Alethea's Excellent Adventures

A Pain in the... Sinus?

2013-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you reading this are already aware, I had sinus surgery at OHSU on Tuesday, April 23rd. I was diagnosed with a deviated septum more than six years ago when I lived in New York City. I had been suffering from frequent sinus infections and sinus pressure that often caused migraines. I opted not to get it fixed then, partially because I had already observed first-hand what a horrible experience it could be when my boyfriend had the surgery, and also because I didn't want to use valuable vacation days.

a few hours after surgery on my hip (January 15th)

After seeing an ENT here in Portland a few months ago, I was again advised to have surgery. Since I have already reached my out-of-pocket spending limit for my health insurance plan this year (due to the costs associated with surgery on my hip in January), it made sense to go ahead and deal with this issue as well. Thus I was scheduled to have a septoplasty to fix the deviated septum and turbinate reduction to alleviate chronic nasal congestion and nasal obstruction.

Credit: http://www.njsnoringandsinus.com/septoplasty.html

The 1 - 1.5 hour procedure is done on an outpatient basis. After having no food or drink since midnight, I checked into the surgery center at 11:00am and was immediately taken to a prep room where I changed into a very stylish hospital gown. The nurse went over my medical history and ran an IV into my right hand (the first attempt in my left arm wasn't flowing properly). I was given a bottle of Afrin nasal spray and instructed to spray it in both nostrils every 30 minutes. Finally, just before 1pm, my doctor's assistant and an anesthesiologist came into the room and asked a few more questions, then had me sign some paperwork. My doctor dropped in to say hi, and soon I was whisked away to the operating room.

pre-op

When I had surgery on my hip, once I was wheeled into the OR, a mask was put over my nose & mouth and I was told to start counting (I made it to seven and then blacked out). Since sinus surgery is done internally through the nostrils, the anesthetic was injected directly into my IV. They didn't even tell me they were doing it; one second I was awake, and the next I was out.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a post-op recovery area. My nurse was the same as I had in January (ditto for several other nurses who attended to me) and, after asking me how I was feeling (groggy but okay), we immediately started talking about beer. Yes, only in Portland! Backstory: My pre-op nurse had asked about my pastimes and, of course, one of mine is patronizing the local breweries. She had relayed this info to my post-op nurse as his wife works for Hair of the Dog brewery in SE Portland.

post-op

I only stayed in post-op for about 30 minutes, then was taken back into the pre-op area where Greg was waiting in my room. By then, it was already 3:30pm. It took another 30 minutes for me to feel well enough to get up and change clothes. Meanwhile, Greg went outside to locate a car2go to transport me home.

As soon as I started moving around, my nose began bleeding heavily. The nurse didn't seem too concerned and got me a box of tissues, a large pack of gauze squares, surgical tape and a "Dale Nasal Dressing Holder." She put me in a wheelchair and took me down to the curb where Greg was waiting in the car.

rough ride home

Unfortunately, there was heavy rush hour traffic in all directions from the hospital. We had no choice but to join the masses waiting to cross the river to SE Portland. It ended up taking us more than an hour to drive the four miles from the hospital to our house. My nose continued to bleed heavily the entire time, and I was pretty uncomfortable from the stop & go motion of the car.

The first 12 hours after the operation were awful. I thought I would have to go back to the hospital because my nose would not stop bleeding and I was in unbearable pain. It finally clotted sometime after midnight and we set an alarm to get up every 4 hours so I could take more pain meds.

frozen yogurt & a pet moose makes everything better

The surgery causes your nose to be completely blocked from internal swelling, blood, etc. meaning you have to breathe through your mouth. I tried to sleep in bed with three pillows propped up behind me but still felt like I was gasping for air. Thus, until my follow-up appointment six days later, I had to "sleep" sitting upright on the couch. I ate soup for the first few days because my teeth hurt and it was too difficult to chew & breathe at the same time. Apparently, I also had a reaction to the muscle relaxant they injected during anesthesia. For two full days after the surgery, my entire body felt like it had been beaten. My neck was so stiff I could not lift my head!

I had surgery on Tuesday and did not leave the house until Saturday evening. I didn't feel well enough to do anything other than lie on the couch and it was hard to do anything productive like writing or reading because I had to keep taking pain meds. My post-op orders said to refrain from bending, straining or lifting more than 10lbs for two weeks. I was also not supposed to do anything to raise my heart rate, which could cause more bleeding.

4 days post-op

Thankfully, I was actually feeling somewhat better on Saturday and decided I would go to the Joy of Life fundraiser that I had been invited to months ago by my friend, Cindy. As a sponsor of the event, Cindy, who publishes the Portland Happy Hour Guidebook, had paid for a table and invited nine of her friends to join her for the evening. I had really been looking forward to helping support this wonderful cause and would have been very disappointed if I had to miss out. It was truly a lovely evening and, besides having to constantly pat my nose with a tissue to catch the occasional drips of blood, I managed just fine.

these tools are NOT my friends

I stayed in again to rest on Sunday and then went to my follow-up appointment Monday afternoon. My doctor had not truly prepared me for what was about to occur. Essentially, he suctioned out all the leftover bone, membranes, blood, etc. Not just from my nostrils but from the sinuses under & above my eyes. This is called debridement and it was excruciatingly painful, even with the local anesthetic that is sprayed into the nose. I thought I was going to pass out! Luckily I was carrying my bottle of Vicodin and he told me to take one before he started on the other side.

you got all of that out of my nose?!?!

While the procedure did clear out my sinuses and I could finally breathe through my nose again, I had severe pain to the point that it triggered a migraine that lasted for two days. I did not get out again until Thursday, when I had physical therapy for my hip and then had planned to meet up with Cindy for a special Happy Hour book signing at Trader Vic's. At that point, the pain was more isolated to the nasal ridge, so it felt like I had been punched in the face more than anything (but still with no outward sign that I had recently had surgery). It was a great evening, and we capped it off by scoring free club seats to the Timbers match, care of the owner of the restaurant. So much for taking it easy!!!

enjoying Happy Hour at Trader Vic's (Credit: Charles Henry)

I did rest again Friday, mainly because my sister, Emily, was having surgery to remove cervical cancer and I wanted to be able to stay in touch with my family in Tennessee throughout the day. Thankfully she came through it okay, and was released from the hospital yesterday to continue her recuperation at home. Her pathology report will be available sometime this week and hopefully the news will be positive (meaning no further treatment is required at this time).

I love you, Emily!

I continue to do a little better each day but am still experiencing what I call "broken nose pain." My next follow-up appointment with my doctor is on Monday, May 13th. I'm not looking forward to it because he has already told me there will be more suctioning, but that it shouldn't be as intense as the last time. I think I'll take some Vicodin with me just in case!

Beers & Bikes: A Weekend Getaway to Eugene

2013-04-26T15:38:00.001-07:00

Greg & I have a list of places we want to visit that would be good candidates for a weekend trip from Portland. While we could certainly fly somewhere, the ideal 1-2 night getaway involves neither airplane nor car. With the extensive public transportation options we have here, there are plenty of destinations that are reachable by train, light rail, and bicycle.

Eugene is the second-largest city in Oregon but is essentially tied with the state capitol, Salem, in terms of population. It is primarily known as the home of the University of Oregon, from which Phil Knight (co-founder of Nike) graduated in 1959. Knight has since donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the university. The university is also famous for Hayward Field where the USA Track & Field championships and Olympic trials have been hosted multiple times since the 1970’s.

While Greg had some interest in visiting the university, particularly Autzen Stadium which will host the University of Tennessee Vols football team on September 14th this year, the main reason we wanted to go to Eugene was to visit the numerous breweries that are located in the city center. Eugene was also an excellent candidate for a short weekend getaway as it is only 110 miles south of Portland, a distance that is easily traveled by train or bus. Eugene is also one of the top bike-friendly cities in the U.S., ranked #9 by Bicycling magazine in 2012 (Portland was #1).

Since Greg had to work a full day on Friday, April 12th, we did not leave Portland until 6:15pm. We rode our bikes from our house to Union Station (3.5 miles) and then loaded them on Amtrak Cascades for the 2.5 hour ride to Eugene. I had made sandwiches to eat for dinner (although there is a dining car on the train) and we carried all of our gear in two panniers and one small backpack. I used Amtrak Guest Rewards points to purchase the tickets, so this segment of our journey was entirely free.

We actually arrived in Eugene about 20 minutes ahead of schedule so, after collecting our bikes from the baggage car, we walked from the depot across the street to Jackalope Lounge. While the bar is a bit on the dive-y side, we enjoyed a couple of brews (I particularly liked my Hop Valley Alphadelic IPA) then biked to our hotel one mile away.

Thankfully, I had reserved a ground floor room at the Econo Lodge as they were fully booked for the weekend with the exception of a few suites. Greg & I typically choose not to spend a lot of money on accommodations when we know we will be spending very little time at the hotel. Our room with a king-size bed, mini-fridge & microwave, free wifi and complimentary continental breakfast was only $46.75 per night and it had just enough space for us to park our bikes inside. (Note, I had also tried to reserve a room in the local hostel but it was already fully booked.)

After a good night's sleep, we were out the door by 9am Saturday morning. We had mapped out an itinerary using Google Maps which we could access on our iPhones, and I also had a hard copy of the Eugene/Springfield bike map which I had requested in advance from the city's Department of Transportation. Our general plan was to ride several miles on the southern portion of the Willamette River Trail, loop around the University of Oregon, then end up in the city center for a pub crawl.

With proper pacing which included drinking plenty of water and eating enough hearty food to soak up the alcohol, we had quite an enjoyable day of bicycling & beer drinking. We rode a total of 13.5 miles, with stops at four breweries (Falling Sky, McMenamins High Street, Oakshire, Ninkasi), one beer bar (Sixteen Tons, where I tried a local beer from Agrarian Ales), two very popular local restaurants (Toshi's Ramen & Papa's Soul Food Kitchen), and the Saturday Market & Lane County Farmers Market.

While my original goal had been to hit five breweries (those listed above plus Rogue) and one more beer bar (The Bier Stein which, sadly, was closed for remodeling) on Saturday, we were pretty much exhausted when we finished our last beer at Ninkasi just after 9pm. We decided to call it a night knowing we could still look forward to more biking & beer drinking on Sunday.

The weather forecast for the weekend called for rain showers with highs around 60F and lows in the upper 30's. That's pretty much how it played out, with intermittent sunshine, plenty of clouds, some rain, and even hail. We were pretty lucky on Saturday, and were already indoors whenever the rain came through. Sunday, the weather was less in our favor, and we had to don our Goretex gear to stay dry for our beer & bike adventures.

Again, we got up fairly early to have plenty of time to eat breakfast, pack up our gear, and visit a few breweries before our return trip to Portland. This time we had mapped out a more ambitious bike route, which involved crossing the Willamette River to ride the northern portion of the greenway trail all the way to Springfield (of The Simpsons fame) to visit two breweries before returning to Eugene in time for an early afternoon bus. The complicating factor was that none of the breweries opened until 11am so we knew we couldn't linger at any one place too long.

With dogged determination, we biked through steady rain to Hop Valley Brewing Company and persuaded the bartender to serve us a full sampler tray before they were officially open. The effort was worth it; all of the beers were quite good and some were fantastic! We then rode a few miles south to the newly opened Plank Town Brewing Company. While the brewery isn't up & running just yet, they have brewed a few beers at Block 15 in Corvallis on a contract basis. I was happy to have a pint of the cask-conditioned Plank Town ESB. Too soon it was time for the ride back to Eugene.

Due to the less-than-ideal train schedule on Sunday, we had opted to purchase bus tickets for our return trip to Portland. However, Amtrak will only allow you to book one bicycle per bus, since they use an entire cargo bin for each bike to avoid damage. As there is no way to know in advance how much luggage other passengers will be carrying and thus how many extra bins will be available, we had booked Greg on the 2:30pm bus and me on the 3:35pm bus. This time we paid for our tickets, which cost $26 per person plus $5 for each bicycle.

My later bus gave me just enough time to try one more brewery, Steelhead, which is just a block from Eugene's Amtrak station. After helping Greg get his bike loaded on the bus, which wasn't exactly easy, I zipped around the corner to Steelhead and ordered a taster tray of their flagship beers. Sadly, I wasn't impressed by any of the seven beers I tried and actually had a hard time finishing them all before I had to leave.

The 2-hour bus ride back to Portland was uneventful except for some traffic on I-5. I enjoyed staring out the window at the lush green fields (the Willamette Valley is the grass-seed capital of the world) interspersed with flocks of sheep, cows and horses. Once we arrived at Union Station I rode my bike through downtown then loaded it on a Trimet bus for the remaining uphill ride home.

With some advance planning and research, Greg & I were able to put together a very nice weekend getaway at minimal cost. Using Amtrak was relatively effortless and far more enjoyable than driving. Having our bikes allowed us to visit breweries we couldn't easily have reached on foot (like Oakshire or either of the two Springfield breweries) and made us feel more like locals than tourists. Our accommodations, though basic, were centrally located but quiet. We drank mostly excellent beer and ate some delicious food. Plus, we rode a total of almost 40 miles in 48 hours, so any calories we consumed were offset by our mode of transportation. That's a win-win in my book!

oh, the irony - on the U of O campus

Just click on the title of this post to view all of my Eugene photos on Google +.

Three Month Check-up

2013-04-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

As it has now been 12 weeks since my hip arthroscopy, I had another follow-up appointment with my surgeon yesterday. She is still very pleased with my progress and I continue to have no issues with any of the areas of my hip that were surgically repaired. However, my physical therapy, which is now focused on large muscle group strengthening, is complicated by knee pain (plus a nasty grinding noise in both knees that makes my therapists wince when they hear it) and right shoulder pain (I was diagnosed with bursitis in 2011). Dr. Herzka examined my knees and discovered that I have patellar tendonitis and “cartilage irregularities” in both of them.

We briefly discussed my medical history (I had surgery to repair torn cartilage in my left knee about 20 years ago) and then Dr. Herzka fitted me with a Cho-Pat strap. She had me perform a few squats and walk around the exam room. Unfortunately, I found the strap to be extremely uncomfortable where it exerted pressure directly below my knee (as it is designed to do). Even after adjustment, the pain was almost unbearable. Dr. Herzka said that she has found that people either get instant relief, or, as in my case, cannot tolerate it at all.

The next treatment option, which I will start next week, is called iontophoresis. My physical therapist will administer an anti-inflammatory medication onto my knees transdermally. Dr. Herzka said this method is more effective for patellar tendonitis versus steroid injections. We have already regressed my physical therapy regimen back to a less strenuous level, particularly eliminating any exercises that put additional strain on my knees.

