The Tree of Life, Movie. DO NOT GO

I haven't done any movie reviews yet and normally wouldn't but this one, I need to tell you to steer clear of.

The story 'line' is basically memories of a man (Sean Penn) thinking back on his childhood and his father (Brad Pitt).   I'm not sure what the director was going for but it has major religious overtones and actually depicts (or tries to) the beginning of life -- complete with apparent amoebas & dinosaurs; yes dinosaurs.  I should have trusted my instincts and walked out after 20 minutes but I committed to it and it got only a little better.  When I say don't go, don't think this movie will become one that is so bad, it is funny.  I speak the truth.  Don't think this is one of those car crash incidents where you feel you have to look, it is not.  It is just that bad. 

Naked Cycling Video Link -- finally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo0GZF_YwB8

OK, further to my previous 6/18 post, now I've finally uploaded video of the naked cyclists in Portland.  It was quite impressive.  Apparently this is the 3rd year and the largest turnout.  Since it rained all day, it was good that it let up by nightfall.  I can tell you it was visibly cold!!  

Around 10pm we heard police escorts, and then the cycling began and lasted for about 20 minutes.  The riders were primarily naked; most with shoes.  A few had some form of clothing-- either shorts, lingerie, or body paint.  Many, who obviously have a political career in mind for later, wore a disguise or face mask.  Quite clever in this day of internet photos which are FOREVER.

There are a couple of key learnings from this experience:

1)     Don't forget the patch kit.  One poor guy was walking with his bike & flat tire; naked.  Likely not the experience he was hoping for.

2)     Don't fall; it has to hurt.  Yet we saw a heavier guy fall, bad.  He got up, but I got to think there was some road rash in some bad places.

3)     Again, don't fall and don't have let one of your friends fall.  One person had a bad crash; police & EMTs were on the scene.  OK for the hurt person on the gurney, who was now covered up with a blanket.  But it has to feel a bit odd being the friend, with no fellow riders around, only police/EMTs, and handling the situation.....still being naked, of course.

4)     And lastly, be in shape and on time to stay with the pack.  As we walked west on Burnside, there was a group of riders so far behind that there was no police escort and they were basically just in the bike lane, on their own, naked, and riding.   Again, likely not the experience of freedom and revolution they were promised.

all in all, impressive.

Jelly Belly Factory Tour @ Fairlfield, CA, Napa, & drive home

OK, finally got access to a computer since my return.  What a HOT drive back.  It was in the 90's nearly the entire drive from Portland to Vacaville, Where I nearly melted and could go no further.  Since I drove something like 650 miles and couldn't risk the car overheating as it did on the way up; no air conditioning!!! 

Tuesday, went to the Jelly Belly factory tour, which is not worth it.  You basically walk on a cat walk over the factory floor and watch a lot of videos.  However, if you are going to go, go early. I did the 9:40a tour (they open at 9am) and there was a huge line when I finished my tour.

After that, I was off to Napa.  Haven't been up there for over 15 years.  They now charge quite a bit for tasting, but it was good and not crowded.  Bought a few great bottles at Clos du Val as a splurge.  Learned that there are 2 Stag Leap wineries.  Stag Leap is a district for grapes that has been recognized as an appellation so there is no 'ownership' of the name.  So there is a Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (which I mistakenly went to) and a Stag's Leap Winery (which I know and meant to go to).   Kind of tricky.  Also went to Joseph Phelps, which has an amazing deck that overlooks the vineyards.

Had dinner with a friend in SF and then made the long (again HOT) drive back to LA on Wednesday.  I now need to focus on Norway.

Rogue Brewery @ Portland, OR

Went to our final brewery today.   Whole Foods carries this brand and there are some on tap in a few LA bars.  They have a lot of beers.  About 20 different ones and at their 'home place' all 20 are on tap.  Quite impressive.  I liked the Hazelnut Brown.  Several years ago, the brewery started doing gin and now whiskeys.  So full service place.

Naked Cycling..... Awesome!!! & Hopworks

So I did read about this when I got to Portland.  There is a bicycling festival going on and it includes a naked cycling event.  However, I didn't mention it to my husband who has joined me for the weekend.  So when we were out & about at Hopworks (great place) and Roadside Attraction (another great place), he heard about the naked event that was to happen shortly around where we were.

So we went to Burnside Brewing Co on 7th & Burnside and waited (great place).  Someone from Portland had arranged an "offensive T-shirt party" and so many truly offensive shirts were there -- I like Black People; Fuck you, Fuck you, Fuck you;  or a favorite:, Show me where on this doll to touch you.  Either way, the bar was in a mood and then the bikers came.  Apparently, this is the 3rd annual event -- first 2,000 people, second 5,000, and this year???  maybe 5,000 again, although reports are 15,000!!  maybe not.  anyway, lots of naked people:  breasts and cold penises.  Interesting, to say the least.

