One thing that is different about Salinas from Portland is that it is warmer here. January in Portland is a stay-inside month, mostly. It tends to be very wet and cold. But here, your daddy set up the Solo fire pit in the backyard and we all spent an hour outside!
The little fire pit is made of metal and designed to let lots of air in to help the fire burn. It was so pretty watching it in the dark. We bundled up a little, but no umbrellas were required.
And of course, if there is fire, there must be … marshmallows! Bamboo sticks and marshmallows came out and we practiced roasting. Close enough, but not too close, or you get a burning wad of sticky charcoal.
Roasting practice
Once we got the hang of that, your daddy brought out graham crackers and chocolate for S’mores! It is very tricky to hold a melty marshmallow, slice of chocolate and cracker altogether, but we will get better as we practice.
Mommy balancing a s’more
After we had enjoyed some s’mores, you and I practiced fencing with the sticky sticks. Cross, cross, touch…like slow motion Musketeers. Then you discovered you could put the sticks between the boards of the porch and make a marshmallow tree!
Monday was a holiday from school, so Liza and I went on an adventure. We started in the morning, when it was cold enough we needed our jackets. We stopped by Hartnell Park first, to play for a while. We met an old friend of Liza’s, Victor, who can speak a little Russian.
Off for our Adventure!
Our next stop was Hartnell College. We watched folks play tennis and found some interesting statues. We had fun with the Panther, who was carved in 1934! He has been here being adorable all these years. We found a girl walking with her mommy, and she and Liza played with the Panther for a while.
Friend and Panther
Once we got downtown, we found The National Steinbeck Center. It is a huge museum that tells all about John Steinbeck and the books he wrote. It has a red pony to ride and comb, and a house like one the people lived in in a story called “Sweet Thursday”.
Working with The Red Pony
We spent an hour at the Center, and got hungry! Farm Fresh deli got us back on track, and we went back into the Center. Liza wanted to celebrate a “Pretend Birthday” in the pipe house, so we did. What a great time!
Pipe House Birthday
Once we were just worn out, we headed home, stopping by Blue Aces Bakery to get a snack. We chatted with Adrian and her assistant, who happens to be a girl named Katrina that I knew when she was little.
We walked back by Hartnell College, when Liza had a nice rest on the Panther’s back. She didn’t want to leave the Panther behind, so she hooked it up to a pretend leash and it quietly followed us home.
Sunday was such a sunny day, Grandpa Nelson and I decided to go to the beach in Monterey. We parked by Jack’s Park baseball diamond and walked down Alvarado Street. We had a delightful chicken Cobb salad at The Melville Tavern, a woodsy place right by the East Village Inn Coffee and MY Children’s Museum.
In downtown Monterey we saw statues of Captain Portola and Doc Ricketts, famous people from the past. The Captain helped discover the city and Doc was a marine biologist and ecologist, and a good friend of the author, John Steinbeck.
Doc Ricketts, by the train tracks where he died
We headed down to the Recreation Trail and enjoyed seeing some new construction. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is expanding its educational branch and is building a large place to house them. The crane was enormous!
Santa Rosalia
We found more statues, of a pelican, of St. Rosalia (who protects fishermen) and even a statue of John Steinbeck and some friends. I liked this one, because there was a fine hawk perched right on Mr. Steinbeck’s head! Cracked me up.
John Steinbeck and hawk
As we got to Cannery Row, Grandpa Nelson wanted a chocolate milkshake from Ghirardelli. We sat on the balcony and watched folks playing in the sand below, and wanted to join them. Grandpa Nelson took his shoes off, but I left mine on. We walked and watched kids climb on rocks and waves crash. It was wonderful!
Once we got back to the car, I investigated how far we had walked: over 3 and a half miles! We drove home and I helped with laundry, had a nap, and had some left over pizza. Uncle David says we can use the fire pit and makes s’mores once Auntie Olga and Liza are back from their day out.
Down here in Salinas, we had more Christmas presents waiting for us. Auntie Olga’s Mom Alla got a new kippah for Grandpa Nelson, and it looks wonderful!
Handsome Grandpa Nelson
I am having fun getting to know Salinas again. Grandpa Nelson and I went walking and found some old friends, a Tiny Free Library and Squirrels, both just like we have in Portland.
Tiny Free Library
We have been eating at our favorite places, too. We had Mexican food at Michael’s in Old Town Salinas. I haven’t found Mexican food this good in Portland. Maybe I need to keep looking.
Uncle David and Liza
Last night we got dressed up and went to dinner at Patria, our favorite spot in Old Town. They have great food, friendly people, and their house wine is called Troublemaker and is delicious.
Michael’s
We also visited people friends. Rick showed us his model of Notre Dame Cathedral that he had made for Christmas. I told him and the family all about Portland and they caught me up on news here.