Another issue which has flared up recently is the inflammation of my right hip flexor. This tendonitis previously occurred about six weeks after surgery, when I was doing a bit more walking than my body was ready for. At that time, Dr. Herzka prescribed a month's supply of piroxicam (an anti-inflammatory drug) and told me to use crutches for any long periods of walking. I felt much better within a week. This time she ordered an ultrasound-guided steroid injection, which I will have done on April 16th.

It's pretty frustrating to have all of these issues occurring at once, not to mention that I'm always in pain! The timing makes sense in that everything started when we changed my physical therapy routine by adding strength & agility exercises. My recent regimen has been twice weekly physical therapy at OHSU, 30 minutes on an exercise bike at mild resistance plus 15 minutes on an elliptical machine 2-3 times weekly at the gym (followed by a soak in the hot tub and relaxing in the steam room), plus exercises at home 2-3 times weekly. With the new developments, I will have to continue twice weekly physical therapy (it was supposed to be reduced to once per week after three months) and scale back on most of the strength-building exercises and anything that hurts my knees.

Of course, I haven't let that discomfort stop me from enjoying life! The last weekend in March was unbelievably beautiful so Greg & I planned some activities to take advantage of the nice weather. On Saturday, we took the bus to SE 82nd Street (where a large number of Portland's Asian population resides) and ate some delicious dim sum at Ocean City, then traveled an hour north (really only about 14 miles but it takes forever on a bus!) to the St. Johns neighborhood. After enjoying a beer at Plew's Brews, we did a self-guided walking tour of the town, then strolled through Cathedral Park before making a well-deserved stop at Occidental Brewing to taste all of their German-style beers. We ate dinner on the patio at The Baowry before starting the long bus ride home.

I was very excited to ride my bike outdoors on Easter Sunday, the first time I did so since the surgery. It was another unseasonably warm & sunny day, so Greg & I rode one mile to Laurelhurst Park and enjoyed lounging on a blanket reading for a few hours and then had a picnic before riding back home.

This weekend we have planned a short getaway to Eugene, OR. We will bike from our house to Union Station and take the train down tonight, a 2.5 hour trip. Tomorrow we are going to ride our bikes along the southern section of the Willamette River Trail, around the University of Oregon, and to as many breweries as time allows. On Sunday, we'll ride the northern portion of the river trail all the way to Springfield (namesake of the Simpson's hometown), stop at one or two breweries there, then ride back to Eugene. As there are no trains scheduled in the mid-afternoon, we will be taking an Amtrak bus back to Portland (after we stop at one more brewery!).

Prior to the escalation of my knee pain, I had decided I was ready to start working as a background actor again. You never know when you are going to have to run, crouch, or just stand around for long periods of time and it was too risky to put myself in that situation while I was still healing from the surgery. Over the past two weeks, I have gotten numerous casting notices for Grimm and for a new TV show now filming in Portland that stars Geena Davis as a bounty hunter. While I indicated I was available to work in all but one instance, I have yet to be selected for a role.

I'm the cop directly behind the dead bodies. Grimm Episode 214: Natural Born Wesen

In closing, I am scheduled to have sinus surgery at OHSU on Tuesday, April 23rd: a septoplasty to fix a deviated septum and turbinate reduction to alleviate chronic nasal congestion and nasal obstruction. I know you're probably thinking "Why in the world would she want to have another surgery so soon?!?!" But I've already reached my out-of-pocket spending limit for my health insurance plan this year, so it makes sense to address any other medical issues that arise.

I was diagnosed with both problems in New York City in 2006 and advised to have surgery then, however my boyfriend at the time had the surgery while we were together and it was not a pleasant experience. Methods have improved in recent years and my ENT has assured me that it won’t be that bad. I’ll have to limit most activity for the first week following the surgery and then will see my doctor for a follow-up appointment on April 29th and hopefully will get the green light to resume my usual routine (whatever that may be!). I’ll have another check-up on May 13th and then can focus on getting ready for our 2-week Alaska vacation which starts May 25th.

Is Nashville the next Beervana?

2013-04-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

My adopted hometown of Portland, OR lays claim to the nickname "Beervana" and rightfully so. We have over 50 breweries within the city limits, the most of any city in the world. Of course it's not just all about numbers; the high quality and huge variety of beer here is hard to beat!

there's nothing better than drinking local beer & cider outside on a sunny day in Portland

During my recent trip to Nashville, TN, I had the opportunity to visit many of the breweries that have opened in the city in the past year. Previously, if you wanted to drink a craft beer in Tennessee, your only options were a few well-established restaurant/breweries like Big River Grille, Blackstone and Bosco's, or beer-focused bars like Flying Saucer. There were just a handful of bottle shops with an emphasis on beer.

t-shirt at the Nashville Visitor Center

One of the biggest obstacles to producing craft beer in Tennessee is the beer tax. At 17%, it adds $37.00 to the cost of a 31-gallon barrel. By comparison, the Oregon tax on a 31-gallon barrel of beer is $2.60. It's impossible for a small business owner not to pass on some of that exorbitant cost to the consumer, who is only willing to pay so much for a pint or bottle of good beer!

posted by the entrance to Yazoo Brewery

Thankfully, an effort is underway to Fix the Beer Tax. But even with the current situation, new breweries are opening all over the state to meet the increased demand for high quality beer and the desire to support locally-owned businesses. There are now six breweries in Nashville (Blackstone, Big River Grille - recently rebranded as Rock Bottom, Bosco's, Yazoo, Jackalope, Fat Bottom) with more to open soon, as well as four breweries in Franklin (Cool Springs Brewery, Turtle Anarchy, Bosco's, Granite City), 20 miles south of the state capitol. In addition, you can attend one of several beer festivals throughout the year and get a growler filled at places like Frugal Macdoogal or Mount Juliet Beer Company.

Mt Juliet Beer Co has a great selection of craft beers

Of course, beer lover that I am, I planned one entire day of my Nashville visit around drinking beer! As I wrote about in my previous post, my grandmother & I stopped by Fat Bottom Brewery in East Nashville to cap off our "Playing Tourist in Your Hometown" excursion on Thursday. After relaxing for most of the day Friday, I was ready for Saturday's pub crawl. Sadly, Greg couldn't join me because he was still sick with the flu.

samples of Fat Bottom beers

The day started with a 12:30PM brewery tour at Yazoo. For $7.00, you get a taster glass and three 4oz samples of their flagship beers (Dos Perros, Pale Ale, Hefeweizen) to enjoy during the 45-minute tour. Even though I have been on too many brewery tours to count, I still think this is a fun way to go behind the scenes and meet people who love craft beer as much as I do! As it turned out, I started chatting with two ladies from Toronto, Canada, and after we enjoyed a few more samples (The Beacon, Sly Rye Porter, Onward Stout) in the brewery bar, we all headed to my next stop together.

Yazoo tasters

Jackalope Brewing Company is just a couple of blocks from Yazoo, making it super convenient for a pub crawl. They brew three standard beers: Thunder Ann American Pale Ale, Rompo Red Rye Ale, and Bearwalker Maple Brown. My new friends & I shared a sampler tray of all three beers as they had just run out of the fourth, a limited edition American Stout called Tannakin.

The Canadians were on the hunt for a local (not touristy) BBQ joint to try before their evening at the Grand Ole Opry. After some debate, I decided to take them to Hog Heaven, next to Centennial Park. After a brief driving tour of Music Row, I dropped them off and headed south to Franklin to meet up with my dad & step-mom at another new brewery.

my new friends from Toronto, Andrea & Lori

Granite City Food & Brewery is part of a Midwestern chain of restaurant/breweries with 27 locations in 12 states. The recently opened Franklin outpost adjacent to a new Drury Hotel is their first in Tennessee. They brew five regular beers (Northern Light Lager, Wag's American Wheat, Duke of Wellington IPA, Brother Benedict's Bock, Broad Axe Stout) plus one or two seasonals. Of course, I had to try them all, so I ordered a taster tray to enjoy with their delicious flatbread pizzas.

Not wanting to waste any time, we dropped off my car (actually my grandmother's car which I had borrowed for the day) at their apartment and continued to our next stop, Turtle Anarchy Brewing Company. We had all gotten to know the brewmaster, Mike Kraft, when he worked at Cool Springs Brewery and I was anxious to try his latest creations. Once again, I ordered samples of everything they had on tap (three year-round beers plus several seasonals): Another Way to Rye, Aurumglass, Portly Stout, Infidelis Helles Ale, Card A Mom, Down With The Coconut). These were by far the most interesting and flavorful beers I drank the entire week!

tasters at Turtle Anarchy

Although Turtle Anarchy was officially the last new brewery on my list, that didn't mean we had to stop drinking beer or call it a night. Thankfully, my dad & step-mom love good beer as much as I do (guess where I got the beer "genes" from?!) so we dropped in to one of the popular local hangouts, Mellow Mushroom.

more beer at Mellow Mushroom

One of the great things about Franklin is the historic downtown comprising 16 blocks of restaurants & bars, antique shops, art galleries, and beautifully restored homes. Mellow Mushroom is located on the Main Square and, while it is part of a southeastern chain, each location is unique. The Franklin "friendchise" has 30 taps, including the requisite mass-produced national brands but also plenty of craft brews. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sample more local beer, so Debbie & I shared a taster paddle of IPA's (including Yazoo Hop Project and Victory Hop Devil) while my dad went with the Brooklyn Brewery's Chocolate Stout.

music on the square

After enjoying some live music outside on the square by 64, a local Beatles tribute band, we walked a few blocks down Main Street to McCreary's. This tiny Irish pub is a great place to drink a pint of Guinness, munch on some fish & chips and listen to more live music, all of which we did before calling it a night!

Irish food & beer at McCreary's

After getting some much-needed sleep, the three of us had breakfast at a local coffeehouse then spent a few hours at a dog show (always fun for people-watching) before I said goodbye and headed back to Hermitage to spend my final evening of the trip with my grandmother. My mom, step-dad, sister and two nephews also drove down from Orlinda to visit with Greg & I one last time before we flew back to Portland.

my step-mom Debbie is greeted by a Shar-Pei at the dog show

Keeping in mind that I have previously visited (in months/years past) all of the other breweries mentioned in this post, as well as most if not all of the specialty beer bars, I can now say I have fully experienced beervana in Nashville. That this can realistically be done over the course of a weekend (with a designated driver) means Nashville still has a long way to go to catch up with the likes of Portland. Hopefully, the beer tax will get "fixed" and I can continue to look forward to trying new breweries every time I fly home, which is once or twice a year.

Andrea took this photo of me (dreaming of going to all of the beer bars on this map) at Jackalope

If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest Nashville beer news, I recommend following Nashville Beer Blog. Beer Me has a list of all the breweries in Tennessee.

Highlights of our trip to Nashville

2013-03-29T21:07:00.001-07:00

Any time Greg & I make the trip from Portland to Nashville (typically only once or twice a year), it can be a bit of a challenge to see all of our family & friends in the week that we're there. For Greg it's easier: his parents live in Old Hickory; everyone else has moved out of state. But in order for him to not burn too many vacation days, he usually only takes a day or two off, which means he works remotely during the day but on Portland time (so from 10am-7pm CST). That somewhat limits his ability to enjoy the trip & have time to visit with everyone.

While my grandmother lives in Hermitage, conveniently close to the airport and to Greg's parents' house, the rest of my family is one hour north of Nashville (my mom, step-dad, sister & two nephews in Springfield/Orlinda) or one hour south of Nashville (my dad & step-mom in Franklin). Due to their work schedules as well as which days my nephews will be at home (versus with their dad), visiting with them can take some coordinating and usually involves an overnight stay.

There was a dusting of snow on the ground when we arrived in Orlinda.

That's exactly what happened on our recent trip, as I mentioned in my previous blog post. As soon as we landed in Nashville on Saturday, we borrowed a car from Greg's parents and made the drive to Orlinda. We spent the evening catching up with the Campbell's & Corbin's and spent the night at my mom's house. On Sunday, we went to my sister's house to see the goats & cats, then returned to my mom's house for some quality time with both families.

Hanging out with the goats on the Campbell farm

I spent the week before the trip making a book about our life in Portland for my 12-year-old nephew, Grant. I wrote the copy, edited the photos (I used only photos that I had taken, no stock images) and had the book printed at my local Walgreens the night before we left. I didn't have time to make a second, different book for my six-year-old nephew, Bryce, so I had gone to Powell's earlier in the week and bought him a copy of Larry Gets Lost in Portland. I gave the kids their books on Sunday and Greg & I sat down to read with each of them. They both seemed to like their gifts but ultimately Bryce decided he would rather I make him a personalized book about farming so I ended up returning Larry Gets Lost with the promise that I would make him a book sometime before his birthday in August.

Bryce reads to Greg

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at my mom's house. Greg rode the Berg in laps on the wrap-around porch and we kept the kids entertained for several hours playing Uno and Farmopoly. After dinner it was time to drive back to Nashville, where I stayed at my grandmother's house and Greg went to his parents' house.

Greg rides the Berg

Monday & Tuesday were pretty quiet. I had made plans to visit with friends, but those fell through. Thanks to Greg's mom, I was able to get a free visitor pass to the YMCA so I could go to the pool for aquatic therapy and use the exercise bikes and other gym equipment for my hip rehab. My grandmother & I made a few trips to the grocery store to stock up on food for the week and, of course, I had to go to Mount Juliet Beer Company to pick up some craft beer! I also spent some of my spare time going through the storage containers in my grandmother's garage to hunt for things I wanted to bring back to Portland.

A few hand-selected craft beers from Mount Juliet Beer Company

I didn't see Greg again until Wednesday night, when I met him & his parents at Palmas Verdes for dinner. Unfortunately, Greg had come down with a sinus infection and was not feeling very well so we didn't do anything else and he was forced to cancel his plans to get together with some friends the following evening. I, however, had big plans for Thursday. I had spent the first part of the week plotting out some fun activities for my 82-year-old grandmother & I to do together. I specifically wanted to focus on things she wouldn't normally get out & do on her own. I called our outing "Playing Tourist in Your Own Hometown."

Hogwash soap at Puckett's Grocery

Our first stop of the day was Thistle Farms. I found out about this wonderful organization when Greg's mother sent me a bottle of their shower gel for Christmas. I really loved the natural ingredients and smell of the Tuscan Earth scent. I checked out their website and discovered you can actually visit their sales & manufacturing facility on Charlotte Pike in Nashville. My grandmother was also familiar with their work but had not been able to locate any of their products (they're typically sold at gift shops and specialty stores). We dropped by right after they opened on Thursday morning. As we had not prearranged a tour, we browsed the small shop area and purchased some scented candles and other products. All for a good cause!

