smorgasbord

A Friday round-up of random disjointed news, thoughts, and things that make me smile.

periwinkle and lavender crayons make me smile.

LAVENDER:

So, Wednesday I walked a few blocks to the Downtown Farmers Market on my lunch break. Summertime in Portland means Farmers Market time and I really wish I made a point to go them more than I do. I hardly ever buy anything, but I love watching the interactions between the fresh faced farm girls and the kindly old men tending their booths and the shoppers. I love walking past the bundles of fresh flowers and lavender, the pints of local and ripe blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries and peaches. I love the crusty artisan breads and potent cheeses. I love listening to the musicians who set up shop and more excitement to the atmosphere and I love the community that happens as a result of it all.

BEARDS:

A few months ago an article appeared in Portland Monthly Magazine that claimed that Portland may very well be the beardiest city in the USA. While I don't know so much about that claim - seeing how I can't grow a beard and all - I often ask of my friends who are girls if they would grow one. While many of my friends have never stopped to think about this, it's something I ponder often. Mostly, I have come to the conclusion that indeed, I would if I could. In fact, I proudly admit to have beard envy. Honestly, I don't know if the guys in my family can even grow facial hair to start with, I've never seen anyone with any thing more than a light peach fuzzy five o' clock shadow sit down at the dinner table... but if I did grow a beard, mine would be a light scruffy outdoorsy woodsman I'm wearing a plaid shirt and chopping wood kinda thing. In the back of my head I'm always on the lookout for the perfect beard and one day I will find it. For the mean time though, I might just have to settle for these colorful standbys available on ESTY.

DREAMS:

-I really wish I had an outdoor shower. One that was surrounded by corrugated steel and had a bed of smooth pebbles underfoot. When the water would hit the panels of the shower, it would sound like rain on a tin roof. Kind of like this.

-One day, I want to live in a place that is mainly powered by solar energy.

-I think if crossed off many of my goals for the year already and it's only July. I should do an assessment soon.

-I want to learn to play the banjo.

SPEAKING OF:

Banjos. I can't wait, tomorrow I'm off to Seattle to see one of my favorite musicians Gillian Welch, headline at the No Depression Festival with other stellar acts like Iron and Wine, Jesse Sykes, Patterson Hood, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield and a selection of All Star Seattle Musicians (including Sera Cahoone and Star Anna). I am sure there will plenty of banjo and that makes me very very happy. In honor of the occasion, I think I might sport a rustic plaid shirt or maybe my Miss Ohio t-shirt, I haven't quite decided yet.

IN CASE IT GETS HOT:

I won't be drinking bottled water.

And neither will you if you live in the Australian town of Bundaboon which recently put a ban on buying, selling and consuming bottled water. This is quite possibly the first community in the world to have such a ban. Kudos Aussies! Kudos!!

SO THEN I GUESS I'LL RESORT TO:

I wish I had this new Timbuk2 bag to put frosty beverages into.

What looks like a normal messenger bag is really a cooler! The Dolores Chiller is lined with a waterproof insulated TPU liner (i have no idea what that is really) that keeps the cold and the drips inside, you can bike to your favorite park and enjoy a frosty beverage all summer long! And, what's even cooler (no pun intended) it even comes with it's own bottle opener!

THERE IS A TEAR IN MY BEER:

So, we know it was all over the news this week about MJ's funeral. And while it is sad and yes, I do morn the King of Pop since he had a massive impact on not only the music industry today but also how people see music (maybe even a bigger impact than Elvis since he bridged race, language and pop and dance and all that fun stuff. He made so many see beyond color and spoke messages of love and understanding. But, at the same time... he was a man and men have been setting the standards for the music industry from the beginning. Madonna though, was the first woman to not cater to "the man". She became successful to the main stream on her own terms. Using shock, sex, power all those things men have had in their control... and she set her own rules (much like martha stewart) and was able to rise to the same power. She used sex because she realized the power it had and did so because she wanted to... not cause some dude did. As well, she has been able to successfully create and recreate herself with the times... over the years MJ just got weird, lost touch with reality, spent money wildly and started naming his kids after bed linens. Madonna though, she wears the pants.

I was born in 19**, and while rolled to MJ at the skating rink, Madonna was who I danced to in my room. Much like how when I grew up I had dreams of being a professional baseball player like Pete Rose, but due to my sex - those opportunities were denied. Until the mid 90's, all that had been presented to me as professional role models in sports (aside from tennis players) were male athletes. However, then came the womens world cup in 99... and suddenly, women in sports were shown as not only women, but fierce competitors. From that point on.... girls everywhere had role models in athletics in the main stream media. They were on the Wheaties boxes, on the covers of magazines, posters on walls. They were more than just pretty faces, they were multi dimensional, and they were women. For me in music and tough industries as such - Madonna was the first one. She helped show me what was possible and that it's okay to wear the pants (and take them off) too.

THAT WHICH ALSO INSPIRES ME:

Is the artwork of one Geoff McFetridge. I first became aware of his work on the pages of Patagonia catalogs, where his simple line based illustrations graced t-shirts and other assorted textiles. Geoff is a graphic designer and visual artist based in Los Angeles. The breadth of Geoff's work covers designs for magazines, posters, t-shirts, textiles, motion graphics and advertising as well as film production. I like the way his illustrations, while simple, convey depth in their meaning and interpretation. When up in Seattle sometime soon I'd love to catch his installation at SAM, but until then, I'll just watch the video he illustrated for the Whitest Boy Alive over and over and over again.

IN CASE YOU WANTED TO KNOW:

These are the monthly results from my bike racing in June at PIR, fourth place in the women's division overall... not too shabby.

IF YOU WANTED TO WATCH THE TOUR DE FRANCE IN PORTLAND: check this link out

THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE AIR:

It was last year this time when I got into a bike accident while being doored by someone. It was also this time last year when Portland found themselves in the midst of a massive Bike vs Car War. There must be something in the air in early July because just this week another friend got into a bike accident, one friend was forewarned by a car they were turning right so she wouldn't get run over on her bike, and myself... normally pretty even keel almost went bat shit crazy on another cyclist for failing to stop at two stop signs and one red light and not even having a helmet on. I was so close to shoving him off his fixed gear. Anyways, when thinking about accidents and stuff, I'm glad I didn't handle my dooring accident like this lady who is suing for over $12,000 in medical bills and up to $100,000 for pain and suffering. OMG... really? All I got was a good story about drag queens, firemen, AND and new front wheel.

MY GUILTY PLEASURE OF THE WEEK: this nice little write up that doesn't make me feel so alone when it comes to my fashion choices.

IF YOU LIKE MUSIC: And you like Brandi Carlile, you might want to jump on these tickets for her new upcoming album tour ASAP. Don't say I didn't warn you. And while you're at it... listen to one of my favorite songs, Dreams, wich is off of her new album, Give Up the Ghost. This recording is from the Portland show last month. wheee!

Brandi Carlile - Dreams (Live in Portland) by musictoday

there, I think that's all... let the weekend begin.