Restaurants

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Almost

Happy Earth Day to you, gentle reader! I hope you treat her and yourself kindly today. Every day would be great, actually. I took this picture a few days ago, on my first foray into the yard, giving Martha a tour of our beloved patch of earth. I got tuckered out after snapping the photo and came in for a rest. Life post surgery sure makes a body grateful for strength.

The hubster went back to work at the office yesterday, after taking two days off and then working from home the rest of last week. I got spoiled with him here, but we made up for his first day away by meeting him for lunch. That’s his mom next to him (Hi Martha!), but I’ll bet you can see the resemblance. He said to her, “After a while, you get used to all the picture taking.”

Our trio did good work at Grassa. Have you tried it, yet? My stars, if you like kindly servers, pasta, fritto misto, and rockin’ tunes played on a turntable, they have your number and mine! They also have the Yonkers cocktail, which translates to whiskey at lunch. Yeah, I earned it after walking more blocks than a person in my condition really ought. Phew! Live and learn.

And to this morning, more savoring of our garden gifts. I feel like the poppy, almost ready to bloom, to be myself again, and stretch my sturdy yet delicate petals to sun and wind and rain.

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Hi there! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Happy Birthday to my Great Aunt Mary, the kindest woman I ever knew, who would have been 106 today! I am not wearing green, but I do have a bowl of cauliflower soup with roasted jalapeno happily swimming in my belly. Does that count?

And now, a step back in time, to Saturday. We had brunch at Olympic Provisions to fortify us for the walk ahead. This is not your typical brunch, not in the least. Everything impressed. Service with a smile, a wink, a nod, and a laugh. Then there were the consumables. The Edith Piaf cocktail was as tasty as it was beautiful. The badass plate of food is the Braised Short Rib, with laser potatoes and lardons, because that hunk of meat was clearly not enough. The hubster, beyond pleased with his choice, devoured it in no time. I had the biscuits and gravy, and they were the best I’ve ever tasted. Boom! To top it off, the chefs were very kindly to us, engaging in conversation while they worked their tails off to make every last belly full and happy. They even gave us a plate of fresh house smoked trout, just because. Oh my, my…

buttercup winter hazel

blossoming quince

Like all of Laura O. Foster’s walks, we learned a little more history and saw Portland in a new light, despite having walked and driven by these buildings a thousand times. Take Jantzen, for instance, did you know they were originally manufacturers of sweaters and hosiery? When a local rowing team asked them if they could make a lightweight suit for winter, the world of bathing suits was forever changed.

Hi!

This bulldog, originally from a Mack Truck, is now happily ensconced on a Volkswagen. Or maybe not. I don’t suppose anyone can ever truly know the feelings of a hood ornament.

We stopped for a sweet at Alma. The icons are chocolate!

Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery – Funny how the clouds came just in time for the photo…

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3.14

Happy Pi Day, peeps! What’s shakin’? Oh, it’s a hodgepodge today, starting at the front door. If you’ve been here a while, you know that I made this fused glass piece to keep the prying eyes of strangers out of my house. At least through the front door, as I am a blinds open kind of person, so much of our life on the main floor is rather fishbowl-like.

The hubster does not like having his picture taken, but I make up for it with mad kitchen skills, copious cuddles, kisses, and such-like. He is sort of wearing my hat.

Cloud monster belching!

The Oregon Grape is blooming. It smells heavenly!

Thank you for your concern about Paris. She continues to be wobbly. The new state of affairs, I suppose, but is just as sweet, soft, and purr-y as ever. Good girl!

Milo in bright light. He is as cuddly and sweet as ever, too.

I normally find the work of taggers akin to dogs pissing on bushes, but this, I like.

Detail of White Fang, by Hickory Mertsching. Part of a series of paintings currently on display at the Stumptown on Division. Wowie-zowie are they gorgeous!

The magnolias are blooming!

A leisurely lunch at Fressen. Spaetzle with Kraut, a small salad, and almond cake. And the floors! Golly gee are they gorgeous!

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A fond memory of snow: the bright stillness of night, everything aglow.

The best and gentlest man I know with my favorite, and almost nineteen year-old, girl.

At Bob’s Red Mill, the white is a sheet of ice. I bought a cardamom bun, scads of dry beans, and a 25-pound bag of whole wheat flour. I can’t believe how quickly we go through it.

A “Welcome to Kentucky” flight of whiskey and bourbon at Tapalaya. Not a bad start to a lazy afternoon. I love sitting my nose close to the rim and inhaling just as much as I love the flavor on my tongue. Maybe because it reminds me of pipe tobacco and my Grandpa, the tins he stowed around the house, with me lifting the lids just enough to concentrate the scent in my eager nostrils.

The flight was followed by the quite literal blue plate special of crayfish etouffee, black-eyed pea salad, and garlic bread; and an oyster po-boy, sweet potato fries, and red beans. All was fabulous, as always, the biggest surprise being the salad. Unaccustomed to cold black-eyed peas, we were leery, but the flavor won us over right-quick.

My weekly decaf latte. It does a body good.

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Walked to the Tao of Tea for a late lunch yesterday and slowly sipped the afternoon, Frozen Summit and chai. Our wander home found us at the Bagdad with just enough time to see the 3:30 showing of Her. We loved the gorgeousness of it, the architecture and moving spaces, the well captured feeling of falling in love, of being in love, of friendship, of life at its best and brightest. Then a chilly twilight walk, ungloved hands too cold to hold, save at the end, near enough to home that it no longer mattered.

Rest in Peace, Philip Seymour Hoffman. You were one of the best.

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