Traveling in the San Juan Islands, an insiders view. Breakfast where to go and probably not to
Category: Travel and Places

Hey, it's been awhile, sometimes it's tough surviving on the islands, chaos hits and life gets busy.  So, right now this slow moment is either the storm letting up, or I'm in the eye.  I fear the eye.

So the number one spot to go for breakfast in Friday Harbor (and as far as I'm concerned all the islands.  The other Islands are really weak on breakfast.).  This is an easy one....The Rocky Bay Cafe..It's under new owners and they've done well.  It's been remodeled and painted and looks beautiful.  It's clean....did I mention clean?  Some of the other dining establishments in the vacinity are not clean.  Are not close to clean...and where the health department is on the island is beyond me.  I've been here I think over thirteen years now and some of the things I've seen in restaurants here would never fly on the mainland.  Rats, ants, bad food....not as in bad tasting (okay that happens too), but as in bad, make you sick food.  Employees with things that mean they shouldn't be in food handling.  Although, the Mexican Restaurant on Orcas Island was shut down for a time one year when staff had contageaous hepatitis  (you know, the one where your not aloud to work in restaurants).  So, once again it's CLEAN.  So lets see, clean,  really nice lady who owns it, the wait staff is GREAT!  Fast, sweet, friendly, helpful and clean.  (Once again this is important, some of the other places are into the pseudo-wanna be-fashion statement -hippie thing.  In otherwords, alot of dirty clothing, midriffs and thongs for the world to see,  and bad attitude.  The Rocky Bay has great food, really nice size servings and on the island a great price...cheap for the amount of food your getting and yes, you can sit down to eat.  So once again highlights:  Cheap, large serving, good food, Great owners and staff and.......Clean!  Located about 2 blocks from the ferry landing on Spring Street, near the movie theater.  Yes, we have a movie theater!  (We even get current movies, but the seats suck...make your neck stiff if your a women....they are designed for tall men)

Coming in at Number Two  The Doctor's Office.  The Doctor's Office is located right next to the front of the ferry landing, when your driving off the ferry and still on the ramp look straight ahead it's that yellowish builing that used to be a really neat old two story house.  More Artsy and ecletic.  Nice espresso's, friendly employees, good deserts..nice breakfast sandwich and the best fruit smoothie drinks.  The fruit drinks are great...go here just to get one...make sure you put it on your list of must dos.

Want just coffee?  The  place for espresso's on the island in MY view is The Skinniest Coffee shop, located on Spring street about a block and a quarter from the ferry landing, next to a real estate office and across from the grocery store (Kings, the expensive one..see earlier blog)  The lady who owns it is so nice, really small which makes it fun.  I think there's seating for two.  It's pricey,  she uses real chocolate and real carmel in her esspressos and mixes into the milk and steams it.  Whoo it's heavenly!!!!!  But as I said, my view...Lawerence Delay (atty on the island..fun man) insists the best espressos can be found at Cousin Vinney's, located across the street for the skinniest shop, about a half a block further up in Geri's Mall.  He's right their good, but not as good as the Skinniest.  But....more seating, several tables, FAST, and you can get bagels, breakfast sandwiches, donuts and other really good sweet things here.  I go here every morning practically for plain old coffee.    I love hanging out here Vinnie is from New York and you can tell...."No soup for you."  If it's not busy he's fun to hang out with and talk to.  If it's in the morning you may be lucky and catch Everett, older, short and white beard, or Tom older and from Philly I think loves to talk!! or Steve...for some reason Steve reminds me of Jayne from the TV show firefly (Adam Baldwin).  So, in my opinion this is the best place to just sit and hangout with your coffee.  Also Best Pizza on the island's.  I am so serious on this.  I came from near Chicago I'm used to good Pizza.  The pizza's on the island SUCK.  There is nothing else to say about them then they are BAD.  I quit buying pizza on the islands  because they were so bad (heck the 85 cent Gino's frozen thing is better).  Then came Cousin Vinnie....thank you, I can now buy pizza again.  He's also the best deal on Pizza on the island.

