I had the pleasure of attending a friend's birthday party in a house at the Bella Beach community this last Saturday. The house, named MargaritaVilla, was very well-appointed, with a convenient path to the beach right down the street. I was impressed by the nice layout of the neighborhood. All the houses are newer, but the construction is influenced by different architectural styles, so it doesn't look like a cookie-cutter resort neighborhood.

The Oregon coast is deceptively beautiful during the summer and early autumn. The weather is foul and gloomy for 9-10 months of the year, but the few days of summer are gorgeous enough to inspire all kinds of irrational behavior... like answering one of those shiny "For Sale" ads.

Cynicism aside, I enjoyed myself immensely this last weekend.

The Pearl was home to Weinhard's (now the uber-trendy Brewery Blocks area) until 1999, but BridgePort still brews in the Northern section of the Pearl. It's always a pleasure to smell the fresh brew when I'm driving through that area on my way home. The BridgePort brewpub near the brewery is supposed to open sometime in late February.

My dad and I brewed at my parents' house in Hillsboro, as there is nowhere near enough room for a brew operation in my condo. After doing the initial brew and letting it ferment for two weeks, here are some pictures of the siphoning and bottling process:

Checking out the clean bottles while Dad siphons the brew from the carboy to the bucket

Filling the bottles using the bottle-filler siphon attachment

Capping the bottles (this was fun!)

At long last, the finished product. Cheers!

• Saving the Lovejoy Columns -- From Their Rescue?
• More on the Lovejoy Columns
• RACC's Eloise Damrosch on theLovejoy Columns

The latest bit of news is that the artwork will be removed from the columns and "recreated" elsewhere, due to the fragile state of the columns. The only reason the work apparently survived untouched for 40-odd years was because it was covered by the Lovejoy onramp (which was demolished to expand the Pearl in 1999). Without such a protective cover, the artwork would only last a few weeks in the drizzly, windy Portland autumn. The decisionmakers are still trying to reach an agreement on where and how the columns can be protected and remain accessible to public view.

A small blurb in today's Oregonian announced that a couple of the historic Lovejoy Columns have been placed in the courtyard of a building at 10th and Flanders in the Pearl District. Ironically, the Lovejoy Columns were removed from their original location (holding up an onramp to the Broadway Bridge) in 1999 to make way for the construction of the New Improved Pearl District(tm). So brilliant, the irony of these artworks being removed and very nearly demolished to make way for high-end gallery spaces. Thanks to the efforts of a few devoted fans, the columns were preserved and stored until two of them could be placed on display at the Elizabeth Lofts yesterday. Dieselboii has a picture! I hope they unveil the murals soon.

• Beauty
  Wenchy wrote: Fashion is an induced epidemic...for people who aren’t comfortable with themselves in the first place. I say that whatever your position may be on fashion and the finer points of cosmetics, there are some basic advantages to good grooming. It's possible to eschew bathing and allow your hair to go uncombed, but choosing this lifestyle can make a bad first impression on potential employers, friends, and mates. The returns from soap, shampoo, a modestly warm shower, and functional clothing are well worth the money. As far as cosmetics spending, skin cancer treatment is far more expensive in the long run than using an SPF 15+ lotion on exposed skin every day. Whether it's an expensive anti-aging moisturizer or a generic sunscreen from the drugstore, sunscreen is essential. To save money on other cosmetic products, try buying in bulk at a warehouse club or natural-foods store, watching for sales, or Making your own cosmetics using mostly common household ingredients.

• Education
  I can't possibly quote Wenchypoo's statements on the subject, so you'll have to look at the original post to get the idea. Choosing between a college education and a paying job, or between a post-college career and raising a family, is a very personal thing. From a frugal perspective, there are several ways to get an education without racking up great amounts of debt or putting future plans in jeopardy. I could write a whole post on this topic, but I'll keep it to a short topical list for the moment:
  
  • Unschooling -- see unschooling.com. It's a lifestyle that embraces learning as a lifelong, constant practice.
    
