Foodie

Have been hanging out with a bunch of foodies and have been indulging in some wonderful cuisine.   I attended a Yelp event at Trader Vic's restaurant in Portland and did a sampling of appetizers which was really, really good. 

Yelp has been having events for its "Elite Yelpers" as a way of promoting business in the area.  I was lucky enough to have a friend who is an elite yelper and got invited as a guest.

Today was another foodie day, and this time it was experiencing Sichuan cuisine with my fellow workers.  The food was plentiful and flavorful and just amazing!

Autumn

Another beautiful fall day in the city of Portland Oregon.  On days like this, it is so easy to forget that we get over 300, give or take a few days, rainy days a year.  But for now it is absolutely gorgeous. 

Celebrations!

 This has been a week of celebrations with friends - birthdays and getting married (bachelorette party). 

As the days get more somber, it is always wonderful to get out and have a few hours of silliness, people watching and a little debauchery with friends. 

The Beauty of Fall

Fall is one of the most beautiful time of the year.  My favorite part is seeing  the leaves changing color.  This tree with its vibrant color is just outside my window.  I absolutely love it!

The Passing...

October started off on a very iSad note.  The passing of one of the most creative person in the design world...Steve Jobs.  Although I don't know Mr Jobs personally, but my home is inundated with products that he had a hand in creating - iPhone, iPad, iPod and MacBook. 

We will never have another Steve Jobs, and I hope that Apple with continue his legacy of minimalist, simplicity and elegance in their future designs.

Rest In Peace, Steve Jobs.  You have put your stamp in this world and you will be revered always.

Summer Offerings!

September marks the end of summer.  And generally this is the time when most of the produce are at its best, especially tomatoes.  As I have mentioned in my previous post, I love summer tomatoes.  After making a small batch of tomato sauce previously, I bought another 20 lbs worth of tomatoes last weekend and made a whole bunch  more tomato sauce with them.  Now, I have ten quart size bags of tomato sauce sitting or laying frozen in my freezer.

I think I am tomatoed out now.  I wonder what I can do the eggplants.  I still haven't figured that out yet.

Busy Weekend

This past weekend had been rather interesting.   Firstly, the weather took a dramatic change.  We had temperature in the 90s for a week and it plunged to the 60s overnight and was overcast.   We had what I would call a "sleepy/sleep-in" weather.  As the weather changes, the hibernation mode kicks in, like the bears getting ready to hunker down for the winter.  In my case, I want to cook or freeze food for the winter.  One of the things that I like most about summer is summer tomatoes.  I went to the farmers market and bought tons of tomatoes to make tomato-basil sauce.  This I would freeze and use them over the winter when tomatoes taste really blah.

The other thing that I did over the weekend was went to the Annual Susan Komen Race for the Cure at the Waterfront Park.  It was a great fundraising event for breast cancer survivors, breast cancer awareness and people that wants to be involved.  These ribbons represent the survivors of breast cancer. 

Oregon Coast

When the weather in the city gets really hot, we tend to head to the coast where the temperature there typically  will be much cooler.   The temperature in Portland last weekend was in the 90s compared to the 60s on the coast.  It was rather cold and foggy on the beach, but it was welcomed!  

Indian Beach - Ecola State Park

Indian Beach

The makings of salt water taffy

Bloody Mary, a house specialty

A New Milestone!

Celebrated a good friend's 50th Birthday at H5O Cafe yesterday. 

Crater Lake National Park

September 4, 2011 - I did a day trip with some friends to Crater Lake National Park.   It was my first time visiting this destination even though I have live in the state for many, many years.   The drive there was rather long, but I am so glad I did it (having great companies also makes the trip pleasant).  It was truly quite an experience and the view was magnificient.  The water is so blue, I mean, sooo blue that it is unbelievable.   We wanted to do a boat ride to the Wizard Island, unfortunately, it was full for the day.  Next time...

Sunday Parkways

I volunteered as a Intersection Superhero at the SE Sunday Parkways yesterday, August 28. 2011.  It was a great experience - enjoyed seeing people and their families riding their bicycles or strolling/walking along a 6 miles loop with no cars along the way.

People came out in costumes and decorated their bicycles and also, there were some very interesting bicycle designs, too.

Gordon House - Silverton, Oregon

The Gordon House is the only house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Oregon. It was originally located south side of the Willamette River in Wilsonville. In 2002, the house was moved to the Oregon Garden where it is currently situated.

Snow Day in Portland Oregon - Jan 2007

Today is the first time this winter we have snow in the city of Portland. The kids are happy - they have another day of no school. The parents are happy, or at least some parents are happy that they have another day to spend with their children and escape the brunt of a work day.

It is a beautiful winter wonderland out there, folks. There's hardly any traffic and families are outside playing in the snow - throwing snowballs, sledding, and some people even ditched their cars and bring out their cross country skis as their means of transportation today.

I love days like this, where everyone is outside and playing and you can hear kids laughing, having fun and screaming with joy. It feels like time stop for a little while and nobody is in a rush to get anywhere. Everyone is just being mellow, hanging out with their families, and enjoying the tranquility of the day! Wow!

Happy New Year!

I know it is a little late, but 2007 has just started.
So a very Happy New Year to everyone. Wish everyone the best of the best in this coming year.
I rang in the new year at a friend's party. There were about 140 people at this party and it was loud and noisy and lots, and lots of fun. Everyone appears to have a great time, or at least I did.

Happy New Year!!

Labor Day Weekend - Black Butte Ranch

Labor day weekend, the weekend before the school year begins, was spent in Black Butte Ranch, eight miles from the town of Sisters in Central Oregon. Black Butte Ranch or BBR is a laid back gated community filled with recreational activities that include tennis, golf, swimming, hiking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding and biking on 18 miles of bike path. BBR is a great place for families to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and just kick back doing fun stuff or nothing at all.

Public ArtWork, Portland Oregon

"The Quest"
A beautifully sculpted fountain by Count Alexander von Svoboda.
It is a prominent piece of artwork in downtown Portland that depicts nude figures intertwined in a "swim"

Summer Offering - Free Urban Concerts

"Music on Main Street" - Portland Center for the Performing Arts
Every Wednesday from 5.00pm to 7.00pm, between Broadway and Park, free music performance in the rotunda lobby of the New Theatre Building. This week, OB Addy and I & I did their magic. Great Reggae performance by OB Addy!

Portland Skyscape

The juxtaposing of the old and the new buildings in downtown Portland.

Art in the Park

- Isolated Molecule for a Good Neighborhood -
One of the three bronze sculptures that make up the "Constellation", which represents the connections between our civic gardens and our gardens and our role as stewards of those relationships

A Day On The Beach - Neskowin, Oregon

Lifeguard Post No. 8

Chairs in a row - waiting for its occupants.