Essays from Outside

A bottle of Chicaoji sauce sitting on gravel a shallow river

You Need Chicaoji Sauce In Your Life

Chicaoji (chick-ow-jee) chili sauce from Lopez Island, Washington is a unique blend of smokey heat, sweet, and salty goodness. Chicaoji is great on meat, fish, vegetables and pastas, but my favorite pairing is with scrambled eggs – a breakfast staple in my house.

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Close up of a blue Seiko 5 watch with a gray band next to a knife and a wallet

Disconnect from Tech with a Simple Watch

I wanted something simple and durable that had a versatile look. And I didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars, which is easy to do when buying a watch. I searched watch forums for the best budget options. I read reviews. I ultimately chose a fan favorite – the Seiko 5.

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A little girl wearing a pink backpack walking along a trail

The First Backpacking Trip

I’ve been hyping up backpacking to my daughter for over a year. In her mind, almost everything is better when you’re outside. So the idea of sleeping, eating, and pooping outside is pretty exciting.

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