Eat with Monte, the Griz Mascot

Here's your chance to have pancakes with Monte, the Griz mascot!

Last year as Mrs. Missoula, I had the honor of being kissed by Monte and sprayed with whip cream! Totally silly and fun.

The annual pancake breakfast is sponsored by Paul's Pancake Parlor and the proceeds go to the Jadyn Fred Foundation.

The Jadyn Fred Foundation assists Montana (and some surrounding states) children and their families get help toward expenses that insurance doesn't cover. For example, insurance may cover treatment at a hospital but not the hotel or groceries for extended stays. Some families have even needed gas money to get to the hospital. It's amazing how draining a long term illness can be on a family.

The Jadyn Fred Foundation supports those needs and families through a three tier system. You can check out the website and see how many kids are getting helped through this great program that was started to honor a little girl named Jadyn. It's a genuinely loving organization that I feel is so important. Often the family cannot afford to stay with the child. That means a little one has to be in a hospital without the support of their family. And yes, this does happen because mom and dad are so busy trying to keep the family going while paying out more and more money to keep their child healthy or alive. No one wants to leave their child in the hospital all alone. Sometimes it is a choice of that and living in a car. Some families do that too in order to stay by their child.

This is where the Jadyn Fred Foundation comes in. They intervene by giving the funds needed to provide a bed, food and gas so mom and dad can be there as much as possible.

So you don't have a ton to give? Don't worry about it. Just go have some breakfast Saturday, Feb. 21st, at Paul's Pancake Parlor in Missoula.

But what if you had a tiny bit extra? There will be fun drawings for Griz Gear, autographed basketballs from both the men's and women's Griz teams and even beautiful Griz watches donated by a local jeweler. The tiny bit? A whole $2 for a raffle ticket.

So plan for a nice Saturday out and enjoy being a part of something bigger than ourselves. Something that reaches out to help the children who really need some of the simplest things like gas/groceries and their mom and dad during intense medical treatments.

And if you see me around town, I'll have raffle tickets available. You don't have to be present to win all those fun Griz things or the $300 Griz basket from Dillard's. So if your schedule allows, pancakes galore. If it doesn't, you can still holler for some raffle tickets and I'll run them over to you so we can help more kids and their families.

Angie

Chris' Tea Cottage

Last week I had the pleasure of driving 2 hours North of Missoula to Bigfork, MT. I love spending an afternoon in this sleepy little village.

My favorite spot is Chris' Tea Cottage. She expands it a little more each summer. Now she even has hats to adorn yourself and friends with;-) So I did.


Even though the Tea Cottage is open longer hours, my suggestion is to go after 2p.m. That's when you can order a Queen's Tea or Royal Tea. The photo above is a simple little Dessert Tea for one. Ahem, yes, I would too eat it all by myself:-D But because I had some friends with me...sigh...I shared.

There are amazing flowering teas, bubble teas, hot or cold teas, lemon-aide, or a whole plethora of other drink options.


Trust me, you'll roll out of there if you ordered a full afternoon tea. There are sandwiches or simple scone and tea options as well as children's teas that include peanut butter and jelly.

So put a hat on the whole family, takes some photos, and enjoy a totally fun afternoon before you hop over to the Bigfork Summer Theater for an awesome performance.

Enjoy Bigfork Montana as soon as you get a chance!
Angie

Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Is it summer yet in Montana?

Oh yeah! Hot days call for a cold, icy drink.

So I'm sharing with you the best smoothie place in Missoula, The Tropical Smoothie Cafe! It's on Reserve St and Spurgin.

You can add all sorts of things to your smoothie from the newly recognized super-fruits to the strawberry standard, but my favorite always has mangos even if it is any other fruit! I can even have mine made with Splenda to lower the sugar content. (I also add a fat burning booster and/or a scoop of protein.)

