Dinner: The Herbfarm

So a slight departure from anything writing related - but since food is also a huge passion of mine, I just had to share this!

My husband and I had the great pleasure of dining at The Herbfarm last night - and for those not familiar with this amazing establishment, it's a culinary feast, where the entire menu is cultivated around a seasonal theme that rotates every month or so.

And the theme for May? 

Salmon Nation *click to see the menu in full description

Hands down, this was one of the most spectacular meals I've ever had - and I think it may have just bumped itself up to my #1 all-time top dining experience. Ever.

Yes, it was that good. And why exactly?

First, the food: 4.5 hours and six amazing courses, each featuring a different preparation of salmon, accompanied by two dessert courses - and all paired with hand selected wines from around the world. The head chef, Chris Weber, who at 27 years old, is the youngest chef overseeing any of America's 42 5-Diamond restaurants - and he's absolutely amazing. He even came out and spoke to each table after dinner...and I couldn't help it when I told him what an honor it was to be in the presence of someone who is doing what they're truly meant to be doing...I didn't know how else to describe it, but to see how much passion he had with all the little details, it was just crazy.   

Second, the wine: My husband and I are still learning all the ropes around great wines, so this was a wonderful opportunity for us to talk to their sommelier, ask questions, and learn how the perfect pairing can make any meal a stand out dish. And after six glasses? Well, it was a good thing my husband was driving us home!

Third, the story: It all started when Lola Zimmerman grew too many chives in her garden and decided to sell them on the side of the road. Eventually it grew into a business that her son, Ron, along with his wife, Carrie, now oversee. Carrie even starts the night off with a retelling of the back-story and a short tour of the property, along with a quick Herb Lesson 101 - then she and Ron even work the floor throughout the entire night, helping to serve the food and just make sure all of the guests are enjoying themselves.

Really, the beginning and how it all started is such a wonderful story and you can read all about it here.

Fourth, the staff / service: In addition to Ron, Carrie, and Chris - the ENTIRE staff at The Herbfarm was impeccable and the service, unparalleled. Every single detail was thought of, right down to our car waiting for us as soon as we walked out the door (without even telling them which one was ours!).  

And fifth, the accolades: 

 AAA 5-DIAMOND AWARD (HIGHEST RATING: 1 OF 42 IN AMERICA)

 MOBIL TRAVEL GUIDE FODOR'S BEST

 HIGHEST RATING: BEST PLACES SEATTLE BEST PLACES NORTHWEST

 HIGHEST RATING: THE SEATTLE TIMES

 HIGHEST RATING: SEATTLE PI

 FROMMER’S WASHINGTON STATE (HIGHEST RATING)
 

Of course, I had to snap pictures of everything, including each course:

Collage details: Top picture: part of The Herbfarm gardens, 1: Skin 'n' Bones, Roe 'n' Mo', 2: Belly Up!, 3: Headin' Down, 4: Folly of Red Salmon, Basil the Pig (he's their composter, not part of dinner!) 5: Behold, The Copper King, 6: Cheese, Please, Our table setting, 7: When Lilacs Bloom, 8: Twinkie and Daiquiri and my husband, Neal. *A BIG thanks to Bridgid Gallagher for recommending PicMonkey.com to do my great picture collage - and sharing a wonderful tutorial video over on her blog today! Seriously, folks, it's like Instagram. On steroids. No joke!!!

Net / net: I can't recommend The Herbfarm enough and can tell you, Neal and I will DEFINITELY be going back. So if you're ever in Seattle, it's definitely a must - and you know you'd best promise to let me know you'll be around my neck of the woods, too! 

I hope you all had as much of a wonderful weekend as I did. Tell me, have any of you been to The Herbfarm or had a similar dining experience??? Please share so I can add more great places to my list!

What's Up Wednesday: 05.15.13

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by my ever-so-lovely YA writer friends, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk. The idea? Well, it's a great opportunity to touch base once a week with all of our blog friends and let them know what's up. Should you wish to join, head on over to Jaime's blog and sign up with the link widget at the bottom of her post! 

