A Tour

I thought I'd give you alls a little tour of our neighborhood. Some of you asked for it, so let's begin with where we live: 

790 W. 5th on the corner of Monroe. When we tell people where we live they've been known to say "oh, that big red house?" Indeed! We inhabit the top floor with two wonderful neighbors downstairs. One has two cats who are often leashed on the porch while she's raking leaves. Of course, I think this is great. Apparently the history of this house is that it was a hippie commune until recently when our landlord bought it and shooed away the riff-raff.

Here is a glimpse of 5th Avenue. We are blessed with an abundance of fall colors on our street, making us feel right at home:

The Washington/Jefferson Park is three blocks to our east. This is where the Occupiers have landed, until December 15th when the city will be forcing them to vacate. 

"Minimum wage? How about Maximum Wage?" That's what that little sign next to the tree says, which I read everyday on the way to work.

Farther east we have Allan Brothers Coffee, where I spend many of my afternoons. They have something like 30 kinds of loose leaf tea and they play 90s music consistently. I'm also enamored with the people, who are mostly regulars there to write in notebooks and read actual, physical books.

Smith Family Bookstore. My favorite bookstore. Can you even see me in this picture? I am swallowed by books. I've never had a problem finding what I needed and since they're used they are super cheap. And...

Their poetry section makes me swoon!

Michael and I are serious about breakfast. Our strategy is usually to eat enormous amounts of food in the late morning then not have to feed again until late that day. Saving monies! Keystone Cafe is legit. Breakfast burritos and the best damn homefries this side of the Williamatte.

 We are also very serious about beer. Sam Bond's Garage has a rustic atmosphere and good beer, which they change up all the time. In a week Chris Bathgate will be playing here. At our bar! It's only two blocks to our west so we always walk. Which you know, helps.

Michael and I tend to find places we like and stick to them. This is not always great strategy for newbies, but as Michael  said the other night on our walk to Sam Bond's "It feels like a bit of home." By which he didn't mean it felt like Grand Rapids or the midwest, but it's familiar and we have memories there. Like the time we heard Tony Furtado with my Uncle Kurt. Or on Halloween when we cheered adamantly for the kids in the costume contest, the sea turtle specifically.

Well, not much new to report. Michael is kicking A in school, despite the cougars and bears stalking his campus. I've had a couple poems published. And we're going to the coast to spend New Years in a yurt whale-watching. The living is good.

Love and hugs from the west,
katie and michael