The Colors of Spring in Germany

A mallard duck and colorful historic home.

I been in Germany for almost a whole week. A whole new world and a whole new culture all within 24 hours from my doorstep to the other. It is beautifully warm here. Temperatures are up to 70 degrees, spring flowers burst with color, and the sunshine has tickled my face every day. I feel at home although so far away.

With Easter around the corner, one can find decorated trees around every corner. The festive colors of the painted eggs remind me of the excitement I had as a small girl. Even decorative flower bouquets are found in every home, in spirit of Easter Sunday.

Today we walked the streets of Lindau, a beautiful old town right on the shores of Lake Constance. Flowers in every corner caught my eye. Bright poppies, tulips, daffodils, and magnolias danced in the Northern breeze.

We visited an art Museum filled with Chagall. His imaginative interpretation of life and love could only inspire.

Paintings by Chagall.

As art is around you in every shape and form, in Cathedrals, in old buildings, and sculptures, so is food. However, food is enjoyed slowly and thoroughly. We ate and drank, walked, and ate and drank some more. German gemütlichkeit, a state of mind that conduces cheerfulness and peace of mind, was present throughout the day. An oat grout latke cake served with a farmers salad only stimulated the appetite more for the beautiful desserts we shared over cappuccinos. As we sat saxophone notes danced through the air playing Beatles tunes by a duet of street performers. It was beautiful. 

My family.

Soon I will post recipes. I have found many inspirations, yet have not had the chance to create.

 

                                         

Road Trip: Olympic Peninsula

Photo by Jenden Pano: Coupeville Ferry at sunrise.

My partner Dane, is born and raised in Port Angeles, and very close to his family. Every few months we take the time to road trip over from Bellingham to spend some dedicated family time. The ferry ride, and the beautiful scenic drive always make it exciting. From the ferry you can see Mt. Baker, the Olympics, and the Canadians all in a 360 degree view. Sunrise on the ferry is my favorite, absolutely stunning.

We reached the summit=lunch time!!

We arrived Thursday night in order to have a full day of fun on Friday--the forecast, sunny and clear skies. Friday morning we woke up before the sunrise, and were out the door as soon as the first rays peaked through the kitchen window. Our adventure of the day: touring the Hurricane Ridge backcountry. We arrived at the Olympic National Park gates by 8:30am and drove on through, the first guests of the day. As we wound our way up to the lodge, the snow banks continued to grow from barely visible to a near 10 ft, and the Olympics peaked up through the snow-covered trees. It was breath-taking.

We reached the top and quickly got ready, antsy to get out and play. The sun warmed my face, and I knew today I would get those sun kissed cheeks and rosy nose. We were ready--Dane with his split board, and I with my snowshoes, lets go!!

The Olympics 

Everything glistened and sparkled, and looked as though we had arrived in a fairy tale land. Snow covered bushes and trees turned into rounded towers, snow drifts formed soft pillowy balls. It was magical.

We snowshoed 6 1/2 miles and summited a peak. Dane rode a line he had been day-dreaming about for quite some time. It was perfect. The adventure of the day--successfully accomplished.

Saturday morning we had a slow start. Gluten free teff and blueberry pancakes wafted through the kitchen and fresh coffee was brewing in the pot. Ahhh.....so cozy.

It was cloudy, with a potential for clearing. The sun shone bright over the Vancouver Island, but we were still in the dark. We decided to drive out to Cresent Beach so Dane could check out the surf and that I could go on my favorite peninsula run. Its beautiful there. A long sand beach with amazing breaks, and a small haystack in the distance. Yet today, there was no surf, and a very low tide. I went for my run, while Dane went on a walk. By the time I returned to the truck, the sun had made its way to us. The beach was lit with the warm glow. I walked out to the haystack on the tidal flats where I knew I could find Dane.

He had discovered a large batch of mussels at the bottom of the haystack. Some as large as my hand, others as small as an almond, they were begging to be harvested. My eyes grew big, and I began to pick the "perfect size" mussels, medium-small. After only 5 minutes the two of us had about 2 lbs of mussels, enough for an appetizer to share. YUM!!