  • Apprenticing -- in exchange for a couple years of backbreaking labor, you can gain skills in valuable careers. The U.S.D.O.L. has more information on apprenticeship.
    
  • OpenCourseWare -- how does a free Ivy League education sound? For self-motivated individuals, the entire curriculum of MIT is available online. I've heard wonderful stories about OCW being used in remote areas, where people have little access to higher education.
    
  • Volunteering -- if you have some free time and the calling to social or teaching work, there are always opportunities to build skills (and sometimes to build a network for paid work down the line) by tutoring, mentoring, and serving in your community.
    
  • Employer Tuiton Reimbursement -- some companies offer reimbursement for college expenses, so you can earn a living and work at the same time. UPS, FedEX, and all branches of the US Military are known for being supportive of employees' educational goals.

• Transportation
  Buy a used bike! Seriously, this has got to be the easiest way to end oil dependence and reduce toxic fumes from cars. In Portland, you can get a good used reconditioned bike for a couple hundred bucks at Citybikes Collective or the Community Cycling Center. Thrift stores, garage sales, and your local craigslist are other good places to find a used bike. After the initial investment, spend about $130 buying a solid helmet, air pump, U-lock, and bright lights (if you might be riding after twilight). Strap on your favorite backpack and you're ready to run errands, go to work, go to the store, or go wherever you please. Bike rides are free!

• Television
  Go TV-free. Save the time and expense of cable, dish, tivo, and deciding whether to buy that new plasma screen. I don't miss TV a bit, although I do indulge in Netflix for a regular dose of entertainment.

• Eating Out
  Most people know that restaurants have a high markup on soft drinks, so frugal diners are advised to favor water when eating out. At some restaurants (this applies to Chinese, Thai, and Indian in particular) the vegetarian entree is at least $1 cheaper than the beef, pork or chicken options. If you can hold the Coke, why not hold the beef? Tofu is high in protein, low in fat, and has a mild flavor that complements the ingredients in any dish. Additionally, tofu is thought to be a preventer of heart disease, and there's no Mad Soybean Disease to worry about.

• Event Volunteering
  Sometimes large-scale community events such as festivals, races, tournaments and concerts use volunteer staff to keep the cost of the event down. Volunteering may involve a couple hours of humble work (cleanup, serving concessions or taking admission) but volunteers get into the event free, and usually get goodies from the event sponsors as thanks for the free labor. I've volunteered at the local air show, several golf tournaments, and more recently Brewfest and the Hood To Coast Relay.

Today is the beginning of the final week of Bike Commute Challenge '05 - a friendly competition among local companies to log the most bike commute trips. My company is not extremely competitive in our class, but we're having fun and helping the environment while we're at it.

The entire month of September has been extremely cooperative in supplying us with mostly dry, temperate weather. Perfect for commuting! I've managed to bike-commute 1-3 days per week, which is about where I like it.

Old Town is under heavy construction right now with the 3rd and 4th Avenue Streetscape Plan, which makes biking around slightly more treacherous than before.

The MAX line is very close to home, but I enjoy riding all through downtown before I get on the train to the West Side. I relish the days when I can afford the time to commute by bike and public transit. Urban bike-adventuring always rewards with interesting sights, sounds, and, uh, smells.

I arrived at around noon on Saturday. Half the team had already arrived at the house, while the other half was finishing the last leg of the course. We spent an enjoyable afternoon on the patio, eating fresh homemade salsa, drinking beer, and telling amazing stories. As the last runner approached the finish line, we walked down the promenade to cross with her. There was a huge crowd at the finish line, so we collected all the team members and headed back to the house for some much-needed dinner. The rest of the evening went much like the afternoon, with much beer and good conversation. The tired runners declared bedtime at 9:30.

I awoke early in the morning to perform my duty of cleaning up at the finish line. After a quick cup of tea, I dashed out the back door to walk up the promenade.

