Portland's Newest Restaurant - MKT

Until a couple of months ago, whenever Bella and I needed a walk and a delicious lunch we would walk through the park to Carafe on Market St.  They closed in June and yesterday a new restaurant named "MKT" opened in the same building.  They did an extensive remodel and the owners are new so now we'll have to see how things progress.  Ann, Bella and I walked over at noon to check it out and we had an outdoor table in the shade.

Ann had a frisee salad with smoked salmon, bacon and a poached egg and I ordered mussels.  There was a small dish with a red sauce so I asked the waiter what it was and discovered that it was clarified butter with some chili sauce............ OMG..............  Without the butter it was a healthy lunch and we both had a great time.  The menu is still in transition but what they offered today was very nicely presented and extremely tasty.

Persian Picnic at Oaks Park

Roger made his delicious Persian potato salad yesterday afternoon and today we headed for Oaks Park to join a Persian club for a potluck picnic.  Oaks Park is a wonderful place for group or private picnics with beautiful facilities for any size group.  In addition, they have a kiddy carnival suitable for children from four to their mid-teens with a small ferris wheel and a little roller coaster plus lots of arcade games.  The place was packed today but we had a reserved place right by the river with tables and even electricity.  Food was fabulous - everything Persian, of course, and everything delicious.  One of the park's features is a cute little train that goes around the edge of the park.  It came by our picnic area every 20 minutes and it was always packed with people - very young to very old.............................

We invited Mina and Mike to join us and we had a great afternoon.  We had a chance to play backgammon, play cards, listen to music, make new friends and just enjoy the warm sunshine.

Finally................

We're always later for farm grown produce than warmer areas but today we finally found heirloom tomatoes and corn on the cob at the Farmer's Market.  Only one small problem - check out the prices..............  Corn on the cob was two for a dollar.  In California right now, I'm guessing that it's more like five for a dollar.  It's OK, we'll just eat smaller portions and enjoy every bite.

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

Ah, yes - the lazy days of summer that Nat King Cole sang about.....

Many of you reading this blog are enjoying quiet moments outside on your patio or deck, basking in the beauty of summertime, sipping a cool drink and sitting in the shade of beautiful trees.  Here at Lincoln 101, this is what I'm seeing from my terrace today.

Quite different from last year at this same time.

Multnomah County Library - Downtown Portland

First, a confession - after living in Portland for five years, I never visited the huge library in downtown until today.  Why?  Well, my excuse was that I was buying used books from estate sales, consignment shops and, of course, Powells.  

Roger has to research and write several essays for his art history class and the books available at PCC were substandard so today I decided to help by going to the library.  After getting my library card (it took about 5 minutes of time) I headed to the third floor where I found a huge room filled with thousands of books on art history with an assistant who helps with the research.  My goal was to find two examples of the Iconography of Christ; one from the early Christian era and the other from the Byzantine world.  I discovered that I was allowed to check out a maximum of 150 books on any given day.  Obviously, I decided that I needed to limit myself to what I could carry so I ended up with four.

Most impressive is the building which is magnificent - gigantic marble stairways with beautiful banisters - huge, organized rooms set up by subject and a computer check out system that is amazing.  They have a machine that scans your library card and then "reads" the books that you've chosen, prints a receipt and you are out the door.  The best thing is that the streetcar drops me off in front of the library and the one that goes back home is only a short block away.

So, now................ I have another place on my list of "places to visit and things to do".

Sand in the City at Pioneer Square

This weekend, Portland is hosting artisans who sculpture sand into unique shapes.  They started on Friday, but today a few are still working on them.  After picking up Bella at the groomer we took the MAX to the square to take a look.  They had live music and big tents where children could play, as well as play in wet sand to make their own "castles".

Today was close to 80 degrees so I stayed long enough to take some photos and then we headed to Brasserie Montmartre for lunch.  Yes, another hard day in Portland...............

Urban Fauna & Gaufre Gourmet

Bella had a "beauty" appointment this morning at Urban Fauna which is located on the streetcar line in downtown Portland.  Katie is Bella's groomer and she does a great job.  The best thing is that Bella loves going there.  

