Slept in Seattle

31 03 2009

After my dose of food poisoning on Sunday night, I slept through the night last night, though the wind was howling around the building and the creakiness 40+ floors up was a bit scary.

Char and I went to dinner in the hotel (Coldwater Bar and Grill at The Westin) with Bonni G and Sharon B. We each had a FABULOUS meal that we ranted and raved about — I had the Alaskan King Salmon with a to-die-for lime fraiche sauce on the side. (Dinner menu)

I’d hate to have been a table anywhere near us — we were laughing heaps, sharing stories, and just having a great time without a drop of alcohol anywhere to be seen! It was a fun night, and it’s the first time I’ve met Sharon B. I knew her by reputation but I’m pretty sure we’ve never met before — she’s a hoot!


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Categories : Food & Wine, Life stuff

For Sue who likes pink

31 03 2009

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that another friend loves pink, which is why I didn’t make the laptop bag for Char in pink!

So before I left for the US, I decided I’d better make something for Sue otherwise she’ll give me a hard time about ignoring her… Sue loves pink, so pink she’s getting (well, she should already have her gift now as I’m writing this a few days before I leave, but post-dating it for after I see her… confused?)

Here’s Sue’s gift — very pink coasters! (all nicely fabric protected too):

Pack of four coasters for Sue

Pack of four coasters for Sue

All the coasters

All the coasters

Front and back of the coasters -- yes, the back is pink too!

Front and back of the coasters -- yes, the back is pink too!


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Categories : Quilts and fabric stuff

Sleepless in Seattle revisited

30 03 2009

Was it something I ate? I haven’t slept more than a few minutes at a time all night. I’ve felt nauseous to the point of putting the trash can by the bed — just in case. Last night a group of us went to dinner at a seafood restaurant, so perhaps any of the crab cakes, potato and halibut soup, grilled halibut, or the assortment of desserts was to blame. Perhaps not too. Who knows? All I know is that I haven’t had much/any sleep and I have to do my presentation later today!

If I feel sleepy during the sessions today, do I consume more caffeine (Diet Coke) or come up to the room to grab an hour or so’s sleep?

In the meantime, I’ve taken two Tums to try to settle my stomach. BTW, it’s not nerves. I know how my body deals with ‘stage fright’ nerves — and it’s not like this.

Update: At least two other people at the table also were sick last night, and the organiser has called the restaurant to let them know. we think the common element was the crab cakes or the sauce that went with it, but there were some who ate the crab cakes and didn’t get sick. But there’s no other common element that we can figure out.


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Categories : Life stuff

Another laptop bag

30 03 2009

When I made a quilted tote bag for my laptop a week or so ago, my good friend Char from Boston was very taken with it and asked how much it would cost for me to make one for her. Well, as anyone who’s tried to price craft knows, the cost is horrendous if you include labour (and as one of these bags takes 4 to 5 hours to make, that’s not a cheap exercise). So we left it at that…

Meantime, I decided to make her one anyway as a surprise! I’m actually writing this blog entry on March 19, some 10 days before it will appear. I want to make sure that it doesn’t get published before I have a chance to hand over the bag and surprise her! I’ll be meeting Char at Seattle Airport on March 28 (our flights arrive within 45 mins of each other) and we’re rooming together for the conference we’re both attending and speaking at. I’ll give her the laptop bag then — along with the Dragonfly quilt that she knows she’s getting.

I did ask her the size of her laptop and what colours she likes, in case I had some time to make her a bag… with no promises of course! She said she likes all colours (that makes it hard…), but preferably not pink. We have a mutual friend who is a pink person and she knew that our friend — who is also going to the conference — would want it if it was pink!

I hunted through my stash looking for something appropriate. Japanese navy and maroon? (classy and subdued) Celtic brown/gold and brown? reds? yellows? (too garish for an office environment — Char regularly travels to client offices and meetings), greens? Then I saw it… the blue Aboriginal fabric I’d purchased over the internet some time back just over a year ago. Char’s been to Australia and I’m pretty sure she’s been to the Great Barrier Reef (she’s been to Queensland, at least), so I thought it would be perfect — a little touch of Australia every time she uses the bag. I found a matching blue with green spot fabric and put it together for her.

Here’s how it turned out:

Char's laptop bag

Char's laptop bag

Free motion quilting and lining

Free motion quilting as shown on the lining

Fabric detail and free motion quilting

Fabric detail and free motion quilting

Free motion quilting - metallic and rayon threads

Free motion quilting - metallic and rayon threads


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Categories : Quilts and fabric stuff

Room with a view

30 03 2009

I mentioned that we were in this massive suite and that we’re 40+ floors up in space. What I didn’t mention is that the view from the room extends from downtown all the way across the harbour and Puget Sound (?) to the Space Needle. I took a few photos and tried to ‘stitch’ them together for a panorama — it’s not very good, but it will give you some sense of the view we have!

Seattle panorama

Seattle panorama

You can view this photo in a bigger resolution, and all the photos I took for it here:
http://community.webshots.com/album/570720633iLYKLJ?start=24


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Categories : Travel, USA

Not sleepless in Seattle

29 03 2009

I slept through the night! yay! First time since I landed on Wednesday… Maybe the jet lag has gone now???


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Categories : Travel, USA

Seattle’s weather

29 03 2009

When I arrived in Seattle late yesterday it was grey, low clouds and bucketing down with rain. And cold — like 38F cold. This morning it is clear blue skies and sunshine! I have no idea how warm/cold it is outside, but right now the weather looks great from 40+ floors up!


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Categories : Travel, USA

None of us are getting any younger

29 03 2009

…so I was impressed by an initiative that I saw at my uncle’s. He had a flyer from Blue Shield offering free membership to ‘The Silver Sneakers’ for all those 60 and over (I think it was 60 — no matter). There was a long list of participating fitness clubs and gyms, all of whom allow people in this age bracket free membership so they can keep fit.

What a good idea! A health insurance fund trying to keep its long-term costs down by providing the means for the aging segment of the population to keep as fit as possible and thus keep them out of the health system for as long as possible.


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Categories : Life stuff

It’s as big as a house

29 03 2009

Char and I got upgraded to a suite at The Westin in Seattle. It’s massive, and it’s a long way up… above the 40th floor!

Here are a couple of photos to give you some idea of the scale of the room; more photos are here ( the photos start at the bottom this album page in the link and go on to the next two pages of the album).

The Westin in Seattle -- main bedroom

The Westin in Seattle -- main bedroom

The Westin in Seattle -- looking from dining area past the Murphy bed in the wall and the office desk to the living room

The Westin in Seattle -- looking from dining area past the Murphy bed in the wall and the office desk to the living room


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Categories : Travel, USA

Friends

29 03 2009

My good friend Char was waiting at baggage claim when I arrived in Seattle late this afternoon. Her flight from Boston (via Denver) had got in about 15 to 30 minutes before mine and we’d agreed ages ago to share a ride into town. What we didn’t expect until a few days ago, was that the ride would be provided by Chuck, the conference’s official photographer and all round nice guy!

Chuck’s number plate is great “User1st” (user first); he drove up from San Francisco yesterday and was happy to wait in the cell phone carpark for us both to arrive (they have a car park just off the SeaTac airport for those picking up loved ones; as far as I know they don’t charge for it and it keeps the access points from being clogged by people circling looking for their party — an EXCELLENT idea). Chuck dropped us off at The Westin in town which is where the conference is being held.

Thanks Chuck!


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Categories : Travel, USA

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