When I returned, the house was neat as a pin, having been vacated by the other residents after breakfast. I packed up my belongings and briefly considered napping on the couch for a few hours, but decided against it. The cottage was very comfortable and well-appointed, but the idea of napping alone in a strange house made me feel weird, even though I had been given permission. So I loaded up my stuff and locked myself out of the cute little cottage, having confidently expunged my brief Goldilocks fantasy.

With only a cup of tea and a handful of trail mix to tide me over at breakfast-time, I was ready to treat myself to a nice meal before making the drive back to Portland. Luckily, business was booming on a Sunday morning in the town of Seaside, and almost every restaurant had a sandwich board advertising brunch specials. I went to Granderson's, a gift shop/tearoom that I had spotted on the way in, and decided that it woud be just the perfect thing. It's always time for tea. The tearoom was pleasantly decorated and busy with customers, although they had plenty of room for me to pick a seat, and no one batted an eye at my coming for brunch alone. In addition to an appetizing menu of teas and foods, they offered a Sunday brunch special of salmon eggs benedict with herb potatoes. I ordered the salmon eggs benedict and found it to be amazing. The egg was poached fluffily, and the potatoes were terrific. I am not a connoisseur of hollandaise, but the sauce was not too thick, and it was liberally seasoned with tarragon. Paired with a pot of organic ceylon tea, it was a fantastic brunch for a tired girl. They even accomodated my request for an iced tea to go, so on my way out, I had the Monk's Blend to energize me for the drive home.

I am a big fan of condos in general. Owning a condo allows me to have the joys of homeownership (equity! painting my own walls! fixing my own dishwasher!) with the convenience of an apartment. Community housing is more energy-efficient, and less expensive to buy and maintain. The current trend toward building condos all over Portland worries me, though. In a few years, when I get tired of living downtown, I might buy a house in a quieter neighborhood. When I can afford the investment in money and time, I want the experience of having a yard, garage, driveway, and exterior walls of my very own. Are there going to be any affordable charming old houses left for me?

I think new development in Portland is generally good, even though I'm bugged about relocating a landmark. Increasing the housing supply makes housing more affordable for all. The Clay Rabbit House is a huge, desirable, restored early-20th-century home on a valuable commercial street. Willy Week calls it "Victorian", but I think the straight lines and simple pillars are more suggestive of the post-Victorian Arts and Crafts architectural movement. I'll make a guess that the average Portland homebuyer would fall far short of being able to afford the Clay Rabbit House, even if they were willing to accept the noise and bother of living on a commercial street. The house will be moved to another area of town, although neither of the articles mention if that detail was part of the property purchase deal.

As quoted in the Oregonian, city planner Jay Sugnet sums it up: "Most single-family homes on the city's major streets will be torn down or moved away."

Le Happy is a small, eye-catching establishment at NW 16th and Lovejoy. The exterior is bright yellow, with dark wood furniture and warm red walls inside. Having read the Citysearch profile of Le Happy, I was a little tentative to try it for the first time alone. Most Portland restaurants are very friendly and accomodating, but I've come across a few that relegate parties of one to uncomfortable seating areas and terrible service. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded at the romantic Le Happy. There are two eating bars, and the friendly staff put me at ease immediately. I was not even the only person there by myself for a light dinner.

I had the Faux Vegan, a savory buckwheat crepe with spinach, creme fraiche, crimini mushrooms and goat cheese, paired with a glass of tempranillo. The portion was small, but excellently prepared and presented. Le Happy also offers a "make your own" option in addition to the regular crepe menu selections. I am intrigued and will definitely be back to try it. The prices are more expensive than Vivace and Chez Machin, but Le Happy is my new favorite for a relaxing, laid-back gourmet treat. They open at 5pm, with happy hour discounts in effect between 5pm and 7pm weekdays. I suspect I may become a regular!

