CELEBRATING ZOEY !!!

Today I'm on my way to California to attend a very important event in Reno.  Precious Zoey will be one year old tomorrow (April 1st) and we'll be attending a party in Reno.

I'm really looking forward to this joyous occasion!

I have a free day tomorrow so I'll have time to visit Lodi to see my cousins and Aunt Viola.

Roger Hatefi is 80 Today ....................

80 years ago, Iraj Hatefi was his parent's first born son.  He is a gentle, kind, loving, talented and funny man. 

Roger, you have truly enriched my life and I'm looking forward to the years ahead of us.

Happy Birthday, Dear one.......................

Museums & Memory in Israel & the US

Today I attended class at Portland State University that examines the formation of national memory and its role in shaping national identity in Israel and the United States.  The focus is on museums so we will be visiting local Jewish, Native American, Japanese and African American museums.  Besides me, there are only four young ladies in the class and we already have had a chance to discuss issues and get acquainted.  I've ordered the text books and I'm really looking forward to learning a subject that I currently know little of.

I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to continue learning .....................

Happy Birthday, Michael Friedli

 Hey, Mike.  Today is your special day.  I remember our joy when you were born 52 years ago.  Now you're a man who is gentle, kind, and.............. good to your mother (smile).  I love you with all my heart.

BRODER NORD, Portland Swedish Restaurant

What do Allison and I love?  To eat out at interesting restaurants, of course.............

Today we tried Broder Nord, a unique Swedish restaurant.  From our condos, it's easy to get to because the Orange Line MAX picks us up here at the Lincoln station and drops us off right across the street from the restaurant.

The dish at the left is the apple fritters with apple sausage and baked eggs and on the right, is Lefse, potato crepes filled with smoked trout,cream sauce and baked eggs.

This place is great - we're already talking about our next trip.

Nowruz - The Persian New Year

The celebration of Nowruz (the beginning of Spring) is an important event in the Persian culture.  Last night we were the guests of Mike and Mina Garakani at a party that featured at least a dozen Persian dishes.  It was a great evening and we toasted the new year at 9:30 p.m. 

One important tradition is display of a "haft seen" table that includes seven symbolic items all starting with an "s" sound.  They include:

Sabzeh (sprouted wheat grass): For rebirth and renewal

•  Samanu (sweet pudding): For affluence and fertility

•  Senjed (sweet, dried lotus tree fruit): For love  

•  Serkeh (vinegar): For patience and wisdom gained through aging

•  Sir (garlic): For medicine and maintaining good health

•  Sib (apples): For health and beauty

•  Sumac (crushed spice made from reddish berries): For recalling the sunrise

 

Additional items on the table include:

•  Mirror: To reflect on the past year

•  Live goldfish in a bowl: To represent new life

•  Orange in a bowl of water: To symbolize the Earth

•  Decorated eggs: For fertility

•  Coins: For future prosperity

•  Books of classical poetry and/or the Koran: For spirituality

 

As the eldest in the Hatefi family, Roger has been receiving phone calls all morning from all over the U.S. and Europe to wish us a happy new year.  SO, we wish all of you reading this 

Nowruz Moobarak !  May every day of the new year glow with new cheer and happiness for you and your family.

 

Salishan - - - Again.............

 The Oregon Coast is just 90 minutes from Portland so we enjoy frequent trips to enjoy the scenery and the relaxation.  Salishan is so eclectic that each room has a different feel and a different view.  Yesterday we enjoyed a bay view and it was warm enough to spend some time on the balcony.  Today our drive took us up the coast all the way to Seaside so we've had our ocean "fix" for a short while.  Our next trip will be to celebrate Roger's 80th birthday with his son and wife, Brian and Carolyn and his daughter, Helia.  He has to wait until April 9th because on his actual birthday (March 31st), I'll be on a plane, flying to attend my great-granddaughter's first birthday (April 1st) and also to commemorate my son Mike's birthday on March 30th.

Roger's Newest Painting

Roger just finished this painting so I wanted to share it with everyone.  It's painted with acrylic inks on matte board,
20 by 30 inches.

It's Spring Break so we're taking a couple of days off and driving to the coast this morning.  It should be a lovely drive because the rain is finally ending and we have three days of sunshine coming up. 

Besaw's in Portland - Then and NOW............

I just enjoyed the best huevos rancheros EVER........  Besaw's started out early in the 1900s and originally was housed in a turn of the century building with lots of wood and interesting vintage decor.  The place was busy ALL the time, but generally it was worth the wait (unless it was two hours or more).

