Back!

Wow. I didn't realize how badly I needed a vacation. For awhile there, I just thought I couldn't get my lazy self to do the work I needed to do. This picture sort of gives you an idea of my mental state:

The past 2 weeks in California have been great, relaxing, and necessary, but I am very happy to be back. For one thing, I've come back to a Seattle that is in the process of transitioning from summer to autumn. For me, the new year always begins in September because that is when school starts again. I always enjoyed the newness of starting a new grade: new books, new pencils, and a new start. Plus, the weather is starting to cool down too--the refreshing bite on your cheek as a cool breeze blows by is always welcome. Also, autumn is especially great for one of my favorite activities: baking. When it's chilly outside, there's nothing better than curling up on a couch, with a book, while you've got something baking in the oven. The smells, the anticipation of something yummy to devour--total happiness! As it is Friday, and if any of you out there have time this weekend, maybe you too should indulge in this activity! To aid you, I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes for chocolate chip cookies.

My mother is a pack rat, but in the best way possible. She is the devoted sort, that takes the time to clip recipes, ideas, and articles and file them. I am thankful for that, because sometime during my teenage years, I decided that I wanted to find the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. A quick perusal of the recipe clippings folder, and I found a bunch of recipes for chocolate chip cookies that had come out of contest that the Seattle Times was hosting. I immediate chose the grand prize winning recipe. It is a true winner, and so easy to do too!

Dave's Chocolate-chip Treasure Cookies
Makes about 3½ dozen (approximately 2-inch cookies)

-- 1½ cups ground graham-cracker crumbs
-- ½ cup all-purpose flour
-- 2 teaspoons baking powder
-- 1 can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
-- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
-- 2 cups flaked coconut
-- 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
-- 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine the graham-cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a mixer bowl, beat the condensed milk and butter until smooth. Add the graham-cracker mixture and mix well. Stir in the coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts; mixture should appear to be lumpy and dry.

3. Shape dough into 1½-inch balls and place onto ungreased cookie sheets, allowing room to spread. Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to racks to cool.

Submitted by David A. Vargus

The only changes I made to this recipe was to substitute hazelnuts for walnuts. A little more expensive, but completely worth it. Plus, if you're will to crush the hazelnuts yourself, Trader Joe's sells a big bag of them for a fairly reasonable price. And honestly, crushing them is kind of fun, as well as cathartic. And for those of you who are not big fans of coconut, please don't let the coconut scare you! It is still delicious and I have had coconut-haters eat three of these cookies in one sitting. And I can tell you this: if you feel like you're being squashed by a gigantic beach ball, baking these is a must.

Happy Baking!
Solstice Festival photo taken by Quy Q. Dinh
Cookie photos taken by Tams

MEMORY: For the littlest brother

I am leaving for California tomorrow for two weeks! My youngest brother, Andrew, is beginning college down there, and I already know I'm going to miss him terribly. He is the baby of the Dinh siblings, and the thought of him starting college brings on some bittersweet thoughts. How did he grow up so fast? More importantly, how did I get old so fast? And yet, I am so happy for the many opportunities and new adventures that will be in store for him. He is a wonderful brother, and he deserves so much. Such is the opinion of a biased sister. I know I speak for our other sibling, Vinnie, on this point as well. One thing that I had heard from others who have moved to California, is that my brother will probably not want to move back to Seattle. In case this does happen, I compiled some reasons to entice Andrew back to the Emerald City.

1. BBQs at Golden Gardens

2. Adventures with Vinnie!

3. To make sure Mom's plants do not take over your room.

4. Going to the Fremont Solstice Festival with Dad

5. Checking out cherry blossoms at the UW. Bet your new school won't have these...

6. Just one last shot of a sunset in Seattle

Good luck Andrew! Vinnie and I are so proud of you and love you so, so much.
Love,
J & V

COLOR ESSAY: Green

In honor of my new green hiking backpack, I decided to compile a photo essay with green as the main color theme! My old orange backpack's waist strap broke (um, don't ask how), and I needed to get a replacement. As I was thinking about this post, I was wondering if I even had enough photos to make this essay work. As it turns out, I must be a hobbit because greens and yellows seem to really catch my eye. Goodness knows, I'm just about as short as one! Thank goodness for those who know me, my feet are not as hairy.

An open field--Spokane, WA

Grapes--Walla Walla, WA

Green Decadence Roll at Wasabi Bistro. One of my favorites!

