Peet's Coffee and Le Bouchon

Another delightful day in Portland, my morning started with a latte at the Pearl Peet's Coffee Shop with a heart shape made in the foam. Bella and I met a friend, read the Oregonian and enjoyed lively conversation. Since we were talking about France it only seemed proper that we end up at Le Bouchon for lunch. The restaurant isn't impressive from the exterior but it's owned by a couple from France who serve fantastic food at an affordable price.

It has been a busy eBay day so now it's time to think about dinner. Yes, as I told you before, my life seems to revolve around food - but that's a good thing.

Wine Tasting At South Park Cafe Downtown Portland

Tonight was an enjoyable event sponsored by a wine club that I belong to "Portland Uncorked" at www.portlanduncorked.com. Tonight I went to one of their regular wine tastings with my friend Pat and we met some darling people and enjoyed some fantastic wine made by Grochau Cellars. Their winemaker is a very talented man who is definitely an expert at his craft. Since we were at one of our favorite restaurants, South Park, we decided to stay for dinner (fabulous) and we had a lot of laughs. I'll tell you more later about the source of our fun.

Today is my son's birthday - so, Happy Birthday, Mike. You know that I love you!

Saturday Night & Borra Zinfandel

Generally I judge the success of a dinner party by the number of empty bottles and the number of stemmed glassware used so, as the photo demonstrates, we had a really great time last night. I served dinner for six and the guests had not met before so the conversation was interesting and lively. Rain was forecast for today but the sun is shining so brightly into my office that I had to close the blinds for awhile (no complaint). Almost everyone drank white wine so I got lucky and there's some Zinfandel left for me to enjoy today. For my friends and family in California who can buy Borra wines locally, you absolutely must try the Borra Old Vine Zinfandel. It's like velvet and it has a great body.

Portland Albertina Kerr Center

Today I learned to have a new appreciation for the work that charitable organizations do when sending newsletters to their patrons. A group of seven women volunteered their time this morning to assemble, address and seal approximately 3,500 pamphlets. We enjoyed lively conversation and managed to complete the work in only 2 1/2 hours. (That's over 17 hours of work). The Center features a restaurant so we enjoyed a delicious lunch followed by shopping in the Thrift Shop. To learn more about this charity please go to: www.albertinakerr.org

Thursday in Portland

Today was one of those chase around days; first a stop at the symphony office to buy season POPS tickets, then a drive to the Elephant Deli Warehouse where they have an unbelievable sale (yes I took advantage of it and Saturday when I have a small dinner party there will be fabulous new table linens and other little surprises). Then it was time to get my shaggy mop of hair cut and when I walked past Stanfords it just seemed right to stop for a cocktail and something from their happy hour menu ($12 for a Manhattan and dinner is quite a deal!) As I walked to the streetcar I passed a huge bush filled with these little white bell-like flowers that are amazing. I've told most of you about the Portland streetcar line so I finally took a photo. Tomorrow I'll be volunteering at Albertina Kerr Center so I'll take some pictures so you can see what a beautiful facility it is.

Another Quiet Day

My cold has reappeared with a vengeance so I'm staying inside today. I've had it for over two weeks so I'm determined to get rid of it. Even Bella is sneezing so she may have one, too. I call days like today "movie day" so after I finish my work this morning Bella and I are going to sit by the fire and be ultra lazy this afternoon.

Good news! My friend Ed's surgery was successful and he'll be home from the hospital soon.

Carafe French Restaurant in Portland OR

There are no pictures today but in a day or so I will be showing you gorgeous colors from the blooming trees that surround the area that I live in. Today Bella and I met a friend at a French Bistro near the Keller Theater for lunch. Their fish special is delicious (I order it almost every time that I dine there) and it was an enjoyable experience. Spring is definitely here so each day is a new adventure. I'm feeling a bit restless so it may be time to get out there and GO somewhere! (Oh, I better wait until after Spring break).

Monday in Portland & SPODE INDIA TREE

Remember the 1960s song "Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down"? I think it was done by the Carpenters. Well, here in Portland that song might keep you feeling sad the entire winter (smile). But that's not the case with me - rainy days just give me a reason to stay inside and do my favorite things like working on eBay and cooking. Today I am listing some amazing English porcelain that was donated to a local school to raise funds for the students. The school is St. Therese Catholic School and I am donating my time to sell some of the better items. The English porcelain shown here is called India Tree and it's made by Spode. Typically items like this sell to people in U.K. and Australia so it will be interesting to see where these end up. If you're interested in seeing the auctions go to:www.goldturtle.com

A Dear Friend's Surgery

I'm writing tonight to ask for prayers for my very good friend, Ed, shown with his wife of over 50 years, Liz. Tomorrow he is undergoing surgery so we're hoping that it is successful and that he has a fast recovery.

