Friday, September 30, 2011

Arnica String Quartet

Portland has so many opportunities to hear really great music. For a small city it will keep you busy going from venue to venue. Tonight was the Arnica String Quartet playing Britten and Ott with Daniel Ott attending. Kudos to them all including the guest pianist, Susan Dewitt Smith, and oboist, Erin Gustafson.

Arnica String Quartet with Oboist and Pianist

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Art Class at the Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum doesn't open until 10:00am most mornings. This group was settled in and hard at work at 9:45.

Drawing at the Portland Art Museum

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria

Chris Burden's Three Ghost Ships "sailed" into the Portland Art Museum. Here they are as they looked this morning...

Boats at the Portland Art Museum

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Blue Monday

Sometimes mornings are just that blue... Today I had coffee at the Portland Art Museums coffee shop, Museum Grounds. Cornflowers grace the tops of the tables...
Silken

Fremont Bridge

A drizzling Sunday in Portland. We journeyed across the Fremont Bridge and this was the view on the way home, heading west...

268/365

The bridge trip was to harvest fruit and veges at our friend's home east of the Willamette River (underneath the bridge above). Here's what was left of the bounty after I made ratatouille.
Remains of the Day

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Oregon Symphony Marquee

Opening night of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra's 2011-2012 season ...

Carlos Kalmar conducted a performance of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2. Elina Vahala was the violin soloist playing Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2.
267/365

Friday, September 23, 2011

Rust as Fence

Today's walk included some moments at Tanner Springs Park ~ a quiet oasis in the North Park Blocks near NW 10th and Northrup. This fence always fascinated me with its swirling rust and glass.

266/365 ~ Fence

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Tanner Springs Park

Tanner Springs Park here in Portland Oregon offers many opportunities to sit and contemplate or walk through on an amazing maze like boardwalk.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

View from Neurology

The Center for Health and Healing is OHSU's waterfront campus. Occasionally we will visit and today was one of those days. The view from the eighth floor is quite good providing an interesting perspective on the activity on SW Moody and also the Portland Skyline. SW Moody has been turned into a construction zone as the Portland Streetcar's expansion to Lake Oswego is underway.

Portland Skyline

263/365

Monday, September 19, 2011

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Union Station

This would be in Portland, Oregon. We were to meet some friends who had a layover here in PDX on their way down to California. All we saw was their train. However, since we waited for the train to leave the station, they did see us!

Rails and Wings

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Window Shopping

Just around the corner from me is an art gallery. Included in its window is this grouping of handblown perfume bottles by Andy Paiko.
260/365

Friday, September 16, 2011

Reunion with Friends

Today's walk was out for tea with one of my friends. She brought me this Welcome Back Bouquet.

Welcome Home Bouquet

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Signage at Portland Art Museum Changes

As Allure of the Automobile is in its last week, the signage at the Portland Art Museum has already begun to change. The workers in the background have already reinstalled this front sign and are working on the one at the Hoffman entrance.

258/365

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Heading to Schipol

These ladies reminded us of the line we'll be facing at Schipol here in Amsterdam tomorrow. Heading home to Portland...

The Line-up

Monday, September 12, 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Sunday Afternoon on Ten Katestraat

You're now in Amsterdam. The day has gone from sunny to cloudy to windy to rainy to windy to sunny to cloudy... You might be in Portland but not... you're along Ten Katestraat near where we're staying. These fellows have been enjoying whatever this board game is for two+ hours. They and their friends are having a wonderful time and hopefully you are also.

How to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Amsterdam Plaza

This plaza could be of importance to you. On some days there is an open air book market. On others it's just people, but more importantly the American Book Company is on the left. Toilets and water are available as well as books in English in case your Dutch is not up to par. What we've found is that about half of the Dutch speak English. It seems to be generational... if you learned it in school and are now 50 and haven't practiced your skills are probably greatly diminished. On the other hand, our Dutch is minimal. We've had some very nice encounters with the Dutch young and old who have as much English as we have Dutch.

Plaza in front of American Book Center

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Cemetery Cat

This cat seems to be quite at home at the Old Oak and Dunes Cemetery. Cemeteries are one of our stopping spots when we travel. Ms. Calico seemed to want to have her image published...


Cemetery Cat

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Schopenhauer by the Sea

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I had to travel across the Pond and to The Netherlands to find an unusual sculpture of Schopenhauer. He was there at Museum Beelden aan Zee with a number of other philosophers but not necessarily his friends...

Schopenhauer

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Amsterdam Bicycle

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What's a trip to Amsterdam or anywhere in The Netherlands without photos of bicycles. Here's one from today when it was cloudy and wet ...

250/365 Bicycle with Bag

Monday, September 5, 2011

Amsterdam Flea Market

In addition to all of the miscellaneous junk at the open air market, there were any number of book stalls. I must say I hung around to take this fellow's image. His beard sang out to be captured.

Book Browsing

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Flashers and Aliens ~ UIT Festival


Today's event was the UIT Festival in Den Haag, The Hague.

First up are the Aliens, tall and dexterous ~
Aliens in Den Haag

And then the Flasher!
247/365 The Flasher

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Mondrian and Gay Pride


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Yes, the day was filled with culture ... Mondrian at the Gemeentemuseum
Contemplating Mondrian

and watching various acts at the Gay Pride Festival
Gay Pride - The Hague

Friday, September 2, 2011

Portland and Amsterdam Share Two Loves

Walking the streets of Amsterdam, you'll find a number of similarities in addition to the bicycles, admittedly Amsterdam has more of those and more canals also. (Voice from the Couch commented on canals that they're similar to parts of male anatomies ~ they come in all sizes. That came after seeing a condom shop... But back to the similarities. Pods of dogs are being walked and graffiti abounds!

Bicycling Past Graffiti

Walking with the Russells

Check out the size of the condoms here ~ they're hanging in the window ...