New Year's Eve 2006

We're a bit out of order here, but I wanted to share photos of our New Year's eve at the beach in Rockaway, Oregon. The weather was great (not raining!) and Sue & Chuck weathered their time with Averna without a hitch. Averna got to play her first game of croquet on the beach, complete with champagne. We had a great time! Thanks Sue for picking out the lobster and crab!

Still winter and counting . . .

We've made it to the end of February and are still suffering through gross winter weather. Yesterday we received a foot of new snow. Brett is spending a week in Boston, so I'm on dog duty in snowy Mt. Hood. These photos are a little fuzzy as they were taken with my phone . . . Brett took the real camera to Boston.

Our Honolulu friends Scott & Jennifer came to town last weekend for a visit and we all had a great time! We spent a gloriously sunny and dry Saturday on a hike in the hills near my parents' house and then as it snowed on Sunday, we went x-country skiing at Pocket Creek on Mt. Hood. We had great weather, food, and company. Couldn't ask for more!

A recap on the restaurants we hit while they were in town: The Brasserie in Hood River. This is owned by my high school pal, Mike Caldwell. Sorry Mike, but I was less than impressed. The service was the worst problem and I see this a lot in Hood River. Very young, untrained, and unskilled servers. When we got to the restaurant, they asked us to wait at the bar (which is about 2 feet from the entrance). We shuffled over to the bar where all the servers subsequently ignored us. When we actually had to ask for a drink, they told us that our table would be ready soon and therefore we might as well wait . . . . what planet do these people come from?????? We were seated soon thereafter, but this unpleasant experience continued as the "girl" from whom we ordered wine knew absolutely nothing - even about their highlighted bottles. She then brought us a bottle different from that which we ordered, flippantly saying that they must be out of the "highlighted" bottle and that this must be the replacement. When we asked about the cost difference, she stated that she would charge us the same amount as the bottle we ordered . . . . to which Scott replied "even if this new bottle sells for less?" She just gave us a stupid grin and continued on with her empty thoughts. The food was not impressive either. I had a sole which was soaked in a white sauce and can't even remember the rest of the food. For desert we ordered the tiramisu, which was basically a bowl of cream - no lady fingers to be found. The upshot is . . . don't bother stopping by the Brasserie until I share my complaints with Mike and make some much needed suggestions.

On to the Bluehour in Portland. We drove into Portland on Sunday for dinner at one of Portland's only "hip" restaurants. We were very disappointed to learn that they were out of 25% of their menu items, including OYSTERS!!!! Very sad. The waiter suggested that this was because folks had celebrated late valentines that weekend . . . to which I replied, "did your chef ever consider planning???" We enjoyed a great tuna tartar appetizer and excellent caesar salads. I was a little disappointed with my lamb (mostly fat), but everyone else enjoyed their entrees.

Theatre: We've had the opportunity to see two great plays this month: the ART's production of Uncle Vanya with William Hurt, and Portland Center Stage's (PCS) production of The Pillowman. Both were excellent. We stayed after Uncle Vanya for a chat session with the actors which was fun. This interpretation of the play was set on the plains in Canada and was remarkable similar to my life . . . living with family in an isolated place . . . fun, fun, fun! The original play deals a lot more with issues of class in Russia, whereas I'm not sure the same existed in Canada, so that aspect was difficult to pull off. But the depressing aspect of lives not lived and expectations not met was well infused throughout all the characters. The Pillowman: PCS sent out tons of warnings about this play stating that it contained violence and disturbing themes. I'm embarrassed for PCS that they felt that they had to send out MULTIPLE warnings about this play. I think this says a lot about a community which likes to consider itself progressive. The play is about stories and the greyness that exists between art and life, not child murder. I thought they did a great job with it and would actually see it again. I see they are now offering tickets at a discount and our theatre was only 50% full. Very poor support for a very good play. This poor response from the theater going community really limits the ability of theatre companies to bring progressive and new theatre to Portland. BORING!

Brett and I were in Boston for two weeks in January and had a fabulous time. It was very difficult to come back to Oregon, leaving our friends once again. I'm headed out again in a couple of weeks and am looking forward to it!

Our January began though with a fabulous New Year's Eve on the coast at a friend's place in Rockaway. We had incredible weather on New Year's Eve which allowed us a long walk on the beach, wine and cheese snacks on the deck IN THE SUN!, and a big bonfire on the beach complete with croquet and champagne. We had a great time and thank Sue & Chuck for being so patient with the puppy who wanted to eat the croquet balls. Photos to come . . . .

The Holidays in Mt. Hood December 25, 2006

We are finally getting some much deserved sleep after our new adition, Averna, joined us in the end of November. She's been with us for 3 weeks now. She's doing great on the house training although the back porch is papered in piddle pads and newspaper, since she can't yet make it up or down the porch stairs. Of course the weather has been snowy, rainy, sleaty, and overall uncomfortable since she joined us, but she doesn't seem to mind the cold weather.

