taking the long way

new year new move

2010-01-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm taking this show on the road... to a new www location. So follow me and help me throw a blog-warming party, perform a smudge ceremony, or just hang with me while I continue to do a little unpacking. I'm just loving the new digs. Hope you do too!

http://takinglongway.wordpress.com/

word of the day

2009-12-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

gift crack: the gap in wrapping paper or the uncovered portion of a gift found on the bottom or sides of the box. this may result from the gift wrapper running out of paper or underestimating the amount of gift wrap needed to cover the entire box.

most wonderful time of the year

2009-12-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

the annual holiday card is finished...
just in the st. nick of time!
have a joyful, reflective and festive holiday!

p.s. click on the image below to view it in full.

beantown and blizzards

2009-12-20T01:14:00.000-08:00

The storm hitting the east coast this weekend is being compared to the 2003 President's Day Storm, which served as my own winter weather christening. My favorite snowy days included walking through drifts of snow around my neighborhood followed by fish and chips at Matt Murphy's or sledding in Boston Common followed by macaroni and cheese at Silvertone. In honor of the blizzard bearing down on New England I wanted to repost my memories of the 2003 storm.

Nearly seven years ago I moved to Boston. I was excited about my new job, but honestly had not warmed to Beantown. I'd only visited the city a few times before moving and each trip possessed a lovely little constellation of disasters which left a poor taste in my mouth.

But there I was - new job, new city, and new place to live - and I thought one out of three ain't bad. My living situation was not ideal. I'd had two days to find a home and so settled for a college-esque place in the densest part of Boston with a roommate who had perfected cranky into an art form. The city was dirty and grey - it being February and all... and I couldn't get anywhere without studying a map and practically tatooing it onto my body before leaving the house. (Even with all that effort I still ended up turned around at least once a day.)

The icing on the cake was what is now referred to as the North American Blizzard of 2003 or President's Day Storm II. Flakes started falling on Monday February 17th and within 24 hours a record-breaking total of 27.5 inches of snow had buried the city... and my car. I had not yet learned the keep-up-with-the-snow-as-you-go method of New England winter survival so I let my car sink deeper and deeper into a cavern of heavy wet snow.

By the early afternoon hours on the 18th I decided to venture out and clear off my car. What I thought would take an hour tops took me until dark. I had a small scraper and had found some kind of shovel, but neither were very effective. On top of this - those with cars parked next to mine (who had already shoveled their cars out) plus the street plows added a good foot of snow on top of the nearly 2 1/2 feet that mother nature had bestowed. It was a sight to behold, and I honestly think I was in a kind of snow haze that kept me from going completely insane. Some left over childlike wonder at the sight of so much snow.

Towards the end of this archaeological dig one of my neighbors exited his house and offered to help me unbury my car, which uncharacteristically I accepted. After about another hour of digging when we were nearly done he sheepishly admitted that he'd contributed to the piles of snow on my Subaru when he had unburied his car earlier. Although I could have been angry I was actually glad I'd found the first person outside my office that was genuinely nice. Honestly I'd had my doubts before that day. Fortunately he was the rule and not the exception and I grew to love being in Boston... and even sometimes miss the snow.

the lights will inspire you

2009-12-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

This song gives me chills. It makes me want to be back in New York City - eating lazy afternoon lunches in the West Village (at Ditch Plains), celebrating New Year's Eve in Brooklyn, photographing architecture in Manhattan, and walking around in the snow in Central Park.

winter sparkles

2009-12-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

christmas in portland

2009-12-13T23:07:00.001-08:00

Natefest

2009-12-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Every year around this time my friend Nate organizes a fest in his honor - to get friends together and to celebrate his birthday. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the 15th annual Natefest which was held at the Olympic Hotel in Centralia, Washington this past weekend.

I tried to attend last year, but caught some sort of nasty flu on my return home from Thanksgiving in Mexico... yes it could have been the swine flu. And yes, as many people have joked I could have been patient zero. Though no one I know got sick after me so that puts that theory to bed.

Anyhoo, Nate scouts out locations early in the year, makes all the arrangements, and then collects $100 from each of us in the fall. All we have to do is pack and get there and everything else is covered.

About forty people came this year. We were booked in nearly every room at the Olympic Hotel, a former brothel, that from the histories I read provided quite a service for quite a few men during the early 20th century. The hotel is linked to a pub, pool hall and movie theater and located along a historic main street that seems to have the corner on antiques in the area. A full-sized full set plastic glow-from-within Nativity set was on sale for only $450. Quite a steal!

So Friday I took the MAX from work to the train station and boarded the Amtrak going North. I met up with my friend Molly (whom I've known since the 2nd grade) when she boarded at the next stop (Molly is married to the Nate of Natefest). About an hour and a half later we deboarded in Centralia and walked across the street to the Olympic Hotel where the festivities had already begun.

The weekend was full of yummy drinks, food, friends and field trips. A quick trip to Mima Mounds came close to resembling a Gilligan's Island style three-hour tour. Our Saturday night festivities were capped with the annual Feuerzangenbowle and the season's first snow fall. On Sunday I hopped out the back of the Oly Club and on to the train for a lovely ride back to Portland through fresh snow-covered hills. Quite a way to start December!

diptychs - part deux

2009-11-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

Kaitlyn and I have been busy snapping away all over Oregon and New England to capture daily photos for our diptych experiment (see earlier post for more details). Sometimes we end up snapping photos in places where people wonder what the heck we are doing. A little public humiliation never stopped us before and it won't be stopping us now. Here are a few more diptychs we've created as the first month of our experiment comes to a close.

the last kodachrome lab

2009-11-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

If you have rolls of kodachrome film still hanging around your closet like I do, then check out this story. There is only one lab left in the world that develops the iconic film. This film changed the trajectory of popular photography and was memorialized by Paul Simon in one of my favorite songs, Kodachrome. The lab in Kansas will continue to develop this film until the end of 2010, which means I have some photography shoots to schedule! Looking forward to 2010!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

the streak

2009-11-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

It should come as no surprise that I'm involved in a cut throat competition with super high stakes - a winner take all, reputations on the line, battle for sports fan supremacy. Yes, I'm competing against my co-workers to see who can emerge with the best record of NFL picks.

I started off poorly - no doubt about it. I was traveling during the first few weeks of the season so didn't get all my picks in. Not an auspicious start, but lately I've picked up steam. Lately I've beat my fellow competitors for three weeks running. Will I make it four? All I know for sure is you gotta respect the streak.

A few of my favorite streaks

New England Patriots - Two longest NFL winning streaks with 18 games in 2003-04 and 21 games in 2006-2008
1991 Indianapolis Colts - Twenty-one consecutive quarters without a touchdown
Joe DiMaggio - Even though I'm not a Yankees fan you have to love a 56-game hitting streak
Boston Red Sox - Eighty-six years without a World Series (the streak itself was horrible, but breaking it was oh so sweet!)
Boston Celtics - Eight straight NBA titles
Lance Armstrong - Seven Tour de France wins, 'nuff said.

December 7th update - the streak is still alive! I beat the boys for the fifth week in a row (that's five, count 'em). This week was touch and go, but I pulled it out in the end.

December 13th update - it's sad, but true. The has streak ended with a loss to the fighting turducken. However, I still hold the record for most weekly wins.

every four years

2009-11-26T21:18:00.000-08:00

Every four years I do this. Every four years I start reading news articles and opinion pieces about athletes who will compete in the upcoming Olympic games. It's my way of getting prepared. It's my dry land training regimen.

Usually I wait until after the holidays, but this year the Winter Olympics have been on my mind a bit earlier in the season. I wonder why?!

My method is not scientific. My process is haphazard at best. My choices are guided by instinct (see below*). But having a list of a dozen or so athletes to follow during the games makes the viewing and rooting experience so much richer. So here is a preliminary list of athletes I'll follow in 2010 and why...

Tony Benshoof (luge) - hates airline travel, loves to listen to the radio, loves road trips, has to push through pain to do what he loves. I can identify with all of those, plus I just love saying "luge".
Sara Studebaker (biathalon) - loves the camp-like atmosphere of training camps, likes going to new places. Add to that the biathalon always reminds me of snowy chukkar hunts in the hills above the Deschutes River with close friends.
Steve Mesler (bobsled) - childhood friend of dave's (one of my closest friends from boston), he recently gave up his spot (temporarily) to Stephen Colbert during a "training" run in Lake Placid. A friend of Dave's is always a friend of mine!
Kaylin Richardson (skiing) - trains in Chile, talks about respecting the process. I started this blog after following a friend's blog who was teaching in Chile, and you have to cheer for someone who loves the process. The process is as much a part of a writer/photographer's life as it is part of an athlete's life.
Apolo Ohno (speed skating) - from the Pacific Northwest, will become the most decorated American Winter Olympian with one more medal in Vancouver, the way he wears his bandana reminds me of Rafael Nadal. He's from the Northwest and he reminds me of Nadal - 'nuff said.

