Tag: House decor for Halloween

Johnny Franco at Zach’s

Dear Liza,

I love that we have lived in Portland long enough to have favorite places and favorite bands! Last Friday we walked to Grandpa Nelson’s favorite place, Zach’s Hot Dog Shack.

First, we enjoyed the Halloween decorations that are sprouting up all over the neighborhood. This skeleton and his reaper friend seemed spooky but non-threatening. Auntie Bridgett stopped to say hi.

At Zach’s, we got our favorite things. Fries and cider for Grandpa Nelson, tofu Chicago dog and Guinness for me, and tofu Seattle dog for Auntie Bridgett. We enjoyed watching kids and parents play corn hole while the band set up.

Johnny and his “real brother Dom” and their drummer (whose name I still haven’t learned, brought their gear in and set up. One of the many things I like about this group is that their music is perfect for small spaces likes Zach’s patio, not loud or over-amplified. We were just ten feet from the band and very happy.

Johnny says he doesn’t like a lot live music because it is too long and too loud. He likes it ‘quick and quiet’.

The first set was in daylight, and filled with Beatles’ and Three Dig Night cover songs like “Momma Told me not to Come” and “You Can’t do That”, with lots of joking and banter in between.

The sun went down during the break and the mood changed. Cool lighting put a sparkle on the small stage (which is where the Ping Ping table usually is) and the energy got ‘dancier’. Folks were clapping and whooping, with a few dancing just off to the side.

We stayed to the very end, put some money in their bucket and bought a cd. It was a long, long night out for us, but very enjoyable.

Thanks Johnny! Thanks Dom! Thanks Drummer Dude! Thanks Zach!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Halloween in the Sunnyside

Dear Liza,


This yard, with metal cutouts of dragons and Bigfoot on its fence, has been a favorite for while. But now, their fantastical critters are joined by witty headstones. “Hamlet…. not to be” and ”Elphaba… It isn’t easy being green” cracked me up. I admit, I had to look up who Elphaba was. According to the Broadway show WICKED, Elphaba is the given name of the Wicked Witch of the West in ”The Wizard of Oz” stories.

Down the street from the headstones was this entertaining scene. On one side of the yard, several skeletons were working very hard to keep make sure whatever was in a coffin stayed in that coffin.

And on the other side of the yard, two of Hamlet’s Weird Sisters were hard at work, stirring a cauldron. I can imagine that on Halloween night it will be properly lit up and have dry ice bubbling out of the cauldron!

Our house is getting sort of Halloweened up, too. Our biggest decoration, The Assistant, is sitting at the table, wearing a witch’s hat and, of course, a mask. He is enjoying some properly Halloween colored flowers.

Love,

Grandma Judy