Last Thursday in Portland

Mr.Mr. and I headed over to Alberta street last week for the famed Last Thursday Art Walk. We had heard a number of conflicting opinions on its popularity and were hoping to swing by the stand of a fellow Scrap-er to check out her crafty wares. Little did we know, the entire street was closed to traffic and event staff had been hired to coordinate the evening's vendors and visitors. Needless to say, I've never seen more people in one place in Portland like this. It was the capacity equivalent of a large annual street fair like those held in Seattle (think Fremont Solstice Parade, UDistrict Street Fair, or the Ballard Sunday Market on speed)... only this happens every month.

One artist we spoke to seemed to think the event was on the verge of collapsing in on itself due to the size. According to him, the event had evolved dramatically over the past five years and both patrons and vendors were reaching a saturation point. Adding fuel to the fire, the Last Thursday event is a largely unregulated free for all when it comes to setting up and maintaining a booth. It's first come, first served for space on the busy sidewalks and there are no entry requirements or booth fees. If you're picking up what I'm laying down, this means the city of Portland is both opening themselves up to potential safety/legal issues and passing up a big opportunity to turn a profit on this year-round, popular event.

Logistics aside, we made the grave mistake of parking on the East end of the street which resulted in our walking directly into the sun for the entire length of Alberta, shielding our eyes with the Noir issue of Bitch magazine we picked up for free. The discovery of the evening was the work of the very talented Yellena James on display at the Together Gallery. Ms. James crafts gorgeously vibrant pen and ink drawings on clay board that seem to be a combination wandering notebook doodle and naturalistic illustration from some psychedelic hiking guide. Bright colors pop out among undulating tendrils and cellular shapes, creating a fantastic combination of pattern and color. I am absolutely smitten with her work and will have to begin saving some serious pennies to add one to my collection sometime soon. Check out Yellena's work or visit her blog to see for yourself.

New mantra

"Everyone does better when everyone does better. "
Paul Wellstone

(As seen on a bumper sticker posted in a jeweler's workspace at The Shop People Industrial Arts Club in NE Portland.)

This couldn't possibly be more true.

Must have hair

Quick tip for ladies and gents seeing signs of the recession in their languishing locks: try a beauty school for a cut on the cheap. Recently I stopped into Phagans' School of Hair Design in NE Portland and inquired about a trim. I couldn't have been more shocked when the receptionist informed me I'd have to shell out only three dollars. You read that right, three dollars for a haircut (with a shampoo it would have been a couple bucks more). Now, I don't know about you but my wallet is tight these days and any time I can make a purchase with only the contents of my change bowl- I'm a happy lady.

It turns out Phagans' offers a steep discount on all services after 6:00pm to encourage patrons to support their evening students in their efforts to complete training hours. All services are performed under loose supervision of teachers with a final review and check to ensure clients are satisfied and the student has performed well. Bring a photo if you're looking for something specific or somewhat complicated and don't hesitate to ask for a student with more hours if you're concerned your style might require a little more skill. Be prepared for a little less small talk and your trim or color to take a bit longer than your traditional stylist as most students are very focused and take a deliberate pace to ensure accuracy.

All in all, you could easily have a luxurious night at Phagans' with shampoo, cut, color and nails for less than your average haircut anywhere else.

Phagans' School of Hair Design
1542 NE Weidler
Portland, Oregon 97232
503-239-0838

and

16550 SE McLoughlin Blvd.
Milwaukie, Oregon 97268
503-652-2668

Put a smile on your face

This:

(click to enlarge)

Is the email I got back in response to my email regarding a craigslist ad for a free eames-style chair and ottoman. The posting specified it would be removed when the chair was taken so I figured I had a shot. And who would pass up something like that? So I get this reply and oddly- rather than getting completely annoyed that some random stranger would send me this bite-sized (no pun intended) directive... I barely blinked and kept scrolling through my inbox as if it had been another email offering to enlarge my penis. Mr.Mr. insists I send a reply and kindly recommend the sender "eat poop" but I've refused despite his nagging that I really should  be reacting in a more shocked way. Actually, I've managed to get quite a few laughs out of the whole thing since then. 