Of course, there are wraps of all sorts and kinds for lunch or dinner. My favorite includes crunchy won ton noodles, mango habanero sauce and chicken. Yummy and served by very friendly staff:-D


If you are just passing through Missoula, MT or you're a local who'd like a fun new lunch spot...I suggest the Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Tell them Mrs. Missoula sent you ;-D

Angie

The First Day of Summer, Free Smoothies! at Tropical Smoothie Cafe

On Saturday, June 21st, the Tropical Smoothie Cafe had a celebration for the first day of summer. Rod, the owner, invited me as Mrs. Missoula America 2008 to come and take part in the promotion. But this wasn't just a promotion...it was a fundraiser for Elizabeth Larson. She's a tiny little thing that is fighting cancer.

The Larson Family.


Mrs. Missoula with Jerry the Gorilla and his banana friend:-D They were out pulling in people from the community to play some of the games at the event while I served smoothies.

Here's Elizabeth, some of her family and friends, Rod, and me in the hot sunshine!



People all over Missoula had the chance to get a free smoothie with no strings attached and the opportunity to support a weary family to go to Sunshine Camp for a week in Maine. I felt very honored to be a part of this fun day, but also really proud of the people in my town for all the love they pour out on others in need. The hearts here are full of graciousness and generosity.

Angie

Community Involvement with HuHot Mongolian Grill, Mrs. Missoula & the Jadyn Fred Foundation

On June 19th, our community came together to raise funds for the Jadyn Fred Foundation. We had a bunch of volunteers wearing gray t-shirts that read "HuHot's Helping Hands." We asked well-known business men and women to join me either grilling or serving in the dining room. HuHot Mongolian Grill then donated 10% of the proceeds for the event to help Montana children get to the hospital for cancer or severe illness treatments.

Here's a bunch of our volunteer guys learning to work the Mongolian Grill. They had a ball!


The grins and laughter went on all night. Scott shows us how easy it is to be around a few thousand degrees of heat!


Mitch Guinn, General Manager of Dillard's, donates his time with Mike Breidenbach of Design Air.


The hats were required and the guys had a blast making them fashionable!

This little girl helped to bring me raffle tickets we sold that night. She loved being able to wear my tiara! Isn't she the cutest thing!


Sharing the burdens of our community doesn't have to feel like a burden. It can be so much fun while you volunteer. Honestly, the take away value is so much more than feeling good about a few hours of your time. For me, I felt like we gave some kids a chance at life and some families a chance to overcome financial hardship. All these people and so many more (the community that came in to the restaurant to eat and buy raffle tickets) touched lives that they may never meet. It's all those little things that make a difference. It's great to be able to donate a million, but it's just as important to give a few minute or drop by a restaurant to eat.

If you have the chance to be part of something in your community, even if it's just to support an event, it all works together to do something wonderful.

Thank you to the people of Missoula, the volunteers, the raffle sponsors (list following), and especially HuHot Mongolian Grill for letting us have such an amazing opportunity!

Please visit and thank these raffle sponsors that made so much more possible:
HuHot Mongolian Grill
Julia Dick Spray On Tans
Weight Watcher's
Montana School of Massage
Dillard's Department Store in Missoula

In gratitude to all of you for the work, the joy and the opportunity!
Angie
Mrs. Missoula America 2008

HuHot's Recipe Contest Winner

And the winning recipe is...Curry Up & Eat!


And the winner is! Curry Up and Eat!
Here's what I learned about making the best dinner at your local HuHot Mongolian Grill Restaurant:

*Make sure you use 5-6 ladles of sauce.
*Cut down on the oil. Use 1/2 a ladle per bowl. You need enough so it won't stick, but not so much that it coats the food and* stops the flavor from melding.
*Use a little oil and a little acidic to blend the best flavors. Any oil in the buffet mixed with any acidic. The acidic addition could be sherry, lemon juice, or lime juice (my personal favorite.) Use one ladle of acidic.
*Pay attention to the little fire symbols on the sauces. They mean spice level.
*If you curl the noodles around the side edge of your bowl, there's more room for your meat and vegies in the center. Now you won't drop it all over the floor:-)

It's really that easy. You can mix any sauces for a great flavor. The tables have little recipe suggestions to try as well as the magnetic board by the bowls.

