Day five started in Astoria, we made one last stop to see Astoria Column. I thought it would be like an older water tower. It was much cooler. As the t-shirt indicates, it’s almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty. It’s on top of Coxcomb Hill and the views are amazing. We saw a very scary looking bridge that crossed the river to Stevens State Park.
Our next stop was the Peter Iredale shipwreck in Stevens State Park. God love Lily – she drove over the scary bridge. I think she didn’t realize how scary it would be. Part of the problem in that you take a hairpin turn on the elevating ramp to get to it. But we survived. We did get the beach to ourselves. It was really nice.
The on to Long Beach where Lily found a vintage shop that she loved. She got a great haul. Turns out art in Portland is pretty expensive. But the art at the secondhand store in a rural coastal town, is less expensive. We had a nice lunch and then I took a walk on the beach. I suspect it’ll be my last walk on the ocean for a hot minute, so I soaked it in.
Then onto Seattle, which was much farther than we wanted it to be. But we checked in, We checked out some of the basics (Ferris Wheel, gum wall and Pike’s Place) on the way to find a restaurant open past 9pm. We found one. And we found ourselves an Irish pub for a pint or two.
Filed under: Oregon
Day four started Wednesday night at The Pharmacy PDX, a bar that featured a few times in the Matt Dillon movie, Drugstore Cowboy. We happened to be there for burlesque night – a very fun and gender expansion show.
Thursday Lily and I packed up our bags for the coast. The drive to Seaside was gorgeous between the forest and the mountains. The trees are so much taller than I’m used to, even in Northern Minnesota. We saw snow for the first time in weeks. Apparently, it’s been a while for folks here too to see so much snow. Then we got to the beach. Amazing! The sound could lull anyone into a good mood. There was a promenade, that was too far from the water for us, so we went right to the water.
We learned a little bit about clam digging, which looks like a pretty fun work out. People use what I’d call a clam digging auger to dig up the dirt and hopefully a clam. We chased down sand dollars. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on the beach like that before. Also Seaside is the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. So that was pretty interesting.
From Seaside we went north to Astoria, where much of Goonies was filmed. I went to see the Goonies house. The view is amazing and there’s sort of a well-maintained ragtag feel about the area. Astoria is where Clark Gable began his acting career; unfortunately, the theater burned down and the plaque doesn’t photograph well but we saw it. There were so many movie connections in the area. And as Lily noted there were a couple of cinemas and a video store. Lily works at a Cinema in Portland and worked at the Lagoon in Minneapolis. I feel like she could move to Astoria.
My favorite thing so far – the sealions in Astoria. You can’t get very close to them but you can hear them from far away. The last two times I visited Dublin, I didn’t get to see seals so this was a total bonus seeing sealions here!
We had very yummy seafood for dinner and checked out a few of the local breweries. A mellow but fun night. We stayed right in town and it was nice to see there were a few options that were walkable to the city.
Filed under: Oregon
Last night we went to check out Creepy’s – an old town, clown, kitschy bar. It wasn’t busy but the bartender was really nice and the scenery was good. We visited a place next door, with some amazing velvet art. It was a good end to a fun day and great start to day three.
Today Lily and I went to The Grotto. The Wowser! It reminded me of my visit to Kylemore Abbey with Kate in January. It is a Catholic outdoor altar and sanctuary with daily Masses. Constructed in 1924, the sanctuary covers 62 acres, set both at the foot of, and atop, a 110 foot cliff. It is so peaceful with all of the moss and forest smells. It is, as one might guests pretty religious. There are outdoor sculptures for the Stations of the Cross, bas relief vignettes of the joyful and sorrowful mysteries, lots of statues and various shrines. The shrines come from different lands and are each cool, yet unique. There’s a small chapel (St Ann’s) with a few prayer pews and paintings with different renditions of Mary and Jesus; each also coming from different lands. I thought they were fascinating. And a labyrinth, which was very relaxing.
Also worth mentioning the number of trees that came down during a recent ice storm. There’s a picture of me below standing by the tree trunk to show how big the tree had been.
The most amazing part (maybe, but it was all so great) was the meditation overlook. The views of the mountains were spectacular and really the first time I was fully able to see the mountains. The overlook was built in 1991 by the family of Marilyn Moyer. I’m pretty sure we saw Mount Rainier in the distance.
