January 25, 2015. My regular Sunday afternoon visit with my son and hsi family took place today at OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. It is close enough that I was able to walk there, taking aobut 30 minutes, and on the way I noticed some eating places I had not been aware of previosuly.
I met my son and his five-year-old daughter there, and we spent the afternoon enjoying the many exhibits the palce has to offer. It is extremely kid-friendly, and my granddaughter spent hours enjoying the varous play areas for kids; the place seemed to be a combination of kids' museum and science museum.
Outside the building I noticed a new bridge over the Willamette River, and I realized that this bridge was not yet in operation, but was being built to carry the new orange light rail line, which will begin operation on Sept. 12th as the fifth light rail line in the awesome Tri-Met public transportation system which Portlanders are so rightfully proud of. (A newspaper article reported that it will open on time, and that preparations are actually running ahead of schedule.) There is an orange line station at my usual bus stop just two blocks from my apartment, so this will be an exciting development for me personally, as I love riding the train.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Brooklyn Philly's
December 27, 2014. A delightful aspect of Portland is the plethora of food carts. Many of thse are concentrated in the douwntown area, but others are scattered around throughotu the city.
In my neighborhood, Brooklyn, there is one food cart, called Brooklyn Philly's. I had stopped in a week or two before this date, and got an awesome philly cheesesteak. It was a bit pricey at $9.50, but sufficed for two meals, and I love supporting local entrepreneurs.
So, I stopped in again on this date. The owner/operator greeted me like an old friend, and kept up a steady stream of chatter. Turns out he is originally from Palermo, Sicily, and he remarked that he had been back there recently and it had seemed dirtier to him than he rememberd it.
As far as why he is located where he is, he said he lives in an apartment in the house next door. It sounded like he had retired there, but then decided to open this foor cart in order to pass it on to his son.
The postscript to this is that the son lacks his father's gregariousness, and the place is now closed. I suspect that the son simply decided that the long hours and confined existence of operating the food cart was not the life he wanted for himself.
In my neighborhood, Brooklyn, there is one food cart, called Brooklyn Philly's. I had stopped in a week or two before this date, and got an awesome philly cheesesteak. It was a bit pricey at $9.50, but sufficed for two meals, and I love supporting local entrepreneurs.
So, I stopped in again on this date. The owner/operator greeted me like an old friend, and kept up a steady stream of chatter. Turns out he is originally from Palermo, Sicily, and he remarked that he had been back there recently and it had seemed dirtier to him than he rememberd it.
As far as why he is located where he is, he said he lives in an apartment in the house next door. It sounded like he had retired there, but then decided to open this foor cart in order to pass it on to his son.
The postscript to this is that the son lacks his father's gregariousness, and the place is now closed. I suspect that the son simply decided that the long hours and confined existence of operating the food cart was not the life he wanted for himself.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
A Visit to IKEA
Sunday, December 14, 20014. My son picked me up and we went to IKEA, located way north by the airport. I had never been to an IKEA store, though I have heard the name and was aware that it was a Swedish company which sold furniture.
The store was amazing, an absolutely huge place. I bought a kitchen table, all nice beautiful wood, for $69. I put it together during the following week and it is working fine.
Besides all the furniture, IKEA has a great cafe. I got a delicious chicken wrap for $5.
The store was amazing, an absolutely huge place. I bought a kitchen table, all nice beautiful wood, for $69. I put it together during the following week and it is working fine.
Besides all the furniture, IKEA has a great cafe. I got a delicious chicken wrap for $5.
Monday, March 16, 2015
A River Walk in Sellwood
Sunday, December 7, 2014. As I do every day, I arrived in downtown Sellwood, having taken the 7-minute ride south on the 70 bus. This time I arrived at 11:30, half an hour before the library opened.
With some time to kill, I decided to walk west and see what lay at the bottom of the foothills west of Sellwood. Lo and behold, it was the Willamette River! I suppose I could have deduced this, had I had a map. Anyway, there was a fine bridge there, the Sellwood Bridge, which I later found out is 88 years old and is in the process of being replaced with a new structure. There is some controversy about cost overruns, but the overrun is relatively mild by today's standards--less than 10%.
There was a trail leading north from the bridge, which I took through a grassy meadow area and then into a wooded area. Where I came out was inside of an amusement park complex. For awhile it looked like there was no way out other than to backtrack, but eventually I found an opening.
There was a long line of people waiting along a railroad track outside the amusement park grounds. I initially assumed that they were waiting for a noon opening of the amusement park. Then I saw an old steam engine puffing out white smoke, and I thought that they were waiting for a tour of the engine. As I was walking back south, all of a sudden the engine gave a mighty roar and a huge billow smoke shot up, just like in the movies about the old West. Turns out the people were waiting on rides. The train came past me, five cars full of people, and one boxcar in the middle with wrapped presents in it.
With some time to kill, I decided to walk west and see what lay at the bottom of the foothills west of Sellwood. Lo and behold, it was the Willamette River! I suppose I could have deduced this, had I had a map. Anyway, there was a fine bridge there, the Sellwood Bridge, which I later found out is 88 years old and is in the process of being replaced with a new structure. There is some controversy about cost overruns, but the overrun is relatively mild by today's standards--less than 10%.
There was a trail leading north from the bridge, which I took through a grassy meadow area and then into a wooded area. Where I came out was inside of an amusement park complex. For awhile it looked like there was no way out other than to backtrack, but eventually I found an opening.
