girl at large

more to like everyday

My file folders for Portland are getting full---

Life will be made easier for Miss Ruby with resources, leash-free parks and services found at DogNose News and Portland Pooch. It's a very dog-friendly area, by comparison to most mid-sized American cities. Probably no brioche treats from the baker, but we can't have everything!

Getting around should be easy: if I can't take the streetcar, light rail or bus, I can always use FlexCar, just the answer for a car-free gal. Check out this virtual streetcar tour. For getting away, Amtrak Cascades offers scenic trips to Seattle, Tacoma, etc. And for good old-fashioned foot-power, walking Portland is rumoured to be easy (only 1 mile for every 20 blocks) and pleasant on your own or with a guide, ranking as one of the best walking cities year after year (interestingly; Chicago, Madison and Savannah all also make the list regularly).

Live weather camera feeds show that it's not all rain, all the time---there is some sunshine. And the climate makes for lots and lots of greenery---the town is fairly bursting with parks and public gardens.

Just as I narrow down a neighborhood to live in, with the help of Portland Maps (a little creepy, but amazing information:enter an address or intersection and have instant access to maps of all kinds, census information and even aerial photographs!), I find another one just as interesting...there's popular and yuppy NorthWest, nearby overpriced but good for shopping Pearl District, hippy-dippy Hawthorne, the eclectic Alberta Arts District, casual St. John's and more. I'm spoiled for choice, that's why I've chosen a much larger city.

i think i'll just live alone....

I've spent hours, days, nights, an eternity researching housing in Portland...beware "Roommate Wanted" ads. Requirements such as these set my teeth on edge:
- Female non-transgender-biased roommate wanted for (tiny, moldy) room in attic. Absolutely NO smoking, must be cannibas-friendly (what the ?!??!). Absolutely NO meat. (well, you're not going to get any being that way, sweetheart). All vegan household. No washer/dryer, but (dark, dank) basement can be used for hobbies, activities, whatever. Cats ok, Dogs ok, already have four of each. Join us!-

Right. Sure thing. I'll be right over.

bringing up baby: it's not so much "-sitting" as it is "-enabling"...

I've been taking care of Grace three nights a week, we have a good time together and I enjoy teaching her all the things a kid should know, especially if she ever intends to visit the States. She's mastered the Hi-Five; we're still working on the Lo-Five but she'll get there. Jumping-on-the-Bed 101 is going swimmingly and she now knows without a doubt where her "butt" is and how to "shake it". Who says I'm not good with kids? This kid loves me! She can't get enough of "Sharp Stick" and "Fresh-Fruit Tennis"!. I'm gonna be the best Auntie ever!

a service between neighbors

The roman shade on the back balcony door blew off a few days ago, during another afternoon of 'grosse vente' (big winds), and landed smack-dab in the groundfloor garden next door where a little old lady tends to her lavish plantings. Looking down three stories, over the railing--Yep, there it is: sad little thing crumpled on the ground. The shade didn't look too good either.

Next day, she greeted us excitedly in the lane---"I have a strange beige piece of fabric! It's so dirty! Is it yours?" (At this point, we're so excited to have it back that I miss the full impact of her little comment.) "Yes, Yes!"

She takes us into her house. IN. HER. HOUSE. Did I mention she's an elderly French lady? Her building is nearly an replica of our own. Only ours is 4 apartments. Hers is still one house. Loaded with original features. Like flocked and flowered wallpaper on every surface, including the ceiling--and I hadn't taken my Dramemine. The glimpse of the stairs down to the cave (basement larder) itself was a wonder: sausages hanging, wood barrels, corked bottles, all manner of things dried and preserved. But her husband was in the kitchen.

Little Old French Lady continues to talk up a storm as we try to take in the hords of antiques, knick-knacks, doilies and general accumulation of more than fifty years. And that was just the hallway. I jump back to attention mid-sentence, translating when I can; but the gist is the gist of a thousand old lady nieghbor conversations world-over: prying. "The downstairs couple are Italian, aren't they? They only come on weekends, right?" and the kicker: "Which floor do you live on?"

"Ah, you're the ones with the unfortunate plants! Tsk, Tsk!"

Oh, yes, that would be us. The Nieghborhood Plant-Killers. Prediction: lugging home newly-purchased plants is in my future.

I love raspberries

I made this the other night, I was so proud I nearly took a picture, I'm telling you: it was gorgeous. And it tasted pretty good too!

Dead-Easy Raspberry Tart

Place a pre-made tart (or pie) dough in an ungreased 9" round pan. Pierce the bottom all over with a fork, trim the edges. Blend until creamy: 1 package (250g) of Marscapone cheese (you could substitute cream cheese), 1 teaspoon finely chopped orange peel, 2 tablespoons honey and 2 eggs. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 (175C) for 15-20 minutes or until crust and top are golden brown. Allow to cool, then spread 1 cup of (smooth, blend out any lumps if needed) raspberry jam over the top. Arrange 1 pint of fresh raspberries on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts, and Voila! (Refrigerate before serving).

how to fill the day...

