Just Another Manic Monday

So mama had today off from work - what to do? It's about 8 zillion degrees outside again, but it just didn't seem right to sit in the apartment all day. And getting into the boiling-hot-black Bogcedes (and go where?) didn't work either. Time to do a Tour de Portland!

First lets hit the Burnside Bridge, and head on over to the East Side. Don't dally mama, the concrete does get hot you know...

Then it's off to the Eastbank Esplanade. At this point we still did not have a clear vision on exactly how far we would be walking or where we would be going.

Walking by the river is nice because you get a cooling breeze ruffling through the fuzz.

And lets not forget the all-you-can-eat salad bar!

I could be happy just walking along both sides of the river with a little break to run into the dirty water. But mama thought that since we had nothing else that we had to do today, we might as well just keep walking.

So it's off to the Hawthorne District in SE Portland.

Mama told me that people used to use these things to make phone calls. I wanted to touch it, she dissuaded me from doing that. Alas, during the day the Potato Champion cart (just across the street, in the back of this photo) is not open during the day so no fried potato goodness for us today.

Or is there... walking down Hawthorne and passing the Potato Champion got mama and I hungry. We couldn't really stop for a big meal, but we had fries on the brain. Lets head up to the Hawthorne Fish House (one of dad's favorite places) for some fries and iced tea, shall we?

Mmm... fries.

I'm feeling satisfied (I got more than half of that order of fries). Where to next?

Laurelhurst Park!

Here I am eagerly scouting for a nice, shady tree for us to sit under. It is important that it's just right. But just a short rest, I get a little cranky if I have to sit for too long.

Back on the trail...

Ooo... ducks. My favorite food these days is made of duck. Shall I just eliminate the middleman and pick up a few myself mama?

Hehehe...

Mama's favorite flower is the tiger lily. These aren't exactly right, but they're close...

I offered to pick some for her with my mighty scissor bite, but she declined. I chomped on some while she wasn't looking anyway.

I was inspired to burst out into song for mama - she acted like she wanted me to stop, but I know that she was loving it. See dad - I'm bringing her flowers and singing funny songs. Making her laugh. I know you'd be proud.

Guess what this is? The Velveteria - a museum of velvet paintings. You humans are so funny. It was closed today, or we would have tried to go inside.

It looks like the current show would be very interesting...

Ok, so now we've done the entirety of East Burnside, and I'm exhausted. This has been quite the tour and I'm sure it won't be our last. Just maybe lets do the next one on a slightly cooler day, shall we?

Lets head for home...

Love,

Bogart

The Streets of NW

On the weekends, mama and I enjoy exploring different neighborhoods. When we're not doing errands, of course (that translates to she runs in and out of a lot of stores and I guard the car - not terribly exciting). Sometimes just going down one extra street makes a "normal" walk different.

When we're walking down NW 23rd, I can never resist going into All For Paws. The people there are super nice and always try to find a treat that I will like. As always, everyone fails, but I do appreciate the effort. For some reason the photos mama took of me exploring inside came out dark and wobbly...

So lets explore parts of NW Portland that we haven't been to before... we had planned to head up toward Forest Park but for some reason we can never find the entrance. So lets just look around the neighborhood and the pretty houses and local flora...

Come on silly biped, KEEP UP!

Yep it's in the 80s again today, awfully pretty but H-O-T.

We really enjoy walking around - no agenda, nowhere to be, just walking until we get tired. And this part of Portland is really lovely.

Notice my "floppers" (dad always called my ears my floppers because of the way they flop when I walk - I guess that's what the humans see as they're pretty much always behind me...). Did I mention that it is hot today? After doing the slow walk, the wasting-time-by-sniffing-something-uninteresting shuffle, and of course the stand-still-and-do-not-move-no-matter-what move, I reminded mama that a boy has to keep hydrated on such a day as this. That's when we both saw it - and the burst of energy resulted in my ears flying in the wind.

How civilized! It's just like my Drinkwell fountain at home.

Delicious. Cold. Refreshing. CIVILIZED.

Sure mama, it's your turn now...

Love,

Bogart

Shave and a Hairecut

Mama got INSPIRED. Sometimes that's good, sometimes that's bad. I was overdue for some aire-scaping..

While we all know how much the ladies enjoy a man with a bushy moustache, mine was crawling down my neck. Maybe a *bit* too much. And since it is also generally wet and juicy, it needed some pruning.

You can actually see my eyes now!

Mama took off about a head-sized ball of tan fuzz to get this look. Me likey.

I can sit here in my favorite spot on the sidewalk by Couch Park, surrounded by pine cones, and watch the girlies go by and admire my striking new 'stache.

That's right ladies, check out my flavor saver!

This truly is the best place in town to reliably find excellent pine cones.

Which as you can imagine, makes me VERY HAPPY...

I am feeling frisky and fabulous with my new 'do. Thanks mama!

Love,

Bogart

Bug-ging Out

Mama keeps noticing those ladybugs... even when I don't see them at all.

I have to admit that this one is pretty darned unique. More orange-y than most, and look at all of those spots!

Yes mama, I SEE IT...

Dad, if you are trying to communicate with mama via these ladybugs I've got to tell you that it's working. Yes, I think it is a very odd choice for my badass Austrian dad to be using ladybugs to talk to mama, his crazy other half. I would have thought that if you were going to stick with the insect world you would be something like a tarantula, or a big juicy waterbug. You know, something BADASS. But I truly cannot deny that - if this is indeed you - you have definitely touched mama's heart and you really do know her best.

So keep it up... will ya? I'm tired of seeing her sad every day. And even my cuteness has limits...

Love,

Bogart

Airezen for Robin!

My pal Robin (one of what dad used to call "the mobsties") is sick... he has a tumor and may need surgery - he needs some serious Airezen or any-kind-of-Zen-you-can-do!

Mama spilled the beans to me that I am going to get to visit my favorite Dales in LA this summer, and hey, I really wanna see my pal Robin. Robin is a very, very special boy to his mama Mareike, so I'm asking for your lovin' to come toward Los Angeles from all of the world!

Love,

Bogart

Bogie's Back in Town

Ah... it's good to be back in the saddle. It was really getting to be quite odd to not have mama taking my picture every day. How to celebrate? A wild party? Dancing girlie-dogs?

A crazy psycho cat - let me in there! I love the kitties...

We made our way up into NW Portland for one of our evening walkies. But there is always a little time to stop off at Couch Park to reconnect with the local flora.

Don't mess with my sticks mama, I'm not ready to go yet.

Oh wait, where did you say we're heading?

Let me just grab a few pine cones for the road...

P-U-M-P-E-R-N-I-C-K-E-L B-A-G-E-L!!!!

Yummo!!! Even tastier than sticks and pine cones.

Thanks to everyone for checking in on me this week... I will be making sure that mama is MUCH more careful with her memory cards in the future.

Love,

Bogart