Gruner @ Portland, OR

Last night, we went to Gruner, a German restaurant near the Pearl District.   Overall, I have to say disappointing.  (Keep in mind, I need to do a better job of taking photos BEFORE I eat the dish. I will become a better foodie, I swear!.  Sorry,  I will give it to Gruner that the dishes did look better than my photos)

We had Swiss Chard & Ricotta Dumplings (which were very dense and had little flavor), Maultaschen (a ravioli with pork, spinach, & beef, and not that special), the Endive salad (the highlight of the evening), and the Pork Sampler (which was good but not very flavorful, it had pork belly, pork tenderloin, & pork sausage, with little sauce or other attributes to add flavor).

I so wanted this place to be good, but it just had not real flavor.  It was either really heavy or just little flavor. 

So all in all, I won't go back.   It isn't worth it.

Portland Japanese Garden

Went to the Japanese & Rose Gardens today.  The roses are close to in bloom but not quite.  Apparently, Portland has had a very long wet spell until the last week or so.  It rained for something like 90 days straight, so the roses didn't bloom in time for the Rose Festival. 

Japanese garden was good, but pricey at $9.50 per adult.  Plus I've never been to a garden where plants were on sale.

Beast @ Portland, OR

Went to Beast tonight and it was fantastic!  Naomi was there and I have a photo to prove it.  Great 6 course meal and great company around the communal table.  Met a writer from Washington DC, we'll see where that leads....

Overall great place.  good pace of dishes and not as filling as you would think.  a well thought out menu.  I am shocked that Naomi was there and that she is often there, despite her recent 'fame'.  it is encouraging to see someone still so involved even while their life is changing.  So this was totally my foodie adventure

Got Duck?

went for a walk along the river today and there were tons of ducks everywhere.  it was like an infestation!

Gresham, OR & Clyde Common

After a perfect latte and a great scone, off to a long bike ride to Gresham.  It was about 16 miles east, one way, and then sadly, the wind was full frontal on the way back.  I actually groaned back and nearly didn't make it.

Seeing a deer, 2 different times, was a highlight.  The first time I couldn't believe it.  The deer just came out from the side of the road.  The second time, I tried to take a pic, but she turned away.  For a long time before, she just stared at me.

Afterwards I stopped for a much needed beer.  Later, dinner at Clyde Common.  Good but very filling.  Maybe the pierogis first were too much for pasta later.

Portland Rose Festival & a compliment

This weekend was the end of Portland's Rose Festival.  Which did not have any roses, at least that I could find.  Someone told me later that normally roses were in bloom by now, although not this year.  But you see them at the garden, not at the fair itself.  It was also Fleet week; so many sailors and many A-16's being taunted. 

I walked the amusement park before they were open and had my heart set on a deep fried snickers but they weren't ready.  So I went to get coffee and didn't realize that by leaving the 'fair grounds' I couldn't come back in w/o paying $5, so no snickers bar for me. 

Then just walked around the area.  Had a beer at Henry's Tavern which has 100+ beers on tap and shockingly had PBR on tap.  While I've had PBR a long time ago, it has been only recently that I see it all over the place.  Whoever is doing the marketing for this now, has done a fantastic job.  Nearly from 0 to 70% coverage within 2 years or less.  Amazing. 

Eugene Breweries

Drove from Redding to Portland today.  The drive directly north of Redding (Mt Shasta area) is very pretty & windy.  There was a whole group of guys on motorcycles at my hotel, now I know why.  There was even a lot of snow on the mountain.  Oregon max speed limit is 65 but not right away at the border; a likely speed trap. 


Checked out the little town of Ashland (cute).  Then onto Eugene and a few microbreweries (pictured). 
Since it was Oregon Univ. graduation, no rooms in Eugene, so finished off the drive to Portland and now here for the week.  Rose Festival ends tomorrow.  Weather so far has been awesome.

Hotel Picnic & Photos from the day

After a ridiculously hot drive, there is nothing like a little hotel picnic with cowgirl creamery cheese & of course, wine!!

Cowgirl Creamery Tour & Pt Reyes Lighthouse

Went to the Cowgirl Creamery cheese tour yesterday.  It was good, but not worth a day off if you are not a fanatic.  There was quite a bit of tasting and then of course, you can buy a bunch of cheese for lunch.   Cowgirl is part of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust and Tomales Bay Foods.  Both were started to join the area together in selling the output of the area -- milk, produce, beef, and by products. 

Before the tour, I drove out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.  It is quite a ways out there and you don't see the lighthouse until you park & walk about half a mile.  It was too windy to tour the lighthouse so I just got a photo.  It was amazing how nice it was 20 miles inland vs. right on the coast where the wind was knocking you off your feet. Extremely pretty drive though, lots of Mooo Cows!

Then a long HOT drive to Redding.  Very boring and to make it especially fun, my car was overheating so I had to crank the heat the entire time & drive with the windows open.  I think I lost several pounds in water weight over the last 2 days.