Where not to go.....here's a couple:  Vic's the island's version of fast food.  Not the cleanest, the owner's don't treat their employee's overly well, out of the way location  and the food is pretty bland...or as I like to call it, grey.  Their fries are good I'll give them that, their burgers are good, but I've heard of a few bad burger/health department stories.

The Blue Dolphin Cafe, best location in town, the old owners Jeannie and Mitch were great.  The owner's since, not to great.  One owner used to regularly have temper tantrums.  No really, sometimes on the floor screamin and kicking and swearing just like a little kid.  Another owner, used to be a cook there, was busy chasing a young  waitress about the restaurant (she was under 18 at the time), I can for a fact quote him, "Young girls are better.  They smell better, they taste better and their cleaner than older women." (he was in his late 50's at the time, maybe even early 60's)   Bad dining at it's finest...lot of bad waitress's, probably some of the worst on the island, in fact, they've had the worst.  Fired one because she was so bad and then brought her back.  Dirty...in fact at times the place is filthy...they have rat issues, bad at times, surly cooks who don't belive things should be cooked the way the customer wants them...They will yell at the wait staff if the ask for extra crisp hash browns..."Because all of my hash browns are crispy."  Trust me their not, they're white and under cooked.  Cooks scream at the waitress's regularly.  It's dirty.  It's slow at times, and one of the waitress like to hang all over the men that come in, all over them, touching and rubbing on them constantly it's pretty bad, she will hit on your guy at times, and trust me she has no qualms about sleeping with your guy, families are not safe.  So if you want midruffs with tummies hanging out, (and not always nice tummies), thongs (and sometimes wait butt cracks), dirty clothing on staff,  often saggy, braless boobies and staff that will hang all over men, not to mention the dirty restaurant itself and the owners with screamiug issues. (not very relaxing....) Go for it.

Currently watching : Blazing Saddles (30th Anniversary Special Edition) Release date: 29 June, 2004

6:30 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Presidental poll, it's time to start thinking of our future
Current mood: anxious
Category: News and Politics

I think it's times out perfectly, we really need to start focusing on the next presidental election.  To me it really does seem like a matter of life or death.  This is our chance to take back the presidency.  I am tired of being poor, I am tired of feeling cheated and I am tired of a president who lies to us and that I'm embarrassed by.

If I havn't said it before to the rest of the world, "I am sorry, I am so sorry for having elected George Bush....and I never even voted for him.

Now for some reason this presidental poll will not post here.  It's supposed to but keeps coming up as an error and locking up my screen, so instead it's posted here on my myspace site.

http://www.myspace.com/dawnnivinski

So, go there and vote....it's not that hard really, 2 clicks max.  Come on you know you wanta...

7:30 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Traveling in the San Juans an insider's view. Joy riding, mopeds, crossing the street
Current mood: bored
Category: Travel and Places

Alright, after living here for 13 years, I think I'm now allowed to call myself an islander (there are very tough rules about these things here).  One of the things I've learned is for what ever reason most islanders do not like tourists.  I know, I don't get it either, no tourists = no work = no money.  You would think they'ld love the tourists...but oh noooo.  Tourism is the work of the devil (I'm not kidding, I live here, I know).

So for those of you who are traveling to the Islands here are a few tips, they'll still hate you but they probably won't try to run you down.  (Mopeds can be targets)

First when in town, don't just aimlessly wander out into traffic.  We're a real town, sidewalks and all.  Look both ways before stepping off the curb.  
And don't just walk down the middle of the street, or for that matter stand in the middle of the street talking.   When standing at a crosswalk, don't watch traffic go zooming by and wait 10 mins talking and decide to cross (just at the moment the car that has been waiting to turn left for 10 mins. gets a break in traffic).  That's one that'll eventually get you ran over (especially towards the end of summer).

Cell phones, Islanders hate cell phones.  Don't ask me why, they all have them, they just don't like you having them.  Not so much you having one as you using one........ anywhere they can see you.

Parking in town is just terrible, very little and they have these parking regulations (year mind you) that are "expensive" to say the least.  Parking limits in town are mostly 2 hours, there are a few 15mins, a few 1/2 hour spots and lots of 5 hours.  Make sure you know what your time limit is, and make sure you nail that limit on a dime.  Otherwise........The Evil Parking Lady will get you, and ticket you and there is no arguing or sympathy or understanding of any type.  The ticket is yours regardless.  If you move your car to a new spot and it's not far enough from the old, or the chalk line just happens to line up right....you get a ticket.  This applies to everything but Sundays and a few random holidays (still havn't figured out which ones).