Crescent Beach

Mussels

Once we arrived back at Pamela and Mike's home,(Dane's Parents) Pamela and I went   to the Port Angeles Farmers Market. Small but sweet, it was bustling with food vendors, farmers, artists, and visitors all enjoying the warm spring sun. There was everything from raab lacinato kale, to pasture-raised eggs and meats, to organic fair trade coffee. Spring is here and the foods are beginning to flourish!

Pamela purchasing some true grass fed beef.

The Olympic Peninsula is the only place I know where the ocean and the mountains are so close to one another. Not only does this make the peninsula a natural beauty but a place with plenty of awaiting adventures. If you love to hike, ski, mountain bike, etc., its all here.

I will miss you Pamela, Mike, Betty, and the adventures of the Olympic Peninsula!! See you in 6 months!

The Beginning of Something New

The Bastyr Campus. Photo from Bastyr University.

Sitting on the bus usually lends to daydreaming and the beautiful ability to think of nothing. However, on Tuesday March 13th, my bus ride home took a turn for the better and the more exciting. My phone rang, it was an unknown number. At first, I wanted to ignore the call, lending the caller the chance to leave a message, but at the last minute answered it instead. "Hello?", I said, " this is Selva." It was my admissions advisor from Bastyr University, Emily. She introduced herself and then told me, "I just want to congratulate you on your acceptance into the Masters of Nutrition DPD program. You are an outstanding applicant and we want to personally congratulate you. A letter will be sent to your home shortly."I was stunned, and my heart began beating as if I had just kissed a new crush. I started smiling and laughing. This phone call had been long awaited. Truthfully I had been watching the mailbox like a hawk, expecting a letter in the mail, and hadn't even thought about the chance they would call me. "Thank you," was all I could say. The conversation was brief--short and sweet. I couldn't think of much else to ask or say. The only thing I could think of was I DID IT. My dream of attending Bastyr has finally happened. All the long, hard work paid off. Now, the only thing else I can hope for is funding. Scholarships?Grants? Something that can help me pay off the large amounts of money I will spend attending my dream school.As soon as I hung up the phone with Emily, I began calling those close to me to pass on the great news. I was giggling and smiling like a young school girl in love....it is now time to CELEBRATE.

Bastyr University all green student housing. Photo by Bridget Meinhold

My favorite place away from home, to meet for good wine and food, is the Temple Bar. They have one of the best happy hours in town, offering a bottle of wine and a small cheese plate for $15. Not to mention their food is always delicious, and often pairing wonderfully with the wine. My mother was my date. She has always been one of my biggest supporters and cheerleaders--to spend this evening with her only seemed natural. We treated ourselves and celebrated with the chocolate truffle cake for dessert. A rich decadent gooey goodness, that should be saved for special occasions. It was served with a raspberry sauce and topped with whip cream...mmmmm....so good. Food, wine, laughter, and love, filled the three hours spent in our cozy bar.

Celebrating with my mom.

Not only did we eat and drink well, but the ideas, dreams, and gossip flowed. One of the inspirations of the night, is the reason why I am writing today. "2012 has a lot in store for me," I said, "perhaps I should write about my adventures in food, life, and nutrition. Would you find that interesting?" My mother smiled, "of course! I would follow your blog every day." I know any mother would express similar words, but I felt inspired. People have always urged me to blog about my recipes and cooking adventures, but not until that moment did I feel an urge to document my life. Excitement brewed within me, I could write about everything. Not just food, but also my travels, ideas, and anything else that I want to share. Writing a blog will be a great way for me to take the information I learn throughout my life, may it be through grad school, through work, or travel, to teach others....what a great opportunity....and voila! Here is the beginning of something new.

Temple Bar, Bellingham WA. Photo taken by Bellingham Herald

PS...I want to thank everyone that has been apart of the winding path that has lead me not only to the doorsteps of Bastyr, but to the discovery of my calling in life. You will always remain dear to me.