WHAT I'M READING:

I am very fortunate to be writer / Twitter buddies with the ever amazing Sarah Ockler of FIXING DELILAH, TWENTY BOY SUMMER (one of my absolute FAVORITE YA contemp reads!) and BITTERSWEET greatness. Sarah graciously had her editor over at Simon & Schuster send me an ARC of her upcoming newest title THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS which is set to release on 5.21.13! And let me tell you, I already know this one is going to tear at my heart after the first 100 pages I've read so far, but I truly am LOVING it!!! Stay tuned...I hope to have an interview with Sarah if timing permits, and of course, my review of THE BOOK OF BROKEN HEARTS.

Oh, of course, I'm still reading Abbi Glines while running and I'm now on to her new series, EXISTENCE. 

WHAT I'M WRITING:

I'm still working on my YA Contemporary WiP, WHERE THE WATER FALLS and made quite a bit more progess over the past seven days! I only have a few more chapters to go, before diving into revisions of course, and then it's off to my CP's to rip apart!

THE LUCKY FEW is still out with a handful of agents right now, which is ever so exciting! But...I think I'm going to dig back into this one and relook the entire beginning. I know, I know, crazy pants over here just can't stop revising this one, but it's only because I know this story has so much potential. And the beginning has been something that's bothered me for quite some time, it deserves to be written right! 

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW:

Senior Prom with BFF Kristy (May 7, 1994)This is one of my most ABSOLUTE favorite times of the year to write. And why is that? Well because it's prom and graduation time, but of course!!!! I love seeing all the kids dressed up in tuxes and formal dresses out on the town - it brings back so many great memories for me - not to mention all the graduation parties that will no doubt be popping up soon. And all of it definitelyKentridge High School Graduation Class of 1994 (June 9, 1994) makes my creativity soar!!!!

Of course, why wouldn't I share some pics of my own Senior Prom and Graduation??? That's me over there on the left with my BFF Kristy, just before we left for our Senior Prom...man what a night that was! 

And I'm also over there to the right (first one on the left) just before we were about to walk out for graduation. 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO:

Still running, of course - and loving every minute of it (I'm late to go run as I type this!!). Oh, and something I shared with a few of my wonderful CP's on what happened on Monday:

So I was running on the treadmill. I'm running...and I'm tired - just not really feeling it - and it's pissing rain outside and the wind is howling. Trees are whipping every which way and branches are literally flying around the parking lot. So weird, because it's been sunny and gorgeous here for the past 10 days! And all of the sudden? Yeah, the power goes out and my treadmill just stops. Doesn't gradually slow down, it just plain out STOPS. And I go flying off like nobody's business. And make all kinds of racket in the process, as I swear out loud, loudly. 

There's a guy - probably around early 20's that comes every day and walks on the treadmill and he's blind. I've seen him the past 7 or so weeks I've been going, but haven't ever said anything to him. Yeah, he's surprised because his treadmill stopped, but turns and says, "Are you okay? Did you just fall off the treadmill?" His face shows he's super concerned, when I know most people would totally laugh (cause I sure as hell would!). I told him the power went out and that's what stopped our treadmills and yes, I'd flown right off.

After reassuring him I was okay and that it was okay if he laughed, he smiled and said, "Man, if I could've seen that, I would have laughed!!! But I'm glad you're okay though!" It was so sweet and literally made my day, regardless of the situation! 

So, what are you up to this fine Wednesday? Would love to hear all about it, so won't you join today's What's Up Wednesday???

What's Up Wednesday

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by my ever-so-lovely YA writer friends, Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk. The idea? Well, it's a great opportunity to touch base once a week with all of our blog friends and let them know what's up. Should you wish to join, head on over to Jaime's blog and sign up with the link widget at the bottom of her post! 

