Autumn Outerwear

“Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….. Ouch!

What the…?! Aww, how cute.“

That my friends was the creative bug biting me in the bum!

I’m inspired now to knit the Leaf Beret, Green Thumb Fingerless Gloves, and the Indygo Junction Trench Topper (view 1).  The knit objects will be made of a lovely Silk Merino by Yarns Northwest in a Sky Blue.

As a result of finding the right yarn for the hat & gloves, I’ve discovered an interest in making my olive velveteen coat again.  I’ve had this fabric for 5 years now.  I bought it at Haberman’s in Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit, on a business trip.  It’s so soft I find myself petting it as I walk by. Hmm… just like in the store.

Well, I’ve been spinning and knitting like crazy with little patience to sit and sew.  Odd, huh? You’d think knitting/spinning would require more patience than sewing.  But, I go through phases.  Sometimes it’s knitting/fibers and nothing else.  Other times, nothing but sewing will do.  And still others, it’s back to the drawing board.

But right now, it’s all about finishing projects.  I find I’m especially inspired to finish a project I bought the yarn specifically for.  So, rather than buying yarn, then finding a pattern, blah blah… you totally know what I’m talking about don’t you my knitting nuts?  Such a challenge when you buy the yarn first!  Well, now that I have yarn to go with the projects, it’ super easy to kick off and push to complete.  There are no mental “loose ends” of, “If I don’t have enough…” or “Is gauge ok…” or “Will it look good in this yarn…”  I’m already 35% done with the hat and I just started a few days ago.  I’d say that’s an accomplishment in and of itself.

One other thing I’d like to mention is that I don’t know if I’d have felt mentally ready to accept new garments into my closet if I hadn’t already gone through my 5S-ing. While I haven’t posted results (2 car loads full of stuff to GW & VV), my mind & closet are open to new possibilities rather than stuck in old fashion or ways of dressing.  It’s quite a lovely feeling to know that cleaning & eliminating helps kick off the creative process or rather urges the creative bug to bite! 😉

Review: Tidbit Bistro

Summary:

• Experience: *****
• Food: *****
• Service: *****
• Would I go again? Yes, without a doubt!

Review

I love tweeting with people like the guys at Tidbit Bistro.  I’ve been learning wonderful tidbits of foodie knowledge from their twitter feed.  While I have been tightening my belt, I also feel it’s important to splurge every now and again on a good meal.  Tonight was my night.

I spent the evening kayaking on Lake Union, another wonderful experience I’ll share in my next post.  Knowing I’d be ravenous, I was a little nervous about going for tapas as my Dutch tapas experience left me a bit wanting.  That’s probably because the tapas was tainted with Dutch cuisine which was kind of “meh.”  None the less, I went to Tidbit.

Upon arrival, I was glad to discover off-street parking.  Many times it is difficult to find in the city.  This gives them a larger customer base to pull from.  Many people I know live outside the city and find parking challenges a turn-off from visiting.

Inside, they have cozy nooks and lovely seats near the windows so one can people watch.  The air is filled with many scents and your ears are filled with Italian pop music.  If you sit at the bar, you can also watch the wild Italian pop stars in their videos on the tastefully positioned TV.

On to the meal – Oh so delightful!

Tasty!

Clockwise from Top Left: ALBÓNDIGAS CON ALMENDRAS, ARANCINO, CESARE, and the Cello Float

I did not expect so many choices and found it very difficult to choose.  The waiter was kind and offered suggestions, yet allowed me space to choose what suited my taste buds best.

Once I finally did order, I was not disappointed.  The Arancino was amazing with a surprise center of mozzerella.  The Almendras were quite tasty.  The Cesare was divine.  I was delighted to find that the “croutons” for the Cesare were not large chunks, but more like shavings.  Hence, when I took a bite I could taste the romaine, dressing, cheese & croutons all in one bite.  Genious!  I was definitely full by the end of my meal.  Fret not, the food is perfectly portioned!

To finish off my meal, I ordered an espresso & a cello float.  I was delighted to discover that the espresso used was not bitter.  It was, as baby bear would say, “Juuuuuuust Right!”

But… the cello float was taunting me from a sign at the table from the moment I sat down. Last year, I made my own lemon-satsuma-cello (christmas presents).  I love experiencing and tasting the results of other people’s craft.  Plus, my friend Theresa, owner & designer of Texture Clothing, had posted a photo of a cello float she had experienced on her recent road trip.  Her favorite was the Nocello.  So, naturally, once I discovered that Tidbit offered Nocello, I was sold!

Who can resist an opportunity to taste bits of several things?  I had four adorable and uniquely shaped glasses, which each held a different cello. The order and my responses as follows:

1. limoncello – Traditional, tasty.
2. orangecello – Sweeter than expected, again quite tasty.
3. nocello – Um, yes please! Unexpected delight.
4. crema di limoncello – softer, less intense, excellent.

Throughout my meal, I picked up my pen and let it wander upon the brown paper covering the tables.  When I see paper, I just can’t help myself.  In fact, when I know it’s not “good” paper, then I find I’m MUCH more creative.

I’ve also discovered a new joy of sketching with a non-eraseable ball-point pen.  It’s so fluid, yet still allows me to create emphasis or light feathery lines.  Thus, Cassandra Le Fae was born.  I do not question the source, relevance, or any rational point of this or many of my sketches.  They come as they are, just like me.

Art & Food!

So, if you find yourself in need of a place to dine, be you solo, doppio or among several friends, make your way to Tidbit Bistro.  You can even make reservations on their site (bottom of page).  How exciting is that?  Way to make technology work for you guys!

Be sure to look for their Sunday, Tuesday, and Happy Hour Promotions.