On Wednesday I arrived in my old city of Salinas. I am staying at your house! It will be fun and different. So I am writing this blog to Cousins Jasper and Kestrel too, so they can know what I am up to.
Yangtse
First, I got all my stuff unpacked in the guest room. I brought a lot of stuff because I am staying so long! Then we went to dinner at Yangtse’s Taste of Thai. I love their spicy seafood soup. I was so tired after dinner I went right to sleep.
Salinas High School
Thursday I got up early and walked all over south Salinas to see old favorite places. I think the High School is the prettiest building in town. I saw some old friends, too, in a way that I will miss again when I leave in June.
Walking to the the Cherry Bean…. see a friend. Going to the Post Office…see a friend. I don’t get this in Portland, because I don’t have many friends there yet.
Sassy
I went by our house (that now belongs to someone else), and stopped by to see our old neighbors Leroy and Ann and our cat Sassy, who moved in with them years ago. They have all been good company for each other.
Goopy Leaves
It was fun seeing some similarities and differences between Portland and Salinas. Salinas also has leaves that get slippery when they aren’t raked up, but it has roses still blooming in January, unlike Portland.
Roses in January
Things that have changed since I was here are the new red doors on the fire station on Alisal, and the asbestos clean-up at the Courthouse. Something that hasn’t is the Dick Bruhn building which was gutted by fire years ago and still has had nothing done to restore it. (Sigh).
New Doors on the Fire StationStill wrapped up Dick Bruhn Store
This morning I start teaching again! Wish me luck.
Well, we are almost there. Grandpa Nelson and I fly down to see you and our old neighborhood in Salinas TOMORROW! The day after that I meet my new students and have a staff meeting, just like a real teacher. Oh, my.
My stuff
But first things first. I spent yesterday packing up all the stuff I will need in my six months with you. Clothes, books, everything. It seems like a lot! And of course, my teaching hat.
Auntie Katie and Grandpa Nelson
We spent yesterday evening with Auntie Katie and the cousins. We had so much fun! We cooked and ate, talked about music (I didn’t know Dave Bowie did duets with Freddie Mercury) and danced.
Of course, there was considerable silliness, as well.
Teaching Jasper…something silly, no doubt
We helped Auntie Katie move a big, heavy couch down her long, skinny stairs, which was like putting roller skates on a whale, but it all worked out, with only a few bruises.
Grandpa Nelson and I drove south yesterday, looking at new neighborhoods that we might want to live in.
Creston Park woods
The first area we stopped at was Creston, by SE Powell and Cesar Chavez Boulevard. Creston Park is about half the size of Laurelhurst Park at 14 acres. It has a small forested bit, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and nice walking paths around. Since it was Sunday, we heard churchbells.The rain kept most folks away…. it was just a few dogs, the rain, and the crows and squirrels that own the place.
Sellwood Median
We continued 3 miles further south and found Sellwood. It is an old neighborhood, with houses built around 1910. Some of the streets have median strips planted with huge trees that will make a green canopy in the summer.
Grandpa Nelson on a bridge at Moreland Park
There are also great parks there. We walked through the Westmoreland Park Nature Playground. It is 42 acres of streams, geese, a really interesting climbing structure, and fun bridges. We walked a long way through the park and into the neighborhood, to a small business district near Bybee and SE Milwaukie Avenue. We stopped in at The Limehouse Restaurant and Lounge for lunch, and we found great french fries and friendly people.
Continuing down the cold, rainy street, we found a dozen or so coffee houses and chose cozy Rose City in which to warm up. The barista was fun and friendly and the tea and coffee very good, with free re-fills! There are regular cafe tables and chairs but also an elegant sofa and armchair. We saw a young man getting Japanese lessons, quiet conversations, and a fellow working on his laptop.
Buttercraft !!!
The most surprising shop we saw was Buttercraft….. a shop that sells wine and butter, and maybe other things. Even for a city known for being “foodie heaven”, this seems extreme. I wanted to go in, but the butter folks apparently don’t do business on Sunday. I will investigate further when I can.
Grandpa Nelson and I walked back through the neighborhood to look at a house that was for sale. It was old and had not been taken care of…. foundation unstable, old oil heater, electricity and floors that will need replacing. Ugh.
We drove back into our own Belmont neighborhood and found other houses for sale. Some were lovely and some just quirky.
Me and Mouse chillin’
By almost 5 o’clock, it was time to go home and crash…so we did!
Yesterday Grandpa Nelson and I helped Auntie Bridgett and our friend Jack Kent set up an art show at Motivasi Coffee, up on NE 42nd and Prescott.They have good coffee and very tasty muffins. Amanda, the lady who was working there, was friendly and helpful.
