Wine - Ocean - Affair

Affair - Jupiter Hotel - Portland Oregon

I arrived at this event on Sunday at around 5 PM. The event looked like it was winding down, and I knew I had missed all the parties and the show on friday night of Steve Malkmus and the Jicks. Ran into Greg Kucera right off the bat, recieved a curt hi, I always try to be nice to Greg, but I swear something on his side of the fence is tight, and seems shoved up his arse, so I move along quickly.
Enter into the Froelick Gallery space and am met by a pleasent Charles who is excited at the ongoing positive response to Robert Yoder's work. I take them in and see that there are a few people more than interested in what Robert is up to and clear the area to let them in to see. The hotel rooms are tight, and it really is hard after being out at the Ocean for the last few days to compress into these tiny spaces. Head on up and get a hug and a smile from Elizabeth Leach, who seems tired from the weekends events. Next door to Liz's room is Quality Pictures who have more than a few things I am excited by. Buy a book on Jason Fulford whose photos I find myself drawn to. Talk with Erik Schneider, the director of the gallery, who just moved to Portland from Atlanta and seems excited about being here and showing off the artists he has. A very good exchange and I look forward to seeing what he shows here in Portland over the course of the next few years. I step into Pulliam Deffenbaugh Gallery room and say hello to Mary Ann and Rod, and begin to feel afterwards like I'm hitting a wall. I begin to take note that a large amount of the work I'm seeing is leaving me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Kinda like thrifting and not coming up with anything I want to wear or have in my life. I'm noticing lots of artists with large expanses of white paper, or canvas left on the works I'm encountering. Only Ken Kelly and Whiting Tennis seem to putting any meat on thier works. I think I may need to do some reading, find out what is making the current trend of anorexia so popular.


Elk Cove Vineyards - Oregon

On the beginning of my vacation with Lisa and Sophie we hit the wine valley of the Willamette and started with Shafer Vineyards, David Hill Vineyards, Montinore Vineyards, and Elk Cove Vineyards which is pictured above. On our way out of the Willamette, hit Maresh and Rex Hill Vineyards. In all, Lisa and I came away with two cases of wine and some sweet treats as well. Sophie ran wild at the David Hill Vineyards and had some shaded vineyard relaxing with us at Elk Cove as well. Spent the in between time at Pirate's Paradise just north of Lincoln City and just relaxed with some great food that Lisa prepared and a fantastic Ocean view from our cabin. It was too short of a time away, but it was so needed and so wonderful.