Summer Escapism.

Summer is here in Portland and I am feeling the itch to get out and go wild. In the woods, at the beach- WHATEVER.

There will be an escape soon. 

Sheesh.

Until then (probably wednesday).

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Summer makes me think of……….Michael Moore………….

I am serious.

He lives in Northern Michigan. 

You’ll see him crusin’ around Traverse City (my home town)- all the time. Seated in the lobby of the State Theatre- full blue sweat suit- baseball cap- hangin’ out. He is great.

I love him. I love his politics. I love his love for film. I love the full blue sweat suit.

After he won the oscar for Bowling for Columbine the T.C. local government threw him a lil’ party at the Park Place Hotel. I was (of course) working at the Park Place. The party was held in this tiny room off the lobby. 

So-

In walks Michael- blue sweat suit, big red duffel bag, this bag was huge- but empty,

well,

almost empty.

You see-

The big red gross duffel bag was the carrying case for his OSCAR……..

So funny.

That was some years ago.

Since then this guy has helped launch a kick-ass film festival in Traverse City- and subsequently given me some of the the best times in my life yet. 

A couple of years ago there was a Stanley Kubrick theme to the festival- ALL KUBRICK, ALL ORIGINAL REELS.

Saw this one:

Paths of Glory

 

Bike riding, movie watching, sun shiny happiness…….

The duffel bag moment and the encounters that would follow have confirmed that this guy understands the bullshit of hollywood- all the self importance- all the self stroking….it’s weird.

He also understands the power and the importance of film, the beauty seated in the collective experience of creation and in sharing the creation.

He’s found a way to exist in the mix and in my estimation, has used Hollywood as a vehicle in expediting some conversations that NEED to be had. 

He showed my favorite film of all time some months back- I was able to watch it on the big screen-I love him for this too.

Cinema Paradiso

Pie.

 

Baking Day.

 I love to cook.

This declaration does not mean I am great at it- maybe good- maybe sometimes.

The fact of the matter is that cooking is more of an event than a regular occurrence in my life- it is expensive to cook and time consuming- and I have worked nights for the past million years……these are not excuses-this is my reality.

It is kind-o sad…

I remember as a child sitting down to dinner, as a family every night.

Every single night.

What was once the norm now is something of a rarity. For many people. 

Happily Aaron and I have been making the time these days.

- cooking is one big experiment- right?- We are doin’ ok. 

NOW-

Baking……

Baking holds it’s own sacred secrets….. 

i know nothing- but again, I try.

I woke this morning to a giant 8 year old asking for biscuits- 

we measured and stirred……. we baked…..we ate. 

The plan for the day-

take it slow- make the time to

bake (all day!!) with the giant 8 year old. 

Cookies. maybe a pie.

I am feeling really ambitious right now.

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Ape Cave.

We like to live on the edge.

We meaning Madeline, Ewok and myself…..

Adventurers you could call us.

Look at these hardened,

fearless souls-

 

We three were about to embark on a journey- to the center of the earth.

(Ok. I might be exaggerating here- we were a mile in at Ape Cave. BUT it was DARK! And wet, and there were sharp jaggedy rocks……it was cold too).

Ape Cave really did rock….hehehehe.

Really. 

We were hiking through a LAVA TUBE.

- 2,000 years ago Mt St Helens had a basaltic eruption (the kind with lava) and this cave we were walking through was carved out by lava intruding into and through the existing bedrock………AWESOME!

 

 

 

 

The Mountain.

   We went to the mountain. We drove, not knowing where really- guided by some really shitty maps, the sun and well- the mountain.

Madeline, Ewan and I. 

We took the car as far as we could- the winding, one lane, lined with giant red woods road eventually was covered in snow.

No Pass.

Had to turn around on the one lane, edge of a cliff, sketchy (parts washed out) road.

We saw three elk, two deer, and a few bald eagles.

All the while the Mountain loomed large. 

I was imagining the peaceful site and the sweet (it was sweet) mountain air overtaken by pyroclastic debris, lahar flow (like a mudslide- flow raging at 44 mph or more), zero visability- a whole lotta ASH……basically chaos. 

Destruction/recreation-1980. -

 

 

 

Banana Slug: Lesson #1.

Ewan and I were going to go scale Mt Saint Helens- but……..we didn’t. It was overcast (go figure) and getting late. I am too excited about rocks n’ other geologic events to have to rush. Ya know? soon.

BUT

we did have a good day.
we found 2 giant slugs.
Look at this thing:THE BANANA SLUG

Among the prodigious slug’s attributes are size, cunning, slime AND

*hang on here folks*

Banana Slugs are hermaphrodites*……. yup….

lil’ factoid for you. (Put that in your cornflakes!!!!).

NEVER knew so much about the life of the Banana Slug- how cool (It is about time for me to become more familiar with the indigenous species of my new home).

 

*I guess all slugs are hermaphrodites. huh.

If adaptation is key to surviving the “long haul”…. at the rate we’re going, humans, as a species, will eventually die out. 

 

BUT the SLUGS!

These little dynamos will keep on keepin’ on…………….. 
 

Goulet.

Here’s some Goulet:

Sweet Dreams.

I woke up from a dream about my Grandpa.
Steve McKolay.
Father of 15. Master storyteller, puzzle maker, joke teller……
When we were kids the annual trip down to Westland Michigan was the highlight of the year. I am not kiddin’ around.
Grandma and Grandpa had a pool, there were lots of cousins to play with, cookie crisp and coco puffs or grandpa’s famous bacon and eggs in the morning- baseball games, chuck-e- cheese.
I would wake up early just to hang with him while he fried the eggs in bacon grease. Occasionally he and I would sneak out of the house on his ciggarette run and he would come back to the car, candy barS in hand….plural baby!
Grandpa Steve liked to break into song-
He would often serenade me with the famous Robert Goulet tune “If Ever I would Leave You”

So funny n’ sweet. Goulet is kind-o weird but whatever- so am I. 

 

Grandpa was hilarious and would really try to get it- like Goulet .

Much like other men of his generation he liked his high balls and his cigs (salem)- and that is how i remembered him in my dream- singing Goulet, smoking a salem- But this time his face was in my hands and we were so happy in a room full of McKolays, all seated at this long, long, long (there are A LOT of us) table- in a giant hall.
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Grandpa Steve had some tricks up his sleeve- my favorite of which was the “never-ending ash”. This trick is great anywhere there are people drinking and smoking and bull-shitting.

1. You must be packin’ some sort of pin (preferred) or paper clip (might be too thick).

2. Stick the pin into the pre-lit cig.

3. Light the cig (although I do not condone smoking in any way- it’s REALLY REALLY bad for ya).

4. Pretend like nothin’ is weird or strange when your ash grows to implausible lengths, better yet wave said ash over drinks and popcorn as people slowly start to watch in wonder, waiting-seconds ticking- for the ash

to

drop.

If you perfect it- it wont.

Genius!

He was. 

xo.

 

 

No Reservations.

I have been in the restaurant industry for YEARS. 15 years to be exact. I am a foodie and a wino. I have no shame in admitting this.

I do not like t.v.

It stresses me out- all of the manic change from 10 minutes of show to 6 minutes of commercials. I can’t handle it.

But-

I do LOVE Anthony Bourdain.

And he DOES have a t.v. show.

(If only this were the sole rough patch of decision making in my life)-…. sigh……

His show is THE PERFECT form of entertainment for this girl!

Food! Wine! Travel! And all the savvy commentary of a fine cynic-

Here is a little bit he did on the PNW- (The guy with the “how to use chopsticks” tatoo- I work with him….Jason…..He’s great).

 

OBAMA!