Eat up!

Angie

The Results Are In...

How Do You Huhot?

HuHot Mongolian Grill's national recipe contest ran for 8 weeks. All 27 restaurants participated by sending in their customer favorites (after they won in their local store.)

After serious contemplation, the field was narrowed to 12 grand finalists.

And that is where I came in ;-)

Introducing the distinguished celebrity panel for the How Do You HuHot? national recipe contest:

Tom Anthony of Fresh 104.5 FM radio, Kate Murphy-expert wine columnist for the Missoulian, Angie Breidenbach-Mrs. Missoula America, Monte Turner Montana talk show host of KECI's Montana Today, and Chef Thomas Campbell-President of the Montana Chef's Association.

So who is the winner? I promise to reveal the winning dish as soon as they have been notified...I wish I could be there for that one!

By the way, I hear all the recipes are posted over at the HuHot Mongolian Grill's website. Pop on over and drool, then scoot to the nearest HuHot for a great meal :-D

Here's a fun idea: have a dinner party at a HuHot. Then do a taste testing of your own. Everyone make a dish. (The grillers actually cook it for you.) Then put each dish in the center. Everyone takes a little of each. Vote by secret ballot. Then the winner gets treated to dessert purchased by the other diners:-D No, you can't automatically vote for your own, lol.

Angie

How Do You HuHot?

One of my sponsors for the Mrs. Montana pageant is the HuHot. This yummy Mongolian style grill is completing a national recipe contest called, How Do You Hu Hot? There are 27 HuHot's around the country, but the original is here in Missoula.

When you eat at the HuHot, there are dozens and dozens of ingredients. After filling a bowl with all the meat, vegies, herbs and sauces that tempt you, the guys at the huge, flat grill toss them all together and cook your meal.

What does that mean? All the finalists for the recipe contest funneled back to the first restaurant for the final round judging.

I know, I know...you are thinking I'm a finalist, lol. Nope!

I'm A JUDGE :-D Whoo hoo! I'm not only honored, I'm absolutely thrilled!

And since this is one of my favorite places to eat, mmm mmm!

This Thursday, as Mrs. Missoula America, I am thrilled to be able to participate in the national judging.

The HuHot has another great event coming up that I will be involved with too.

HuHot's Helping Hands is a fundraiser event that a group can do in conjunction with the restaurant. On June 19th, we'll be raising funds for the Jadyn Fred Foundation. Proceeds from that night will help kids in Montana with cancer travel to hospitals, cover hotel costs, fuel, food etc.

It'll also be the night I draw the winner to my raffle. Starting this week, I'm raffling off several prizes to raise funds for the Mrs. Montana pageant. Tickets are $1 each.

I have amazing sponsors for the prizes!!! Check out these! So I'll have 6 winners!

$20 gift card to HuHot Restaurant
$25 gift certificate to a tanning session with Julia Dick
$75 gift box from Weight Watcher's (full of things like a pedometer, recipe book, hat, and some other treats.)
$75 cut and color from Shear Art Salon in Missoula
$100 gift certificate to a tandem massage at the Montana School of Massage
$500 fragrance gift basket from Dillard's.

Please let me know if you'd like to buy any raffle tickets, and I'll be sure to let you know who wins the How Do You HuHot? recipe contest!

Have a great day!
Angie

What is it like way over there in Thailand?

The hotel in Cha'Am, Thailand has an open air lobby and restaurant. Absolutely sparkling and gorgeous!


Hotels are comfortable and most we stayed in had huge breakfast buffets in every hotel restaurant.



The eggs and fruits were always shaped into hearts, flowers, and circles. Enticing presentation!


The fruits were sweet and plentiful.


The cost was minimal compared to vacations in the U.S., Mexico or Hawaii. In fact, they ranged from around $45 for 3 people, pools, full breakfasts, fitness rooms (although I will admit to not having the time to use the fitness room.)


Twin beds are the norm, but in Bangkok, we did have a full. If you are planning to take several people, there are usually 3 person limits on rooms in Thailand.


A little rumpled, but I had to show you this awesome set of headboards. All 4 of the hotels were unique.


Here's another gorgeous room.

Okay, you caught me...it's not in a hotel. This is a Thai massage room. And that is the subject of my next post ;-)
Don't miss it!
Angie

The Pearl Cafe

Here's those photos I promised yesterday :-)



Our 10th anniversary dinner with friends who were married the day before us! Parties don't have to be big to be fun. In fact, we all lost track of time. We waltzed in at 7:30p.m. and were all stunned when it was already 10p.m!

Lucious Tomato Bisque


Dinner was Filet with Port and Roquefort

Oh my gosh! It was so scrumptious. I felt like I could cut the steak with a butter knife. Oh wait, I did! I also swiped my hubbies little, tiny fried onions that were on top of his Smoked Bison Tenderloin with Huckleberry-Zinfandel Sauce. Yummy!

Dessert? Of course!


We traded the camera back and forth for a shot of our Lemon Chiffon with Huckleberry Filling topped with a Marzipan Dome. And the technical name is Princess Cake. The special order is so well worth it! Life would be so dull without this amazing, succulent decadence. (Oh, and you get to pick the cake and filling flavors...)



So there you have it, a place to eat in Montana, an update on what to do for your anniversary (go to dinner with people married the same length of time as you), and design your own special cake! A great night out on the town.
I love The Pearl Cafe' & Bakery!

Angie

The Pearl Cafe

Oh my goodness, am I honored! I would like to introduce to you one of my new sponsors for the Mrs. Montana pageant. And if you have 5 minutes on 4/3/2008, go to www.fresh1045.com at 8:45a.m MST to hear a fun radio show I get to be on. I'll be talking about The Pearl :-D

The Pearl Cafe!

I love this upscale restaurant found in downtown Missoula. You should see the cake Margaret designed for my son's wedding rehearsal dinner! Wait, here it is...


The food is amazing! In fact, we are going back for our own anniversary. Another couple we love dearly were married the night before us. So we are getting together to have a mini anniversary party, just the four of us at The Pearl Cafe.

It's a lovely restaurant with excellent service too. In fact, they were very accommodating for one of our daughter's 18th birthday. Here's her cake...


From pasta to bacon wrapped rabbit (my youngest's favorite dish at The Pearl) you can find unusual delights.

As always, mine are the marzipan on the amazing cakes! So I ordered a lemon chiffon with a marzipan dome similar to the Princess Cake you see above. I have no doubt we will find it scrumptious!

Are you planning a visit to Montana? Are you a regular? Or are you a Missoulian who has never known of this special place? An excellent local spot to explore and relax away an evening.

I promise, you'll find it as much of a treasure as I do :-)
Angie

Grassis-A really awesome place near Seattle!

I can't figure out how they fit it all in this unusual architecture! But I was amazed at the high end clothing boutique with awesome sales! (And a secret little dressing room is tucked away under the gorgeously graceful wooden stairway.)




Gardening shop:


greeting card area & flower shop, tea room/cafe, and accessories like unique purses & hats.




I think this is one of my favorite new spots! I absolutely loved it! It is the ultimate in combining businesses to make it a "destination" spot.

The tea room is an adorable 116 year old Victorian cafe. The food is terrific!!!



Just look at how they serve a simple roll to you...



On my little tour around the place, I couldn't help taking pictures of such charming features. Take a gander at the street sign and lamp from the spiral staircase! Charming is such an underrated word here.




This is one reason I love to travel. There seems to be an unlimited number of great ideas out there. I love exploring them!

So if you are in downtown Tacoma, Washington (outside of Seattle) stop by Grassis @ 1702 Pacific Avenue across from Union Station. I know I'll be going back:-D

Angie