So, I'm sitting in our local coffee shop, Cafe Delerium, on the corner of Main and 3rd Street. My plan for today was to go to the farmer's market (check) and then to hold up in this caffeination station and finish up last minute edits on my medical school application.
After about an hour of work - well, half an hour of work and half an hour of facebooking - I decided it was time for a little break. I really wanted to share with you all my new favorite part about working on the van on Wednesdays: El Capullo. If I haven't mentioned it before, Gresham is the little Mexico of the Portland area. The hispanic population is very high, and so is the concentration of mexican restaurants and tiendas within a 5 mile radius of my house. My housemates an I rarely venture into these shops and restaurants- mainly because we can't afford to eat out, but other than that I have no idea why.
So I'm pleased to finally be enjoying the benefits having authentic mexican food at my finger tips. The van staff has made a habit of buying lunch at El Capullo every wednesday. $1 tacos, $1 horchata (drink made of rice milk, sugar and cinnamon), and a huge buffet of free fixins. 1 taco of carnitas, 1 taco al pastor, piled high with cilantro, onion, green salsa, pico de gallo with nopal cactus, marinated chiles, and lime. HEAVEN. I've started bringing home the extra goodies to eat with nachos at home - which Renata appreciates. A little taste of mexico brings her back to her visiting her dad's family in Mexico City.
Though, before I took the time to write about this deliciousness and notice the grumbling in my tummy, I found myself distracted once again. I decided to revamp my blog. Hope you enjoy the new layout. And are inspired to go find some tacos of your own.
Procrastination. Much more satisfying that actual work.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The Great Outdoors
Despite the horrendously rainy and cold spring we've been having, there have been a few shining moments of sun and warmth, and my roommates and I are taking full advantage. For a girl who used to whine at the thought of hiking up a mountain, I've come quite a long way.
Memorial day weekend, for the first time in probably 10 years, I strapped on an over 50 pound back pack, and headed out onto the trail for a backpacking and camping weekend. I gotta say I felt pretty bad ass finally putting my "travel backpack" to it's intended use. Something about caring around your own food and shelter on your back and walking into the wilderness with a group of people is liberating. It was a fairly easy hike - we had quite the mix of experienced and first time backpackers. Hiked about four miles in to the camp site *Gretchen and I found and convinced our group to hike 15 more minutes for our pristine location*, set up our tents, scoured the land for fire wood (not hard, there's a beetle infestation that is killing all the trees), and chowed down on dried fruit, trail mix, and fire-roasted hot dogs. The second day, Garrett and Tomás headed onward past where the trail was not really hike-able any more due to downed trees. They camped a second night at Badger Lake. The girls and I hiked until we were having to climb over downed trees every 15 feet. It made for a nice 9 mile hike on day 2 before the drive home. I had at one moment considered going on with the boys to camp a second night, but that 9 mile hike told me I am not quite in the backpacking shape I'd like to be in. None the less - communing with nature and sleeping in a tent for the first time in a LONG time was pretty great :)
Then the next weekend, we were lucky enough to have another beautiful saturday and went on a hike to Ramona Falls with our support couple Jim and Mary Anne Buck. Both in their 60's and recently retired, Jim is quite the athlete and mountian man, and Mary Anne has joined a hiking group since her retirement from St. Henry's Parish 6 months ago. They picked us up in the morning, we drove out to Mt. Hood National Forest and went on one of the most beautiful hikes I have been on in a long time. We wandered through what seemed to me the garden of eden entranced by the babbling brook and the silence of the deep forest. Not to mention the incredible view of Mt. Hood. Jim an Mary Anne provided a nutritious lunch when we got to the falls, then we were invited over for an evening of Venison Stew, Rhubarb Pie, and great conversation. Amazing.
I can't get enough! I want to hike every weekend!
Memorial day weekend, for the first time in probably 10 years, I strapped on an over 50 pound back pack, and headed out onto the trail for a backpacking and camping weekend. I gotta say I felt pretty bad ass finally putting my "travel backpack" to it's intended use. Something about caring around your own food and shelter on your back and walking into the wilderness with a group of people is liberating. It was a fairly easy hike - we had quite the mix of experienced and first time backpackers. Hiked about four miles in to the camp site *Gretchen and I found and convinced our group to hike 15 more minutes for our pristine location*, set up our tents, scoured the land for fire wood (not hard, there's a beetle infestation that is killing all the trees), and chowed down on dried fruit, trail mix, and fire-roasted hot dogs. The second day, Garrett and Tomás headed onward past where the trail was not really hike-able any more due to downed trees. They camped a second night at Badger Lake. The girls and I hiked until we were having to climb over downed trees every 15 feet. It made for a nice 9 mile hike on day 2 before the drive home. I had at one moment considered going on with the boys to camp a second night, but that 9 mile hike told me I am not quite in the backpacking shape I'd like to be in. None the less - communing with nature and sleeping in a tent for the first time in a LONG time was pretty great :)
Then the next weekend, we were lucky enough to have another beautiful saturday and went on a hike to Ramona Falls with our support couple Jim and Mary Anne Buck. Both in their 60's and recently retired, Jim is quite the athlete and mountian man, and Mary Anne has joined a hiking group since her retirement from St. Henry's Parish 6 months ago. They picked us up in the morning, we drove out to Mt. Hood National Forest and went on one of the most beautiful hikes I have been on in a long time. We wandered through what seemed to me the garden of eden entranced by the babbling brook and the silence of the deep forest. Not to mention the incredible view of Mt. Hood. Jim an Mary Anne provided a nutritious lunch when we got to the falls, then we were invited over for an evening of Venison Stew, Rhubarb Pie, and great conversation. Amazing.
I can't get enough! I want to hike every weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)