Drive In

We finished our final fundraiser of 2020 this past weekend with Soul River, and their Gala at the Drive Inn. Close to 100 people turn up at the World of Speed parking lot for the Drive inn Fundraiser.

Because of the new rules on social distancing, everyone stayed in their cars, and box dinners were delivered to the guests. So that everyone could enjoy the featured speakers, film and of course the auctioneer, a FM frequency was used so everyone could hear the gala through there car speakers.

We did a raffle and a Special Appeal, it worked out great! It pays to think outside the box.

Planting something new

I’ve always planted a backyard garden, its so easy to grow your own food here in the PNW . The weather conditions are perfect for growing your favorite vegetables. This year I planted potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, beans, peas, tomatoes and beets. Plus a bunch of my favorite herbs.

One of my old friends started a small batch microbrew a couple of years ago, so I thought I would try my hand at growing hops for his latest brew. Almost all hops used in beer production are grown in either western or central Washington.

I choose the Cascade and Nugget variety. I ordered them online from a local grower, and planted them in some of my best soil. It took awhile but in a short time they had grow to a height of fifteen feet in a matter of months, and in the last 30 days my first hops have appeared.

Looking forward to see how they’ll taste when they’re added to the new brew.

Cascade Hops

Time to think

I’ve worked as a wholesale auctioneer for thirty years, which means driving and flying to my weekly auction gigs. I have relied on airplanes to get me to where I’m going. Up until three weeks ago it seemed to be the perfect business plan! Not anymore.

I was still taking my weekly flight to Las Vegas on Wednesday’s afternoons but then when lock down came to Sin City so did the my flights.

Now what do I do? Hey, I’ll drive to Vegas. It’s only a 1000 miles, and I could really use a paycheck. As an auctioneer I work as a contract employee, so if I’m not working I don’t get paid. And because of the uncertainty of being able to fly and no more work on my Wednesday’s or Thursday’s I decided to make the trip. Probably my last days of work in Vegas too.

I have always like to drive on long trips. Whether its in cars or motorcycles, I enjoy being alone on the open road. When I first started out as an auctioneer I would hop into my old Porsche 911 and drive hours to get some mic time.

I decided to take a longer route through the Ochoco National Forest, east toward John Day, south to Burns and crossing the border into Nevada.

I never even turned the radio for the drive. Instead, I spent a lot of time just thinking about the past, future and more importantly the present. Rehashing the pain of old memories, were softened by the beauty of the sunrise cresting over the mountains tops of central Oregon. As I crossed into the vast openness of the northern Nevada landscape my thoughts were replaced with the realization that all can do is accept that things are going to change, and I’ll make my way thru this situation some way or some how.

Social Distancing was in full force as I was traveling alone, paying at the pump and with no place to eat along the way.

Except for a couple stops at a Starbucks drive thru, I never saw or spoke to anyone on the way down. Which really is kinda sad. I always like strike up a conversations with the locals when I’m traveling

Hopefully, the new normal won’t be panic, fear and distance when we encounter our fellow humans when this all passes.

Everyone be safe out there.

Central Oregon sunrise.

Nevada

No waiting at the pumps.

Sunset in Northern Nevada

Garden Life

This spring I decided to convert my backyard into a garden area. When I was a kid, we always had a huge garden. So instead of more shrubs I planted sunflowers, pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic. All the things I like to eat and cook with. Its amazing how good food taste fresh out of the garden. This week the tomatoes are ripening and cooking with fresh garlic is a real treat too.

2018 Is Here!

My new year doesn't start on January 1st. It starts after I take down my Christmas tree. So 2018 started for me on the 4th this year. We spent the holidays here in Portland then headed north to Vancouver, Canada for New Year’s Eve.

Getting to Seattle from Portland usually takes two and half hours; but the Friday after Christmas, it took us over four hours to crawl up the I-5. We pretty much hit every rush hour from Portland out. It didn’t help that it was pouring rain that afternoon and into the night.

Though at the end of the road, we were rewarded with a bit of a getaway to our favorite hotel, The Sorrento. It’s a small boutique hotel built in 1909; it has a great vibe that the newly built ones just can't replicate.

The morning after our stay, we started our trip onto Vancouver. With all the other holiday travelers on the road, we were slowed to a stop at the Canadian Border. It took us a nearly two hours to cross that day!

Once in Vancouver, it was great to see all my friends and to celebrate with them over food, drink, and laughs.

More Beer

Ali here... Instead of bikes and cars, real estate and fundraisers; we’re going to talk about beer this week!

Portland has this great food truck, coffee shop, and wine scene; plus more beer and breweries than the average guy can keep up with. I’m going to share with you here, a few of our favorites.

The Imperial Bottle Shop just opened its second location on Alberta Street this year. It has a selection of 300+ bottles of beer on the wall and cooler, and it offers fresh pours out of 28 taps! There’s even a couple of old-school arcade games for your playing pleasure.

Breakside Brewery has a lot of everything going on. From award-winning IPAs to a pet project of barrel-aged sours, it has got something for every palate. These guys are pretty good in the kitchen too. We’ve enjoyed a great meal or two at both the Dekum and Slabtown locations.

Pfriem has a classic line that perfectly suits the traditionalist. Included in its over two dozen classic offerings are a Pilsner, Pale Ales, a Mexican Lager, and a whole bunch of IPAs for good measure. Pfriem Family Brewers is in Hood River, about an hour drive out of Portland.

With over 100 breweries in the Portland Metro area, it would be easy to find a couple of favorites of your own. Cheers to beer and more beer!

YVR Food

One of the most beautiful cities in North America is Vancouver, Canada. I'm always surprised how many people have never visited this amazing city. It's just a couple hundred miles to the north of Seattle! Vancouver, much like Portland, is known for its food and coffee culture. I think Portland may have a bit of an edge when it comes to coffee. When it comes to food though; especially fresh seafood, Vancouver has us beat. I have to have my favorites when I'm in town. On that long list are ramen, sushi and ocean-to-table shellfish!