Oregon Symphony POPS

Moving to Portland was the smartest thing that I've done in my life. Words cannot describe the joy of exploration and experiences that are open to its residents. Today I took the streetcar downtown and went to Heathman for lunch (yes, again). I enjoyed the absolutely best bouillabaisse in town and because there was time before the theater started, I decided to top it off with an Irish Coffee (It's still March - right?) I make reservations whenever I go and they know my favorite table (#12) and even though I dine alone, I'm treated like any important guest.

After lunch I walked next door to enjoy the Oregon Symphony Pops presentation "Soul of New Orleans" featuring Byron Stripling on the trumpet. The music featured interpretations from Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and many others. If there was a place to dance I think most of the audience would have been on their feet.

Portland Downtown Saturday Farmer's Market

There are some days that are just OK - then some that are a little better but when you experience a GREAT day, it's a celebration.

When I saw the sun shining this morning I knew it was the start of a good day - especially because it is the first Farmer's Market for the 2009 season downtown on the Park Blocks.

A friend and I took the streetcar to the park and we took a leisurely walk through the market. There weren't very many vegetables but my favorite people with "happy chicken" farm fresh eggs, the lovely young women who sell homemade preserves (I bought marionberry) and the flower vendors made the trip worthwhile. I know this may sound a little silly but I get really excited when I can buy carrots and onions that still have dirt hanging from them. After shopping it just seemed right to walk over to the Heathman for breakfast and then we picked up Bella and took a stroll down to the water front. As I write this the sun is shining and it's balmy out - definitely putting me in the mood for Spring.

Downtown Portland Lion's Club with Norman Leyden

Today several of us were guests at the downtown Portland Lion's Club meeting that featured Norman Leyden, the Oregon Symphony's Laureate Associate Conductor who will perform at the Schnitz on May 26th. At the age of 91 he remains a remarkable entertainer. Today he spent some time talking about the "early days", as well as playing his clarinet. It was wonderful hearing him play "A String of Pearls", one of his signature pieces. Pictured here are Nita, our hostess, me, Merry and Lynne (Bill, our other host is the photographer). Of course we had to stop at the Club bar for a glass of wine before lunch.

I'm not a member of the Lion's Club but Gary and I had an amazing experience in November 2007 when we went with a group of Lion's to Manzanillo Mexico to volunteer working in an eye clinic. It was a two week trip and I don't remember ever working so hard or experiencing such a great reward. Our team provided eyeglasses for over 2,000 people during the trip and each day we were hugged and kissed by the people who were so grateful for the help. Many walked in using a cane (because they couldn't see the ground clearly) and left without the canes. I keep remembering how hot it was and how long the days were but it's still a temptation to go again this year.

Oprah Inspired Me To Clean Out The Cupboards

The Oprah show has been focusing on people "getting their lives back in order" and yesterday they focused on people who, frankly, lived like pigs. I've tended to think that if I can shove something into a cupboard or closet and it doesn't fall back out, it should be OK.

Well, no longer! I spent all morning pulling everything out of my office and kitchen cupboards and reorganizing. I also checked dates to make sure everything was still good before putting them away. What an amazingly great feeling it is! Of course, Andrea Bocelli and Il Divo helped me out. I turned up the volume and just concentrated on the beautiful music.

Now, it's time to take Bella out. We're driving to a new Mexican restaurant on Hawthorne named "La Palapa". They make tortillas there so after lunch I'll also bring some home to make Quesadillas for lunch later in the week (a great way to use leftovers - add a little cheese and grill and they are yummy).

This afternoon I'm setting up my photo studio to take photos of some fabulous sterling that I got in the mail yesterday and either today or in the morning I'll get them on eBay. To see my auctions, go to my web site at: www.goldturtle.com

Art's Garden Center

This morning I attended a seminar given by Garry Liday who works as a "Financial Coach", helping people discover and apply methods about investing and wealth creation (I wish I had met him earlier). The seminar was held at Al's Garden Center in Sherwood so his seminar was followed by a demonstration on how to choose plants and put them into containers. We also learned which plants and flowers grow best in our climate. Of course, after the seminar we had no choice (smile) but to do a little shopping. Fortunately Merry has a van large enough to hold all of our purchases.

We got all the flowers and plants hauled to our condos so tomorrow I'll get busy and plant everything. I still need more but until the weather stabilizes I'm better off waiting. I definitely want to plant herbs but I think that I need to wait until about May.

It was a great way to start the day and this afternoon we're enjoying the sunshine and warm weather.

Happy St Pat's

Happy St Patrick's Day to all my friends and family. Tonight I had five for dinner with an eclectic mix of personalities so we had interesting and lively conversations. I fixed the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage with stuffed baked potatoes, crab and corn chowder and Creme de Menthe parfaits for dessert. Pictured are my friends, Allison, Bill, Nita and Merry.

