Tam’s Think Tank

Getting Ice Cream, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

We wandered over to the Mississippi Avenue Street Fair yesterday. Which, actually, wasn’t the main plan, but we ended up there. The actual plan was to meet Mom and Don over at Steph and Phil’s place to take the pressure washer, chainsaw, baby gate, and live animal trap we’d borrowed from them over the course of the last couple of years… or more, back to them. This is what happens when cleaning out the shop and garden shed become a priority. Finding things you forgot you had, and had borrowed. Oops.

We dropped by Steph and Phil’s place, Mom and Don showed up fresh from picking up Brian at the airport, and we all, including the pups, headed down for Mississippi Pizza (Brian had to have a slice immediately after getting into town and before Mom, Don, and he headed out for Davis Lake to do some camping and fishing) after unloading the goods we’d brought. Mississippi Pizza, owned by Phil and Steph, has become a Portland hot spot. Great pizza, excellent funky ambiance, and cool music of one sort or another almost every night. in fact… any musicians out there in the family should consider contacting their booking agent. You don’t get paid, but you do get to charge a cover, and it’s a funky cool place to play. Just saying…

Powell’s, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

The one and only, needs no other introduction… Powell’s City of Books.

Alder Street Food Carts, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Made famous on a season of the Amazing Race, here are the Alder Street Food Carts. You can get almost any kind of food, good to excellent, and cheap.

The link above actually takes you to the Portland Food Carts blog.  Great blog about, well, food carts in Portland.  Yeah, I know I’m a dork.

Getting The Shot, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

After the movie last Thursday, Karen’s birthday night out on the town, we decided to walk back to our car, through the city. It was lovely out, had cooled down a bit, and was perfect weather for walking. We walked, chatted, took photos. Really really nice.

Tram, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Down by the South Waterfront, on our way back to the truck at the end of our ride, we happened to catch the OHSU Tram taking off back up the hill.

Steele, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

The light Friday evening was beautiful. All soft and clear. I love this city.

Bible and Barq’s, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Mysteriously there was a bible with a partially consumed bottle of Barq’s Root Beer sitting on this bench. No one around. Maybe it was an offering… sit, read the good book, quench your thirst. We did neither. We just stopped and took a photo of it. Keep Portland Weird.

Suspension, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

I think this one speaks for itself. I took it during our bike ride Friday night.

Interstate, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

We rode past the Marquam Bridge on our route biking the other night. The blue sky was stunning.

Stay On The Path, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

This was the walkway/bike path up to the bridge level.

Cinco de Mayo In Full Swing, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

The Cinco de Mayo celebration was going full swing on the west side in Waterfront Park, a tad early, but full swing none the less.

Walking The East Side, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Haven’t talked about last weekend, let alone this weekend. Again, though I know I’ve said this before, I’ll say… I’m lame. I have excuses… believe that. I do. We’ve been trying to get things done to get ready to be gone. Shopping, trimming trees, moving wood piles, laundry. Loads of stuff. So, I’m lame, but I’m righteous.

Last weekend… we strolled the East side with Sandy and Vicki. Checking out the City Liquidators rest room, LOL, after we’d met them for breakfast at Biscuits (recommend this place highly and thanks Josh for first mentioning it to us). It’s a local chain of mostly known for their breakfast places. They make a slammin’ almond crusted french toast, though their other fare is equally tasty.

But, I think I’m out of order. It all started, last weekend anyway, with Friday night and our running in to meet Maggie at Lowe’s to help her transport her new barbecue and patio furniture to her place. We moved the stuff, then ate a nice take out Thai dinner from a place called the Thai Spoon on Hawthorne. Nice curry. Yum. Saturday morning Mom and Don stopped by to take a gander at our newly redone back area of our house. We’re proud of it (pictures were already put up here in an earlier post). They hung out for a while until it was time for us to get ready so we could head in to Henry’s Tavern to meet a couple of my high school friends. One I hadn’t seen in many many moons. It was awesome. SIDE NOTE: So great to see you guys. After we get back from our trip I’ll call or e-mail or whatever and we’ll work it out so the two of you can come on up here for an evening/night at the spa (uh, sorry… that’s what some people call our place. Sort of a nickname.). We had a great time with you two. After Henry’s we ventured over to Sweet Masterpiece for some dessert. Nothing like a piece of chocolate with some chili in it. Tasty.

After seeing my two compadres we then headed to Maggie’s for a second dinner. LOL Yes, loads of socializing in one day. So many people to see… whew… tiring, but fun. Maggie made a great dinner on her new barbecue and we enjoyed that and some fine conversation with Maggie, Pat, and Steve. Really nice to see you guys too.

Saturday was a busy, and very full day.

Sunday… which brings me back to where I started this post. We met Sandy and Vicki at Biscuits, then went to the East side to walk along the Eastbank Esplanade. I, as always, took loads of pictures there and will post a few here. This one was taken after we’d found City Liquidators (if you ever need anything… I repeat… anything… go here. It’s sort of cheap and cheesy, but really cool at the same time) for their rest room. This is peaking up between the Morrison Bridge and what lies beneath it and next to it. We walked, we talked, we took pictures. We worked up an appetite. So, naturally, we drove over to the Pearl and the Deschutes Brewery after our walk for a little sustenance. Also really good. Mary and Martin, we will be taking you there when you visit in September. You’ll like it.

