Granddaddy and Barbara in Portland

Last night, my granddad and Barbara were in Portland for a quick visit and took me out to dinner. They were on their way back to Texas from a week-long trip in Anchorage, Alaska to enjoy the festival leading up to the Iditarod (add that to my bucket list!). I'm so glad they were able to stop in on their trip back since I only get to see them a few times a year now.

We ate dinner at the Screen Door, one of my favorite spots and a place that is consistently voted one of the best restaurants in Portland. I don't know how, but you can go to any Portland restaurant, any night of any week, and it will always be packed. Portlanders love the local cuisine. Screen Door definitely gave Granddaddy and Barbara a good snapshot of Portland; delicious local organic food, the young city nightlife, waiters with full-sleeve tattoos, all set to the dark backdrop of dreary Portland rain.

Thanks so much for coming to visit, Granddaddy and Barbara! Come back for a longer stay in the summer when it's actually nice out.

this picture was taken after we devoured

the famously delicious fried chicken

Easy Sushi Fix

Speaking of delicious food... when I was shopping at Trader Joe's last week, I came across the best snack/meal idea.  TJs sells packs of Seaweed Snacks (seaweed paper cut unto bite-size squares) which I love even on their own. But at their food demonstration table, they had seaweed squares with a little brown rice wrapped up in them for a yummy little sushi roll.  Brilliant!  So I made these seaweed and brown rice rolls one night this week for dinner when I was having a sushi craving. Add a little avacado, dip in soy sauce, heat up some TJs edamame to go with it and you have an easy sushi-style meal. (I just love Trader Joe's... another great Portland food offering.)

maybe someday I'll be adventurous and even add fish