Almost sleepless nights

Image: Danilo Rizzuti/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well, like 5 million people in this country*, I didn't sleep too well last night.  There's just something about sleeping with my window wide open to the trees and street that appeals to me.  I enjoy the sunlight in the morning, the early morning chill as the day wakes up.  Birds singing, as they usually do, also appeal to me.  So, I just can't simply close the window.  Sue me.

Or maybe I didn't realize it was open when I laid down and am just too lazy to get up and close it.  Or maybe it's broken and stuck open.  But hey, it's the little things in life, right?  But idiot teenagers skateboarding down the street and yelling about how awesome they are in the wee hours of the almost-morning do not qualify.  Maybe a smarter or less lazy person would get up and close the window.  But me, oh no.  I'll just drift back to sleep.  No problem.  Really, no problem.  I'm a gifted sleeper who can just ignore noises and fall back asleep.**

The real problem is that I was up late reading blogs.  Some of them are too hilarious to just flip by.  Ultimately, my sleep problem comes down to the fact that I was too engrossed in sarcastic online chit chat that had tears streaming down my cheeks from laughter.  Maybe I overdid it.  Just maybe.  It was only 1... 30...ish when I went upstairs to bed.  And I only maybe read more on my phone before I closed my eyes.
My friend has an early morning job, so I vaguely recall surfacing to consciousness when she got up and started bustling about.  Maybe an hour later, her cats were pawing at my door.  Not in a cute come-play-with-me fashion, but in an open-the-freaking-door-and-let-me-sleep-in-your-warm-spot way.  Needless to say, I fully ignored the banging.

However, as the world awoke and the street beyond my window filled up with cars, some quiet, some in need of new mufflers, and some blaring crappy rap music, my eyes worked themselves open.  6:30.  Not exactly the best sleep ever.  Let's see if I can do better.  7:10.  Alright, alright, I'm awake.  Just take that whiney country song away when the light turns green.

Yet now that I'm up and showered and have whiled away my morning waiting for my friend to have a several hour break from work, it's time to go exploring again and decide what can delight my taste buds today.  Walla Walla might be lacking in a few diversions, but food is definitely not one of them.  There are cafes, restaurants, chains, hole-in-the-walls, and bars with actually decent food.  But then again, there is the Green Spoon.  I might give in to my stomach's rumbling in a couple hours and hit up the Greek Veggie Sandwich again.  Delish.  I think I will.

*I totally made that number up.  If you're interested in the number of people who have trouble sleeping, go google or bing it or whatever you do.

**I don't actually have trouble sleeping, no matter what you believe after reading this.  My body just matches the sun and I'm dumb enough to stay up late and make myself sleep deprived.  I know it's my fault.  And I am blessed with the gift of barely acknowledging the world and drifting back to sleep quickly.  If you don't believe me, well, call me t 3:00 am and see if I get pissed.  Chances are 99% that I won't.

New Culinary Experiences

The afternoon included heaven on earth.

Passionfruit Gelato

Subliminal.


Divine.

Really. I could die happy with my hand wrapped around the bowl and the spoon in my mouth.  I probably wouldn't even notice a bullet or a stab wound.  I'm too enthralled in the deliciousness that is in front of me.

I mean, how can you not smile while eating creamy, delicious, tartness?

I certainly can't.

We, of course, decide that dinner wouldn't be complete if we didn't have a dessert, so give in to the sweet tooth and purchase a lemon strawberry tart and a mint chocolate....something.  The label doesn't say what this mint chocolate creation is, but perhaps its a mousse, or cake?  It's beautiful, either way.

Strawberry Lemon Tart

Mint Chocolate

They'll be the perfect complement to A.'s new recipe:  Thai Peanut Chicken with noodle salad and steamed veggies.

Okay, so dinner itself was too much to eat.  Dessert didn't pan out.  But the idea was good.  Peanuts, coconut milk, scallions, and cilantro...with some amount of spice added in....scrumptious!  I salute A.'s culinary abilities and am definitely asking for this recipe.

Now it's off to plan what to eat at the lake...maybe this will make the list, or a version of my Greek Veggie Sandwich.

Good eats

Walla Walla is a quaint little town full of college students, small-town folk, and wine lovers.  Strolling along the well-treed streets with a slight breeze oozing a quiet song, I am surprised by the tranquility I find. Downtown is cute, albeit small, and full of specialty shops.

Handing the control of lunch over to my friend, we meander past beautiful restaurants with heavenly aromas wafting through the open doors.  That place looks good...and so does that one...where are we going?  Eventually we stop in front of a modern-looking restaurant.  Green Spoon is blatantly scrawled above my head in green and white letters.

A: Want to look at the menu and decide if it's good enough?

Me: Uhm, sure.  Of course it's good enough.  I'll eat here.

After a cursory glance at the menu, I reply "let's go in."

Following my friend's lead, we walk into a very sleek restaurant and are seated at a chrome table by a slender, perky blonde.  With menus in hand, we peruse our options.  Asian chicken salad sandwich.  Tabbouleh salad.  Asian Aji Burger.  House Salad.  Green Spoon Veggie Burger.  Rice Bowl.  The Daily Three.  Green Plate Special. Uh oh.  I have to pick....one?

The waitress comes back twice before we're finally ready to order.  A. decides on the Lamb Burger...sounds interesting, but I haven't been impressed with lamb in the past.  And I, mmmm, I get the Greek Veggie Sandwich.  Our drinks arrive in modern cylindrical glasses and we wait.

As the kitchen is open to the seating area, it's easy to watch the fire flare up as food is being cooked.  Mounds of salad are added to most of the plates before being passed to customers.  Watching it all feeds my appetite.  Soon, the food arrives at our table.  I missed something while partially watching the plating process...something important.

Daintily topping my salad: strawberries!  It doesn't need to be said that I'm a huge fan.  My first bite of food is not my hummus, cucumber, tomato, tapenade, and feta sandwich.  Oh no.  My first bite is leafy greens and a quarter of a strawberry.  Heaven.  Forget the sandwich, I just want this salad!  But knowing that the sandwich had me salivating before I ordered, I feel obligated to pick it up and take a bite.  Yeah, right.  I'm not giving up my sandwich, either.  Nor am I going to share.  Where has this food been all of my life?  Walla Walla?  I think I need to move here.

I finish my salad and sandwich in record time, glad that salad is the side and not the typical chips or fries.  My friend informs me that her lamb burger is just as delicious (she received the amazing strawberry salad, too), and I believe her.  If you're ever in Walla Walla, go to the Green Spoon.  Go.  You won't regret it.

Walking through the door one more time, we innocently notice the candy store right next door.  Bright's Candies.  When have I ever been able to resist candy?  Just a glance...caramel apples, truffles of every sort, chocolate covered fruit, hand dipped almond roca, seafoam. Hahahaha! You're crazy.  I can't resist spun molasses covered in dark chocolate.  Seafoam it is!  I didn't even make it over to where the ice cream is (and for me, that's saying something).

So, all in all, if you're ever in Walla Walla, eat at Green Spoon.  And have dessert at Bright's.