I am begining to relate to Odd Todd.

easel update

Archway, Haut de Cagnes, acrylic and pastel on paper, 19.75" x 25"
Safranier, acrylic and pastel on paper, 19.75" x 25"

midnight music

Tonight is the summer soltice, and a national musical festival throughout the whole of France. Nearly every town sponsors bands, djs and open-air music all evening and Antibes is no exception. Matter of fact, our street is no exception– the Corsican center next door has been playing and singing, with full electronic gear, in the street outside our door all night. Only Bert would pick up that one tune was played to the same melody as the theme song to Rawhide!

Good Book. Period.

I soaked up Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss in one happy sitting yesterday. I want to re-write everything I've ever written; to embrace the poor unappreciated semi-colon, replace double-hyphens (lazy keyboard technique to blame) with proper dashes and perhaps delete a few dozen of my extraneous ellipses (...). I'm tempted, inspired even, to lose my no-capital-letters habit. (!)

roots

I love rhubarb. It grew wild alongside the garage of my childhood home; so it seemed to us at the time. More likely, it had been planted by some previous inhabitant and just continued to pop up every spring, ready for pie. Or jam, or tart, or this: Glazed Lamb with Rhubarb Salsa. Note: I substituted lamp chops, baked while I made the salsa, for the leg of lamb. This recipe calls for alot of rhubarb and makes 6 to 8 rather too-large portions – I would halve the recipe next time.

Bert's Back!

it's been a few days, i neglected to post the safe return of Tishie Mae until now. Mom and Bert are already busy planning the next trip...more details to come....

open the shop and she will come

Portland Modern (real estate, back in favor and rapidly rising in price), including plenty of Rummers, the original Eichler copycat (so they say), new and vintage furnishings at Splinter, catalog come to life at Design Within Reach, modern accessories and giving-goodies at Relish, scandinativan modular basics at Hip, high-end and contract furnishings from id collection and Hive, vintage scrounging (at not-so-vintage prices anymore) at Era and Hawthorne Vintage, clean and classic and undeniably Danish at Dania, everything in it's place with Portland Closet Company, a place setting for every meal from Sur la Table, my beloved sea salt and cooking classes at In Good Taste, fresh eats from Eastbank Farmers' Market (there's more than one!), wash it down at Hip Chicks Do Wine, something authentic for the wall from Twist, another something for the coffee table (at my house also the bookshelves, the nightstand and the john) from Powell's Books, and a touch of France for the face and body from L'Occitane.

how could i not love Portland?

oh, and there's nightlife too. and over 150 coffee houses including one that will wash your dog while you enjoy your espresso! how great is that?

and there's outdoorsy stuff too...

Oregon has lots of green leafy and granola daytrips and weekend excursions, including Mt. St.Helens, the Columbia River Gorge, and Crater Lake (at right, i LOVED the area when i saw it on vacation with The Custard a few years ago). you can explore by the gorge by paddle boat, the foothills of Mt. Hood by rail or drive to Cannon Beach.

viva la france!

France wins the big game.

leaving home means taking leave of their senses

despite over six years now, collectively, of living in tourist destinations i cannot fathom what thought process allows overwieght middle-aged men, most often overly-blessed in the body hair department, to depart with their shirts if the temperature rises above 70F degrees. a particularly popular thing to do when walking around town or sitting next to me at an outdoor cafe.

on the map

now that Savannah has rated a Starbucks, it's got a Summit and some real excitement. be sure to view the photo gallery, very amusing.

slice of life

items cut out of household budget to make room for wine and cigarettes: cutlery, shaving cream, plastic wrap and scotch tape. that's the only reason i can think of to explain mom's aversion to adding those items to any shopping basket. however, something must have changed because today we finally, finally got a proper bread knife!

i promptly cut my finger on it.

vicarious shopping....

with my sister shopping for baby supplies and furniture, i can't help but add my two cents worth and enjoy spending some time online researching the latest baby goods...my favorite, the highchair that isn't a highchair from Stokke, a company in Norway that also makes the coolest crib and a kickass stroller....and then there's Lindam's pretty, no-tools puzzle-style crib and other clever things.....modernseed's hip modern baby accessories and toddler furniture....the classic BabyBjorn.....a cozy sheepskin (i miss curling my toes in mine!).....Marimekko is still making bright fantastic textiles and accessories for kids...and this is what i call a dollhouse!

is it wrong to want a baby for all the cool stuff?? ha ha ha

missing all the excitement

the G8 Summit is coming to Sea Island, Georgia. nearest city? Savannah! oh my, Bush being well, Bush, increased security, news media, rallies and protestors....is sleepy Savannah really ready for this?

can't keep up with it all

first camera phones, now mobile blogging (here's Tom's)....pretty soon we'll all have hat-coptors like Inspector Gadget....

it's starting to make me feel old, not being able to keep up with the technology. there was no doubt i was feeling my age the other day when i found a group of loitering french teenagers intimidating---i think i may even have said "Packs of teenagers are scary". now, i know i thought the same thing when i actually was one myself, but still.....