Wordstock

I've mentioned Wordstock in years past. It's one of my favorite Portland events. And it starts in 3 days! This year, while the focus is firmly centered on books, there is also a part that is dedicated to food. I love the theme: Don't be a picky reader, be a literary omnivore. I love the tie-ins at local grocery stores.

See you there!

A Walk to Remember

I like to think I'm a simple girl with simple wants. I'm happy with my 1 BR/1 BA apt, 10 year old car, and Target/Old Navy-filled closet. Lately, I've been enjoying the fall weather with urban hiking around my neighborhood instead of being indoors at the gym. Like I said; simple girl, doesn't even need the gym.

I live in NW Portland, so to make it a hike, I've been taking the stairs up the side of the hills and the steep streets. But... this route takes me right past some gorgeous houses. At the very top of Fairfax Terrace there's a house with what I think were a Lichtenstein in the foyer and a Calder on the deck.

A little bit down the hill is my favorite house. It's for sale, I might be able to buy it with 9 of my closest friends. But I love it!
Maybe I am a simple girl, willing to settle for no famous art. I'd be happy with a simple 4 BRs and an amazing view.

Everybody Reads!

Portland libraries have a yearly project where they pick a book, provide lots of copies, get the local bookstores to sell it at a discount, host book clubs and other events, and write a blog about it. While the idea of a city-wide book club might seem a little utopian even in Portland, in past years I've done this and always enjoyed it. A few years ago, while on jury duty, several other potential jurors were also reading the book and we had a little impromptu book group. Always nice when I find like-minded book nerds. Wondering if you should join in, that all depends on whether you see "Everybody Reads" as a suggestion or a command.

One More Snow Picture

I just couldn't resist one more snow picture. Can you tell how steep my hill is in this one?

The Snowy Day

A few pictures my roommate took around our neighborhood:

My car, you can barely see it...

My snowy sidewalk, it's steeper than it looks.

My stairs and doorway. I cleared them off so nicely last week and now look at them.

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

Today was cloudy and I think the rain is about to start. But we did have a bit of a reprieve for the last few weeks. It has been so amazingly beautiful here in Portland. Usually, just about when the leaves start falling, so does the rain. I miss out on the crunch of leaves under my feet. But this year has been perfect. Blue blue skies, red and gold leaves. Everything seems extra colorful. Emily had this quote on her blog and it captures how I feel about fall.

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower
-Albert Camus

The view from my porch Wednesday morning.

Barn House Sale

I finally made it!  For months I have been wanting to go to a Barn House sale.  August was way too hot, I was busy in September.  But Saturday was the last one for the year so nothing could keep me away.  I'm sure it is wonderful in the summer with the green grass and fields.  But it was so beautiful in October.  The barn is in the countryside near Battle Ground, WA.  I love Portland and all the evergreens but when you get a bit outside of town, the leaves are all changing and the colors are amazing!  And since it's almost Halloween, there was a gothic theme.  Lots of people in black clothes, top hats, and eyeliners.  So fun!  Plus I bought a brooch. I had been thinking I would like some sort of pin for my scarf.  I love it!
And before we got there, Elizabeth and I decided to go out for breakfast. We were on our way to grab something quick at Ken's Artisan Bakery when we passed 50 Plates. I've mentioned them before and can now also recommend their breakfasts! Not a huge selection but what they do have is excellent I had the sipping chocolate (steamed milk with a chunk of chocolate on a stick you swirl around to mix plus homemade marshmallows) and french toast skewers. Delish!

Oregon Food Bank Cans Film Festival

Since I've moved back to Portland and gotten on a more normal work schedule, I have started doing things I like to do such as volunteering.  I have volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank a few times and think it is such a worthwhile, well-run organization.  They always accept donations and you would be amazed how much they can buy with your monetary donation.  But next week there's a special event - The Cans Film Festival.  On Thursday September 25, you can see a movie and get popcorn for free by simply donating 3 cans or boxes of food at Regal cinemas in the Portland area.  Check out the site for more details.  

See the USA on One Tank of Gas

Monday night we went to 50 Plates, a new restaurant in the Pearl.  The idea is food from all 50 states. The decor is mostly dark brown, one white wall covered in tiny white tiles, and a few splashes of color thanks to memorabilia from across the country.

Back in college, I was on a double date and one of the guys asked what I thought of the food.  I said it was yummy.  They thought it was funny that I didn't give a more detailed description but sometimes, when things are that good, words fail.  That's how I felt about 50 Plates, it's yummy.  
The menu was well-written, fun to read, and, in an age when restaurants just call the dish what it is, it was refreshing to see dishes with names. Like The Lousy Hunter (a small slider with goat cheese, a sweet relish, and a fried green tomato), or Roscoe's (another slider with fried chicken and syrup on a waffle).  The waitstaff was so friendly and our waiter looked a bit like Obama. The end result - I felt like I was in the most upscale diner I could ever imagine.  That's meant as a huge compliment, just in case there is any question.  There were at least 10 things on the menu I wanted to try.  Next time, I'll have to show restraint in the main course so I can get dessert.  The Shake and Bake is warm cookies AND a shake!

