December 1998
- The south limb of the
Columbia Gorge Loop can afford majestic views of Mount Hood, the Mount Fuji of Oregon.
But on a rainy day with low-lying clouds like today, one is best advised to only do
the north limb of the Loop and visit Multnomah Falls. These 620 foot falls
are the 2nd highest in the US and have been attracting visitors for over 100 years.
(31 December 98)
- Cannon Beach is one of the "post card" portions of the Oregon coastline.
Ragged rock towers rise up out of the sea surrounded by pounding surf. The nearby town of
the same name is just beyond quaint and headed for Banff-dom.
The Fish Grotto Seafood Restaurant (1035 Stark, Portland OR (503) 226-4171)
offers fairly standard seafood fare at a fairly standard price.
No revelations or deals to be had. Reasons to come here might be the novelty of the nautical
setting (porthole-shaped windows) or to listen to the patter of the waiters -- they are hilarious!
(30 December 98)
- The Runker Room registered its 1000th visitor at GeoCities today!
Thanks to all of you. I hope I haven't wasted too many people's time with this.
(29 December 98)
- Nob Hill District - Northwest Portland
I have been to Cinema 21
many times in the evening, but I finally made it to this trendy area during the daytime
for a look around. Most of the stores cater to cocooning, nostalgic baby boomers -- home
furnishing shops abound. I think I will stick to films.
Muu-Muu's (612 NW 21st Avenue 503-223-8169) is a restaurant/bar next door to
Cinema 21. Funky decor, good microbrewery beers on tap. The menu has a standard pan-Asian
theme, done Garlic City style. Stick with your dinner partners after eating here --
no one else will want to talk to you! The main attraction of this place is its late opening hours.
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Djoflaeyjan (Devil's Island) (Iceland 1996; Dir:
Fridrik Thor Fridrickson) **
Rebel Without a Cause in Iceland! After World War Two, the Americans abandon their
military base in Reykjavik, and an eccentric bunch of Icelanders move in. Problems arise when
a native son returns from America looking like an Elvis impersonator, driving a big Plymouth
and speaking a strange blend of American slang and Icelandic. This quirky film, based on a
bestselling novel by Einar Karason, is about Americanization and cultural conflict (I think?).
(28 December 98)
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Down in the Delta (USA 1998; Dir: Maya Angelou) ** 1/2
Rosa Sinclair (Mary Alice) is the matriarch of an African American family living in Chicago.
Worried that the ills of big city life will destroy the future generations of her line,
she sends daughter Loretta (Alfre Woodard) and her children to the Mississippi home
of Uncle Earl (Al Freeman Jr.). There the city Sinclairs learn their family history,
including the story of a silver candelabra named "Nathan". With self-worth gained from
knowledge of her heritage and recognizing that the sacrifices
of her forebears should not have been made in vain, Loretta turns her life around.
A valid theme is given a somewhat heavyhanded and at times stilted treatment.
The late Esther Rolle (mother Florida from the 1970s TV series Good Times)
plays her final role as Annie, Loretta's aunt with Alzheimer's disease.
Mpho Koaho is strong as Loretta's son Thomas. The biggest surprise comes at the end,
where we learn from the location credits that "the Delta" was actually Toronto!
(27 December 98)
- My sister's partner prepared a great traditional
Pennsylvania Christmas turkey dinner for us at their home in Seattle. We had to burn off
the bird and fixin's, so we all went cross country skiing the next day around
Paradise Valley in Mt. Ranier National Park.
The weather and conditions were perfect. Trailbreaking through fresh snow was hard work,
though, so on the way back to Portland I was ready to eat again.
Spiffy's Restaurant (Chehalis WA, at the Highway 12 turnoff on I-5, 360-262-3561)
has good, basic food, huge portions, friendly service and is open 24 hours.
(26 December 98)
-
S
e
a
s
o
n
's
G
r
e
e
t
i
n
g
s
! It was going to be a White Christmas here in Portland -- then it rained!
(25 December 98)
- Nikkei "Culture"
"Nikkei culture -- what is it?" I used to answer, "Not much".
There is a small number of people working hard to preserve Japanese language and
cultural activities, finding their biggest and most receptive audience outside
the Nikkei community. There are those who have more or less
completely adopted the mainstream culture, who have forgotten, never learned about
or ignore their Japanese heritage. And there some who are in-between, not knowing
but searching ...
