coffee

I'm a coffee shop snob. For me, it's not so much about the coffee that I'm drinking (because I do tend to break down and drink from the big green mermaid every so often) but more about the atmosphere. I like me a good relaxed, quiet, friendly coffee establishment where people can get into a good conversation and kick back on a sofa for a few hours. I have such a place in Vancouver. It's called River Maiden coffee. River Maiden used to be part of the Vancouver Farmer's Market, until the Markets' governing group of resident idiots decided to cast away the businesses who had made a successful go of it in the new FM building in downtown Vancouver. blah, blah, blah…

At any rate, River Maiden, and its owners Melissa and Aaron have become a tradition for me, and I don't intend to lose them, even though I don't live in the same state anymore. That never stopped me from going to the Blue Pepper in Salem! (another great coffee stop for the weary traveler).

I enjoy my usual Saturday morning cup of Hair Bender, and listen to other coffee drinkers harassing the ultra-liberal customers who drive Prius cars and spout off about traveling to Eqypt. I mostly sit and take it all in, while others there engage in these crazy, interesting conversations. After awhile you have 5 or 6 people sitting across the room from each other, invested in a conversation about one or another social issues plaguing our country, city or town. It's great. I love it. And you have to go to a place like River Maiden to experience these types of conversations. Places like Starbucks or Seattle's Best, or even Tully's are just too stick in the mud (or stick up the butt depending on what town you're in), and you cannot have a decent conversation with people. If you do, it's very rare.

That's why I'll always search for a little niche coffee joint (like Java Mama in Beaverton) where there are regulars, and an owner who actually makes coffee, and tells you "the Indian roast is really good today", that's the kind of flavor we need in life to keep us going. A place where you can go enjoy a good cup of coffee, and some great conversation with a friend.

sweet & sour mom

So as those of you who know me know… I'm a HUGE fan of Chinese food. In fact, I've recently moved to Beaverton, Oregon and have yet to locate a good Chinese place. I've tried a few in the area, and none are to my liking. But given enough time, I'm sure I'll find a little hole in the wall joint that will become "my place".

One of the last times I was down visiting mom, I treated her to a Chinese dinner in Albany. At Lum Yien. Decent food (crazy yellow sweet & sour chicken though), but mostly a good conversation with Mama. She's a crazy little Polish lady, who I love very much. And she takes a cute picture too!

Lum Yien happens to sit at the end of the Albany Airport runway, and I happened to notice these two little kit planes parked there, custom paint and all. Didn't get a picture (dang!) but I know I'd seen them before, likely at the Independence Airport with Erich. As we ate and chatted, these two older fellows swaggered out from the Chinese place, and over to the planes. They had flown in for their meal. How cool is that?? I want to do that. :) It was fun to see them and talk about what those mens' lives must be like. Two retired friends, who built a couple planes, flying around to different towns in Oregon to enjoy a conversation and some good Chinese food. I can dig that.

pitter-pat

There are a few people in my life who I will never forget. Pat is one of them. She is (was) my downstairs neighbor at Barrington Place apartments in Hazel Dell (Vancouver). I spent five years living above her and inevitably, we became friends. She was the only neighbor I've ever had who actually said more to me than "Hi, nice to meet you".

Pat and I go take sunset pictures, and even though I don't live above her anymore (I'm in Beaverton now), I have no doubt that we'll still do so.

I posted this pic for a couple reasons…not only because it's a pic of Pat (don't hate me woman!) but because it shows my old living room. You can see my crazy color scheme – red sofa, blue chair, etc. I have yet to grow out of that bright primary color phase (maybe I won't, I'll just survive as a pop-art-decor type chic all my life, even when I'm 70!) Thought this would be a good reference for me in the future, when I finally block out all memory of that apartment. Hey, at least it was somewhat clean that day!

skiing with Skye

I've ALWAYS wanted to learn how to ski. Of course, I have a slight issue with having no control over where my feet go…hence, I avoid sports like water skiing, rollerskating, skateboarding, etc. I had a bad experience with ice skating in 7th grade, still have the scars to prove it! Don't ask me what happened, just know "I had a bad experience!" (movie reference, 10 points if you can tell me what movie that line is from).