*Yes, I root for the Oregon Ducks - it's only right since I have two degrees from the University of Oregon. I also passionately follow the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots - a natural legacy from my years living in Boston. But people often look at me funny when I mention that I'm pulling for the Texas Longhorns. I've never lived in Texas, I haven't even visited. So why do I root for Texas? It's simple: a love of design (their kick-ass logo combined with their sweet school colors) + a love of sports = a soft spot for the University of Texas. Like I said, it's not scientific.

the word is out

2009-11-25T11:55:00.001-08:00

My beautiful hometown of Portland, Oregon is truly rallying behind me and my quest to blog from the Winter Olympic games. And let me tell you it feels amazing!

I've always been the fan, I've always been the one cheering people on so they can fulfill their dream. Now the shoe is on the other foot and I finally understand how much it means to have friends, family and fans, cheer you on. It's breathtaking and truly inspiring to feel this kind of support.

In addition to numerous friends - reaching all the way back to grade school (Yeah Bridlemile!) and the hallowed halls of Wilson High (Go Trojans!) - I just found out that Brian Westbrook, a local radio newscaster (not to be confused with the running back for the Philadelphia Eagles), has picked up my story. Check out his blog! Add to that the support of a local blogger and a local webdesigner who just happened to design the website for this whole contest. Thanks Heather and Chris!

I have to say that I'm truly touched and forever changed by what my friends and family and total strangers have done to help this Oregonian fulfill her dream. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

in black and white

2009-11-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

I'm pinching myself. I'm over the moon. I can't believe this is really happening to me.

I've been interviewed before (about Rafael Nadal when I was attending the U.S. Open, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision about high school newspaper censorship, when my middle school opened for the very first day, and a few months after I returned home from New York City following an internship at Lear's magazine), but this is different.

This is not just by chance or being at the right place at the right time. This is part of a life-long dream, and this is due in every possible way to my mom's friend Carol, who's been one of the biggest supporters and fans of this blog. So thank you Carol!! This wouldn't be happening without you.

Here's Margie Boule's column in today's Oregonian...

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf/2009/11/a_tech-hip_sports_fan_from_por.html

And just for kicks and giggles here's the New York Times article where I was quoted about Rafael Nadal. It ran in the Style section a few years back. How perfect is that?!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/07/fashion/07tennis.html

a light has gone out

2009-11-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

Jeanne-Claude (1935-2009)

vancouver reminiscence

2009-11-20T10:45:00.001-08:00

Vancouver, British Columbia holds pivotal moments for me. Threads in my life today spin back to two trips I took in the 80s. I was young and impressionable and through those visits found that I love international travel (well any travel really), cosmopolitan cities, people, photography, and yes... decadent hotels.

The trips were so different, but together they left an indelible impression on me - one was a week-long international exchange and the other a weekend at the Four Seasons with my aunt. Both were heady experiences. I had just started experimenting with photography on a simple point and shoot. A few of those trips' sights and sounds are captured on film, but most are just memories - sensory experiences whose images have never faded. The strongest impressions remain...

Walking into a warm and comforting pool solarium at the Four Seasons Hotel that was surrounded by floor to ceiling windows with views of the city's twinkling skyline. Swimming in that pool at night was like a dream.
Discovering a seemingly similar culture that was much more unique than I imagined and whose depth could only be discovered by being there. An experience I've since repeated in Japan and Italy.
The smell of sugar. We visited a raw sugar warehouse where sugar crystals attached to the air's humidity and swirled around all of us like ethereal cotton candy. We all breathed it in and never wanted to stop.
The constant buzz of the city - its energy and sophistication created a place on par with a shiny new toy, but with a buzz of activity that was palpable and addictive.

Queen Elizabeth Park - Bloedel Conservatory (love the mid-century modern style of architectural features in this photo)

Queen Elizabeth Park

American and Canadian Exchange Students (including me) playing around on the bus to the aquarium

Aunt Janice and I (at Halloween) - Unfortunately I don't have any photographs of our trip (check out the old school Nikes I have on my feet)

Like Portland, Vancouver has changed a lot since that decade. I'm just a hop, skip and a jump from getting the chance to discover it all over again. And this time the city's energy will be through the roof - multiplied by athletes and enthusiasts and journalists from around the world. My heart skips a beat just thinking about being a part of that experience.

a world of trees

2009-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

An awe inspiring Sequoiadendron giganteum grove at the Hoyt Arboretum which rhythmically swayed back and forth in the wind this morning. Like a pendulum it calmed my soul and has the power to do that for everyone who walks through this forest cathedral.

What a Portland treasure. Walk its trails and explore its collections - the conifers in particular, which perfectly fit the tenor of the season - both its holiday celebrations and its moody stormy days.

morning coffee and afternoon tea

2009-11-19T00:31:00.000-08:00

p.s. that's my Boston posse at Singing Beach in the background... supporting me again like they always have!

the diptych experiment

2009-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

Beginning on November 1, 2009 Kaitlyn Smith, living in Massachusetts, and Laurie Matthews, hailing from Oregon; started taking one photograph a day during the course of their daily lives. Their daily photographs are connected to form diptychs capturing the combination of their daily lives - sometimes showing the similarities and often times showing the contrasts between their lives on the east and west coasts. These are just some of the diptychs they've created. More can be found by clicking the flickr link to the left, a site which will be updated as the experiment continues.

The idea for the diptych is not new. The tradition reaches back centuries into the early days of artistic expression when two panels were attached with a hinge. Attaching two panels or tablets was a way of showing the relationship between two seemingly separate elements. Diptychs also allowed artwork to travel with added protection - folding the two pieces together until a traveler reached their destination. Modern inspirations for the WestEast diptych came from friends and other artists who are creating similar artistic experiments using 21st century technology.

Laurie and Kaitlyn met in Boston in 2005 at a cocktail party featuring a cocktail ice luge and a ton of designers. The best part was that Kaitlyn also met her future husband, Andrew (also a friend of Laurie's), that very same evening. An auspicious night for sure. Kaitlyn and Laurie quickly bonded over their love of the Boston Red Sox.

Now with 3106 miles between them, they devised this way to keep in touch with both the momentous and mundane aspects of their daily lives. Laurie's west coast images are on the left and Kaitlyn's east coast images are on the right. The "12" and "45" correspond to the numbers of their favorite Red Sox players (Mark Bellhorn and Pedro Martinez, respectively), both of whom were members of the 2004 World Series winning team. Go Sox! And enjoy the experiment!

ivy

2009-11-17T20:27:00.000-08:00

There are some friends in your life that make a huge difference, who are with you every step of the way, and who brighten your day, month and year. Ivy is that friend. She is so generous and talented and I love her dearly. Now it's my turn to be the friend who makes the difference, who is with her every step to brighten every day. She is undergoing major surgery tonight to remove a cancerous tumor. I am thinking of her and sending her my love, which will soon be followed by warm healing soup, wheat-free pies, and fun trashy magazines. What are friends for?!

update: Ivy's surgery went very well with news that the cancer was no where near her lymph nodes. They got it all out, every last bit! Take that cancer!!
Ivy and I wine tasting in the Willamette Valley

Ivy, Tara and I searching for the perfect apple around Hood River, Oregon

Ivy and I traveling through Italy nearly a decade ago...

Ivy painting the beautiful hills around Siena, Italia

Celebrating spring when we were in graduate school at the University of Oregon

one in five baby, one in five

2009-11-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hey, but let's make it one in three... or better yet the WINNER of the ultimate (feels like it's made for me) contest.

I got the call last week and have been defying gravity ever since. I am one of five nationwide semi-finalists in a blogging contest whose winner will get a chance to blog from the Winter Olympics next February. But I need your help to get to the next round - your votes will allow me to make my way to the podium and be one of the three finalists. (I'm gunning for gold!)

