Baby Shane + SF jaunt + Joshua Tree = Winter Break 2011

As the weather in Portland got colder and colder Todd and I were ready to head home to see our families and ring in the new year with a little warmth! First things first, we were both super excited to meet Shane Ross Welsh, born December 14th to Todd's sis Courtney and hubby Shane. As the "weird uncle" Todd vowed to never leave an awkward moment unturned between the two of them. Contrary to popular belief, Todd was a natural with the baby and was aglow with love and affection! After that, we were lucky enough to get in a quite jaunt up to our old stomping ground San Francisco and took in some gorgeous views at Twin Peaks. After some time in the north bay we headed down to the desert to stay in La Quinta, CA for New Years weekend. Desperately in need of some fun in the SUN we headed out to Joshua Tree National Park for some hiking. As we drove (very, very tiredly) back up to northern CA to fly out on the first of January we reflected on our exciting year together and were happy to be returning to Portland together!

Todd and Baby Shane

The proud new mama!

Todd getting initiated the Melehan Christmas eve party. Shooting whiskey out of a paper cup? He fit right in!

Lounging in SF. We were lucky to have such a clear day. Maybe moving to Portland just makes it seem that way...

We arrive at Joshua Tree! We entered in the south gate and drove through the park headed northwest and took another route home. The ranger suggested a nice route and using our handy map traveled through the three different terrain of the park.

Those long, crazy, spiny trees are called Ocotillos. There is a single patch of them in the middle of the park. They were silly.

Our walk around Hidden Valley. Unfortunately we didn't find any ranch dressing.

Jumbo Rocks. We thought it looked more like a finger head face that was smiling.

A stop through the Cholla Cactus Garden. And yes, those things are as spiny as they look! I dropped that immediately after the picture was taken.

Keep Portland Weird! Pt. 1

So there is this saying in Portland that was borrowed from Santa Cruz before it was borrowed from Austin, TX. Keep this town weird! Although we were not the first to adopt this adage, I dare say we are the best at it. It is the desire to be unique, to be unconventional, to buck the norm. Its the creative spirit, its the largest and smallest city parks in the United States, its the highest number of strip joints per capita in the Nation, its the most number of people standing on one leg simultaneously (wha?!). Whatever it is we like (some) of it.
May and I took the unofficial tour of some weird stuff just before Christmas. It was a sunny day, which was very weird indeed.

Hippo Hardware is 30,000 sq. ft of pure insanity. Operated in Portland since 1976 this handymans wet dream has everything you could possibly need to refurbish, redecorate, or rebuild your house. The place is owned by Steven Miller and he said there is only one rule in the place, "if you are an asshole, I will refuse you service." It was super dusty in there and my allergies were acting up, so we got out and headed down towards the water to the Burnside Skate park.

Burnside skate park is the stuff of legend if you grew up a skate kid in California. This park was built without permission by true visionaries of the sport, underneath the Burnside Bridge. Its like the cool hangout that your older brother knew about, but you could never go to. Everyday the most bodacious skaters shred this place up. Someday I too will ride its smooth concrete walls and reflect on what it means to be a pioneer.

Speaking of pioneers...Over in the downtown area, we stumbled upon what is possibly the weirdest thing we saw in Portland all day. Say hello to the first ever coin operated 24 Hour Church of Elvis!!!! What?! Yes this coin operated art establishment was created by Stephanie Pierce "artist to the stars" and will provide psychic readings for only 25 cents. For a dollar you can be wed right there by the ghost of Elvis. Hunk a hunk of burning love it right!

Well that just about did her for our exploration of Portland's weirdest and wildest sights!

Day at the Beach

Last week we got a break from the gloom and doom and were blessed with a weekend of sunshine. Granted it was still barely breaking 40 degrees but it was sunshine nonetheless. A friend of mine up here convinced me that this was going to be a great weekend to get out to the coast and do some surfing. HE was right.

On Sunday, May and I drove out to Oswald West State Park on the gorgeous and rugged Oregon coast. This place is named after the famed Oregon governor who declared the beaches of Oregon to be a highway, thus securing them in the public trust for decades to come. It may sound crazy but the beaches were literally one of the only means that people could travel up and down the coast back in the day. In the 1970's this philosophy of Oregon beaches and the Oregon coast being the property and right of the people of Oregon was upheld with the passing of the Beach Bill.

The conditions were great in a beautiful cove. Six to eight foot swell with an offshore wind and sunshine. Of course the water was still about 50 degrees so we made sure to have a fire waiting for us as we got out of the water