And just in case, all of that wasn't enough, twenty feet away was a table of 8 Portland firemen.

Lizzy has a more in-depth review with photos!

Vive la France!

Yesterday was Bastille Day. I was lucky enough to live in France about 10 years ago. So I got mes amis together and went to Le Happy. What better way to celebrate the revolution than eating delicious crêpes and enjoying the disco ball. I had the salad crêpe but switched out the gorgonzola for some chèvre. It was, quite possibly, the best crêpe I've ever had. And then I had the strawberry and nutella crêpe too. We all had at least a salé (savory) and a sucré (sweet) crêpe. Afterwards, I was reminded of this saying:
J'ai bien mangé, j'ai bien bu, j'ai la peau du ventre bien tendue (It's better said out loud, it rhymes. Literally: I ate well, I drank well, the skin on my stomach is well-stretched)



Can you tell I'm excited I just learned how to do accents on my keyboard?!

One More Reason I Love Portland

Portland has amazing fireworks shows! I've been to a few in the past, the Fort Vancouver show, the Oak Hills Neighborhood show, but the best, for being uniquely Portland, is the show on the Willamette River. They set up barges in the river and shoot fireworks off of them. The fireworks light up the whole city and reflect in the river. I love that it feels as if the entire city is out, celebrating with you. I met up with friends for a BBQ and then took the streetcar to the waterfront. We found an open area, set up our blanket, and about 5 minutes later, the fireworks started. We had just enough crazy, drunk people around us to make it interesting but they we feeling very patriotic and just kept yelling, "America!" and "Freedom!" We thought about yelling "Beauty" and "Truth" a la Room with a View. Afterwards, we got appetizers and dessert at Lucier. It's a beautiful restaurant, right on the waterfront. Everything we had was delicious or so I was told. I don't like creme brulee so I had to take everyone's word on that one. The outside seating was perfect. The plates and tea service were the prettiest we'd ever seen, an adult tea party. The valet was flirt-worthy. The waitstaff was friendly and knowledgeable, they even gave us a tour of the dining room so we could see the river that flows around the tables, the white wall with white grafitti carvings to represent the urban feel of Portland, and the mirrored, angled, dome to represent Mt Hood. It's a splurge but we're worth it.

Here are some fireworks photos from Sara's flickr.



P.S. If you go to Lucier, be sure to go to the bathrooms, they are gorgeous!

Shopping in the Sunshine

Saturday in Portland was such a perfect day, 70 degrees, sunny, blue skies, cool breeze. I wandered around the Farmer's Market for a bit with my new straw bag (only $2.50 at Target) and new Klean Kanteen water bottle (no BPA's here).
Then I headed over to Belmont. I finally made it to Noun and Saint Cupcake. I think I walked around the store about 5 times because I was overwhelmed by the charm of it all. New items, vintage finds, and beautiful jewelry all mixed so perfectly I almost felt guilty buying anything and ruining the harmony of each grouping. But not too guilty to buy a Pea in a Pod dish set from TAG. I love green and recently decided that it would be my kitchen color. The guy working at Noun was so fun, he loved the set and even wrapped it in green tissue to match.
We also talked about the delicious cupcakes and how Red Velvet is a favorite for both of us. And that's just what I bought and ate on my walk over to Hawthorne.  Such a good area for shopping and people watching.  I found so many things I wanted and even bought a few.  I got my mom this cute little bird to brighten up her home.

I bought myself Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and 101 Kitchens. I've been wanting to read the first one for a while and the last one was only $1 and has so many good ideas for kitchens and source guides for buying.
This trip confirmed that TAG is one of my favorite brands. Unfortunately, their website is wholesale only and finding online stores that carry their products is not easy since "tag" is a popular internet word. This Amazon search is the best I could find.

On the way back to my car, passing all the other people enjoying the day, walking by the gardens at the Sunnyside environmental school and park, I wondered if the day could get any better, and then that's just what it did. Some girls in the park were blowing bubbles and a bunch of them floated across my path.

With a smile on my face, I went home, enjoyed some tomatoes and mozzarella, and went out on my balcony to work on my chair. Hopefully I'll finish it this week.

Guide to Portland

A friend who has been visiting and may be moving here asked me for new ideas of things to do in Portland. So much has changed in the 2 years I was away so, lucky for her, I have been keeping bookmarks of links about Portland. Thought some of you might like them too.