Anyway, had been talking with my friend Skye about learning to ski. She has been snowboarding before, but never skiing, so it was decided that we'd just do it! We caught a bus from over by Mall 205, at the un-Godly hour of 6am, got a nice cushy (eventually chained up) ride to Meadows on Mt. Hood, where we were paraded through a somewhat short line at the ski rental shop. I got my boots and when I went to close them up, knew my day wasn't going to be without pain. My giant-ass calfs and really tight, non-flexible ski boots did not become best friends that day. But I made it through. That's a new experience though, walking in ski boots. You kinda start to feel like Frankenstein after awhile. The best part is though, that EVERYBODY is sporting the same very ungainly walk… so you don't feel too awkward.

We had an older instructor, about 10 people in our "class". I did not fall, though I made a few attempts. I was so nervous, I couldn't relax. But I smiled a lot! So much in fact, that our instructor Bob (about 65 and somewhat surly) started calling me "Smiley". "Hey Smiley, come this way", etc. Too funny. Just made me laugh more, which loosened me up enough to make it over to the tow line. We basically spent the rest of the day at the tow line. Everybody else made it to the lifts, but I wasn't really comfortable on the two sticks below me, and Skye didn't seem overly optimistic herself. So we spent our afternoon avoiding collisions with runaway 5 year olds and a bus load of Japanese snowboarders.

We had a good time. Vowed we'd do it again soon, but we never made it in the 2008 season. I hope we can go again this winter. I had a great time and it's something I could get into… once I get over the fear of losing control and hitting a tree!

sunset cat

One day while snapping pics of the sunset down by Erickson's Farms in Vancouver, this crazy orange cat walked up to Pat and I and started talking to us (purring). He seemed to not be from the immediate neighborhood, so while we waited for that "perfect sunset" pic, we made friends with him. I even let him hang out on the hood of the Jeep! I just love his coloring, especially in the sunset light. I've always like orange cats. Beautiful kitty. Hope to see him again on my next sunset trip to The Couv.

oh the joys of being a teenager

I had to blog this photo, because every time I see it in iphoto, it cracks me up! This is my nephew Tony, who is about to turn 15 in October, displaying his boyness. He's a crazy kid that one. Gee, I just can't wait until he starts to drive! Hands off the Jeep keys there sport! :) This just happened to be a day when I was down there at Mom's (same weekend as beach day, likely) and had the camera out. So of course the two clowns were mugging for me! And this is what I got. We later sat down together and created a "Tony on Drugs" pic with lots of eyes, etc in Photoshop. He thought that was too cool.

a day at the Oregon Coast

One day this past summer (2008) I drove down to visit my family, and needed to be at Newport for an appointment (yes, I was delusional about a creative manager job at the News-Times, but that's another story) and Linda called me to tell me to "stay there!" Her brother in law & assorted family were having a BBQ at the coast, just south of Newport and that I should tag along. So I did. We drove down the coast a few miles and wound up at a park I've forever passed, but never stopped at until that day. Mike and his wife and a whole herd of children were there. Needless to say, I was not long for that BBQ, but I stayed a few minutes. Witnessed my sister being bitten in the face by the meanest Chihuahua I've ever crossed paths with (it's all the kids, I'm sure). Saw my nephew Tony make a complete fool of himself – ah, but what else is a teenage boy to do when there are girls around? :) Didn't get a snap of that though, unfortunately. Was defending sister from the rabid Chi.

I watched them all get wet and splash around for awhile on this somewhat soggy Oregon Coast day, then the guilt of leaving Mom at home by herself (without so much as a note to her from me) got to me, so I headed back home. It was a welcome relief. I'm just not made to be around kids. Dogs, yes. Cats, sometimes. Horses, yes. But kids? No. Of course, there are some kids (Evan) who I don't seem to be bothered by. Attribute that to stellar child-rearing skills by his parents? Or just that Squishy will always be Squishy? Who knows.

Anyway, pics are of my niece Katie (she'll love me for this one) and my sister Linda (who will also love me for placing her pic on my blog! HAHA!).