Spring in the Arboretum--Seattle, WA

Fresh Fish at Pike's Place Market--Seattle, WA

Yellowstone National Park, MT

Asian pears in my parents' garden. Not quite ripe--yet!

Hope you enjoy the greenery!

My Family's Garden

I went to see my family this Saturday, and it was a warm, lazy, mosey-moving sort of day too. The morning was just made to stroll around in a garden, coffee cup in one hand, camera in the other. The sun shone just enough to warm the skin, without causing one to sweat profusely. The summer in Seattle this year has been hot—almost unbearably so. But as a result, my parents’ garden flourished.

The winter was harsh this year, causing a tree to nearly keel under the weight of the snow. Funnily enough, my mother improvised with the new change. As you can see, she decided to hang hanging baskets with fuchsias off the now-lowered branches.

The tree's shade did the trick in protecting the light and heat sensitive fuchsia!

My father's vegetables and fruits did very well this year too!



What a lovely day! What a great time to be in the garden, and what a summer!



My mother would tell you, her head shaking, that the garden is awfully messy. What with the uncontrollable growth of the weeds, the roses not being hedged properly, etc. I think it's perfect. It's perfectly imperfect.

Weekly Eats: Jack's Tapas Cafe

Welcome to the first installation of Weekly Eats on Joie Joie de Vivre! Each week, we will try to share restaurants, recipes, and foods that we love to eat. It is probably fair to say that there are two types of eaters: those that eat to live, and those that live to eat. If you are of the latter, sit down, and tuck a napkin into your collar. Saliva may cause your computer to short circuit. If you are the former, sit down anyways, and perhaps we can change your mind. At the very least, we’re going to give you a taste of what it is like to live in glorious gluttony. Every story has a beginning and the story of Weekly Eats is no exception.

I am lucky to have a tight-knit group of girlfriends, all of whom enjoy eating and appreciate a good meal. While it is certainly correct to say that friendships are built on trust, respect, and love, I think it is also correct to say that the trust, respect, and love begins simply by sharing a meal and conversation. For my girlfriends and me, the meals are usually at Jack’s Tapas Cafe and the conversations are always about life, work, and (of course) men. And I have to tell you something about hanging out with my girls. We shout. We laugh. We tell stories. We have a blast. And we are certainly NOT quiet. That is, until the food comes out. Despite the implications of its name, Jack’s Tapas Cafe is actually a Chinese restaurant that serves family style helpings of food. Once the platters of food are set out, the focus is entirely on the stir-fried hand shaven noodles, layered scallion bread, or three cup chicken hotpot. Alternately, sometimes we order the five spice beef soup, the braised pork belly, or the bean sprout stir fried with tofu strips. Then, for a solid twenty minutes, the only sounds heard from our table are slurps, sips, sighs of goodness, and the occasional camera clicks to document the temporary food nirvana.

Stir-Fried Shaved Noodles

My Tam and I both have a yummy history with this restaurant. My Tam knew it as a short-lived eatery, which served some of the best hand-shaven noodles she’s ever had, in addition to delicious, layered scallion bread. I knew Jack’s Tapas, as a fairly new establishment, after it had reopened. It was located two blocks down from my seedy apartment, and my roommates and I would celebrate special occasions with stir-fried Chinese eggplant and even more scallion bread. My Tam and I both think that the day I informed her that Jack’s Tapas was still existence as one of the best days of our friendship ever. At our most recent meal at Jack’s Tapas, My Tam came up with the idea of sharing this special place and others like it on our blog. The idea was absolutely wonderful, much like the woman who suggested it. The meal that inspired this brainchild is as follows: warm tea, stir-fried hand shaven noodles, flash fried tofu mixed with vegetables, and onion tortilla with egg. The noodles, scrumptious as always, were chewy, flavorful, with bits of garlicky beef tucked in. The tofu was crispy on the outside, yet silky smooth on the inside. The accompanying sauce and vegetables packed with spices rounded out this dish nicely. But oh, the onion tortilla! What a surprise! My Tam and I knew we were in for a treat when the waitress and co-owner of the restaurant told us while smiling that this dish, above all others, was her absolute favorite. The tortilla itself was light and fluffy and studded with green onions. Wrapped inside of it was a slightly seasoned omelette. It looked like a jelly roll that took the savory, less traveled path. And the taste was subtle perfection.

