updates

I need to blog more often because I hate that I always have like 5 things to talk about on each post and then it just seems kind of like a list. However, that is what this post will be.

On Monday, we explored Ballard (another community like Wallingford or Fremont). There were some cool little shops/restaurants. We walked down to the Ballard locks. Locks, for those of you unfamiliar with maritime life, are devices for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways (thank you, wikipedia). The Ballard locks are fairly famous (for locks...) and they are also where the salmon swim through every year, which is apparently a big thing. We were a little too early in the season to catch the salmon, but the locks themselves were kind of cool (for locks...).

We also got a fantastic cupcake at this place called Cupcake Royale (it was salted caramel, if you were wondering). The walk home from Ballard also marked the start of my Seattle photography project. There are more Vanagons per square mile in Seattle than in any other place in America (fact.)


As you can see, Vanagons are super hippie cars, which is probably why there are so freaking many in Seattle. Steph gave me the idea to photograph them (above photo is not one I took) and so I've started doing that. I think I've already shot at least 10.

On Tuesday, Steph, Hill, Vanessa and I hiked up Mount Si. This was way more intense than the last hike (Mount Si is a 4 mile hike up to 3000 ft. el.). My outer thighs are literally still hurting. At the top, it was balls cold. It was cool because it was a clear view for the first 10-15 minutes, but then all this fog/mist rolled in and it looked sweet. I have some awesome pictures that I can't wait to edit. At the top, there was a chipmunk who kept trying to kill me. It was literally circling us and it totally had shifty eyes. Steph protected me.

On Wednesday, the four of us went to a Mariner's game. Shockingly, they won the game comeback style in the 8th inning. This did not feel like a professional baseball game; the stadium was barely half-full. We got $8 bleacher seats and then moved down pretty close to the field.

Wednesday evening Steph and I took advantage of the non-puritan/New England craziness and went to happy hours! Drink specials = awesome. We hung for a while at this place called the Seamonster Lounge. The bartender was playing bass in the live band. Luckily, it was a wireless bass and he would just come up to the bar and serve people while playing. Badass.

Yesterday, Steph and I wandered around the U District (area where the University of Washington is). It was cool and I bought new sneakers because they were on sale (I have a problem). We also went to the first ever espresso bar in Seattle. Fun fact: people in Seattle love espresso and teriyaki. Who knew? We later played Scattergories with some people and I was totally reminded of many, many high school nights. What a great game. I came in second, though. Boo.

Until next time, I bid you all a fond farewell.

letters to Molly, part one

(Note: this is the first of a (hopefully) weekly series where I write letters to Molly [based on her urgings and my love for her]. For best results, imagine that I'm reading it out loud with a very serious tone.)

Dearest Molly,

We've only been apart for less than a week and, already, I miss you so. How are things with Flapjack and Ellie? Have you had any exceptional towel-times recently? I dearly miss your occasional nonsensical outbursts. (ie: "You know what are weird? Houses.")

We've been keeping quite busy out here. We went to a lesbian bar on Friday night; you would've loved it (because you're at least 2/5 gay). I embarrassed Steph by dancing like an idiot and we made friends with a Canadian woman in the Navy who bought us all "peach bombs" (they tasted like cough syrup).

We made friends with an outlandish dude on Saturday afternoon and I think you would've loved him. He was pretty drunk at like 2pm and was making friends with everyone. He was 34, though, and I think he felt old when he realized he was ten years older than us. He had a deep love for the old 90210.

On Saturday night, Steph and I went to this ridiculous place for dinner called Elemental. Funny story: we were reading yelp reviews to find somewhere nice-ish to go and saw that Elemental had a more casual wine bar next door called END (Elemental Next Door). So we were like, sweet, let's go. Well, it turns out that I'm dumb and we accidentally went to straight up Elemental and by the time I realized it, we couldn't leave.

Anyway, this place was craaazy. They asked if we had any foods we don't eat (Steph, by the way, failed to mention that whole not-eating-meat thing. I had to remind her to tell him.) and then started bringing out courses of food paired with wines. We had EIGHT courses and we were never told once what we were eating. It was a 3+ hour meal but it was pretty fucking cool. Steph got kind of drunk.

