Kerry Beal

They make you bus out to the plane at SeaTac - the sky was quite lovely that early in the am I know you’ve seen this breakfast before! and this is what we came home to

lounge food - rather sad - swapped the latte for tea quickly why don’t they wrap the bananas?

Last day at the NW Chocolate Festival - not quite so crazy as yesterday. @Alleguede manning the booth while I was off running around catching up with people. One of Bhavani's many cousins - a couple of whom now run a chocolate company in India growing beans and also making their own bean to bar. The 70% ran out early - but it was excellent.

Did the eggs with breadcrumbs mentioned in the breakfast thread - our Airbnb has a magic bullet and we had yesterday’s bread

So last night I was not in fit condition to post. So I decided I would wait until this am. We were a group of 12 so decided that Cantonese would suit everyone - we'd make the vegetarians in the group happy because they often get the short end of the stick when eating with us. We opted for a spot close by to the venue that we had been to last year and been happy with our food. Once again the drink menu amused us greatly so we had to take a picture. Everyone was very cooperative in passing the dishes down to me for the obligatory picture before digging in. An Uptown Sling - not quite sure what the 'bunch of other stuff' was - but it had a decidedly licorice flavor . \ \ Lovely pickled veg Almond chicken General Tso's chicken Mu shoo pork and fixens. I believe this is the twice cooked pork Sauteed green beans veggie version Fried noodles Pot stickers - a second plate had to be ordered Mapo tofu - veggie but not marked as hot interestingly A couple of different fried rices were ordered Vegetarian noodle dish (I think) Lo Mein perhaps - it was flying by so fast! And the parting shot - do you think it's suggesting I go back to my day job?

The lady who wanted to run off with our bag of Ruby chocolate. Bunch of sandwiches made at home and brought along in a cooler. Chips, guac and salsa (NS)

Breakfast this am - now waiting for the chronically late Bhavani to pick us up

I’ll try! Apparently it hasn’t been leaking for the past two weeks. I will come looking for you this morning

Got a picture of 3 things in focus. Duck on black beer risotto Chiicherron sandwich Lamb shank

v The ceviche was so fresh and was moving so I couldn’t get a good picture

Pink Salt - a Peruvian restaurant

@Alleguede and I are attending an accredited Level 1 chocolate tasting class through the International Institute of Chocolate Tasting. Lunch was put together from supplies picked up at Whole Foods next door

Breakfast at Whole Foods

And I believe that Purell is the root of all evil. I am anxiously awaiting the official removal of those hand cleaners from hospitals as infection control finally looks at the evidence. The alcohol in them drys your skin and makes it more permeable to bugs - not to mention knocking off our healthy skin flora. Better IMHO to wash your hands under water with friction and regular soap (not the antibacterial stuff). But the cost of putting sinks everywhere is probably prohibitive. Babies asses are cute aren't they? I know they are smooth!

We've stayed here twice before - I don't recall having an issue with feathers before. Perhaps she's added them in her upgrades. Some airbnbs are in the home of the host, others are clearly properties rented to make money. I think originally the premise was that it was your own place that you rented when you were away. We've seen a lot of different set ups over the years we've been staying in them. When you make an airbnb reservation there is connection made with the host that allows you to exchange information. Kristin loves to chat so we had a lot of chatting under our belts even before we arrived the first time. She asked if there was anything we needed - I told her about the piece of granite I would need for my demo at the show and she got it for me! She often drives us around to the places we need to go while we are here - and we give her our spare vendor tags so she can walk the show with her hubby or a friend. I diagnosed her dog with a bowel obstruction before I left the last time. She and I often text - I've seen her through the dog's surgery, the horrific death of a niece in an MVC, death of a parent, a job loss (and now gain!) Last year we stayed at another place since Kristin was booked - another interesting experience!

For a short while I thought that was going to be my option! Every spare pillow I uncovered was down as well.

LOL - I'm firmly in the 'eat a peck a dirt afore you die' camp.

Not the worst food I've partly eaten.

Kristin - our airbnb hostess of several trips now - always asks what we want in the house. So milk for tea it was! First cuppa as we settled in. I hopped into the bed to start my posting and began to cough - thus started the stripping of the bed - two down comforters and half a dozen feather pillows are now taking up the floor. I have the only two non feather pillow in the joint on my bed and a not very warm but not at all feathery comforter over me. EZtemper containers have been thoroughly cleaned and filled with cocoa butter and are starting the softening process in the kitchen. So off to sleep - it's well after 3 home time and we are attending a serious chocolate tasting course tomorrow - Level 1. Instructions are to get a good night sleep the night before, no alcohol, no perfumes. I think no feathers would probably apply too!

Airline food -

That's all @Anna N's doing. She's my wordsmith!

@Alleguede and I (along with Belle who you met here) are in the airport lounge - awaiting our flight to Seattle for the NW Chocolate Festival. Same old, same old food. Going to see what that Space Needle can sew!

It’s metal - 3 ounces - The remote is made by a company named woods. You need to talk to the right people. I’m actually at work right now but perhaps Jim D could jump in and give you the information on who to talk to

Today @MelissaH landed in my hood on her way to Toronto. We enjoyed lunch at Rayhoon Dips with Barberri bread Skewers of chicken and beef with rice.