Nobody 816

Sunday, May 16, 2010
Nobody # 816

Nobody Asked Me But:

A recent Forbes survey named Seattle as the most miserable city with a professional sports team or teams. That have only one championship in their history, and that team, (the Supersonics) fled town two years ago.

If there was a survey to rank the most miserable sports fans it would easily be those who have to put up with Frank (who cares if the team wins as long as I live large) McCourt as their team’s owner.<<<

When I was a boy, one of my great thrills was long car trips. We made the cross-country journey four times in a two-year span while my stepfather set up his post-army career. Then, after his tragic, early death, my mother, brother and I did it several more times on vacation jaunts. I have never lost the thrill, which made our just-finished trip to the Pacific Northwest an adventure in fun.

I think I will tell the story chronologically, and I am sure it will take me more than one Nobody, but, before I begin, here is an interesting note. Barbara and I have an arrangement by which I drive when my car is being used and she does the same with hers. The one exception is that I usually drive hers a significant number of trip miles. It didn’t happen this time. She drove every one of our 3,000+ miles. She offered me the chance several times, but I knew it was an important “I can” statement for her to do it and so I sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Our first stop was for one night in Mill Valley. I love Marin County and will move us there when my ship comes in, so even one night was a joy with three highlights. The first was browsing at my favorite bookstore, Book Passages. And, yes, I bought a book.

The second was another favorite. After our last trip there I wrote about Rustic Bakery in Larkspur, and it remains the brief resting place of some of the world’s best muffins, scones, morning buns and other breakfast pastries. My blackberry muffin, crisp around the edge, just as I like it, was outstanding as was Barb’s morning bun.

The third highlight came while driving from the bakery to the highway. We were on one of main streets when we encountered two beautiful deer leisurely wandering in the other direction.

Our second stop was at another of our favorite small towns, Ashland, Oregon. There were two special moments along the way. The first was seeing a herd of bison at a ranch adjoining Interstate 505. The second was the always impressive, always beautiful Mt. Shasta, its perpetual snow almost reaching down to touch Interstate 5. (And while on the subject of Interstate 5, how could planners be so shortsighted as to build a heavily-traveled superhighway with only 2 lanes in each direction?)

We have stayed in some wonderful hotel rooms in our travels, and Matsu, our mini-suite at the new-to-us Ashland Creek Inn, was right up there with the best – as were several others on this trip and at prices far below what one might expect to pay for them. Yes, my wife is a great trip planner. We walked into a small kitchen-like area. Beyond it was the bedroom and then a sitting room with ceiling-to-floor windows looking out on a deck, a koi pond and the rushing creek below. Other high points: My blackberry cone was the best ice cream I had on the whole trip. Barb’s chocolate ripple might have been its equal except for the fact that it was too soft. Our complementary breakfast was delicious. The innkeeper served breakfast melon with prosciutto, strawberry smoothies, scrambled eggs, a salmon cake and cheese toast with Oregon jam.

Note: For my picture of Ashland I chose this one of the police station, because, as you can see, it shows their ambivalence towards law enforcement.

Next it was on to Lake Oswego for three nights. Lake Oswego is a well-to-do Portland suburb about 10 miles southeast of city center. It came to our attention because it was where the outstanding UCLA basketball playerm (and nephew of Beach Boys Mike Love) Kevin Love, lived and went to school. I will write about this terrific place first, and then about our trips to Portland.

Our room was a great bargain – much more simple and old fashion than the other hotels at which we stayed, but right on the lake and in the center of the village. There was a neat Starbucks a half-block away and a totally charming small theater where we saw “The Ghost Writer,” even closer. The houses with yards filled with flowers were “come live in me” knockouts. And Lake Oswego High School, where Kevin went, had a definite country club for academics look.

On one of our Portland days we explored its Northeast section - just for the halibut. Seriously, Barb had read about a place called Halibut’s that supposedly had excellent halibut and chips. We were lost several times while searching for it, but with the help of Cypress, our sometimes-dependable GPS navigator - we finally found it. Was it worth the search? Absolutely, and for two reasons: The halibut, shrimp and chips in this bar/ restaurant were even better than advertised. And we saw neighborhoods of Portland, with their glorious flowers, that we had never seen before.

One of Oregon’s pleasant quirks is that there is no self-service at gas stations. For this I was especially grateful, because on our last drive from downtown back to Lake Oswego we drove through a fierce rain and hail storm – our second in two days, and yours truly did not have to get pounded while pumping.

If you like bookstores, you must visit Powell’s in downtown Portland for its city block of new and used books. It is a place whose motto might well be “Never enough time.” Fifty years ago, when I was three, I read and loved Pat Frank’s post-apocalyptic novel, “Alas, Babylon.” I recently had the urge to re-read it and, sure enough, I found it at Powell’s. (I read it on the trip and it holds up very well.)

It is difficult to misplace elephants, so we didn’t. Elephants Delicatessen, that is, in Portland and in Lake Oswego too. We have visited the Portland one in the past and, it goodies are so…good that it is a don’t miss on our visits. Actually it was a 3-times don’t miss while we were there. Their marionberry scones and muffins, cinnamon rolls were excellent and their cheese sticks were off-the-chart superb. Our only regret was not having time to go back for a light dinner.

Next week – Astoria and Seattle.<<<

Is Elena Kagan a lesbian? Who cares? Bill O’Reilly does. He thinks her sexual orientation might influence her rulings. Ah, Bill, Bill. Do we ask the same question of or have the same worries about our heterosexual judges?