Yesterday, we went hiking with Hill's friend's Melissa and Quinton and their friend Burle (sp?). Everything is very green and lush, especially on the mountain. We saw some waterfalls and hiked almost 3 miles each way. I felt very outdoorsy.

It was very sad to not watch the LOST finale with you, even though I know you were probably yelling at the TV a lot. I'm sure the wound is too raw to talk about now, so I'll just leave it at that.

Please give my love to the gang. You should all think about coming out here and meeting us for a long weekend at some point (probably not going to happen, I know).

Hugz 'n kissez,
Jenna M. Lykes, esq.

rain and food stamps

I realize that the title of this blog post sounds like an emo poem, but, I assure you, it is not. Rain and food stamps = the two biggest things I have to talk about! First, food stamps.

I have been accepted as a corps member for City Year Washington, DC. As you'll recall from a previous post, I was slightly nervous that I wasn't going to make it. I should have remembered how awesome I am, though, because I totally got in. Starting in mid-August I will be dedicating myself to full-time service (probably mostly in DC public schools).

I'm really excited for this experience even though I've heard it can be pretty tough. I have talked a big game in the past few years about how committed I am to public service, etc. and now I have the opportunity to back that up.

Where do the food stamps come in? Well, I'm going to be making an alarmingly small amount of money next year and will most likely get food stamps so I can buy groceries. It's a glamorous life, I know. Hopefully this will teach me to be even more creative with meals/cooking. Steph and I are going to look for an apartment in DC once we get back from our west coast adventure. This brings me to...

Rain. We're in Seattle! We're staying with our friend, Hill, in a house in Wallingford (which is basically like one of the communities in Seattle... think like kind of how Boston has Mission Hill/Allston/etc.) Seattle is really fucking cool because there is a downtown area with big buildings and urban life, but then a lot of Seattle (including where Hill lives) feels like a small beach town and is mostly blocks and blocks of cute little houses.

Hill shares the house with six other roommates, so there is always someone coming or going. There are also two dogs, Olive and Mika, and I love them already. They both kind of remind me of Sadie, my brother and Susanna's dog. Olive comes up on our bed (and by bed, I mean pull-out couch) in the morning and cuddles.

No one exaggerates about Seattle's rain. It has rained, at least for a little bit, every day we've been here so far. I don't really mind it though, there is almost no humidity. The temperature is on the chilly side, though. I need to remember to bring a hoodie with me even if it is super beautiful out when we leave for the day.

So far we have explored: gas works park, Wallingford/Fremont (two cool communities near each other), Pike Place Market (where they throw the fish!), the original Starbucks, Seattle Public Library (which I am in love with) and the Columbia Tower (tallest building in Seattle). Main thing I have left on my list to check out: Real World Seattle house. I still can't believe he slapped Irene.

We don't have to the connector for Steph's camera so I'm not sure how many pictures I'll be posting. My camera takes big RAW files, so I'm not sure if I can get those on here. I will investigate further.

things I learned on a six hour flight

1) Elliott will always get too emotionally connected to cases that hit close to home.
2) Olivia can connect to the victim better than anyone else.
3) Munch is a crazy bastard.
4) Ice-T is THE MAN.
5) Usually, if a case can be solved in only half an hour... it is, in fact, not solved. (Though sometimes it is, but there is another aspect of the court case that is interesting.)

Oh, by the way, there was an SVU marathon on USA while we were flying.

We're in Seattle! It is awesome! More on that later.

post-graduation: new beginnings?

Hello. So, I graduated from college (Northeastern University, if you were wondering- yeah, NorthEASTERN, not Northwestern) last Friday with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design. Fast forward to now: sitting on my girlfriend's couch, feeling congested and cranky, I have decided to start a blog.

This blog will chronicle my summer travels (west coast for 6 weeks with Steph, the previously mentioned girlfriend), my employment status (currently: un, but hoping to hear back in the next two days about City Year [Americorps program]) and my housing situation (I still have a room in Boston through August that I won't need and we haven't started looking for apartments in D.C. yet).

Basically, I have no idea what I'm doing with myself and my life and thought that writing about it might help me. Or at least be interesting? Or make other people feel better about themselves?