Here's the scoop - it's one vote per day between now and midnight on November 29th! So add it to your daily to-do list. Brush teeth, take vitamins, VOTE FOR LAURIE at:

https://www.officewintergames.com/default.aspx

Excerpt from my winning entry:

"Has anyone ever told you you’re a sports nut?” That question came from a friend on facebook the other day. And yes, I have to say - it’s been mentioned a time or two before. Not only do I love sports, but I’ve passionately followed the Olympics since I was young. However, I’m not a one-trick pony. I also follow pop culture (and can spot a celebrity spectator from a mile), hail from the Pacific Northwest (so understand the Vancouver region and its history), am a bit of a foodie (so can wax poetic about a fusion dish using local ingredients), and a frequent traveler (allowing me to share the many travel tips I have up my sleeve). I’m also a photographer (documenting stories visually as well as poetically) and landscape architect (understanding place and design like few others). In a nutshell, I don’t have tunnel vision, but can relate Olympic stories to a broad constituency - providing context for the salacious details of the XXI Olympic Winter Games. And let me tell you I'll be on top of those salacious details.

Thanks in advance for your tremendous support!

in memory

2009-11-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

Canon G9, a beloved point and shoot digital camera who captured many memories during her short life, was swept away in Columbia Creek during a raging rain storm today. She was two years old.

After being coated with rain during a mid-afternoon storm, the Canon G9's slick exterior prevented a good grip. She quickly fell out of the hands holding her, bouncing down a steep muddy bank and into a swift flowing creek right above a waterfall. In a futile attempt to save the 12.1 megapixel workhorse, photographer Laurie Matthews slid down the slick bank and into the creek, but the camera was long gone.

Canon G9 was met with illustrious reviews when she was launched in October 2007. As one reviewer stated, "The new Canon Powershot G9 is the sort of elegant, very capable, and completely self-contained imaging tool that Henri Cartier-Bresson (if he were still with us) might have used to capture the "decisive moments" of the 21st century."

During her two year life she traveled extensively within the United States and abroad including New York, Massachusetts, California, Missouri, Montana, Minnesota, and Mexico. She captured the weddings of dear friends, holiday trips, and architectural details of many noted buildings and landscapes. Highlights of her work are captured on this blog, facebook, and flickr.

Canon G9 is survived by her owner, Laurie Matthews and all of the photos she's taken over the past two years.

duck halloween smackdown

2009-10-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

one for the ducks and one for the red sox

The Red Sox may be done for the season, but the Ducks sure aren't. They beat USC 47 to 20 during a night game at Autzen Stadium under a nearly full moon. Though both teams had nearly equal possession time, the Ducks had 613 yards to the Trojans' 327. Oregon had five touchdowns and four field goals to So Cal's two touchdowns and two field goals. USC didn't score a single point during the 4th quarter in "their worst loss since 1997". Go Ducks! I'm starting to smell the roses!

i'm announcing my candidacy

2009-10-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

The World Series extending into November... spring training AND the the Super Bowl in February... tennis played every month except December... football in August?! This is messed up! Maybe not as bad as the financial markets, but professional sports need some oversight. Just like President Obama appointed a pay czar, he needs to appoint a sports czar. And yes, I'm putting my name forward as a candidate with vision.

Sports are seasonal. Baseball is summer. Football is fall. Basketball is winter into spring. It's perfectly fine to have the playoffs extend to the first month of the next season, but not beyond that. Extended seasons dilute the sport and overlapping seasons don't allow for fans to be as engaged. I can't tell you how many times I've heard - baseball in November?! WTF?!

So I'm modeling my new calendar after the wisdom of the seasonal food movement where we eat blueberries in summer, apples in fall, citrus in winter. Through that model we look forward to those foods. They aren't passed over, but celebrated. Sports should be similarly focused upon and celebrated.

I'm beginning with some changes to my four favorite sports:
• Baseball - mid-April to mid-September with the world series in early to mid-October
• Football - September to December with playoffs in January
• Basketball - January to April with playoffs in May and June
• Tennis - February to November

Mr. President - I'm awaiting your call! (hee hee!)

lawrence halprin

2009-10-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Lawrence Halprin died this morning at 8:30 a.m. Coincidentally, I spent yesterday in the parks he designed in Portland which changed the direction of modern landscape architecture. I had no idea this morning when I posted photographs of those parks that he had just passed. The news organizations haven't picked up the story yet, but I hope they capture the influence he had on public spaces and in turn our shared culture. Without him, public open space as we know it would not exist as it does.

pettygrove park

2009-10-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

Pettygrove is the second of four parks designed by Lawrence Halprin as part of the Portland Sequence. This park is often forgotten since it's design was less revolutionary than either Forecourt Fountain or Lovejoy Fountain, two of the other parks in the sequence. However, this park has the most ties to the Northwest and the history of park design. Local basalt, deposited here during one of many lava flows that spanned the region thousands of years ago, is crafted into low stone walls which are modeled after those found along the historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. The park's miniature pastoral design recalls the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, especially his design for Central Park. My favorite design feature stems from how the linear elements play off each other - the silver 60s era light standards against the warm brown bark of the shade trees.

day and night

2009-10-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

(love the shadows of the pine trees reflected in the fountain's waterfall)

(love this image's depth - from the leaves in the bottom left corner over the top of the fountain's sculptural forms to the distant pine trees)

I'm working on a National Historic Landmark nomination for the Portland Sequence, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin's ground-breaking design for public spaces in Portland. The sequence includes four public parks linked by walkways that were designed to span one of Portland's late 1960s urban renewal projects. While similar urban renewal projects failed in other parts of the country, Portland's has been deemed successful, in many ways because of Halprin's parks.

Forecourt Fountain, the most visible of the four public parks, is turning 40 next year (just like me). While many parks of this era are dated, Forecourt Fountain (also known as Ira Keller Fountain for the man whose vision and political power was at the root of this urban renewal area) remains both modern and relevant. Though many of the forms and concepts are purely born of the late 60s and early 70s, they are also classic enough to transcend time and design fads. Added to that the park is both functional - serving as a place of respite on cooler days and a much needed wading pool on blistering hot days, and beautiful - a sculptural centerpiece both for both day and night.

minidoka internment camp

2009-10-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

remnants of the entry garden designed and built by the internees in view of the guard station

former warehouse which will be rehabilitated to serve as the site's visitor center

from here you would have been able to see hundreds of barracks spanning the landscape towards the horizon

one of the barracks blocks - block 22 - covered this field. each block consisted of 12 barracks buildings, one mess hall and two bathroom buildings

remains of the root cellar which was built by the internees to store the vegetables they grew, which contributed to the fact that the internment camp was completely sustainable by 1944

hagerman is a helluva place

2009-10-22T17:58:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if "varmint" refers to the local delicacy of alligator that is on many restaurant menus, but they've got guns if you need 'em. Apparently the gators like the warm water in the area (thanks to the many hot springs) and the constant supply of fish guts from the Idaho trout fisheries that surround Hagerman. Regardless I tried the alligator - deep fried of course! This may be taking the local food movement a bit far.

silver creek campground

2009-10-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

I loved summer camp as a kid and started going away for at least a week each summer when I was 7 or 8. The trend continued though high school when I spent my summers as a camp counselor. I loved packing my duffle, grabbing my favorite pillow and sleeping bag and heading on the bus with my best friends to a place in the woods or on the Oregon coast. I loved singing camp songs and performing skits, playing capture the flag, hearing reveille wake us up, and taps before we fell asleep. I loved campfires and s'mores and bells that signaled it was meal time. Not to mention making sand candles and plaster masks, hiking and canoeing, and sleeping in rustic cabins.

