As a lifelong “car guy” there are certain things about them that I’ve learned to appreciate. Let’s start with steering. For most of us, the steering wheel is a simple device to help us “aim” the car down the road. But to us “car guys” it is so much more.

With spring in the air, thoughts turn to home repairs and maintenance. A number of those jobs require hiring a contractor, as well as expensive products to install. This is especially true for a home's exterior surfaces such as siding, roofing, windows and painting. Jobs like these can easily cost thousands of dollars. Luckily many of them include warranties that can stretch as long as 30, 40, or even 50 years. But if you want or need to rely on those warranties, you might want to read the fine print.

If you’ve had the pleasure of eating at North Ballard restaurant Delancey (1415 70th Street), you know their pizza is impeccable, with high quality ingredients and simple preparation. The décor, glass-covered exposed lights, large framed photographs, and wood fired oven out in the open for all to see, are all welcoming and intentional. “Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage,” Molly Wizenberg's new memoir about opening Delancey with her husband in August 2009, is just as purposeful and well done as the restaurant's food and feel. An insider's look into starting a business from scratch and the Seattle restaurant scene, “Delancey” is Wizenberg’s elegantly written memoir of the struggle to realize a dream.

Dawn and I just got back from a fantastic weekend hosting 12 fabulous women on retreat. My sister came out to support us by taking care of feeding these amazing yogis for the weekend. This was no easy task but luckily just before the retreat one of Dawn's long-time clients brought in a special treat for her birthday, his amazing seed bread.