Mopeds Islanders hate them.  All of them.  Just try to stay out of there way and as far off the road as possible, esp. on the west side (Steep hills, sharp curves, lots of drop offs, narrow road, bad vision esp at sunset it's blinding there)  Outside of that there is nothing you can do...they see the moped and the red helmet and they know it's you.  I would advise don't wear thongs or sandals when you rent one.  It dosn't make you look cool, it makes you look like an idiot and most of us will point you out and laugh.  There are a lot of Moped "spills" and injuries on the island.  Don't be an ass, put real shoes on.  Road rash sucks.

The biggie Joy Riding.  Listen I know you came here for the scenery....trees, hills, whales, eagles, deer, cows and sheep.  We understand your going to slow down at times, "Look it's a whale".  But why drive 15 miles and hour?  I know you've seen cows and sheep before.  Seagulls, crows, robins....We have real speed limits, it may not seem like your causing problems, but if your traveling along in a large no passing zone, at 10-15 miles an hour, you can almost guarantee that the car behind you is an islander that is really running late for the ferry and if you don't start moving their going to miss the ferry...and they are trapped behind you and cannot pass.  Drive the posted speed if your driving slower, pull over let the other cars pass and continue on.  It's easy and best for everyone.

6:31 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Traveling in the San Juans, and insiders view. Grocery shopping is pricey.
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Travel and Places

I'm starting with the essentials...food.  Bring it with, no really, the amount of money you'll save is amazing. But, if you just must shop like a local, whenever possible we use The Market Place, not King's Market.  Same owner, cheaper, just going outside of town, but well worth the extra effort.  Employees at either place are great.  Their cheerful and friendly, they'll talk to you.  To get to this store, here are the confusing local directions.  Head down Spring Street, that's the main street...when you get off the ferry it's that first left, you'll go by that cool bar (we'll talk about that later, it's the Front Street Ale House...a must stop.) and up the hill, continue on past the grocery store on the right, through the three-way stop and past the gas station.  Continue on up the hill and past the four-way stop.  When you see the Best Western, across the street will be a street and a coffee shop, take a left and start watching on your left.   Big Parking lot in front.    This is the store.  Best prices, in the dairy section there are usually two shopping carts with markdown products.  Random things, food, cleaning supplies, baskets.......While there look for Abe and Lumpy in the produce section.  You'll enjoy their company, stop say hi...you sort of have to, it's just not grocery shopping without doing it.  Bathrooms are at the front of the store.  Nice cut flowers, (but the best cut flowers are Rolf's he pushes the little cart around town on Fridays selling his own.  Their beautiful), lots of choices, but reg and organic, largest meat department (King's market in town is the place to go for all your seafood needs, unless you go down to the market/shop with the live tank on the docks..way cool.), bulk...and the best prices compared to anywhere else on the island.

A little tip grocery shopping on the islands is the same as shopping in the real world, the dog stays outside, you have to wear shoes and yes there are credit card machines...you may charge to your hearts content.

If it makes a difference Kings has baggers when you checkout, at The Market Place you selfbag, oooh.

6:59 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

I am a geek, roleplaying serenity/firefly online
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Games

I am a geek, it's all sunk in I look about my myspace friends area I am a geek, I have Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion.  I am a geek, I don't know these people, never, probably never will, note the use of the word probably....I am a geek

Well, the latest obsession around the house is a FREE, did I mention the word FREE online RPG game called Leaf on the Wind.  I read about it on a Serenity group page.....another sign that  I am a geek.   Anyways, it actually pretty fun, took awhile to get used to.  But once I got the concept that it's sort of like writing a book with 83 or so other people is kinda cool.  Done mostly in third person, sorta reads like a bad western crossed with the old dimestore detective novels.  "She walked in from outside, the wind swirling the dust around her head....."  I'm this really big woman named Mousse I've been dangling some by his ankles for awhile now, I think right now he has his pistol pointed at someones head, I have mine pointed at his, They always forget about the women when they get in a fight....the classic standoff.

