Monday, August 31, 2015
Friday, August 28, 2015
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
Last month we mentioned that we were fortunate to see one of our favorite bands, the Australian blues-folk group The Waifs, as they did a rare American tour. We recently learned they were coming back to Oregon one last time before heading back to Australia for a tour. Last week we drove the three hours to see them and we were not disappointed as the show topped the one we had attended last month. Donna, (left) one of the sisters in the band, told a story of lead guitar player Josh (above with beard) at a festival they had recently played (remember, they are Australian): They were following Gillian Welch and were running late. Josh had not tuned his banjo and needed it tuned but had to go on, so he saw "this older, long-haired hippie guy" back stage and asked if he knew how to tune a banjo. They guy said yes, so he handed it to him telling he'd be back for it in a few tunes and went on stage as the guy tuned the banjo. They later found out the "older, long-haired hippie guy" was Jackson Browne. (Click the photo for more detail) Roseburg, Oregon; August, 2015.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Friday, August 14, 2015
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Last month, Bastille Day was celebrated all over the world. We suppose American Independence Day is also celebrated in several other countries. In any case, to mark the occasion, the art museum hosted a local Francophile organization, held a showing of some significant French art, allowed free entrance, and for the first time that we can remember, allowed cameras to click inside. This was auspicious for us, so we attended. We snagged a shot of this life-sized piece outside the museum. We doubt it's French even though it resembles a chanteuse we saw in Montmartre a few years ago. It's a permanent piece outside and on this day was resting in front of a two-story banner proclaiming the French exhibition. Portland, Oregon; July, 2015.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Friday, August 07, 2015
Ah, the rooftops of Paris. They're famous, to the point of even having a couple of coffee table books dedicated just to them. In the 1800s, Napoleon III commissioned the architect Haussman to redesign much of the inner city to get rid of squalor and rats. One can see his designs in this photo. Note the rounded and angled roofs, which were constructed this way to allow more sunlight to reach the street. This was taken from our apartment last time we were there. In a few weeks, we should have some new views as we are returning, but to an apartment in a different arrondissement. Paris, France; September, 2013.
Thursday, August 06, 2015
Wednesday, August 05, 2015
Tuesday, August 04, 2015
You Grinders may recall last week when we mentioned that we had attended a show by the Band of Heathens out of Austin, Texas. To many of us, Austin seems to be an island of sanity in the sea of the unreal that is Texas. Proof? Try this article. In any case, Austin and Portland actually have this good-natured feud going on as to which city first came up with the Keep X Weird. Austin believes Keep Austin Weird was first, while we Oregonians know it was actually Keep Portland Weird that was first. But for Portland being wonderfully weird there's Voodoo Donuts, The First Church of Elvis, and much more. We're just offering up this guy--who is obviously blowing some hot jams on his bagpipes--as partial proof of Portland's weirdness superiority. My sources tell me this guy was even on some reality TV program, America's Got Talent, we think. Portland, Oregon; July, 2015.