The Shop
Jack draws a funny comic strip called “Gulls”, about a nutty group of seagulls, but he also does sketches of people he sees on the street, called “Sketchy People”. His Sketchy People and Auntie Bridgett’s Coffee Fairy collages are the main part of this show.
Wrapped up Art
It took a while to figure out whose work was going where, and whether Jack’s and Bridgett’s work should be mixed together or hung separately, but once they figured that out, the work went pretty quickly. I held hammers and helped Auntie Bridgett, and Grandpa Nelson helped Jack. It was fun being the Minions and seeing the show come together.
Jack Kent
Bridgett Spicer
Finally, it all looked like they wanted it to, and we packed up the bubble wrap and empty boxes. The show is up now and will stay up until late February. Jack and Bridgett will have a reception to meet people there on January 13, but I will be down with you by then.
We got home and had a walk around the neighborhood. Passing by the flamingo house, we saw Katherine, the lady who owns the flamingos, out tending her yard.
Today, the flamingos are set up to be ready for the Women’s March on January 21st. The are wearing colorful capes and tiny pink hats. They are, as usual, adorable.
I will be coming to Salinas to stay with you for a while, so last night was my last Friday in Portland for about 2 months. To make sure I didn’t miss my new city too much, Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett took me out to some of my favorite places.
During the day, Bridgett and I walked down to the Belmont Library to return some books. We enjoyed the decorations in the Sunnyside neighborhood. We always see something new!
Wall Mosaic in Sunnyside
Since it was very dark and rainy when we left the house, I wore my light-up coat and Bridgett wore her new light-up HAT! We were colorful, I tell you. But we were easy for drivers to see.
We walked down to the Hobnob, a funny, friendly place on SE 34th and Morrison. They have good food, the drinks we like (including stout beer for me and Absinthe for Auntie Bridgett) and a really comfortable atmosphere. There was a birthday party going on for a fellow and we got to sing with all his friends. There were french fries for Grandpa Nelson, a pulled pork slider for Auntie Bridgett, and a cup of roasted pepper chicken soup and some macaroni and cheese for me. Yummy!
Then, since I had filled my pockets with quarters, we walked around the corner to The Belmont Inn, where our favorite pinball game lives. Monster Bash! We played 2 sets of five games each and had a lot of fun. It wasn’t a great night for scoring though…. we only got one monster to wake up.
As we were walking home, we noticed…wait, could it be? Yes, The Nerd Out, which we had been watching since the Belmont Street Fair in September, is finally open for business! We HAD to go see it!
First impressions were very good, as there were a half dozen Vespas and other scooters out front. The space is full of small tables, people, conversation, and comic stuff. One long wall is wallpapered with pages out of comic books and a shelf running all around the place is full of action figures. There is a full bar and a good menu. We were full of dinner and drinks, but they have desserts!
Grandpa Nelson had an Un-birthday Cake, and Auntie Bridgett and I shared a Seasonal Cream Brulee, which had wonderful diced apples on top of the hard shell of sugar. We talked to Mitch, the owner, chef and head Nerd. We had met him at the street fair, and it was wonderful to see him running the business he had dreamed of. He was so excited to tell us about his upcoming events, a Grand Opening on January 18th and a Cosplay night on the last Thursday of the month.
It is a new year, and I am looking forward to some more big changes. I will be coming to Salinas to stay with you for a few months while I teach, and my life here in Portland will be put on hold. Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett will stay here and take care of Mouse the kitten, the houseplants, and their jobs…but we won’t be together. This will be weird, and sometimes sad.
Before looking forward, though, I want to look back on the crazy trip that got me here and what I love about Portland.
Auntie Katie and Cousin Kestrel
During the hot Summer, we learned about getting around on air-conditioned buses and trains. We got to visit our new favorite Laurelhurst Park with Auntie Katie and the cousins. We even walked to the Willamette River and put our feet in!
View from under the Hawthorne Bridge
It was fun getting to show you all the things in our new city, like the zoo.
Being a Squirrel
The biggest thing that we learned about is the weather. It rains a lot here, and we are getting used to asking Google if we should take an umbrella. It even snows! This takes getting used to, but is such a nice change from highs of 70 and lows of 50 that I don’t mind.
Snow on the back steps
I have fallen in love with the theater and art here in Portland. Theaters are made from old churches, warehouses, and even set up in parks. Art and music are everywhere.
Young violinist on SW Salmon and Park
People playing music, reciting and writing poetry on street corners just isn’t something we saw in Salinas, and it is a real treat.
And of course, the history! I have been studying about Portland’s past…it’s buildings, trolley cars, and people. It is just about as old as Salinas, but since it is a bigger city, it has more stories.
I am still trying to find out who this young lady was
There is so much I love about Portland. I will miss it, and then return in June to re-discover my new city all over again.
