Walking Tour

Yesterday we had another opportunity to walk and learn with the ever fabulous Peter Chausse who leads fascinating walking tours of Portland. I've lived here my whole life but each time we go out with him I see and learn new things. Perhaps the most memorable fact of the day: who knew there were Transformers on the Governor Hotel? If you click on the collage above, it will magically appear larger and you'll have no trouble spotting them.

Heavenly Overload

Last month I wrote about how the weather dashed plans to make a day trip to Tacoma to visit the famous Korean spa. I'm on doctor's orders to sauna regularly (love my doc!) so the change in plans forced me to sweat locally and necessity led me to Loyly, a sweet and simple bit of heaven in SE Portland. I confess to now being utterly and hopelessly hooked on the sauna and curious about how other facilities handle the experience.

We made a second plan to visit Tacoma earlier this month when, wouldn't you know, the freeway was submerged under 10 feet of water. After canceling that expedition I wasn't to keen to plan a third. After snow, ice, and floods, what could be next? An earthquake? Tornado? I considered stocking up on bottled water before making plans yet again.

Saturday was as lovely day as one could dream of in January and my friend arrived early to pick me up. We chatted and laughed for two hours straight before heading off the freeway just south of Tacoma where we entered another world. Suddenly Korean replaced English on all the signs. We located the spa in a most unassuming strip mall next to what I think was a flooring shop.

Upon entrance we were handed towels, a thin cotton robes (think hospital gown) and funky pink striped bonnets (think hair net). The robes weren't required but the bonnets were and they acted as a great equalizer. It's hard to feel squeamish about being nude in front of strangers when everyone, regardless of shape, size, or color, looks like a naked lunch lady. It's kind of hilarious, really.

I have no idea about fancy-schmancy spas but this place was a perfect combination of utility and pleasure. It was easy to spend hours there as the choices were nearly infinite. After a a cleansing shower one enters the hydrotherapy room which has hot tubs ranging in temperature from 90 to 110 degrees and a chilly pool for plunging. There's also a big tub full of mugwort infusion--people would wander over and pour dippers full over their bodies at varying intervals. I have no idea what the stuff is for, but I did lots of dipping and pouring for the fun of it. After relaxing in the hot pools, I made numerous visits to the dry sauna and steam room, both of which were lovely.

There's a tiny restaurant--more of an indoor lunch cart, really. I'm sure they do a booming business because one thing I have learned is that sauna makes me ravenous. We had yakisoba noodles accompanied by tiny dishes of condiments and the meal really hit the spot.

After lunch we explored the dry side of the spa. I was delighted to find that the marble floors were heated, just like at my grandmother's house. There were women sprawled all over, reading and napping on the warm floors. There are three "earth energy" rooms as well, with heated floors and various stones and charcoal on the walls. Again, no idea what this was all about, but it was all reputed to be beneficial and it was certainly relaxing.

We originally planned this trip the week of my huge dental appointment when I had all my mercury amalgam fillings removed and I'd thought I would try out a detox body wrap. A month later I'm not sure how much benefit there might be, but I went ahead with it. Maybe I should have given it more thought. I was covered in goop, wrapped like a burrito, and left to stew for an hour or so with Billie Holiday singing in the background. Kind of weird and kind of claustrophobic but I really tried not to dwell on that seeing as I was straitjacketed alone in a room and if I wigged out, who'd know?

I confess I was relived when that part ended and I could get back to what I loved: soaking and sweating. Eventually, though, I reached a point when I knew I was done. I never felt cleaner in my life. Or hungrier. We found a nice Indian restaurant, had a lovely meal, and drove home completely and utterly relaxed.

I am somewhat surprised to discover how much I like this kind of experience. I don't think of myself as a "spa" kind of person. But the health benefits of sweating in sauna and steam are undeniable and I love how clean I feel afterward. But there's also something incredibly valuable about taking the time to step away from the daily responsibilities and let all that go. I worried a lot about being naked in front of strangers before I started this and it's funny how that just doesn't bother me anymore. Everyone has body issues of one sort or another but I'm finding that shedding those along with my clothes is incredibly healthy and invigorating.

Sunny Day

Hi everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it? We've been getting back into gear here at Casa Magpie after a lengthy, snowbound winter break.

We'll remember the snow (and hope for more, ideally on a school day) but lately it's like early spring here in Portland. We always have a week or two like this and the garden centers love them because everyone gets all excited and goes out to buy plant starts which mostly rot in the ground once winter returns. Fake spring usually comes in February, so this is a bit odd, especially coming on the heels of ice, snow, huge rains, and floods reminiscent of Genesis.

It's almost warm and the sun is brilliant in the low-in-the-sky wintry way. We joined friends on an outing yesterday which I know we'll mostly remember for getting just a bit lost and the slog through cold, muddy, calf-deep water which finally got us back to our starting point. The kids thought it was great fun!

But in and around the adventure, there was a lot to look at, too.

Winter is Here!