But I recently found out on
Ties Talk that there is at least one unique Nikkei "tradition".
At Nikkei wedding receptions in Hawai'i, and within the last decade in California,
it is a custom for the guests to fold 1000 origami cranes and present them
to the newlywed couple as a wish for good luck.
In Japan, this custom of senbazuru (1000 cranes) is associated with
wishes of health for sick people (the most famous is
Sadako Sasaki) and
safety for those in danger (e.g. peace in the Nuclear Age).
Is love an illness? Is marriage dangerous? ;-) The wish one hopes to
be granted can be anything, I think. Health and safety are just the most
common. So this is an example of remembering a custom and adapting it for a new purpose.
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1001 Cranes* is an exhibit of senbazuru and other crane-themed art-crafts
on display at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center
(117 NW 2nd Avenue, Portland OR 503-22-1458) until 31 January 1999.
* The one extra crane is an additional modification to the tradition,
sort of like a "baker's dozen".
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Network Sophia - Information on Japanese culture and customs
"Ho, ho, ho, Happy Valentine's Day: Lost in the Translation"
Origami and Peace
Those who have gone mainstream bring to mind the South American Nikkei
workers who have gone to Japan from Peru and Brazil in recent years.
To some people in Japan they are un-Japanese -- they seem like Latin people with
Japanese faces. Are they any less valued for having wholeheartedly
adopted their local culture? On the contrary, the dancers among
the Nikkei men were probably in high demand in nightclubs when
the salsa craze hit Japan last year!
In a similar vein, Canadian (and some American) Nikkei are key
players in the Japanese professional hockey league. They also
formed a large part of Japan's Olympic hockey team at Nagano.
Japan Ice Hockey Federation
Nikkei means "of Japanese ancestry", not "Japanese" --
and includes many types of people.
(24 December 98)
- Brrrr. Still cold today. The upside of this Arctic high pressure system
(which stretches all the way down to California and Texas) is that
the skies are actually blue for once. I sure could use a
kotatsu ...
First Models of Matsushita's Electric Appliances
Should bring back memories for people of my parents' generation
(22 December 98)
- It snowed in Portland today, the first day of winter! Just a light dusting, something Canadians wouldn't think
twice about, but it was enough to snarl traffic all over the city.
Portlanders tell me this only happens a few times a year. The old buildings here,
with their single-pane windows are not really built for cold weather.
At work, I froze in my office while waiting for
frozen sections!
(21 December 98)
- There's an update at the Nikkei Nexus.
(12 December 98)
- See my new Hockey Page!
(06 December 98)
- On this cold, grey, rainy winter day (another one!) I took a break at the Holiday Ale Festival.
Interest in microbrews is high, and the heated tents in Pioneer Court Square
in downtown Portland were packed with men and women of all ages (over 21, that is).
Hops are grown locally in the Willamette Valley, so apparently this area has the most
microbreweries per capita in America. They were out in force, promoting
their seasonal offerings. Winter weather demands darker, stronger-flavoured beers.
The average alcohol content of these 24 brews was 6.6%, with names like "Tannen Bomb" and "Kilt Lifter",
so it was fortunate that the festival ran for three days, allowing more gradual sampling
(1/4 pint "tasters" were $1). I didn't dislike any of the 7 I managed to try, but
Pyramid Ales' Snow Cap Ale, Redhook Ale Brewery's Winterhook and Portland Brewing Company's
Icicle Creek Winter Ale were stand outs.
The summer counterpart of this event is the Oregon Brewers Festival at the Waterfront Park 23-25 July 1999.
(05 December 98)
- My school assignments are overdue and Fall Session final exams are next week! In this situation,
some might choose to feign an ailment, like the real and imaginary ones described by
The Wonderful World of Diseases.
I have recovered from a bad case of
affluenza,
but now I might have internet addiction disorder!
(04 December 98)
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JA*Net's "Ties Talk"
I only recently found out about this E-mail discussion group operated by the
Japanese American Network (JA*Net).
It is a forum where people of all ages and backgrounds from all over America
and around the world can comment on the Japanese American and Asian Pacific
American experience. To subscribe to "Ties Talk", send an E-mail message to
majordomo@janet.org and put the following line (only!)
in the body of your message:
subscribe ties-talk
The topics so far have been those old reliables: the Internment and assimilation.
(02 December 98)
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