We ended the weekend last weekend by collapsing at home. After all… who wouldn’t collapse after a weekend like that. Full of fun, friends, family, food, and frivolity. That was just plain fantastic to type. And with that… I leave this post to post a few more shots taken during our walk last Sunday.

Driftwood, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

On the shores of Sauvie Island.

Seeds Anyone?, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

I just wanted to blog this since I’m finally feeling like it’s spring, and this is a sure sign of it. Ah… spring, I vaguely remember you from last year. Occasional sun… brilliant flowers… occasional sun. I love this time of year.

Taking Off, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Ok… So the theme for the Photo Hunt this week is triangle. I’m struggling with it. The first one I considered was a shot I took recently while out to dinner with friends at a pizza place. Triangles of pizza slices all over the place in that shot. But I wasn’t totally satisfied with it, even though it made me laugh. I’m ending up with this… though it’s not a true triangle in the sense that it’s really more like a cone, but hey… from the side it looks triangle-ish. So… here you have Mt. Hood, at sunset, taken near PDX, with a plane landing. Technically you could say the plane also has a couple of triangles, with blunted edges, if you could the wings and tail wings. I know… I’m stretching it.

Happy hunting everyone and if you’d like to join in all the photo hunt fun, CLICK HERE for details. Then grab that camera of yours and get out there and shoot.

 

Pups as Art, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

We went to the park, Cathedral Park, on Sunday. The pups enjoyed their walk, even though it was a little too hot for their longish hair. This is them, posing… well, sort of posing.  That would be Weston on the left and Riley on the right.  

 

Equipment, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Went fishing today with Stan, Stacia, and Dennis. We caught nothin’. I think these guys aren’t going to take us out anymore. Ah well… I love going anyway. Just being out there, on the river, watching the sun rise, the fog lift, and freezing my ass off as we make the turn and whip back up river… yelling ye haw as we go. It’s a pretty darn good time.  Throw in great company, boat talk (plug cut fish, Stan’s butt holes, questions about last names of famous characters like Alice of Alice in Wonderland, music), AM snacks, and a dash or two of Baileys and I can’t think of many better ways to spend time.

K, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Two of the most important things in my life. My honey, and Riley. I love this photo.

Sip?, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

One of the copper drinking fountains near the market.

Urban, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

We wandered down to Saturday Market today. It just reopened for the season last weekend. We love it there. Great place to spend an afternoon.

The market is going through some changes, moving part of itself to a different locale (across Naito Parkway and into part of Waterfront Park) which will be pretty cool actually. This is a building that’s been sort of in the middle of the market for years. It’s getting an overhaul. Wonder what will be in it and if they will keep the cool elephant painting on the side.

The Bench, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

When I see empty benches, no matter where they are, a part of me always wonders who has been there before me? Since this bench was installed… what’s it’s history? We passed this same bench, on a previous walk in Cathedral Park, and a woman was sitting on it, holding her two small dogs. She and the dogs looked tired. Another time it held an older couple. Several times, several different people or combinations of people and their dogs or kids or other peeps, have occupied it as we passed. If it could tell it’s tale I bet it would be pretty darn interesting.  Man… am I waxing philosophical or what?

 

2, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

I wonder what’s behind door number 2? Monte Hall… do you know? What if, some day, we just wandered up to it and knocked. Who do you suppose would answer? Strange scientists doing secret experiments? A rock band renting the space getting ready for it’s next international tour? A guy making donuts? Elvis?

Hawthorne, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

This week’s hunt is all about bridges. I have taken, recently, to walking along the Eastbank Esplanade, downtown Portland, Oregon. It’s a great place to take the dogs for a walk. One of Portland’s nicknames is bridgetown. 10 bridges cross the Willamette and Columbia Rivers within city limits. Pretty impressive. The Hawthorne, pictured here, is one of my favorites.

I haven’t been in the hunt for awhile now. Too busy with life stuff I guess to be at the computer much more than to just load photos onto flickr, blog a word or two, and then get up to do other things. In the interim I’ve been through the holidays, had three feet of snow at the house, had no power during those times on three separate occasions… the last time it took the power guys 5 days to fix it and that was because they couldn’t get up the road until the snow plows made it out here. I live in the woods, it took them awhile, but actually it was faster than I thought it might be. I’ve also finished work on the rental project we were up to. It’s our second. It was a bear. Much more work than expected. Means that since October I’ve basically had two jobs. My day job, and then the night and weekend job of painting and mudding and taping and hammering and the like. It’s over now. Woo Hoo! And it’s rented. Now, thanks goodness, it’s sort of life returning to normal… LOL Whatever that is.

If you’d like to join in all the fun by posting the weekly photo for the hunt, CLICK HERE for all the details.

 

Shadows and Light, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

I love this photo. I like the whole look of it, but it’s also got my three favorite things in it… Karen, Weston, and Riley. You have to look a little to see them, but they’re all there. This is probably my most favorite photo out of all the photos I’ve ever taken… ever.