I love the story of how grotto began…
The story of The Grotto begins at the end of the 19th century, with a young boy who learned that his mother lay near death after giving birth to a daughter. In tears, the boy ran to the little parish church in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He prayed to the Virgin Mary for his mother’s life, promising that if she were spared he would one day undertake a great work for the church. Both his mother and baby sister survived, and the future Fr. Ambrose Mayer never forgot his promise.
We stopped on the way home at Mt Tabor on the way back. It was a quick look at some more views. Between Tabor and the Grotto, I’ve grown to really like the smell of a forest.
Filed under: Oregon
This living on Pacific Time is tough when the good people of the Midwest are two hours ahead. But I’m adjusting. Day two began last night when we all headed to The Alibi, for tiki drinks and karaoke. I did not sing; the others did. We did start the night (which minds you starts at midnight CST when Lily’s off work) with a fishbowl of cocktail. What could go wrong? Actually. it was a super fun night. The people in our group were great performers and we saw some fairly amazing strangers.
Tuesday (today) I took some pictures of Lily and her regular places – home and work. We had a nice lunch and then Lily went to work.
I took a weird walk for a couple hours. I like Portland but, in my experience, thus far, it’s not a walking city. (I guess most US cities aren’t.) Not that it’s difficult to get to places, there just aren’t a lot of other people walking around.
I walked to Chinatown, which came recommended. It was a sunny day so in the distance I could see the hills and just about see the mountains. It’s gorgeous. Closer to me, I walked through a lot of neighborhoods and got to cross the river (The Willamette) twice. Turns out not much commerce or tourism is happening in Chinatown these days. Lots of folks with nowhere else to go. Some folks were friendly, and no one was aggressive, but hard to take tourist photos without looking like a strange photojournalist trying to capture someone’s not-finest moment.
I did accidentally find the Wishing Tree on Morris St and 7th Ave, which is near Lily’s places. The homeowner leaves paper, string and instructions and people write their wishes on the tree. Apparently the original has inspired other wishing trees to pop up. But this is the original. (Of course I knew none of this before I looked on Google, after seeing the tree!)
Filed under: Oregon
I arrived late on Sunday night to visit Lily in her new home city of Portland Oregon. I had never been here before. We didn’t skip a beat and headed right out to the Lollipop Shoppe to see a few bands. It’s always weird to start a trip in the dark. I liked the place and the music but had no real feel for Portland. Today I got a little better feel.
We went to check out Vintage Merchants, where I scored new-to-me boots and two new-to-me dresses. Lily got some art and clothes. Tyler got some art too. We had super tasty pastries and then Lily went off to work at the taco place. (She also works at a cinema.)
I spent the afternoon walking from one workplace to the next back to Lily’s. The weather does feel like Dublin – wet and chilly but not super cold without the wind. I walked by some very nice neighborhoods and interesting shops. I saw some folks who weren’t living their best day. You know like you’d see in most cities.
Lily lives in a very nice basement apartment. It has some old school charm with wood and hidden space but it’s also very brought and feels modern. The neighborhood feels much the same. Each house is different from the next. Lots of colors and yard ornaments or swing sets. She’s just a few blocks off what seems to be a busier street, which I always like.
Soon we’ll be walking up to meet up with Lily for more adventures!
Filed under: Chicago
“The biggest enemy of life is stupidity.” I learned that today from Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a hologram of a Holocaust survivor at the Illinois Holocaust Museum today. Anita was 18 when she was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Her family had tried to escape before the Nazi invasion several times, unsuccessfully. The last time, she and her sister were arrested, sent to prison and eventually to Auschwitz. She survived because she was a cellist and, as she made a point of saying several times, because she was lucky. In this case, she was lucky they were starting an orchestra, she was lucky someone asked if she played, she was lucky they remembered the answer. We heard her story and then, through the magic of technology, were able to ask the hologram-of-her various questions. I recorded one answer because it speaks to how music literally saved her.
