nerd’s eye view

Postcard Update

May 20, 2008 – 7:22 am | by nerd's eye view

The nice folks at Postcard Perfect like the idea of you sending postcards so much, they’ve given me a freebie code to share until Monday, the 26th.  It’s good for US postage only (sorry) but you’ll get two domestic postcards for free or two international ones for 75c each.

I’ll send you the code when you email me your address. Today’s postcards are off to Germany, New York, and, if I get it written before the mail goes out, Chicago. I sort of can’t wait for the mail to start coming in!

It’s Ukulele Season!

May 19, 2008 – 10:01 am | by nerd's eye view

If you’re planning to be at the Northwest Folklife Festival next Sunday, the Seattle Ukulele Players Association has a short set at Charlotte Martin Theater. If you wanted to see more ukulele players than you can imagine in one place at one time performing a smattering of songs from traditional Hawaiian to disco covers (that one was mine, I’m especially proud of teaching everyone to play it) then here’s your chance. Drop in. The uke showcase starts at 530, we’re on at 7.

I ain’t promising quality, but I will promise a shocking quantity of ukuleles.

SUPA performs Ukenalia! at the Northwest Folklife Festival in the Charlotte Martin Theatre from 7:05-7:30pm. Also joining us will include Da Udda Guyz, Olo Kani and the Kimbal Elementary & Rosa Parks elementary kids.

Hope to see you there.

The Postcard Revival Project

May 17, 2008 – 2:46 pm | by nerd's eye view

The postcard, that cheap and venerable souvenir for the last 120 years, is slowly but inexorably fading from the scene.

Blame it on the surging popularity of digital photos, text messages and those 5,000-word dispatches e-mailed to weary friends and family from Internet cafes the world over.

Source: SF Gate: Perceptive Travel

Nooooooo! As much as I loves me some blogging and some digital photos, I still adore postcards, getting them, writing them, sending them off. I love them so much that I’m going to send one to you. But you have to send ME one, too. Tacky, gorgeous, vintage, just plain used, a picture of some place you’ve never been or went 12 years ago and still have postcards from, send ‘em my way and I’ll send one to you.

In a nod to technology, we first have to trade addresses via email: [pam (at) nerdseyeview (dot) com] Send me yours, I’ll send you mine. Don’t be shy; I won’t send you anything inappropriate and I’m not stalkerish or weird. (Well, not weird in a scary way.) I have some postcards that we’ve made ourselves over the past view years, some that I never sent out, and, if I run out, well, who knows what I’ll send you.

Long live the postcard!

National Geographic Dreams

May 16, 2008 – 8:10 am | by nerd's eye view

I don’t qualify for this - too creaky around the knees, oh, let’s face it, I’m OLD - but you might. National Geographic will soon be accepting applicants for overseas writers, photographers, storytellers… between the ages of 18-30. I think it’s totally unfair that I can’t apply for the program, but rather than grousing about that, I’m going to tell you, young whippersnapper that’s handy with the camera or the written word, to sign up and go get ‘em.

If you are a talented storyteller; specialize in writing, photography or video; and will be living or studying abroad in Fall 2008, this is your opportunity! As a Glimpse Correspondent, you will receive a $600 stipend, a professional editor, and the opportunity to be published in National Geographic Glimpse. The application will be ready in mid-May–register your email address today to be notified when the application goes live!–Glimpse Correspondents Program

Now, I’m off to wash down my bitter envy with black coffee.

Fish Wednesday: Leeks in White Wine Edition

May 15, 2008 – 1:33 pm | by nerd's eye view

Leeks are a tricky vegetable. I do like them but I’m not always sure what to do with them. I had them oven roasted at my friend’s place in Tuscany - that was damn fine - and in vichyssoises (leek and potato soup) but I rarely cook them at home. We received a bundle of them in our CSA box last week, so there was no getting around it, I was going to have to cook them. I cracked Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and picked a recipe that sounded like it would do double duty with a nice white fish.

Essentially, you simmer the leeks in white wine with a handful of herbs until they’re done. That’s exactly what I did and when the leeks were cooked through, I lifted them out of the pan and put in a hefty Marlin steak. Marlin, if it’s wild caught Hawaiian marlin, is considered a sustainable fish though I had a moment of crisis at the fish counter. I like marlin a lot, it’s meaty and dense and goes great on the grill. Steamed in wine it was moist and tender, but could have supported something a little less subtle. I probably should have let the sauce reduce a bit more before adding the fish- that would have made for a more intense flavor. No complaints, though, it was a nice springtime plate of food, mild with a little bite if you happened to get one of the peppercorns floating in the sauce. Yum.

A short side note: Lately, lots of people have been saying tremendously nice things about Nerd’s Eye View, both online and off… the good people of TravelPod, TravBuddy, Uptake, the folks that buy the links on my sidebar… just to name a few. To those folks - and all of you that bother to spend your valuable time reading this blog - I just wanted to say thank you. Look me up if you’re in my part of the world. I’m likely to invite you over for fish dinner. No, really. There are people out there who will confirm that I totally mean it.

File Under: Always Carry Your Camera

May 13, 2008 – 9:15 am | by nerd's eye view

My photo won the prize for “Most Unusual Object” in West Seattle Blog’s Garage Sale Contest. No, smart guy, the unusual object wasn’t ME, it was two huge bags of duck decoys.

Me: How many duck decoys does a person need?
Duck Decoy Guy: About a dozen.
Me: And how many do you have here?
DDG: Oh, about three dozen… do you want one? You can take one home…
Me: [Selecting a duck decoy]
DDG: Everyone knows the Mallard.

What did I win? A 20 dollar coffee card from Hotwire at the Junction. Mmmmm. Coffee. And a duck decoy!

Cap Hill Garage Sale Day is June 14th.

---

West Seattle neighbor and travel goddess Beth Whitman of Wanderlust and Lipstick has asked me to help judge her travel photo contest. The fabulous prize? An X-Shot Monopod. I’m not familiar with the gadget, but it looks like it could be a fun thing to have. You’ll need to register on Beth’s site, upload some pics, and send your absolute best to her. Details are here.