Give It Up For Sam!

Portland’s Wonder Ballroom is a joint where entertainers wow their fans. Recently it was host to Sam Adams in his bid to gain the mayor’s seat. Adam’s well organized team of campaign volunteers had the place ready to accept financial contributions, additional volunteers to get the vote out, and especially, to provide those who packed the place, a place to meet, greet, and be entertained.

I was one of the volunteers who roamed the floor to thank people for coming, and to get them to commit to being more actively involved. With me was my photographer, Horace Long, who was the official campaign photographer of Sam Adams.

In the corners were booths where people had their photos taken. These photos would be placed on the campaign walls for inspiration. Each person held a small neighborhood -identifying sign with their name written on it. There was such a sense of community!

Trays and trays of food were donated by local eateries and were gobbled up by the masses.

A couple of groups entertained. First up was El Cuadro Solo Flamenco, a group who actually teaches flamenco dancing.











Then the Mistress of Ceremonies, female impersonator, Poison Waters, spoke. She was stunning in a golden gown, and her hair and makeup were flawless.

Waters introduced the man of the hour, Sam Adams, who glowed in the limelight and shared his desires for a better Portland. Then a video was aired that featured our man from sunup to sundown.





When Sam reluctantly left the stage, Casey Neill & the Norway Rats, played their music for the enthusiastic crowd.


When I arrived, I was one of sixty volunteers who would guide the attendees throughout the night. When I left, the place was packed. Sam had estimated there would be 600 people, and I bet he was right.




What is great about an event like this is that you see so many people you know. I was enjoying reconnecting with people I hadn’t seen in a long time. I had a great time.

A Stroll Through Washington Park

It was such a lovely day today that we decided to do what any sensible person would do--get out. Neither one of us had visited Washington Park in NW Portland, so we decided to drive over. We were not the only ones who had the same idea. I think about half of Portland was there enjoying the many attractions that are house there: the zoo, children's museum, forestry center, Japanese gardens, rose garden, and numerous walking and hiking paths that criss-cross the 200+ acres.
Aside from a chilling breeze, the day was cloud-free. Just perfect to stroll along the different walkways planted with labeled trees and plants. We were in the conifer area and saw hemlocks, douglas furs, ferns, and lots of dogs.

Along the way were places to see views of the different snow covered mountain peaks, which we took photos of. I know the Portland Chamber of Commerce photographers were busy today, because it was really picture perfect.

On the way home, we took a scenic route along the west hills and paused to look at, what else, more mountains.

"Fu" to You!

Lion dancing in Portland? You bet, especially if it is the Lunar New Year, this year being the Year of the Rat. Where best to view the celebrations? Duh, in Old Town Chinatown, of course! We got a ringside, er table side view of the annual event when we dined at Fong Chong Restaurant. Seated at the front window near the door (probably not the “A List” spot), we were able to see both the exterior and interior performances.

Young boys, light enough to balance on top of each other, were costumed in the elaborate lion garb. Drums rolled, firecrackers popped, and lions did their thing. It was a fine display that extended into the restaurant, where the garbed lions and entourage danced their way into the kitchen to wish all there “Fu” or blessing, good fortune, and good luck.
At the end of the noisy performance, the diners stood and applauded the exciting and unexpected fine presentation.
As we left, we noted that lettuce and oranges had been placed at the entrance, a symbol, we were told, to appease the lions and give great “Fu” for the coming year.

Goodbye

On January 23, we said goodbye to our beloved Cat. It was my fault we waited so long. I could not let her go. However, as the days progressed from my previous post, I knew it was my unwillingness to see her go that was standing in the way of her passing. She could not walk in a straight line. She had stopped eating days ago. She could not get into the litter box, so would urinate on the floor. Her mournful cries were heard throughout the house. And still I did not make the call. On her last day, I finally realized that she was never going to recover, that her kidneys had, indeed failed, and that, at three pounds, she was starving herself to death.