So why all the nostalgia?! Well I discovered a beautiful 1930s era summer camp in Silver Falls State Park that brought all those memories back. The rustic cabins and lodges were built during the last economic downturn by the Civilian Conservation Corps as part of FDR's New Deal. The workmanship of these places - the stone work and wood work in particular, is incredible. Not only did building these places help turn our economy around, but thousands, probably millions of kids have been able to enjoy the fruits of their hard labor for decades. I'm thinking of getting a big group together there someday - maybe next year to celebrate my 40th.

fall in oregon

2009-10-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

apple crisp :: stumptown coffee :: caravans to duck games :: early sunsets and late sunrises :: pumpkins :: crimsons, golds and greens :: butternut squash :: cashmere scarves :: raindrops :: windstorms :: hearth fires :: baseball playoffs :: the last tomatoes

moving on up

2009-10-04T14:27:00.001-07:00

The Oregon Ducks are moving up the rankings! They debuted at #16 during the preseason and then swiftly fell off the charts after their loss to Boise State. Now with a four game winning streak and two huge back-to-back conference wins they've lept to #13. I was lucky enough to join my friend Melissa at their game against the then #6 ranked Cal Bears where we crushed them. It was a gorgeous warm sunny day with plenty of touchdowns to cheer about. A great day for football at Autzen Stadium!!

sights and sounds of the oregon coast

2009-09-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

the ocean

the sand

a thresher shark that recently washed up on shore

scary eyes and teeth

vaux swifts

2009-09-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Every evening during the month of September hundreds of Portlanders gather on the slopes and fields of Chapman Elementary School to watch the Vaux Swifts fly in circles around the sky before funneling into the school's chimney to roost for the night. They spend only a brief amount of time in Portland before continuing their migration south towards Central America, but we all gather to watch the show!

the scene

the sideshow - before the swifts start to do their stuff the kids take an opportunity to do some summer sledding. and yes, that is a man dressed as a banana. don't ask - i don't know.

the main event - the swifts form a cylindrical swirl in the sky before swooping into the chimney

rhythm of the train through new england

2009-09-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

boston - i love that dirty water!

2009-09-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

kaitlyn, amy, joel and andrew at joshua tree in davis square (amy & chris and lynn & lance joined us later)

fenway park

kaitlyn and amy at fenway

kaitlyn, holly and amy watching the game

amy, holly, chris and kaitlyn

news stand outside fenway in kenmore square - go sox!

amy, kaitlyn and andrew in the public gardens

scenes from the 2009 us open

2009-09-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

...admittedly heavy on images of Rafael Nadal.

warming up

chatting with Uncle Toni

getting ready to hit

laughing with his manager Carlos Costa

having issues with his shoes

and discussing the issues with his Nike rep

Rafa's team including the dreamy Carlos Costa

Fernando Verdasco (who warmed up with his cousin Marcos, who is on the University of Oregon tennis team)

the Williams sisters

John McEnroe

Roger Federer

fans trying to get a glimpse of Roger

from anywhere they can!

friday night dinners

2009-09-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Immediately following graduate school I spent a couple years in Connecticut and found an amazing group of friends. We were all new to being Nutmeggers in the Constitution State and so explored our new home in New England together.

With few exceptions, nearly every Friday night we found ourselves at someone's place (usually Dior's) for friday night dinner parties. Late nights sometimes reaching to dawn, free-flowing wine and bourbon, and laughter beyond belief characterized these evenings, which only served as a prelude to weekends together.

We recently reunited at Anne and Jeromy's house in Connecticut for a delicious friday night dinner. We missed Dior, who couldn't make it, and can only hope that our laughter reached him in California. I'm so lucky to have such amazing, warm, talented, hilarious and generous friends!

working waterfronts

2009-09-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

New Bedford anchored the whaling trade along with Nantucket, when whale oil illuminated lamps extended across New England in the 1700s. Today it is still a working waterfront, a port where fishermen dock before heading out to sea for two to three week stretches of time to search for and catch fresh seafood like the tuna, scallops and lobster we had just finished eating.

On our way back to Round Hill we walked through the waterfront in the dark of night to hear the sounds and see the sights of the water’s industrial edge. I have to admit that walking by these large trawlers with their industrial size pulleys and spindles used to pull in loaded down nets sent chills through me. Maybe it is all the death and hardship these boats see when they’re at work, but something permeates their essence that is dark and foreboding. The one bright spot (literally) was a boat at end of the pier.

Three North Carolina fishermen had headed north to avoid the latest hurricane, docked in New Bedford, and were headed out the next morning to harvest sea scallops. Fishing is in their blood, they told us. They know that even while they entertain thoughts of leaving this life, they know they could never say goodbye to the sea.

p.s. I just had to include this fun photo of Amy! The docks may have been creepy, but they still provided an ideal stage for her dance moves!

meet you in padanaram

2009-09-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

We spent a good four years together nearly every day while we were in graduate school in Eugene. Now we are scattered around the country – Amy’s in Boston, Catriona and Sam are in Philly, David is in Missoula, and Ivy and I are in Portland.

Every year or so we get together for a weekend, but it’s been a long time since the whole gang’s been able to gather. There was Philly in 2003, Nantucket in 2004, and Portland in 2008. This year we all met for Labor Day weekend at Round Hill in Padanaram, Massachusetts (Amy’s parent’s summer place on the shores of Buzzards Bay).

We ate lobster and fresh farm grown produce, swam in the calm ocean waves and lounged on the beach, rode around in golf carts and hiked through the woodlands, biked around the inlets and stopped for homemade ice cream. We watched a little tennis and played a little bocce. The weather was warm and gorgeous and the whole weekend was too dreamy for words.

vacation every day

2009-09-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

Landing in Boston (after a nonstop from Portland – thanks Alaska Airlines) and getting picked up in a convertible with the top down is the right way to start a vacation. But that in no way compares to having a wonderful 24 hours with Lauri and Magnus at their new home in Newburyport. It was short, but Lauri and I really know how to pack amazing conversations and experiences into soul-enriching moments of time.

I love experiencing the everyday moments of life… from getting a little turned around in New England, to stopping by one of its best farmers markets (the farm had a live buffalo for pete’s sake), to listening to neighbors (they could give reality tv stars a run for their money) while we drank a decadent bottle of Pinor Noir. Dinner started by getting excited to cook an amazing Indian curry dish only to find out we were out of tumeric which led to picking up the phone and ordering Thai. Watching a little Ducks football (before things turned ugly) and then falling into a deep slumber in the best guest quarters a tired traveler could ask for – I nodded off to the sounds of New England church bells striking the eleventh hour.

In the morning we ducked into town to grab a little coffee before heading to the beach with our picnic breakfast where we got to talk and catch up to the sound of the waves and the sights of summer’s end. Newburyport is Lauri and Magnus’ new home and they chose well – it feels like vacation every day.

milk and cookies

2009-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

My friend Anne is the most talented party planner and decorative baker I know. I am always amazed by her works of art, but she trumped herself this time when throwing a first birthday party for her daughter Aubrey. The theme was milk and cookies and everything you see here, from the cakes to the cookies to the decorations were handmade by her. Of course her friends and family are always the beneficiaries of her gifts... but she's starting to offer her talents to other lucky connoisseurs. Connecticut is one lucky state to have Miss Anne Powers in their midst.

the birthday girl

the scene

the scene (cont.)

ta da... the cake!

the details - drinks at the watering hole

cookies galore

puffy paper flowers

party favors - as if the rest wasn't enough!

the serenade by her big sister

the reward!

quiet moments at dant

2009-08-31T06:51:00.000-07:00

eating lunch with henrik

2009-08-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

What a ham - the sandwich and the kid!

portland soapbox derby

2009-08-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

on your mark

fred & wilma's ride

kid favorite

a crowd favorite

#25 (with a little liquid courage on the side)

aaron @ the starting line

the flying pig I

the flying pig II (this thing screamed down the hill)

my favorite! actually piloted by a friend's husband who own a winery

summer evening

2009-08-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

ted & tara's summer bounty

2009-08-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm housesitting for friends during summer's most productive month. Ted and Tara haven't even been gone for a week and this is what I harvested in just one morning. I by no means picked the plants clean so there will be more to come. Now, what's for supper?!

mark & danae's wedding

2009-08-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

old barn at silver falls

danae & mark

camping out in the field behind the barn

the morning after

the morning after part deux

scenes from the road

2009-08-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

night driving

things pass you by

bridge rhythm

scenes from a party

2009-08-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

"you know black and white would just capture the moment" - sixteen candles

flat tire

2009-08-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered - where is the worst place to get a flat tire? There's no need to ponder anymore 'cause I've found it. It's the Alvord Desert in Oregon.

According to a study a friend shared with me this is the most remote place in the United States based on its proximity (or lack thereof) to useful places like repair shops and more debatable places like Starbucks.

Lo and behold I found my self driving to the Alvord last weekend. I was about ten minutes from being within view of this place - one of my favorites- and my excitement was palpable. I was just that close... But as I was passing through the ghost town of Andrews, my low tire pressure light lit up. I didn't panic. The light has appeared in the past when I've driven on gnarly gravel roads like the one I was on. But this time it was no mere warning. Air was erupting out of my tire through a gash the size of my thumb.