The fact is, someone took time out of their day to tell me- a complete stranger, to "eat poop." That's like saying, "eat butt" - and it's about as offensive. If they had just changed a few measly letters, delivering a more profane message- I would be singing a different tune entirely. So thank you, mister/ms. sellmychair@live.com - you totally made my week.

I can't wait

Tomorrow night I will have the esteemed honor of hearing this man speak on the subject of "The Transformative Power of Reconciliation in Society." Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is a well known religious, political, and social figure renowned the world over for his equal rights work. I'm not certain I can bring a camera to the event but I'll definitely be taking notes because... and I'm just guessing here- he's probably got some very important things to say.

If there are tickets still available I'd highly recommend joining me. Er, I mean, me and Mr. Tutu.

Patio Days

The spring/summer patio in all its camping-geared glory. The random green bin is going to be our master composting spot. Once we get a lid and get it straightened out.

To the left are our mizuna starts and an herb pot with sage, cilantro, parsley, and dill. To the left are the plants that require some space of their own: rosemary and chives. The two empty pots wil hopefully hold the beginnings of carrots and fennel.

Our pea starts are already growing... about a half inch last night alone!

You can just see the tiny tendril of a brave pea shoot setting his anchor to the hanging wire, preparing for a long climb.

Our lovely outdoor table and the new geraniums that can be seen from indoors as well. At night, the string lights and candles make a lovely light by which to enjoy a fine take out meal from Cha Cha Cha or a round of speed Scrabble.


My tiny gardening table made from cinderblocks and a pretty piece of recyled glass from SCRAP*. And yes, those are mini-kegs in the recycling bin. Mr.Mr. loves himself a mini-keg. The white pail will be used for food scraps to be composted. YAY!

*SCRAP is quite possibly, the best place ever. Please check it out.

p.s. I'm posting this from the patio to be as authentic as possible. Got to love the laptops.

Springtime starts

Well folks, it's been a long, dreary winter and I'm not nearly foolish enough to think we're in the clear... but the sun is shining and the birds are chirping and the flip flops have come out of hiding. For a little over a month now I've been on a reduced-internet consumption diet, focusing on starting my day without firing up the computer and spending time in (ooooh ahhhhh) reflection and practice instead. I retooled my morning routine to include time journaling, reading, walking, and flossing. Yep- you heard me- flossing. It could be the excitement of new habits, or that they were on sale, but I even bought two rolls of floss. Two! Like... I might do this forever from now on! Can you imagine that? Even I knew this meant I was serious.

So regardless of the weather I spend at least 20 minutes on foot in and around my neighborhood, greeting neighbors along the way and enjoying sightings of odd birds, bushy-eared squirrels, and the ocassional child in a tree. The latter are the best. I've also been paying more attention to the houses around us and thinking a lot about the way I had hoped to have my own sometime soon. It might sound strange but I've been slowly realizing just how much is must cost to have and maintain a house. From the cost of landscaping to repainting, installing windows or a fence for the yard- it must add up at a dizzying rate. And here I had been thinking Mr.Mr. and I should consider buying something between a live-in-ready and fixer-upper type house. Ha! Perhaps not. It has given me a different type of respect for homeowners who are able to make ends met between their family and the roofs over their heads.

And oh the reading! The local library is a short walk from our place and I've once again begun my love affair with all books borrow-able. The possibilities are endless. My library card is like a secret weapon. Thyroid problems? Check the library. Want to know how to build a birdhouse? Check the library. Have an odd, unidentifiable ant army taking up residence in your houseplant? Check. The. Library. True, true- it's not as fast or easy as the internet. But it's worth it. Trust me. And I've regained the understanding that reading someone's work and experiencing a resonance in their writing, their word choice, or their sense of humor- can be enjoyed simply and on its own. The blogs I've followed over the last three or so years have a lot to offer by means of inspiration, insight, and information... but books don't give me that illusion of being connected to the writers. I can be seduced by prose and poetry, cleverness and craft, for that joy alone.