The long-predicted Great Winter Storm finally arrived and we awoke to maybe an inch of snow on the ground. Not enough to make even a puny little snowman, much to the dismay of my disappointed daughter. But it is cold.

We went round and round about whether or not to go out. I'd been looking forward to the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale for weeks and was not about to let a little chill slow me down so we suited up--most of us, anyway. The Dark Lord declared us nuts and settled down with a good book while the rest of us trudged off through the snowy streets to the nearby light rail station.

It was a good day to not be driving and we hopped off at our destination in no time. Crafty Wonderland is a monthly gathering of artisans that relocated to the huge and impersonal convention center for their big December sale. There is so much to see, so much beauty, and so much inspiration for anyone who likes to make things. Luckily they set up a hands-on craft table for those who can't wait to get home

I found myself wishing for a much heftier income than our perfectly comfortable family has. So many lovely, lovely things. We picked up a couple of small treats but I was mostly there to feast my eyes and fill my head with ideas as I love nothing more than to see what other people are making.
Our perfectly timed trip into the city was balanced by a less than ideal trip home which involved malfunctioning trains and a great deal of waiting, most of which was, mercifully, not outdoors. Given that we were packed like sardines into train cars that mostly didn't move for nearly 2 hours, I felt people showed remarkably good humor. The local news even popped in at one point to film our remarkable good humor. I called home ahead of time and had The Dark Lord heat up the very tasty cider which I am now drinking (with a slug of dark rum for good measure) and as the wind howls and blows the powdery snow around outside I must say it is indeed good to be home.

I'm so enjoying your comments on yesterday's post. Keep it up! The great Magpie Ima biennial birthday drawing will take place tomorrow night so make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win some genuine handmade crafty goodness.

Not a Rant

My writing this week has been rather kvetchy, hasn't it?

So now it's just a public service announcement for fiber people:

Just in case this wasn't already on your radar, The Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival takes place this weekend at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds. It's a huge gathering of fiber artists, vendors, and furry animals that's become an autumn tradition in our family. I have a small sum of money set aside to purchase a few goodies from one of the many small producers who wil be there but I may end up completely overwhelmed though in a very good way.

Almost Summer

MonkeyBoy and I had rather a hard time dragging ourselves to shul yesterday and sitting through the service given that it was a summery-warm and brilliantly sunny morning. (Beth, I'm keeping my promise!) Those two hours felt like a gentle torture but once liberated we raced home to enjoy the sun briefly before returning to the synagogue for The Princess' Shabbat School class. We got the boys to come along and while she was learning about Passover, The Spouse and I took the boys to a new nearby park.

Tanner Springs Park is a mini-wetland in the middle of an urban neighborhood of new construction and new money. The whole area was once a swampy wetland and this little plot of under an acre is all that remains. It's a bit unsettling, really. There was a surprising amount of birdsong and not a songbird to be seen so I couldn't help but wonder if I was hearing virtual birds. One bird was for real, though-- a huge osprey alternately perched on the roofs of swanky condos and swooped down to look for fish in the dinky little stream. It was truly awesome to see the magnificent bird up close but also a bit sad given its slim chances at finding a meal.

We wandered about in a bit of a sun-induced daze but throughly enjoyed the warm afternoon. There was some great art installed in the park which made interesting photography subjects.

Our lovely afternoon was topped off by a stop for ice cream after picking up The Princess. I'd been curious about Cool Moon Ice Cream ever since last summer's skywriting episode. They have a great selection and everyone enjoyed their choices but I was particularly taken with their "kulfi", a pistachio and cardamom ice cream that lacks the texture of its Indian namesake, but has all the rich, exotic flavor. A perfect dinner for an almost summer evening.

Defying the Rain

We've had a few glorious autumn days lately with golden sunlight and deep saturated colors:

I 'd hoped maybe we'd still be lucky today for our homeschool group's scheduled walking tour. Sadly, Portland's famous rain was dripping from a leaden sky all morning. Nonetheless we bundled up and headed out. Our tour guide was full of fascinating information which helped me to better appreciate the city in which I've spent my entire life. We touched on art, history, architecture, and more. The kids were all very good natured with only adults complaining about the rain. The time flew and eventually the sun even peeped out. Given the weather I easily could have stayed home and listened to the kids squabble today, but I'm glad we ventured out with our friends for a day of tromping about in the rain. It was eye-opening in many ways.

Consolation Prizes

I lost one of my dearest friends last week and I hear another friend will be packing up to leave soon. I don't handle changes well, especially when loss is involved, so I've been rather sulky of late.

But.....and thank goodness for the but......there are consolation prizes and I want to recognize them:

It turns out that my impulse-purchased second hand bike was rather a score and is worth a bit more than I paid. This fact is neither here nor there as have every intention of holding on to it because every time I ride the bike I love it more, but it does make me feel rather clever.