So it's late afternoon, the wind is howling and I'm on a dirt road with a view of nothing but mountains and sky. Usually something to be happy about, but not when your tire is quickly shrinking. Initially I took the weenie way out and tried using fix-a-flat, but that didn't work. So I pulled out my car's manual to learn how to change a flat. I've never done it before and figured this was as good a time as any to learn.

With the spare on I turned back towards Fields, Oregon. While not a ghost town, Fields is not rich in the way of services. They have a small store, a gas pump and a diner. Their milkshakes and burgers are the best anywhere, but when it comes to flat tires there are no options. The nearest options were each three hours away - one to the north (and still in Oregon) and the other to the south in Nevada. I chose north.

Over 100 miles and an overnight stop later (I ran out of daylight since I couldn't drive over 45 mph) I reached Les Schwab Tires in Burns. Unfortunately they were out of stock in tires my size. I could hear Willie Nelson singing as I climbed back in my car - on the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again. So further north I drove to the Les Schwab in John Day. Now I love my car, but you can't buy just one new tire with all wheel drive - you have to buy four. So after 200 miles, 4+ hours of driving on empty rural roads, and several hundred dollars later I had four nice new tires.

The Alvord Desert was a distant memory and my original destination of Basque, Oregon was out, but the road trip continued. At that moment I had tremendous freedom. It's not often that you find yourself behind the wheel with only a map and time to explore. I chose to head east to the "Swiss Alps of Oregon" located around Joseph - a place I'd never been, but always wanted to visit. So thanks to a pesky flat tire I enjoyed the road trip of a lifetime.

john hughes - favorite moments

2009-08-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

1. duckie's lip synch in pretty in pink
2. going into labor scene (to the soundtrack of kate bush's "this woman's work") from she's having a baby
3. cameron talking to ed rooney in ferris bueller's day off
4. making the "perfect woman" in weird science
5. putting lipstick on with no hands from the breakfast club
6. having birthday cake with jake ryan in a bridesmaid dress from sixteen candles
7. "black and white would just capture the moment" line from sixteen candles
8. geek stuck under the glass table from sixteen candles
9. lunch scene (especially the captain crunch-pixie stick sandwich) from the breakfast club
10. getting diamond earrings from your best friend who's just realized he's in love with you from some kind of wonderful

sights and sounds

2009-08-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

p.s. pause the music to hear the sounds

lake

river

field

oregon road trip

2009-08-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

4 days
1425 miles
20 counties
17 rivers
200 photos
2 campfires
1 thunder and lightning storm
5 state parks
4 mountain ranges
1 flat tire
4 new tires
1 national park
7 national forests
1 ocean

= 1 incredible state

headwaters of the mckenzie river

wheat farm in the wallowa valley

road in the catlow valley at the base of the steens mountains

trail in the willamette national forest

warehouse at the confluence of the columbia river and pacific ocean

continental flight 426

2009-07-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

final remnants of continental flight 426 in a mojave desert airline graveyard taken almost ten years after the crash. photo credit: air nikon

in the summer of 1975 when i was five years old my dad was in a plane crash in denver, colorado. i only remember pieces of the story - something about wind shears and crashing soon after take-off and that my dad survived. i didn't remember anything else. the most lasting impression is an image in my mind's eye of a newspaper article with a photograph of my dad next to it. he's wearing a white dress shirt, 70s era wide tie and suit jacket with a full head of lustrous blond hair.

with the amazing powers of the internet i found excerpts from the NTSB crash report that allowed me to fill in the details. it was august 7th, a hot humid day on the tarmac, when the plane took off at 4:10 in the afternoon. thunderstorms were passing over the northern section of the airport. the plane rose before encountering an unforgiving wind shear which caused the plane to descend at an unrecoverable rate.

according to the flightcrew, the aircraft climbed normally to 150 to 200 feet above the runway. the captain felt the aircraft sink before re-taking control and advancing the power to maximum levels. however, the aircraft continued to descend. at 4:11 the plane struck the ground on the right shoulder of runway 35L before sliding 2000 feet and resting on an airport road. 134 passengers were aboard the flight. fortunately only 15 were injured and no one was killed. my dad was one of the lucky few who had a few scrapes and bruises, but was generally unharmed.

though something like this could make me fearful of flying, i actually view it as a good omen. my dad was fortunate! blessings!

kombucha brew part ii

2009-07-20T06:40:00.001-07:00

i decanted my first batch of kombucha that had been brewing in my kitchen over the past two weeks. it had just the right amount of zing. all of that lovely liquid fit snugly into six glass bottles. they are now hanging out in my pantry while they develop a little fizz. once that's done i'll move them to my fridge where they wait until drinking commences. at that point i'll add a little sweet juice to balance out the tart kombucha. i can hardly wait!

i wish

2009-07-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Written on the side of a VW bus in downtown Portland - "I wish my girlfriend was this dirty." Honestly she (the car, not the girl) could have been a little dirtier.

arches

2009-07-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

this beautiful form took me from a mountain top in oregon to a cliffside in italy - such strength, such simplicity, such contrast between light and dark. i love the way it frames views and forms the foundation for beautiful spaces.

mt. angel abbey

arches at mt. angel abbey

arches overlooking the mediterranean in cinque terre, italy (tara byler sawyer in 1999)

side trip

2009-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

on my way back to portland from silver falls state park i made a few quick stops - to enjoy the architecture and peace at mt. angel abbey, to savor what's fresh from the fields at a produce stand, and to soak in the colors of saturated pink poppy fields.
mt. angel abbey

finnish architect alvar aalto's library at the mt. angel abbey

a pink sliver hovering above the wheat fields becomes

a sea of brightly hued poppies

homebrewed kombucha

2009-07-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

As the green tea-sugar water mixture cools in the recycled olive jar, the SCOBY waits patiently to be added to the mix and begin its fermenting magic. While waiting I listened to the men's semifinal (Roddick-Murray) on Radio Wimbledon.

I'm trying my hand at my first homebrewed kombucha thanks to Chris's generous gift of a thriving SCOBY (short for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast). For those of you who haven't tasted kombucha - it is a sweetened fermented tea that has been described as an "immortal health elixir.

Kombucha, which dates back to the Qin Dynasty in China (250 B.C.), balances the middle Qi (spleen and stomach) which in turn aids digestion and allows your body to focus on healing. Just what I need!

First you brew tea (green tea in my case) and mix it with sugar water before adding the SCOBY to the concoction. I just bottled my first batch and will now wait for a couple weeks before I decant it into smaller bottles and get it ready for drinking.

what summer is all about

2009-06-29T21:29:00.001-07:00

hiking through the high desert of central oregon to the smells of juniper and sage (and coming face to face with a rattlesnake!)
waiting for the campfire to be ready for roasting marshmallows
drinking margaritas and making s'mores
if you're a kid - playing in the hammock... if you're an adult - napping in the hammock
preserving all the memories

meet me in st. louis

2009-06-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

from time to time i find myself on the road... and recently i visited st. louis. touring the grounds of the st. louis arch designed by eero saarinen and dan kiley was the highlight. going to the top of the arch was not. but hey, now that i've done that i don't ever have to do it again. that's what i love about life - there's always a brightside.

check out my ride

2009-06-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

for five weeks this spring i logged nearly 11,000 miles. if you strung out all my flights i would have boarded a new plane nearly every other day. and if you strung out the miles i would have driven between portland and boston close to 4 1/2 times.

april 29
pdx to sea - 147 miles
sea to msp - 1382 miles
msp to sea - 1382 miles
sea to geg - 229 miles
geg to pdx - 293 miles
pdx to oak - 531 miles
oak to san simeon - 156
san simeon to oak - 156
oak to pdx - 531 miles
pdx to sea - 147 miles
sea to pdx - 147 miles
pdx to den - 979 miles
den to pdx - 979 miles
pdx to den - 979 miles
den to stl - 792 miles
stl to ord - 262 miles
ord to pdx - 1755 miles
may 30

portland and boston

2009-06-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Since I moved back to Portland I've been wondering how it compares with Boston in terms of space and population. So I did a little comparison. (Click on the image above for a more detailed look)

Yes, I realize that makes me a complete landscape architecture nerd, but so be it! The city limits of Portland encompass Boston and eight nearby towns, including Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Watertown, Newton, and Malden (which are outlined in red). Put another way, you could fit all of those cities and towns within the geographic boundaries of the City of Portland.