So perhaps I'm back? In bits and pieces.

Gifts in tow

...We make our way to Seattle to celebrate the holidays with Mr.Mr.'s family. With drifts up to our knees, a couple of close friends from up North have offered to ferry us home with them in their trusty Jeep and we're all the more thankful for the free ride. Something about strapping on snow chains in 30 degree weather with a bruised and battered throat seems less than appealing at the moment.

Call me crazy.

Of course despite my tonsilar woes and the massive deep freeze we've been enduring in Portland- it is that time of year and I have grown quite a bit homesick over the last week. And so I send good thoughts and warm hugs to everyone who's missing anyone beside them right now. There really is nothing like family to make it all better. Well- family and chocolate pudding. I stand corrected.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Getting framed

A couple of weeks back it crossed my mind that a smart artist on a limited budget (that's me) would get crafty and learn how to frame their own work. Given my past experience framing some Flatstock posters by Chicago's Jay Ryan of The Bird Machine, I learned the hard way that framing is not cheap. Don't get me wrong- framing is not the easiest thing in the world and using good materials like attractive moulding, ph-neutral matting, and museum glass will never be inexpensive. But- there's definitely another way.

Scouring the interwebs for tutorials, I came across the Portland Free School- one of many community-run organizations dedicated to offering instruction on a variety of subjects, taught locally by people in the know. I don't specifically say, "experts" because pretty much anyone is welcome to "teach" a course through the Free School. Have you mastered the art of macrame plant hangers? You could teach a class. You get the picture. So the downside is that your "teacher" may be the guy from the coffee shop. The upside is that you can meet people and learn new skills that you might otherwise be unable to afford to learn in a traditional setting. I'm a fan thus far.

It was through the Free School that I came across a class being offered at a place called Artery (disclaimer: there's not much on the site yet). This gallery and frame shop aims to offer a more creative solution to framing than your average U-Frame It, and a more affordable alternative to folks in the price-range of say, Museum Quality Framing. Their plan to accomplish this goal is to offer the space and materials for artists (and Joe Public) to choose the bones of their project (frame, mat, & glass), and then guide them along a path to customizing their frame.

For me, this meant that I chose a 5" x 7" unfinished wood frame for $12 and was given free reign to use the brushes, paints, dryer, masking tape, and finishing sprays to create a decorative finish. I began with something resembling an upscale Ikea frame, and finished with this:

It may not look like much but I started with a basic red acrylic, and used a flat brush with a combo of gold and bronze paint to create a vaguely fan-shaped, all-over pattern over the base. Finally I created a black border around the edge of the frame closest to the wall to add interest.

Honestly- I was really pleased. And I get the impression that the possibilities are virtually limitless and entirely dependent on just how much time and money you want to spend. Of course- had I wanted to frame an actual photo or piece of art- the price would have increased with the mat (about $7), the glass (about $7) and the fitting (up to $25). All prices are based on the size of your frame and there's a decent selection of pre-made frames as well as custom materials.

Since the workshop, I've finished another frame at home using my cordless dremel, some black and white acrylic paint, and a satin varnish spray. (I repeated the graduated pattern shown on the opposite side of the frame as well.) At this point, I'm thinking the techniques I learned could prove very valuable in elevating the frames I use for my collage work and that the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Artery are at the ready should I need some additional support in the construction arena.

On December 5th, Artery will host another frame clinic geared toward holiday shoppers looking for creative, affordable gifts. The word is, for $10, you can decorate and frame a photo or other work in a 3" x 3" ornament-style frame with help from Debo Kerr and Artery staff. Space is limited but I've already reserved my spot. If you're interested, follow the link. Cheap is definitely the new black this Christmas/Non-denominational December holiday.

