Sunday, June 1, 2008

About the authors

Mike and Jeanna started dating in late 2007, before Mike took off on his very last fishing trip to the Bering Sea. He was gone for three lonely months as Jeanna pined and suffered alone in Seattle, realizing that she really enjoyed his company and wanted him around all the time. Luckily, there isn't a woman to be had (with hair and teeth) in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, so Mike came willingly and faithfully back to Jeanna without risk of an Eskimo snagging his affection. (Phew)

Their first summer together, they discovered they both really liked to camp. Every weekend was a whirlwind - to Yakima, Sunland, Chelan, Mason Lake, Orcas Island - they perfected packing up the car in an efficient manner and leaving the city for a weekend of sun and relaxation. Mike became really good at long, extended drives and making bacon on the camp stove. Jeanna became really good at reading US Weekly with her feet up in the window, napping while Mike drove the extended distances, and eating his bacon from the camp stove. (What a pair).

In the grey Seattle winters, Mike and Jeanna love to hit-up local, Seattle restaurants, always in search of the best sushi or happy hour and the tastiest glass of white wine. When they're home, they're grilling on Jeanna's all-time awesome $25 Craigslist-special, George Foreman electric grill (a girl's dream grill - no propane or charcoal), picking up something to make for dinner at Trader Joe's or sipping a wine they purchased from Metropolitan Market.

If you asked Jeanna what she loves best about her boyfriend, she'd tell you his blue eyes and his easy-going demeanor. If you asked Mike what he loves best about his girlfriend, he'd tell you she's fun to be around and she has a "great smile." They'd both say they love how the other likes to go anywhere, do anything and experience new things. (The adventure, if you will).

They're here to review some of their adventures for you...

Jeanna will be doing all the writing for the site, but the experiences, comments and photos are those from both Mike and Jeanna. This site will have only the most recent review posted on the home page, but you can read through more reviews by clicking Older Post at the bottom of the site, or by searching through the categories listed in the sidebar. You can read all restaurant reviews by clicking Caviar, or all campground reviews by clicking Campfires. You can also search by rating or type of cuisine.

Thanks for reading!

About this blog

It came about on a raft. A raft floating Osoyoos Lake on a camping trip, Memorial Day weekend 2009.

Jeanna: I like this place a lot. Way better than Yakima Sportsman State park.
Mike: Me too. Good job on the find, babe.
Jeanna: Thanks. (Sips Miller Lite from cooler, feels really cool herself).
Mike: You know what we should do?
Jeanna: No...what?
Mike: We should start our own Web site - Mike and Jeanna's Great Adventures. And we could review all the campgrounds we go to...post pictures...and recommendations, like the best campsite to reserve - like those ones over there, in the shade, that we wish we were staying in.
Jeanna: (Slowly melting in the 85-degree sunshine) And all the restaurants we're always going to!
Mike: Yeah.
Jeanna: We're always reviewing every place we go to... what a great idea! We need a jazzier blog title though.
Mike: Like what?
Jeanna: Hrm. What about Crudettes & Campfires. You know, sort of like a play on the fancier side of the restaurants we go to in Seattle, and then the campgrounds we travel to in the spring and summer.
Mike: What's a crudette?
Jeanna: You don't know what a crudette is?! It's like a crispy cracker or bread thing. Kinda fancy. I think it's French.
Mike: Never heard of it.
(Turns out Jeanna had never heard of it either cause it's actually crudité, which is a traditional French appetizers comprised of slices or whole raw vegetables, which are dipped).
Jeanna: Well, what's something that starts with C, kinda fancy food-related?
Mike: ???

*Later that day, at a wine tasting shop, looking through the trinkets for sale...*

Jeanna: Look. This is super neat. It's a wheel that pairs every kind of food you eat, with a wine. I need one of these... (Reads through wheel) Pork, lamb, fish... looks like Sauv Blanc goes with a lot. Sweet. There's even sides... sushi! mashed potatoes! ... and caviar. Wait CAVIAR! Caviar and Campfires!
Mike: There it is - Caviar & Campfires

And so our amateur review blog on the Pacific Northwest's restaurants, wines and campgrounds was born.
 
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