You've all seen the articles and news clips of travel gone wrong this summer. Witness lines that go on for miles at typically efficient airports and a veritable sea of lost luggage at others. It's ugly out there.
So, I decided to keep my passport locked away this summer, instead visiting friends in different parts of the States: Seattle, Portland, and Detroit. Was a good plan -- in part.
Did my flights go horribly awry?
Nope.
My life did.
First up was a client work crisis that started on the weekend of 4th of July. We're talking non-stop, relentless, strategic, detailed, high-alert stuff. And, that might have been OK, if not for....
Covid.
Yes, I got Covid. Been vaxxed and boosted, but still had it bad. Barreled through the crisis work despite utter exhaustion, napping in-between Zoom meetings where possible, hoping I could go on my trip 10 days later. I made it through my 10 days of quarantine, got on the plane to Seattle -- but the crisis communications emergency continued unabated -- now with the fun-filled twist of primary players being in London on GMT when I was on Pacific time.
Fantastic.
Thankfully, even with minimal sleep, I was able to see friends for a bit of beer tasting and a brief sail in Elliott Bay. We also regaled in a glorious dinner at a popular Korean-inspired hot spot called Revel. The restaurant's Short Rib Wontons with fried garlic and chili oil are pictured above. Still thinking about them, as well as the kitchen's deeply satisfying Spicy Miso Rice Cakes sautéed with pork belly and bits of kale.
When I got on a train to head to Portland the next evening, I was hopeful that things would settle down on the work front. No such luck. Consolation prize? Seeing friends, of course -- and also hitting the newly opened Pacific Standard for cocktails and Canard for comfort food with innovative twists and turns. The latter included the chef's famous Duck Stack as well as this brilliant Charred Cabbage Salad with sliced peaches, toasted pine nuts, and a shower of Parmesan...
Delicious as it was, I was tuckered out. My red-eye flight to Detroit a couple days later didn't help. But, more friends awaited. And, so did a visit to Detroit's Eastern Market, as well as socializing at several house parties in the Palmer Woods district. Meals were had as well, including a dinner visit to the very hip Marrow restaurant, where - despite the meat-centric menu - I fell hard for the kitchen's Lobster and Maitake Dumplings with Michigan corn butter, nuggets of sweet lobster meat, lobster broth and Chinese chive...
Am I complaining? Not about the food. Most certainly not about the friends. Just about the whirlwind and lack of shut-eye.
Don't people say that things "slow down" in the summer?!?
Well, let's see what August brings.
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