Artery

4114 N. Vancouver Ave.

Portland, OR, 97217

Sweets for the sweet

Stopping by Ink & Peat the other day in an effort to reduce the creative sloth setting in and infuse my day with pretty things- I became weak with cravings and bought a small bag of salt caramels from Little Flower Candy Company. Out of Pasadena, California, these clever people have definitely won over my sweet tooth. Wrapped in small rectangles of parchment paper, and packaged sparingly in a cellophane bag, these treats are simply divine. Pam tells me these folks are enjoying a burst of press lately care of at least one daytime food personality so you're sure to see this sweet & salty, buttery combo in a store near you soon (if not already). If you can't make it out, they sell online for $7.00 per 1/4 pound.

Trust me- it's worth the splurge. See photo for proof.

Market fresh

If you live in Portland- tell me... promise me you'll go to the Saturday Farmer's Market down at PSU. Mr.Mr. and I have been enjoying this visual feast for the last two months and I'm convinced it's the best place to be on a Saturday morning- hands down. Having endeavored to make the pilgrimage from Capitol Hill to Ballard Farmer's Market every Sunday when we lived in Seattle, we were die-hard market fans before we moved and have been so happy to find a thriving agricultural outlet locally.

Best of all, there's a congregation of vendors in the center of the square that sell fresh meals in the way of soups, biscuits, sausages, tamales, etc. Our favorites by far are Tastebud's fire roasted bagels with fixin's and Pine State Biscuits with their assortment of sweet and savory toppings. On our last trip, I enjoyed a sesame bagel with plain cream cheese, topped with sliced pears. Crisp and slightly sweet, but definitely second-rate in comparison with my favorite: plain cream cheese, cilantro pesto, and fresh tomato slices. The tomatoes are always so bright and succulent that I can't resist their wet, rubescent glow. ...Ew. Something about that sentence creeps me out. Anyway. I wish tomato season would never end.

So if you want to support local farmers and food producers (lest we forget the bee keepers, vintners, and chocolatiers)- check it out. November through December 20th, the market runs from 9:30am - 2:00pm in the South Park blocks between SW Harrison & Montgomery. Go forth and build that food pyramid.

New school

Exhibit A: New School = (Old School + duct tape)

A dose of inspiration

Be. This. Girl.


















Found at Blue Gardenia (coffee & treats) on Mississippi.

The joy of not cooking

One of the perks of exploring a new city is trying out new local cuisine. We've been enjoying plenty of good eats but lets begin with Vindalho, an Indian restaurant a few short miles from our house on SE Clinton street. The decor is a bit on the extreme industrial end upon first impression but the seats are comfy and the service is friendly which more than makes up for the massive distance between you and the ceiling. Meeting with two friends, Mr.Mr. and I shared some thin, crisp (sadly, read: fried) crackers called Poppadom with a tamarind sauce and two orders of nan in anticipation of our entrees. My weakness for all things cheese immediately lead me to the Roasted Pepper and Paneer Curry while Mr.Mr. partook of the Kochi Chicken... and "satisfied" doesn't begin to describe it.

You'll have to try it for yourself but I'll tell you right now my top compliments go to Vindalho for serving perfectly-sized portions. My paneer curry came with probably nine perfectly toasted cubes of Indian cheese and a modest pyramid of basmati rice as an accompaniment. Even the nan was far more manageable fitting perfectly on a [approx.] 14" plate. All present were pleasantly full without that pain that typically follows a great meal. It could have been slightly cheaper but I have a hard time putting a price on great food that doesn't rely on quantity to demonstrate its quality.

Oh and recently they were listed as one of the top 101 "best restaurants in the NW" by Ultimate Northwest magazine. Hip hip hooray for them!

Vindalho

2038 SE Clinton Street

Portland, Oregon 97202

503-467-4550

Photo courtesy of Vindalho.

