Exploring Baker City!

Upon hearing my pitch to get outta town for a bit, this fellow's response was "Well, I'll go to Baker with ya, but I don't think its going to be that compelling." He looks pretty compelled, canoodling with the most lovely lady in Baker, sipping coffee at the Lone Pine Cafe, waiting on green eggs and ham (one of his signature orders) and listening to Emmylou on vinyl. We couldn't place her very young voice but didn't want to get up and walk across the room, so tried Shazzaming it. Yeah, that don't work.

This is my fave pic from the weekend. :)

There's a lot of reflecting going on here. I like it.

I look so "mod" in this one.

What was this building originally used for, a prison?

Seems like it might be Boise stone, but maybe not.

When he comes through, Dad loves to stop at Baker City Gold & Silver.

While they weren't open, we were excited they would return. Oh. On Monday. Right.

The Antlers was a really old hotel that didn't sustain. But the sign did.

Tiny guitalele came with us, which was nice. Little songs were played over my head as I napped. The good life, really. I like the Geiser Grand art inside the Geiser Grand.

Out 'splorin', we hit a couple of the brewpubs in town, including the one featuring this fellow, supposedly "the most photographed item in Baker." I don't know about that, but we did take a few pix.

We had a fun time hanging out here.

I gotta get this guy outta town more often!

Off to the Geiser Grand in Baker City!

Remember when they started putting on airs and wanted to return to Baker City from just regular ol' Baker? I DO. But we decided to get out of town and do some visitin' anyhow.

We make the Boise-Portland drive so often, together or individually, but are usually leaving as soon as we can after work and making a beeline for the first house that will take us, usually to mark a holiday or event of some sort. There are a million marketing signs on the way telling you stop at the amazing historic Geiser Grand. Well, we did!

It's just lovely inside, and decorated with so much gorgeous glass.

 Such a large installation!

 Such lovely chandeliers, of all size, including this one in our room.

 But clearly, not everything is updated.

We ate in the restaurant, which was mostly pretty good, if slightly uninspired. This looks like a piece of roast, but its the best whiskey bread pudding you've ever had. Stop in and have some, we heartily recommend it!

Beer Racists

With a January birthday celebration on the docket, conversation turned to how to best mark the occasion. "Beer tasting" had been kicked around, but the final deets had to be worked out on a brown paper tablecloth over Italian one night.

The theory being that some of us might be beer racists: judging the beers we might like or might not like by their color. It's true, I do it. So we assigned kinds of beers out to attendees, ordered pizza, and turned on the SAG awards for one heck of a birthday celebration.

In order to not be judgy, we needed a lot of opaque tasting cups. Luckily the birthday girl had some tiny owl Dixie cups on hand. I printed out some beer tasting wheels and some score cards upon which to keep notes.

Not to be exclusionary, we also had a ROOT beer tasting for the non-drinking and underage attendees.

It killed me how much they got into it, but given their flair for the dramatic, I guess it shouldn't have. Many of us participated in the root beer tasting, noting differences amounting to more citrus or anise hints in the different offerings.

In the middle of our lineup we had a couple of red herrings, if you will, to throw tasters a curve ball, see if they were paying attention. Though I forgot to throw in one of the O'Douls I had in the garage, we had a Bud Light in there, and also a 40-O of Olde English 800. I included this very technical review on my note card: "I cannot drink this." This attendee was more appreciative of this entry, but something was missing...

 Oh yes, the bag. Hey Jared Leto in a tux!

 And then, pie! Happy birthday, fellow Capricorn!

Old Man Winter

 Just some cool shots I liked.

 So dramatic.

 It stacks up quickly.

We've also had lots of hoarfrost this season, which has been fun.

 Hoary.

 Hashtag no filter? Yeah that.

This is my new fave pic of the chicken ranch.

 Sometimes...

....I'm late for work.

Somebody Loves Me

I took Monday and Tuesday off of new year's week. Girlfriend don't work on her birthday, even if I got nothin' to do. We spent part of it wandering about town, popping into music stores and trying out their wares.

Then to the arthouse theater for a movie. And reading my husband from the literature I received on the street. "Somebody Loves Me." I'm sure of it. Somewhere.

 So. Many. Presents.

NEW SHARPIES!!! IN A MILLION COLORS!!!

 Sister and I are all about stickers.

And then, off to Red Robin to celebrate the new year, and that the two in the center successfully survived the polar bear plunge at the reservoir! They were dressed as Hall and Oates, so I brought this little gem from my collection. Happy 2014!!

Christmas Dinner!

It was going to be hard to top the previous evening's festivities, but we were up for the challenge. And for the challenge of seating six in our wee dining room!

For a first course of my husband's famous duck gumbo...

Followed by a second course of venison, cooked to perfection.

Yay!

And then my pecan pie. It was rather meh. And I'm not just saying that because I'm not big on the sweets.

 Such a nice visit!

Mostly, a very successful evening!

"Ewww, do I have to touch her?"

 And then, while she's distracted...

 Yeeeeeeee!