Our appointment at the vet was at 5:45. Cat was bundled in a warm towel and tightly hugged as we made the final journey together. I couldn't watch the killing. I wanted to remember Cat as she was--a tiny head sticking out of a wrapped towel. My baby.

Tigger deteriorated rapidly after Cat died, and we finally had him euthanized on February 18. At the end, the cancer had transformed our Tigger to a cat that was almost unrecognizable. The only good of all this is that Cat and Tigger will now be together forever. How lovely.

When to Say Goodbye

Two of our five cats are dying. One has throat cancer, and the other, kidney failure. Both are sweet, loving members of our family. They are 11 and 13 years of age, and have been with us since 1996. Coincidentally, both are fast friends, napping together, eating together, and generally hanging out together.

Cat, the oldest, was diagnosed with kidney failure in October 2007. The vet said that with care, she might last to the summer. Proper care is intravenous fluids every other day, and eating a special renal wet food--food that won’t interfere too much with her kidneys. Without the proper diet, the vet told us, she would not last long. Cat refuses to eat the renal wet food. In fact, currently, she is barley eating anything. She has gone from a healthy weight of 10 pounds, to of about three or four. She is all skin and bones.

Tigger, the other ill cat, is an orange Maine coon cat. He is the dominant cat in our five-kitty family. Awhile back, I noticed that his tongue stuck out, and thought he had some type of diet deficiency. My husband took Tigger to the doctor, and was told that it was cancer in the throat, under the tongue area. Tigger is a heavy animal. His healthy weight is around 16-18 pounds. I’m not sure what the weight is now, but I’m guessing it is around 12 pounds. Because of his inability to stick his tongue in, it is almost impossible for Tigger to groom himself. His long hair became impossibly matted, so we took him to a groomer who sheered off the mats. I’m sure this hair cut has helped him get about. However, his tongue still sticks out and he drools constantly. He drools on the floor, on Cat as she sleeps, and on his fur. He can no longer eat kibble because his tongue will not cooperate. So I recently began feeding him a raw food diet, recommended by Julie Cantonwine at Healthy Pets Northwest. He likes the food, and, with difficulty, does manages to eat three times a day. He is listless, but still has an appetite.

These two members of our family are visibly dying. They have no pep, no energy. Cat meows mournfully, because she is disoriented, and the vet said she would develop dementia. Tigger hangs his head, his tongue hung out dripping, and stares listlessly, like a child who is feverish. I watch them both and know that soon I will be taking them for their last ride to the vet to make the final goodby through lethal injection.

I just can’t do it. At least right now. Cat still can jump onto the furniture, and Tigger still begs for food three times a day. Right now, they have each other. I believe Cat will go before Tigger because she is so very sick right now. What then? Tigger will miss Cat. Should I euthanize them together? Is it right for me to make that type of decision?

You Can Make A Difference

I have seen the future, and we can make a difference. Yesterday, I spent an hour with an intuitive reader, who closed his eyes and looked into my future. For the most part, this future is really good. I was pleased. My concerns to him were what is going to happen to all the artists in Portland when the economy stalls, and continues to stall. I believe that creative people have been educated to believe that somewhere out there a patron will take them under their wealthy wing and provide sustenance and encouragement whilst the artistic minds move into high gear. This, I believe is about to slow down dramatically, due to major economic factors. So what’s the arts world to do?

I have given the thought of how the creative community can maintain its drive. I am very well aware that Portland is wonderful because of this amazing churn of music, visual, and performing vitality. That businesses, and tourists flock to Portland to feel the vibe. So what can I do, just me, to help my passionate ones?

One thing I can do is to meet as many artists as I can. By artists, I mean visual artists--though the intuitive reader suggested musicians, too. I can be a mini encyclopedia of who’s out there. What I want to do to make money is offer art to businesses to help fill up their vast wall spaces. By purchasing art, business will support the artists in the way they are supposed to be supported, as small business people who have a product to sell; not as starving artists needing patrons to survive.

So I am fording ahead, making contacts with businesses and creatives, hoping to match each for a more beautiful Portland. If anyone wants to fill their offices with original works of art, send me an email. We, the creative community, and I, would really love to hear from you.