However, when you compare population between the City of Portland (green bar) and the equivalent geographic area around Boston, Massachusetts (red bar) of approximately 145 square miles, the Boston area contains twice as many people - 1.1 million to Portland's 529,000 (based on the 2000 census).

Next... a comparison of walking distances between what I currently do now and what I did on a daily basis in Boston. I know! I know! You're on the edge of your seat.

the month of may

2009-06-11T19:40:00.001-07:00

I just figured out that I boarded enough planes last month to have a flight nearly every other day during the month of May. To commemorate my journeys here's a photo of the last plane I boarded during the month of May on a flight home from Chicago. It's a blessing and a curse. I love going to new and familiar places, but I'd be happy if I never have to pack all my liquids in one small quart size bag, lug laptops around, and squeeze into coach class.

pink and green

2009-05-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

I've been trying not to write about Rafael Nadal, but I just can't hold back any longer. This will be a quick post. Everyone seems to be talking about his outfit for this year's French Open so I wanted to take a moment to look back at what he's worn at Roland Garros each year since he first played here in 2005.

I still think his outfit in 2005 when he won his first title is my favorite... and check out how young he looks! My least favorites are his outfits in 2007 and 2008 (Nike lost its way with these two combos). I was doubtful about him wearing sleeves, but they've grown on me and I love the colors he's been wearing in 2009 including the hot pink with yellow accents he's sporting at this year's French Open. However, pink does not go well with Roland Garros clay (bad choice Nike), nor have the grey pants grown on me. They didn't work last year and they don't work this year. It's not that I'm a traditionalist, but I like white pants on the courts and Nadal looks great in them.

Check out his French Open looks over the years.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009

boston meets the pacific northwest

2009-05-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Kaitlyn and Andrew visited the west coast and I swear I did not bribe them, but they liked Portland better than Seattle. Could it have something to do with the shockingly rude Seattle Mariners fans?! I don't know... but their behavior was embarrassing. The highlight of our weekend in Seattle (in addition to watching the Red Sox games even from frighteningly high seats) was the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island and walking around the Bloedel Reserve.

But enough about Seattle... come visit me in Portland!

hearst castle

2009-05-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

In November 2004 (just one month after the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years) I was in Shepherdstown, West Virginia at a cultural landscapes conference. Over drinks at that meeting the idea of working on a Cultural Landscape Report for Hearst Castle first came up and I lobbied for the honor to work on it. Less than six months later I was given the project.

Little did I know what kind of journey that project had in store for me. It was a journey that contained the highest highs and the lowest lows. The trajectory it put me on led me (in no small part) to leave Boston and move 3000 miles away to Portland, Oregon in 2007. Prior to moving I completed two of three parts of the project.

This last week that project was finally completed and I was invited to attend a party and presentation celebrating its completion. For me it was both a celebration and much needed closure. You can't second guess decisions, but I learned a valuable lesson which I never want to repeat - to never let someone bully me off a project that I want to work on or take away an opportunity that I have earned. Just by being there I was able to simultaneously celebrate and be recognized for my contributions to the project AND stand up to a bully. It was an amazing experience.

I revisited old haunts and relived highlights of my participation in the project - lunch at my favorite deli (Soto's in Cambria), a latte from my favorite coffee shop (French Corner Cafe in Cambria), and driving around my favorite curves along the approach road to the hilltop. Plus I finally took the scenic drive from San Simeon to San Francisco through Big Sur and Carmel. Such a treat!

The highlight was a swim in the Neptune Pool along with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres under the portico in the late afternoon sun. Few people outside the Hearst family and those who work at Hearst Castle get the opportunity to swim in the outdoor pool. It's a rare honor and I loved every minute of it, especially watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean and the moon rise over Casa Grande.

At times, especially during the low lows I thought the Hearst Castle project was a curse. Fortunately it didn't take 86 years of heartbreaking losses to break it (if indeed a curse existed). All it took was a little reflection and a lovely dip in the pool.

soto's deli in cambria
french corner bakery in cambria
pier at san simeon
pier at san simeon
dipping my toes in the pacific
door to the pool dressing rooms
swimming in the neptune pool
cocktails
sculpture on the neptune terrace
shadows on casa del sol
casa del sol's curved staircase
casa del sol
moon rise over hearst castle
elephant seals napping in san simeon
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo - I arrived just as they were starting mass

smallest park in the world

2009-05-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

Portland is kind of quirky, but that's why we love it. Most of its quirk has developed over the last decade, but some things started long ago. It was on a 3rd grade class field trip that I first encountered the smallest park in the world. Surrounded by asphalt and located (in stunning contrast) next to Waterfront Park (one of the largest parks in the City), this little park still makes me smile.

urth caffe

2009-05-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

Crema is my favorite cafe in Portland... but when I'm in L.A. it's all about Urth Caffe. I'm on a soy chai latte kick right now and theirs have just the right amount of spice without too much sugary sweetness. It's a comfy cozy good morning in a cup. Surrounded by friends (our first time together since Memorial Day on the Vineyard in 2007) and a little verbal sparring with Peter made for a perfect morning. As you can see I had just won the latest bout.

flip flops

2009-04-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

A beautiful package appeared at my door just as the warm weather returned to Portland. And inside were two beautiful flip flops - my favorite shoes and a sure sign that summer is coming. In addition to sharing a love for red shoes, Amy and I share of a love of flip flops... and not just any flip flops, but J.Crew flip flops. So even though we're on opposite coasts and can't look through the catalog picking out which shoes we're going to wear this season... it wouldn't be spring without a new pair of flip flops. Thanks Amy!

the difference between

2009-04-17T22:50:00.000-07:00

The difference between Portland and Boston is that in Portland we have city-wide rallies when we get into the playoffs and in Boston they wait until the championship is in the bag to run around the city and celebrate.

huntington gardens

2009-04-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

pip

2009-04-15T22:28:00.000-07:00

when i was in L.A. i met a dog named pip and now i'm obsessed with french bulldogs. i never noticed them before and now i see them everywhere. maybe i should get a dog like pip.

the shot

2009-04-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

There are a few signature shots I love to take.

[No, not those kind of shots. Though if you have to know I would say I found a couple favorites not too long ago one night at the MAC club - namely chocolate cake and lemon drop. At one point jello shots got me into some "hot" (well actually cold) water on my 21st birthday, but that's an entirely separate story.]

Now back to photography... I love black and white with the least possible amount of light, I love shadows and skies, I love taking shots from the ground looking up at a group of friends faces, and I love repeat photography. Recently I was able to repeat a portrait shot in one of my favorite places - the Getty Villa in Malibu, California

I photographed my brother there last spring and this year I found myself with the chance to shoot friends in the same location. I don't know what it is about this place - the natural light, the strong architectural features, the symmetry, the texture. Or the way that all those things make the people I'm photographing feel. I love capturing that on film.

march madness

2009-04-04T17:54:00.001-07:00

As the college basketball season winds down I have to reflect on a strange season. Strange because I just didn't feel it this year. Maybe it was the Oregon Ducks pathetic excuse for a season, maybe it was my total mishit on predicting teams road to the final four and beyond, or maybe it was just a lackluster year for college basketball. I hope it's not the later. I hope it's just that I didn't connect with any of the teams or their talented players and that next year will be different.

I've always loved basketball beginning in high school when I rooted for the Wilson High School Trojans. That school's program reached its zenith during my high school years and a basketball fan was born.

I fell in love with college hoops when I was in graduate school at the University of Oregon. Not only did I finally have a team to root for, but it came at an opportune time when I was disenchanted with the NBA as a lackluster group of spoiled athletes more concerned with glitz than blitzing across the court.

That has finally changed over the past few years. My Boston team, the Celtics, turned themselves around with passion and fight to win last year's championship (which I got to experience when I was visiting Boston during the championships)... and my Portland team, the Trailblazers, are a group of fresh young talent led by Brandon Roy and spiced up by Spanish star (and Mallorcan born) Rudy Fernandez. I hoped we'd draft Kevin Durant over Greg Oden, but since that year - when we had the number one draft pick - the Blazers have soared. This year we're going to the championships and it's going to be a Rip City year again in Portland. Go Blazers!

sake bomb

2009-04-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cross a shot of sake with a glass of beer? Laurie dancing the night away in West Hollywood.