What I'm Reading:

Well, I just finished reading Erin Bowman's TAKEN early this morning and then started in on Justina Chen's NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. And while running on the treadmill in the mornings, I read all things Abbi Glines, and right now I've just started in on her FALLEN TOO FAR series. I love reading Abbi while I'm running - I mentioned in my last post, how I almost flew off the treadmill during one particular section - and that's exactly why I like reading her while I run!

What I'm Writing:

I'm still cranking away on my YA Contemporary WiP, WHERE THE WATER FALLS and I just added the little blurb on what it's about, to my PROJECTS tab. This one has been a lot of fun to write and as of yesterday, I'm about 2/3 done with the first draft. 

Of course, I've still got TLF brewing on one of my burners and last month I dug back in on book #2 in that series. Since I switched over to Scrivener, it's been so much easier to outline, which has kept me more than busy.

What Inspires Me Right Now:

Running.

I know I've mentioned it before, but seriously, running every day has helped so much to clear my mind and allowed me to focus. I never imagined it could be like this, but now, I'm not sure how I'll ever go without it. 

It took one day to for me to decide to lace up my shoes and go. I never thought I had it in me to get back to a place where I loved running so much. But how wrong I was. And I don't like it when I'm wrong. 

What Else I've Been Up To:

Well, at some point I'll need to realize I need to start looking for another job. Technically, I'm okay until September, thanks to the severance package I received, but still. I figure I'll give myself through May before I really start to dig in and get serious. I'm just not sure what I want do, but I know I have a lot of options.

I could stay in Marketing / Merchandising - there are a number of great companies here in Seattle: Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Expedia. Or I could get back into Apparel Merchandising / Buying: Nordstrom, REI, and Zulily are all right here, too.

Yes, I'm very fortunate to have so many great companies right in my city, and even more so, that I have two separate career paths I can go down. But I'm just not sure what I want to do. Honestly, I wish more than anything I could just write, because this is where my passion is. So...perhaps I might check out what Amazon has open in regards to positions in their publishing side of the business. You never know, right? 

So, what are you up to this Wednesday? I'd love to hear all about it - come on, you know you wanna join us in What's Up Wednesday?

The Craziness of April 2013

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I can't believe today is the last day of April. Where has 2013 gone? And why is it, that as we get older, the years seem to just fly by? 

Make it slow down, I tell you! Because I have waaaaaaaay too much to do!

And because April was a pretty productive month for me, this has turned into a monster of a post, so bare with me!

READING: I managed to read ten books this month - one of which was an absolutely amazing MS for one of my CP's, the ever love-r-ly, Sara Biren. WAITING FOR THE SUN was one of the most beautiful stories I've had the opportunity of reading in a very long time. Honestly. I laughed and I definitely cried - which isn't something easy for me to admit - and the last time I felt this way was when I read some of my all time favorite YA Contemp reads ala Sarah Ockler and Jandy Nelson. Yes, I loved it that much.

And I can't wait to watch all the success that's about to unfold for Sara, because this is the one.

I also managed to read all three of Miranda Kenneally's books: CATCHING JORDAN, STEALING PARKER, and THINGS I CAN'T FORGET. And out of all of them, CATCHING JORDAN was my favorite. I love the sports theme that resonates in all of her books - LOVE - but particularly gravitated towards Jordan's story and her role as the QB for her high school football team. The other two books in the series were just okay for me, but that's only because they were written with a heavy influence of religion - which just isn't my thing. While I still enjoyed them, they didn't compare to CATCHING JORDAN.

I also polished off three of Abbi Glines books while running on the treadmill this month: BREATHE, BECAUSE OF LOW, and WHILE IT LASTS. And I'm currently on the 4th in this series, JUST FOR NOW. Abbi is one of my favorite authors because she writes boy so well. And I have to admit, there have been many a time I have to look around while I'm at the gym, wondering if perhaps anyone has ANY idea the scene I just read! Seriously, they're so steamy, I almost fell off the treadmill the other day. It wasn't pretty. But man was it worth it. I <3 me some Jax Stone and Cage York!