I have talked to so many musicians who feel their music is frivolous in bad times. (And I think it doesn’t take blurred vision to see parallels to persecution of Jews and others today.) But music transcends. Also, music is a way to tell a story that can be more palatable than other methods. Storytelling irradicates stupidity. Or at least it helps. Before the presentation, the docent encouraged us to take pictures and videos to share with the world. I wish I could share the whole museum! (Their website does a good job!)
The description of the holocaust is like a test case of how to do propaganda and break down community. Only by learning about how this has been done before can we recognize it happening again and one of the credos we should all stand up is … never again.
Also at the museum was an exhibit on delis – I’ll have what she’s having. It seems weird to end such a series post (or visit) with something lighthearted but it speaks to the resilience of the survivors and makes it easier to want to share the whole story. Anita told her story with hints of humor; it makes it easier to listen and hear. I’ll just share pictures here; in the case of delis that’s enough to help us all connect to the story. (I’m going to include some screenshots of their super smart exhibits on how you can help make people smarter based on your skillset to be upstanders, not bystanders.)
Filed under: Illinois
Dad was heading to Chicago to see friends. Very last minute I decided to go too. Not to see sick friends but to see my sister Katie and be the ultimate tourist downtown Chicago for a gorgeous afternoon of sun and 70 degrees. It was so much fun. The Art Institute was closed, which while sad made me do different fun things. I took the train downtown, walked around to soak up some downtown ambiance and then headed to at least say hello to the Art Institute lions and Millennial Park. Sadly even the Bean was under repair but I got to the fountain spit and then headed to Navy Pier.
First walking from Millennial Park to Navy Pier is probably the most expensive real estate in the Midwest. Whoa. Lots of private parks and chauffeurs (and not mom-chauffeurs either!). I hadn’t been to Navy Pier or years. There were people around but it wasn’t busy. The wind is exactly what you expect from the windy city but the views are spectacular and the air feels fresh. I stopped in to see The State of Sound highlight Chicago musicians. It’s a free, quick fun stop. I saw some folks I expected to see like Nat King Cole, John Prine, Louis Armstrong and Jeff Tweedy. I saw one of my lost favorites, Naked Raygun. I saw someone I watched play over the weekend -Shemekia Copeland.
Then Katie finished work and we met at the Museum of Contemporary Art. (More amazing addresses enroute!) There was a farmer’s market outside of the gallery – bonus for a Tuesday. So we got a picnic lunch and ate on the museum patio. We saw a few exhibits but the most striking to us was Public Enemy by Gary Simmons. He has been using art to call out racism and classicism especially in popular culture and everyday life in American since the 1980s. His most famous works are smudged chalk drawing that capture images from popular media. (Apparently one of his first studios had a large chalkboard, which goes to show you the power of happy accident.) The images are recognizable but ghostly in the smudge. He recreates the works in the studio – so that when the show closes, the MCA will just paint over it and the message will remain hidden in the walls.
Also he uses regalia without people to represent situations or conditions. He had a piece where tennis shoes (Puma, Nike, Adidas) were dipped in gold and places in front of a police witness lineup wall. The message is clear. Even without people in the shoes, we are trained to have a certain view. There’s another wall with tall, narrow, white chalkboards hung up furnished with white chalked places inches in front of a row of old school wooden desks representing the white washing of education. Finally, on the opposite was a bare bones school closet with several size 6x (think kindergartener) Ku Klux Klan costumes. The MCA always makes me think.
We stopped by my favorite consignment shop in Evanston on the way home. (Got new shoes.) And them Katie, Dad, Dan and I went to our favorite D&J Bistro in Lake Zurich for an amazing French meal. The folks there are so good and friendly. The food is amazing and I never need to eat again.
Now 12 hours after leaving the restaurant, Dad and I are halfway home to St Paul!
Filed under: St Paul
We had another great day at the Fair. We might have another one on Monday and, if so, I’ll share more pictures. Today it was Dad, Katie, Uncle Dan, Bridie and her new Freshman roommate, Ava. Also, we made an unexpected friend named Meg.
We loosely followed the scavenger hunt, which is pretty usual. We saw the biggest boar and the fancy new Oink Booth. We ate donuts, bacon, cheese curds, pork chops, French fries and ice cream. We saw the longest lines ever for pickle pizza. Yuck! We saw Mae Simpson play at the KARE 11 Barn and some dancers in front of the Education Building. I chatted with Senator Pappas, who has done great work for ERA MN (and other things).
