This week is motomotoyama’s 8th Annual 29th Birthday Week. Today was her birthday proper and my half-birthday! I like how that works out. Tonight, we carried on the fine tradition of her Santa Fe Cafe Birthday Wednesday. Sidebar: in 10 days, she and I will be in Mexico. Oh, hooray!

Once upon a time, I lived with her and her younger brother. As demonstrated here by his “blinders”, he’s not so big on my paparazzi ways. (Check out Mr. T’s hat in the lower right! He just got it Saturday & wears it EVERYWHERE.)

P.S. I had the shrimp, the first thing on the Appetizer menu. GET IT if you go to Santa Fe.

Tonight, I went to Foodportunity. It’s billed as a networking event for those in the food industry. I’m not in the industry. I am not so big on the schmoozing nor am I angling for anything new. But, this was as painless as it gets if you were need such a venue — Keren Brown did a great job. Everyone met someone new. There were vendors serving food and showcasing wares. This was the draw for me, who lives to eat well. And I saw friends I haven’t in weeks — equally as compelling as food.

At one point, I tried the pulled pork with jalapeno coleslaw on a white trash biscuit from Lunchbox Lab. OMG, people. This was my favorite. I must have that again.

I wanted to take more pictures of the neon in the hood afterward. But after my first light-test shot, spotted a young lady lighting up her “pipe.” I skedaddled my way out of there. Poor Belltown. It’s hit the skids.

Today we stayed in the hood. For Brunch, we walked up to Hudson where I had their Benedict in a vain attempt to recapture one I had a month ago. Ah well. The mission continues.