While Bella was getting her "do", I walked over to the food carts and found "The Gaufre Gourmet" that specializes in Belgium style waffles.  The owner uses a yeast based dough and she kneads large sugar crystals into the dough.  When they bake part of the sugar melts but some stays crunchy so when you bite into the waffle, you'll get a sweet crunchy bite now and then.  The bacon maple one was very tempting but I decided to order the traditional waffle topped with sugared fresh berries.  There's a park across the street from the carts so I enjoyed a leisurely morning treat.

It was just a short walk to Penzey's Spices and then to Powell's Book Store. 

Lasik Eye Surgery - Congratulations, MIKE !!

Mike spent several months getting tested and preparing for having lasik eye surgery which was performed successfully yesterday.  The bandages are off and he can see without eye glasses 20/20.

It has been about 11 years since I had the same surgery from the same doctor and it truly was one of the most important events of my life.  I'm very pleased for you, Mike........................

International Day in Portland

The morning started with a visit to Eidelweiss, a German deli, where anything and everything from Germany is available plus homemade sausages, brots, lunch meat and more.

Then it was time for lunch so I stopped off at Le Bouchon, my favorite French restaurant in Portland, for Beef Bourguignon.

Cargo, an international bazaar is close (near Flanders and 13th Ave.) so I did some window shopping.  I've driven by many times but I have never spent any time browsing so today it was fun to take a leisurely stroll through the aisles filled with some amazing merchandise.  I saw things from Israel, Lebanon, India, Indonesia, and of course, China, however the items from China were actual Chinese items such as embroidered slippers, scarfs, silk and other Asian products.  The photo of the outside came out too dark but if you look closely you'll see that the building is decorated with paper pom poms, lanterns, flags and a variety of gaudy decorations.  It's definitely a fun place to shop for unusual items, including colorful painted furniture.

Last Day Of School.............

Leaving class today was a happy/sad event - happy because I was fortunate to have the opportunity to get involved in a fascinating study of ancient art history and sad because today is the last day of class (for me).  The accredited students have an intense final test tomorrow and they have to turn in a ten page thesis with their research of the studies.  The difficult aspect of this study is learning the names of the kings and goddesses such as Ashurbanipal, Geshtinanna, Ashurmaspirpal II, Amenhotep III and dozens of others plus they need to know the century and dynasty and be able to describe the piece of art that they are shown.  

Being a senior auditor is a wonderful opportunity and I am very fortunate to live so close to the university. The studies have opened up a new window of opportunity to continue studying ancient art the remainder of the summer using the Internet.  George Armantrout, the professor, is teaching a Greek Art History class for the fall term so I'm looking forward to continuing my art history studies.

Portland At Its Best..............

7 p.m. - 79 degrees - windows open for fresh air -  sunshine............... beautiful.

One of the best decisions of my life was choosing this beautiful state and city for my retirement.  Every day brings new experiences and joy.

Only two more days of class at PSU - then I'll have to find some mischief for the rest of the summer.  This week we're studying Egyptian art which has always been my favorite subject.  When Roger and I go to the King Tut exhibit in Seattle in September, we'll both have knowledge to enjoy and appreciate the artifacts that we're so lucky to be able to see.

Lair Hill Bistro and Other Stuff...............

Only four more classes until the Ancient Art History class ends next Wednesday.  We're studying the Assyrian Period now and the rest of the term we'll be studying Egyptian art.  This class has been a rewarding experience and I'm sorry to see it end.

Tonight Roger has a night class so Bella and I took a walk to the Lair Hill neighborhood.  Instead of turning left to go down to the river, we turn right, cross the I-5 freeway ramp and walk about five blocks.  The Lair Hill Bistro and market has been a popular neighborhood cafe for many years and they are known for really good breakfasts.  The temperature is in the low 80s so sitting at a sidewalk table in the shade with a draft beer and a charcuterie plate was a perfect way to enjoy the evening.  I'm currently reading "The Secrets of Mary Bowser", a historical novel about a black slave who was given freedom and an education and became a spy for the Union army so I took the book with me for a leisurely supper.

The neighborhood is at least 90% Victorian.  Most of the houses appear to be restored and many are painted in beautiful authentic Victorian color combinations  It's a very enjoyable walk so it's another thing on my list of "things to do again".

