Traditional ChriZtmas Run

Today was the day when we were going to meet up with wife's old fiancee (recently moved from Detroit to Portland), do some sight seeing and go for a bite to eat.

I had some X-mas errands to run in the morning, and also needed to take the dog for a walk. Met up with wife and Ken around two in the afternoon at the house (after they had had their first encounter in almost ten year to themselves), and we drove down to Brouwers in Fremont, a "Flemish Grand Café". It is a fairly recent addition to the neighborhood, maybe a bit too upscale for some (at least from a "regular Budweiser beer drinker's" standpoint), but this place rocks. Food is excellent, and the selection of beers is outstanding, of course with a heavy lean towards what comes of of the "low countries" (Netherland and Belgium) in Europe. Needless to say, there is neither Miller or Budweiser in sight - truly a good thing.

After a small feast and chat at Brouwers in the company of Susan, who's just returned back from New Jersey, we went out to Ballard and Olsen's Scandinavian Foods, a "must-go" destination this time of year.

With Ken and wife waiting outside with dog (treated with food from passers by and a nearby restaurant), I'm inside picking out the ham, pickled heering, the "sylta", some Norwegian smoked lamb sausage, and the traditional marsipan pigs. Unfortunately, Olsen's is out of Rödkål, so they place a courtesy call up to another Scandinavian outpost in Ballard, Scandinavian Specialties, where they still have plenty (Christmas is not Christmas without Rödkål on the table). We leave that store with a bit more than just Rödkål, but with filled bags, it is sure to be another great Christmas.
It is wonderful that even in this day's changing Ballard (condofication), there's still room for several Scandinavian outpost. And they are not really competitors, they complement each others.

For a regular grocery run, Ballard is far too far of a drive from Kirkland, but this time of year, it is just a given destination!