Under a Red Roof

Keep Portland Weird

April 20, 2010 in Drinking, Exploring, Gardening + Nature by Colleen | 2 comments

This is the slogan on a much admired bumper sticker here in Stumptown. Despite it’s lack of originality (copied from Austin, Texas), it certainly fits the bill. Portland is an interesting place. We are a pretty liberal city, except when it comes to taxing beer. We have LOTS of strip clubs. We make and drink a lot of beer and coffee. We love sustainable everything, and reduce, reuse, recycle. We like bicycles and ride them plenty. We are friendly, kooky, and somewhat unpredictable.

This past Saturday is a perfect example. We joined a group of friends to watch the opening game of our football club, the Portland Timbers. We met up at Kells, ate good food, drank some Guinness, and then loaded onto a double decker bus that would take us to the match. This cheery green bit of Ireland had a bit of its magic, too, bringing out smiles in passengers and observers alike. On said bus, I met a guy wearing a “Poop on Stoops” t-shirt. I learned through a rather lively conversation that he was not, in fact, advocating delinquent behavior only slamming the name of the Texas Longhorn’s rival coach. Alrighty.

At the game, I saw firsthand how football (soccer) fans, who are normally mild mannered adults, morph into wild and woolly supporters, flipping off referees, vigorously waving flags and scarves, chanting obscenity laden cheers, all while consuming copious amounts of beer (for more read Among the Thugs – slightly dated, still relevant, and very educational). It was crazy and comical, and our team won!

Being who we are, the we decided to partake of a Whiffie Pie instead of drinking further. One pint of Guinness is enough for this gal. The hubster said it best – like drinking a loaf of bread – delicious, creamy Guinness bread! So we walked from Kells and over the Hawthorne bridge. In a particularly dim section of our walk we saw an inebriated trio coming toward us. I held onto my wallet and hoped for the best. I need not have worried, for all they wanted from us was a sincere opinion. “Did you think David Bowie was hot in Labyrinth?” Seriously. Since I do not watch puppet movies and the hubster would never ever admit to another man’s hotness, they were sorely disappointed in us. Sigh.

Upon reaching our final destination and while sharing the sweet goodness of a cherry Whiffie Pie, we were rather taken aback when we saw a bearded lady, also buying a pie. She wore a long skirt, had long beautiful hair, and a full goatee. Will wonders never cease. The cherry on top of our evening was a man riding a bicycle that seemed to be an advertisement for a strip club. Wild Party A Go Go!

I love you, Portland. Stay Weird.

p.s. In contrast, I am showing you some pretty flowers from the garden – Belle de Nancy lilac, dogwood, and my favorite red tulip. I love springtime, too.

Tags: Portland

The Same Wavelength

February 24, 2010 in Drinking, Eating, Exploring, Loving, Remembering by Colleen | 3 comments

Have I ever told you about how the hubster and I share a preternatural ability for wanting the same thing at the very same time? And not just once in a blue moon, either. It is a rather regular occurrence and doesn’t stem from nineteen years of being a couple – it’s happened all along. The most memorable and thrilling example occurred rather early in our relationship. We’d been dating for a few months, and I knew, deep in my heart of hearts, that this man was IT, I-T, IT, so, as we were lying in bed one morning, I asked him to marry me. Never one to lose his temper, and much to my surprise, he slammed his fist on the bedside table and said, “I was just going to ask YOU!” We laughed, kissed, and hugged, and knew we were off to a great start. The same goes for moving to Oregon. I got it in my mind that we should leave Colorado. Lo and behold, on the very afternoon I decided to tell the hubster, he came into our apartment and said, “I think we should move.” Magic.

So, it should come as no surprise that we were both itching to go for a drive in the country this past weekend, to do a little something different, decide to eat at one restaurant, hear about another equally enticing one and (without mentioning a word so as not to disappoint the other) want to eat at said establishment rather than the first, only to discover that the first restaurant was closed for a private party, and we both got what we wanted again (insert giggles and smiles here). Life really is grand, especially when you are on the same wavelength.

McMinnville, our delightful destination, is a neat town or maybe city? It has a population of 32,762 (I am trusting the sign and my memory of it are both correct), with some great architecture and restaurants. Being in Oregon wine country, there are lots and lots of places in town to sample the delicious fruits of their labor. As serendipity would have it, we just so happened to be there on the monthly art walk and wine tasting, buying a bottle of Coelho Pinot Noir and some blackberry honey, too.

A clever and beautiful arrangement of flowers.

I think he liked it.

La Rambla – Tapas for dinner.

Our beautiful dining partner.

I prefer his company.

Time to go!

A Chinese-Irish Kind of Day

January 12, 2010 in Drinking, Eating, Exploring, Gardening + Nature by Colleen | 3 comments

The Portland Chinese Classical Garden, in celebration of ten years in the heart of the city and the changing of its name to Lan Su (Garden of Awakening Orchids), offered free admission for ten days, starting after the new year. The hubster and I took advantage, as we hadn’t visited the garden since it’s inaugural season. It was as beautiful and tranquil as I remembered, and quite thankfully, they limited the number of people in at a time, so it did didn’t feel at all crowded, save in the line out front.

