Help me, he's got a phrase book...

TOIL, that is, has a Mexican phrase book and help me, he is using it to brush up on his Spanish. We are closing in on our departure date for a little honeymoon* in Mexico. Thus we have the phrase book and TOIL pacing the house (more like following me everywhere) saying (in Spanish), "¿Excuse me, have you any thread to mend my shirt?", "¿Good morning, can you tell me, is this minced meat?", "¿Excuse me, has that bus been recently serviced?" All powerfully useful phrases, that will most definitely come in handy.

You may be thinking, "In this economy, are you kidding? A trip to Mexico? How?" Here's how. In a stroke of random raffle luck, I won a travel voucher at my company picnic last summer that will cover the cost of airfare and our bungalow accommodations. "¿Where is the main water valve?". I'd write a post about how to travel on the cheap, but with airfare and accommodations paid for, I am not sure that you would take me seriously.

"¿The table is unsteady?", "¿Is one allowed to go up the bell tower?", "¿Can the children ride an elephant?" "Oh oh, you want to learn this one Thea... "¿Could I have a jar of olives please?". No TOIL, I am good with you being the expert on olive requisitions.

Suffice it to say, we are traveling on the cheap, even with the generosity of my employer. We don't need much. Just some sun, warm ocean water, a little Spanish immersion of language and culture, and new sights and experiences to fill our senses. "¿How far is the next village?". Hold it TOIL, we are NOT survival trekking in the Rainforest!

Our Naturopath hooked us up with Montezuma's Revenge preventative measures, which include drinking a little Ume Plume Concentrate in warm/hot water at each meal. "¿Can I have a hair cut, I wear it brushed forward with a fringe?"

Actually, I do have a "how to travel on the cheap" tip; it's all about attitude. We are going to travel with a sense and expectation of adventure at every turn and see what opportunity brings our way. There is all kind of possibility in the town we are headed to...horseback riding, snorkeling, boat trips, bus trips, exploring ancient ruins, street markets, mango groves, and more. We are leaving our technological paraphernalia at home. I am having little... tiny... anticipatory... withdrawal symptoms from my iPhone. But I am a survivor. "¿I have cut my foot, do you have any bandages?" Whats with all the questions TOIL?

One thing is for sure, we will be doing a whole lot of walking, relaxing and practicing the daily ritual commonly called the Siesta swinging in the hammocks hanging in the shaded balcony of our home away from home. Sounds like a great tip and trip to me. "¿Excuse me, can I pick this mango off of your tree?"

*we plan to take "honeymoons" together for the rest of our natural lives - they are typically called "mini-moons", but this being a trip to a foreign country and all gets to don the full blown "Honeymoon" title.

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Virtual Sandbox

I am always on the look out for that uber cool mix of technology and art, form and function online. I have Guy Kawasaki to thank for bringing this gem to my attention via a recent tweet...

The website is called http://thisissand.com and it is a virtual sandbox. A bunch of clever folk got together to create a place to play online. You create with sand. Add color and design as you wish. Play to your hearts content. And best of all... no clean up. Read their more about the project on the This is Sand blog here or take a look at the Sandbox Gallery here.

What cool web things do you like?

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Friday: Clam Chowder

I like EXCELLENT clam chowder. I am totally ambivalent about GOOD clam chowder and flat out won't eat any clam chowder with a lessor ranking than that.

There is something extravagant and simple about excellent clam chowder. The texture, the choice ingredients, the broth. I am not partial to white or red, just excellent. I have tried clam chowder from coast to coast and found a handful of excellent, a smattering of good and a whole lotta ... unpalatable.

To date, my all time favorite clam chowder can be found at the Historic Parker's Restaurant in the Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston. If you ever make it to Boston, it really is worth the effort to grab a bowl.
*Parker's claims to the be birthplace of the Parker House Roll, Boston Creme Pie and Boston Scrod. Several famous Chef's have run the kitchen including Emeril Lagasse. I personally think their Clam Chowder puts all of that to shame.

Enough with the history lesson! I have finally found EXCELLENT clam chowder locally. I too, am surprised it took me so long. It's not like we are lacking in seafood options here in the Pacific Northwest. We even have a couple of Fish Markets in town. And it's one of them, Fisherman's Market, that has the best clam chowder in the area - in my humble opinion. The broth is thinner than thicker. They don't skimp on the clams. It's not too salty, or creamy, yet perfectly seasoned. This is a simple but delightful clam chowder. Fisherman's Market has a great selection of fresh if you feel like cooking at home (even Sashimi grade) and a nice, reasonably priced restaurant with good eats. So long as you don't mind eating next to the crab tank or the fish counter.

Where do you get EXCELLENT clam chowder?

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