Number 38 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Clydesdale Horses at Bella Bottega Shopping Center in Redmond

I know this is VERY LAST MINUTE, but the Budweiser Clydesdale Horse Team in going to be at Bella Bottega Shopping Center in Redmond until about 6:00 pm tonight.

If you are close by come on over and meet them in person. They will also be in the Torch Light Parade for Seafair tomorrow night in downtown Seattle

Number 37 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Kirkland Classic Car Show

Kirkland will be hosting the 8th Annual Kirkland Classic Car Show this Sunday July 18th from 10:00 to 4:00.

There will be 100’s of classics, hot rods and custom cars lining the streets of downtown Kirkland. It will bring back memories of your youth.

It’s always fun to check out how people have restored and painted their collectible cars.

The Kirkland Classic Car Show is put on by the Downtown Kirkland Association and The Legends Car Club

Bacon Explosion = Heart Attack on the Grill (BBQ Time)

Bacon Explosion:

The BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes

This recipes is from BBQ Addicts The people who run the BBQ Addicts web site are my heroes. They are BBQ FANATICS. Everything they make, create, smoke, grill or dream up is amazing.

If you don’t want to take the time to assemble a Bacon Explosion you can order 1 that is ready to heat and eat!

Here’s what you’ll need…

2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

To kick off the construction of this pork medley you’ll need to create a 5×5 bacon weave.  If the strips you’re using aren’t as wide as the ones pictured, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern.  Just make sure your bacon weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.

The next step is to add some barbecue seasoning on top of your bacon weave.  Being the barbeque addict that I am, I whipped up a batch of Burnt Finger BBQ’s competition pork rub for this special occasion.  Seeing as not everyone has the time, or the expertise, to create a tasty rub of their own, I would recommend trying Cowtown Sweet Spot for the best combination. Plowboys Yardbird, Bad Byron’s Butt Rub, and Rendezvous Famous Seasoning are also excellent choices.

Now that you’re pork is well seasoned, it’s time to add more pork.  Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave.  Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across.  Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like.  I chose to go with a mild sausage, but spicy would work just the same.  If you really want to get crazy, take a stab at making your own homemade sausage.

Next up is bacon layer number two.  Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or a midnight snack).  If you like soft bacon, make it soft.  If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy.  If you like your bacon burnt to hell so the smoke detectors go off, then burn it to hell so the smoke detectors go off.  These pieces are going to be a major part of the inner flavor of our sausage fatty, so cook them your favorite way.  Personally, I like my bacon right at the point when it starts to get crispy, but hasn’t quite lost all of the softness yet.  Regardless of how well done you like yours, you’ll need to crumble or chop the cooked strips into bite size pieces and place on top of the sausage layer.  (Note-It’s okay, and encouraged, to snack on these pieces while your chopping/crumbling.  But keep in mind that once those bacon morsels touch the raw sausage, you’ll need to resist all temptations to nibble.  This can and will be difficult, but hospital trips are no fun, so stay strong.)

Since this is a barbeque recipe, we need to add another layer of barbeque flavor.  Take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces.  Personally, I prefer to use Burnt Finger BBQ’s homemade competition sauce, but if you’re torn on what brand to use I recommend Cowtown, Blues Hog, and Fiorella’s Jack Stack.  Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the barbeque seasoning you used on the bacon weave.

Now comes the fun part.  Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards.  You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll.  Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed.  Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.

At this point we can start to see the final shape of our Bacon Explosion, but we’re missing one key item.  To complete the construction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave.  Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.

Sprinkle some barbeque seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave, and now this bad boy is ready for the smoker.  Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225 degrees in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until your Thermapen gives an internal temperature reading of 165 degrees.  Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek.  Mine took about 2.5 hours, which was right on target with its 2.5 inch diameter.

Now that our Bacon Explosion is fully cooked, we need to add some finishing flavors.  Remember that barbecue sauce we used for inner flavor?  We’ll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave.  Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce.  Sweet sauces are loaded with sugars, so they’ll give your fatty a nice glossy finish.  Spicy and vinegar based sauces don’t contain as much, so they won’t set up as well.  If you’re dead set on using those sauces, just cut them with a bit of honey and you’ll get the same effect.

Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve.  If your roll was good and tight, you should now see a nice bacon pinwheel pattern throughout the sausage.  Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, try placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit.  You’ll reach pork Nirvana in no time flat!

Number 36 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Free Outdoor Movies in Redmond

Tonight begins the 4th Annual Summer Movie Series sponsored by The Redmond Youth Partnership Advisory Committee. This summer there will be 7 outdoor movies and the best part is THEY ARE ALL FREE!!!

Movies start at dusk, about 9:30. Bring a picnic basket and blankets and make a night of it.

Tonight’s Movie is Iron Man and will be showing at the Great Lawn at City Hall, which is located at 15670

Randy Randolph
Uber Agent
206-234-3647 v
206-400-1125 f
randy@randyrandolph.com
www.randyrandolph.com
www.uberrandy.com

RSVP Real Estate

Servicing King County, Snohomish County, Redmond WA, Kirkland WA, Bellevue WA, Sammamish WA, Issaquah WA, Woodinville WA, Renton WA, Seattle WA, Bothell WA, Lynnwood WA, Edmonds WA, Everett WA, Lake Stevens WA, Snohomish WA, Marysville WA

NE 85th St next to King County Library

Number 35 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside – The Rockets Red Glare Kirkland Fireworks

The Rockets Red Glare

As American’s gather to celebrate the 234th birthday of The United States neighborhoods, villages, communities, small towns, cities will be hosting festivals, parades, fairs and of course firework displays.

On The 4th Of July in downtown Kirkland along the waterfront will be a full day of activities.

The Kirkland Arts Center and Celebrate Kirkland will host a “decorate to celebrate” event at Marina Park Pavilion starting at 10 am.

The Kirkland Arts Center and Celebrate Kirkland will host a “decorate to celebrate” event at Marina Park Pavilion starting at 10 am.

The Childrens Parade begins at 11:30 on Sunday at the corner of Market and Central in downtown Kirkland.

The Annual July 4 parade starts at Noon on Sunday from Marian Park and travels along Central Way. The parade is presented by Celebrate Kirkland

Marina Park will be the place to spend most of the holiday. There will be live music, food and other festivities.

At 4 pm will be the Annual Duck Dash hosted by Rotary Club of Kirkland to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club, TeenCenter and many other important causes. Adopt a Duck to Support the Kirkland Community! Support the Kirkland community by adopting a duck for $5 or buying a value package of five ducks for $20. Every ticket includes 12 valuable coupons to use at Kirkland businesses like Hector’s, George’s Lucia, St. James Espresso, Wilde Rover, Ace Frames and more!

Special musical performance at 9 pm in the Pavilion at Marina Park will be provided by The Ex Box Boys.

The Main Event – FIREWORKS will begin around 10:15

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Randy Randolph
Uber Agent
206-234-3647 v
206-400-1125 f
randy@randyrandolph.com
www.randyrandolph.com
www.uberrandy.com

RSVP Real Estate

Servicing King County, Snohomish County, Redmond WA, Kirkland WA, Bellevue WA, Sammamish WA, Issaquah WA, Woodinville WA, Renton WA, Seattle WA, Bothell WA, Lynnwood WA, Edmonds WA, Everett WA, Lake Stevens WA, Snohomish WA, Marysville WA

Day 25 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Do Anything Outside

Just grab your sunglasses and head outside. Take a look around your neighborhood and see what you can discover.

Enjoy the Sunshine today!

Day 24 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: The Flying Fortress B-17 Bomber ~ The Liberty Belle

This weekend you can go for a ride aboard The Liberty Belle at restored World War II B-17 Bomber at the Museum of Flight. This is a very unique experience that will be something to remember forever.

During WWII there were over 12,000 B-17 built between 1935 and 1945. About 5,000 were lost in combat. Today there are only 14 B-17’s that still are flying. The Liberty Belle is painted with the colors and the nose are of the original Liberty Belle that flew missions with the 390th Bomb Group of the U.S. 8th Air Force.

From the Liberty Foundation’s web site:

What’s the story behind the Liberty Belle?

On September 9, 1944 the 390th Bomb Group attacked a target in Dusseldorf, Germany and suffered its second largest single mission loss of the war. Over the target just prior to bomb release, one of the low squadron B-17s was hit in the Bomb bay by flak. The 1000 lb. bombs exploded and nine of the twelve aircraft in the squadron were instantly destroyed or knocked out of formation.