Yesterday's ride was to the Montavilla Farmers Market where I had one of the most memorable peaches of my life, an Elegant Lady grown by the Baird family of Dayton. This really was a fantastic peach, and I enjoyed it sitting with The Dark Lord, juice running down our chins. He's a teen, he simply had to act blase, but even he admitted it was delicious. The peaches were that much tastier for our having biked a few miles to buy them. We ended up taking a big bag home and making a pie.

My boys are being unusually sweet and agreeable. Dare I even say...helpful? It's quite wonderful.

Yes, I've lost a good friend, but I am re-discovering others and that's a wonderful thing.

A long lost member of our knitting circle is closing down her yarn store and giving everything away. Everything. I did my part in helping her liquidate and I have yarn for years and years of projects. I have long dreamed of making my first sweater for myself out of this in plum and I am now the owner of 18 balls!

We headed to the beach over the weekend expecting the usual cool weather and overcast skies typical of the Oregon Coast. Instead, we had brilliant sunshine, warm breezes, and hundreds upon hundreds of pelicans. It was a perfect day of kites and sandcastles, shells and tidepools. No one argued and no one snarked until dinner (which really was truly snarkworthy--why bother starting up a restaurant of you're just going to serve nasty food but I digress...) . We'd planned a beach trip the weekend before but it was rather abruptly canceled due to fraternal squabbling so this peaceful, sunny day was a rare pleasure.

I tell you, when you're flying a kite, everything looks good!

When I'm Right......

My husband is a very good person. He is a wonderful husband and father, which is not news to anyone who knows him. But he's also committed to the rest of his family. When word came down that his grandmother was about to celebrate her 94th birthday and neither his father nor his brother could attend the festivities, my dear husband made plans to travel to Oklahoma City for 4 days. I think the weather alone at the end of July would probably kill me, but he's clearly stronger than I am.

We dropped him off at the airport yesterday and then couldn't resist a peek at our fair city's celebrated newcomer nearby. You'd think we were hosting the Olympics or something. We went, we bought a few things to make our home more streamlined and Swedish (as if!) and it was a scene but now we can say we've been. Those folks do have a way with color and I fell in love with some of the fabrics by the yard, so I may well make the trek again one day. What I cannot understand is why, when one covers the entire the entire 280,000sf store and finally makes it through checkout and to the exit, there is no conveniently placed coffee cart outside the door. I think I would have willingly paid $10 for an iced Americano at that point to prop me up for the long journey back to our car. The boys were calling it "the IKEA death march".

All I could think of at that point was water and shade. We had an errand to run downtown and I decided to take the kids to one of my favorite childhood spots. The Lovejoy Fountain is tucked away in a part of Portland where the former shtetl was flattened by 1960's urban renewal. It was a spot I loved as a kid--there's water, of course, but it's also a space where one can scale heights, rest near a tranquil pool, get splashed by rushing water, and (not to be missed) float one's Crocs from top to bottom. The boys kvetched on the way there of course, assuming that the fountain would be dull. Our brief stopped turned out to last much of the afternoon. All the kids got soaked, the pigeons got a lot of mediocre Swedish oat crisps, and everyone was happy (except The Spouse who was stuck all afternoon in the Salt Lake City airport, poor fellow). I love it when my hunches are correct!
We picked up some Indian takeout and came home to fill out the meal with homemade naan, pakoras, mango lassi, and carrot halvah and spent the evening watching Lagaan, the best 4 hour anti-imperialist Bollywood cricket film you could ever hope to see!

A Walk in the Woods

Sometime last year we purchased a great book called Portland Hill Walks written by a Laura Foster who is not MY Laura Foster, artist and dear friend, but a completely different Laura Foster who has put together a wonderful guidebook with a series of fascinating and sometimes challenging expeditions. The Spouse took two of the three kids on this particular recommended walk last summer and MonkeyBoy wanted to go again. This time The Princess had to walk on her own as she has finally and completely outgrown and sort of carrying device, but she was a trooper and manged the whole nearly 3 miles on her own. We started in a charming neighborhood in NW Portland that I'd never in all my years here had occasion to visit: lovely little secluded streets and lanes, gorgeous homes, fabulous gardens. All picture perfect and charming, but I do confess to musing on the well maintained and clearly little used tiny streets when across town there are blocks and blocks of gravel and potholes east of 82nd avenue where I'm sure attention from The City would be appreciated. Maybe these folks pay for their own street maintenance? Anyway, our stroll through the neighborhood was delightful if a bit like Disneyland in its perfection.

Eventually we came to Macleay Park and spent a long time wandering through the forest in a leisurely manner. It was a perfect early summer day and we enjoyed exploring, from the remains of an old stone cabin to Balch Creek. The trails got a bit crowded with high powered runners decked out in fancy gear, but it was still possible for our family to poke along and take in the sights. I saw my first red breasted sapsucker in many years and there were all kinds of lovely things to photograph:


At one point a very jovial man came along and offered to take a family snapshot. Since I am always the one behind the camera, I happily took him up on it despite The Dark Lord's apparent fear that the fellow was going to run off with my new camera. He didn't, of course, and took a fine photo as well: