When you have just one overnight, one day only, you plan the best. You begin with a lovely, slow Sunday just eating, playing games, and exploring together. And that's what Mi'ja, her partner, Pat, Enrique and I did. They organized a really nice day that, in her note to me, "included super vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants, all locally farmed, and famed for deliciousness." Enrique, if he hadn't noticed before, discovered that, just like in Spain, it's all about the food.
The links take you to the actual names and places, that include menus for the below mentioned fabulous eateries.
Most of the following quotes are by Alexander Barrett, This is Portland: The City You've Heard You Should Like "This is Portland is a first-hand look at a city that people can't seem to stop talking about. It's a guidebook of sorts, but not to restaurants and sightseeing. Instead, Alexander Barrett is your friendly guide to the quirky characters and atmosphere of Portland, Oregon and how fun, beautiful, and ridiculous it can be. With its approachable, often hilarious tone, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about bikes, beards, beers, rain, and everything else important about the city you've heard you should like." - Amazon Review
Harlow's was awesome for lunch. Enrique and I were lucky since we had happened in just few days earlier when we stopped with my dear friend Wendy for a coffee and hot chocolate.
12-5ish - Explore Hawthorne District! Lots of thrift stores, coffee shops, book stores, very "Portland" vibes. Good thing for the GPS most of our visit. It wasn't necessary once we got to Hawthorne Street, though. No matter where we looked there was something to see. We visited the vintage shops a bit and had fun with the funky, but being old thrifters we weren't having the high prices. What we were having was enjoying the atmosphere, the kind of apparel that earns Portland it's reputation.
Keep Portland Weird - #1Bumper Sticker Locals don't think it's weird or know what it means exactly - the city is too nice. Maybe it's the annual naked bike ride, aging hippies, weird hats, art and punk shows...
Standing in line to have Fight Club signed by author Chuck Palahniuk. After some wait we finally made it into Memento, but there discovered that the signing was only for those who also opted to purchase Bait, his new colouring book for adults. *Emigrantes was a book I gifted Mi'ja, an early birthday present of sorts, the Spanish version of The Arrival, by Shaun Tan:
*In a heartbreaking parting, a man gives his wife and daughter a last kiss and boards a steamship to cross the ocean. He's embarking on the most painful yet important journey of his life- he's leaving home to build a better future for his family. Shaun Tan evokes universal aspects of an immigrant's experience through a singular work of the imagination. He does so using brilliantly clear and mesmerizing images. Because the main character can't communicate in words, the book forgoes them too. But while the reader experiences the main character's isolation, he also shares his ultimate joy. - Goodreads
The kind of place to bring Spanish cards for Chinchón and play them at a donut & coffee shop.
Hawthorne v. Belmont H. by far the hippest street in the SE and home of every bad P. stereotype: Lazy 20 somethings, crazy homeless, the dirtiest hippies, the loudest petitioners, buskers every 10 ft., fashionable parents w/widest strollers available in the US, ALL out there! Makes you feel like a raging neo-conservative, "Get a job!, Hey try some birth control!" Belmont on the other hand is the good Portland stereotype: great restaurants, green, cool parents w/normal strollers, ...
At the Cider Ale House Enrique and I had our first "Flight" of drinks.
This year's "Gumbo" focuses on community through history, domestically, nationally, and globally. Tickets are $5 and proceeds go to funding the ARC theatre department! Working with an amazingly talented cast has been a blast and they can't wait to have you see it if you're in the Sacramento area.
Sharing in appreciation of Mark's Open Letter, a personal reflection of the election up to yesterday's
Women's March. Gracias mi'jo for your perspective. An open letter to family, friends and all who are interested in listening:
This election season has been one of the longest in US history, lasting over a year and a half. It shook this country to it's core, polarized millions, and created a nation of political analysts. While many strongly supported one candidate, I found myself feeling like millions of others, lost; do I support a narcissistic billionaire demagogue, or the pinnacle of Washington elitism and corruption? Either way, we found ourselves choosing one of two evils to lead our ever more noticeable oligarchy. In early November I drove to the polling station, voted for the candidate that most represented my beliefs (Hillary), and that night, as it became increasingly more evident that Hillary would loose, I was blown away. In spite of the plethora of professional predictions, swarms of anti-Trump media, and the billions invested in Clinton's campaign, Donald Trump was appointed president-elect. It's no secret that the media and most of Washington supported Hillary, including many republicans. But, millions across the nation decided otherwise, democracy in its purest form. And, while there are some white supremacists, neo-nazis, and other bigoted groups who are thanking their lucky stars, the large majority of Trump supporters were not out to actively dismantle equality across the nation, but to take a stand against false politics and puppet politicians controlled by domestic and foreign billionaires and monopolies. At this time I would like to remind you all that Bernie was leading in polls against Trump in almost every state. The people were ready for a candidate that wasn't a politician. But, on that heartbreaking day when our beloved Bernie was knocked out of the race, some his voters lost hope or joined Hillary, while the rest of those seeking political change turned their gaze to Trump.
With that being said, Trump has been a symbol of racism, bigotry, and overall disregard for groups like the LGBTQIA community, minorities, people of color, women, and many others. His track record is shameful, his comments wounding, and his twitter absolutely unbelievable. While he is not a career politician or a Washington crony, he is a whole different type of evil. To say that protests and demonstrations are unwarranted is naive and ignorant. Yesterday I marched with over 20,000 people in Sacramento, and 2.9 million worldwide (the largest protest in history) to send the incoming administration a message that equality in America is here to stay. Once again, democracy in its purest form. It was a beautiful moment in history, and a wonderful beginning to this presidency.
Now that my lengthy introduction is over, let me address my real point.
When I discovered that pro-life women and men were discouraged and even banned from coming yesterday, I felt that familiar pang of frustration in my heart. The last paragraphs were written to demonstrate the dissatisfaction of Americans across political spectrums. Whether you're a progressive, liberal feminist, or a conservative, right wing fundamentalist, we have ALL been saying ENOUGH. To exclude pro-lifers from the Women's March is to draw lines between allies. If we are marching for women's right to choose, then we must accept those that choose to not support abortion. Moreover, if we continue to demonize those that voted for Trump, not only will we loose the support of millions of people that have demonstrated their want for a fair political system, but also create enemies out of our fellow Americans. We cannot continue to preach love, equality and inclusion while actively shaming, attacking and excluding those who would help us take this country back from the top 1%. We are all America, and we need them as much as they need us. Do not let those in power divide and conquer this movement before it can succeed in bringing change to our domestic and federal political systems. Let's make a conscious effort to not only stop demonizing right wing voters, but to include, integrate, and organize them into the movement we are all rooting for. Do not forget the real enemy. Let's make Bernie proud. #letsmakeamericaloveagain#hugatrumpsupporter
My kids today and the things they wrote about the Women's March, seen all over the world - Barcelona, London, Berlin... There are 16 reasons outlined on the Guiding Vision and Definition of Principles. Maybe you agree with all or with a good portion of them, like me. Imagine refusing black & white thinking. Imagine if you were there; What would what would YOUR sign say? (Paste your poster or write in your slogan in the comments below.)
Rocking our pussy hats at the SLO Women's March thanks to mama Mehl! So encouraging to be surrounded by thousands of strong women and allies! - Sara, San Luis Obispo, California
"Sacramento Women's March! Over 20,000 people marching to tell the new administration that they will not halt our journey towards equality. It was incredible, inspiring, and a little surreal to stand on the steps of the capitol building and take part in history. This is what democracy looks like." Mark, Sacramento, California
"President Trump, you have made a big mistake. By trying to divide us up by race, religion, gender and nationality you have actually brought us closer together. Black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American, gay or straight, male or female, native born or immigrant we will fight bigotry and create a government based on love and compassion, not hatred and divisiveness." - Bernie Sanders
Mark & Dylan, Sacramento, California
Dear Olive,
It's the autumn of your life. So I thought I'd do some remembering out loud.
You came to our family because of my defiant decision to get a dog. In truth, some of my best memories are from moments of the same of dogged determination (pun intended) to do what felt right. I was in a marriage and mentality where I had learned to concede authority and final decisions to my husband and in regards to a dog, the answer was always "no." It was no, for whatever reason, I don't remember why, because we had a huge park of a background and plenty of hands to take care of you.
I remember that it was my birthday and I got up, feeling unusual tingles of excitement race through my body. I wondered if it was the thought of getting a dog, or the idea that I could make a big decision for our family without my husband's consent that thrilled me most. Must have been both. I remember thinking, "to heck with that," the kids and I are in this family, too. We matter; four kids and me, five to one. He had said absolutely "No" to a dog. I knew he'd get really mad, but his controlling anger was nothing new. I would normally have been frightened by the idea, but we were now separated for six months, an anger management agreement arranged by the counselor to "save our marriage." And I needed this. The joy of a dog, to romp, to play with the kids, to hang out with and be part of our family. It had almost become an obsession.
So, I pulled on my jeans, pulled back my hair, long in those days, and daydreamed through a fast breakfast, slipping out of a sleeping house to drive across town, a big city, really, but in CA we say "across town," to the Sacramento animal shelter. I was going to see if God had that "special dog" just for us. In those days I believed that God did all kinds of miracles, if you just opened your eyes and looked around, open to his surprises and blessings. I still believe that, I guess. The kids, partly grown, all wanted a dog in the worst way, I mean, groaning with wishing and squealing with delight kind of way, and I was determined to find the perfect one. Have you ever seen those videos on the media where a parent brings home a dog and the child/children scream and cry with happiness? Like that. So, I went to the Pound, the Sacramento SPCA, on my birthday. I walked the sad concrete aisles of dogs, all who for one reason or another, had become unwanted or discarded. Olive, you and I have something in common, there, but that's a different story, and yours is such a good one. I scanned the cages. There were some dogs eagerly, frenetically jumping up at me, others had retreated to a corner, all the while a deafening barking vibrated up and down past the cages as I walked. I was almost at the end of all the initially seeming endless cages without finding what I was looking for. In the last cell of cages, near the end, there was a pack of dogs all piled on top of one another pawing a look at whomever walked past, at me. I didn't see you at first, because you were so young, still rather small, and all those more aggressive dogs had pushed you underfoot. As I stopped to examine those dogs up on hind legs, tails wagging effusively, I noticed there was a black puppy below them, flattened out. Just then you looked up at me with a soulful, hopeful look. I wasn't sure who you were because you were so surrounded, but I was so surprised to see you there. I called to a keeper to help me get a better look at you. She came and separated you from the rest. You were so timid, so scared, so sweet. Just six months old, a black labrador pup. What could be better?
So, heart soaring, I began the dizzying amount of paperwork, paid for your shots and required neutering, and became informed on your immediate care. You loved being with me, looked so happy, but I couldn't take you home yet, until everything was finished. I hated leaving you, but just a couple of days later, all four kids and I came and got you, everyone wanting to have you sit with him or her, petting you, smothering you in kisses and love. And so, you were officially adopted, had a family and new home. What joy. It's true. God had a gift waiting - it was you.
You were a much better dog than we were dog owners. You had such potential for training, but I was so busy schooling kids, taking care of a family and parents and husband that I didn't take you to obedience class and you just got to be a dog. Still, it was great. You hung out with us, chased squirrels up the trees religiously, had all kinds of adventures* and even learned how to be kind to our/your cat, André, another "in need of family" animal I brought home for Ryan.
*Camping w/REI booties
*Pulling kids to the park and back on roller blades and skateboard
*Escaping the yard and running to the park, only coming back by us getting you in the car. You Loved car rides.
*Barking and "protecting" us
I wasn't with you for your last five years. I wish I had been, but I heard you were happy, loved on, and saw pictures with you as fat as a sausage. Happy rainbow crossing, sweet Olive. You've been so loved and you'll be missed.
"You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly."
You have kids. You think they're wonderful and they are, but every now and then you see something in them that blows you away, is beyond your imagination - a glimpse at a soul entirely its own and free and beautiful. And in a flutter, it's gone.
Ten years ago today Mark, his three older siblings and mom danced their first Irish Feis (dance competition.) After he saw Michael Flatley his enthusiasm led us all to sign up to learn to reel and jig together. To Mark and dancing to this day.
Hace diez años Mark, sus tres hermanos y su madre compitieron en su primer Feis, competición de Danza Irlandesa. Después de que Mark vio Michael Flatley su entusiasmo nos contagió a todos y nos apuntamos a aprender a danzar el carrete y plantilla todos juntos. Para Mark y la danza que no para.