Browsing in Antique Archaeology

Our second stop was also based on a tip from Greg's mom. She had mentioned at dinner the previous night a TV show she watches called American Pickers. One of the hosts, Mike Wolfe, owns a shop near downtown Nashville called Antique Archaeology. While I have never seen the show, I was intrigued by the shop's location in the old Marathon Motor Works building. Unexpectedly, when we got out of the car in the parking lot, I immediately noticed the smell of roasted malt. I had already researched the latest breweries that have opened since we moved, and I had not found one in this area. But it wasn't a brewery; it's Corsair Artisan Distillery! Sadly, while you can take a tour (with tastings!) of the distillery, or even drink a beer in their taproom, they wouldn't be open until much later that afternoon and I already had plans for us for the rest of the day. We did enjoy browsing the antiques shop (although I'd be more inclined to call it a junk shop!) and I especially enjoyed poking around the refurbished car factory. Hint: If you ever go there yourself, be sure to cross the street to the unmarked red brick building and check out the free exhibit of some of the old Marathon vehicles.

Cars were manufactured here in 1914!

As it was now almost 11AM, it was time to go to an Indian restaurant for lunch. I love Indian food, but my grandmother doesn't usually try ethnic cuisine unless she's with someone that can help guide her through the menu. In this case, it was easy, because Tamarind Indian Bistro offers a lunch buffet which is a great way to sample a variety of dishes and figure out what you like & don't like. While it's always tempting to stuff yourself at a buffet, we exercised great moderation, knowing that we would be on our feet for the next few hours and wouldn't want to feel weighed down by too much food.

Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville

After a brief stop at the Nashville Visitors Center in the Bridgestone Arena to pick up some maps & brochures, we continued on to our next scheduled stop, the Tennessee State Capitol. I had called earlier in the week to inquire about taking a free tour, and was told to come at either 1 or 2PM to avoid the crowds of school children who would be on the morning tours. One of the mandates of my surgeon & physical therapist was that if I was going to be walking very much, I needed to use my crutches. As an hour-long tour of the capitol building definitely qualifies as being on your feet for an extended period of time, I dutifully used the crutches. Besides, it helped me stay on pace with my grandmother and be more aware of when she might be getting fatigued, too.

My grandmother inside the TN State Capitol

Since the last time I was in the capitol building was probably during elementary school, it was nice to see the recently refurbished interior and re-learn some of the history of the building, which was completed in 1859. While the House of Representatives had been in session that morning, they had adjourned for the afternoon so we were able to see all the main offices, including the Governor's office, as well as the Senate & House Chambers. While we did not have the time or energy, I would suggest visiting the free Tennessee State Museum, located one block from the capitol, if you're so inclined.

Legislative Plaza

After our tour, we enjoyed a walk across Legislative Plaza before repositioning the car for our next stops, the Nashville Public Library and The Arcade. I had hoped to find metered street parking somewhere on Fourth or Fifth Avenues, but construction had overtaken many of the spots and all others in the vicinity were occupied. Thus the library was my fall-back parking destination, as you can park in their garage for the first ninety minutes for free. It's just a few short blocks walk to The Arcade, which had been added to our list primarily because of The Peanut Shop, open since 1927. I bought several bags of roasted peanuts-in-the-shell for the Campbell's (special order from my mom), and another bag of peanuts plus one bag of dark chocolate-covered walnuts for myself. We returned to the library to get our parking ticket validated and went upstairs to the third floor to view the beautiful hammered copper panels by Gregory Ridley in the Grand Reading Room.

A Nashville institution

Our final stop of the day was one I had particularly been looking forward to: Fat Bottom Brewing. Opened in 2012 by the son of former Governor Phil Bredesen, the brewery is housed in the old Fluffo Mattress building in East Nashville. While my grandmother is not a big drinker, she was totally game to sample the four house beers currently on tap. It helps that I got them free with the Scoutmob app on my iPhone! I didn't particularly love any of the beers but I felt they were true to style and well made. After a friendly chat with our server about the abundance of great craft beer in Portland, I was also given a free sample of the limited edition Belgian Blonde (maxed out at 6.2% ABV by TN law). My thirst for good beer satiated, I even managed to use my iPhone to navigate our way home using back roads and thereby avoiding rush hour traffic on the interstate!

They named a beer after my grandmother! (Well, maybe not, but her name is Betty!)

After our most excellent adventure on the previous day, Friday was a good day to rest. I did go to the YMCA again for more hip rehab but otherwise spent the day reading, looking at old pictures and finalizing our weekend plans. Although Greg was still quite miserable from his head & chest cold, we did meet up with our friend, Eric Speich (best man at our wedding) & his wife, Jennifer. They have moved to a new house in the year we've been gone and are now expecting twins in August! We also got to visit with Eric's parents, Garry & Peggy. Sadly, while I was writing this blog post, we learned that Peggy passed away this evening (March 29th). It was not unexpected as she had been quite ill for the past few years and had gotten much worse in the past few months. Still, it is sad news, and I am very thankful that we got to spend that time with her, give her our love and say goodbye. Greg ended up losing his voice completely while we were out with the Speich's, so we called it a night fairly early.

My sister, Emily, & I excited about our new computer (late 1970's)

I think I'll end this recap here and write about the remaining two days of our visit in my next post. It's hard to keep the momentum going with a heavy heart.

Greg & I with Eric & Jennifer Speich (who got married in 2012) on our wedding day: July 29, 2011

The link to all of my photos from this trip is embedded in this post's title.

A Transcontinental Foray on Crutches

2013-03-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, Greg & I decided to make a last minute trip to Nashville a few weeks ago. While our preference was to visit in April, we could not find any seats using our American Airlines mileage award tickets. We also considered waiting until the summer, but again, the restrictions of our previously issued tickets extremely limited our ability to find seats. So on Saturday, March 2nd, we got up at 3:30AM to make our way to the airport for our 6:00AM flight to Dallas.

In order to fulfill our commitment to taking public transportation whenever possible, we had to first find a way to get to the Hollywood Transit Center MAX station for the first train to the airport at 4:21AM. There are no buses running until after 5AM (Line 14) or 6AM (Line 75) on the weekend and therefore no way to connect to the MAX from our house. We were confident we'd be able to find a car2go nearby and could drive it to the MAX station and leave it on a nearby side street.

We were amazed how many people were out & about in our neighborhood at 4AM on Saturday morning! We located a car2go just a few blocks from our house but didn't worry about reserving it (you only get a 15 minute hold anyway; you can't reserve any further in advance). Of course, just as we were about to cross the street to pick up the car, we saw someone drive off in it! Thankfully the next closest car was less than 1/2 mile away, so I reserved it using their iPhone app and we had no problem driving it the couple of miles to the transit center. We still had plenty of time to make our connection to the MAX train and arrived at the airport as planned at 4:45AM. Total cost: $4.56 for the 12 minutes we rented the car (which was actually free because I had credit on my account) and $2.50 for one transit ticket (we have one monthly pass). Minimum cost of taking a taxi would have been $30.

Greg & I both traveled very light for this trip. I only carried a regular-size backpack with one change of clothes, a book, and a few miscellaneous items plus a small tote bag with sandwiches, fruit, etc. to eat throughout the day. Greg had to carry a backpack with his work laptop, headset, etc. since he would be working remotely all week plus a second backpack with a few changes of clothes. I have the luxury of carrying minimal supplies whenever we go home because I still keep a bunch of extra clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. at my grandmother's house in Hermitage. I have the extra stuff (dated as it may be) because I always had dual residences (New York/Nashville; New York/Sacramento; New York/New Hampshire) when I worked as a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines.

Another motivation both for traveling light and getting to the airport early was to allow plenty of time to get through security and to the gate on crutches. I had seen my hip surgeon and physical therapist at the end of the week and, due to a flare up of tendonitis caused by walking too much, they both recommended I use crutches if I was going to be on my feet for any length of time. Obviously, the airport requires lots of walking! Thankfully, on the two flights to Nashville as well as on the three return flights, those crutches qualified me for complimentary seat "upgrades" (typically to the bulkhead row directly behind first class) in order to give me more legroom and have less distance to the bathroom. For the most part the gate agents were also very helpful in allowing us to pre-board and one flight attendant, who obviously felt sorry for me when she found out why I was on crutches, tried to ply me with free mimosas for the entire flight (but I only accepted one).

there were snow flurries in Nashville when we landed

We made it to Nashville without incident and had arranged for Greg's parents to meet us at the airport with their spare car. Due to a scheduling issue with my sister's kids (their dad gets them every other weekend), the only opportunity we would have to see them the entire week that we were home would be the Saturday & Sunday of our arrival. Since they, and my mom & step-dad, live an hour north of Nashville in Orlinda/Springfield, TN, we needed a car to get there. Thankfully, the LaRowe's are always happy to share one of their two cars with us!

The week went by very quickly from the minute we landed. Considering it has taken me multiple paragraphs just to describe the process of getting to Nashville, I'll cut this post off here and pick up next time with a few highlights of our visit.

Two months down, several more to go

2013-03-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

The time is flying by, as always. Hard to believe my last post was over a month ago. Of course, I'm still very busy with my hip rehab. March 15th was the official two month post-op mark so I figured it's time to update everyone on my progress.

As I mentioned in my last post, Greg & I had lots of activities planned for the week of February 18th. While it was a great week, the ultimate result was that I spent way too much time on my feet which caused tendonitis in my right leg. I had weaned off crutches so was not carrying them with me, even on days that I walked for hours. As my therapist said, "It's called walking PROGRESSION for a reason!"

Who carries 12 750ml bottles of beer home on the bus six weeks after hip surgery???

Luckily I didn't do anything to damage my surgically repaired hip. I simply overused my leg muscles (the very ones I am so diligently and gradually stretching & strengthening during rehab). I did see my surgeon the following week for my first post-op appointment. She was still very pleased with my progress and did not admonish me too severely for over-exerting myself. She just cautioned me to stick with the "slow & steady" pace of rehab to avoid any further complications.

I should have been doing a lot more of this and a lot less walking!

To help decrease the tendonitis, my doctor put me back on Piroxicam, the anti-inflammatory I took for the first month after the surgery. I also had to start using crutches again, any time I would be on my feet for more than 20 minutes. For me that's pretty much every time I leave the house. While I hated lugging them around everywhere, it was a far better alternative to not being able to get out at all!

Maybe I should ride around town on a horse like the police!

One of my post-op projects had been to call American Airlines to find out when we could use our plane tickets from Portland to Nashville (the trip we didn't take in December due to the possibility that I could have the surgery sooner than later). We had originally booked the trip in August and used frequent flyer miles for both tickets. The itinerary was not ideal: overnight flights from Portland to Las Vegas to Chicago and then a final flight to Nashville the next morning. The return trip was easier: Nashville to Washington, D.C. to Portland.

Reissuing the tickets required calling the AAdvantage desk because two of our flights were on Alaska Airlines and we had been told when we cancelled the original tickets that we had to keep the same itinerary on those segments. Of course, this complicated things tremendously because I quickly discovered that for the entire remainder of the validity of the tickets (they would expire on August 15, 2013) there were not two seats available on ANY of those flights at the same mileage allotment we originally used, no matter what day we traveled! If we wanted to alter the itinerary in any way we would have to pay $150 per person; ditto if we decided to reinstate the miles to our accounts.

I am not one to give up easily when it comes to getting what I paid for, so I started calling the AAdvantage desk twice each week and spending over an hour on the phone each time having the representative check all flights on all dates to find an itinerary that would work for us. After several weeks of this, I finally scored a round-trip ticket for myself but still nothing for Greg. At this point we were starting to consider paying the $150 fee, at least for one of the tickets.

I really got frustrated with the whole situation when I spoke to a representative that said we DID NOT have to book the exact same itinerary and proceeded to find a seat for Greg using the same miles but not on the same flights (or dates) that I was traveling. Still, I thought it was better than nothing because the dates did overlap enough that we would be in Nashville for the better part of one week at the same time. She issued both tickets, which were for travel to Nashville on March 2nd (Greg) & 4th (me) and return to Portland on March 11th.

I thought the drama was over until 24 hours later when I received an email confirmation for one ticket but not the other. I double-checked our accounts and one itinerary had been updated but one had not. I immediately called American again and was told that the seat on one of the flights was no longer available. Of course it WAS available when the ticket was supposed to have been issued, so I got transferred to a supervisor. It took another hour and a complete change of our outbound itineraries but the end result was that we both would be flying together to Nashville on March 2nd and returning to Portland together on March 11th.

The date this was booked: February 25th, less than a week before departure. We quickly notified our families that we would be coming to visit and started making arrangements to get together with as many people as possible, knowing we would probably not make another trip to Nashville in 2013. I had already checked with my doctor that it would be okay to fly but had been told to take my crutches as a precaution. So less than two months post-op, I traveled cross country, which I will write about in my next post!

One Month Post-Op

2013-02-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

As it has now been four weeks since my hip surgery, and two weeks since my last post, I thought this would be a good time to write another update.

Everyone involved in my surgery has always said that the key hurdles would be the two week mark and the six week mark. Sure enough, they were right about the first two weeks at least. As I described in my previous post, I was pretty dependent on Greg for a lot of things and I spent almost all of my waking hours doing some form of physical therapy or stuck on the couch in the CPM machine.

heading out to physical therapy on a rainy day

Greg decided to go back to the office on January 29th (14 days post-op). Even though I was still on crutches, I was stronger than before and therefore more mobile. Those first few days on my own weren't easy, but I was happy for Greg to get back to his normal routine of working out at the office gym in the morning.

The CPM machine was picked up on January 30th (hooray!). At my PT appointment on January 31st, my therapist checked my gait to make sure I could fully bear weight on my hip/leg and walk normally. I passed the test, so I got to start weaning myself off crutches. Initially my maximum standing time was about 30 minutes, then I would start to feel fatigue in my hip and had to sit & rest as long as needed before I did anything else.

taking a break at Hawthorne Fred Meyer

I went to the grocery store for the first time since surgery on February 2nd. I walked to the bus stop (.3 miles) without crutches, but could already feel the hip fatigue so I got on/off the bus and went into the store on crutches. My therapist had told me to use the grocery cart to support my weight as I walked through the store, which was effective, but not enough for going up EVERY aisle! I was worn out after three aisles but forged on. After almost two hours I was truly exhausted and called Greg to come carry all the groceries home (I took the bus again). I rested and iced my hip for awhile then cooked a full dinner (plus I had cooked breakfast that morning). No pain, no gain!

shopping at Safeway

As the days pass by I can tell I am getting stronger and regaining range of motion. I spend 1.5 hours doing exercises at home every day and have progressed to Closed Kinetic Chain exercises plus the overall intensity of my workout has increased. In 20 minutes on an exercise bike with no resistance I can easily pedal over two miles. I know that doesn't seem like much but considering I'm only four weeks post-op I think it's great! Next week I start aquatic therapy. I have already joined a gym that has a pool so I can do my own aquatic program 2-3 times each week. I also still go to physical therapy at OHSU twice weekly. Today I actually did squats!