River Place Boutique Hotel and Three Degrees

Tonight was "girl's night" so after Roger left for school, Bella and I got gussied up and walked down to the river to have a "happy hour" at Three Degrees.  This is the restaurant at the River Place Hotel and the location is great with a beautiful view of the river and nearby bridges.  Dogs are allowed outside on the deck so we found a corner table where Bella enjoyed her dish with ice water and I had an IPA and a BLT.  It's about 80 degrees now so sitting in the shade by the water was a wonderful experience.  Bella and I got a good walk so now it's time for me to watch cooking shows and time for Bella to lay on the tile floor and cool off.

Condolences....

Today, I'm thinking of Pam and her loss of a brother.  Losing a loved one is hard - even though you'll hear words of sympathy and consolation, only time can heal the hurt and loss.  So, my wishes to you, Pam, is that happy memories will comfort you.

If It's Saturday - It's Farmer's Market Day !

For those who love to cook and love to eat seasonal fresh produce, the market now has a wonderful selection.  Ann and I walked over this morning without our carts so we wouldn't be tempted to buy too much.  Berries, cherries and farm fresh eggs were the most important things on our lists.  The produce shown here is all miniature in size.  


Roger has another busy weekend working on his art class homework so I've been reading a new Isabel Allende novel, "Island Beneath the Sea".  It was especially interesting to me because the island of Saint Domingue (now known as Haiti) experienced a revolution during the same time as the French Revolution when the slaves revolted and tried to gain their freedom.  The story is about a slave girl, Zarite and how her life intertwined with her white master and his family.  All of her books are excellent so I highly recommend any / all of them.

Portland's First Thursday Art Walk

On the first Thursday of each month, several areas in Portland close down some streets and invite artists to display their crafts and art.  The galleries in the area all stay open until 9 p.m.  We chose to go to the Pearl District where three blocks were lined with artists on both sides of the street.  There was a variety of art for sale; clothing, photographs, wood items, paintings and more.

Shiraz is close by so we stopped by for dinner.

Afterwards, we got a map of the galleries and we enjoyed seeing a variety of beautiful (and very expensive) art.  The abstract oil on canvas shown here has a $20,000 price tag.  

Some artists start with a photograph that they tweak on Photo Shop, then print on canvas using a giant color printer.  We talked to one artists who specializes in this type of art and it was interesting to see how creative artistic skills and computer knowledge can come together to create something unique.  His web site is www.thomashookerphotography.com

We found it interesting that, out of hundreds of people at the galleries. we were by far the oldest.  Most people were between the ages of 20 and 40.  The galleries feature special shows for First Thursday so it's like a giant block party.  We spent most of our time on 9th Ave. between Couch and Hoyt and we had a great evening.  The beautiful weather made it even more enjoyable.

July 4th

A perfect day with neighbors and friends at a barbecue and potluck and fireworks with a front row seat on our balcony.  Now we're looking forward to a week of sunshine and warm temperatures.  The Blues Festival is going on down at the river so I've promised Bella a walk to enjoy the music.

A Day To Celebrate

 Ashley, my only grandchild, was born on the 4th of July and it was the most exciting day of my life.

We were at the hospital only a short time when the doctors decided to operate because of birth complications so we were there to hear the good news that she was born healthy.

Once we knew that she and her mom were OK we hurried back to Lodi to attend a party with friends where we bragged until everyone was sick of listening to us!  We wore our pink "It's a girl" buttons for at least a week.

It was truly the best 4th of July, ever............

Now I remember so many precious things about her life and it's a joy to celebrate her birthday, even though we live far apart.

Have a beautiful day, dear Ashley.  Grammie and Roger send our love to you !

Early Dynastic I - II - III

This week we have been studying the Early Dynastic period from 3,000 to about 2,330 BCE.  We're in Mesopotamia during this period and art has advanced to include beautifully etched cylinder seals, figures and written clay tablets.  We're been learning about the archaeological sites located in the Mid Eastern countries dating to that time with an emphasis on Urak, located in Iraq, and known as the most sophisticated place in the world at that time.  Every class is exciting and I'm definitely learning to appreciate the antiquities that I encounter when I visit museums.

Now, we're relaxing and looking forward to the holiday tomorrow.  No classes for either of us but, as usual, Roger has homework.  My advantage as a senior auditor at PSU is that I don't have to take tests but, sometimes I do the homework because it's an opportunity to learn even more.  Now I'm looking ahead to another visit to the Musee du Louvre because now I'll really appreciate what I'm seeing.