weekend, unplugged

i went offline this weekend, not entirely by choice. the internet was down (or rather, “the landlord’s wifi we’ve been leeching has not been working”) which initially would bum anyone out that just wanted to sit in bed and read some blogs on a sunny saturday morning, but it was somewhat of a blessing in disguise. i picked up wild by cheryl strayed (whose earlier book dear sugar i had previously enjoyed) and plowed almost 70% through that baby… and i almost never do that kind of thing! what a great novel to get you in the mood for a) nicer weather and b) a hiking trip, preferably along the west coast of the united states. i hollered, “HEY ALEX, have you heard of the pacific coast trail?” “not really….” after a shortened explanation from me, he said, “we should do it!” that’s why i love that guy.

besides unplugging and reading for hours in the sunny spot on the couch, i also…

• won my first settlers (of catan) game, the third time i’ve ever played. i think that means that i’m not bad at all (having played against two seasoned players) so i’m geekily feeling PRETTY GREAT about that. 
• tried out a new cafe! admittedly it was for their wifi (which didn’t work) but it’s the first place in town we found that offers single-origin pour-over coffee (ethopia yirgacheffe) and a light, airy, family friendly and non-smoking atmosphere.

• took a walk through a pine forest on the far western edge of the city, across dry leaves and farm roads to the suburban pond-laden settlement of haklovy dvory before coming home and making/eating the BEST PASTA EVER. 

how do you make the best pasta ever? you need a big ol’ pile of fresh pasta (i like paperdelle), a carton of cherry tomatoes per serving, fresh basil, fresh parmesan cheese, garlic, and oregano. slice alllll of the cherry tomatoes in half in put ‘em in a pan on low heat with a healthy pour of olive oil, garlic, and the spices. (below) let cook for about 10 min while boiling the pasta. by the end, the tomatoes should be nice n’ juicy, so SMASH smash smash them down with the back of a spatula, and you have a magical sauce! toss sauce with al dente pasta, add in the basil, and top with parm. THE BEST!

i’d also like to say “happy birthday” to our dearly departed but forever awesome friend, candice bailey. alex wrote something really touching in her honor <3