Don't miss it: Portland

I've been soooo behind in keeping up with my little salties but I have a fun event to reward you for all your patience. Drop whatever plans you have tonight and go to the grand opening of Ink & Peat. On one of our last exploratory trips to Portland before we officially relocated (you know, back when we were using Crate and Barrel boxes as tables...), we stopped by Pam's shop on the suggestion of my sister-in-law and we were wowed. What a beautiful place. I took some quick snapshots just to get a feel for the space but never got around to posting them. So at long last, here they are. Ink & Peat is a great little shop specializing in fresh flower arrangements and home sundries ranging from sweet soaps to clever antique-style containers and baubles. I love it.

To top it all off, Mr.Mr. even found something to satisfy his growing interest in home design/furniture in a book called, "Old House, New Home." You can pick up a copy at Ink & Peat or vicariously enjoy Pam's fantastic taste in books at a distance and pick one up at a store near you.

I'm going to swing by to say hello and you should too if you're in the area. Here are all the details:

Ink & Peat 3808 N Williams Ave, Suite 126 Portland, OR 97227

Best buys

Oh baby did we hit the jackpot. Friday afternoon we headed south to Bridgeport Village to visit the nearest Crate and Barrel. I received a gift card for my birthday that I had been hoarding until I could enjoy the tax-free bounty of Oregon state, and we had a couple of items we had been meaning to pick up to flesh out the registry.

So we wandered around the expanse of stuff we likely didn't need. The "engineered wood" and veneer furniture, the newest flavor of wicker baskets for the fall season, and glass baubles that have absolutely no purpose. Now, don't get me wrong. I love me some unnecessary interior items but I try to remind myself that I don't need to complete my collection of "stuff" today. Because really, then how would I spend tomorrow?

And then we found this (but in cognac instead of natural). Copeland Furniture is a company out of Bradford, VT that has contracted with Crate and Barrel for a line of beautiful and functional bedroom pieces. Though they do use some veneers (it turns out almost everyone does from what we can tell), they have excellent craftsmanship with dovetail joints, sumptuous finishes and smart lines. Not to mention, I haven't seen a piece of furniture made in the US distributed by a megastore in - well, I don't know how long. So are you ready for the reveal?

...

We got it for $399.00.

What did you say?

I know, holy crap! Right? This piece lists for $1499.00 and we got it for the price of the mirror! Turns out, floor samples are occasionally drastically reduced in price to make room for new pieces and when they do- they don't hold back with that red clearance pen. And thank god for that because their willy-nilly price reductions are helping us put together a real, live, adult house piece by piece. Now we just have to keep an eye out for the matching six-drawer dresser (lists for $1699.00) to take a dive in price. I've got my eyes open and my penny jar front and center. Time to start saving.

Oh, and with our gift card and returns, we only paid $294.32 in the end. Isn't that nuts?

The girl is back in town

What a long, strange trip it's been so far. Moving to Portland is no small deal- let me tell you. The last week and a half has been filled with stuff... primarily boxes- big, small, short, tall, labeled, unlabeled- boxes. That and countless items neither Mr.Mr. nor I probably actually need. Oh, and a few things we absolutely can't live without... like chocolate bars imported from Italy by our friends Dionne and Matt.

The good news is, we have jobs. Mr.Mr. and I both received offers of employment from the companies we had second interviews with and we begin work on the 8th of September. In short, we rule. Mr.Mr. will be working for RatherLargeConsultingFirm (RLCF) and I will be working for BigMunicipalOrganization (BMO). The more exciting news is that we've managed to relocate to a city with a lower cost of living and more difficult economy without losing opportunities for reasonable income. I know, I know- no one likes to talk about money except the people who make it. Which is sort of true but only in so much as that this change means that within a year, we may actually be able to realize the dream of buying our own home. Portland, it turns out- is one of the best decisions we've ever made. (You were right, Megan B- thank you!)

I'll have more posts soon on all the delicious food we're eating, cool stuff we're doing and updates to the general life story as it happens. Thanks for bearing with me through the dead air. It's good to be back.