Oh, what a night!

two peas in a pod

2009-03-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

We were like two peas in a pod - Amy and I. We shared an office on the 2nd floor of Quarters C at the Charlestown Navy Yard - our own little pod so to speak. And more often than not we wound up at work wearing nearly identical outfits - not twins necessarily, but the same shade of blue or green or brown or pink (we love the same shades of blue and green and brown and pink). It was uncanny how often it happened. Of course truth be told we share a similar (and might I say pretty darned chic) style. Remember - two peas in a pod.

So now we don't see each other every day (with me living 3000 miles away and all), but no matter we are still on the same stylish wavelength. Last week when mutual friends of ours were visiting Portland they noticed my red shoes and said - you know Amy is obsessed with her red shoes. And truth be told... so am I. Maybe someday we'll be able to click the heels of our red shoes together three times, whisper "there's no place like home" over and over again, and be back together again.

Yup I still miss her!

wind gust + car door = welcome to oregon

2009-03-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

As we were heading out I said, it's windy in the Gorge - they have world class windsurfing, but had no idea how small that statement would feel an hour or so later.

Our plan was to drive through the Columbia River Gorge along the old historic highway, stopping at various overlooks and waterfalls on our way to Hood River. A nice Sunday drive kind of day. But at our first stop on Crown Point we found 50-60 mph sustained winds which made it difficult to walk outside the car. So we drove to what I thought was a sheltered area on the hilltop and tried to get out of the car again.

I knew the wind was intense so was holding on to the door with two hands while easing it open. A second later a 100 mph wind gust ripped the door out of my hands and bent it back on itself denting the front fender. Getting out of the car I was nearly pushed over by the wind and tried to close the car door, but with no luck. The hinges were warped and the door off alignment so no matter how hard I tried it would not shut. (and trust me I tried!)

At this point I'm standing OUTSIDE the car and realizing I need to get back INSIDE the car, but didn't want the wind to take the door for a ride again. I waited for the wind to "die down" and eased my way back into the driver's seat. Of course now I'm stuck holding onto the door with all my strength as the wind keeps trying to rip it out of my hands again. So dilemma number two presents itself. I can't sit here just holding on to the door. I need to get out of the wind that is now rocking the car back and forth, but how do you drive while holding onto a door.

So I hand the keys to my friend who turns on the car. While I hold onto the door and push the gas, she shifts gears and steers. Now if you've never been to Crown Point then you should know that this "point" is on the edge of a cliff and the winding road hugs the edges of said cliff, which we were now having to drive down. It took about a half-mile to find a turnout that was shielded from the hurricane-like gusts.

The tour of the Gorge had come to an end, but what a tour it was. We didn't get to see Multnomah Falls - the star attraction- but did catch a glimpse of a few waterfalls from the seat of the tow truck. A tow truck that had just the week before rescued another car off Crown Point whose door had suffered the same fate.

Welcome to Oregon! There's world class windsurfing in the Gorge.

Here are videos of similar wind conditions at Crown Point about a month ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXkkOeBaF9A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSW_osw8e9U

25 years

2009-03-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

i first found my brick on my 14th birthday
i've found it only a few times since then
my name is worn
rain has flowed into the grooves
feet have shuffled over this spot for 25 years
in portland's pioneer courthouse square

pitchers and catchers

2009-02-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

it's official. winter is almost over. pitchers and catchers report today so baseball season is here. go sox!

lincoln cottage

2009-02-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

Seven years ago I started research on the Lincoln Cottage, a small house situated on a hill on the edge of Washington D.C. where Abraham Lincoln spent his summers while President. He couldn't travel to the Shenandoah Mountains like Herbert Hoover did or Camp David like many modern presidents do now. Our country was at war so he needed to stay close to Washington.

However he needed a place that was quiet, where he could think outside the chaos of Washington, and escape the hot swampy weather surrounding the White House. Even during the usually idyllic summer months Lincoln was often described as sad and restless as he wandered the grounds. During the summer of 1862 while living at the cottage he formed his thoughts on slavery that would he would eventually formalize with the Emancipation Proclamation.

My research led to the restoration of the Lincoln Cottage grounds which are now open to the public. The restoration project was initiated in anticipation of the Lincoln Bicentennial, which was in full swing this week surrounding what would have been Lincoln's 150th birthday. Leading many of those celebrations was President Barack Obama.

In 2002, when I started this project I would not have believed that an African-American would reside in the White House when the celebration commenced. Now I can't imagine anything else. In itself it's the most profound element of the celebration and exactly what Lincoln foresaw as he pondered this very issue at the Lincoln Cottage.

the cottage and grounds in 2002 before restoration

snowy memories

2009-02-10T07:56:00.001-08:00

As I sit here watching the snow fall in Portland (yes in Portland!) I'm transported back to Boston six years ago. I moved to that city at this very same time of year in 2003. I was excited about my new job, but honestly had not warmed to Beantown. I'd only visited the city a few times before moving and each trip possessed a lovely little constellation of disasters which left a poor taste in my mouth.

But there I was - new job, new city, and new place to live - and I thought one out of three ain't bad. My living situation was not ideal. I'd had two days to find a home and so settled for a college-esque place in the densest part of Boston with a roommate who had perfected cranky into an art form. The city was dirty and grey - it being February and all... and I couldn't get anywhere without studying a map and practically tatooing it onto my body before leaving the house. (Even with all that effort I still ended up turned around at least once a day.)

The icing on the cake was what is now referred to as the North American Blizzard of 2003 or President's Day Storm II. Flakes started falling on Monday February 17th and within 24 hours a record-breaking total of 27.5 inches of snow had buried the city... and my car. I had not yet learned the keep-up-with-the-snow-as-you-go method of New England winter survival so I let my car sink deeper and deeper into a cavern of heavy wet snow.

By the early afternoon hours on the 18th I decided to venture out and clear off my car. What I thought would take an hour tops took me until dark. I had a small scraper and had found some kind of shovel, but neither were very effective. On top of this - those with cars parked next to mine (who had already shoveled their cars out) plus the street plows added a good foot of snow on top of the nearly 2 1/2 feet that mother nature had bestowed. It was a sight to behold, and I honestly think I was in a kind of snow haze that kept me from going completely insane. Some left over childlike wonder at the sight of so much snow.

Towards the end of this archaeological dig one of my neighbors exited his house and offered to help me unbury my car, which uncharacteristically I accepted. After about another hour of digging when we were nearly done he sheepishly admitted that he'd contributed to the piles of snow on my Subaru when he had unburied his car earlier. Although I could have been angry I was actually glad I'd found the first person outside my office that was genuinely nice. Honestly I'd had my doubts before that day. Fortunately he was the rule and not the exception and I grew to love being in Boston... and even sometimes miss the snow.

jackson hole

2009-02-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, but it never did. Four days, four girlfriends, roundtrip airfare, spa treatments, penthouse suite at the Teton Mountain Lodge, car, lift tickets and demo skis - all on the house. It seemed too good to be true, but it wasn't. It really happened and we soaked up every last minute of it. On top of all that I got to reconnect with an old friend and his wife who made our weekend even better. We really felt embraced by Jackson Hole. Of course the best part of the whole weekend was being able to share all the magic of my good luck with Cyd, Lee & Tricia.

Cyd, Lee, Tricia & Laurie (taken by the possible future governor of Michigan)

Laurie, Lee, Cyd & Tricia heading to dinner in town

Apres Ski in the penthouse suite with views of the mountain - Lee, Darin, Genny, Tricia & Cyd

The Spa - our home away from home

blue monday

2009-01-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

Psychologists have been doing this for a few years now... taking a bunch of information and designating a particular day in January as the saddest day of the year. They calculate it based on the time it takes to break new year's resolutions; the moment when holiday debt rears its ugly head; the perfect storm of cold, dark and wet days; and mix that with the hardest day of the week - a Monday.

This year that day, also called Blue Monday, falls on January 19th. I'm sorry but I just can't agree, this is not the saddest day of 2009. First of all it is a holiday and not just any holiday but one to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and how he transformed our country. It's also the last full day that George W Bush will be in office... clearly not a sad day. It's also the day before Barack Obama will be sworn in as our first black president. The day before a man, who wields inspiration like this country has not seen since John F. Kennedy, will begin steering a nation thirsting for and in desperate need of real leadership. To top that off the sun is shining in Portland today - an extremely rare occurrence in the winter.

