Mom called this weekend with the obligatory update: she and Bert were confined by weather to the same port for too long—so, they rented a car and drove to Tuscany last week, found a great old hotel and spent a few days relaxing with the luxury of showers and meals served without a to and fro rocking sensation.
as of today, they are in back on the boat and in Portofino, the classic Italian port town.
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Fort Carre II, acrylic and oil pastel on paper, 19.75" x 25.5" -
in Vintimilla or Ventimiglia -
one small handbag, one large tote (for someone else) and a large summer-weight scarf…how did i forget to get sunglasses? that's what i went there for!…just gonna have to go back next week… and Ryan still needs to get those mandals… -
still on the Starbucks quotient:
Savannah, pop.135k: 2
Portland, pop.490k: 45
Chicago, pop.2.7m: 72
Los Angeles, pop.3.6m: 56
Atlanta, pop.400k: 23
Madison, pop.224k: 3
San Francisco, pop.747k: 63
Fond du Lac, pop.40k: 0 -
hey! i wasn't crazy with this idea! seems someone has compiled a list of the Best Places for Dating.
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a statistical side-by-side comparison–Savannah vs. Portland. surprising: though having fewer rain days, Savannah overall actually has more rainfall than Portland. encouraging: Portland has a markedly lower crime rate, not a big shock as Savannah can be crime central. slightly alarming: 45 Starbucks in Portland? 45?!?!?
how would i find which one Miss Dawn is at??? -
on a suggestion from The Custard, i've been investigating Portland, Oregon as a place to live when i return stateside in the fall. and what a contender! it had been on my short list some years ago when i first left Wisconsin, but it had slipped my mind–i think the rain deterred me. but i can get over the rain if what i see online is even half true…
The Pearl neighborhood looks like just my kind of thing (if it weren't so over-priced and nouveau snobby)—walking lifestyle, farmer's market, gallery row, a streetcar to downtown, loft living galore….
lots of other neighborhoods with distinctive feels, much like what i like about Chicago.
a Design Within Reach studio (as well as numerous other design destinations)–that's my own benchmark–kind of like "Is there a Target? Ok, then I could live there." not a lot of mover and shaker style jobs in my field, but a surprising number of solid, established companies and intruiging independents that i wouldn't mind working for or shopping at.
a decent daily newspaper is so important. and something else i find encouraging–the wealth of information online about the city, nieghborhoods, economy, jobs, parks, etc.
lots of single girl places to go and things to do.
an active art community including lots of galleries, a small design school, an art museum and a traditional studio arts college. (no, i'm not planning on going back to school AGAIN, but i like what an art school and other universities and colleges bring to the community and it's good to know i can take a course here and there if i want to.)
from what i've seen so far, a reasonable cost of living, including not-insane (compared to California!!) apartment rental rates.
and to top it off, no less than 8 dog friendly parks!
heck, i can put up with the rain—it's raining AGAIN here today! -
Fort Carre I, acrylic and oil pastel on paper, 19.75" x 25.5" -
Bert brings her in last fall
Mom and Bert are still in Genoa, the weather continuing to be a factor, but not yet dampening their spirits–they are enjoying the city life and the Italian surroundings, namely especially the livelier people.
plenty of phone calls this weekend for (American) Mother's Day–Grandma was astounded that she could hear the water slapping against the side of the boat when she spoke to Mom yesterday–what a remarkable international connection! these new cell phones are amazing…but a little bird told me the difference might be Grandma's new hearing aids…sshh….