Although most serious beer drinkers scorn fruity hefeweizens, 21st Amendment claims that its Watermelon Wheat is the most popular beer at the festival. Upon trying it, my first reaction was, "I think I need a case of this." It's golden and refreshing, like the essence of a summer picnic. Watermelon and light maltiness take the bite away from the hop flavors.

I still haven't decided whether stouts are my thing, but the Organic Chocolate Stout by Bison Brewing is the best I've had so far. It has a dark, bitter roasted flavor, something I would normally associate with a warm cozy winter's night. The finish is extrordinarily like drinking a good iced mocha. It's like having espresso, beer, and European chocolate in my mouth at the same time. I only had a little sip of this (from my friend's mug) so I think it warrants another try.

Local brewpub New Old Lompoc has a new amber ale called Condor. I had a taste of this at the end of the evening. Condor has a pleasant malty flavor, with a fresh youngness similar to homebrew.

Vivace at NW 23rd and Pettygrove serves excellent crepes, both sweet and savory. The is housed in an old Victorian mansion which, according to legend, is haunted. Vivace's website mentions that the cafe was originally named Java Macabre, a playful reference to the old haunted house. They delicately explain that the name change was because a lot of people "got the wrong impression from the name". From what I heard, Java Macabre turned into a lounge spot for neighborhood mall-goths in the early 00s, who camped out for hours on end and scared the customers. The owner got tired of kicking the goths out, and changed the name and theme to appeal to clientele desiring the European Coffee Experience. Free wireless is a neat bonus, although it can be a little hard to find a seat when isolated people with laptops are taking up most of the tables. Still, the crepes and espresso drinks don't disappoint.

Just down the street, Chez Machin has a crepe cart at NW 23rd and Johnson. I'm a huge fan of the savory buckwheat crepes. The cart doesn't carry a selection of drinks, and the ambience is pure street cafe. For a more private dining experience, I plan to try the original Chez Machin at SE 35th and Hawthorne.

Closer to home, Byways Cafe in the Pearl is a strictly breakfast-and-lunch joint. The cafe has charming classic Americana kitsch appeal, from the pennants and doodads lining the walls to the cafeteria-style milk tap and formica tables. It's been called a "greasy spoon", but I felt the menu made up in freshness what it lacked in sheer innovation. The amaretto french toast is very popular, but they require 15 minutes to prepare it. Unfortunately, this also means not ordering breakfast at 11:45am when they stop serving at 12:00 on Saturday. Although I missed the french toast this last time, the oatmeal was a fine runner-up.

When my need for breakfast finds me on the east side of Portland, Grand Central Bakery on SE 23rd and Hawthorne has several great breakfasts for under $5. I'm a fan of the simple fried egg with toast and jam. The cinnamon rolls are fresh but slightly dry on the edges, which places them below "greatness" in my judgment. Grand Central focuses on what it does best -- being a bakery -- so this isn't really a place to sit and linger over a cup of tea.

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Bijou Cafe with some friends. One of the definitive "brunch spots" in town, I was impressed by the food quality and freshness at Bijou. My corn muffin was hot out of the oven, and I actually finished an entire omelette filled with veggies. I don't think Bijou will win any prizes for groundbreaking cuisine, but I left satisfied and in good company. I would hesitate to spend $11 on brunch regularly, and Bijou didn't really stand out as a spectacular treat. I'll be trying something different next time.

For more on local bites, ExtraMSG covers the Portland food scene in great detail.

The ride stopped first at Tributes, a real New York style joint. The place is small and casual, with a big screen TV in one corner and a bus-your-own-plate policy. I was ravenous, but Tributes' pizza didn't hit me as all that wonderful. The crust was good, but the sauce was somewhat lacking and the cheese was on the bland side.

Moving on, we hit Escape from New York a few blocks away. They are reputed to offer the "most authentic" New York-style pizza in Portland. To my palate, this pie tasted very good with a balance of flavors, but judgment may have been distracted by the rain and socializing with other cyclists.

