Time Warp- Back to Paris

Since I don't have any pictures taken this week yet, I'm jumping back to fall 2006 with some pictures I took of Paris: the river Seine, a man puzzled by an art fair in Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower at night, and a little girl playing in Monet's gardens.

A Summerfest Post

A post from the first day of Summerfest, the World's largest music festival. It wouldn't be a full day without people watching (especially of this cute little kid in the background throwing up the Rock-On sign at the Rancid concert)...


Or without friends...like these guys right here. As per my usual mode of operation, I managed to combine two groups of friends who had never met before and still have everyone have a good, if not a little random evening. From Right to Left, it's Mike and Mike, Elysia- a friend of my pal Omar, and then Omar and Ben doing they're best to be ridiculous. The guys were excited to see Rise Against. I was excited just to be at Summerfest. And I think Elysia wasn't very excited at all. But at least we had fireworks...

...like these. It's one shot I took of the Big Bang fireworks, which kick off the festival every year.

Things Come Full Circle

I'm not sure anyone's paid attention to my blog that long, but last summer I was intrigued and perplexed by the artwork on the side of an East Side store. (See original post here). After seeing the one fish, I searched all over the East Side in search of the two fish (from Dr. Suess). Then, a friend was kind enough to point me in the right direction last night: it was here the whole time, on the side of a gas station sign on Prospect Ave. Things do come full circle, after all.

East Side Walks: Junk in the Trunk

I think by definition, any junk truck can be considered to have junk in it's trunk.

Ale's Shoe-Mania

Since we did a snap-shot of co-worker Annie's cubicle personality, I'm bringing you a slice of co-worker Ale (of Joey and Ale do Milwaukee!) and her cubicle life. What's most impressive about Ale's desk is not her pics of her cute dog Rosie or very well coordinated office storage. It's her insane pile of shoes that she keeps under her desk, ready at a moment's notice. The six pairs pictured here are an average amount for any given day, and Ale regularly walks to work in sandals or Uggs (depending on the season) and then matches her shoes up to her outfit once she's at the office. Favorites are anything that looks like Christian Laboutin or anything by Jessica Simpson's fashion line.

Annie, in her natural habitat

Today I bring you observations on co-worker Annie Nolan (author of catholicandthecity) in her natural office habitat, which clearly stresses her work ethic as well as her desire to be treated like a pretty, pretty, princess. Note the mouse pad, which is an ode to her Dwight-like diligence and effort on the job, as well as the Diet Coke that helps her work alertly and efficiently. Also note the profusely pink decorations and adornments worthy of any girly girl, including fairy wand, pink pony, pink pen with ribbon, pink glittery ring, pink flower, and last but not least, pink label on her phone that proclaims her to be "Princess Annie."

What to do with the O'Keefe?

There's a rather unfortunate looking print of a Georgia O'Keefe painting floating around my office building- no one seems to want it in their office. So, as a joke for someone's birthday, my co-workers Annie and Ale added a picture of the lucky birthday girl to the painting and brought it down to surprise her with. Here's a picture of the co-conspirators going down our staircase with the very discomfiting looking painting.

Phoenix Pix: Late to the Party

My dad heading into my uncle's house in Avondale, Arizona for a family party. It's also my Dad's birthday today, so only right that I celebrate him by posting up a picture of him. For everyone keeping count at home, he wants you to know that he's turning 35 this year. Again. For like the 10th time.

Phoenix Pix

I was in Phoenix last weekend for a cousin's christening...so figured it would be apropos to put up some pics of the church...
That's my grandma waving at you in this shot. She's the only one in Phoenix with a sweater on in 90 plus weather- gotta love her.

An Ode to Sil's Donuts

It's more of a haiku, really:
Oh! Eastside donuts
Now I'm counting calories-
I can't stop eating (them)

Gift from my Co-Worker Ale

This is how I know that my burger and fries addiction has become a bad office joke.

Oregon Pix: Portland Pizza

In Hood River and in Portland, they had the most awesome pizza. They seem to favor a slightly thinner crust than a regular hand-tossed pizza and put some pretty awesome stuff on it. This one, from the hilariously named Hot Lips Pizza, was just cheese but it was gooey and delicious.

Oregon Pix: Macarons

Mama D is very good to me and bought me macarons because I wasn't feeling well. However, I only ended up eating like two of these delightful French pastries...because I wasn't feeling well. What a vicious, pastry-wasting cycle.

Oregon Pix: Ferris Wheel

It was the Rose Festival while we were there, and even though I got sick and really didn't explore it that much I did check out the Ferris Wheel.

Oregon Pix: Columbia River

Oregon Pix: Mount Rainier

Not as spectacular a view as the one I had of Mount Hood, but still pretty spiffy- and pretty amazing that even though it was sunny and 75 degrees where I was, that these mountains were still covered in snow.

Oregon Pix: Mount Hood

I think everyone here must love outdoor sports. I heard two software company employees on my flight talk about how you can circumnavigate Mount Hood on bikes, riding up and down the ridges along the bottom and renting out cabins at night along the path.

Oregon Pix: Skateboarder's PSA

In Oregon, Caution Sign Guys have hands...to show the extra danger of skateboarding down hills.

Oregon Pix: Hood River

Windsurfing town extraordinaire, locale of my mom and step-dad's former restaurant The Celestial Bean. This town really looks like one of those backlots they use in Hollywood for little western towns- we're talking one stoplight town with little boutiques and a two screen movie theater. The local hotel was old and haunted and all the locals seemed to be into outdoor extreme sports.

Oregon Pix: One More of Multnomah

Oregon Pix: Multnomah Falls is for swimming in, too

Oregon Pix: Multnomah Falls 2

The bottom of the waterfall- it washes out into a stream that apparently floods the whole area when the rain is heavy.

Oregon Pix: Multnomah Falls

One of the coolest things I saw while in Oregon over Memorial Day weekend was this natural waterfall.

Oregon Pix: The Union Pacific

The Union Pacific: one very old railway that's still standing and (apparently) still functional.

Let's Get this Party Started

And what better way to say "I'll try this photo blog one-more-time" than with delicious, home-made chocolate chip cookies? Although I'm a big fan of engaging in culinary disasters, I actually managed to make these without forgetting something important, like the eggs, and without burning them. So welcome back, cheers!