Alright, lets see it's based off of the series Firefly/ movie Serenity, so it's kinda a cross between scifi and a western.  Big dam heros....Big guns, bar fights, you get the idea.  But most of all, it's free, it's easy, no download, no mess, in out and down, oh yeah, the most important....you only have to check in real quick once every oh 4-7 days or so...so  it's really not that time consuming. 

So if your a gamer, a firefly/serenity fan this is the site to go to check it out, sign up, and come look for me, I'm Mousse, I'll be the geek nvolved in the random chaos.

http://leafonthewind.ajjegames.com/

Dawn

7:16 AM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Traveling in the San Juans an Insiders view. Proper Ferry Etiquette
Current mood: pleased
Category: Travel and Places

When traveling to the San Juans, by ferry,  the most important thing to remember is Do Not Yell at the people wearing the orange vest.  It's not their fault, whatever it is, it's not their fault.  Besides, they are your best chance at getting on the boat.  Make friends, bring coffee, ask how they are, they should be your friends, they have control over who gets on and when.  When is important when you can sit in line for oh eight hours and that's normal. 

Yes, the ticket is expensive and if you don't come soon it's going to be even more, prices will not drop down.  But a word for the wise you only pay coming to the island, not also when leaving, so when someone approaches you to offer to sell you a ticket in the other direction when leaving don't believe them, the tickets don't exist.

Be prepared, when they say get in line early, they mean it, even more so in the summer.  There is a bathroom, but I'ld bring food and things to occupy small children...for hours.  Yes, there is a small snack area at the main ferry landing, but the food is way overpriced and the wait in line can be looong. 

The ferry ride itself can be fun for the first few times after that....the real islander's take advantage of the downtime and sleep.  Once again bring food, you can't count on the diner area even being open and once again the prices are amazing!  Even at the machines a single can of soda was last I checked $2.00 and often the machinces were out of order.

Just a small reminder the ferry traveling to Canada whether coming or going you and your vehicle will be passing through customs, and can be searched.   So don't bring anything you don't want them to know you have...yes, even though you are a U.S. citizen traveling in the U.S. they can still search you and your vehicle.

My favorite ferry employees, the ones who smile and are so cheerful, helpful and friendly....you must hunt down and say "Hi, you have a nice butt!" to are Kevin and Jered.  Please trust me, this will be really appreciated and make their day.  I mean by all means if the mood hits you amoung any of the other ferry workers go right ahead, who am I to stop you from sharing your vacation joy.  But, if it can only be one ferry worker it must be Kevin or Jered.

Dawn

5:19 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Traveling in the San Juan Islands and insiders view,
Current mood: devious
Category: Travel and Places

Hey, Silly me, here I'm living in one of the world's best vacation spots and it never occured to me to share an insider's view of the island, what to do, where to go, what the real islander's do.  And of course, the biggest question answered, "How do I do it cheaply?" (or at least "cheap" for the islands).  So what the heck, Dawn's guide to the island's is now up and running.

Over the next few weeks, maybe months, who knows.  I'll be bringing travel tips, hints and reviews.  Yes, reviews...entertainment, food, shopping, places to stay...must sees and dos all with your pocketbook in mind.  Where do the celebs hang out?  Where did they film that movie?  You gotta question, send it in. More soon.  I have to go price gas.

6:54 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Wedding this summer
Current mood: confused
Category: Romance and Relationships