I also read ALTERED by Jennifer Rush - which I really enjoyed. Can you say Jason Bourne for teens? And SHUT OUT by Kody Keplinger - I've had this one since it came out, and had originally put it down after only a few pages. But thanks to my recent Sports Theme kick, I managed to crank this one out. And I thought it was good - maybe not as great as D.U.F.F. but still worth the read. And lastly, I read THAT TIME I JOINED THE CIRCUS by J.J. Howard. And this one folks - aside from reading Sara's MS - was my favorite for the month of April! It wasn't at all what I was expecting and I loved every page. I enjoyed her references to music at the beginning of each chapter and I really invested and felt for her MC, Lexi. Plus, it knocks one off my DAC list, too! If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. Great read.

WRITING: During the 30 days of April I also managed to dive back into writing. It's been awhile - really, not since my massive rewrite last June with Mr. Agent Man - since I've wrote like this. I'm talking all day writing fests and staying up sometimes until 4am! But hey, when I unexpectedly got laid off from my job - after 6 years - in March (have I mentioned how tough this year has been?), it seems I've had some time on my hands to finally write. And to write when my muse is actually interested vs. only the spare hour I used to have, after working 12-hour days.

My YA Contemp WiP - WHERE THE WATER FALLS - is one I started back in 2011, and is quite the departure from what I'm so used to writing. However, after only 4 chapters, I had put it aside to focus on THE LUCKY FEW and to work with Mr. Agent Man. But like so many of us, the characters in that story kept jumping up from their seats shouting, "Pick me! Pick me!" and I knew I had to give it another go. And just in the past eight days, I've cranked out over 40k words. 

I think it also has something to do with the fact I FINALLY switched over to Scrivener. I know, I know, late to the party and all - and really, I bought it early last year, but just couldn't adjust. Word has been good to me and she'll always be my first love, but wow, Scrivener. She's a-mazing!!!! Plus, it helps when friends mention other friends, who have done these short - but incredibly helpful - video tutorials. Yes, I'm talking about Katy Upperman recommending everyone to head on over to Erin Bowman's site to watch her Scrivener videos - because they are awesome and oh, so helpful!

So yes, I am writing again. And I'm loving it.

QUERYING: I'm also still querying for TLF. This is my third book / attempt at hitting the slush pile, and it's true when they say that after each try, it keeps getting better. I think my first book - which shall remain nameless - maybe received 2 full requests and perhaps 1 partial. My second attempt was better, bringing in a handful of requests. And TLF? Well, it's been great and I've managed to gain the interest of 15 agents, which has been awesome. Yes, I've received a few declines, but quite a few of them still have it, so I'll take it!

RUNNING: And finally, a recap on my running stats for the month. I mentioned in my last post that I set a personal goal of running the equivalent of one marathon a week. And as of last Friday, I finished my 4th one!

Total mileage for April: 115 miles.

And I can't believe it, but I think I actually ran more than I drove my car! Plus, I've signed up for 3 5k races: The Color Run in Portland on 9/7 (Seattle is already sold out), The Foam Fest on 8/3 (this looks like a blast, I mean slip n' slides? Come. ON.), and Run For Your Lives on 8/24 - a 5k with obstacles, where volunteers dressed up like zombies AKA The Walking Dead (one of my FAVORITE shows!) actually chase you. I think there's a solid chance I may relieve myself of all bodily fluids on that one, seriously. 

MAY: Well, tomorrow starts a new month. It also happens to be my birthday, and I'm looking forward to seeing my progress in all things reading, writing, and querying - not to mention how many more miles I'll clock on my shoes!

So how crazy was April for you? And what are you looking forward to in May?

Teen Literature Day: Rock The Drop!

Today, Thursday, April 18th, 2013 is Teen Literature Day and what better way to celebrate then by participating in Readergirlz #RockTheDrop!

I had the great pleasure of doing this last year - and I have to say, it's one of my favorite days of the year!!!

The idea? Anyone who wants to support Teen Literature Day - be them a YA writer, author, or someone who just loves YA - picks out a Young Adult book or two of their choice, and drops them off someplace a teen (or someone that might know one) will find it. And voila! That's Rock The Drop!

