One Stressed Out Cat

Chill'in
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

As you can see, Cirrus made the 3,000 mile journey out to NY sans psycho. I don't know why. I don't know how. And I don't know for how long, but I'm happy about it. Hopefully she'll keep doing what she's doing (or smoking or taking or whatever). Keep chill'in Cirrus. Keep chill'in.

A Weekend in the Gunks

Us
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

On our quest to get away from the hot/humid/unending sweat inducing repressive summer we jumped in the car and headed upstate. We ended up in the Gunks, a climbing Mecca about 2 hours upstate. It was beautiful (and still a little humid). We had to pay $8 each to hike. It's a private reserve and they charge private prices. Damn NY.

We found a little (actually kind of big) brew pub in New Paltz. It's a town right outside of the Gunks. Great food, good atmosphere and Blueberry Summer Ale. Quite tasty and perfectly refreshing in hot weather.

The humidity in the city is absolutely brutal. It's like living in a steam room. Today, 95 degrees but they say the humidity is going to make it feel like 105. Fuck! I'm not having any problems with dry skin. I'd take Oregon rain over this any day. We've been told that this heat/humidity wave is unusual. Unfortunately for us, it's been very usual. Every day the same weather.

Praise be to the incredible soul that created the air conditioner. Now if can we just get one of those amazing devices strapped onto the earth. Or at least turn back the clock on this global warming thing. The freckles on my skin and the beads of sweat on my forehead say it's just TO DAMN HOT.

Time for work. I better put on another layer of deodorant before I step out into the non-air-conditioned New York air. I’m going to need that extra protection.

Free Ozomatli concert across the street

A block and a half away from our place Brooklyn puts on a series of free summer park concerts. Tonight it was Ozomatli, a world fusion latin group from East LA. Michelle's hips couldn't stop moving as the 10 piece band delivered latin jams into the air. We hung out with Tommy and DiEtt (I know I mispelled her name. Damn). The food was good, the wine we snuck in even better and the micro-brewed whiskey Tommy added was smooth (with a bite... a good bite). We danced through the humid night with a large crowd and enjoyed our Thursday evening.

A Taste of Our 4th of July

(BBQ in front of David's)


(Boats waiting for the show)


(Crowd gathered on David's roof)








(Shows over)

Christen and Ryan decided to show up for the holiday weekend. It was great to have our first NW visitors. For the 4th, we BBQ's at David's and ended up on the roof watching fireworks explode over the river with Manhattan in all it's glory as the background. An immense amount of people went on the roof with us. They had a bouncer checking the roof door and only let friends of the buildings tenants up to the top. On the left we could see the Empire State building and just to the left of the fireworks we could see the Chrysler building. Boats lined the shore and people yelled and clapped and shouted for the best fireworks. After the show, the streets were filled with people walking to there homes and cars and places of rest. It was a beautiful night, in the low 70's, filled with new backdrops, interesting people and the fireworks that fill the skies of every small and big town from here to Estacada Oregon. We took pictures. Enjoy.

I Love Air Conditioners

Ok, when the weather person (notice, non-gender specific. I learned that is Portland) says it's going to be in the mid 80's, I can hang with that. But what you don't get told is it's going to be in the mid 80's at 2pm and 2am. You also don't get told that's it's going to be accompanied by humidity in the mid 80's. Thank god for deodorant and air conditioning (I can thankfully say that Michelle and I have stocked up on both. A 12000 BTU AC works away in our living room while a much smaller one keeps us company in the bedroom).

Christen and Ryan are showing up this weekend. Should be fun. We'll see what tomorrow brings us. But I think we're going to go to a free concert at Battery Park on Monday and then watch the firework show over Manhattan from David's riverside roof. Pictures of the weekend should be up soon (after the weekend).

Portland on Loan

The reality of moving across the country, is that you’re moving across the country. We’re talking over 3,000 miles. And just because you move your physical self, doesn’t mean that you move your home. Home is Portland. And so we bring a little of that Portland to NYC. Michelle’s granola/environmental/organic/beautiful/crunchy self and my ski crazy/chill/organic/environmental/freckled self. But what we can’t bring with us is friends and family. It’s a bit difficult. But if we’re lucky (and we know that we are) we’ll have those friends and family bring themselves to this big, crazy, interesting city, and while there here, give NYC a little more of the Portland spirit. We’ll use the Portland airport like a library, periodically and often checking out a great piece of the Northwest, sharing it with this city, and returning it to it’s rightful place after a week or two. And we can’t wait to have our first visitors from Glisan or Skidmore or Lakeshore or Stanton or 15th street or Macadam or any of the other places you (and we) call home. Unfortunately (and fortunately) Michelle and I are on extended lone to this metropolis. We’re excited and we’re also excited to share it with you. Here’s to Portland, to NYC, to family, to friends, to seeing you soon.

A Few Pictures and Thoughts for Tonight

I guess it’s my turn to write as we burn down the road. 10:45 at night. Michelle at the wheel. And I pound away at this keyboard. Mirah’s playing on the radio and Ohio’s draped in black. Next stop, Cleveland… maybe, if the caffeine holds up and the CD player keeps us company. The trip has been an exercise in newness, interesting places, endurance, bad food in a great I’m eating sushi in Idaho sort of way and gas stations.

Today we stopped in South Bend and saw Notre Dame. Beautiful town. Maybe the pope will come back as a football in this little football crazy town. That way, he could enjoy all the enthusiasm and greenery and good old fashion mid-American fanaticism, strong Catholicism, nice looking coeds (and fraternity brothers if he swings that way), without having to eat the food.

Cue camera. You see two locals out the side of the window.

Michelle: Hi. We’re not from around here. Is there anyplace you’d recommend to eat at?

Local 1 (late 20’s, slim woman): There’s a Denny’s down the road.

Caspian: Where do the college students eat?

Local 2 (late 20’s, portly woman): Between Two Buns. It a sports bar on campus. They’ve got great buns!

Local 1: Or you could go to Chili’s or Applebees.

Local 2: I love those places.

Failure. But it was a cultural experience. And we did end up eating Thai food in Indiana. Not great, but it was Indiana.

A few things I’ve learned on this trip. America is beautiful. There are many helpful and friendly souls in this country. Toll roads suck ass, unless you don’t have to pay for them. Chicago is big… I mean really big. Nothing taste better than time with a wonderful friend, a laugh and an experience that will be remembered for the rest of memory.

We drive on. Mirah keeps singing. We’ll talk again tomorrow.

Quick Update

Moonscape 2
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

Over 1,300 miles. We spent the night in Yellowstone on Tuesday, enjoyed the park on Wednesday and ended up in Deadwood South Dakota Wednesday night. We've got tons of pictures, but we only have time to put this one up. We've got to hit the road. We'll put up more, the next time we find an internet connection.

4 States, 550 miles and 2 Tired Drivers

The bus stops in Missoula Montana. We passed through a town with a weapon depot (Umatilla Oregon), purchased cherries from some roadside farmers (Washington border), ate some of the worst sushi either one of us has ever had (Coeur d'Alene Idaho) and found out that our car CD player is as temperamental as Cirrus. This trip has just begun.

The Copywriter Paints

Mural Friends
Originally uploaded by Polish Carpetlayer.

The whole office took the day off and put out time and talents to work at a youth center in Harlem. We painted 5 huge murals, built puppet stages and benches. It was hot, fun and amazing to see the kids faces after we were finished.