We checked out the butter queens and saw a few in the flesh. Learned about a few fun events, like the NAMI walk at Minnehaha Falls and Crosby Park After Dark. We judged others and were applauded for it. Finally, we met our friend Meg. She was in line in the Education Building to get a calendar with a picture of her family, but her family never came or at least didn’t come in time, so we offered to fill in. Best picture ever!
It’s time for the annual Treacy family scavenger hunt. Bridie (my niece) is starting at the University of Minnesota so we’re making an old school trip to the fair to see how far we get on the hunt. I thought I’d share for folks who are looking to combine festival eating with a meaningless competition. I’ll be posting pictures after we participate.
Get a group picture calendar at the Education Building – a point for each participant in the photo.- Find a seedy rendition of Barbie.
- Pose with a butter princess sculpture.
- Eat a Fair favorite: cheese curds, Sweet Martha’s, Tom Thumb donuts, corn on the cob, corndog or fries. (Point per treat)
- Get a team to go down the giant slide – point per person going at once (or once-ish).
- See a band; take a video. (Find the free music calendar.)
- Catch a live birth at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center.
- Get a picture with a famous person – 1 point per famous person. (Candidates count.)
- Eat something new – 1 point per treat. (See the new food list.)
- Get a bird’s eye view from the Sky Ride
- Kiss a prize-winning animal or at least get in kissing distance.
- Get a picture of Debbie Filla’s bench. (Think poultry barn.)
- Pose in front of the U of M “M”. (Near KARE 11 Health fair.)
- Get as many free school supplies as possible at the Education building.
- Get a judgey photo in the Education Building
Dad and I have a tour of the Midwest going this week. We start in Naperville to see a friend of his. (OK, only dad stopped in to see his favorite high school teacher Jack Lane.) I walked around the Naperville Century Walk, a downtown riverwalk peppered with artworks. I’ll share a few pictures. The highlight was the big statue of Dick Tracy; well-place because the creator of the comic book hero is from Naperville.
We also checked out the Morton Arboretum. We have been there before. Sadly, the summer sculptures were not out yet. But we did get to see some gorgeous flowers. Even better, we got to smell them! I’ve always said the best thing about coming from Minnesota is that anywhere you go has better weather and that is doubly true this year. It was warm and spring had sprung and I could almost be tempted to move this year.
I had a work meeting in Bloomington (at the Illinois Soybean Association). Quick nod to best refurbishing of a former Gold’s Gym and nicest hospitality. I heard heartwarming stories of rural counties on the path to getting better broadband. But I’ll save those notes for my work report.
Springfield
After the meeting we set out to St Louis, but not without a stop to see historical sites in Springfield. We checked out Lincoln’s family home – by that I mean with Mary Todd and their kids. Here we were given a fantastic free map that pointed out just about anything and everything you might want to see in the areas related to Lincoln.
Based on new info from the new map, we also checked out Lincoln’s Tomb. It was cook. It is a big tomb, where he and his immediate family are buried. Apparently, someone tried to snatch his body in 1876, resulting in a bunch of new laws, an onsite groundskeeper and his body moving 10 feet below ground. There’s a bronze casting of Lincoln’s face. Apparently, it’s lucky to run his nose. (I’ll report back if good luck comes my way!) Fun to see the impact of a nose rub on the statue.
St Louis
We spent a couple days in St Louis and the whole family joined. We’re all here to see my niece, Betsy, do her senior dance at St Louis University. She has completed four years of her six-year program in Physical Therapy. But with the fourth-year completion, comes the end to her Dance Minor. So we all came to watch her. You can see why below; this is the dance she choregraphed. We’ll never forget the touching note that Grandma left on Emily’s dance poster – thinking it was Betsy’s. But it was very funny.
We also got to see a few of the sites, such as Forest Park, You can see the video Katie and I made in honor of the Kentucky Derby.
We checked out some nightlife and ate a ton!
… last minute addition: Dad and I stopped in Cedar Lake, Iowa. Dad was a huge Buddy Holly fan back in the day, and remembers the day the music died. Originally we weren’t going to go this way but fates intervened and once you’re getting on 35 near Mason City, you might as well stop by the sites!
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