Getty Center & Adventure

Went to the Getty Center for a good lunch on Tuesday.  The service was horrible, but food was good.  Unfortunately, the museum shop and garden was closed for renovations.  The architecture tour was twice as long as it needed to be.  Great views since it was so clear.

This morning I start my drive to Portland.  Car is packed and I’ve got audibles & books on CD.  I’m seeing an old friend tonight in the Bay Area, so it will be good to catch up.  I’m a bit concerned about driving so much, but I’ll be OK.  Driving can be so boring!

5 Weeks since gainful employment

Yesterday was the end of 5 full weeks since I stopped working.  On average, I have walked, ran, or hiked nearly 40 miles each week!!!  I've got to keep this up.

Wurstkuche, Olvera Street, & Angel City Brewing

Today, we had a packed day.  Went to Wurstkuche for sausages & Belgium beers.  It is near Union Station in Downtown LA (Alameda & Traction) and is a great casual place.  

After that, we finally went to Olvera Street after nearly 20 years in LA.  It is a pedestrian street next to the first church of LA and the plaza commemorating the founding of Los Angeles.  It is basically a street fair across the street from Union Station with various outdoor booths.  The Mexican Wrestling masks were quite the hit.  There was a Quinceanera at the church on the Plaza.   It looked like a wedding at first -- Humvee Limo, girls in 'bridesmaids' dresses, and then finally, the girl herself in a taffeta full purple & green dress.  Apparently, it is tradition in the Mexican culture to 'introduce' your daughter to womanhood with this event.  There are 15 couples as attendants, much like bridesmaids & groomsmen.  I've seen less hoopla for weddings.

Then we went to the Angel City Brewing room.  This used to be in Torrance somewhere, but moved a few months to just south of Union Station.  They took over some old warehouse and it is part art gallery / part beer hall.  It is quite cool.  There are many original pieces surrounding the room; as I have included in this post.

All in all, a great, yet tiring day.

Artists don’t paint anymore?

I just finished an article in the WSJ about how many artists use assistants to complete their paintings & sculptures.  I guess this practice dates back to the days of Michelangelo, but it seems odd to me. 

Several artists interviewed for the story actually admitted that they don’t actually pick up a paint brush anymore.  One person used assistants in India and shipped works of art back & forth from the states with notes and ‘edits’.  And there was one piece of art done entirely by a group of assistants who had worked closely for an artist for years, 3 years after the artist died.  We’re not talking Pottery Barn prices either; these are million dollar pieces.  I just feel like this is somewhat of a fraud.  Isn’t art at that level, self expression?  Via an employee you pay??

Getty Villa Malibu & Gladstones

Today, my mother-in-law & I went to the Getty Villa in Malibu.  I haven’t been there since it was remodeled and it was really amazing.  It was entirely focused on antiquities with several fantastic gardens.  I would recommend the Garden Tour.  It is free, but parking is $15 per car.

Then we had a great lunch at Gladstones which I haven’t been to for over 10 years.  We sat right on the water and enjoyed the sun.  It was a great day.

Disney Concert Hall Tour

Today, my mother-in-law & I went to the guided tour of the Disney Concert Hall downtown.  It was actually quite interesting.  The building is considered one of the world’s best acoustic concert halls.  The building started in 1987, various reasons and a quest to get the acoustics right, led to the building opening in 2003.  It is a very interesting mix of stainless steel and wood, as well as interesting use of curves and lines.  Lots of skylights make the sunlight pattern very pretty on the inside.   

My mother-in-law said that the Ford Family years ago built a new concert hall in Detroit but the acoustics were so terrible, the city ended up renovating the old concert hall and continues to use that.  The Ford concert hall is slated for demolition, so I guess getting the acoustics right really matters.  This Sunday, she & I are going to look into a simulcast for Dudamel’s last concert of the season.

CSA Experiment

Yesterday I picked up my first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shipment at Deep Roots on Sepulveda.  This is a weekly box from a local farmer which cost $21.  Overall, it was a good value, but most of the contents isn't what I typically use.  Therefore, I will likely end up throwing out a large portion of it, making it NOT a good value for me.

The contents were collard greens, swiss chard, 2 types of Kale, a bunch of lettuce, parsley, 4 small beets w/ beet greens, 3 small artichokes,  few small onions, 2 zuchini, 4-5 small carrots, and a bag of dried beans.  There was no fruit and it was mainly green leafy vegetables.  The dried beans didn't make any sense since i suspect they were from last season.  Maybe they felt they had to add it to hit a certain value/variety point.

My mother-in-law was here so it took us about an hour to thoroughly wash everything and pack away.  I'd like to see more traditional vegetables in the box and have them be really ripe/good.  So while I will likely try this again in July just to see if mid-summer dramatically changes what you get; this isn't worth it for me.  My husband hates most of this stuff and I don't think it will stay fresh longer than 10 days.
You can find your own CSA pick up place at localharvest.org