Shoot the Moon

It’s a full moon, the largest viewing moon in months, and I had to shoot it--with a camera. But it wasn't that easy. I wanted a clean shot of the full moon over the I-5 bridge. There are few places west of the bridge that have viewing access. However, I couldn’t resist the challenge.
But the journey was not as easy as the photos tell. First, it was night, so I couldn’t see too well. Then I was going to places I normally don’t travel even in daylight. And third, it was windy and cold. The thermometer on the car said it was 51 degrees. With the wind-chill, I bet it was ten degrees less. So I am standing outside with the wind blowing trying to get the camera focused. My tripod was not cooperating for some reason. Anyway, the moon was slowing rising, and my window of opportunity was going north.
Since I love bridges, and Portland has plenty, I zipped across the I-5 into Vancouver and parked the car right next to the bridge. I was able to take one last photo before the moon disappeared from view.

Driven Crazy

I drive a lot. This is completely against the Portland belief that we reduce our carbon footprint by walking, biking, or taking public transportation. I drive because I network with people, and I like fact-to-face contact. However, there are times when even I don’t drive in Portland. Fact is, Portland is having major road issues. It seems as if several of the downtown streets are either in repair, being upgraded with trolly tracks, or reduced to one lane because of building construction. Sometimes it’s a nightmare, however, this is why I am writing today's thoughts. Because I love Portland, I believe in public transportation, and encourage as many people as possible to consider alternate forms of transportation, such as the MAX or trolly, especially if getting there is within walking distance to a destination.

If this were some other city, the transportation wizards would tear down buildings and add another lane in the road. This only leads to more congestion. So I say too bad if we are stuck in traffic. Most drivers are sitting, fuming, in their cars alone. They don’t even carpool. Too bad. We have to get use to public transportation or biking, or heavens to betsy--walking, to get where we need to go.

Ideally with city planning, we should be ten minutes from where we live, work, and shop. Which is the concept of the Pearl District. Not every part of the city should be high rise condos, but the idea that we can live, work, and shop within ten minutes is a great idea.

So when I go crazy driving around the construction, I blame myself. And I hope it becomes so bad that we all will consider alternate means of transportation. It is much healthier on our nerves, and we get to see this gorgeous city just a little bit better.

Homage to Ikea

Most folks in Portland are opposed to “big box” businesses. We like our mom and pop places; love to sip coffee for hours in our favorite coffee house, and purchase our bling at a local shop. Yeah, right. Portland has just gotten a big dose of the big box when Ikea came to town. The Swedish home furnishing store has placed its behemothic footprint just seconds from our PDX airport, a perfect place to shop and fly.

Before they opened in August, their towering Ikea sign had lit the Portland night as we drove by on the nearby I-205 freeway. I wondered how the citizens of this town, who are passionate about sustainability and community, would greet our foreign invader.

I have been a huge fan of Ikea, in fact, my home’s interior could be called the house that Ikea built. I would make the three hour one way drive to Seattle periodically to fill up my van with stuff. In fact, my van was purchased with Ikea in mind! So now I am just a few minutes from the store. Should I go or not on opening day? I certainly don’t need anything, but what the hey, it’s opening day in Portland, land of no sales tax, and I had to make an homage. But would anyone else?

Our local press, the Oregonian, sure seemed to love the store. They ran a number of stories about Ikea, including one on in the food section. They warned Portlanders that the freeways would be congested, and to park and take the public transportation. Or better yet, wait about six weeks until the surge died down. EEK, it was certainly nail biting time.

Opening day was quite on the I-205 as I passed by. Then around 5:00 p.m., I took the plunge and parked in a park and ride lot a few miles away and took the MAX line in.

What is wonderful about the entire store is that it is smack on the MAX line. So that when one purchases a bookcase, they can haul it home on MAX. Riding the MAX to Ikea is almost like being in an amusement park because the ride takes us up over the freeway at speeds often surpassing the traffic below. I wondered as the MAX came to a stop, would anyone else be there?