Well, here goes, I'm actually going to do it.  We've decided to get married this summer.  Planning seems to just confuse us.  The more we get done the further behind we seem to get.  So I figured what the heck, maybe the rest of the world would like to be involved.  Why not, people here on the island sure like to stick their noses in.  We actually had a couple that we considered really close friends, close enough in fact that Andy (he's the other half) had asked the guy part of the couple to be his sword bearer.  (I bet that's throwing ya, but I'll get to the explation on that soon)  I was not so fond of the whiny other half, always sick, everything was always an emergency and a crisis (you know the type I ate raw brocilli (ok I don't know how to spell it and I'm refusing to look it up) and now I have stomach cramps I must be dieing.  (of course the fact that raw broc. and most green veggies will give you a terrible case of gas has nothing to do with it, or all the cheese and beans you added to the plate), but considering all, I decided to keep the peace and was going to ask her to be part of the wedding party.  Needless to say that didn't happen, instead she set about telling everyone she wouldn't be involved and wouldn't even attend,  "She couldn't do it, she couldn't look like she was in support of our wedding, the only reason their doing it is because we're married, and our relationship is so wonderful we make it look so easy, everyone just want's to copy us."  (outside of the fact that there are billions of people across the world that are married, and it wasn't a trend they started)  She then proceeded to work her way through the guys side of the wedding party causing problems all over the place.   And so I say to you Winter Rose, I hope your bud wilts and falls off the stem, I've never met a whinier stick in the mud, fun buster in the world than you. (There, now I've ranted and can get on with what my real reason was for blogging) 

We're planning a combination Wiccan, Catholic and Jewish ceremony.  How's that for combining?  Outside at the community theater, where we have spent so much time working.  (The sword bearer is part of the Wiccan influence, he follows along behind the happy couple to protect them and then we get to jump over the sword at the end of the ceremony.)

I'm planning on ugly bridesmaid dresses, why bother to lie, everyone always says oh they're so pretty, really, you'll be able to use it again and again.  Then you see the dress.....the ugliest, tackiest thing that ever existed.  So I'm not even bothering to lie, I'm going with ugly and tacky.

Bagpipes for the wedding march and an accordian at the reception, I have to honor both my polish and my scottish background.

We're even planning on the wedding party driving about afterwards in the black pirate boat from the parade (check out my photos to see).

Part of the reception music will be provided by the 5th grade rock band, "Stop, Drop and Rock".

So, I thought I'ld invite all of you out there who would love to help plan a fun and tacky wedding please, feel free send me your ideas, your ugly dress ideas, music ideas, anything you would like to volunteer, do you have the perfect ugly bridesmaid dress at home (and want to see her used in another wedding?........), heck if you want to come and be here for it I say what the heck go for it. 

I will eventually be posting images of the top choices for my wedding dress, and am hoping some of you will help me choose by registering your vote.

So the world of tackiness and fun is our oyster...I challenge you to step forward and help me out. Lord knows I wasn't designed for this one.

Dawn

12:01 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Firefly, Serenity and RPG
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Games

Well, I've found a new way to fill those little voids in life, you know it's snowed out, I'm snowed in there's only so many times you can watch the Wiggles with your daughter before you start heading into that Shining Moment...."Here's Mommy"! 

So I've started playing a online RPG based off of Serenity/Firefly.  It's not bad, takes up very little time, I really only have to check in once a week to fullfil my req. and it's free.  Free is an important thing in my life.  This way I get to be a large mercenary and beat up badguys, kind of cool I can take out my aggressions and frustrations over the internet and nobody gets hurt.  Including me that is a really good thing.  For those of you who like me really miss those firefly moments, you just felt like they were friends and family and the big, mean, evil tv station took them away.  Pulled the plug and killed them, now I've lost my tv friends and I feel really hurt by the networks.  I always loved and trusted them, they brought me friends when I was lonely or sick.  We've played games, learned and grown up together and then they rip my favorite show out from under me.  I felt like I was setup.  The network dangling the show in front of me, and then when they had me hooked they pulled away.   Just like a bad date.  You know the yes, yes, more, more, no, no thing.  Anyways I digress, the game is called Leaf on the Wind and can be found at http://leafonthewind.ajjegames.com/

If you head over and decide to join up, I'm the big girl, I go by the name of Mousse.

And if not, well don't blame me when your running through the house screaming, "Here's Mommy".

6:12 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

I danced in the Lunchable Aisle!
Current mood: giddy
Category: Life

I get it!  I finally get it.  All those years growing up, we we looked so forward to all the "snow days" and holiday breaks, and presidental birthdays and.....you name it if it ment the day off.  But know I understand, we've had the week off, it's time to go back and I danced in the Lunchable Aisle.  I am becoming my own Mother.  Except she wouldn't have danced, she would have quietly gone on enjoying, savoring the moment in all it's glory when that school bell rings.  I danced.

12:34 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment