Outdoor weddings in the Pacific Northwest, even in August, are risky endeavors.

But since the summer of 2011 has been sulky as a teenager, we were happy to enough to have a few generous sunbreaks in time for the 5 p.m. ceremony. Yes, ideally, the white wicker arch at the end of the aisle should have framed Mt. Rainier perfectly. Still, we had warm air and a soft breeze off Puget Sound, and really, being able to have the wedding near the water was ultimately the most important thing.

I’ve been to enough weddings to know the drill, but this was my first time as a key member of the bridal party – my stint as a 5-year-old gender-bending ring bearer notwithstanding. Turns out being the maid of honor presents challenges not encountered in everyday life. (Pro tip: when you’re booking a bachelorette party, make sure the entertainment at the venue isn’t the melancholy stylings of a local emo band.) I’d also not recommend waiting until 15 minutes beforehand to prep for a speech on your fiance’s iPhone before delivering it to 160 guests.

But anyway, this isn’t about me. It’s about a weekend of ferry rides and suspension bridges, forest trails and picnic benches, white dahlias in mason jars and two blissfully happy people celebrating having exactly what they want in one another.

Lisa and I took full advantage, spending the day about the city, hanging out with friends, drinking cold beers and grilling hamburgers. About as relaxing a Saturday as one could possibly draw up.

But for long-suffering Mariners fans over the past couple of seasons, the well-cultivated ballpark food (and drink) is a welcome distraction from the gloomy product on the field most games. While I enjoy a street sausage or take-out banh mi as much as anyone, I also like the option of having palatable, reasonably affordable food inside the gates. For the 2010 season, the folks at Safeco Field rolled out options like poutine (we all know how I feel about poutine), a nifty grilled salmon sandwich and a gyro, accompanying the existing standbys like garlic fries and Ichiroll sushi.

This season, they’re upping the ante even further by bringing in big-name chefs Ethan Stowell, Roberto Santibañez and Bill Pustari as part of a complete remodel of the centerfield lower concourse, formerly the “Bullpen Market,” into “The ‘Pen.” Personally I’ve always referred to that outfield plaza/beer garden area as the “Meat Market” because of the rabid singles scene playing out at most weekend games. Now it’s vastly more open, with additions like a firepit and cocktail lounge. The beer stands are stocked with mass-market brews and microbrews – obviously, you HAVE to have beer at the ballgame.

But okay – the food. I was invited, along with some other local food bloggers and media, to a tasting of the new fare. In The ‘Pen, you can get…

New Haven-style pizza made with locally sourced ingredients, cooked in a custom-made oven:

Local grass-fed burgers with fries, plus sausages cooked in beer:

Crepes – sweet and savory:

Tortas (Mexican sandwiches) made with pork, chicken or beef, plus fresh-made guacamole and salsa:

My favorite was definitely the torta. Made to order, it had a soft, fresh-tasting bun, with distinct flavor and spice, including fresh avocado and jalapeños. A lot of times ballpark food is on the bland side, a result of catering to the palate of the masses. This was good enough that I would order it outside of a stadium.

My almost-completely-eaten torta:

The pizza was decent, and at $5 for a big slice, a surprisingly affordable option for a gametime snack. The crepes were fine, although I can’t really see myself ordering a crepe during a game. You could tell the burger was made with quality ingredients, particularly the bun, though again I’m not sure I would opt for a burger at the game in general. Nor would I probably pick regular fries over garlic fries, though the garlic aioli dipping sauce with these was addictive.

Overall I was pleased to see the way the new food options and ‘Pen area reflect a certain facet of the Seattle community and fanbase. Yeah, it’s the snobby, foodie facet, but what’s wrong with that? I’d rather have a local chef like Stowell showcasing his sporty side with a local flair than some generic lackluster patty.

But at the end of my visit, what I was MOST excited about (besides the $5 beer happy hour from 4:30-6 during game days)? The removal of the chain-link fences around the bullpens. Now I could, theoretically, reach out and high-five Felix Hernandez during warmups. Sweet.

The time with the dog today reminded me of a story I read the other day about Yale Law School allowing stressed-out students to check out a “therapy pet.” Heck, just 40 minutes with Kasey helped ease some work anxiety that’s built up this week as I hustle to prep for our first crew regatta on Saturday.

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Now that I have garden space, I plan on taking full advantage of it. So I went out this evening and bought some kale, beets, herbs, radishes and carrots from Ravenna Gardens. If nothing else, this should make for interesting blog fodder.