No worries, Portlanders love Ikea. It was busy but not jammed packed. Except for the cafeteria where their famous Swedish meatballs are served. I didn’t purchase any home furnishing that day, but I did stand in line for an hour and a half with other dopes to eat those meatballs.

So my homage to Ikea is that it has smitten the hearts of many in Portland, and for that matter, other places and states, like Idaho and Montana. Now they can take the multi-hour drive. I don’t have to. But I still love my van. It carries more than Ikea boxes.

Welcome to the Zoo, Sam Adams

Well, it's official, Sam Adams is running for mayor of Portland. And he invited the entire city to watch him officially toss his hat into the ring October 3 at Roots, an organic brew pub. I was there, because I'm a HUGE Sam fan. And, as you can see, I was not alone. I got there a bit early, and the place was already packed. There was a band playing near the front window, and just about every square inch of space was occupied by humans. It was truly sardine time.
As we waited around, the bar made a killing. There wasn't a dry mouth there. Everyone was networking, looking around to see who else was in the place, and waiting, and waiting for our Sam. About an hour after the announced time, he showed up. Well, his entourage showed up, then the press showed up, then, almost as an afterthought, Sam Adams appeared in the doorway. He had to take his time, because of the human crush that awaited him. First he had to get around the dozen or so reporters with camera equipment and lights, which was just about impossible. Then he had to squeeze past the well wishers in the front of the room. Then he had to wait while a couple of well-meaning associates thanked everyone and made brief announcements. Then it was Sam's turn to speak. His official announcement came that morning, this was just a get together, and a get-em-while-they-are-excited with the volunteer sign up sheet party.
I had a great time, because I love Sam Adams. I also realized that this is a great way to network. As long as you like Sam.

It's Fall

Welcome to autumn, that time of the year that isn't quite cold enough to pull out the heavy coats, and not quite warm enough to put on the shorts. Autumn is the last hurrah for us wimpies who refuse to bike in the rain. So on this day, we biked in absolutely fabulous weather on a paved path in Vancouver, Washington. I took a picture of the trees just beginning to change. You really have to look closely to see the changing trees, but they are changing. I forget how fun it is to get out and enjoy this fabulous Northwest weather and surroundings. We are so fortunate here to have a mild climate and drop dead gorgeous landscapes.
We biked all the way to the end of the trail, a 16+ mile trip. Not much for Portlanders, who normally bike that amount every day to work, but a good run for us. At the end of the trail was a pond. There were some geese and ducks floating around. That pond made the trip worth while. It was completely unexpected. What a treat. We felt as if we had the place to ourselves.
On this day, which was a Friday, there weren't a lot of people on the trail, so we basically had the route to ourselves. Except for the paving, it was really a back-to-nature experience.

A Full Bowl

When is enough, enough? I mean when do we really have enough, and the rest is overflow? Here in Portland, that statement has been going around. A lot. Consider the size of the house we live in. Our house is over 1700 square feet. There are just two of us. How much room do we need to be protected from the elements and get a good night's sleep?

And in that 1700+ square foot house is a lot of furniture. Most of which is not being used. I mean in the living and dining rooms we never use the furniture except when we entertain. Is this a waste? Some are seriously considering the size of our human footprint on the planet, and thinking of that size, we could all go on a diet.

There are houses which are being built that have shared living spaces. Cohousing is the term that is used. The idea is that a family unit purchase a smaller-sized home, but share the "living room" part of the house with others. It's like have a rec room at a condo. The garages would be reduced in number, and each house that did have a garage would only have a single space, again reducing the use of the automobile.

We have two cars. We need two cars because we drive in two different directions. But in Portland there is also other choices for transportation. We could use the excellent public transportation, or we could bike. Hey, we could even walk if we were so inclined. But we drive.

Clothing could be recycled. I have never worn something until it is completely in tatters. Instead of going to new clothing stores, we could drop our gently used items at a consignment store for reselling. While there, we could purchase some, too. But not too many because we shouldn't be clothes hogs, either.