I continued to stay out for longer periods of time, going to the library, post office, etc. but still carrying & using my crutches as needed. I finally felt strong enough to venture out without them on February 10th. That was my second big trip to the grocery store and, while I still got tired, I tolerated it much better than the first time. Now the crutches have been relegated to the basement (along with the shower chair) and I am cooking and doing light cleaning & yard work with no issues. If you had not seen me in previous weeks you would never know I had hip surgery!

taking the elevator at the Central Library

My incisions have healed completely now and I was able to quit taking pain meds (oxycodone) entirely just after two weeks post-op. If I have any discomfort I just take Tylenol and apply ice.

I've also had a few well-wishers in recent weeks. "Rose," the neighbor's cat, continues to check up on me every now & then. And my sweet friend, Cindy, brought yummy lunch from Lardo one afternoon!

Rose wants to come inside

The timing for my rehab progression is perfect as we are just starting a week of cultural activities that will require me to be out & about for the longest periods of time since the surgery. Last night we had dinner at Brix Tavern then saw the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performance of Three to Max and Too Beaucoup. This was part of the season tickets to White Bird Dance that I won last year and it was fantastic! I did a fair amount of walking yesterday plus quite a bit of sitting which made me somewhat uncomfortable all evening, but it was totally worth it!

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Next week, on President's Day (which Greg has off work), we are going to take advantage of free admission day at Portland Japanese Garden. Tuesday evening we will see another White Bird Dance performance, this time Black Grace from New Zealand. Wednesday evening we have tickets to a book talk by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Then Saturday evening we will see the closing performance of Oregon Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake. Of course, there will be happy hours to accompany these events!

the last time I was at the Japanese Garden, when Greg's parents visited us in October 2012

The other big news is that Greg & I booked our 2013 Alaska vacation. I spent most of my spare time over the past couple of weeks researching all of our options and trying to get the most bang for our buck. We ultimately settled on a week-long Inside Passage cruise followed by another week of independent travel to Anchorage and Denali National Park. While I have cruised Alaska before (in August 2008 with my paternal grandmother), Greg has never been to the state. We are both very excited about this trip and have booked some special excursions (Juneau whale watching, Seward glacier hiking, Mt McKinley flightseeing) to make the most of our time there. So now I have even more of an incentive to get 100% rehabbed asap!

The Patient

2013-01-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Greg has taken to referring to me as "The Patient" ever since my hip surgery on January 15th. And, it's true, I have needed a full time caregiver for the first two weeks post op. I'm slowly regaining my independence now, but there are still plenty of things I can't do and that I won't be able to do for several more weeks and, in some cases, months.

Post Op Day 9 - going to PT by myself for the first time

Greg only took the day of my surgery off work. Thankfully, he is able to work from home and that is how he has been able to take care of me without burning all of his vacation days (he hasn't been with this employer long enough to be eligible for FMLA). He also took a few hours off to accompany me to my first two PT appointments.

My last post covered the day of the surgery in excruciating detail. Now I'm going to bring you up to speed on the new version of my daily life.

When Greg gets up in the morning, usually around 6am, I make sure to carefully roll onto my stomach to spend my last hour in bed as "tummy time." I have to do two hours of tummy time every day as part of my physical therapy regimen. This strengthens the back & abdominal muscles and is essentially a lazy version of the locust pose in yoga.

As soon as I get up, typically around 7am, I start popping pills. Thankfully, I have only been taking 5mg oxycodone (pain medication) at night to help me sleep, and have gotten through the rest of the day by frequently applying ice to the surgical area - my right hip. Even when the femoral nerve block wore off after 36 hours, the pain was very tolerable. I do have to take two other pills (to encourage proper healing) and two more (to offset the side effects of the other medications). I also take several vitamins (B-12 & D-3 which were prescribed by my general practitioner due to low levels in blood tests) and other drugs (niacin & L-arginine for Raynaud's disease).

Post Op Day 10

In the past few days I have regained enough flexibility to bend over far enough to put on my underwear, pants, socks & shoes by myself. Before that, it was Greg's job! Once I'm dressed, we begin the at-home exercises that currently make up a large part of my physical therapy regimen. Greg helps me with 40 minutes of passive stretching & range-of-motion exercises, then I do another 20 minutes of exercises on my own. We have to do all of these exercises twice daily.

my week-by-week physical therapy schedule

I then move over to the couch and place my right leg in the CPM machine. It continuously flexes my leg at the knee from 0-90 degrees (relative to my hip). I have to spend 6-8 hours every day in this machine for the first two weeks post-op. I typically break it up into three 2-hour sessions, and get up at the halfway mark of each session to encourage more blood flow to my feet.

Post Op Day 5 - quality reading time in the CPM machine

Due to my Raynaud's disease, I've been having an especially tough time of keeping my feet warm since the surgery. The tips of my big toes are deep red to blue and very sensitive, alternating from burning to tingling to almost completely numb throughout the day. This is in spite of taking all the prescribed medications, wearing Heat Holders socks & a warm hat (even indoors), and covering up with two blankets any time I'm sitting/lying down. This is about the extent of what can be done to alleviate the symptoms of this disease and it sure is frustrating (and painful)!

Raynaud's flare up on my left great toe

Between the tummy time, exercises, and CPM machine, I am occupied for 10 hours every day. While I'm in the CPM machine I usually read, or, at night, stream videos on Hulu. It was too painful to sit upright for any length of time for the first week after surgery, so I also ate most of my meals while reclined on the couch. This week I am able to tolerate 30 minutes of sitting in a chair so I am eating with Greg at our dining room table. We even went out to eat at a neighborhood Thai restaurant last night!

There's not much I can do to help out around the house while I'm on crutches, but at least I'm able to stand up by myself. For the first few days, Greg had to lift me up from any sitting position plus he had to move my right leg when I changed positions. Now I've learned to hook my good leg under, and use it and my right arm to control the right leg so no additional stress is put on my hip. This also helps for taking showers, which is particularly difficult because we have a deep claw-foot tub.

Post Op Day 4 - I have a visitor!

I am supposed to be on crutches for two weeks post-op so hopefully will start to wean off them this week. But I'm very lucky because even though Dr. Herzka did microfracture the top of my femur, the damaged area (where the cartilage was completely worn down) was small enough that they only drilled two holes in the bone. Anything more and I would have been on crutches for six weeks!

Post Op Day 2 - first trip to physical therapy

In addition to all of our daily rehab activities at home, twice weekly I travel to OHSU for physical therapy. I go via public transportation, and depending on what time I leave, that requires two buses, or two buses plus the streetcar (and a lot of extra time for getting to & from the bus stop on crutches). Unfortunately, the first day I went to physical therapy, January 17th (two days after surgery), the streetcar we were riding on broke down. We were instructed to get off and board the next streetcar, which arrived within five minutes. However, the "broken" streetcar had not been able to get far enough ahead to not block the tracks, so we had to get off the second streetcar, as they were now going to use it to tow the broken one back to the garage. We ended up having to walk a few blocks and then Greg picked up a Car2Go to drive me the rest of the way to PT. Thankfully, the other two times I've been to physical therapy since, I've not had any transportation-related issues.

Post Op Day 7 - I'm riding a bike (kind of)!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have also been to one post-op doctor's appointment. I received a printed summary of the surgery and got to see photos that were taken with the endoscope. The doctor did a basic exam, checking my range of motion and the appearance of the surgical site. She also removed the sutures and replaced them with a few pieces of surgical tape. She was very happy with my overall condition. My next follow-up appointment is on February 28th with the surgeon, Dr. Herzka.

Post Op Day 9 - sutures removed, rash & bruises starting to subside

As I mentioned before (in reference to not taking oxycodone), the pain has been pretty manageable. Yes, I am in constant discomfort, but, on a scale of 1 to 10, it's typically around 2 or 3. Initially it seemed to arise from the swelling around the surgical site and the sutures pulling on my skin. Now I am experiencing more muscular aches as I progress in physical therapy with some occasional acute pain associated with the areas that were repaired during surgery. I'm also having an issue with the second nerve block not wearing off completely and thus I have numbness in part of my upper thigh. Hopefully this will go away within the next week and should not be permanent.

pre-op CPM machine practice

The only other real negatives to speak of are that I had a reaction to the adhesive they used to cover the surgical site and broke out in a rash that still hasn't completely disappeared; and I've had a sinus infection for the better part of this past week and have gone through a box of Kleenex.

Post Op Day 6 - bad rash, sutures, bruising

So that's my life for the past two weeks. It will evolve as I continue to heal and progress through six months of physical therapy. I particularly want to say thank you to my sweet husband, Greg, who has played many roles in the days since my surgery including cook, waiter, dresser, bather, lifter, physical therapist, cleaning/laundry man, escort, and general "fetcher" of things. I can't imagine going through this without you and I love you very much!

Post Op Day 10

Going Under

2013-01-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

It actually snowed in Portland the day before my surgery. I got out to run a few last minute errands (pick up prescriptions, buy a few groceries, get a haircut) and enjoy total freedom & mobility one last time. I even cooked steaks (it's a rarity for us to eat red meat at home) for dinner knowing that I wouldn't be able to eat again for almost 24 hours.

The hospital had called at the end of the previous week to let me know they were pushing my surgery back from first thing in the morning to midday due to some necessary equipment not being available. So we left our apartment around 9am on January 15th to catch a bus & then a streetcar to the OHSU Center for Health & Healing. We checked in on the 4th floor, paid a deposit, signed several consent forms, and were escorted to an exam room by 10:30am.

the first tall building to the right of the bridge is the OHSU Center for Health & Healing

I was immediately issued a wrist band (name, date of birth, drug allergies) and changed into a lovely purple hospital gown & socks. I got onto the gurney and the nurses covered me with blankets and connected a hose to a hole in my gown which then inflated with warm air.

Next, they began a battery of tests (temperature, pulse, blood pressure) while answering multiple questions about my medical history and confirming my identity and the surgery I was there for. We also reviewed post-op instructions & medications. They gave me an IV (I convinced the nurse to put it in my arm versus the back of my hand) and then the anesthesiologist came in to discuss general anesthesia.

Greg was allowed to stay with me until they wheeled me to a pre/post-op room just before noon. There I was greeted by multiple doctors who continued the prep work by adding some drugs to my IV, prepping the skin (I had also showered with Hibiclens the night before and that morning), marking the surgical site on my leg/hip, and using an ultrasound-guided needle to administer a femoral nerve block.

Sometime around 12:30 I was wheeled to the OR and transferred to the operating table. I remember saying hi to my surgeon, Dr. Herzka, and then the anesthesiologist put a mask over my nose & mouth and told me to take seven deep breaths. I made it to three...

I woke up a few hours later in the recovery room and immediately felt intense pain in my hip. The nurse gave me some opioids through my IV which quickly made me feel nauseous. So they decided to give me another ultrasound-guided nerve block, but in a different location than the first one (which was still working). My throat was also very sore & dry from the breathing tube so I started sipping some water. Eventually I was stable enough to be wheeled back to the exam room where Greg was allowed to join me around 3:30-4pm.

I was still nauseous from the pain meds so the nurse brought me some apple juice. Within an hour I was feeling well enough to get dressed and transfer to a wheelchair. Greg went outside to pick up a Car2Go while a nurse wheeled me down to the lobby. We met Greg at the building entrance and barely squeezed my leg (which was encased in a full leg brace to immobilize my knee since I couldn't feel anything due to the nerve blocks) into the tiny Smart car along with a giant bag of ice.

Luckily, even though it was rush hour, the traffic coming home over the Hawthorne Bridge wasn't too bad and we made the just-under-four-mile drive in about 20 minutes. It also helped that it wasn't raining. I took my time getting up the eight steps to our apartment (on crutches, which I had practiced prior to surgery) and quickly settled in on the couch.

more crutches + steps practice just before we left for surgery

Once he was sure I was okay, Greg walked to Safeway to pick up my post-op pain medicine (5mg oxycodone) as it was out of stock when I dropped off the prescription on Friday. The nurse had told us my femoral nerve block would probably wear off in 10-12 hours and that I would need to pre-medicate to avoid feeling any severe pain. When Greg got back home he heated up some soup for me (my first food in 24 hours). I was still suffering from a sore throat and could barely speak so I was also drinking lots of water and sucking on cough drops. I took one oxycodone and went to bed around 9pm (over the previous weekend we rearranged furniture and inflated the Aerobed so Greg could still sleep in the same room and help me if I needed anything during the night).

on the couch with full leg brace & ice bag after we got home from surgery

I will write about my first two weeks post-op in my next post, but I did want to include the information from the surgeon's report (which I received at my first follow-up appointment on January 24th) in this post.

These are the procedures that were performed with my "translations" in parentheses:

Diagnostic hip arthroscopy (get in there with a camera to see the extent of the damage)
Acetabular chondroplasty (trimmed the loose cartilage around the hip socket)
Labral repair (used three suture anchors to secure the torn labrum back to the acetabular rim)
Femoral neck osteoplasty (used a burr - a tool that looks like a long drill bit - to recontour my pelvic bone & the top of my leg bone to increase range of motion)
Focal acetabular microfracture (drilled two small holes in the bone to encourage new faux-cartilage growth in an area where the entire thickness of the original cartilage was worn down to nothing)
Capsular repair (sewed up areas they cut to allow movement of surgical instruments)

Credit: OHSU

Click on the Credit link under the above illustration to read more about hip arthroscopy and my surgeon, Dr. Andrea Herzka. They did take photos with the scope during my surgery (I saw them during my follow-up visit on the 24th) and I have requested a copy which should be delivered sometime next week. Fascinating! ;)

Hip Op

2013-01-03T19:04:00.001-08:00

I started having hip pain in January 2012. I remember feeling a sharp pain in my right hip while I was maneuvering storage containers at my grandmother's house in Nashville (in preparation for our move to Portland). I assumed I had strained a muscle so I took an anti-inflammatory and sat on a heating pad. I was pretty sore for a few days but then it seemed to be getting better.

Was this the cause of my injury?

Fast forward a few months. I joined a gym in Portland and, besides working out regularly (elliptical, treadmill, weights), Greg & I were pretty active walking around town and riding our bikes. I noticed that certain movements hurt my hip more than others but the pain was still tolerable. However the bursitis in my right shoulder (diagnosed in Italy in 2011) had really flared up so I was more focused on dealing with it.

power-generating elliptical machines at Green Microgym Belmont

As the summer progressed and we were volunteering at beer festivals, going on longer bike rides, and out & about often, the pain in my hip became more severe and it was hurting pretty much 24/7. Since we now had health insurance through Greg's employer (we had private insurance previously but had set an extremely high deductible), I was more willing to see a doctor to figure out the cause and, hopefully, get some relief.

I couldn't let the hip pain stop me from riding my bike!

I went to an orthopedist at Oregon Health & Science University in late August. X-rays didn't reveal the source of the pain so my doctor ordered four weeks of physical therapy. Unfortunately, that only made it worse and I had to stop going to the gym plus, no matter what I did (walking, sitting, lying down), everything was painful, sometimes excruciating.

