An endorsement from my friend Casey

Casey and I interviewed for the same English position at Meadowdale High School in 1997. She (rightfully) got the job, then became my mentor when I was hired for a different position as a first-year teacher. We have done a lot of eating together over twenty-seven years.

She wrote this introduction to my blog on her Facebook page, and it's too good not to share:

If you've ever traveled with Marjie Bowker you know she has preternatural gifts when it comes to the procurement of excellent food. She can roll into a small town in nowhere Nevada, get out of the car, inhale, say a short incantation to her food gods, then point "that way" down a dusty side street towards the only Indian restaurant within 400 miles and it is the lightest, crispiest pakora you've ever had. This is her gift.

Seattle is a serious food city, but a pricey one. Marjie knows where the realness is cooking. If you hang out with her, you are spoiled for choice, but the choices make you feel good -- about supporting small and local, about not spending an obscene amount of money, and about mind blowing beautiful, luscious, bright, exciting food prepared by amazing people.

We all get to eat where Marjie eats now because she is sharing her secrets. She chose the much maligned Highway 99 as the star of her new blog with some forays into other places. Those of us who live near Aurora Ave have to try hard to love it, but Marjie is going to give us reasons every week to celebrate Highway 99/Aurora Ave and all its culinary delights (culinary only, I know what you're thinking, stop).

Read it and eat where she tells you. You can thank her later.