Good Overall Resources:

• Willamette Week A local independent paper with a very useful website for finding events, restaurants, and understanding the population and politics of Portland.
  
• Live PDX Another website to search for all there is to know about Portland
  

Visit/Shopping Guides:

• Chelsea, a friend, writes {frolic!} and posted a guide and the readers added more ideas in the comments
• Portland Picks lists a few great finds each day
• Domino Magazine's guide
• Lucky Magazine's guide
• A blogger I've never met, More Ways to Waste Time, from CA who loves Portland and visits often.
  

Neighborhoods:

• Portland Neighborhood Guide
  

Some of my favorite neighboorhoods are:

• Mississippi Ave 
  
• 21st & 23rd (Nob Hill) 
  
• Alameda and Beaumont
  
• Alberta
  
• Irvington and the Lloyd Center area 
  
• Pearl District especially for 1st Thursday
  
• Multnomah Village  Have a mellow night at Old Market Pub which has pool tables and table-top shuffleboard.
  
• Belmont
  
• Hawthorne 
  

Music:

• Wonder Ballroom (just saw the Old 97s there)
  
• Doug Fir Lounge
  
• Towne Lounge (warning: they still allow smoking)
  
• Oregon Zoo Summer Concerts
  
• Jimmy Mak's (for jazz and good Mediterranean food)
  
• Mississippi Studios (closed until October for renovations but shouldn't be left off any list about great venues in Portland) Also, don't miss the Mississippi Street Fair on July 12th.
• Kink (101.9) A radio station that sponsors lots of concerts, including several free ones at Pioneer Courthouse Square
  
• KNRK (94.7) - Radio station, plays great music and has concert info
  
• OPB Radio (91.5) - Public Radio at its best!

Restaurants:

• Willamette Week's most recent restaurant guide 
• Also check out their Cheap Eats Guide
  
• A friend, Lizzy, writes a blog about restaurants in Portland
  

A few of my personal favorites:

• Pix Patisserie (several locations, and fun events like movie nights)
  
• Everett Street Bistro
  
• Pambiche

Theaters:

• Cinema 21
  
• Living Room Theaters
  
• Laurelhurst Theater
  
• Hollywood Theater
  
• McMenamin's (these are great, several locations, each a little different, some are restaurants, theaters, hotels, golf courses, concert venues)
  

Outside of Portland:

• Old Columbia Hwy runs parallel to I-84, passes by waterfalls and hikes, and is such a beautiful way to get to Multnomah Falls
  
• Seaside and Cannon Beach are wonderful year-round but are especially great escapes when it gets too hot in Portland.
  

Goodnight Moon

I spent part of Saturday wandering around Hawthorne and Belmont.  Lots of good finds, not all purchased, but all loved.  One store had several cards and posters by Nikki McClure.  I was reminded of one of them while driving home tonight, enjoying the cool air, looking at the almost-full moon.  I wanted to go lie in a field and be moonstruck.

P.S. Buy Olympia, an online store with Nikki McClure papercuts and so much other fun stuff.

P.P.S. Goodnight Moon was one of my all-time favorites as a kid.

Pambiche = Muy Delicioso

Pambiche may be my favorite restaurant in Portland. It might not be the "fanciest", or "gourmet-est" restaurant but it IS the one I missed the most while I was away from Portland. Last night I finally made it back. At most restaurants, from visit to visit I try new things. At Pambiche, I always get the same thing, a maiz con pollo empanada. It's a crispy, flaky crescent filled with corn and chicken (duh). It's served with tostones (fried green plantains) with limes to squeeze on top and banana ketchup for dipping. It also comes with ensalada caribeña - the best version of slaw ever, cabbage, carrots, citrus, herbs, no mayo in sight. It is filling but best of all, it leaves room for sharing a dessert. Last night, Laura and I split the Alemán - coconut chocolate cake laced with saoco syrup and sandwiched with a caramel peanut filling. Glazed with Oaxacan chocolate ganache and topped off with typical Cuban peanut candy. Served with crema chantilly. All of the desserts are made in-house and all the ones I have tried are delicious.

Laura, a friend who fondly calls Pambiche "our place", does try different things and has loved them all. Last night she had the Camarones al Ajillo - jumbo gulf prawns in creole garlic sauce. Served with pan frito, and arroz blanco. She said it was delicious and judging by the bite I tried, she's right. I saw at least 5 other tables order this too.

This restaurant is small, no I mean SMALL! And they don't take reservations. But they have made the wait shorter by having outside tables. Thanks to overhead heaters, I have sat outside in December and been comfortable enough that I enjoyed the food. That probably says more about the food than my actual warmth. But should be a testament to you, this place is delicious.

It's on Glisan and NE 28th. It's a delight for the senses. Look for the bright turquoise, hot pink, purple, and yellow building with the neon Cuban flag. Listen for Cuban music. Feel the warmth from the heaters. Smell the delicious scents from your neighbor's table. Taste some of the best food you've ever eaten.