Cherry blossoms are out at the University of Washington. Next sunny day we get here in Seattle I’ll try and snap some pictures.

If you’re one of those people who still doesn’t like Brussels sprouts, I’m not even going to try and convince you. Go read another blog post about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

But if you are one of those who appreciates the much-maligned mini-cabbage – when prepared correctly – you’ll love this recipe.

We generally make Brussels sprouts the way I make most vegetables: by tossing them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then roasting at 400 or so until lightly browned and tender. This is a great way to start if you’ve never had Brussels sprouts before. Try Ina’s recipe.

Last week, however, I discovered a new way to cook sprouts. I joined some friends at Smith - a local restaurant known for gastropubby food, good deals on drinks and taxidermied decor – and while we all agonized over the menu, we easily agreed on a certain dish for the table: Brussels sprouts with bacon and dates. No-brainer.

The dish disappeared fast between five hungry mouths, and we started to ponder what was in it, besides the obvious. The consensus was something tangy like creme fraiche, but we couldn’t figure it out.

So I decided to go to the source and ask Smith on Twitter. And after some logistical back and forth, they posted the recipe on their Facebook page.

Though the ingredient list was basic, I was a little nervous about trying a restaurant-style recipe with no real measurements. I shouldn’t have worried; it was straightforward to prepare and easy to multiply by a few factors to make enough for a side dish and leftovers.

And, most importantly, it tasted just like the restaurant version.

Smith’s Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Adapted from Smith

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts
• 3-4 strips good quality bacon
• 10-12 dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup cream
• olive oil

Cut the ends off the sprouts and slice them in half lengthwise. Chop up the bacon strips and saute in a large frying pan over medium heat until crispy. Set aside on a paper towel but leave the bacon grease in the pan.

Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and let it get hot. Add the sprouts, cut side down, and cook until the cut sides are a deep golden brown. You may be able to turn up the heat a bit, but make sure they are caramelizing and not burning. Also, your frying pan may not be large enough to fit all the cut sprouts – if so, just fire up another pan with some olive oil and cook them separately, then add them back into the big pan when browned.

Once the sprouts are browned and tender, add the bacon and chopped dates and toss until all is heated through.

Add the apple cider vinegar and toss, then add the cream and mix again. Let it bubble for a minute or so until the cream has reduced a bit. Taste and add a bit more vinegar or cream if needed.

Add salt and pepper to taste, toss again, and serve.

Yet for all the celebrity status the New York bagel enjoys on the food/pop culture stage, I’ve often felt its cousin from Montreal offered a far superior product. Toasted in a wood-fire oven, the Montreal bagel is a smaller, denser and crispier version of the boiled NYC bagel. Each bite provides more of a satisfying crunch, balanced with a touch of sweetness (my opinion, not gospel). Last year, the New York Times heard enough of the chirping between the two cities that it felt the need to weigh in on the argument.

Despite my proselytizing, Lisa needed some convincing. A summer trip years ago to St. Viateur in Montreal quickly swayed her to my mode of thinking. So when news broke that Eltana, a Montreal-style bagel emporium, was Seattle-bound we followed with interest.

Eltana recently opened and has generated plenty of buzz in a short amount of time among our more food-inclined friends. A few days ago, we went for the super-soft opening, ordered a sesame and plain bagel (with honey and plain cream cheese, respectively) and tucked in.

The verdict: a close facsimile to the versions from the Mile End. While an Eltana bagel is not a complete reproduction of what the legendary St. Viateur and Fairmount churn out in Quebec, it’s still quite tasty. Not to mention a much-welcome addition to our city.

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A lot of hours in the office have made for some stressful work weeks as the Holiday Bowl looms. Still, with as gray as Seattle has been recently, I’m not about to complain about a week-long trip San Diego.

On early resolution I have for New Year’s is to do more reading. Looking forward to delving more into a novel I picked up today: Dinaw Mengestu’s “The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears.”

It’s called a Pineapple Express – when a warm, moist, strong blast of air sweeps up from the tropics bringing unseasonably high temperatures and the sort of rain that normally only appears in Hollywood renditions of Seattle. A perfect day to stay inside watching the Huskies’ basketball game and making Thai-style meatballs with Sunbutter sauce and spinach.

This meal came about because we had a pound of ground beef in the fridge and I went a little nuts in the Asian condiment aisle at the grocery store. Then I started thinking about our ever-present jar of Sunbutter (similar to peanut butter but made with ground-up sunflower seeds) that we got hooked on while eating paleo.