She loves my niece Vada and the feeling seems mutual. Apparently they are at about the same developmental level . . . no offense Vada! So this is the only thing we've done for the last three weeks, other than try and get work done in between potty breaks and short puppy-appropriate walks. We're obsessed. We haven't been out to dinner or away from her for more than a few hours, when my parents graciously agreed to puppy sit. Hopefully she'll be further along by the time we leave for our Boston trip in January . . . . wishful thinking?

Monday, November 13, 2006 Mt. Hood, OR

We going our fourth week back at home in Oregon. We've been spending some time in Portland getting reacquainted with friends, but mostly hanging out in Hood River working and getting to know the area once again. We've set up a full office arrangement at my parents' house and it seems to be working quite well.

The first two weeks we were here we had beautiful fall weather, sunny days and cold nights. It's since shifted into rainy weather and it's been pouring ever since. We had some massive flooding by the Hood River and substantial damage to Highway 35 which runs from the town of Hood River over Mt. Hood. It was amazing to watch the chocolate pudding like river rip tall trees out of the riverbank and hurtle them downriver to the Columbia. The event site and sand bar at the Hood River marina are littered with trees and other debris from the flooding. It'll take quite an effort to clean up the mess.

On Friday, we drove to Keizer and met some 5 week old standard poodle pups. They were as soft as chennille! Now we're trying to decide if this is the right time and these are the right puppies for us. I've been contacting lots of poodle people and I'm amazed at how forthcoming and willing people are to share information with a total stranger. Guess they don't work in corrections! I've also been reading too much information about all the potential diseases that dogs can get and now I'm nervous about the potential vet bills and emotional pain associated with a sick dog.

Of course, part of our work here has been checking out the local dining establishments. Since I'm behind on that, I'll fill you in quickly. The first weekend we were here we went to dinner at Wild Ginger in Mosier with Brett's Aunt Suny and her husband Dave, my sister Karen and her husband Todd. http://www.hoodrivernews.com/KFBC%20stories/067_business_1.htm The chef / owner is Barry Rumsey who is from Baltimore. The funny thing about this restaurant is that IT IS Mosier. I don't know if there is anything else in the "town." It was dark though, so perhaps there was a closed gas station or convenience store that I didn't see. The restaurant was packed and we had to wait briefly. The hostess seemed horrified at this and kept reminding us that it would be at least 20 MINUTES!!! The bartender whipped up a nice Negroni (with coaching) and they make their own habenaro infused vodka which was excellent. The food was OK. I had a nice beet salad followed by an appetizer size ravioli dish which was dry and lacked any attention to presentation. My co-diners had a trout with a mustard sauce which also lacked visual appeal. It might have been that it was one of their first weekend nights and they were still working out the kinks. I'll try it again though, it's in a beautiful building.

The following weekend we dined at Abruzzo Italian Grill in Hood River with our friends Scott & Jennifer who were in town from Honolulu. http://columbiagorge.citysearch.com/profile/36401299/hood_river_or/abruzzo_italian_grill.html The friendly restaurant owner makes this place. The dining room is a bit noisy and there is no waiting area if they're full, but the food is consistently good. That night I had a lamb special with house made gnocci. The rest of the group had pasta and everyone was happy with their choices. We followed up this meal with a 1.5 hour drive to the Rock Creek Tavern http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=48. This is so typical Northwest that I spent the night wondering into which planet I had been transported. Granted it was the Saturday before Halloween, so maybe the people aren't quite so "alternative" on other nights. The beer and the music were great though and we lasted until the band "The Brother's Jam" stopped playing. http://www.jameyhampton.com/ . We had such a great time with Scott & Jen, including a hike up to Sleeping Beauty Peak near Trout Lake, Washington. We haven't laughed so much in a long time.

Dinner on Saturday November 4th was in Hood River at Celilo http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3150/6855/
Our east coast friends will appreciate that "the space has an overall effect of Manhattan style meets West Coast eco-friendly sensibilities." I had a fennel and white anchovy salad that was memorable and followed with a Tagliatelle Bolognese with lamb that was not so memorable. The pasta wasn't terribly fresh (I'm assuming they don't make it themselves) and the lamb was mostly missing. Three people at our table had steak and loved it. Next time I'll stick with the steak. We had some great wine - two bottles of the 2003 Sineann, “Old Vine”, Columbia Valley, Oregon.

Most recently, last Friday we visited our old neighborhood in Northeast Portland and dined at Ciao Vito. http://www.realgoodfood.com/ciao_vito.html This building used to house Chez What, an alternative diner full of alternative wait staff. We used to take my father to the place for lunch just for fun and to hear his inappropriate comments about the server's belly rings and sleeve tatoos that were displayed for all to see. Now that the neighborhood has grown up a bit and matured from a place where one locks one's doors and rolls up the windows when driving down the street, to the "Alberta Arts District," it has REAL restaurants, but still maintains a bit of an edge; almost a shadow of its former self. Ciao Vito was pleasant, dark, chandeliered, and lit with pillar candles. I'm not sure what their goal is with the decor, but it didn't detract from the food. Once again I had the special with lamb and gnocci and it was definitely a thumbs up! The beet salad starter was good as well although the beets were cut into very small pieces, which made it a little difficult to eat. My dining companions both enjoyed their entrees; one chose a stuffed manicotti and one had the hanger steak. Both were happy with their choices and now that I'm writing this I realize I need to branch out in my food choices. I have apparently been on a lamp kick lately.