Quick update

Just a quick dispatch from the coffee shop around the block from our new place stop have moved in to new apartment stop have had requisite breakdown and subsequent blow out argument with husband stop will surely recover stop have resolved to drink more stop just kidding stop sort of stop more later stop

Early mornings

Okay.  

Seriously?  

4:25am?  

This is getting a little ridiculous.  I woke up first because of the heat- the bed sheet too hot for comfort and the window fan too obstructed by the sheer curtain to be effective.  I resorted to my secret weapon... the icepack. Your body temperature has to actually drop in order for it to give the green light to sleep, so some time ago I realized I could trick it on unbearably hot nights by wrapping an icepack in a kitchen towel and keeping it under my pillow between my two hands.  The towel keeps my fingers from getting too frozen and the residual cold usually makes it's way through the pillow to cool my head.  It's a great tool for beating the heat. 

But that didn't work.

Then I started thinking about how my potential future boss had called at least two of my references yesterday. Did they say the right things?  Did they give him faith that I'm up to the job?  I have no way of knowing, really but that didn't stop me from worrying.

Then I started thinking about all the things I won't be doing anymore in a few short days.  

• I won't be walking past my father-in-law's office on my way to and from work- occasionally catching his eye and greeting him with a wave and a smile
  
• I won't be a block or two from the best doughnuts in town at the Dahlia Bakery
  
• I won't be just down the street from Kristen and all her exciting energy and new projects (not to mention her nascent ping pong league)
  
• I won't get to see Kent at the Sunday market every week
• I won't get to put off calling someone back because I know they're only ten minutes away and it's really that easy to get together
• I won't [likely] be walking to work 
  
• I won't be able to go to the Lab (and I'm completely going to miss their "Bring and Brag" session)
  
• I won't be working with Mr.Mr. anymore... able to swing by his desk to get his opinion on something, lean on him when I've had a rough conversation, or steal a hug in the elevator just because I can
  

And really, what it all comes down to is that I won't be in Seattle anymore soon.  And as much as I tout Portland for it's low cost of living, great people, supportive art community, safe biking... whatever... it's not really going to be Seattle anymore.  And I think that's just hard when you get right down to it.  I think I've been trying to be firm about our move... giving everyone the impression that I couldn't be more sure of myself.  And part of that is for Mr.Mr.'s sake because he's putting some distance between himself and his family which is hard.  Part of that is so we won't be dissuaded by nostalgia and inertia when faced with the opportunity for growth and change.  But part of it is also so I won't wake up every morning at 4:00am thinking about all the things I won't be doing in Portland.

Because deep down I know that I will be doing a lot of great things in Portland.  It's just a little hard to see them this early in the morning.

PDX part two: gratuitous paper shots

I don't need any more paper. I don't need any more ribbon. And I most definitely don't need any more greeting cards that I can barely stand to send for fear the recipient won't truly treasure it as much as I did while it gathered dust in my desk organizer.


All that being said- I do love me some paper. And ribbon. And cards. So Oblation Papers & Press is a great place to indulge. It was almost two years ago when Mr.Mr. and I were just about heading out of town and on our way home when I spotted that ever-alluring word on a storefront that nearly stops my heart: Paper. Fortunately, even then, Mr.Mr. knew better than to stand between me and that fantastic fibrous drug. That love affair has been raging since long before he came along and as the smart man he is, he knows when he's fighting a losing battle.


This time around I picked up a couple of small bits and pieces including a housewarming card to celebrate our new place, and a smart little note pad with a rather inspiring quote on the front. It reads, "Have you begun today what you want to be tomorrow?" I'm thinking it will be a nice place for Mr.Mr. and I to write short notes to ourselves and each other in the mornings before work. I'm not sure if the practice will stick but I think this move is a great opportunity to work on starting some really great new habits. Ones that will encourage us to focus our time and energy into building a great new life for ourselves together.


...That and to buy lots of new paper.