Steamer's West.
A Cup Of English
I have discovered a local (1)haunt that I have (2)made my own: Steamer's West. It's a cafe/ restaurant I can pop into in between my interpreting jobs for a quick bite to eat. It's a simple place, actually a converted mechanical garage. It has been renovated to be appropriate for serving food, but has maintained the two large mechanic shop doors, and its very basic structure. It's only open until 3pm every day, and it swarms with customers until then. That's a good sign, I think. The simple, clean food and good quality coffee keep the humans coming back. There is a quaint outdoor seating area...
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Finley and the moon.
A Cup Of English
Peace. Imagine this: a cool evening, a quiet street, no one around, birds already asleep in the darkened trees, a blanket on the grass, the stars appearing overhead, and a cat by your side. Can you feel it? My cup of decaf is already cold, ignored. I'm too enthralled by what I can see and feel. The moon is not full tonight, but is extremely bright. My mind (1)wanders over the night sky, until I sense the warmth of the quiet feline who has placed himself gently next to me. The nights here in North Central Washington are like a sensory sanctuary, at least for me. When the farenheits dip down...
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Roll Out The Problems.
A Cup Of English
"My soul has been tested today," is a saying that a friend of mine uses on a regular basis. Sometimes, when problems pile up, it feels that way, doesn't it? Of course, some are more serious than others; we know that. Some, however, are just downright bothersome, annoying, frustrating. I could go on. So, I am nearing the end of the renovation of my condominium. I still have a lot to do in the garage in order to transform it into something wonderful and useable. The last few steps needed inside my living area are to carpet the stairs, and to put the shower in my bathroom. For a year I have been...
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A Reading Haven.
A Cup Of English
I'm sitting in the local library writing this podcast, and honestly, it is one of my favorite places to be. There are so many reasons to feel this way too. The Wenatchee library is situated in the center of town, close to the court house, the jail, and the other older, significant buildings. The south side of the library (1)overlooks Memorial Park. I wrote a podcast once which you might remember, about a spectacular tree in that park. It is truly an elegant green space. Even though there is a constant flow of traffic around it, the mature trees and their shady spaces provide an instant sense...
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Things Are Looking Up.
A Cup Of English
I thought I would start this podcast with a cheery English idiomatic phrase: (1)Things are looking up. This, (2)as you can probably imagine, means that the general situation at the moment is looking positive, or better than it has been. I've been looking up a lot recently, partly because of the new, green leaves on the trees, the very blue sky, and also partly because of my ceiling. I should actually say, "My lack of ceiling." Some of you know that I have spent the last year doing a total remodel of my condominium. Everything was stripped down to the bare wooden frame. It is a different story...
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half-in
A Cup Of English
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Ten Thousand Dahlias.
A Cup Of English
"I had no idea that there are so many!" I said to the lady in the garden who was busy cutting off dry flower heads. "Oh yes!" she said excitedly. "There are at least 10,000 kinds of dahlias now, and new varieties are found each year," her wide eyes showed her enthusiasm. I had walked past the rows of dahlias earlier as I had hurried into the clinic without paying much attention. However, when I was walking back to my car, checking my phone messages, the kaleidoscope of colors caught my eye. I had to have a look. The look was more like a long, satisfying gaze. I walked slowly up and down each...
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Renovation mess!
A Cup Of English
Shocking isn't it? If you can see this photo, I'm sure you will be thinking, "What a mess! What has Anna been up to?" It's renovation time, people. Everything is becoming new! Well, I have quite a long way to go, actually. My two bedroom condo is being transformed into a four bedroom one. Now how could I do that with a little condominium, you might ask? My answer is: "With the help of an architect, an engineer, and some very skilled builders, electricians, plumbers, and carpenters." Honestly, there are some very talented people involved in this relatively little project. When I say...
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A Winter Return.
A Cup Of English
As I looked out of the kitchen window this morning, I was shocked but partly pleased to see a sheet of ice on the entryway to the back door. I say 'shocked' because the rain and warmer temperatures of last night were supposed to have melted the existing heavy snow and ice. The reason I was pleased, though it sounds silly, was that the ice was quite beautiful. It formed a quintessential, frosty, crystal pattern across the ground. My hope is that that beauty will soon melt away so I don't have to worry about slipping on the way to work! You have probably heard the news about the arctic blast...
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An Inspiring Day Out.
A Cup Of English
A week ago I went on a drive to explore an area of Eastern Washington that I'm not familiar with at all. It was the rolling countryside north of where I live, near the little town of Manson. The geography here is dry like Wenatchee, but lower, wider, and full of rolling hills. These stretch miles into the distance towards the East. It seems like a very rural, mainly uninhabited area, but actually, as you explore, you quickly realize that there are houses even in the most remote looking areas, little pockets of human life here and there. I think that they type of people who live in these areas...
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As I looked through my photos today of my recent holiday, I came across one of a bar in Sevilla. I hadn't gone inside, but I certainly did look in from the pavement for a long time. It was a gorgeous, very old rock building with wooden beams, hanging lamps, and bulls heads mounted on the walls. It had incredible atmosphere, and was very elegant. It was a restaurant and tapas bar. Tapas, if you don't know, are small portions of various, tasty dishes that are served in Spain to accompany drinks, like beer or wine. It helps to have a little something to eat at lunchtime when you drink alcohol, especially if you are going back to work afterwards; the effects of the alcohol are less. The food is so good, however, that many people have tapas for dinner. They order a variety of dishes, and simply share them. Olives, are a like a staple in Spain. Often you don't even pay anything for them when you have them with a drink. Tapas, however, are quite special, and chefs take pride in making high quality dishes that people will recommend. One of my favorites is 'croquetas'. These are a deep fried, tube shaped mass consisting of either creamy potato or béchamel sauce, with meat or fish of some sort. This is then covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. They are very flavorful and filling. My second favorite is 'ensaladilla rusa' which is like a potato salad with super powers. The ingredients that make it special are: boiled egg, tuna fish, peas, and a garnish of roasted red peppers. It is a meal in itself, and goes down so well with a light beer! It turns out that my son and I were in one of the best places in Spain for tapas: Sevilla. I have come across tapas bars in other countries, but as my Spanish mother always says, "No, the tapas just aren't the same." I would have to agree with her. They're not the same simply because they're not in Spain. You could have one of the best chefs making tapas in London, but they still wouldn't be 'the same' as the tapas in Spain. Atmosphere and location add to the experience of eating, I must insist. Perhaps we expect the tapas to taste better in Spain, and therefore they do. Mind you, I'm sure that it also makes a difference when you are using locally grown red peppers and olives as they do in Sevilla, compared to imports. Freshness of produce and the pride of tradition will always make Spanish tapas a little better than those found elsewhere.