The flow of water creates the unique shape of a Lake Tai Rock.

The dragonfish swallows all evil influences and protects the building from fire.

I have always admired paths like these, so beautiful and precisely laid. And, just in case you were wondering, no one stepped on my blue suede shoes.

Bamboo is a friend of winter, bending in storms, but not breaking – a reminder of perseverance.

The Chinese believe that a view within a view creates the illusion of infinite space.

The Yin reflection of the sky is mirrored on the Yang of the earth below.

I have always loved this sign, but it would not be our final stop for lunch.

Being who we are, we decided an Irish meal at Kells was on order. Fish and chips (the BEST), soup, and salad.

And, of course, a little Guinness, too, with hard cider to make a Snakebite. A fine winter day.

Hey brother. Happy Birthday!

Tags: Portland, Restaurants

You Can’t Have One Without the Other

December 5, 2009 in Celebrating, Cooking + Baking, Drinking, Eating by Colleen | 5 comments

My friend Carolyn and I hosted a party and gift exchange for a group of our best girlfriends. I came away with an adorable flower brooch – just my style. It was a fun evening of chatter, drinking (delicious cranberry punch), and, of course, eating. I contributed artichoke dip (Bridget’s favorite!), cranberry pecan cookies with a white chocolate glaze, and the best mint filled sandwich cookies I’ve ever tasted. EVER. This is saying a lot. I am very particular people!

This mess is totally worth it!

Mint Sandwich Cookies

– adapted from Martha Stewart Holiday Baking 2002

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

10 tablespoons butter

1 large egg

Peppermint Cream Filling

1 1/2 candy canes (six inch size)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

For the cookies

Preheat oven to 375. Grease two baking sheets, set aside.

Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add egg – beat to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until dough is well combined.

Divide dough in two, so it is more manageable. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface, to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a 2″ round cutter and space about 1 1/2 inches apart on the greased baking sheet.

Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are firm, about 10-12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Cool cookies completely.

For the peppermint cream filling

Pulverize the candy cane until it is nearly all powder. I kept it in its wrapper and whacked it with a hammer – satisfying! Cream butter and shortening until well combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar and pulverized peppermint, beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and beat to combine.

Place cream filling in a pastry bag fitted with a coupler or a sandwich bag with the corner cut off, and pipe about 1 tablespoon filling onto the flat side of half the cookies. Place remaining cookies on top, and gently press on each to squeeze the filling to the edges. It’s a good idea to match up cookies with their best mate to avoid having uneven looking cookies. Makes about 30.

Enjoy!

Tags: Cooking and Baking, Recipes

I’ve Got Nothing

August 21, 2009 in Drinking, Exploring, Reading, Shopping, Spotlighting by Colleen | 3 comments

Seriously. I cannot think of a single movie, book, or bit of musical genius to highlight, so, instead, poor grammar, random thoughts, and silliness will rule this post.

Bridget and I went to the Bagdad last night to see what could, quite possibly, be the worst film I’ve ever seen in a theater. I won’t glorify its distasteful and utterly stupid badness by revealing the title, for that would amount to free advertising. Anyway, about one third of the way through, I leaned over and whispered to Bridget, “Do you want to go to Goodwill?” Were it not for the fact that she was midway through a glass of wine, I think we had some serious potential for an early exit. Now I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever actually left a theater before the film was over. I don’t think so; Buddy, have we? However, this does remind me of the time I saw Henry and June at the Mayan (it’s so Aztec like) in Denver. I observed a couple leave early for quite a different reason. If you haven’t already seen it, rent it and you’ll know, too.

After the Bagdad, we went to Powell’s, and I bought books I hope to enjoy. Please think good thoughts because I have had some duds this summer and haven’t finished any of them. Here’s hoping these will satisfy: Bergen Evans’s Dictionary of Quotations, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and Christoper Buckley’s Losing Mum and Pup. If the latter is anything like the raucous and witty good time of Thank You for Smoking (film version – I never read the book), I think I will like it, despite the slightly morbid subject matter. In any case, it will be fascinating to read about what it was like to have William F. Buckley as a father. I remember watching him on television (Firing Line) as a child, rapt. I never understood a word he said (then, not now, I’ve grown up some), but, boy, did I love to listen to the man speak. He certainly had his own way. Here’s a link to a good example – Buckley in His Own Words.

What more can I tell you? A decaf Americano with heaps of half and half at the Fresh Pot after a satisfying book search (in which there was much discussion about who will buy the book with the cool cover AND remember the conversation if a divorce is ever required) and romp on Hawthorne with one of your best friends in the world is a marvelous way to end an evening out. Marvelous, I tell you.

Oh, yes! Thanks for the comments on the new blog header. I thought it was about time I showed our actual red roof, and I liked the light that evening, so there you go. Have a super weekend!