Cars, Commerce, and a Quick Commercial Flight

My fourth of July began with a lunch date in Longview, Washington, with friends from my graduating class at Rainier High School. We somehow forgot that Commerce Avenue turns into car show as part of the holiday celebrations. We had fun catching up and admiring the classic car restorations.

Later that evening I drove to PDX and a few hours later found myself across the country visiting that other Portland:

Six Pic Saturday: When Two Eras Collide

Last Saturday was the perfect day for a driving trip. I chose to go to the Columbia River Gorge and cross the river over into Washington. I felt like such a rebel. Crossing state lines isn't something I'm allowed to do on work time. So, I've always admired the gorge from the proper Oregon side of the river.



I explored the tiny, twin towns of Bingen and White Salmon.
They were s l o w l y filling the local pool for the season.



I then meandered along Highway 14, following the Columbia River back to Vancouver. When I saw a rather curious sight...



And wondered what would happen as the schooners drifted west, and the paddle boat pressed on to the east...



Phew! Crisis averted.



It was a beautiful day to be on the river no matter the form of transportation.

Weekend Excursion: Seattle

Even though I was working this past Saturday, I wanted to take advantage of the extended weekend. So, directly after my training ended I continued driving north to Seattle.

I used Bellevue as my home base (thanks to a cheap room via Priceline), and set out to explore Ballard and Capitol Hill.

Lunches were based on recommendations from Yelp, and both places I visited were spot on. Mmm!



The first stop was Lunchbox Laboratory for a ridiculous "Burger of the Gods" with caramelized onions in balsamic vinegar and gorgonzola sauce. Oh, yeah, why not add tater tots with rosemary sea salt and a blueberry custard milkshake to the mix? For some reason, I think I can be indulgent on vacation.



I fought off the post-meal slump by visiting a condo open house, walking through the REI flagship store, and falling in love with this little number by Mash Studios:


As I was thumbing through a local paper, a review about the current exhibit at the Seattle Asian Art Museum caught my eye. Entitled, Garden and Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur, I was intrigued and decided to go.


The paintings were so vibrant and detailed, I wish I had been able to capture an example with my camera. The exhibit definitely gave me more insight into an era if Indian history that was unfamiliar to me. Once the exhibit concludes in April, the next stop is the British Museum in London.

And, late last night, I enjoyed an impromptu get together with a childhood friend I hadn't seen in years. She and her husband relocated to Washington after several years in southern California. It was fun to reconnect, reminisce, and meet her baby daughter, Vanessa. It was a perfect trip to get through that mid-winter slump that seems to settle in around this time of year.

May Excursions

This morning, as I was mapping out the route I will take from the airport to reach my lodging, the familiar flutter of travel excitement finally settled in.

Tomorrow I am off on another one of my celebratory end-of-training-season-can-finally-leave-Oregon-even- though- I-love-it excursions.

This tradition began three years ago, with two weeks in Sicily:



Okay, so Sicily was a little more than just a break-from-work trip. It was also my I-finally-finished-that-tortuous-thesis-and- completed-graduate-school trip! And it was the trip that inspired the start of this blog, and the purchase of my first digital camera.

In May 2006, I was just looking for a quick and cheap escape. Spokane provided the backdrop:



May of 2007 found me learning how to milk a goat in the California desert with my sister and her family:



And May 2008? Well, there's no particular method to the selection of this year's location: Nashville, Tennessee. I'll be back on Friday night with pictures!

*And for those who played the guessing game in the last post, it wasn't a hint about this trip!

A Painted Sense of History

on horseback
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

In central Washington as you travel along Highway 97 you will pass the small farming community of Toppenish. You will be tempted to just keep on driving, to continue on your journey and reach your destination, but a brief stop here to stretch your legs will be worth the time.

Highlighting the historical importance of the area, buildings throughout the downtown area showcase 69 murals that are thoroughly researched and meticulously painted – with one new mural being added each year. You’ll find a depiction of an early hop harvest, a round of an Indian stick game, migratory waterfowl, and a mother hanging out the wash among other scenes that hearken back to the history of the area "where the West still lives.”

You can guide yourself on a personal walking tour of the murals by following the brass horseshoes embedded in the sidewalks, or join an official tour which will transport you by wagon while imparting local facts and stories.

Want to see the artists in action? The First Saturday of each June, mural artists gather in a race against the clock to complete the new mural in one day. Bleachers are set up for spectators, and a small food and craft fair accompanies the event.

If your travels take you through the Yakima Valley during the first weekend in August, make a stop at the Guerra farm in Sunnyside and enjoy the fabulous dinner they prepare each year as part of their Chile Pepper Festival.

*Clicking on the picture will link you to photos of additional murals

I Spy the Space Needle...

Volunteer Park
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

Saturday was a day dedicated to exploring the Capitol Hill neighborhood. I had intended to start at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, but was sidetracked by St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. The exterior, in part, looked like an old, concrete warehouse. The interior was simply immense. When the cathedral was originally drafted, it was to be much more elegant and ornate than it is today, but the depression that started in 1929 tempered those plans.

Volunteer Park is home to the Asian Art Museum, as well as the site of the old water tower which serves as a unique 360° panoramic viewpoint of the area. If you’re out of shape like I am, your knees will tremble and your face will flush, but the climb to the top is utterly worth the exertion. Your gaze will travel from the boaters on Lake Washington to the Space Needle and downtown high rises to the majestic slopes of Mount Rainier. As one climber announced to his companion when they reached the top, “Oh, the mountain is out!” And when it is, you will have spectacular views.