This gets me back to the bowl of overfilled cereal. I was reading in the newspaper today that the city is considering the way manufacturers present items to us. How many times do we go to the store and find something that is encased in something? Why should this be? Our friends at Trader Joes are selling reusable shopping bags to bring into the store to hold our purchases. Why can't manufacturers think about all the trash they are producing just to get something from their plant to our homes.

The bottom of this rant is that we are a wasteful lot. And maybe we sould consider this waste before we consume.

No Place Like Home

While most of us are sitting comfy in our homes watching TV or listening to cool sounds, an unknown number of people in Portland are just surviving. Kinda like a fish, or in this case, a crayfish, out of water. We side step them, or don't go near where these homeless people hang out.
I see them wondering down the street, or in this case, sleeping along the Willamette River. They don't want to disturb anyone, they just need a place to call home.
I guess we could rationalize that these people aren't us, and thank God we have some place to live that is safe and covered. I look at the person lying asleep on the grass and I don't stop to see if I can help, or to find out if there is someone who can help him. I am just like all the rest of us, I walk by. Only I did stop long enough to take a picture.
Portlanders are know to be kind heart and tolerant. There are organizations and individuals who go out of their way to do what they can to help the homeless.
All I did was take pictures.

Ah Alberta

You never know what you will see on Alberta Street. This is the last corner of Portland were the truly weird can come out and play and everyone expects it. It’s like Halloween every Last Thursday all year long. Someone, some years back, found out about the creatives who called this part of the world their home. Driven from the ever increasing property rents on the west side of Portland, they packed their art supplies and headed across the river to the less genderfied part of town, where gunshots were the bedtime lullaby. But art happened, and Alberta Street began to come around. Unfortunately, so did the money. Developer have started to come in and built condos, run down Victorian homes have been snapped up by young professionals, and the community is starting to change. Well, almost change. Diehards still hang out along the sidewalks’ Last Thursday selling anything and everything. They call it “art.” The few galleries in the area open their doors to the gawkers, and restaurants and bars make out like bandits.
It’s a happening and people come from all parts of the Portland area to enjoy the festive atmosphere that is called Last Thursday on Alberta Street. An array of clothing, home made foods, and crafts share the sidewalks with the creatives. It’s a social happening for the vendors as well as the gawkers.

Art is placed on the fence, on tables, hung on a board and walked around the street, or in this case, on the ground, where instant celebrity, Michael Patterson-Carver was discussing his views on political action.Spontaneous musical groups unpack instruments and attract a crowd of well wishers. People drink, and walk, and discuss politics, movies, books, and who is here. One act that will be missing are the clowns from the clown house. The property has been sold to a developer. We all worry where the clowns will go. One went to jail this evening. I’m not sure why. Do you think it was because of the diapers he was wearing?
The police were out tonight. A couple of months ago, things got a little too rowdy, and the merry makers were dancing in the street. It made driving a bit difficult. So the police was called in. Bars were cautioned about drunks. Hey, this is Alberta Street, man. What can you do?
I get tired of the same old, same old here. But just as I think it is the same; it isn’t. I really love all the people and dogs, and cats, and bad art that has become apart of what makes Portland just great. Who wouldn’t want to keep it weird?

An Aggressive Neighbor

This is my neighbor's side yard; the side next to my house. You can see he is not into decorative gardening. What you do see is one of the most aggressive plants up here. It is called the Oregon Blackberry. But what is really is called is the Himalayan blackberry. Himalayan blackberry vines have invaded woodland areas of just about any space that will allow it to grow, which, as you can see, can be in a neighbor's side yard. The Himalayan blackberry is the most common blackberry species in the Pacific Northwest. Originally from India, it was brought to the United States from England--a pox on them, I say.
The rapidly spreading Himalayan blackberry is very aggressive, covering the ground and climbing high into branches of trees, creating walls of vines thickly armed with spines. Himalayan blackberry vines smother young plants, and can be seen surrounding just about anything that is stationary. If you have a lot, you have this blackberry. Even if you don't have this blackberry, you will, because the seeds are carried by bird droppings, and I know you have birds in your yard.
Removal is difficult, and requires cutting of the vines, and spraying of new leaves to kill the roots. We had a vine behind our storage area when we moved here in 2005. Very carefully, the vine was cut back to expose the base, and then the roots were dug up. We continue to monitor the spot, because these things just don't give up.
The only saving grace, if you would call it saving, is that in the summer, these vines are covered with hundreds of blackberries, which are sweet when they reach a dark black color. I find them a bit dry, and prefer the raspberries, but in a pinch they are a great food source. I just wish they were a food source next to someone else's yard.