No, I just can not agree that this is the saddest day of the year.

happy holidays

2009-01-01T13:23:00.001-08:00

let it snow,

2008-12-14T17:36:00.001-08:00

let it snow, let it snow! snow began falling early last week, but didn't really show it's true face until this weekend when several inches of snow fell around town followed by a sheer coating of ice. there's a chance it will continue and we'll have a white christmas! is this portland or boston?!

yelapa

2008-12-10T20:26:00.001-08:00

i am energized by the colors of yelapa, mexico.

gesture

2008-11-22T00:09:00.000-08:00

Traveling is not as glamorous as it once was. You have to practically strip down to your knickers and empty everything out of your bag before passing through security. Delays are common place. Planes have become huge petrie dishes that pass illnesses around like hot potatoes. The seats are often uncomfortable and cramped, and those that provide a little more comfort are expensive. But even amongst all this chaos there is beauty.

A gentleman who wished to remain anonymous gave up his seat in first class to an American soldier flying back from Iraq on my flight from Minneapolis to Portland last week. He made this gesture quietly. He wanted no recognition, but the soldier wouldn't give up until he found the root of this generosity. Once he did, the soldier walked back to thank the gentleman who humbly accepted his thanks. And in turn, the gentleman thanked the soldier for his contribution to our country. It was a simple and thoughtful exchange that I was honored to witness.

mini soda (or is it pop)

2008-11-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my work affords me opportunities to travel to places I really want to visit. That happened last weekend when I flew to Minnesota for a project and was able to squeeze some time in to visit the Crosby's and the Rahr's. Lesley and Stewart opened their beautiful home to me and graciously showed me around the city. Markell and Willie also hosted a wonderful reunion dinner where we got to relive all the great times we had when we all lived in Portland in the mid-90s. The best news of all is that this was just the first trip of many that will unfold over the next several months. Minnesota - here I come!

hope

2008-11-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

I've listened to Barack Obama's acceptance speech nearly a dozen times and I still cry every time I hear his words - just as much for what he says as how he says it. He's intelligent and his words are rhythmic. As I look back at election night I can't fail to see the symbolism. Obama's rally was an open invitation to the citizens of Chicago and America while McCain's was invite only. Obama's was in a public open space and McCain's was at an exclusive and expensive hotel. McCain's supporters booed when he mentioned Obama and Obama's supporters cheered when Obama mentioned McCain. Obama's speech said so much, but the rallies spoke volumes.

crossroads

2008-10-23T22:20:00.001-07:00

...the most exciting place to be...

cattle drive

2008-10-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've never been a cowgirl... yes, I went to horse camp and I rode horses growing up. I have cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, but I've never been a cowgirl. But for twenty minutes one Monday afternoon as I was driving down a two-lane road in Eastern Oregon I got to feel like I was herding a drove of cattle to their winter pasture. I got to feel like a cowgirl. Giddyup and get along little doggies!

if you dream it

2008-10-11T15:10:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week my mind wandered in two directions. After working for twelve days straight and hitting sixteen hours of work in one day I was starting to think about time away... can you blame me?

So my mind wandered to discussions I had back in July with Lee, Tricia and Cyd as were leaving the Rahr Ranch in Montana that we should organize a girls weekend in the fall, maybe the pine-scented air of central Oregon or maybe the ocean-misted air of the Oregon coast. The best laid plans just got swept up in all of our busy schedules and so nothing had been set. I was wishing it had.

Soon after I had this strange, but vivid image of me in a cozy cabin on a mountain surrounded by snow. I'm not even a winter girl, but the image seemed so real and so rejuvenating. I didn't think about it again until yesterday morning when I found out I had won a weekend trip for four to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Airfare - paid, Rental car - provided, Beautiful eco-hotel - included, spa appointments - covered, lift tickets - check!

Now the dream is a reality, three of my girlfriends and I are going to Jackson Hole to get pampered on a winter weekend getaway. If you dream it... it will come.

it's bigger in the west

2008-10-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

big mountains, big spaces and great big mailboxes. everything is bigger out here. Hell, the mailbox is bigger than the road sign.
- musings from my road trip through eastern oregon -

today

2008-10-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

today i got to talk about cultural landscapes. today i got to feel like i was sharing my experience with people who appreciate it. today i got to remember wonderful discussions in my old office at fairsted. today i got to remember going to coffee with amy. today i got to feel passionate.

i'm always good

2008-09-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

I heard something very powerful today - not on the news and not from someone wearing wisdom on their sleeve, but from someone I encountered at the grocery store. He's from Africa. I know this because the little girl in line with her mom had asked. He's singing as he weighs my fruits and vegetables and has a wide smile on his face. And when the woman behind me asked how he was he answered, "I'm always good." Although it shouldn't have, it caught me by surprise. And it wasn't what he said, but how he said it. He wasn't saying it for affect or to be cute or trite. He was sincere and he meant it and kept on singing. "I'm always good," he had said - what empowerment, what peace.

custodian of the desert

2008-09-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

The morning chill still hung in the air, but it didn't matter since I was taking an early morning soak in the hot springs and the temperature was perfectly steamy. The sun was rising over the desert and light was inching over the east face of the Steens. Part of me had wished that the hot springs would be empty when I drove up so I could enjoy the morning alone. But the conversation was nice, not what we talked about necessarily, but just talking with people who all wanted to be in this special place far away from towns and cities and weekday life.

The conversation flowed from one thing to another, nothing too revealing, but after a while I could tell that in other places, under other circumstances we might all find ourselves on opposite sides of issues. That doesn't matter in the Alvord Desert. What matters is that we all care about this place and are brought together by that one simple fact. When I mentioned that a warning light popped up in my car about low tire pressure this one man said he'd check and fill up my tires. When I talked about wanting to drive north and explore a new path home, but would have to backtrack to Fields to fill up my tank he offered to sell me gas. That is the way things work in the desert.

So it was fitting that the conversation centered on Carl Thomas who died last spring. Carl had the one ranch situated right at the edge of the desert and throughout the decades he lived there helped more people than anyone can count - stuck in the mud and he'd pull you out, need a phone he'd offer his up, the main entrance too bumpy and you could use his road to access the Alvord. Carl will be missed.

aaahhh

2008-09-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

I spent four days on a trek to one of my favorite places in Oregon last weekend - the Alvord Desert - nearly a year after moving back to Portland. After covering over 1000 miles on this journey you can just imagine the adventures, reflections and photographs I captured. Stay tuned...

reunions

2008-09-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

If July was all about birthdays then August, well August was all about reunions. Within one month I had reunions with friends from high school, college and grad school.

It started at Ted and Tara's wedding. Having gone to college with Ted and graduate school with Tara I should have guessed that their wedding would be a reunion for me... but I had no idea how many friends from Lewis & Clark and the University of Oregon would be attending the wedding. Friends like Suzanne and Renne whom I've kept in touch with since leaving LC had made the trek, and it was great to catch up. On top of that so many other art major friends whom I haven't seen since graduating over 15 years ago made their way to the wedding including Trey and Amy. Trey's warmth and Amy's energy made it feel like we were in the studio together again.

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by oodles of friends from grad school, but not everyone has decided to live in Portland so it was amazing to see Anne and Valerie and relive our crazy days in architecture school. We worked hard and played hard in Eugene and had whacky fun times... this wedding reunion felt like we were right back in Eugene.

Just two weeks later a real reunion took place. It's been 20 years since I graduated from Wilson High School and so it was time to gather the troops and spend an evening (or weekend really) catching up, reminiscing and feeling like I was 18 again. I may not have graduated in 1999 (it was really 1988), but as Prince sings I sure partied like it was.

Mini reunions began earlier in the week with the highlight being the Portland premiere of Scott Prendergast's new film, Kabluey. The audience was filled with WHS grads and I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt incredibly proud of Scott's incredible achievement. His film is amazing and truly showcases the talent we all knew he had in high school.

Saturday night was the main event and I don't know about anyone else, but I felt like I couldn't talk fast enough. There were so many people to catch up with, so many stories to hear and tell, so many memories to recall. In high school I had a notorious habit of crashing early, often times in cars on the way to parties or nights out with friends... and I have to say that habit hasn't receded with time. But come midnight when the lights went up in the ballroom I was still energized and ready for the night to continue... and continue it did.

By the time my "night" ended I had been kicked out of the hotel, played beer pong until nearly sunrise, crashed in a random bed when my eyes couldn't stay open just one minute longer, and slinked away in the mid-morning hours once my car was no longer blocked in. It felt like high school again - and a great way to honor my young years! I only wish more friends had been there to relive it all together.