This is the view from the 12th floor of the OHSU South Waterfront complex.

I returned to the orthopedist in October and he immediately ordered an MRI Arthrogram. A week later, the results came in and, when the doctor walked in my exam room, all he said when I asked how he was doing was "I'm a lot better than you are." He handed me a printed copy of the results where I read the words "extensive tear of the anterosuperior labrum...measures up to 3mm" as he said he would try to get me an appointment with the surgeon who specializes in hip repairs that same day.

I met Dr. Andrea Herzka a few hours later. She spent at least 30 minutes discussing the surgical procedure with me and even sketched it out on a piece of blank paper.

Here's what else was revealed by the MRI:

I have always been at a higher risk of having hip problems because I have deep sockets (where the femur/upper leg bone fits into the pelvis) and also because the femoral neck (the part of the leg bone that moves around by the hip) is not shaped the way it should be. Mine are almost flat across the top and they should be curved to allow more room for leg movement at the socket. Part of the surgery will include shaving off some of the femoral neck in order to re-contour it. This is called osteoplasty.
Where the labrum is torn there is also damage to other cartilage in that area (categorized as focal delamination of the anterosuperior acetabular cartilage). They cannot be sure of the extent of the damage with the MRI and won't know until they get in there with a scope (during surgery). If it is just rough from wear & tear they can smooth it out. This process is called chondroplasty. If the entire cartilage has separated, then they have to do a more extensive procedure to repair & replace it.
The torn labrum will be reattached to the hip socket with sutures and/or anchors. This is called labral refixation.

Bottom line: The surgery is outpatient and will take around 2.5-3 hours. It is minimally invasive (arthroscopic) but because of the multiple issues that are being addressed plus the fact that they have to use traction (physically pulling my leg bone away from the hip socket for an extended period of time), there is some risk of damage to the sciatic nerve and other surrounding tissues.

It's going to be a long time before I can crouch down like this again.

I will be on crutches for the first two weeks (six weeks if the cartilage damage is more extensive and a microfracture is necessary to stimulate growth of new "fibrocartilage"). I have to wear a Continuous Passive Motion machine for six hours daily for several weeks. I will start physical therapy immediately: 2x/week for three months then 1x/week for another three months. I also have to do exercises at home. Thus total recovery time is a minimum of six months.

CPM use

Yes, the news is worse than I expected, although it's not like I have to have a hip replacement (yet). And, clearly, my body is starting to catch up to my age and that sucks! But I'm tired of the pain and want to get this over with so I can enjoy the nice weather when it returns to Portland in June.

I want to be able to do this!

The surgery is scheduled for 8:00AM on Tuesday, January 15th, the earliest date available after I got insurance approval (which took several weeks). To help me manage the pain in the interim, I had an ultrasound-guided steroid injection on November 12th. After the initial discomfort from the injection wore off, I was almost completely pain free for about 2 1/2 weeks. It has gradually increased since then but I continue to stay as active as possible, knowing that my life is going to change drastically in a matter of days.

Christmas Eve bike ride

Since the surgery was scheduled in mid-December I have been preparing for the weeks ahead. Greg will be able to work from home while I recover and I hope that I can be independent enough to keep him from having to taking too many days off. He has had plenty of practice washing dishes, doing the laundry, and cleaning in general, but I'm the cook. So I've made a bunch of hearty soups to put in the freezer and I've stocked up on the things that we use the most. We usually don't keep much food in the house as I prefer to buy everything fresh, but our pantry and freezer are overflowing for now!

Do you think we can survive on beer & beef jerky?

And the countdown begins (11 days remaining as of today)...

Looking back at 2012

2012-12-31T22:44:00.001-08:00

The past year has been pretty good for me & hubby Greg. After quietly ushering in the new year in Nashville, TN, we spent some quality time with our families before boarding a plane with one-way tickets to Portland, OR. We could have moved pretty much anywhere in the U.S. and we chose Portland for a variety of reasons. We secured a lease on a furnished apartment sight unseen (the owner emailed us a few photos and we discussed terms over the phone) and it has turned out to be a wonderful place to live.

our apartment is on the first floor left side of this converted 100-year-old home in the heart of the Hawthorne district

As we got acquainted with our new surroundings, I came across the opportunity to work as an extra on a TV show that films here in Portland. It turned out to be a fun way to meet new people and make a little money. My new hobby eventually landed me background acting gigs on three TV shows and two movies, plus a little modeling work. Greg got in on the action a few times, too!

working as police officers for an episode of Grimm

One of our mutual goals for 2012 was to do more volunteer work. We did accomplish this, but not necessarily how we intended. I ended up working at eight beer & wine events while Greg did six festivals and also worked several shifts at the World Domination Summit. We also volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank on behalf of Greg's employer. My tasks ranged from the mostly fun jobs of prepping glassware & drink tickets, supervising and pouring beer to the much less enjoyable token running and emptying spit buckets. For the most part we received free festival entry, mugs/glasses + tokens for free drinks and also usually a hat or t-shirt. Next year I will try to include more "feel good" volunteer work (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society).

Greg pours a beer for Santa at the Holiday Ale Fest

Greg struggled a bit with his job search but successfully landed a full time position at Cambia Health Solutions. He started his job as a Problem Management Analyst in June. While he was hoping to try a different line of work (this is essentially the same job as he had at Dell in Nashville), he was quite lucky to find an IT job in downtown Portland only three miles from our apartment. The majority of companies with positions that he would be most qualified for are in the suburbs.

view of Mount Hood from Greg's cubicle on a clear day

We did an in-depth analysis of our finances & monthly budget and determined that Greg's salary wouId be sufficient to cover our expenses and meet our savings goals. Thus I have been very lucky this year to not have to work a regular job. I've used some of that spare time to enter local contests and have been amazingly successful at winning!

the grand prize package for the Portland Monthly Magazine City Living contest

My biggest haul came from a Portland Monthly Magazine contest for which I wrote a short essay about what makes Portland so livable. I usually try not to participate in contests that require me to solicit votes for my entry but that was the case with this one. Still, with the help of dedicated family & friends, I won a prize package worth over $2,000! Greg & I continue to enjoy our season tickets to Oregon Ballet Theatre, White Bird Dance, and Portland Center Stage amongst other things.

ready for opening night at the Oregon Symphony (to which I won tickets)

Speaking of livability, one of the many reasons we moved to Portland is that we could live car-free. We planned to purchase bicycles once Greg started working, but I managed to WIN one in late April! I have logged almost 300 miles on my bike since I picked it up in early May. Greg bought his bike in late May and has logged almost 700 miles commuting to & from work and accompanying me on some very enjoyable 20-30 mile rides along the Springwater Corridor and Willamette Greenway Trail. We also participated in several S unday Park ways rides this summer. Amazingly, I won ANOTHER bike this fall in the annual New Belgium Enjoy the Ride sweepstakes!

I won my Trek Atwood Ecobike through a Mellow Mushroom/Filmed by Bike promotion

While we make every effort to minimize our impact on the environment (by walking, bicycling & taking public transportation; recycling & composting; etc.) and to support local businesses, one highlight of 2012 is that we finally joined the multitudes and purchased our first iPhones. They have made life so much easier and more efficient in so many ways!

snapping a picture of Mount St. Helens with my iPhone attached to the Kenu Highline

Compared to the past few years, our travels in 2012 barely register a blip on the radar. We did not cross an international border and the only time I left the state was on several day trips into Washington, when I flew home to visit my family in Tennessee in August and when Greg & I used some Southwest Airlines credit to fly to Los Angeles to visit his brother Doug in September. Just before Greg started his new job, we drove down to Bend, OR and spent four days exploring the volcanic landscape and drinking copious amounts of beer. We do have tentative vacation plans for 2013 and I look forward to sharing those trips with you in the months to come.

picking up our reward for completing the Bend Ale Trail

We've been fortunate to have several visitors during our first year in Portland. My mom & step-dad came out for a week in late June, our friends from Seattle stayed for a few nights in late July, Greg's youngest brother & his girlfriend visited us for a few days in August, and Greg's parents came out for a week in mid-October. I also got to see several close friends from the east coast who were in town for a few hours. I always enjoy playing tour guide and showing off our new hometown to visitors. Plus it gives me the excuse to accompany them on day trips to the mountains or the coast!

enjoying a sunny day at Cannon Beach with the Campbell's

I am adding a new slideshow to my blog's home page featuring some of my favorite photos from 2012. I hope you enjoy them and I wish you all a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!

Winter in Portlandia and other TV appearances

2012-12-26T16:44:00.001-08:00

I'm excited to announce that I made my Portlandia debut last week! The link to view this special episode free on iTunes is embedded in this post's title. I'm in the opening skit, which is much shorter than I expected. We shot enough good/funny footage that I think it should have been at least twice as long as it is. But you can see me a lot, so that's cool!

We be grillin'

I worked on one other Portlandia skit a few months ago which will air sometime in early 2013. I'll post screenshots on Facebook if I make the final cut.

Look, there's the sun!

I also worked on an episode of Grimm recently which hasn't aired yet. It was the first time I got to ride in a police car on set as an active crime scene responder. I was even told to draw my gun but it was glued into the holster so I just kept my hand on my hip as if I was going to pull it out if necessary!

responding to a crime scene on Grimm (this episode has not yet aired)

Sadly, after five seasons, Leverage has wrapped for good. However, you can see me in two recent episodes:

I'm on the far right, standing behind Brett Kelly

The White Rabbit Job aired on December 5th. I'm one of three people at the factory that is wearing a white lab coat (and the only female); everyone else is wearing red jumpsuits so I'm easy to spot. You don't even have to watch the whole episode as the extras are only seen at the very beginning (first minute) and the very end (starting around minute 37). I'm also in the black & white surveillance video that the team looks at from minute 24:57-25:08 but it's mostly the back of my head so not anything that will make me famous.

I'm all smiles behind the guest stars

The Leverage season (and series) finale The Long Good-bye Job aired last night. I played a Highpoint Tower security guard. You can see me in the first few minutes as the lobby checkpoint guard searching a woman's purse (the dialogue is a voiceover) and also towards the end of the show, searching the theater. I'm in several other scenes as well but it's much harder to spot me in them.

Since moving to Portland last January, I have gotten a fair amount of work as an extra (10 days on Grimm, 5 days on Leverage, 2 days on Portlandia, and 2 movie shoots (Bad Signs and C.O.G.). Of course, I would love to do more and particularly would like to have a short speaking role, but I'm not expecting much in the coming months. Portlandia Season 3 has already wrapped and Leverage is finished forever. There are still a few episodes of Grimm Season 2 to shoot but they're on hiatus for a few more weeks. By the time they start working again I'll have had surgery on my right hip (something I will write about in a forthcoming post) and won't be able to work for several months. So I will close by saying how thankful I am to have worked with some really fantastic people (and actors) over the past year and to have made many new friends. I hope we can do more together in 2013!

Here are links to previous blog posts which I have written (and posted pictures & screenshots) about being an extra:
http://smartt-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/02/extra-ordinary-day.html
http://smartt-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/quiet-on-set-life-of-television-extra.html
http://smartt-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/03/celebrating-leap-day-2012.html
http://smartt-adventures.blogspot.com/2012/09/dont-blink-or-youll-miss-me.html

Connectivity

2012-12-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

Greg & I finally gave in to temptation and purchased iPhone 4S's this summer. This is our first foray into the world of the iPhone and, after six months of ownership, we are pretty pleased with our new-found connectivity.

our only real complaint about our iPhones: the battery drains quickly when you're running multiple apps

Greg has used a Windows-based phone (HTC Touch Pro2) for the past couple of years, but he couldn't take advantage of all the best apps due to their incompatibility with the operating system. I was using a Nokia E75, a very sturdy and utilitarian Symbian phone whose potential I couldn't fully realize since I opted to keep my costs low with T-Mobile's pay-as-you-go calling & messaging service.

Greg likes to use The Weather Channel app on his iPhone

I was somewhat hesitant to get an iPhone (or any similar new device) because I found it hard to justify the significantly higher cost for mobile phone & data service (combined we were paying under $50 per month whereas our new plan costs $130 after a 23% employer discount). Not to mention the initial cost of acquiring the devices (discounted to $150 each with a 2-year contract). Ultimately I was won over by the knowledge that I would be able to stay in touch with my family & friends more easily, respond to timely requests immediately (like confirming call times for my work as a background actor on Grimm, Leverage & Portlandia), access my calendar, notes & To Do lists (in Google Docs) while on the go, and navigate my way around town via public transportation more efficiently.

checking the bus schedule with the Kenu Highline attached to my jacket's pocket zipper

It is hard to estimate how much time and money the iPhone has saved me in the past six months but it is significant! During weeks that I'm out & about regularly, the PDX Bus app alone saves me a minimum of one hour per day of waiting time (because I know when a bus/train/streetcar is due to arrive and can plan my travels accordingly) and I waste less time trying to figure out how to get from Point A to B. To this end I also use Maps, Flashlight, and Around Me.

Apple Maps indicated this was a road. No joke.

My favorite money-saving apps are Safeway (particularly the Just4U program), Foursquare (random discounts when you check in somewhere for the first time), Yelp (for deals and helping narrow down restaurant options), and Happy Hours (no explanation needed!). Beer drinkers that we are, I use Taplister to find out what's pouring at our favorite bars.

free Mai Tai at Trader Vic's just for checking in on Foursquare

I also take LOTS of pictures and have several photography apps that I enjoy using like Instagram, Snapseed and MobileMonet. The iPhone takes excellent pictures in most settings and the quality is good enough that I've stop carrying my full body camera except when I know I'll need a powerful zoom.

one of my Instagram pics

Since we plan to keep these phones for the life of our 2-year Sprint contract, Greg & I decided to purchase AppleCare+ to extend the standard one year warranty to two. Besides hardware repair, this covers each phone for up to two accidental damage claims (subject to a $49 service fee). We figured this would be a likely occurrence given that we take them everywhere, including on bike rides, and that I expose mine to less-than-ideal conditions to snap photos on the spur of the moment, thus increasing the likelihood that I'm going to drop it in the process.

rainy day on the coast - Look, there's a dead bird! I guess it didn't have a Highline.

To ward off major damage caused by a simple drop, we both also purchased protective cases. I chose the Speck CandyShell Grip in my favorite color, purple, and Greg went with an armband/case combo since he uses his phone (music & fitness apps) during his workouts and while running. I've loved my case from Day 1 and have no complaints. Greg recently upgraded to a waterproof armband so he can still run/bike with his phone during inclement weather.

Thanks, Justin!!!

But the thing that gives me the most peace of mind when I carry my iPhone is the Kenu Highline. I read about this brilliant invention on a travel & technology blog I follow called Too Many Adapters. The review was posted just three weeks after we purchased our phones so the timing was perfect. I did some research and immediately contacted the company to request a Highline (retail $19.95) to demo. I received it just a few days later and now I can't imagine going anywhere without it!

Highline attached to my belt loop while bike riding

I typically attach the Highline to the zipper pull on a jacket pocket but have also attached it to a belt loop or a purse strap. I rarely disconnect it except when I'm just hanging out at home. Recently I was in an Apple store and they needed to look at my phone. When I pulled it out of my pocket, the Highline was attached and the employee immediately said "Wow, that's cool!" So, of course, I pretended to drop it, just opened my hand and let if fall towards the ground. I knew the outcome but the employee didn't. She was about to freak out as the Highline bungeed my phone long before it hit the floor. They definitely should be selling these in Apple's retail stores!

Highline attached to my dress's shoulder strap while biking

I can't tell you how many times the Highline has saved my phone from certain destruction. Plus it has eliminated any stress and insecurity I had about using my phone in pretty much every environment imaginable. Hold it over a boiling batch of wort while making beer - check; take photos & shoot video (with one hand) while riding my bike - check; lean over a 100 foot drop to capture the perfect shot of Lower Multnomah Falls - check. Bottom line, before you buy any accessories for your iPhone, including AppleCare, invest $20 in a Kenu Highline. You may discover that it's all the protection you need!

Highline attached to my Scottevest jacket pocket

Experiencing the Four Seasons in One Week - Conclusion

2012-12-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

It has taken me almost a month to publish four posts detailing my in-law's visit in October. Much has been going on in our lives lately which has impacted my spare time and has caused me to lose focus on writing. Still, I want to summarize their trip here, by documenting their impressions of our adopted hometown and the multitude of sights they took in.

Shortly after their visit, I emailed Dave & Linda and asked them to reply with a list of things they liked and/or would recommend for any visitor. I also requested that they include the things that they would do differently next time. What follows is an edited version of their feedback.

Dave enjoyed:

Mount St. Helens (in spite of the snow & clouds) and the two movies at Johnston Ridge Observatory
Portland Japanese Gardens (minus the hike up from the parking lot)
PSU Farmers Market (minus the parking ticket); he also rightfully suggested that we should have bought lunch from one of the vendors there
the dinner I cooked at home (awww, how sweet is that?!); the monster calzone we shared at Hopworks Urban Brewery comes in 2nd
OHSU tram and views
Columbia River Gorge (minus the gravel road)

The LaRowe's at Bridal Veil Falls

Dave was not so keen on:

wineries (he said they're "just not my cup of tea")
some of the pub food
the rain, snow, rain, snow...

bundled up at Johnston Ridge Observatory

Linda loved:

our self-guided tour of Portland (Day 2)
Mount St. Helens
Columbia River Gorge
the snow on Mount Hood

Linda enjoys the view from Marquam Hill

Linda would have preferred:

less rain, especially when we visited the coast
padded chairs at the brewpubs (seriously, I had never noticed how many places have hard wooden chairs until she said something!)

crappy weather on the Pacific Coast

Both agreed that next time they would prefer to stay closer to downtown Portland (and thus also closer to us) and they would like to visit during the summer months when there is less chance of rain.

As the title of these posts indicates, we truly did experience weather conditions covering all four seasons during the week they were here (with the exception of the hottest days of summer). As any native Northwesterner knows, having good rain gear and wearing layers is the key to being prepared for a day here. Still, as Linda wrote at the end of her email, "Portland is a beautiful area and I can see why you decided to move there."

Here are the links to the previous four posts:
Days 1 & 2
Days 3 & 4
Days 5 & 6
Days 7 & 8

The link to all of my photos from their visit is embedded in this post's title.

Experiencing the Four Seasons in One Week - Days 7 & 8

2012-12-04T13:14:00.001-08:00

Day 7 - Tuesday, October 23rd
The LaRowe's had one last excursion on their wish list: a day trip to the Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood. Again, the forecast was for clouds and some rain while Mt Hood had already received six inches of snow overnight. We got started around 9am knowing we had a lot of driving as well as plenty of stops to make throughout the day.

Our first stop was the Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint. Basically this is a parking lot with a few informational signs and a nice view of the gorge to the east. We spent a few minutes here before continuing on the historic Columbia River Highway.

looking to the east from Portland Women's Forum viewpoint

I had already checked online for the latest road closures as I had read about an ongoing construction project to repair and replace deteriorating viaducts and retaining walls and to restore sections of the highway. As it turned out, the road was closed from just beyond the scenic viewpoint all the way to Latourell Falls. Our only options were to detour back to the interstate or take a back road off of Larch Mountain. I thought it would be more scenic to take the back road and had the assistance of the GPS on my iPhone to guide us in the right direction.

a typical stretch of the Columbia River Highway

The inherent danger in relying on GPS is that it doesn't always tell you the condition of the roads. Our route down the mountain was actually an old one-lane gravel road! Dave, who was driving, wasn't thrilled about continuing on this path, but I was confident that it would eventually meet back up with the historic highway past the closed section. And we did make it without incident although I'm sure Dave & Linda were on edge the whole time!

Alex Barr Road - our shortcut (calling this a road is generous)

Our next stop was Bridal Veil Falls. As the rain was holding off, I thought it would be nice to take a short hike. The signage indicated the trail was fairly steep but I had never seen these falls before and again convinced Dave & Linda that it was probably worth the effort.

From there we continued east to the requisite stop at Multnomah Falls. Probably because it was a weekday and the weather wasn't ideal, there weren't too many visitors and we were able to enjoy the short walk up to Benson Bridge for an excellent view of the upper & lower falls.

We finished up the drive on the historic highway and reconnected with I-84 heading east to our next stop, Bonneville Dam & Fish Hatchery. At the right time of year you can see thousands of salmon and other fish making their way up the fish ladder at the dam, but in late October it was pretty quiet. We toured the exhibits and then headed over to the hatchery to say hi to Herman the Sturgeon, a 70+-year-old monster of a fish.

It was already 1:30pm by the time we stopped for lunch in Hood River. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat at Full Sail Brewery (and I was ready for a beer!). I would have liked to take the free brewery tour again (I enjoyed doing this with my mom & step-dad in June) but our timing was a bit off (tours are on the hour) and I was afraid it would take up too much of the remaining daylight (the tours last about 45 minutes).

We briefly debated whether or not we should continue around Mt Hood (the long way home) as the rain seemed to be setting in. But again, I figured we had come this far already and wanted the LaRowe's to get the full loop experience. As it was just past the peak of fall harvest season, we stopped at Draper Girls Country Farm to browse the fresh produce and see the goats. On a nice day there is a beautiful view of Mt Hood from their orchard, but the clouds had completely enfolded the mountain on this gray afternoon.

We continued on Hwy 35 towards Mt Hood and soon reached the snow line. The road had been plowed and there wasn't much traffic; we even saw someone cross country skiing! Again there was a discussion as to whether we should turn back but the road was open and we were already closer to Portland coming from this direction. So I convinced Dave to turn off at Timberline Lodge.

As it turned out, the road was only plowed for the first few miles; the final stretch was still covered with snow! We only saw a couple of cars on the way up and we took our time climbing the final 2000' elevation to the lodge (which is at 6000').

plowed

not plowed

Normally, after checking out the exhibits on the main floor, I like to take a break and have a beer while sitting by the huge fireplace and gazing out at the mountain's peak rising just past the lodge. But we couldn't see anything but the trees about 100 feet beyond the windows plus it was already 4pm and we still had an hour or more of driving to get back to Portland.

on a clear day, the top of Mt Hood is visible through this window

So we slalomed our way back to the main road and proceeded (in the rain) to our apartment where we picked up Greg for dinner. Our choice for the "last supper:" Apizza Scholls, where we ordered two mixed pizzas: Apizza Margherita + Sausage & Peppers and Bacon Bianca + Pig & Pineapple (which guaranteed that Greg & I would get the leftovers!).

Day 8 - Wednesday, October 24th
We said our goodbyes to Linda & Dave after dinner last night as their flight was at 10:55am this morning and they would need time to eat breakfast, pack and drop off the rental car before checking in for their flight.

We had a great visit, which I will sum up (in their words & mine) in my next post. Again, I have embedded the link to all of my photos in this post's title.

Experiencing the Four Seasons in One Week - Days 5 & 6

2012-11-28T19:18:00.002-08:00

Day 5 - Sunday, October 21st
Mount St. Helens was on the top of everyone's wish list of places to visit while Greg's parents were here. You can see the mountain from downtown Portland on a clear day so it's always there, tempting us with it's flattened summit to come see close-up the devastation wrought by the eruption in 1980.

I took this photo at Hoyt Arboretum when my mom & step-dad visited in June. Mt Rainier is on the left (150 miles away) and Mt St Helens is in the foreground (50 miles away).

The day we had set aside for the 2+ hour drive to the mountain started out cold & gray. There was even snow in the forecast for the national monument, which had just gotten it's first dusting of the season on October 18th.

We chose to drive to the north (far) side of the mountain because it has the closest visitor center to the crater that you can reach by car, the Johnston Ridge Observatory. Due to the heavy snow it receives, this area is only open seasonally, typically from Memorial Day to late October.

we've reached the snow line on SR504

The landscape changed significantly after we got off the interstate and approached the volcano on Washington State Route 504. While much of the timber land has been replanted, there is still plenty of evidence of the eruption in the form of the scarred hillsides and mostly barren Toutle River valley.

Toutle River Valley

the scarred ridge to the north of Mt St Helens

It was snowing lightly as we climbed higher up the ridge toward the visitor center. We stopped a few times to take photos but didn't get a real glimpse of the mountain because of the low cloud cover.

It's snowing! And Mt St Helens is in the background somewhere!

Luckily, shortly after we reached Johnston Ridge, the clouds parted briefly and we were able to see the most of the mountain, although we never did get a full view of the horseshoe-shaped crater.

Mt St Helens peeks through the clouds

Johnston Ridge

At the observatory we toured the exhibits then watched two films, one about the eruption and another about the natural rejuvenation that has taken place in the 32 years since the eruption. Both feature a nice surprise after the credits roll.

checking out the lay of the land

Linda & Dave take advantage of the indoor viewing area after the film is over and the curtain rises

It was too cold and slippery from the fresh snow to go hiking so we started heading back towards home. We did pull off at a scenic overlook that marks the edge of the blast zone where we read about the timber company's efforts to salvage their trees after the eruption. A bit later we stopped at Patty's Place for a late lunch (Greg & I had elk burgers!).

it was a bit cold for a hike

this is at the western edge of the blast zone

Day 6 - Monday, October 22nd
After the previous long day of driving, the LaRowe's opted for a leisurely morning exploration of the area around their hotel before they came over to our house around noon. Greg was back at work at his downtown office and we were all generally worn out from our busy weekend. Wanting to show them a bit more of our neighborhood, I took Linda on a Hawthorne Boulevard stroll, dropping in or window shopping at some of my favorite places (New Seasons, Pastaworks, Powell's, Crossroads Trading, Presents of Mind, Memento, House of Vintage) while Dave napped on our sofa. After Greg got home from work I cooked dinner with some of our New Seasons provisions: bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed dates, salmon, kale, butternut squash; which all went very nicely with the David Hill Pinot Gris that Linda had purchased at the winery on Saturday.

Linda checks out the assortment of locally-roasted coffee beans at New Seasons Market

I'll wrap up the LaRowe's visit in my next post. In the meantime, the link to all of the photos I took during that week is embedded in this post's title.

Experiencing the Four Seasons in One Week - Days 3 & 4

2012-11-23T18:24:00.001-08:00

Continuing where I left off in my previous post about the LaRowe's visit...

Day 3 - Friday, October 19th
Dave & Linda picked us up at our house in SE Portland around 9am. Today's destination - the Pacific coast, about a two hour drive to the west. Our first stop was Astoria, the historic port & trading center at the mouth of the Columbia River. We walked out on Pier 39 to see the sea lions and cargo ships, then headed up to Coxcomb Hill to climb the 125-foot-tall Astoria Column. I stayed on the ground as I've done the climb a couple of times and the spiral staircase makes me dizzy! As we came off the hill we drove around some of the historic captain's houses. By then we were all getting hungry so, wanting to save time, we ate at a simple fish & chips shop in downtown Astoria.

Linda, Dave & Greg atop the Astoria Column

While there are many things to see along the coast, the weather wasn't cooperating, so we didn't stop as often as I would normally recommend. From Astoria, we continued south on Hwy 101 towards Seaside. As it was pouring rain when we arrived, we just did a quick drive through the city center so the LaRowe's could get a glimpse of the boardwalk and the carnivalesque atmosphere of the entertainment district (which is pretty much nonexistent this late in the year).

raindrops on fuschias

A few miles to the south is lovely Cannon Beach, which is a bit less enjoyable when it's raining. Actually, it's a great place to watch the winter storms roll in, IF you are curled up in a B&B next to a warm fireplace! Since that wasn't an option, we stopped at a local brewery for some liquid courage before we hit the beach, umbrellas in hand.

As it continued to rain steadily all afternoon, we decided to cancel our plans to drive all the way to Tillamook (where I intended to stop for the free tour of the cheese factory). Instead we drove to one of the scenic overlooks on Hwy 101 then turned east towards home.

there are thousands of acres of commercial timber land in northwestern Oregon

Of course, Greg & I had plotted to have dinner at a new brewery on the outskirts of Portland. Finding it via GPS was a bit tricky, but I thought the food & beers were delicious and well worth the effort!

Greg's Red Electric & my Bertha's Brown Ale (on nitro)

the seasonal burger at Sasquatch Brewery

Day 4 - Saturday, October 20th
The main thing we originally had planned for today was a trip to the Portland Farmers Market at PSU. The rain had subsided by mid-morning so we hopped in the car and headed downtown. Of course, Greg & I are unaccustomed to having to find parking so we didn't notice the pay station farther down the block. We were also distracted by some pretty roses and a Teddy Roosevelt statue in the South Park Blocks next to our parking spot. Thus the LaRowe's rental car received the gift of a $45 parking ticket while we were perusing the stalls at the market!

But at least the rain stayed away for an over an hour so we all had a chance to enjoy sampling the locally-made foods and shopping for edible souvenirs.

Linda couldn't resist the roasted Oregon hazelnuts

Wanting to take advantage of having a car, I suggested that we make the short drive to the northern tip of Oregon's wine country. It only takes about 30 minutes to get to Forest Grove and my friend Cindy Anderson, author of the Portland Happy Hour Guidebook and Oregon Wine Country Guidebook, helpfully suggested some of her favorite places in the area.

farmland and blue sky(!) in Forest Grove

Our first stop was David Hill Winery where each couple selected five wines to sample. Greg & I particularly liked the 2011 Pinot Gris, the 2009 Reserve Chardonnay, and the 2009 Winemaker Cuvee Pinot Noir.

