May 2011

2

More Portland Vacation

Posted on Tuesday, May 3, 2011


If you ever visit Portland, Oregon on a Saturday, you must go to Saturday Market!  It is so much fun to wander around the many many tents and look at the art & handmade goods made by local artists.  And if you are into people-watching...Jackpot!!!  Have you seen the Portlandia video "Put a Bird On It"?  About half these vendors are exactly what they are talking about.  I got a handmade journal that I've been looking for forever, and we got some funny t-shirts

My brother Ryan's favorite part of Saturday Market is the elephant ears.  Can you believe Jason has never heard of them!?  So he had his first elephant ear with melty-peanutbuttery-goodness.  From the looks of things I think he enjoyed it!
Next up on our itinerary was OMSI.  I have spent many field trips in that place!  Jason and I went on the submarine tour, then we wandered around with my Grandma & Parents until our feet were about to give out.
From top left; my mom in Egypt, Jason starting the tour, distortion, my dad in front of OMSI, Jason by the submarine.



In the interaction area I was shocked with the biggest shock in my life right in my face!  It felt like a punch!  But look at that static in Jason's hair!








If you want to taste some of the best desserts ever you must visit Papa Haydn's!  Yum!  Another Portland must!




After Easter dinner on Sunday we sadly had to leave on Monday.  Before our teeth-cleaning at my Dad's office, We had one last stroll down the Riverwalk with my Grandma.  We were lucky to have such beautiful and unexpected weather.  We had a fancy picnic of crab salads, leftover ham, pie, and my Grandma's famous potato salad, washed down with coca-cola from the bottle, a great last meal for our Portland trip!

In the we were enjoying our Gustav's fondue, and some last minute magnet-shopping and we almost missed our flight!  Would that have been so bad though?





PS, Ryan and Amy were on the same flight as Fred Armisen, the main actor of Portlandia.  Could there be a more perfect way to end a Portland trip?

1

Our Own Deadliest Catch Adventure

Posted on Monday, May 2, 2011

Last Easter Weekend Jason and I were Lucky enough to go to Portland with my family.  We had so much fun and did so much!  I love visiting Portland, there is so many interesting people and so many interesting things to do.


Our first day there we began our adventure to the Coast to go crabbing.  We drove to the coast on winding, narrow roads, passing tall green forests of pine trees and the scenic views of Oregon farmland. My stomach was churning by the time we reached the small dock.  But while my Grandma and Mom waited patiently for us on the dock we made our way out onto the choppy waters of a windy bay, lined with pine trees and sandy shores dotted with sunbathing seals and sun-bleached driftwood.

My sister in law, Amy, and I were the picture-takers in the bow of the small aluminum boat.  My Dad drove while Jason and my brother Ryan set and pulled up the crab traps.  We caught only one crab.  Crabs have to be of a certain size and you can only keep males.  I almost felt bad because we interrupted him having a nice dinner, he was still chomping on some rotting fish guts.


A couple hours on the water was enough for me, and Jason & Ryan were soaking wet with salt water, they were devoted though and kept crabbing off the dock.  Luckily my Dad saved the day and came prepared with plenty of dry clothes!  Our crab along with a couple others we bought were cooked up and the dock and after some seafood at a oyster factory, we were beck to my Grandma's house.


In my past I have not particularly loved crab, but I was brave and tried some, and it's not that bad! I wasn't as brave as Jason who ate the heart, and some of the rotting fish bait, but I like to pretend that didn't happen.  After helping cracking a couple crab I legs I decided crabs are the spiders of the sea and pretty much creep me out.    (Until I found there are real sea-spiders, eek!)  

We had fun!  I think Jason's jeans still smell fishy, but it was worth it.  More blogging of our Portland adventures to come!