To top off all those wonderful meals, Sue and I made dinner this Saturday and shared some fine chicken chili http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/232878 and cornbread with Kristin & Dave, Benjamin & Darcy, and the four of us (Sue, Chuck, Brett, and me). We had a great meal and lots of yummy wine, including a very tasty Andrew Rich Malbec. It was a perfect meal for another stormy night. It was so good to spend time with friends over good food and wine. It made us think fondly of and miss our Boston pals, the excellent conversation, and the always wonderful food and wine. Salut!!

Monday, October 23, 2006 Mt. Hood, OR

We've been ensconced in the town of Mt. Hood for five days now. On Thursday we took a drive up to Cloud Cap on Mt. Hood at the 6,000 ft level. We stopped by the Cloud Cap Lodge where we were married in 1992 http://mounthoodhistory.com/Buildings/cloudcapinn.html. The lodge is maintained by the Crag Rats and there were a bunch of guys there cleaning up fallen logs and preparing the lodge for winter. The Crag Rats are a service organization made up of grizzled mountain guys. They conduct search and rescue operations of fallen mountain climbers and lost hikers.

Our furniture and a plethora of boxes arrived in Portland while we were gone, so on Saturday we rented the U-haul and with the help of two very helpful men, moved our stuff from Portland to a storage unit in beautiful Odell, Oregon. I had to laugh with embarrassment when I ready this little description of the town of Odell, "This is a well-known community in the middle Hood River Valley. It was named for William Odell, who settled nearby as early as 1861 and whose son, Milton D. Odell, was the first white child born in the valley. Roswell Shelley started a store at Odell and applied the present name. William Odell was a native of Tennessee. Milton Odell was born in 1863." The town is really just a grouping of a grocery store, a gas station, a coffee place, a barber shop, and a Mexican restaurant. I had my first and brief waitressing experience in Odell working at the Huckleberry Cafe.

It really is beautiful here and each morning when we go for our 5-mile walk, we're reminded of why we're here. The fall colors are spectacular, Mt. Hood oversees all of our actions, and the smell of the pines is sweet and clean. At night we listen to coyotes calling and have heard elk bugling. We've heard rumors of a herd of about 40 elk in the field next to us and I plan on getting up earlier and searching them out for the next few mornings.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Twin Falls, ID to Hood River, OR

We ate breakfast in Twin Falls at the famed Idaho Joes restaurant. The flies weren't overwhelming and they had lots of home made pies you could choose from. We stopped at the overlook of the Snake River, viewed the amazing gorge, which looks like someone just ripped the two pieces of earth apart, leaving a trickling river far at the bottom, and then sometime later, installed a golf course. The latter is just slightly bizarre.

We then drove straight through Idaho and into Oregon. We stopped in Pendelton for lunch. While there, we just happen to stop into Hamley's http://www.hamley.com/ and found a beautiful pair of boots that I just had to have. Then, geared up, we headed across the street to a little Italian place Como's Italian Eatery and enjoyed great pasta dishes before heading back onto I84West.

We drove the rest of the way into Hood River admiring the majestic Columbia Gorge. The sun was setting and we were allowed a spectacular view of the gorge, the Columbia River, and cloud capped Mt. Hood. It was a surreal ending to a long trip.

We drove into my parents' driveway with our lights out, snuck quietly into the house, and surprised them during dinner. Yeah, we made it!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Moab, UT to Twin Falls, ID

It was pouring rain in Moab this morning when we woke up. We spent some time at the local coffee place, Mondo Coffee and then hit the road. We drove into Canyonlands National Park a bit, but the clouds were so thick we decided to turn around, especially since they inhibited Brett's photography experience. We drove on throughout the day, through Provo, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and into Idaho. We're spending the night in Idaho Falls at the Red Lion Inn. Dinner at a place called Rock Creek, specializing in Prime Rib.

Monday, October 16, 2006 Moab, UT

We had a fabulous day hiking in Arches National Park near Moab. The rock formations were amazing, the day was sunny, and the people were sparse. Still at the KOA, but tonight we opted for one of the "Kamping Kabins," and we're glad we did because a storm blew in this evening and brought with it spectacular thunder and lightening and drenching rain.

Sunday, October 15, 2006 Boulder, CO to Moab, UT

Today we drove from Boulder to Moab in an effort to avoid the snow and the 20 degree temperatures that were occurring in Yellowstone. The drive was absolutely gorgeous and we were rewarded with sunshine and warmth in Moab. We're camping at a KOA campground, after first checking a dive campground recommended by Todd. Thanks Todd, but Slickrock campground was really nasty, hearkening back to our Redding, California Meth Mary trailer park experience, for those of you who heard that story. Moab is great!! They have their own brewery and real coffee. We could not ask for more.