La Luna

Early this morning, while most of us were snoring, the universe performed something ordinary, yet spectacular: the full moon traveled through the shadow of the sun. This ordinary occurance is a lunar eclipse, and while I was sleeping, my friend, Lawrence, was alert enough to record this event. We are fortunate in two way. First, the evening was clear so those of us who don't mind sleep deprivation could fully enjoy the sight. Second, that Lawrence was dedicated enough to lose precious shut-eye so that all of us could share his view of La Luna. Thank you Lawrence.

A Bigger Trader Joes

I'm a huge fan of Trader Joes. I love everything in the store. And there is a new store in Portland. Actually, it is a relocated, and newly built store. It's in the Hollywood district. I used to shop TJ's in Hollywood, because it was an easy find. Located right on Sandy Bouevard, I would make a quick stop, and drive on. Unfortunately, the last time I did stop, I could't find a parking place. Even on the street. Luckily they were building this new store.

Last week I stopped by to make one of my quick purchases, and actually found a parking space! When I walked into the new store, I halted dead in my tracks. There was space, a lot of space. Before, I felt as if I was one of the sardines, squeezing next to another sardine, trying to have a quick shop. Now, there is space. I mean the aisles are wide, and the ceiling seems taller. There is room to add more stuff.

One thing that caught my eye was the array of fresh flowers just as one walked through the door. I couldn't resist the photo. Aren't they gorgeous?

Tropical PDX

Ice tea. That's my summer beverage. I recently had some on the beautiful Columbia River in a place that reminds me of a cafe one would find on an island, in fact, it is called Island Cafe. It was a real find, because, even though Portland is surrounded by water, there are few restaurants that are right on the river. This one was located on a dock, where the boats come and go. What made it even better, is that it was covered, which was nice because we had some drizzles this morning.


We got a corner table and watched the ducks compete with the gulls for food.

Island Cafe would be really enjoyable on a hot summer night, because all the lights along the river would reflect on the water. I can imagine a group of friends sitting around and enjoying drinks.



The food was not as good as the location. Boats would pull along side the dock and the passangers stop by for a quick bite. One group must have just come back from Hawaii, because they were wearing leis. When they returned to their boat, they made a big to do over the fact that they had on leis, and ceremoniously threw them into the river. Hum, isn't that pollution?

Well, those flowers might be food for the ducks, who were my favorites on this trip. Aloha!

Doggie Walk

This is Lucy, and she is anxious to get going. I am a slow polk because of photo taking. But you get the idea that Lucy wants to be the head of the pack, not the tail, so to speak.

Lucy looks up at me and really begs to get going. Darn, its hard to continue when I just want to take photos.

Now this young fluff ball is Linus--get it--Lucy and Linus. Well, he is a happy camper because he is the leader of the pack.

Linus is pausing to explore the rocks and that gorgeous tree with his human caretaker, his "mom".






Walking the dogs is a have to for pet owners, but up here in Portland, walking the dogs is really nice.

Portland Bridges

What I really love about Portland, among the many things to love here, are the bridges. Portland has a lot of them, and each one has its own character. All the bridges, except for the Interstate bridges, cross the Willamette River, which separates the east side of the city from the westside. Downtown is on the west side. There are bike paths along the Willamette River on both east and west side.

Walking along the river gives one a sense of closeness to this great river and its spans.

This walkway is popular on weekends. Families on bikes have an easy journey because most of the travel is along the riverside, which is pretty flat.