Six of the nine went down over the target, one flew two hours on a single engine and landed at Paris, another “crippled plane” landed in Belgium and the other struggled back to its home base and landed long after the other thirty nine B-17s had returned from the mission. The one that came home was “Liberty Belle”, she went on to complete 64 combat missions before being salvaged on February 18, 1945.

The Liberty Foundation’s B-17G (SN 44-85734) has an interesting post-war history. Originally sold on June 25, 1947 as scrap to Esperado Mining Co. of Altus, OK, it sold again later that year to Pratt & Whitney for $2,700. Pratt & Whitney operated the B-17 from November 19, 1947 to 1967 as a heavily modified test bed for their P&W T-34 and T-64 turboprop engines. It became a “5-engine aircraft”, having the powerful prototype engine mounted on the nose! The aircraft was flown “single-engine”, with all four radial engines feathered during test flights.

Following this life as a test platform, it was donated in the late 1960s to the Connecticut Aeronautical Historic Association in East Hartford. Unfortunately, it was heavily damaged on October 3, 1979 in a tornado, in which another aircraft was thrown onto the B-17’s mid-section. The wreck was stored in the New England Air Museum, CT from 1981 until 1987.

(photos courtesy of The Liberty Foundation Inc. 11564 East 7th Street, Tulsa, OK 74128)

The Flying Fortress with take to the sky above Seattle on April 24 and 25 from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm taking off from Boeing Field. The price for this priceless flight is $430 per person and you can make a reservation by calling 918-340-0243. Each flight experience lasts about 45 minutes, with 30 minutes in the air.

If you can’t get a reservation for a flight, you can still come out to Boeing Field for a ground tour and to watch the Flying Fortress to flight.

Day 22 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Chateau Ste. Michelle Summer Concert Series Dates Announced

Here are over a dozen Things to do Around the Eastside this summer at Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Summer Concert Series. The winery in Woodinville has just released the schedule for this annual summer series and it is going to be a great year.

Concerts are held on the lawn at Chateau Ste. Michelle Amphitheater SUNSHINE or rain. They offer both Reserved Seating directly in front of the stage (chairs provided) or General Admission Seating on the lawn (BYOC – bring your own chair.) A selection of Chateau Ste. Michelle wines and a variety of fresh food items from selected northwest vendors is available for purchase in the Amphitheater at each performance. Feel free to bring your own picnic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Here is a list of performances for the 2010 Season:

June 12^th Crosby, Stills and Nash

June 19^th Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

July 14^th Steve Miller Band

July 16^th Lyle Lovett & His Large Band (he does a great show)

July 24^th Jamie Cullum

July 29^th Martina McBride

July 30^th Jackson Browne with David Lindley

July 31^st Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band

August 6^th Natalie Merchant

August 7^th KWJZ Music Festival

August 8^th KWJZ Music Festival

August 12^th The B-52’s & Blondie (this 1 is on my list for this year)

August 13^th Chris Isaak (this 1 is on my wife’s list this year)

August 27^th Earth, Wind & Fire

August 28^th Crowded House

August 29^th Pink Martini

September 25^th Harry Connick Jr.

It is a very impressive lineup and tickets will sell out fast for most of the shows. Tickets go on sale April 23, 2010 from Ticketmaster. Make your plans today to attend at least 1 of these shows.

If you can find a way to score a VIP Pass (which I have no idea how to do) be sure to check out the desert tent and let me know what it’s like. I have heard pretty good stuff about that tent.

Day 18 of 365 Things To Do Around the Eastside: Take a Walk on the Sunny Side

Today the Eastside is bathed in Sunshine, so why not go for a walk and do some people and dog watching?

One of the best places to enjoy the sun while strolling along in from Downtown Kirkland to Carillon Point. It is a flat walk along the Eastside of Lake Washington.

You will encounter other people out and about, dogs, bicyclists, skateboarders, inline skaters and joggers.

In Downtown Kirkland there are several art galleries, coffee houses, real estate offices, restaurants and boutiques to wander through.

Along the walk to Carillon Point you will pass by several neighborhood parks, which offer picnic areas, swimming, volleyball, children’s play ground, sunbathing and overall some of the best Lake Front views around.