Under a Red Roof

The Gift of Friends

March 21, 2011 in Celebrating, Drinking, Eating, Friendship by Colleen | 1 comment

Happy Monday, gentle readers. It is gloriously grey here in Stumptown, and I’ve no complaints. Well, not any serious ones, anyway.

Here’s hoping you had a lovely weekend. Mine began in earnest on Thursday, with my friend and maker of the exquisite little beaded angel pictured above, Bebe. We met way back in college, and hadn’t seen each other in thirteen years. She called out of the blue, on the road in my neck of the woods, and we spent two fun filled days thrifting and eating around Portland (Broder and City State Diner – yum). It was a hoot and a holler to be sure.

Then Saturday was blessedly sunny enough to be in the car with the windows rolled down, doing all kinds of running around to purchase an odd assortment of items: delicious strawberry rhubarb jam (from my friend’s brother’s company), bread, my favorite Italian nougat, safety vests (for bicycling), metal straps and braces (for earthquake “proofing”), and something else that evades my memory at the moment.

We also spent a lovely evening with the jam maker’s sister, Lori (but sadly not her husband, as he was quite under the weather). She made the sweet (in scent and looks) sachet above from a thrifted quilt. Our chosen hangout was Circa 33, a newer place on Belmont with good service, delicious fare, and super drinks. Steamed mussels, a pulled pork sandwich, and a cocktail called La Louisiane (whiskey and absinthe make great partners) were the tops.

The highlight of the weekend (more like my life), was the company and conversation of truly wonderful friends and one sibling (Hey brother!). I am beyond blessed in this department, with so many kind hearted people near and far, giving of their time and hearts, cheering me up, willing to listen, share, and withstand my occasional and excited but no less annoying interruptions (noticing the problem is the first step to mending it). Thanks to you all.

Have a wonderful week!

Tags: Portland, Restaurants

Currently Ebbing

March 15, 2011 in Being, Cooking + Baking, Eating by Colleen | 3 comments

I am doing my best to embrace an ebb period, gaining strength as I swim circles in the vortex of life. Writing, for me, right now, is pretty difficult. Keeping a single train of thought is also difficult, and, quite frankly, tiring. I feel as though my brain is chasing some bit of ephemera. Every time I feel I have it, it slips from my grasp. There are, however, moments of illumination, which I hold gratefully in a tight metaphorical embrace. Like that last post, it came pouring out while I was making the soufflé pictured above (which was delicious), two minutes on a blue legal pad, boom. I’ve got it! This post, well, I’ve been at the keyboard for about an hour, scratching my head, and it still feels a bit off. Definitely ebbing. Hoping the best for you.

p.s. Thanks Katie, for asking. I appreciate it!

Portland City Walks: No. 4

February 23, 2011 in Eating, Exploring by Colleen | 2 comments

It’s funny how a three-day weekend throws me off of my blogging game. Not that I am complaining (no way!), just observing, for it was a long and lovely weekend, to be sure. The highlight was this walk and learning ever more about this city I love so much. I also spent a fruitful afternoon in the garden, tidying and readying for the spring to come. Though not today, our forecasters say we are getting snow this evening, a rather BIG to do in these parts, possibly six inches on-the-valley-floor. We’ll see. Just in case, I’ve got the crock pot going with vegetarian chili goodness and a box of my favorite Jiffy cornbread (the cheapest and best) for dinner. Sturdy food for sturdy times. What a mantra!

Anyhoo, to the walk. This is Irvington, probably the most posh neighborhood on Portland’s east side, with Eastmoreland a very close second (sadly, it doesn’t have a walk – how about it Laura O. Foster?). It is beautiful, with quite a few stunning and truly grand homes, some mansions even, the majority built before WWII, and still looking rather divine. These two are among the oldest, dating to the early 1890s. Can you imagine being the one to paint them? Oy, that’s a lot of detail. By the way, the last two photos are not actually in Irvington, just in case archaeologists find this blog and decide to start walking. Pause Kitchen is one of our favorite eateries, a place we always manage to visit after long walks or drives, with ravenous bellies speaking well before we do. It’s well worth a hop, skip, and a jump across town. The very last speaks for itself, perhaps, as the hubster needed some bike accessories for the commute, which is going well, by the way.

Not so random thoughts:

Kinetic

A tree named after me…

Proof!

Eucalyptus

Fancy

Making Friends

Spring Pink

Well Trained

Going Vertical

Nap Interrupted

Maker’s Mark

Wait Here

Sky Blue

Getting Spiritual

Pause Kitchen

Gear Up

Happy Wednesday!

Tags: Portland, Restaurants

Write it Down.

February 16, 2011 in Being, Eating by Colleen | 4 comments

Howdy pardners –

I hope the day is treating you well. I am bust-a-gut full of lunch from Dick’s Kitchen on Belmont – dang, do I ever love this place. I enjoyed (in the company of a very good friend) an Elvis Burger (topped with pimento cheese – genius!) and Yam “Not Fries.” Seriously good. I filled it to the brim (my belly, that is) with a Stumptown Americano and really couldn’t be happier, despite having to change into sweats upon my return home. It’s better than walking around with my pants unbuttoned. I may not be a rocket scientist, but I do have my head screwed on straight.

Anyhoo, I’ve got some unrelated exciting news. I powered through my yoga challenge and am still going strong! Today marks day 23 of a daily yoga practice, with no end in sight. I didn’t even bail with the ugly funk that occupied my sinus cavities and gave me the fevers, though I had to scale back. You know you are sick when downward facing dog feels like climbing a mountain. Oy vay! A recommendation, however, if you are in the throes of this bit of nastiness: Vashistasana is an excellent posture for relieving sinus pressure. I have no scientific proof, but if my ears could speak, they’d surely rave about the positive after effects. Indeed.

In other yoga news, and straight off the Colleen Sohn life list, I will be meeting my yoga inspiration, Shiva Rea! How about them apples? I am nervous and excited and jazzed, jazzed, jazzed. The finest reason I’ve seen for writing a dream down. It comes true! It’s almost spooky. What wish do you have that’s itching to be put on paper (literal or digital)? Get thee to a pad and pen, my friends!

Thanks for reading the ramble. I’m off like a light – time to make dinner, a decidedly vegetarian, and coincidentally, very yoga friendly meal, chana masala and a curried coleslaw. Yum!

*Zoiks – sometimes I let the details slip. I’ll be taking a workshop with Shiva this April, up Seattle way, all the more reason to practice every day. A road trip, too!

Tags: Portland, Restaurants, Yoga

Plate Licking Good

December 1, 2010 in Cooking + Baking, Eating by Colleen | 2 comments

Hi there –

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Our was quite lovely, and, as per our usual, a bit unique. When I asked the hubster what he wanted to eat, he was rather loud (though not at all overbearing) in his enthusiasm for green chile. “A New Mexican Feast!” he said. Since I have very little power to refuse him (he’s so cute!) and the idea was a good one, I was in. Slow simmered green chile, perfect pinto beans, homemade tortillas, and, as pictured above, cinnamon-vanilla flan. Or, as our friend Jeff once called it, phlegm (it was not one of his kinder moments). Everything was delicious, especially the flan. That’s a ringing endorsement from our furry friend Milo, at least. Yes, I know he is on the table, licking our plates. It’s our house damn it, and we make the rules. Or should I say that the cats do? Maybe sometimes.

Anyhoo, lest you think I am totally against Thanksgiving fare, I am dry brining a chicken as I type, and will be serving it for dinner tonight, along with with stuffing, mushroom gravy, baked potatoes, and cranberry sauce. As they say about our fine home, “Oregon – things are different here.” Indeed, they are.