It was well into mid-afternoon when we made our way to Urban Decanter in downtown Forest Grove. We enjoyed some nice sandwiches & salads before continuing on to the next winery.

The scenery around Montinore Estate was so beautiful, I had a tough time going inside for the wine tasting! But I was glad I did, because Greg & I picked five more wines to sample and discovered some more favorites: the 2009 Reserve Pinot Gris and the 2011 Borealis. Linda & Dave decided to sit this one out and relaxed in some cozy chairs by the fireplace.

Our final stop for the day was McMenamins Grand Lodge where the LaRowe's could watch UT football (Go Vols! Well, maybe next year!) and I could drink some good beer.

That's the end of this post. I will cover the remaining days soon... Again, the link to all of my photos from the LaRowe's visit is embedded in the title of this post.

Experiencing the Four Seasons in One Week - Days 1 & 2

2012-11-23T14:54:00.004-08:00

The title of this post is a bit on an exaggeration, but only slightly. Greg's parents, Linda & Dave LaRowe, flew into Portland on Wednesday, October 17th for a week-long visit. We had encouraged them to come in September to take advantage of the nicer weather, but this was the week that worked best with their schedules. I made sure to send them several emails emphasizing that it would be rainy & cool while they were here, telling them to dress in layers, bring rain gear, and wear comfortable shoes.

They had requested in advance that I be their tour guide and had provided a list of things they wanted to see or do while they were here. There are so many things to do in Portland, I could easily keep visitors busy for a whole week just in our metro area. But anyone who has never been here before always wants to see the mountains, the Columbia River Gorge, and usually the coast, too. When you factor in that two of the days are travel days (cross-country flights and no non-stops from Nashville), that means they were going to have to hit the ground running if they wanted to get a taste of everything our hometown has to offer. So that's just what we did!

As only one day of their visit was forecast to be warm & sunny, I had to consider that when I plotted out their itinerary. Also, Greg took Friday off work and he wanted to go with us on the days we visited Mount St. Helens and the coast. Because each of those days involves many hours of driving, I then alternated those trips as well as the excursion to the Gorge & Mt. Hood with days where we would stay closer to home. Thus there wasn't much discussion about what to do when.

On Wednesday afternoon, I took the MAX to the airport to greet Linda & Dave and help them navigate to their hotel (which was in Troutdale; a cost-saving measure that added 20-30 minutes on both ends to their daily commute). Then we met up with Greg at our house and ate dinner together at a local Lebanese restaurant. From there we split up, with the men taking the bus & streetcar to the Rose Garden for a Trailblazers pre-season game and Linda & I taking a bus downtown for the White Bird performance of Vertical Road by Akram Khan Dance Company. We all met back up at our house but by then it was late and time for the LaRowe's to head back to their hotel for the night.

Did they really bring this much stuff??? Yes, but half of it was for me!

Thursday was the one day predicted to be sunny and dry so I knew we had to take advantage of what might be the only opportunity to get a nice view of the mountains around Portland. My favorite way to introduce visitors to our city is with a self-guided streetcar tour. So we parked the rental car in Northwest Portland and hopped on the streetcar, riding all the way to South Waterfront.

map reading & sightseeing on the Portland Streetcar

Then we boarded the aerial tram at OHSU for the scenic ride up to Marquam Hill with excellent views of downtown Portland and Mt. Hood. It was actually clear enough that we could see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Rainier!

view of Mt. Hood & the Aerial Tram from Marquam Hill

We returned to the waterfront and boarded another streetcar back to Northwest. There we walked around the neighborhood awhile, enjoying the architecturally diverse homes and fall greenery, before going to a local brewery for lunch.

Linda was willing to try several of the beers at Pyramid Breweries/MacTarnahan's Taproom

Our next stop was Pittock Mansion, where we didn't pay for the interior tour but took advantage of the free public access to the gardens for more excellent views of Portland and the mountains.

From there it was a short drive to the International Rose Test Gardens at Washington Park. While certainly past their peak, there were still many colorful roses in bloom for us to photograph and sniff.

Continuing with the garden theme, we hiked up to the Portland Japanese Garden where we enjoyed the quiet walking paths and fall colors.

As it was finally time for Greg to get off work we picked him up from his downtown office and headed to his choice of dinner spot, Hopworks Urban Brewery. Wow, that's two breweries in one day (certainly not a record for Greg & I but possibly one for the LaRowe's)!

I can't believe they're making us drink all of this beer!

I will close this post here and continue our adventures in my next two posts. If you just want to look at all of the pictures I took during their visit, the link is embedded in this post's title. Just click on it!

Celebrating Greg's 39th Birthday

2012-11-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my husband Greg's 39th birthday. We had discussed many options for how he'd like to enjoy his special day and ultimately he decided to do something similar to what I did on my birthday in July this year. Considering that the past three years he has spent his birthday in some pretty exotic places (2009 - Honolulu, Hawaii; 2010 - Wadi Rum, Jordan; 2011 - in the middle of the ocean on a transatlantic cruise), this was a decidedly local way of celebrating!

this was taken a few days before Greg's 36th birthday in Hawaii

we spent the night in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan on Greg's 37th birthday

enjoying a multi-course meal for his 38th birthday aboard Holland America's MS Rotterdam

Greg started his birthday by sleeping in, a luxury he only has on weekends since he gets up to exercise & work at 5am Monday through Friday. After eating a light breakfast and drinking some coffee, he opened his presents: a few greeting cards from family members plus a nice check from his parents. I gave him some of his favorite things: 6 bottles of seasonal craft beers, a couple of bags of his favorite beef jerky, an Oregon-made organic chocolate bar, and a customizable bike license plate.

Greg is pretty easy to please; just buy him beer & jerky!

We then walked a block from our house to eat lunch at locally-owned Vege Thai. We've gotten takeout from them before and it was very good. The main reason we chose to eat at this restaurant is that on your birthday you get a free entree as long as you bring a friend who purchases an entree. Total cost for a delicious, filling meal for two people: $13 including tip.

I had the daily special (pumpkin curry) and Greg ordered soy-chicken & garlic stir fry

We came back home for about an hour then headed out to catch a bus to northeast Portland. Our next stop was the not-for-profit, historic Hollywood Theatre. I had submitted my name for free tickets to see Chasing Ice and had received confirmation that two tickets would be waiting for us at will call. Greg & I knew we would be depressed by the subject matter of the film (climate change/global warming) but wanted to see it anyway. Plus the theater serves yummy popcorn and local draft beer at reasonable prices! The film was excellent, by the way, and I hope everyone reading this will watch it. Total cost for popcorn & two beers: $12.

We had to wait awhile for the bus heading west to the vicinity of our next destination, Pastini Pasteria. At this northwest-based chain with an emphasis on locally-sourced food, you get a free entree on your birthday (or the day before or after). What's great about this offer is that you're not required to purchase anything and you can choose from the entire menu. Greg ended up ordering the most expensive dish, a seasonal special of three-cheese ravioli topped with a wild mushroom ragu. He even got to add Italian sausage for no extra charge! I ordered the five cheese lasagna with meat sauce. Total cost for our meal: $14 including tip.

The next part of our plan was to stop at Northwest Public House for a beer as yesterday was their last day of business. We've enjoyed eating and drinking there multiple times and even took Greg's brother Brian and his girlfriend Colleen there when they visited us a few months ago. But the business has been sold and will reopen in 2013 under new ownership. Unfortunately, the lights were already off when we dropped by at 7pm.

this was taken on the porch at Northwest Public House in late September; we'll miss this place!

So we hopped on a streetcar and went to our next destination, Rogue Brewery. Greg & I are members of Rogue Nation and on your birthday you get a free mug of beer plus a free t-shirt. Obviously this is a great deal, again requiring no purchase, but since Greg wasn't about to share his beer I had to order one for myself! Total cost for this stop: $6.75 including tip.

Greg's mug is filled with 1/2 Chocolate Stout & 1/2 Hazelnut Brown Nectar (called Snickers); my chalice is filled with Double Chocolate Stout

Since Greg had to get up as usual at 5am this morning, we decided to head home before it got any later. Plus we still had to take the streetcar then transfer to a bus, which typically ends up taking 45 minutes to an hour of total transit time. All in all we had a nice day and it was very inexpensive considering everything we did. We only spent $50.75 including $5 for Greg's all-day transit pass (we have one monthly pass that is subsidized by Greg's employer). Happy Birthday, Greg!!!

Fast Forward to Fall

2012-10-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Greg & I have now been living in Portland for nine months. It didn't take long for us to feel at home here and every day we are reminded in some way or another as to why we chose this beautiful city out of all others as our new hometown.

After an amazing three month stint of record-breaking days with no rain, we are now embracing fall. In particular we are adjusting to the shorter days, cooler temps, and the inevitable wet weather. We knew it was coming so we went on what might be our last long (30 miles) fair weather bike ride of the year on October 7th. It was a beautifully clear & warm Sunday and we rode one of our favorite bike paths, the Springwater Corridor. Of course, we also took a mid-ride break at a brewery for a well-deserved beer & to watch some football!

goofing off on the Springwater Corridor

riding in our neighborhood on a fall afternoon

Just five days later the rainy season commenced but luckily we had already begun preparing our bikes for foul-weather riding. Besides basic maintenance & cleaning, we purchased fenders and, after some trial & error, got them installed successfully. We also ordered Goretex rain covers for our bike helmets and picked up some safety glasses that improve visibility and help protect us from street grime. We both already have reflective bike jackets and tights amongst other gear. Luckily, due to our extensive travels, we also already have full Goretex waterproof rain coats & pants as well as waterproof shoes and I had purchased a set of waterproof panniers when I won my bike in May. So bring it on Mother Nature!!!

the first day of rain in 3 months

pizza delivery!

Speaking of winning bikes, you probably won't believe this but I won another one. Yes, it's true, this time I am one of the very few people to win a 2012 New Belgium Fat Tire bike! The only way to get one of these custom Felt bikes is to either work at the brewery for some length of time or win one in their annual Enjoy the Ride Bike Sweepstakes. All I did was provide my contact info one time for the drawing and, despite the odds, I received the congratulations email a few weeks ago. I've waited until now to mention it because I honestly didn't believe it myself (although I had to sign all kinds of affidavits and releases of liability) until the bike was delivered straight from Colorado last week! I haven't even opened the box yet because, as much as I'd like to keep it and ride it around town, I already have a perfectly good bike. So, if you're interested, please make me an offer (just note that the box weighs 60lbs so shipping would be quite expensive and these bikes typically sell for $600-800).

special delivery

this is the bike I won

The bike isn't the only thing I've won lately. I picked up last minute tickets to FEAST Portland's Whole Foods Market Speaker Series just for being one of the first people to respond to a posting on Facebook. I wrote a short essay about why I love Portland's public transportation system and won a $50 gift card to my favorite local grocery store, New Seasons. I also won a free large Baby Doll Pizza by entering a contest with our local newsletter, ZippityNews. And I scored a free large Papa Johns pizza in their Two Million Pizza Giveaway. Just last week, I found out my name was drawn by Beer West magazine for their Doug's Nuts giveaway!

the program for the FEAST Portland Whole Foods Market Speakers Series

Greg enjoying free food at FEAST Portland

Greg & I continue to enjoy the many things that came with my Portland Monthly Magazine City Living Sweepstakes prize package (that's the one where I asked everyone to vote for me on Facebook). We have been to the opening night performance of the Oregon Symphony, two performances of White Bird Dance (LA Dance Project and Akram Khan's A Vertical Road - I actually took Greg's mom to this one), Sweeney Todd at Portland Center Stage, and Body Beautiful at Oregon Ballet Theatre. Plus I have been using my $250 Zupans gift card to buy gourmet food items (fresh scallops, local honey, cheese, beer...).

the view from our orchestra seats at the symphony

at the park across from Keller Auditorium, ready to see the ballet

There have been plenty of other free activities to enjoy around town. As always, it's impossible to do everything so we pick whatever is convenient or fits our schedule. Over the past few weeks we rode the Portland Streetcar on opening day of the new Eastside Loop. We visited a local business, Plywerk, for their open house/party. And we attended Flying Fish Hawthorne's one year anniversary party.

riding the streetcar for the first time across the Broadway Bridge to east Portland

filleting an albacore tuna at the Flying Fish party

Another awesome free event we made a point to attend was SwiftWatch. Every September thousands of Vaux's swifts come to roost in the chimney of Chapman Elementary School in Portland. This is one stop along their fall migration from the west coast of the U.S. to Central America & Venezuela. About 30 minutes before sunset they start gathering (thus attracting birds of prey like hawks and falcons) and they swirl around the sky, finally funneling into the chimney just a few minutes after sunset. It is truly a spectacular sight! I did shoot several videos but have not been able to upload them due to incompatibility issues of iOS 6 and Quicktime. As soon as these are resolved I'll get them edited and uploaded as they are worth seeing!

swift watchers

all of those black specks are swifts and the larger bird on the edge of the chimney is a falcon

I also had the pleasure of working with the crew of Portlandia one more time before they wrapped filming for Season 3. There were only a dozen extras in this particular skit and we were all given specific props to use for the entire shoot. It was a lot of fun and was the first time in all of my work as an extra that I was encouraged to interact with the main characters (played by Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein) physically & verbally. Who knows what will end up on TV when the shows airs again in January, but I'm certain you'll see me in this one!

a "ray of light" in Holladay Park where I recently worked on a Portlandia skit

One final note as I wrap up this post. I am actively selling a large variety of fall/winter shoes & boots, clothing, sporting goods and electronics on Craigslist. Please take a look and let me know if you're interested. Thanks!

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/clo/3341054273.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/clo/3362680670.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/sys/3362708436.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mob/3362706702.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mob/3362705664.html

Adventures in La La Land

2012-09-27T14:38:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago, Greg & I flew down to Los Angeles to visit Greg's brother, Doug. While we would have eventually made the trip no matter what, the timing was dictated by the upcoming expiration of our Southwest Airlines credit for unused tickets that we purchased last year. We decided to make it a long weekend and flew down early Friday morning, not returning to Portland until after midnight Sunday night/Monday morning.

leaving Portland at 7am

While L.A. actually has an extensive public transportation network, many of the areas we wanted to go were much more easily reached by car. Thankfully, Doug's girlfriend Alexis offered the use of her car for most of the weekend and we were thus able to avoid wasting precious time waiting for the bus. We also did some serious walking and, on Sunday, rode both the bus and subway (Metro) as well as took the FlyAway bus from Union Station to the airport.

What, traffic in L.A.??? No way!!!