There was a long line of people waiting along a railroad track outside the amusement park grounds. I initially assumed that they were waiting for a noon opening of the amusement park. Then I saw an old steam engine puffing out white smoke, and I thought that they were waiting for a tour of the engine. As I was walking back south, all of a sudden the engine gave a mighty roar and a huge billow smoke shot up, just like in the movies about the old West. Turns out the people were waiting on rides. The train came past me, five cars full of people, and one boxcar in the middle with wrapped presents in it.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Some Poker Adventures
December 5, 2014. While staying with my son in north Portland, I got involved with a group called Stumptown Poker, which plays Texas Hold'Em four nights a week in various bars on the north side. I decided to look for sites in or near the Brooklyn District, where my new apartment is located.
In asking around, I was told that a place on Powell Street called Aces Full has poker, so I visited there on this date. The website said there were games at noon, 3, 6 and 9, but the guy in charge said only noon and 6 now. The place looked like it was about ready to go belly-up; there were only two tables operating, and not many other people there besides the players and dealers at those two tables.
The place does not sell alcohol, but does have a small kitchen which will make you a sandwich. I had a panini which was excellent, and reasonably priced at $5. The buy-in for the game in progress was $30, with an additional $10 to the bar as a cover charge to play. I was invited to come in late and play in the game then in progress, but I declined. The 25% house rake is too unreasonable for my taste; besides, nobody looked like they were having any fun. There was no friendly chatter, no laughter, no light banter as is common with the Stumptown group.
The following Sunday I went back up to north Portland to play with the Stumptown group at the Greeley Street Bar & Grill. I sat there for the better part of the first hour without playing a hand, then had A-10 so I raised pre-flop. The flop came out 10-7-6; so, with high pair and Ace kicker, I bet big, and then got raised all-in! I couldn't imagine what the guy had; I was sure he couldn't have the straight because nobody in their right mind would call a guy who raised pre-flop with an 8-9, when that guy had not done any betting at all before then. Well, of course he had the 8-9 for the straight, and I was toast.
Then more recently, I stopped in again, same place, and the same thing happened! I finally get a hand to play, K-Q, and the flop comes out Q-9-8. I have top pair and King kicker, but another player had J-10!
These are tight players, but I still should be able to do better than this! But even so, is this worth an hour-long bus trip each way, to get up to north Portland? That is the question for the future.
In asking around, I was told that a place on Powell Street called Aces Full has poker, so I visited there on this date. The website said there were games at noon, 3, 6 and 9, but the guy in charge said only noon and 6 now. The place looked like it was about ready to go belly-up; there were only two tables operating, and not many other people there besides the players and dealers at those two tables.
The place does not sell alcohol, but does have a small kitchen which will make you a sandwich. I had a panini which was excellent, and reasonably priced at $5. The buy-in for the game in progress was $30, with an additional $10 to the bar as a cover charge to play. I was invited to come in late and play in the game then in progress, but I declined. The 25% house rake is too unreasonable for my taste; besides, nobody looked like they were having any fun. There was no friendly chatter, no laughter, no light banter as is common with the Stumptown group.
The following Sunday I went back up to north Portland to play with the Stumptown group at the Greeley Street Bar & Grill. I sat there for the better part of the first hour without playing a hand, then had A-10 so I raised pre-flop. The flop came out 10-7-6; so, with high pair and Ace kicker, I bet big, and then got raised all-in! I couldn't imagine what the guy had; I was sure he couldn't have the straight because nobody in their right mind would call a guy who raised pre-flop with an 8-9, when that guy had not done any betting at all before then. Well, of course he had the 8-9 for the straight, and I was toast.
Then more recently, I stopped in again, same place, and the same thing happened! I finally get a hand to play, K-Q, and the flop comes out Q-9-8. I have top pair and King kicker, but another player had J-10!
These are tight players, but I still should be able to do better than this! But even so, is this worth an hour-long bus trip each way, to get up to north Portland? That is the question for the future.
My New Apartment
Monday, November 24, 2014. After crashing on the dining room floor of my son's house for three months, I finally have my own Portland apartment! It is in the Brooklyn district, located in southeast Portland a few blocks east of the Willamette River.
The apartment has a beautiful bamboo floor, bamboo being considered more environmentally sustainable than hardwood floors due to the much short time to regenerate after harvesting. The apartment has no carpet at all, which is great considering my various allergies and sensitivities. It's not a stretch to say that this is probably the first truly healthy living space I've ever had in my life.
I immediately located the neighborhood bar, a place called Houndog's Bar & Grill, which sits on the corner of Milwaukie and Holgate streets. The afternoon special of hamburger and beer for $5 is awesome, and the place has a friendly, neighborhood bar feel to it. Like Cheers, it's a place where "everyone knows your name".
The apartment has a beautiful bamboo floor, bamboo being considered more environmentally sustainable than hardwood floors due to the much short time to regenerate after harvesting. The apartment has no carpet at all, which is great considering my various allergies and sensitivities. It's not a stretch to say that this is probably the first truly healthy living space I've ever had in my life.
I immediately located the neighborhood bar, a place called Houndog's Bar & Grill, which sits on the corner of Milwaukie and Holgate streets. The afternoon special of hamburger and beer for $5 is awesome, and the place has a friendly, neighborhood bar feel to it. Like Cheers, it's a place where "everyone knows your name".
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