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Kirk Repousse Sterling

Today is a quiet day with a "mixed bag" of weather - but mostly sprinkles and overcast skies. My cold is still keeping me down but I hope to feel better soon. Bella and I decided to watch a DVD this afternoon.

I received the sterling shipment from Bonham's and Butterfield's so I'm back in business on eBay this week. Today I have placed quite a few more absentee bids for a new auction so I'm hoping that I'll be lucky.

I'm having a St Patrick's Day dinner party Tuesday night so starting tomorrow I need to finish up my grocery shopping, get the condo looking great and start some of the prep work. There will be six for dinner which is about my maximum number now that my sous-chef isn't here any more.

SouthWest Airlines has some great deals so here's a warning to my California friends - I'll be flying into Oakland (for S.F.) on April 17th and going home on the 21st and then flying into Sacramento on May 15th and going home on the 19th. There's never enough time to see everyone but I'll do my best in the time available.

I'm adding a photo of the Repousse pattern so you'll know how beautiful it is.

As promised by the weather forecasters today is glorious with bright sunshine and temps to almost 60 degrees. Normally, this would have been a day for Bella and me to be outside but yesterday I suddenly realized that I was getting a really bad cold. I managed to make a quick Costco trip this morning but, otherwise, I'm going to hunker down with a blanket and Bella and get some rest. Several others here in the Tower have it, too, so I guess we old folks are spreading it around (sigh).

I finally received a shipment of sterling from Bonham's and Butterfields so this weekend I'll be able to get some new items put up for sale. I've been contacted by a local school who received an estate they are trying to sell to raise money for the school so - - it looks like I'll be doing more volunteer work soon (at least the small stuff).

Oasis Learning Center

Today I went back to the Oasis Learning Center to learn more about blogs so now I'm on this web site and Face Book and I'll learn to twitter sometime soon. Now, if only I could convince my friends to join me. Shown in the photo is the instructor and two of the students.

It's a beautiful sunny day in Portland and tomorrow it is supposed to be even nicer so I've promised Bella a long walk (and maybe breakfast at RiverFront). After class today I walked to the Heathman Hotel and had a fabulous lunch. Are you thinking that all I talk about is food? Well, yeahhhhhhhh.

My Granddaughter Ashley Nicole

Today I'm introducing you to a very special young woman, my granddaughter, Ashley. She is a Senior at a Nevada University and she's presently applying for entry into medical school. Meanwhile, she's hoping to find work this summer as an EMT for an ambulance company to get field experience.

This photo was taken of her when she was in her mid-teens and I'll get an updated picture when she comes to visit me sometime soon.

Ashley, you ROCK !

Breakfast at ZELL'S CAFE On Morrison

This has turned out to be an amazing morning. I woke up to see large snowflakes falling and now, as I write this at noon, the sun is shining and the sky is a gorgeous shade of blue.

After taking Bella to the groomer, I drove over to Zell's Cafe for breakfast. They are located at 1300 S.E. Morrison in Portland. While waiting for my breakfast to be cooked, I was served two flaky scones with butter and preserves. Sipping on a latte while reading the paper, eating scones and watching the snow was a delightful experience - plus - the breakfast was fabulous!

Snow in Portland ????

The weather forecast today and tonight is SNOW, but here in the downtown area the sky is blue with some puffy white clouds. I am sharing a new photo taken recently of Bella who is definitely in a mood for Spring because she knows that she'll get more walks and soon be able to have lunch with me at outdoor cafes.

Saturday Night Dinner With A Friend

One of my favorite people living in downtown Portland is my friend, Merry. Tonight she invited me and Bella for dinner (fabulous). I have attached a photo of Merry with her darling dogs; Gabriella and Paddington (otherwise known as Gabby and Paddy). Merry takes care of Bella when I take short vacations so Bella is part of their family, too. Merry is the one who encouraged me to volunteer at the Albertina Kerr Center. She also volunteers her time to several other charitable causes. Her energy is truly an inspiration. You can learn more about the Albertina Kerr Center by going to this web site: http://www.albertinakerr.org/

Bella is banned from Portland Farmer's Market !

Bella is very sad today because she learned that dogs are being banned from the Portland Saturday Farmer's Market.

She sent a letter to the Oregonian newspaper to plead with them to make an exception for little tykes like her.

The Saturday market has been an important social event for both of us so we'll see what happens.

My First Blog

Today I took a class at the Oasis Learning Center in the Macy's Building in downtown Portland so this is my first blog. My goal in establishing a blog is to stay in touch with family and friends and to share some of the interesting activities that Portland has to offer. I live alone with my dog, Bella, so you'll hear a lot about her in future messages.

The picture is of my late husband, Gary, and Bella at the Multnomah Falls.