Sunday, March 21, 2010
up roots
I have been forgetting my camera at every corner so here's another thoughtful interpretation of the Farmer's Market at the Portland State University campus that Jena and I took in on opening day on Saturday.
Last week was well spent. On Tuesday, I inadvertently played matchmaker between two of my friends that had not yet met. I won't name names, but I don't think I have stumbled upon two people better suited for one another...well, actually, I take that back...two other people come to mind that knock it out of the park. ; )
On Wednesday, we went to Proper Eats for some vegan fair where I was properly and pleasantly pleased with the meal. Afterward, we went to see Alice in Wonderland and I must admit, I was slightly disappointed. I can only say that it was charming and the visual representation stunning, but other than that, eh. A couple beers to close at another McMeniman's venue whose name is slipping my mind right now.
On Thursday, my pal came over and made some pretty delicious split pea and barley soup. It really shows that vegans can eat well, though I think being a veg is as far as I care to go, at least for a while.
Friday was a day of play in the sunshine with the kids after art club where we drew the stars, those of the nebula that is. They were quite literally bouncing off the walls and after breaking up a few modest fights (you know, throwing markers, grabbing, pushing...the usual) we went outside where my arms grew weary of carrying the tots and rollerblading around the playground. I came home lovingly exhausted and took a long and well deserved bath.
On Saturday, Jena and my friend Leah and I met early in the morning for the opening of Farmer's Market. Portland couldn't have asked for nicer weather and the masses paid tribute. I can't wait to go again with my mom and go for some full on produce shopping. I absolutely love and love some more, farmer's markets. After I came home, I worked for a bit, listening to the heart soothing sounds of Billie Holiday, watched Coco Before Chanel (have I mentioned that I adore French films) and savored the solo time that I have recently reintroduced into my schedule.
S is for Sunday and Sewing. It was nice to make progress on a larger scale sewing piece that will be ultimately functional. All that's left is the handles, final construction and an embellishment and viola: the first tote is complete! On to another little motivational present for a dear friend and then finally one for me: a yoga bag for my mat! In addition to this, I hadn't seen my friend Alexis in a while so we went and shot some free pool at Back Stage and grabbed a few beers. The practice served me well!
All-in-all, I was grateful to let my soul rest for a bit before my mom comes and solo time will be long abandoned for a while. Not that I am complaining.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
carte blanche
Ahhhhhh. That is the only way to describe the last four days. And since I have been allergic to my camera lately, here's a little throw back: circa 1981. A pretty characteristic picture of my mood lately. (My clothes were bomb-ass (my favorite MJism)!! What the hell happened?)
Last week was ridiculous and something I don't think I'll do again anytime soon. I'm not even going to go into it here, but I decided that committing myself to someone/something every single day is exhausting and something I am consciously going to be pulling away from now that I feel like I've finally found a reason to. Got to sample a couple new spots though. Oba had some pretty kick ass crab cakes (going to miss having crabs: ha!...ewww) and Blue Moon. I must admit I just don't dig the McMenamins menu (there are just too many other yummy places to try). Though I will say that it was really nice to be on my side of town for a change.
I took in the "Portland Love" art show at the commerce center with a new pal. It was an open call and non-juried so there was some shitty and some exceptional work to look at, appx 260 pieces. Afterward we went to Hungry Tiger (said new pal is vegan) and then we went to Bonfire for a Guinness. Lovely Thursday. I was so tired that I decided to effectively cancel all of the weekend plans I had committed to and just play it by ear, but as consciously as possible, keep alive, the idea of flying solo. So on Friday, I went and did "Get Artsy with Refugee Kids" again which was fun. I feel like my committment to them and the regularity of my participation is what is going to reach them more than anything, so I am going to do my very best to go as often as I can, while I still can. After that, I came home, watched Food Inc., made dinner and resolved to indefinite vegetarianism. On Saturday, Sara and I went and sampled the city-famous waffles at one of the 2 million food carts they have here, Flavour Spot at Fremont and Mississippi. I had the nutella and peanut butter (duh!) and Ms. Sara had the maple and sausage. They were Y.U.M.!! Though I have to say that my salty little heart was also craving the 10 different options at Mississippi Marketplace that we walked from. In all of my Portlanding, I had totally forgotten about the Mississippi area and what awesome stuff it has to offer. I told Sara that we would have to dedicate at least half of a future Saturday just to sampling the rad stores and a couple of the food carts.
As we were waiting for our freshly made juice from one of said carts, the sun soaking into my pores, I told her that it was the picture of euphoria to me and how I feel this same intensity, even after more than 4 months. I know that it is still so new, but there is just some kind of mojo that Portland has that is hard to describe and even harder to beat. I've never felt a place in this way. I think the closest I can think of is traveling to Venice for the first time in my adulthood. It had a very enchanting quality, though I am certain that would have capsized as quickly as it surfaced. And the thing is, this love affair with Portland came on strong in the winter months. I can only imagine the feelings that will form in the spring/summer, which Portlanders boast about with unsequestered enthusiasm. I am really looking forward to it.
After waffles, we headed to Bishops on our side of town and got our hairs cut. I have to say, I am a bit disappointed with the technique behind my haircut (not a whole lot of precision), BUT, I really enjoyed the experience and my stylist and am so so happy to have a fresh cut. Might still try to find that magical salon and stylist (I tend to befriend the ones I love and don't go anywhere else once I do). And after wandering a bit on 23rd, I came home and had the solo time I have been really needing. I don't even remember what I did, only that I was alone and really really satisfied with this non-plan plan. Today was laundry, cleaning, a stop at New Seasons for a few fresh ingredients for the crepes I intended on making and got some replacement fabric from JoAnn's for a project I am working on. Sara, Jesse and Danny came over and I made four cheese herb crepes (goat cheese, gruyere, parmasean, ricotta) with cherry tomatoes and basil. They kicked ass and got rave reviews all around. I can't not make sweet crepes, so I made my simple signature strawberry/chocolate/walnut crepes with freshly made whipped cream (which turned out a lot better this time and solidifies that I will NEVER buy ready-made whipped cream again!). Another round of great reviews. I LOVE making crepes for people, especially when they enjoy and appreciate them as much as I do making them. So that ends a really nice and quiet weekend which was just what I was needing. This week is starting to fill up, but with meaningful people and events, so no complaints. AND the best news of all, my momma is coming to visit me in 8 days! Let the planning begin!
I took in the "Portland Love" art show at the commerce center with a new pal. It was an open call and non-juried so there was some shitty and some exceptional work to look at, appx 260 pieces. Afterward we went to Hungry Tiger (said new pal is vegan) and then we went to Bonfire for a Guinness. Lovely Thursday. I was so tired that I decided to effectively cancel all of the weekend plans I had committed to and just play it by ear, but as consciously as possible, keep alive, the idea of flying solo. So on Friday, I went and did "Get Artsy with Refugee Kids" again which was fun. I feel like my committment to them and the regularity of my participation is what is going to reach them more than anything, so I am going to do my very best to go as often as I can, while I still can. After that, I came home, watched Food Inc., made dinner and resolved to indefinite vegetarianism. On Saturday, Sara and I went and sampled the city-famous waffles at one of the 2 million food carts they have here, Flavour Spot at Fremont and Mississippi. I had the nutella and peanut butter (duh!) and Ms. Sara had the maple and sausage. They were Y.U.M.!! Though I have to say that my salty little heart was also craving the 10 different options at Mississippi Marketplace that we walked from. In all of my Portlanding, I had totally forgotten about the Mississippi area and what awesome stuff it has to offer. I told Sara that we would have to dedicate at least half of a future Saturday just to sampling the rad stores and a couple of the food carts.
As we were waiting for our freshly made juice from one of said carts, the sun soaking into my pores, I told her that it was the picture of euphoria to me and how I feel this same intensity, even after more than 4 months. I know that it is still so new, but there is just some kind of mojo that Portland has that is hard to describe and even harder to beat. I've never felt a place in this way. I think the closest I can think of is traveling to Venice for the first time in my adulthood. It had a very enchanting quality, though I am certain that would have capsized as quickly as it surfaced. And the thing is, this love affair with Portland came on strong in the winter months. I can only imagine the feelings that will form in the spring/summer, which Portlanders boast about with unsequestered enthusiasm. I am really looking forward to it.
After waffles, we headed to Bishops on our side of town and got our hairs cut. I have to say, I am a bit disappointed with the technique behind my haircut (not a whole lot of precision), BUT, I really enjoyed the experience and my stylist and am so so happy to have a fresh cut. Might still try to find that magical salon and stylist (I tend to befriend the ones I love and don't go anywhere else once I do). And after wandering a bit on 23rd, I came home and had the solo time I have been really needing. I don't even remember what I did, only that I was alone and really really satisfied with this non-plan plan. Today was laundry, cleaning, a stop at New Seasons for a few fresh ingredients for the crepes I intended on making and got some replacement fabric from JoAnn's for a project I am working on. Sara, Jesse and Danny came over and I made four cheese herb crepes (goat cheese, gruyere, parmasean, ricotta) with cherry tomatoes and basil. They kicked ass and got rave reviews all around. I can't not make sweet crepes, so I made my simple signature strawberry/chocolate/walnut crepes with freshly made whipped cream (which turned out a lot better this time and solidifies that I will NEVER buy ready-made whipped cream again!). Another round of great reviews. I LOVE making crepes for people, especially when they enjoy and appreciate them as much as I do making them. So that ends a really nice and quiet weekend which was just what I was needing. This week is starting to fill up, but with meaningful people and events, so no complaints. AND the best news of all, my momma is coming to visit me in 8 days! Let the planning begin!
Monday, March 8, 2010
booked
I used to enjoy down time a lot. I mean, I still do, but it seems that the opportunity to have time to myself has recently become emaciated. What a funny little life I lead. Sitting here, working on microsite stuff at midnight, scratching my mosquito-bitten hands and soaking my itchy feet in a tub of warm water under my desk while I type. I counted about 15 mosquito bites per foot. Battle wounds from Saturday night's shenanigans with a new pal. I have to say that it was a stunner, Saturday that is: breakfast at Detour Cafe with Sara, a walk in the blooming arboretum with P+B on a stunning 67 degree and sunny day, fresh blueberries and chocolate on Mt. Tabor at sunset with said new pal, lovely lemon drop at Avignon, a delightful meal at Nuestra Cocina, an education and tasting of herbs I have never heard of (specifically Stevia) at People's Co-cop, carrot cake to split from New Season's and then finally, hot tea at Palio Dessert and Espresso House with a little pop quiz on Czech and French vocab from language books on the shelf. Phew!
Probably the most rewarding time spent was on Friday and Sunday with the two awesome volunteer events I signed up for. On Friday morning, I met with my friend Maria for coffee/tea, came home to work for a bit and then headed across the bridge to "Get Artsy with Refugee Kids", predominantly Somalian. What a fun event! I got to design and make paper airplanes with kids (most with some form of social issue or another: some extremely introverted and others overtly contentious). After we finished making them, we got to fly them outside, which the kids loved! A little Indian girl barely left my side, insisting that the organizer Mike and I swing her around and this came with little effort as she was so tiny and light as a feather, in both weight and disposition. I am going to try with great effort to make this a weekly fixture in my volunteering while I still can. In the evening, Sara and I took in some Thai and then I made some sweet crepes: what else?
Sunday started with breakfast at Wild Abandon with Maria and Jordan and then I headed downtown to O' Bryant Square Park for Potluck in the Park. About 40 volunteers show up every Sunday to set-up and distribute a hot meal to between 300-500 hungry folks with loads of donated food. As far I learned today, they have not missed a Sunday meal in 19 years! THAT is dedication. So, I enjoyed my time with hands-on work with recycling and garbage duty. It's certainly not the most glamorous job, but someone's gotta do it and next week I know to come even earlier to switch up and do a slightly less smelly job. : ) As soon as I got home, I got back to work on projects that I have on deck and now, here we are: sorta tired.
And there is no repreive this week. I have something scheduled every single night and work allocated all day, every day. Tuesdays have become my only day to do something just for myself which includes yoga, a staple in my weekly planning: so much so that I schedule around it. I am quickly learning that although it is great to keep a full schedule and stay busy, you can't forget the importance of a little solitude from time to time. Maybe next week, I'll try to remember that!
Probably the most rewarding time spent was on Friday and Sunday with the two awesome volunteer events I signed up for. On Friday morning, I met with my friend Maria for coffee/tea, came home to work for a bit and then headed across the bridge to "Get Artsy with Refugee Kids", predominantly Somalian. What a fun event! I got to design and make paper airplanes with kids (most with some form of social issue or another: some extremely introverted and others overtly contentious). After we finished making them, we got to fly them outside, which the kids loved! A little Indian girl barely left my side, insisting that the organizer Mike and I swing her around and this came with little effort as she was so tiny and light as a feather, in both weight and disposition. I am going to try with great effort to make this a weekly fixture in my volunteering while I still can. In the evening, Sara and I took in some Thai and then I made some sweet crepes: what else?
Sunday started with breakfast at Wild Abandon with Maria and Jordan and then I headed downtown to O' Bryant Square Park for Potluck in the Park. About 40 volunteers show up every Sunday to set-up and distribute a hot meal to between 300-500 hungry folks with loads of donated food. As far I learned today, they have not missed a Sunday meal in 19 years! THAT is dedication. So, I enjoyed my time with hands-on work with recycling and garbage duty. It's certainly not the most glamorous job, but someone's gotta do it and next week I know to come even earlier to switch up and do a slightly less smelly job. : ) As soon as I got home, I got back to work on projects that I have on deck and now, here we are: sorta tired.
And there is no repreive this week. I have something scheduled every single night and work allocated all day, every day. Tuesdays have become my only day to do something just for myself which includes yoga, a staple in my weekly planning: so much so that I schedule around it. I am quickly learning that although it is great to keep a full schedule and stay busy, you can't forget the importance of a little solitude from time to time. Maybe next week, I'll try to remember that!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
should i? shouldn't i?
So, it's 11 and I still have blog mock ups to work on. I'm tired. I'm still sick (this f'ing cold needs to vamoos already), but I am so very happy about the results of today. I have been hard pressed to say anything because I am so damned scared to jinx the good juju. I figure that no one reads my blog anyway, or well, a select few, so I guess it's OK to unfurl my results.
I had an informational interview with Ziba (a VERY large design firm in Portland) that also has remote offices in San Diego, Shanghai and Tokyo. They cater to really large clients like Nike, Philips and Microsoft just to name a few. In fact, the Wacom Intuous tablet that is sitting on my desk beside my keyboard is a Ziba design. They're big. I thought too big for me and so I never got the nerve to contact them. Instead, another person I interviewed with in December passed along my resume and acted as a referral for me. Boy am I grateful (I am off to personally deliver a bottle of wine tomorrow and properly express my appreciation to said referrer). Grateful to even have the opportunity to step foot into the ultra modern, creatively charged powerhouse that made me, as my favorite Aussie TV meanie stylist says, gob-smacked. The wierd part is, that once I got upstairs, which sort of feels like you are going to heaven (or what the commercial picture of heaven is anyway) with the floor to ceiling windows, clinically white walls and vast open space, I wasn't nervous at all. I was extremely comfortable. And as soon as I met my interviewer, a lovely senior communications designer, I was totally and utterly at ease. She gave me a tour of their breathtaking and fairly new HDQ. I was thoroughly impressed not just with the space, but with the floating energy within the space. After a really informal and wonderful exchange of information we discussed where I see myself going.
Where am I going? Didn't I just get here? And since they don't have anything open in the design sector anyway and since my work just isn't at the level to compete, the idea about a position that is available in client relations came up. Bingo! Something that I am extremely well suited for and with a design background makes me valuable to both the clients and the design team. My interviewer offered the promise of a good review to the the Recruiting Director and so, we'll see where next steps take me and if there may be room for me in heaven (loaded, right?).
I had an informational interview with Ziba (a VERY large design firm in Portland) that also has remote offices in San Diego, Shanghai and Tokyo. They cater to really large clients like Nike, Philips and Microsoft just to name a few. In fact, the Wacom Intuous tablet that is sitting on my desk beside my keyboard is a Ziba design. They're big. I thought too big for me and so I never got the nerve to contact them. Instead, another person I interviewed with in December passed along my resume and acted as a referral for me. Boy am I grateful (I am off to personally deliver a bottle of wine tomorrow and properly express my appreciation to said referrer). Grateful to even have the opportunity to step foot into the ultra modern, creatively charged powerhouse that made me, as my favorite Aussie TV meanie stylist says, gob-smacked. The wierd part is, that once I got upstairs, which sort of feels like you are going to heaven (or what the commercial picture of heaven is anyway) with the floor to ceiling windows, clinically white walls and vast open space, I wasn't nervous at all. I was extremely comfortable. And as soon as I met my interviewer, a lovely senior communications designer, I was totally and utterly at ease. She gave me a tour of their breathtaking and fairly new HDQ. I was thoroughly impressed not just with the space, but with the floating energy within the space. After a really informal and wonderful exchange of information we discussed where I see myself going.
Where am I going? Didn't I just get here? And since they don't have anything open in the design sector anyway and since my work just isn't at the level to compete, the idea about a position that is available in client relations came up. Bingo! Something that I am extremely well suited for and with a design background makes me valuable to both the clients and the design team. My interviewer offered the promise of a good review to the the Recruiting Director and so, we'll see where next steps take me and if there may be room for me in heaven (loaded, right?).
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