Flash fried tofu with vegetables

Onion Tortilla with Egg

Eating good food and sharing this experience with others is what we aim to do with Weekly Eats. Think of it as an opportunity to break (scallion) bread, or rekindle old friendships. The joy of eating lies within the food and with the people that one is sharing the fooding experience. And by this, I do not just mean your dinner-comrades-in arms. My Tam and I had finished our meal and were on our way out when the cooks of the restaurant came out to greet us. It was a slow evening and the Seattle sun was finally cooling down. Jack is a sweet man—shy, with a smile that stretches from ear to ear. Jack’s sous check was sweaty from his labor, but also, seemingly exuberant. Both men and the waitress were grinning hugely, as My Tam and I repeatedly said how much we appreciated our food. The great thing about food is that it has a bonding quality with everyone that is in some way involved with it, and for the most part derives joy for all. We had learned that day, thanks to in the inset of the menu, that Jack, "is so happy when standing in front of the wok.” And we couldn’t be any happier to keep Jack happy.

Photography by My Tam Nguyen
To learn more about Jack's Tapas Cafe: http://www.jackstapas.com/

Have a Cuppa

A Photo Collection of Drinks

I love lattes. This photo was taken at the Third Place Books in Ravenna Cafe. Pretty sweet, huh?

Mango juice and orange blossom lemonade. Photo taken by My Tam. Love the colors!

Tea time! Dao's palate cleanser at her final exam. Delicious on its own.

Another latte, this time from Cafe Flora. Added bonus: this is the barista's specialty!

Cider from Pike's Place Market. Heh, heh.

A concoction of My Tam's, carried out by Cafe Flora. Cringer + orange juice. GENIUS.

All photos modified by Poladroid.

Bright Haute: Shout-out to Local Artist Kathi Mullaney

Kathi Mullaney is the sort of woman that makes you cheery. Handshakes are not a typical greeting. Think along the lines of a big hug. You cannot help but to smile. And her home is an extension of her personality. At a recent summer party for her children and their friends (and yes, I was lucky enough to be invited. No party crashing necessary here!), I got to see her beautiful home, her studio, and Kathi’s lovely lamps.

Walking around Kathi’s home, I was like a kid in a candy store. With about a million dollars to spare. I just ate up the coziness and homey-ness of it all. And I’m still starving. I was able to admire the lovely rock lamps, where the base is made entirely of pebbles cemented together. Topping this was a custom made lamp shade. The material was heavier, patterned linen. Shown below is an example.


My particular favorite was the lamp base made of beach glass and seashells. The blue and green color combination from the beach glass layered on top each other, with the light bouncing through them, produced a summery seaside incandescence. Pictured below is an example of what I’m trying to describe.


Kathi is also a talented ceramic artist. Have a look! It makes me sort of giddy, almost as if I were in Santa’s workshop.


I really like the details that she puts into her lamps. And how cool is it that a lamp can be both functional and fabulous? I know that there is much encouragement to buy and support local businesses, such as Kathi’s. I also know that there are many good reasons for this, economically and socially. Independent businesses: 1) typically recycle more funds back into the community, providing for further enrichment of the people in the community, 2) allow for increase in product diversity and selection, and 3)are typically more sustainable compared to chain stores, due to the need to be efficient with resources. I’ve only listed a few of the reasons why buying local is important—there are many, many more. But pssst…here’s a secret: I think the best reason to support your local businesses is because you get to know the people behind the work. Like Kathi, the embodiment of kindness and welcoming. It’s almost too coincidental that she has chosen to make lamps as a career. How many quotations are there out there about light casting out darkness, or light being a friend? It is all too fitting here because what makes Kathi’s lamps and work so interesting is that you can really see the artist behind the art. What I’m really trying to say is, you can see the wonderful woman, mother, and friend behind a perfectly metaphorical, bright and warm light.

Images from Kathi’s blog: http://hautelamps.blogspot.com/
Kathi’s work can be found here: http://www.kathleenmullaney.com/

A Heartfelt Life

This is a post consisting entirely of sentimentality, but I figure since a blog is a space to take some time to share one’s interests, I thought I’d share one of mine. My Tam has done excellent work with this blog, and I think one of the finest qualities of this blog is that it is a collection of things that we here care—no wait, make that are passionate about—be it activism for a worthy cause, divinely beautiful art, or a common interest in fried dough (yum!). When My Tam first introduced her blog to me, she added as a suggestion that I might try blogging about crafts that I was interested in. And now I am finally taking her up on her suggestion!