I'm Settling In

As a travel nurse I live in a furnished apartment but since I'm thinking of staying in Portland, I will eventually need furniture. So today I bought my first piece, a "new" chair. I'm pretty excited about it. I did keep one chair I loved when I sold all the rest of my stuff last year. That chair is at my mom's and the new one is fairly similar. As pictured, it doesn't have cushions but that's so much easier than a full reupholstering job. The hardest part of the whole thing was fitting it in my car. I'll post more photos when it's done.

Lilac Festival

On Saturday, Chelsea, Sara, and I went to the Hulda Klager Lilac Festival in Woodland, WA. The grounds are so lovely. There are many varieties of lilacs, some of which we created there, and they all smell delicious. Every shade of purple, burgundy, pink, and white and cute tour guide ladies dressed in the same colors. Plus there were lots of other flowers - magnolias, azaleas, camellias, and my just-discovered favorite, a yellow japanese rose. It was so sunny and bright it just drew me over to it.
After the festival, we stopped at Target for a few things and, of course, ended up wandering around. As we each picked out things we liked, Chelsea kept saying, "That looks very Sara" or "Definitely Ansley." I often feel like I don't know my own style or it's too undefined so I loved having someone with as much style as Chelsea tell me I was wrong.

BodyVox

I came back to Portland at the best time, right before a BodyVox performance. They are a dance company that does everything from traditional ballet to modern dance to exploring movement by sliding across the floor in ways you never thought possible. Every time I see them, I am amazed by how they can move, so much of it seems contrary to the laws of physics. They are a perfect mix of grace, beauty, romance, energy, and fun. One moment I am awestruck and the next moment I am laughing. If you have the chance this weekend, go see them at the Newmark. If you can't, be sure to mark your calendar for their next show, according to the program, it's October 22-25, 2008.

For now, you can check them out on youtube.

They also frequently show short films by Mitchell Rose. If you need a pick me up, go look at his films too.

Noun (n.) - A Really Cute Store

Someone I have never met, Mrs. French, left a very nice comment on my post about moving back to Portland. Well, her blog, Bliss, is amazing. Too many beautiful things to share here and why would I when you should really go look at her blog.

Her most recent post is about Noun, a store in the Belmont dairy area of Portland. The website for this store is fun, the tagline is great - Noun - A person's place for things. I'm a grammar nerd so this makes me very happy. I have been in love with lamps lately, a great one really defines a room and has a purpose, a wonderful combination of form and function. Look at these beautiful lamps. And they sell art by local artists.

And did I mention one more important enticement... It's next to Saint Cupcake.

Well I gotta go get ready, I know where I'm going today.

Maybe You Can Go Home Again

I know I'm not FROM Portland but it does feel like home. I arrived on Tuesday and driving here was a long collection of memories. Each sign I passed - the Welcome to Oregon sign,the first sign telling me Portland was 367 miles away, the Multnomah county line sign, the Portland city line sign, and the Made in Oregon deer sign, all made me smile, all made me feel like I was heading in the right direction, and the Multnomah county sign actually made me tear up a bit. But the biggest sign I could be a true Oregonian, the first time I had to turn on my windshield wipers, I laughed. I'm really happy to be here. Here's a post I wrote while living out of state for {frolic!} as a guest blogger.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{guest blogger ansley: the great nw} -written 7/31/2007

Picking cities to travel to made me think of cities I have lived in and loved. I spent 7 years in Portland, OR which is a beautiful city centered around 2 rivers, equidistant from the Pacific coast and Mt Hood. So what did I love about it...the people, my friends and the other very weird people. There is a whole group dedicated to keeping Portland weird. I love Seaside in the summer and Cannon Beach in the winter. I love all the little neighborhoods, each with their own identity but still united in being uniquely Portland. I love all of Portland's independent shops, Powell's, clothing boutiques, music venues, and art galleries. I love that once you are downtown, you can walk almost anywhere. I love all the bridges and the bike racks that look like my favorite bridge, the Fremont. I love the public Rose Gardens and the private gardens in almost every yard. I love the idea that even I could have a green thumb there. I love having favorite restaurants where I always order the same thing but also knowing almost any other currently unknown restaurant will have something delicious. I loved living within walking distance to a post office, library, Trader Joe's, 2 indie movie theaters, and lots of restaurants and shops. I love the crepe stand. I love Portland's living room, Pioneer Courthouse Square anytime but especially at lunch time or during the KINK free concert. I love the radio stations who mix perfect amounts of old and new and not too much talk. I loved flying back into Portland and seeing the rivers and mountains and when the person next to me told me I was so lucky to get to live here. I knew then that she was right, but now that I'm no longer there, I know it even more.