchase.

 

Art Museum

Dinner at City Tavern!

 

So Colonial!

 

Stuck in the Liberty Bell.

 

Lastly, ran into my dude Ghandi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On My Travels

I recently peeled out from Portland and took a long awaited roadtrip down the coast of California. Here are a few snaps from the trip! Patricks Point < SF < Big Sur. 

 

Patricks Point, CA

Risky!

Hey, a car ride that long will make anyone look this rough...

Elk along the roadside

 

Banana slugs abound

Agate Beach

Beachcombin'

Nate taking camp coffee to the next level with his Aeropress

Burritos in SF

Toronado taproom in SF

Morning joe at Ritual Roasters in SF

 

Mikkeller Bar in SF.

Rosamunde Sausage Grill. Fig and duck sausages were a spiritual moment.

Tartine Bakery. A million little layers.

Big Sur, CA

Elephant seal battles!

Secret waterfall!

Our little friends

Sand Dollar Beach, CA

 

 

 

Rock collection.

Campsite

Farewell to paradise! Until we meet again.

The Comeback

Wow. To say I have taken a hiatus from this blog would probably be an understatement. A new job, a lovely vacation and a generally lazy vibe during these last days of summer have are all to blame for the neglect to this blog. Yes, I have been cooking and exploring the Portland food scene just as much as before, but blogging is a lot of work!

 

Alas, I am back, and hopefully it will stick. Having a day of of work for yesterdays holiday, I decided to take the time to attempt an entirely new recipe I have never tried before - pasta from scratch! The process was very straightforward and the ingredients were simple (flour and water!).

 

The pasta called for one cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour, 1 cup semolina (pasta) flour, and 2/3 cup simmering water. Mix and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Then, let sit out at room temperature for one hour. The dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to one week!

 

I made orecchiette noodles, which translates into 'little ear'. They cooked up to perfect al dente, which was a perfect texture for the silky chorizo and chickpea sauce I made to toss them in. This is definitely something I will be making again, hopefully in a crowded kitchen enlisting the help of friends or family.

Pasta with chorizo and chickpea pasta via Bon Appetit