Our list of things to see was pretty short. While this was Greg's first trip to L.A., I have been many times. Mainly we just wanted to hang out with Doug, whom we only see once or twice a year, and drink some local beer. Since Greg hadn't seen the ocean in many months, one of his requests was to spend some time on the coast. And, sports lover that he is, go to a Dodgers game.

putting our toes in the Pacific

Doug picked us up at the airport around 10:45am on Friday and we drove straight to Venice Beach for brunch at The Sidewalk Cafe. Afterward, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the canal district, then returned to the beach to people watch. Soon enough, it was time to stop for a beer at Larry's, and we spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in the area just south of Santa Monica, at a great beer bar called Library Alehouse. We eventually picked up Alexis after she got off work and headed to Koreatown for more craft beer (at Beer Belly), then back to Doug's neighborhood, Silver Lake, for a late dinner at Gingergrass.

don't try this at home - we just enjoyed watching the skateboarders at the Venice Beach Skatepark

Doug is a Research Associate at USC whose field of study is Earth & Planetary Science. So, of course, it made sense for him to take us to Griffith Observatory. That's where we spent several hours enjoying the views over all of Los Angeles and the excellent, free exhibits, after brunch at Home Restaurant on Saturday. Then we cruised along Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd so Greg could see the Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and even the Church of Scientology. After a brief break at Doug's apartment, we went to Mohawk Bend, a fantastic beer bar, for drinks & dinner. From there we walked to Dodger Stadium for an exciting game against the St Louis Cardinals, which was won by the home team in the bottom of the ninth inning! We capped off the evening with delicious burritos from the Tacos El Gallito food truck.

view of downtown L.A. from the Griffith Observatory

We started our day Sunday by walking & busing to Golden Road Brewery for lunch, beer & football. Then we took the bus downtown and spent the remainder of the afternoon checking out Union Station and the historic area around Olvera Street, watching part of a special service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, and exploring the amazing exterior of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Too soon it was time to head to the airport for our 7pm flight.

no doubt this was designed by Frank Gehry

As you can tell, this was a very active trip and we stayed on the go pretty much nonstop. What I haven't mentioned is the weather. The forecast for the entire weekend was unseasonably hot; it actually got up 100F on Friday, 103 on Saturday, and finally cooled off to 88 on Sunday. We made sure to slather on sunscreen every day before we left the house, drank tons of water, and wore hats & sunglasses all day. We survived, but we sure were glad to get back to Portland's cooler temps!

staying cool in the Venice canal district

We really enjoyed our visit with Doug & Alexis. We crammed a lot of activity into 52 hours, including about 8 hours of much-needed sleep both nights. L.A. has a lot to offer for residents & visitors, way more than you can see or do in one weekend. And while it's fun to visit, it's just not somewhere that I want to live for a lot of reasons, namely the overall size of the city (too many people), the traffic (too many cars), and the climate (too hot).

Thanks for everything, Doug & Alexis!!!

Here's the link to all of my L.A. photos: Images of La La Land
You can also follow most of my daily activities, including my check-ins in L.A. (with more photos!), on Foursquare.

Don't blink or you'll miss me!

2012-09-06T12:38:00.001-07:00

Well, that's not entirely true. If you're paying attention, you can spot me fairly easily on the most recent episode of Leverage, "The Real Fake Car Job." On Grimm, I wouldn't expect anyone to know that sexy cop checking on the Parks & Rec worker at the scene of the accident is me. So I'm going to make it easy for you, by posting screen shots from both shows here.

what Gina was really saying to Tim is "Did you see that extra we just walked by? She's amazing!"

For this episode of Leverage, they hired over 100 extras to help stage a fake car show called Portland Vintage. We filmed on a golf course in Clackamas on May 8th, a beautiful, sunny day. I think we ended up working almost 12 hours to get all the shots they needed, after which most of us were severely sun burned. To their credit, they did provide sunscreen, which I applied repeatedly, but unfortunately there were not many places to stand in the shade.

that's me getting some fake water from a cooler

Considering the shoot took place in an area 14 miles from where I live, not easily accessible by public transportation, I was very lucky to be offered a ride to the set by one of my coworkers, Brett Kelly. He's a regular extra on Grimm (look for him as a cop at the precinct) and I believe this was his first time to work on Leverage. We always have fun hanging out together.

I was actually encouraged to bring my camera as a prop for this shoot. Normally we are forbidden to photograph anything on set and especially are told not to communicate any details about the show in advance of its air date. But in this case they wanted the car show to look realistic, which included having attendees take pictures of the beautiful old cars.

that's me in the beige top & black skirt taking real pictures at the fake car show

I know I could have faked taking pictures, like I've previously done as a CSI on Grimm (where I was even complimented by the star of the show, David Giuntoli, for "the best fake picture-taking I've ever seen"). But I couldn't resist the opportunity to take real pictures and have had to wait until now to share them with you: Leverage 507 Picasa web album

me as a CSI photographer on Grimm "Bigfeet" - Season 1 Episode 21

As for the latest Grimm episode, this is the scene that was shot on my birthday, July 12th. Another scorching summer day, but luckily we were filming underneath the Morrison Street Bridge so it was easy enough to stay in the shade. Of course, wearing that heavy polyester-blend cop uniform, gun belt, radio, etc. takes its toll after 8+ hours on set!

the birthday girl cop

This was also the occasion of the infamous incident when one of the fluffers (my word for the makeup/wardrobe people that tend to the lead actors) walked up to me and, with no warning, started wiping/massaging my left butt cheek, apparently to remove an imaginary spot. When I whirled around, startled, he said "Don't worry, I'm a professional!"

see, no spots on either cheek!

I haven't been working on the tv shows as much lately, primarily because I'm staying busy with other projects. But you'll still have a chance to see me on the next Leverage episode (508 - in a white lab coat) and on the season finale (Episode 515). I also worked on a skit for Portlandia which won't air until January, 2013. Just don't blink or you'll miss me!

Oh, and if you'd like to watch the latest episodes of Grimm & Leverage and see me in action, here are the links:
Grimm: Season 2 Episode 4
Leverage: Season 5 Episode 7

Hop Bombs & Flat Tires

2012-09-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

This may be the longest I've ever gone between posts since I started this blog over three years ago. My excuses are many, but let's just sum it up by saying I've been busy this summer with beer & bikes.

our bikes parked in front of Alameda Brewing

As you already know from my Facebook status updates, checking in & posting pictures at local breweries and other beer-centric establishments, I have spent a lot of time drinking beer this summer. Part of the reason is that Portland event organizers heavily load the calendar with outdoor festivals of all kinds during our brief fair-weather weeks/months. It is not impossible to find something to do outside every day of the week from June to August and many activities are free. It's also the best time of year to invite family & friends to visit so they can enjoy all the festivities on warm, sunny days.

Greg chats with our friend Dale as we prepare to supervise at Oregon Brewers Festival

Of course, Greg & I opt to participate in many of the beer-focused events. This year, we have volunteered at all of the major beer festivals in Portland as well as some smaller fundraisers. And because we are becoming more well-known in the festival circuit, we are often asked to work as supervisors. It's hard work, but we are rewarded with free beer, so usually it's worth it! Last week I even participated in my first hop harvest, pulling fresh hops off the vines at Lucky Lab Brewing which they will use to brew a beer called, appropriately, "The Mutt."

harvesting hops at Lucky Lab

Since we moved to Portland in January, we have volunteered at an average of two events (not always for beer, but also wine, food, community projects, etc.) per month. In the five week stretch of late June through early August, we racked up a combined 40+ hours of volunteer service. Considering that Greg is working full time and I occasionally moonlight as an extra on Grimm, Leverage, Portlandia and other tv/film projects, plus we are enjoying the riches of my continued winning streak (free movie tickets all summer long, free meals and much more), there never seems to be enough time to do everything!

working as an extra on Bad Signs - The Movie

We've also enjoyed entertaining visitors and showing them why we love our new hometown. As I previously wrote about, my mom & step-dad flew in from Tennessee and spent a fun-filled week with us in mid-June. In late July, my friend Shana, along with her husband & two children from Orlando, were on vacation in Oregon & Washington and made time to spend an lovely afternoon hanging out in my neighborhood in southeast Portland. Later that same week, our friends Eva & Jeremy drove down from Seattle to stay with us during Oregon Brewers Festival for which we all volunteered but still managed to spend some quality time catching up and drinking beer. Most recently, in late August, Greg's youngest brother, Brian, and his girlfriend Colleen, flew in from Indianapolis and willingly let us drag them all around the city on foot so they could truly experience life as we know it here in Portland.

Brian & Colleen on the Burnside Bridge with the Steel Bridge in the background

Another way we're taking advantage of the fantastic weather of late is by riding our bikes. After I won a bike through a promotion sponsored by Mellow Mushroom in conjunction with the Filmed By Bike festival, it wasn't long before Greg was trying out bikes at REI. Now he proudly rides his bike to work (around three miles one way) every day. We've also continued to participate in the monthly Sunday Parkways, where the city shuts down approximately nine miles of neighborhood streets so everyone can enjoy car-free transportation & activities for five hours. And we still try to find time to take longer rides whenever possible, like yesterday's 27 mile adventure to Vancouver, WA and back.

biker self-portrait

Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways

So why the "Hop Bombs & Flat Tires" title of this post? Well, other than the obvious beer & bikes reference, it calls out two things that have happened recently. First, call me crazy, but ever since I got a hop tattoo to compliment the two-row barley that was already on my left ankle, I have developed a new-found love & appreciation for hoppy beers. And not just the standard IPA's, which I still don't particularly care for, but the Imperial IPA's, which are loaded with hops and often approach 100 IBU's! These are extreme even for a seasoned IPA-drinker, so there's no explanation for the 360-degree change in my palate other than the tattoo.

If getting a hop tattoo made me love hoppy beers, should I also get a tattoo of something else I don't like in order to change my opinion of it???

And finally, the flat tire. We knew it was inevitable, that at some point, probably when we were least expecting it, one of us would get a flat while riding our bikes. It happened yesterday, just as we were approaching the I-5 Columbia River crossing in far north Portland. Luckily, we were prepared, carrying a pump, tire levers, patch kits, basic tools, water, hand wipes, etc. (but not spare tubes). Greg had even taken an REI fix-a-flat class in early August so he at least had some hands-on experience changing a tire. While we certainly didn't set any speed records, by working together we managed to remove the rear wheel completely, remove the tire from the rim, remove the tube from the tire, identify the source of the leak, patch it, and then reassemble everything. And we did it well enough that we continued our trip into Washington, celebrated with beers at McMenamins on the Columbia, and still enjoyed the ride all the way back home.

great view of Mt Hood at Hayden Island

A Birthday Experiment and More Winning News

2012-07-19T15:49:00.001-07:00

I celebrated my 38th birthday last Thursday, July 12th. Usually Greg & I pick a favorite restaurant to eat at or activity to do on our birthdays. But this year he was in Salt Lake City, UT on a business trip, so I was on my own for the entire week. I don't know where I got the idea, but I decided to see how many free things I could get just because it was my birthday.

Since this was my first time celebrating my birthday in Portland, I did some research online to figure out what my options might be. Just by Googling "free on your birthday Portland" I found a couple of helpful websites: http://portlandonthecheap.com/birthday_perks.html
http://freebirthdaymeals.org/index.php?city=Portland&state=OR
I quickly narrowed down my options to things that didn't require a second person plus I also had to consider my overall schedule for the week to determine where I might be able to get to via public transportation and when I would have time to do everything.

I also found out on the 10th that I would be working as an extra on Grimm on the 12th, but didn't know my call time until late afternoon on the 11th. Thus I didn't have as much time on my actual birthday to take advantage of all the freebies as I had originally planned. In spite of that, I still managed to do pretty well for the week. Listed below are the things I got and what I had to do to get them:

RAM Brewery - Free Mud Pie with purchase of any entree valid the week of your birthday. Must join MVP club to receive emails (free).

Einstein Bros Bagels - Free breakfast sandwich when you purchase any drink on your birthday or within seven days thereafter. Must "join the club" to receive emails (free).

Denny's - Free Grand Slam breakfast worth $6.49 only on your birthday with proof of I.D. No other purchase required.

Salt Grotto - Free 45 minute session in the salt cave worth $30 only on your birthday with proof of I.D. No other purchase required.

Rogue Brewery - Free 32oz beer + choice of a t-shirt worth $18 only on your birthday. No other purchase required. Must be a Rogue Nation member (free to sign up).

Pastini Pastaria - Free entree at any price (mine was $14) valid on the day before, day of, or day after your birthday. No other purchase required. Must sign up to receive their newsletter via email (free).

Famous Dave's - Free entree with purchase of one entree valid for ten days after your birthday. Must sign up for P.I.G. Club (free). Since this was a BOGO offer I waited until Greg came home to take advantage of this one!

Redbox - Free movie rental valid for one month from your birthday. Must sign up for Redbox emails.

Marriott Rewards - One Elite night credit automatically added to your account on your birthday if you click the link in the email. Must be a Marriott Rewards member (free).

Here are a couple of things I didn't have time to take advantage of but wish I had:

Starbucks - Free drink only on your birthday. Must be a Starbucks Rewards member. I actually got the drink in the photo for free on Friday the 13th as part of a promo for the new Refreshers line.

The EastBurn - Birthday Power Hour (free drinks for you & nine friends). Email the restaurant to be randomly selected for the power hour, 9-10pm only on your birthday. I actually did get picked but was working on Grimm.

I really expected to be able to get a free haircut on my birthday, specifically thinking that Supercuts or Great Clips would offer something like that, but my research only turned up $5 off a haircut at Bishops Barbershop, which I didn't have time to do.

Considering that I used our Trimet pass to get around (and thus had no transportation cost), my only expenses related to my week of freebies were tips and the odds & ends required food or drink purchases. I estimate the total value of everything I received (the things I actually took advantage of) is at least $100. Not a bad birthday gift to myself!

I also received a gift certificate for a one hour massage at North Portland Wellness Center from my sweet husband and some generous monetary gifts from several family members. Thank you!!! I have been patiently waiting for many months now to purchase a new laptop, as my trusty little netbook is starting to show it's age (it has been my only computer for the past three years and has traveled around the world with me!). After much research and hands-on testing at multiple retailers, I ultimately decided to purchase an HP 15.6" laptop, putting good use to my birthday money. I actually just received the computer today so am looking forward to setting it up!

In other technology-related news, my other not-really-a-birthday-present-but-just-happened-to-buy-it-two-days-later gift was a new phone. I have been using one of my old Nokia phones with a T-Mobile pay-as-you-go SIM card for the past three years, which has extremely limited my ability to communicate while on the go. It was certainly a great way to save money, considering I was spending less than $10 per month for cellular service, but it was becoming more of a burden than a blessing. So again, after much thought & research, Greg & I are now proud owners of iPhones!

And finally, perhaps the best news of all. After an unexpected delay in tallying the results of the Portland City Living contest, which I wrote about in my previous blog post, the winner will be publicly announced sometime tomorrow as ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enormous thanks to all of you who voted because it obviously made a difference. And you truly gave me one of the best birthday presents I could ever ask for! By my estimate the prize package is worth over $1750. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!