But where to begin? When did I suddenly decide to take the time to make an anniversary card? What exactly happened that made me decide that learning how to knit was a must? What made me decide to go on photography escapades? I cannot be exactly sure when I dove headfirst into arts and crafts but my best guess is around my senior year of undergraduate college years. I still remember seeing the book that perhaps changed it all. Perched neatly on display at the University Bookstore at the Husky Union Building was Minigami by Gay Merrill Gross. Something about the colors drew me in. Pink and yellow ducks on a neon turquoise background (um, yes, choice of color scheme leaves much to be desired). On a whim, I bought the book. I returned the next day to buy origami paper. Other than that slight newbie mistake, I was on my way to loving origami. My first project was an anniversary card for my parents which consisted of three button flowers glued to some cardstock. I chose a light green background and made the flowers in various shades of pink. Inside the pink flowers I made even smaller yellow flowers to stick inside. I was quite sure that Lilly Pulitzer would have approved and proudly presented the card to my parents, after my brothers and I wrote little notes of happiness and congratulations to our parents. My parents still have this card on display in our family room.

It will come as no surprise that flushed with this success, I decided that card making was a one way route to total zen. However, as an undergraduate in desperate need to graduate, I turned my proper attention to school. Also, as a very hungry undergraduate, I also had to devote time at my part time job, to support my eating habits. And my eating habits simply consist consuming more than is really necessary. But that’s a separate post. With a major in the sciences, and a part-time job in technical support, I soon shelved my crafting aspirations. I made the occasional card here and there when I had time, but more often than not, I went to Bartells and picked up something that I found humorous. I went on to post-graduate education, which firmly entrenched me in the sciences. Don’t get me wrong, I love science and will continue to pursue a career in it. BUT. There was something else to be desired. I soon realized my need for a creative outlet when I saw a girl cross the street one day between Campus Parkway and the Ave. What was so intriguing about this girl was that she was knitting while walking. She was making a bag on a pair of circular needles. At the time, knitting was also making a comeback as the activity du jour. I decided I had to knit. Needed to knit. And so I took to this new activity the same way I did with origami. Unfortunately, the outcomes were far from successful. It took me a year and a trial of three books before I learned to knit. Despite all my frustrations, I kept on trying, with a zeal which was unusual for me. I did not take kindly to disappointment in the form of gigantic knots of yarn. Then my friend Mary recommended Stitch n’ Bitch by Debbie Stoller, and things started getting better. In fact, it got so good, that I knitted my first scarf. It was a hideous blue and I knit it so tightly that it had the texture of a place mat. I have never worn this scarf, and most likely never will. My next project was the architect scarf that I found in Greetings from Knit Café by Suzan Mischer. Finally, at last, knitting success! The friend that I gave this scarf to seemed pleased. Whether or not he actually was pleased is questionable—I did give it to him in the middle of August when he absolutely did not need it. Still, I appreciated the enthusiasm, nonetheless. I knit on and on and then suddenly I became the constant bus knitter (even in 90 degree weather) on the Metro 75.

Now in retrospect, I see that my insistence on learning to knit, and crafting in general was because I wanted an activity that brought me and those that I love happiness. As a child growing up, my family was constantly involved in crafts. I have memories of my aunt making her own ornaments for Christmas, my mother teaching me how to make jump rope from rubber bands, and my father making cans of jam during the summer. As a housewarming present, one of my aunts gave my family an embroidered piece, while another made knick-knacks for decorating. It is these pieces that I remember because I was so impressed that it was made with their own hands. That someone would take the time to create something beautiful to make them happy. I was also inspired by their creations and the attention to detail. All of these pieces still decorate my parents’ house. Along with a green card studded with pink flowers. The title of this post is, “A Heartfelt Life” because it is what art, crafts, and creativity in general means to me. There is is just something special, that is unfortunately hard to describe, about the handmade. To make something with your own hands and enjoy the entire process, to transfer this joy of making something to someone else by giving your piece, and then finally, to inspire others to pursue something that means a lot to them. Well. One cannot help but feel gladness.

But you know what? The gladness isn’t exclusive. It is, in fact, what this blog is all about.

Urban Craft Uprising

What: A showcase for independent craftsters + craft author signings + DEMOS!!!
When: August 1st and 2nd, 11am-5pm both days
Where: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Fee: It's free. But if you come early, there's a pretty nifty swag bag!
Why: (1) Support local artists and craftsmen/women, (2) jump start or further fuel the creativity, (3) because there's just something really cool about the handmade.

How to Make Multi Layered Stencil Art - wikiHow

We can't all be like Banksy, but it's worth a try.

How to Make Multi Layered Stencil Art - wikiHow