Now it's changed.  Due to some politics regarding the restaurant's building owner, this icon in Portland was forced to leave the building and relocate.  The best comparison that I can make is that originally it was like visiting a country cousin who lived a very simple life but ate, incredibly well.  Now, it's more like the cousin won the lottery and established an edgy upscale environment - still as busy, but now in an ultra modern setting. 

The only seat available at 10 a.m. was in the bar or at a seat at the bar so this was my view from my table.  My waitress appeared to be inexperienced but the manager quickly noticed that I didn't have water or coffee and she stepped in immediately to make things right.  Once she intervened, service was GREAT.

I am looking forward to my next visit and there's no doubt that my order will be the same.  Oh, wait.............. they have a bacon wrapped meatloaf, on a homemade biscuit covered with sausage gravy and served with a roasted poblano.  Maybe that will be my next order..........................

PSU Party Time............

Last night Roger and I hosted dinner for three of Roger's classmates and their spouses.  Roger, Hannah, Stephanie and Corinne have been working as a team in their class so it was really nice to get better acquainted with them on a personal level.  All three are seniors so they're looking forward to graduation in June, along with Roger.

Roger promised them a Persian dinner which means he did ALL of the cooking.  All I had to do was fix dessert so I felt like a guest, as well, at least until it was time to do the dishes............

We started out on the back balcony where Roger made chicken kabob appetizers.  Then he served fava bean and dill saffron rice, beef shank and Shiraz salad.  In the first photo, Stephanie is on the front left and Corinne is sitting next to her

With Roger is Hannah.  We knew the evening was a success when they didn't leave until almost 11 p.m.

Lunch with the girls................

Today, Allison, Gina, Rae and I were luncheon guests of Ann Olsen to see her redecorated condo and also to try the pinot noir that she bottled in 2013.  I had the honor of designing the label for her wine and we discovered that it is FABULOUS !  It's light, smooth, and has great nose and taste so it was definitely a success.  The good news is that we each received a bottle as we left for home but I'm saving it for guests so that I can brag that I'm friends with the winemaker !

The condo is gorgeous (of course, it was beautiful before) and it's warm and inviting.  She matched the new carpet to her recently acquired kitty who, unfortunately, likes to scratch and bite when she's petted so when she jumped up on my lap I made a point to just ignore her.  She's really sweet so it was hard for me to refrain from petting her.

Lunch was quiche with a salad that contained everything imaginable, followed by a pear, dessert with bleu cheese so we all left with happy tummies.  A great way to enjoy a rainy Saturday afternoon!

Zell's - the perfect Portland breakfast place............

Zell's is one of our favorite places for breakfast and lunch so today, Allison and I took advantage of the sunshine and went for a late breakfast.  Allison tried the apple German pancake and bacon and I had my favorite Huevos Rancheros. 

Zell's is the kind of cafe that many would describe as a "Hole in a wall" but the food is fantastic, the service is attentive and it's a really comfortable, laid back place to enjoy food and conversation.  We're already looking forward to a return visit...............

Pieropan Winery Dinner at Mucca Osteria........

Last night, Ann and I enjoyed a fabulous evening.  Dario Pieropan is the winemaker at Society Agricola Pieropan and he and his family own a winery in Soave, Italy.  He presented three wines; one for each course that started with a King salmon appetizer, followed by fresh made tagliatelle with rabbit and porcini mushrooms, then pork shoulder with braised cabbage, onions and orange brandy mustard sauce.  The evening ended with a plate of three small desserts.  The Pieropan winery grows their grapes in the town of Soave and the wines were exceptional.  While they are all white, they had the characteristics of a full bodied red and we loved them all.  No driving for us - we called Uber so we were able to get home safely...........

Oregon Symphony COTTON CLUB

Spring has "sprung" here in Portland with bulb flowers and trees breaking out with blooms.  It's sort of like, we just all woke up - After a rainy winter we're ready to get outdoors and enjoy the spring season...............................

Winter term ends next week so Roger is busy preparing for his "finals" but we're still managing to have a little fun, mixed in.  Sunday afternoon we headed downtown to enjoy a symphony pops "Cotton Club".  Really great jazz with a lot of energy.

Later in the week we'll be preparing a Persian dinner for eight of his classmates.  Roger has become very popular at the university and he has made some special friends.  Considering the vast age differences, it's nice to see how excited the young people are to come here for dinner.  I met them at the recent fundraiser and they're all delightful. 

Recently, Roger entered three of his paintings in an art show so we're anxious to hear if any (or all) are accepted.  He'll hear later this afternoon.  Now he's working on two very intricate drawings for one of his classes.

Here are the paintings that he entered for the show: