new orleans

Back to New Orleans, my old home, the last week of March.
Before I post photos (above), I'd like to tell anyone interested
in the amazing history and culture New Orleans to
go out and buy this book:

moustache party.

happy birthday wade!

HOT POT CITY people.

So, I kind of got obsessed with this Hot Pot place
that some friends took me to in LA. (thank you Markus & John Henry)
It was a 45 minute drive and well worth it. We sat around
a large round table with a giant (heated) split pot recessed
in the middle of it. We ordered the broth we wanted...
and then - in go the fresh vegetables: bok choy, spinach,
cabbage, basil, bean sprouts, mushrooms, potato, taro, pumpkin,
cilantro... whoah! But wait, here come the udon noodles and 2 kinds
of tofu! It kept going from there - more meat and seafood
and on and on.... since some of us were mild vegetarians (ahem)
we did a split pot of 1/2 veggie and 1/2 meat.
tons of fresh garlic and ginger and peppers and sauces and viola!
you're eating Hot Pot.

Needless to say, I got back to rinky-dink Portland,
and was determined to find Hot Pot. After a bit of searching,
I found it: HOT POT CITY!
It's a tiny little hole in the wall on 1st ave, and not as many
selections (depending on the day) but it's actually quite good!
Went again today with some friends for the lunch special
which is only $7.95 (vs. the $13 dinner) and it was dee-licious!
I recommend sitting at the bar for your very own pot.
bon appetit!

the "I have no work right now" quilt project.

this is where I should be:

this is what I'm doing instead:

yes.
I'm making a quilt from all of the saved scraps of
hand-bag lining that I've ever made in the last, oh - 5 years!
(Have I really been doing this shit for this long?)
Seriously... I want to go back to school!
Sooo instead of working, I will remind myself of work
(and the buh-gillion bags I've made) by making this quilt!
peace.

sexxxy ladies.

I really need to channel this look
for spring / summer.
is that so wrong?

PUNK RECIPE SWAP!

Check it - some friends started a rad blog called "Punk Recipe Swap"
and I'm a guest blogger on it! I posted a recipe and it looks like this:

mmm.... spinach catalan meet cannellini pasta mash-up.
There are so many dee-licious recipe's on here,
that you must check it out!

punkrecipeswap.blogspot.com

Why don't I go to St. Johns more?

First, you have to take this awesome bridge to get there...
Once you're there: hit a $4 flick at the beautiful St. Johns theater
(not to be confused with the McMennamins theater!)
with a before/after drink at SLIMS across the street.
then walk past a bunch of defunct storefronts and barber shop


and get some healthy homestyle grub at PROPER EATS
which also has this cute little co-op in the front:


why not dessert at this funky gelato place?
(...hopefully it will be open next time -
I really liked the looks of this joint!)


....and don't forget to stop inside Pattie's Homeplate Café
just for the sheer insanity of it all.
(note: be prepared to smell like grease when you leave)

more to come on our next visit!

a haiku to my favorite chocolate: fleur de sel

Dearest Fleur de Sel
sitting pretty in my palm
I shall eat you now

Salty residue
sits on the tip of my lip
a sweet memory

* collage a la "tuesday nite art nite" and old 70's magazines

Oysterville!

Oysterville is truly a time capsule from the 1800's
It's on the Washington Coast on a long strip of land
You can go to the church which was built in 1892
and get a walking map:


A strange and wonderful place.
Just North of Astoria OR
this is the beautiful bridge you take to get there:

le pigeons

I'm not a fan of pigeons at all really
except maybe when they are sitting all together like so.
I had a guy kill a pigeon in my attic once
because it tortured me every morning with gurgling "coos"
and because their poop is super toxic and gross.
bye bye pigeon...

the view from my studio window

Should be working, but I'm fixing pants instead.
As much as I've been into
this foggy weather we've been having,
I could use a few hot weeks in Cuba right now.
Just sayin.

Seattle - stuck in the 90's, but I love it.

W view from Downtown
near the Pike Place Market.
I just love this city.
(and the fog on that particular day)

before I get on with 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - here are my '08 highlights - - - - - - - - january:

ringing in the new year!

february: CA

Aptos / LA trip

march: drive down the coast....

the ReQua Inn and the Giant Redwoods! Our favorite places to go.

Natives fishing on the Klamath

Now... off to San Francisco:

San Francisco
Adobe books in the mission.
they have a great little gallery
in the back and it's right across from
Creativity Explored
2 in 1 pit stop!

april: SK8

when you go to the oaks park skating rink you skate
to a live pipe organ which is suspended above your
head in the middle of the rink.
amazing!

may: my b-day month!

waffle party!
every year I make a bunch of something
(like crepes or waffles)
and everyone brings a topping.
of course bloody mary's are involved.
happy birthday to me!

mexican dee-lights!

june: new family

ridiculously cute new beans in the family!

july: union of friends

seckie's wedding. olympia
some serious dancing and fun!

august: cabbin' it!

ah, sweet home!
(it really is called Sweet Home OR!)
the best place to play cribbage and jump off of cliffs and inner tube
down the santiam river and cook and sleep in front of a fire
and then cook some more and swim and then hike
up to the waterfall and back and then
drink some wine.