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on
March 30, 2020

chocolate chip cookies

If I go to a bakery and there is a chocolate chip cookie available, I must try it. It is my duty, and I will not fail. As such, I have eaten many chocolate chip cookies, and friends, they come in so many textures, densities, flavor profiles, shapes, and sizes that it’s strange they are all supposedly the same kind of cookie. I have tasted cakey versions, crispy versions, versions that are more chocolate than cookie, kinds with huge flecks of salt on top and ones made with half white and half whole wheat flour.

Through this very meticulous, science-based cookie eating research, I have come to a conclusion as to what is the best kind of chocolate chip cookie. According to me, a professional, a chewy chocolate chip cookie is best. The edges should be crispy, but give way easily to a center that is just set. The cookie itself should taste of toffee and golden butter, with generous pockets of melty bittersweet chocolate.

 

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on
January 24, 2019

Protected: my little penelope

Penelope the black cat sniffing a snake plant

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on
May 23, 2017

Protected: Thinking About Chris

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on
July 25, 2016

Girl Rambler: Kelly Butte Lookout

Length: 3.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 900 feet

After my failure to complete the Steamboat Rock hike (post on that one coming later, but to summarize: my body decided to cripple itself with a fear of heights halfway through), I needed to finish one for the sake of my bruised ego.

I’m still obsessed with fire lookouts, so I went to go check out another one. The Kelly Butte Lookout is on the outskirts of Mt Rainier National Park — far enough out that you don’t need to pay the Rainier admission fee to get to this one. Unlike the Heybrook Tower I visited a few weeks ago, this one was open when I got there so I got to peek inside, look at the fire finder, and sign the guest book!


Anyone know how to use this thing? Not me!

The trickiest part about this hike is just getting your car to the trailhead. You have to take a few unmarked forest roads, though the WTA directions are spot on, so follow those and not Google Maps because the latter definitely tries to make you drive through some roads you’re not supposed to be on so that you’ll come across a path blocked by some very confused and concerned campers as you suddenly careen out of the trees. Oops.

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on
November 23, 2015

Basic Masala Chai

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Ah yes, a chill is in the air and the Gray Blanket Cloud of Winter has rolled officially rolled over Seattle, where it will likely remain until May. Hooooraaaaaay.

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But what’s the point of shaking your fist at the gloom when there’s nothing you can really do about it, short of dragging the Earth closer to the sun — which, I am told, by the way, would have catastrophic consequences?

On these blue winter days, I like to make a hot cup of chai and curl up by a window to do some reading. Because the one upside of drab winter days is that there is no shame in taking it easy and not even bothering to change out of your favorite cat pajamas for an entire 24 hours. People just understand.

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And while I love a sweet Starbucks/coffeeshop chai just as much as the next person, making your own at home is super easy once you’ve got your arsenal of spices at the ready. And in the winter when gingerbread and fruitcakes and pies are getting churned out of nearly every kitchen, it’s likely you already have all the ingredients for a great hot chai.

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on
July 14, 2014

I’m Back!

Obligatory first post salutations! Though this isn’t actually my first post, as just a few years prior to this, I was over on Blogger writing away on kelinda.KELINDA version 1.0. Thank you to the wonderful community that has followed me from there, to social media, and now to here — it has been amazing having such a supportive audience, even when I took an unannounced hiatus that went on for much longer than I had anticipated. Yipes. Sorry about that, guys.

It’s good to be back, but this little blog will now focus on my kitchen adventures as well as outfits of the day. If you only care for one or the other, set your bookmarks accordingly!