After walking through the exhibits at the museum, I continued my exploration of the neighborhood. Broadway is one of the main thoroughfares for shopping and eating – and entertaining people watching. I highly recommend a stop at Piroshky, a tiny shop that serves delicious combinations of savory stuffings in handmade rolls. Madison Street and 15th Avenue are also two more areas with eateries and boutiques to peruse.

The real highlight of the neighborhood, though, is a drive along Lake Washington Boulevard. Driving south will give you unparalleled views of Mount Rainier, and a drive north will provide easy access to the many parking turnouts. You can pick a spot and plant yourself with a good book, or watch the many boaters and swimmers enjoying the water.

How to keep occupied on Capitol Hill:

St. Mark’s Cathedral
Volunteer Park
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Empty Space Uncommon Theatre
Japanese Garden
Capitol Hill Neighbors

Urban Dispatch from Capitol Hill

lee ctr
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

Earlier this week, I thought to myself,“If I went to Seattle this weekend, what would I do?” A quick internet search reveals a one-woman show opening at the Lee Center for the Arts on the Seattle University campus. Mmm. A few clicks later and I’m checking out the current exhibits at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. And guess what? Bellevue is holding their annual Strawberry Festival this weekend. That’s all it takes, and I’m off to my neighbor to the north.

So tonight I find myself in the Capitol Hill area in search of the arts center. The format and the content of the play intrigue me on a couple of levels. It’s a semi-autobiographical work by Lauren Weedman about her experiences working as a volunteer case manager with the woman at the L.A. Twin Towers Correctional Facility. I’ve written and performed monologues before, and I wanted to see how an entire show could be carried by just one person.

The theatre is a traditional black-box style, with seating for 150 people. As soon as I see it, it takes me back to another impromptu theatre experience four years ago. My friend, Szejn, and I had traversed our respective countries (me from Utah, and he from Calgary) to meet in Montreal. It was a sorely needed 4-day break for me, a time to decompress after several months of high demands and stress at work.

One night, we decided to attend a local production we had seen advertised in a local paper. I cannot remember the title or any of it predominant themes. What I do remember is a long, raised platform consuming the length of the performance area -- actors running full pace from one end down to the other, circling back to the starting point behind the curtains, and reappearing in a continuous loop of scurrying fanatics. I don’t think there was nary a word of English in the entire play, but a fare amount of French, some Russian, and another mysterious tongue. It’s an odd memory, but one I’m happy to share with my friend.

Lauren brought tremendous energy and skill for characterization to her performance tonight. For one hour and forty minutes she portrayed a slice of her life in all of its humorous, muddled, and honest combinations. Her work as a volunteer resonates with me because of similar experiences I’ve had working with incarcerated populations. You don’t forget the nuances of the first time you enter a maximum security facility. Her work as a writer resonates because it reflects life.

Exploring the Inland Pacific Northwest

Footbridge crossing the Spokane River
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

It’s been awhile since I have experienced the anticipation of the unknown. That feeling you have when you close the door of the rental car--with only a basic map in hand--and wonder not only how you’re going to find your hotel, but how you’ll get out of the parking lot. That moment of excitement when you turn the corner and catch your first glimpse of a vista that is new and unexplored expanding before you. That is what travel does for me, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s Sicily – or in this case Spokane – that is the featured destination.

I am frequently queried by friends, “You’re going where? Why?” Suffice it to say they just don’t share the same sense of adventure about some of my more obscure trips.

Spokane has been on my list for a while. I don’t know anyone there. I don’t have relatives or former college roommates to visit. But I have been hearing good things about this area of the inland Pacific Northwest. So with a long weekend ahead of me and with the aid of some online budget hunting, I landed in Spokane for three days of discovery.

My first impression of the landscape is that it’s a perfect hybrid of the foliage and green you’re accustomed to associating with a place like Oregon, crossed with the sometimes rocky and barren landscape of southeastern Idaho. One distinctive feature of the region is the Spokane River around which the downtown area encircles. The city has capitalized on this feature by expanding on the riverside park created for the 1974 World’s Fair. You can walk from one end of downtown to the other, and across the river, via several footpaths that offer stunning views of the Spokane Falls.

Much of downtown is a designated historical district, so many of the buildings are rich with architectural details. The South Hill area is home to the ornate Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist and the expansive Manito Park. The 90-acre park has manicured rose and lilac gardens, greenhouses, a Japanese garden, tennis courts, playgrounds, and a duck pond. In good weather, one could easily spend and afternoon here.

Urban Exploration: Seattle

Lock is full
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

After two consecutive nights in my own house, I was feeling the itch to expand beyond the circuit I normally travel. In the back of my mind was the memory of alder-smoked halibut and chocolate chip cinnamon rolls, so I grabbed my duffel bag and was on the road for Seattle.

This time, I wanted to explore some of the neighborhoods beyond downtown and the waterfront. First stop, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard. It was interesting to watch the process of conveying boats between the salt water of the Puget Sound and the fresh water of the canal leading to Lake Union and Lake Washington.

The residential area of Fremont captured my attention in the afternoon. After popping in and out of several small shops, I stopped for some Greek food and to rest my feet before heading home.