Next was Hot Lips, my current favorite local joint. I'll spoil the rest of the story now by saying Hot Lips won my highest marks of all 6 pizzerias. The basil on the cheese pizza really stood out for me. Their cheese blend is also very flavorful, perhaps because they use all local, organic ingredients. The ride paused here for about half an hour to wait out a sudden downpour.

After that, we rode across the river to start our East Side tour. Pizza A-Go-Go on N. Williams seemed popular with the other riders, but the pizza crust was cardboard-like, and the seating layout was like a 1960s fast food joint. This may appeal to hip cafeteria-chic diners, but I found it a little distracting from my goal of enjoying a slice in good company. While we were eating, a car broke down across the street, so some of the group members ran out to help push the car into a safe parking spot. Bravo!

Bella Faccia, our next stop, made a much stronger showing. Besides a very pleasant lighting scheme and artistic decor, the pizza was well crafted. I think the cheese blend was a little spicier than the others we visited, and the crust and sauce were good competitors. Strongly in Bella Faccia's favor is the appetizing drink selection, which includes the excellent Laurelwood Free Range Red Ale.

Out of our original group, only 12 hardy souls stuck it out to the very end of the ride, at Stark Naked Pizza (SE 28th and Stark). Stark Naked is only a few months old. They don't serve beer, something of a drawback, and we got there near closing time, so all the chairs had been put away. The crust of this pie was pretty awful, with some spots that had gone beyond golden brown into blackened. I probably won't be back until they become more established.

'Lex', the mysterious curator of the MMM, has successfully blended the thrill of found art with the convenience of a vending machine. Price of entry to the Portland Art Museum too steep? Can't wait until First Thursday to get your art fix? The MMM is a fount of instant satisfaction, priced at a sliding scale of $.25 to $.50. You even get to keep the exhibit.

The MMM can currently be found near NW 21st and Glisan. I will attempt to locate it in the next few days and give an update on the quality of the exhibits.

Saturday morning, I packed a lunch and headed out early to get away from the Grand Floral Parade. Probably the most well-attended Rose Festival event, the GFP always generates a huge mass of crowds, traffic, and general annoyance. My destination was the Columbia Slough Cycle the Wellfield event.

For most of the year, the City of Portland is supplied with water from the Bull Run Watershed. During the hottest summer months, the usual rainfall declines, as does the snowmelt from Mt. Hood. Supplemental water comes from a system of groundwater wells located on the far NE side of Portland, near the Columbia River. For this ride, people from the Portland Water Bureau and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council teamed up to lead a very educational ride through the wellfield area. We even got snacks along the way, free tote bags and t-shirts to commemorate the ride! I felt like a very pampered bike tourist. We also received a wealth of information about how the groundwater wells work, and how the local government works together with the community to protect the water supply from contamination.

First we visited a well site near the airport and learned about the geological composition of the aquifers used for groundwater wells. As we progressed along to subsequent stops, we learned about levees, the topology of the Columbia Slough, contamination from industrial and recreational sources, and how the business community is working to repair old contamination.

The farthest stop in our loop was at Blue Lake Regional Park. Blue Lake is an interesting part of the Columbia Slough system. The lake has no inlets, and is believed to be fed from springs at the bottom of the lake. Since the springs and the groundwater system are intimately connected, the water bureau keeps a close eye on the water quality of the lake. After an outbreak of illness last year, bubblers were put in to help circulate the water in the swimming area. Studies showed that the illness was caused by coliform bacteria, which probably originated from toddlers using the swimming area (eww). Now, signs are posted informing park visitors that children under 5 are not allowed in the lake. This is good news for other Blue Lake swimmers, as well as the groundwater system.

To close our loop, we rode on the Marine Drive bike path right along the Columbia. All in all, a terrific ride, and we only got rained on twice! I've posted a small gallery with more pictures from Cycle the Wellfield 2005.