Fri 19 Nov 2010 4:33 pm
Photo credit: Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times
I had been watching Catherine Reynolds and reading her lovely blog for some time before meeting her in person. For years I thought it would be interesting to write about her. No one could have predicted how it would finally come about.
In last Sunday’s Seattle Times, Catherine let me try to share her story. Her journey could have filled a book, and I hope one day she writes one.
I owe a big thanks to Traca Savadogo, who grinned when she told me she had invited Catherine to a dinner party and I asked “Can you seat me next to her?”… and to Kye Soon Hong and Eric Vigesaa, to Dawn and Eric Wright… and, most of all, to Catherine herself.
The beginning of her story is here.
Posted by Rebekah Denn under Uncategorized
re; seattle mag article;canlis. i printed & delivered canlis menu inserts under name=menutime seattle in 1959..i was not allowed to step inside reataurant to deliver them. i hand set=hand fed paper=hand cranked mutigraph machine. delivery route was 65 miles every night for 11 years. before computer=printers took over. ben paris=doric new washington=transport grill=tropics=ranch=most of seattle’s better restaurants had daily menus.
our office address was 3rd and cedar
then 3805 aurora ave.n.
my name is violet f. fisher
206-243-5471
Rebekah,this was a very touching and inspiring article..thank you for sharing and for the lovely tribute to Catherine Reynolds.
Your post is titled perfectly; what an inspiring story and one that causes your readers to pause and reflect on what’s really important.
Sorry,This is more than a comment. I couldn’t find your email address.
Dear Rebekah,
My brother and his wife, who live in Auburn WA, mailed me a copy of your article on Catherine Reynolds and her brain surgery. They knew I would have interest in the article, since I too am in the process of recovering from brain surgery, preformed at Harbor View by the same surgeon, Dr. Laligam Sekhar,
Indeed, I did have keen interest. January 30, 1009 was the date of my brain surgery. Two years later, I still struggle with memory, lethargy, and have no sense of smell.
My husband, Jim and I live in Halibut Cove Alaska, a small roadless community across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska. We are a 5-hour spectacular scenic drive south of Anchorage.
Nearly 100 people live here in the summer and the population drops to 20 of us in the winter. Halibut Cove has a gourmet restaurant, an art gallery (for the 15 artists who live here), a floating post office and a floating espresso coffee shop.
My reason for writing this letter is three-fold.
First, I do want to say how very much I appreciated the way in which you covered Catherine’s story with such sensitivity and grace. I was able to identify with much of the article and affirmed to hear of another’s struggle with similar issues.
Several years ago, My husband and I built a retreat center in Halibut Cove, Alaska. . http://www.stillpointlodge.com . Because of my lack of energy and memory, we chose to remain closed for the past two summers. I we will re-opening this summer and I am making plans for various retreats and workshops.
Second, I am wondering if you might want to do a series of articles that follow-up on brain surgeries. Although they are a major event in one’s life, they need not be the end of the world. Such articles could be reassuring for those who may have the same surgery in the future.
Third, because your writing interest embraces the art of cooking; it occurred to me, you might enjoy doing an article about our lodge and Halibut Cove. We take pride in our chef who prepares health conscious meals with organic produce from our garden and seafood from the sea that surrounds us.
Each year Halibut Cove’s gourmet restaurant, the Saultry, has a fundraising function called, The Iron Chef. The event is always a sell-out at $100 a plate dinners. The proceeds go to Planned Parenthood in Homer
Invited Chefs from many lodges, including Stillpoint, were there this summer. The chefs received a secret ingredient, this year it was fresh shark, caught in our local waters. Chefs needed to included the shark in their meal as well as a complete list of items vegetables, donated from Homer’s Farmers Market.
The evening took on excitement, as the guest chefs hurried to create what each hoped would be the winning presentation.
We were thrilled when we heard our chef’s name, Rebecca Thoning, announced as the first place winner!
My husband and I invite you to be our guest at Stillpoint sometime next summer to do an article.
There is much to write about
• Stillpoint,
• Surgery recovery,
• Homer’s Farmers Market,
• The Saultry Restaurant,
• Fishing.
I am attaching an article I wrote regarding my own brain surgery experience.
I look forward to hearing from you.
This is an amazing, wonderful story. Thanks for posting this link to it.
This story is incredibly touching, thank you for writing it! To have the palate and knowledge to be a world class sommelier is such a gift and to have it snatched away like that is absolutely awful.
She is very headstrong for being able to recover with such passion.