It's hosted by the amazing girls over at Readergirlz and Figment - and in my opinion, is a great cause to support!

My two RockTheDrop selections this year: Sarah Dessen's THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and JUST LISTENThis year, I selected two Sarah Dessen books - THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and JUST LISTEN. 

I had originally planned on dropping each book off in a different location, but well, I live in Seattle, and it's about to pour down rain - so finding two ideal covered spaces is really hard to come by.

So I ended up keeping the two of them together and found a great spot - a covered park bench that faces the parking lot - right outside my local Starbucks where most of the teens stop by after school. 

Perfect.

I went in to Starbucks and grabbed my grande vanilla rooibos tea (man, do I miss coffee - it's been over ONE YEAR - can you believe it?) and by the time I came out, two woman were looking at the books and reading the letter I'd left inside. 

I RockedTheDrop outside my local Starbuck's in Maple Valley!I hope they find their way to a good home, encourage a teen to read a great book, and perhaps - who knows? - maybe pique their interest in writing someday. 

I love participating in this event - and look forward to doing it again next year! Don't forget to check out Readergirlz Facebook page to see all the awesomeness that's happening around the country - and find out how others RockedTheDrop today!

Did any of you participate in #RockTheDrop today? I'd love to hear about it!

Miss Snark's Contest Follow-Up, THE LUCKY FEW, & Other News

Oy, I'm so late in posting this, I know!

So a follow-up to Miss Snark's March secret agent contest. Overall, it was a great contest last month - and I'm happy to say my results were much better than my sad attempt with the pitch fest over at WriteOnCon, prior to that!

I was oh so excited to see I was one of five winners (out of 50 entries) selected by Ms. Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates!

Hannah left a great comment, right off the bat - and it had been just what I needed. And while I'll take all the comments from the other participants / readers with a grain of salt (sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they comment???), I'm just glad to be back out there, at least trying. You can read about all of the winners, here. And of course, if anything comes of my submit to Hannah, you all will be the first to know. 

In other news? Well, I did another pass-through on my manuscript, THE LUCKY FEW. When I left it with Mr. Agent Man, my word count had skyrocketed - something he had reassured me, would not be a problem - because getting the story right was important. But then, well, we parted ways, and here I was with a MS that had bloomed in size. Yikes.

So before I started querying, I dug my heels in and started slowly hacking away. And before I knew it, I had cut several thousand words. 

Which still didn't feel good enough and so I went back at it again last week. And this time, I was able to cut almost 5k more. And I think it's definitely a lot tighter. And I'm happy with where it is. But will I leave it alone? Who knows. There will always be room for improvement.

Aside from all the contests and revisions I've been doing, I also got myself back into running. It's been awhile - for various reasons - but I've missed it so.

Don't let me mislead you - for the most part, I've always said I was allergic to working out...I'm a Taurus for cryin' out loud and definitely not like some of my uber runner friends that chug out more miles than I put on my car each week. But something about running has always made it one of my favorite forms of *cough* exercise. 

So, I set a personal goal that I would start running one "marathon" a week - and to do that, that means 5.5 miles every day, Monday - Friday (yes, that's technically a tad more than 26.2 miles, but it's a nice round number to target). And today wraps up my third week - which makes 3 marathons I've run - and I couldn't be happier!  

And just like with writing and the importance of having fabulous CP's, I have an amazing workout partner that encourages me to show up every day and get at it. And without her motivation, I'm not sure if this would happen. But now I have someone I can't let down, cheering me on - so it does make it that much easier. And I'll take it.

And even though 2013 didn't start off great - believe me, when they say bad things happen in 3's, well, I've had enough in just the last 4 months to cover the next 3 years - it's definitely turning around. My writing is going well, the contests I've entered have been fun, and I'm back out pounding the pavement - both figuratively and literally. And that's all good news, in my book. 

Anyone else have news to share - be it in contests, writing, or personal goals?