A few Google searches for inspiration later turned up enough ideas to make up this recipe, which is easy, savory and comforting – no pineapple, but with a tropic sensibility.

Thai-style Meatballs with Sunbutter Sauce

Inspired by The Mixer Bible

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground beef (next time I’d use a mixture of pork and veal)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. curry paste (I used green, but red or yellow would work)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko, bread crumbs or almond flour

For the sauce:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. curry paste (red, green or yellow)
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 cup sunbutter or nut butter of your choice

Preheat the oven to 450, with the rack in the top third of the oven, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Mix ground meat with garlic, mint, cilantro, fish sauce and curry paste until evenly combined. If you’re still waiting for the oven to heat, stick the mixture in the fridge until the oven is ready. Then add the beaten egg and breadcrumbs/flour until combined.

Use a tablespoon to scoop the meat into 1 1/4-inch meatballs on the baking sheet, with a 1/2 inch of space between each. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until browned and just a bit of pink left inside.

While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, sugar (if using), curry paste and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Add sunbutter or nut butter of choice and continue to cook and stir until well blended.

Serve meatballs on a bed of baby spinach and drizzle sauce on top, with extra sauce on the side. This will probably make more sauce then you need, but you shouldn’t have a hard time finding uses for it. Maybe something with pineapple…

We had pop-ups on the mind because of a recent New York Times article about their rise in London, so when a friend tweeted about a Monday-night-only Thai dinner at popular Capitol Hill cocktail joint Licorous, we had to check it out.

One Monday's menu at Shophouse

Called Shophouse and billed as “a developing restaurant concept based in Seattle devoted to the craft of traditional street level Thai cuisine,” the menu features simple but supremely flavorful dishes that Lark sous-chef Wiley Frank learned to cook during a year spent in Thailand. Monday nights, he and his wife serve up small plates zingy with tamarind, fresh chilis, cilantro and other spices imported from Southeast Asia. The menu is constantly evolving, though there’s a sampling of dishes on the website.

We started with mini curried fish cakes with cucumber vinegar and fried basil. You could really taste each ingredient, with the strong sour, sweet, salty and bitter flavors all coming through. We also ordered the spicy squid salad with greens, cherry tomatoes, lemongrass and celery leaf. It wasn’t nearly as spicy I was expecting – our barometer being the five-alarm, religious-experience heat of the papaya salad at Portland’s Pok Pok – but it had a slow burn underneath the citrus-y dressing.

We also had a salad of granny smith apple, peanuts, chili, lime and dried shrimp. The apple salad in particular was a cooling counterpoint to the spiciness of the other dishes. Then we finished with the simmered Madhatter chicken with garlic rice, squash broth and spicy soy. This was outstanding. Both the broth and the meat had a strong flavor, and the spicy soy sauce added just the right amount of kick.

Madhatter chicken (left) and granny smith apple salad

There were also three Thai-inspired cocktails, though we stuck with lime and lemongrass sodas.

Our waitress said they plan to keep up Shophouse Thai night as long as there’s interest, so we’ll plan to be back to try some of the other offerings – herbed pork sausage, chicken wings, yes please – in the coming weeks.

One of the newest trucks to arrive is Where Ya At Matt, and it didn’t take much to convince us we needed to check this one out immediately. Glowing review after glowing review aside, the menu is enough to start planning your weekly lunch schedule around a visit. Fried oyster po’boys and jambalaya? Yes please.

The natives are curious

We headed over to their regular Friday spot in Interbay. I was worried there would be a long line, but it was only a couple people deep. More of a concern was our arrival time – we got there around 1:30, the final half an hour of their lunch stint. By that time, they were out of oysters (nooooo!), jambalaya and the infamous beignets.

We were mildly upset, but hardly discouraged. This is part of the food truck dining lifestyle that you have to accept as a matter of course. Vendors will be closed when the website says open, they will invariably be “cash only”when you only have your credit card on you, and running out of popular items is inevitable. The casualness and unpredictability is inherent to the medium.

So: no oysters, no problem. We opted for the shrimp po’boy and an order of red beans n rice.

Shrimpy goodness

Caveat here: I have never been to New Orleans (hoping to change that this year, though) and have never eaten the real thing. That said, this was a damn good sandwich. The remoulade-esque sauce is the perfect foil to the savory crunch of the battered shrimp, and the bread, lettuce and tomato are fresher than what you get at many sit-down restaurants. And the red beans n rice were approximately one-third each rice, beans and super-porky sausage chunks.

It was an ideal meal for a grey Seattle fall day. I will be back, and early, to try the oysters and the beignets.