JessPDX: August 2007

DC and Maryland

Here are the pictures from Maryland and DC, last week. I had a really great time looking up family history stuff with my mom's cousin, Bob Baum (Barbra's son, Margo and David's brother). He has all kinds of great old family stuff, letters and things going back quite a ways, as well as this family tree program that he's entered seven generations of our family into. I loved it (and I want a Mac compatible one, so consider that my birthday is in 3 weeks...). ;)

Bob took me for a walk along the trail at the C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Canal near Bethesda, which was quite beautiful.

Bob's wife Karen and her daughter, Cassie.

Bob cooking breakfast (pancakes...yum).

Bob's cats, Flip and America.

This I thought was so cute, until I noticed it was slightly obscene. Oh well.

The next batch of pictures are of my friends Kate (who I know from Missoula) and Jen, and Kate's son Elliot, in DC. I love them, love their kitties, love their guest room. Feel free to explain to them in your comments why they need to move to Portland (which they are considering doing, in, um, 1-4 years).

Kate and Jen.

Elliot at the dinner table.

Kate and Stella.

Ms. Jen Kern.

Jen and me.

Elliot and Kate: a somewhat psychedelic phone picture. I like it.

August 25th.

Just wanted to share these today. The black and white ones are pictures of my mother (right) and her cousin Judith (who now lives in Arcata, CA) at their grandparents 50th(?) wedding anniversary party, taken by my grandfather Paul (1968?). The bottom one is my mom and me, circa 1977.

You can read my post from last year on this day, it has another picture of my mom, more recent, and some other stuff...

(Stay tuned for pictures from DC. I'm now back at Jerri's in Kansas City....)

Finally made it to Philly (and DC)!

So I finally got to hang out with my friend Terry, of Separation Anxieties. She had done one of Jennifer's previous writing workshops and is an old friend of Carrie's. We met once over lunch at Old Wives Tales (with Carrie and Holly) in Portland in February, but then were unable to see each other when I was east in April (due to a bit of family drama). So I was thrilled to see her and finally meet her gorgeous and talented family (I got to see Leo in Suessical: The Musical on Thursday night, he was the Mayor of Whoville). We had such a great time. Terry is just one of those people I could talk to forever (and she has plenty to say, too...). :)

Terry says about the top picture, "I'm trying to do my Jess impression." Hmmm.

Sophie, Greg, Terry, and Leo.

Philly at dusk photographed from the little red Miata convertible.

More downtown Philly at dusk (notice the Israeli flag..). Terry, you can tell us what building these are...

At lunch on Friday at a really funky restaurant called Pod. The different colored florescent lights were a little intense, but Sophie was into it!

I am currently in DC with my friends Kate and Jen, also going to see my cousin Bob in a little bit.

New York, New York!

I just had the most fabulous week in New York City. Mostly hanging out with Lucy (and one more dinner with David and Louis). We went to the Terrace in the Sky restaurant on Tuesday night. This was where Happie and Charles had their wedding reception in January 1980, when I was four. I had a memory of hanging out with my brand new cousin Jonah and trying to reach a bowl of candy on the bar, so I wanted to go see it. The view was amazing, but the bar had been renovated and was different. The drinks were good anyway.

On the roof at the Terrace in the Sky.

At Picnic, a lovely place at Bway and 101st.

Times Square on the way home.

Then yesterday morning I got to see Kim and Isabel! Kim had done Jennifer's second workshop with me in February. She used to be in publishing and is now raising her gorgeous daughter Isabel. We went for a lovely walk in Central Park and then to the carousel, which I hadn't been on since I was little. I loved that carousel when I was little. I have a picture somewhere of me on it when I was five, just recovering from chicken pox (still covered in red spots), wearing a sailor suit. Must find that.. Anyway, here's Kim, Isabel and me.

This morning I am back in Spring Valley with Alex and Miriam and Gerald, and later I am off to Philly to see Terry! :) OK, must re-pack my car now.

Pete Seeger and Kate & Steve

On Sunday I took the train north to Beacon, New York to the Corn Festival, a little festival by the Hudson River with lots of corn and some good music. Mostly I went to see my great friends Kate and Steve (who live about half a mile from me in Portland) and to see the great Pete Seeger. And my cousin Alex came up to hang out for some of it (thank you Alex, and sorry about the traffic).

Pete is 88 and totally adorable. He played for half and hour, got the audience singing, and galloped around like it was nothing. Kate and Steve are always great, and I can't tell you how wonderful it was to hear their voices and hang out with them for a while. Wish it could have been longer though.

Pete Seeger.

Steve and Kate.

Kate and Steve.

Me and Kate.

Steve, me and Kate.

More Fire Island pictures!

Some more pictures from Fire Island.

David (Lucy's son), me, and Louis (Lucy's nephew) at Cherry Grove. I love that they have as many rainbow flags as American ones (maybe more).

Lucy.

Eating shrimp cocktail at Cherry Grove (apparently known for being more alternative and full of drag queens and aging lesbians, though I didn't see a lot of those things).

The boardwalk that criss-crosses the island (there are no roads and no cars).

One of the may ill-behaved and very gregarious deer on Fire Island.

These next ones document Louis and me (OK mostly him, but I supervised) making Bloody Marys and drinking them on the front deck. Definitely a highlight! They turned out very well, but I may still have to work on perfecting this skill at my next cocktail party.