September Farmer's Market - A Photo Montage

There's nothing quite like the glorious colors of nature's coastal farm bounty on a September Sunday. Walking through our local farmer's market,  in foggy San Francisco, my senses were simply overwhelmed this morning with the varying shades of reds, greens, purples, yellows, and oranges;  the feel of velvety purple figs, and giant yellow California peaches, the natural shine of gorgeous bell peppers and deep red tomatoes,  combined with the fresh clean aromas of luscious ripe fruit, of just picked cilantro and basil, and strawberries just crying out to be eaten.

We will be eating very well this week, and I am once again reminded at my good fortune to live in America on this tenth anniversary of 9/11.  Wishing you all a very good September Sunday with your friends and family.

Adventures in Ballard at the Walrus and the Carpenter

Suzanne had been waiting patiently for us to get to Seattle, so that she could take us on an adventure in Ballard at the Walrus and the Carpenter, an Oyster Bar.   Have you ever heard of this restaurant?  They've been written up in many publication including;  Bon Appetit, The New York Times and The Seattle Times. And now famously on my blog!

Such a fun place!  Allison (my 26 year old daughter) didn't think that we were "hip" enough to hang out in Ballard,  ha - we showed her.  Apparently The Walrus and the Carpenter is the "hot spot" for happy hour, so we had to wait 45 minutes to get our very own table.  It's tiny, loud and is filled with great music.

LOVE the chandelier!  I hope you can see it in these photos - it was huge, made of iron, a little rusty, and all shaped like white coral. Hung from their white washed beamed ceilings with a heavy duty white-rusty link chain.

Totally awesome!

Can you see the wire baskets all around the bar?  These are filled with different varieties of oysters from all around the Puget Sound area, with tiny chalk boards in each basket indicating their origin.

Sweetwaters, Sammish, Effingham, Barron Point, Eagle Rock....

The menu changes every day, but what you can count on is,  fresh Pacific Northwest oysters delivered every day.   Here's John and Suzanne toasting a wonderful sparkling pink champagne with their oysters.  I lost count of how many oysters Tom, John and Suzanne polished off!  

Everything on the menu that we tried was absolutely wonderfully delish!  Scallops wrapped in bacon, fried oysters with cilantro aioli, some kind of spicy pork meatball - my favorite was the red ripe tomatoes sprinked with vanilla sea salt and yummy olive oil.  My mouth is simply watering remembering those tomatoes... we've even tried to recreate them. Not too much success so far.   We will keep trying!

Oh mi, I almost forgot the desserts!  Fresh blackberry pana cotta and some indescribably yummy brule'd fresh peaches from a local Northwest farm. 

And yes, even though we are not super cool and hip, Allison decided to join us. Maybe it was the free food....

We highly recommend a visit to this tiny specialized oyster bar if you are anywhere near Seattle!   The Walrus and the Carpenter

Sea Glass Hunter's Handbook - A Giveaway!

Oh! A new sea glass hunter's guide to finding elusive sea glass.... Imagine my surprise when my friend Suzanne, at Liberty Bay Books,  gave me a copy of the new  "Sea Glass Hunters's Handbook"  last week when we were in the Pacific Northwest.  It's now been added to my "Beach Reads" on the Liberty Bay Books website!

I like this book so much, that I thought more sea glass fans should know about it too!  I also thought it would be fun to have a give-a-way contest to share a copy with our blog readers.

As you all probably know, I am a sea glass fiend.  I hate to admit that I don't have a clue about its' origins or any of its' history.

This new Sea Glass Hunter's Handbook is a fun guide, perfect for those of us collectors wanting to know just a little bit more!   Some of my favorite pages in the book are quotes and stories from other sea glass collectors about their favorite finds. Many of whom I have met on Facebook and on Twitter. (Sharon Sand, Tami Ewing, and Melinda Vahradian)

There is a section on beaches around the world to find sea glass - by no means complete, but there are some great locations, and hopefully a beach near you.  (I know that there are a few near me!)

The handy "lexicon" for us sea glass obsessed beach combers, is also a fun chapter.  I had no idea that there were so many words to describe sea glass hunting and beach combing!  Did you?
Some of my favorites;

*"Clinkers, Clunkers: fragments that need to be thrown back into the ocean"
*"Flotsam: odds and ends, usually from wreckage or cargo spill, that float on water; not to be confused with jetsam"

The online recommendations guide compiled by the author, C.S. Lambert,  is also a great resource.  She has included some of my favorite networking sites to connect with other sea glass lovers.  Here are a few of the examples that are included:
*www.northeastseaglassociety.ning.com
*www.seaglassassociation.org

I would love to share a copy with one lucky give-a-way winner!  

The rules - 3 ways to enter:

1.  Leave me a comment about your favorite sea glass find  - 

Don't worry,  you will NOT have to reveal your secret sea glass beach!

2. Join our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/caronsbeachhouse;
and post a pic of your favorite sea glass find on our wall

3. If you are not a follower of Everything Coastal, join our page, +

let  me know that you are a new follower.

*PLEASE make sure that we have your correct e-mail
*contest ends September 10, 2011  at midnight, and the winner will be chosen by random.org

Good-Luck. And wishing you especially good-luck with your sea glass hunting!

Hope you enjoy some of my sea glass adventures....

 I might even tell you where I found the pieces if you ask nice!