Friends
A Perfect Evening
Jul 31st
I’ve written before about the Britt Festival, a great outdoor concert venue located in the quaint and historic town of Jacksonville a mere 15-minute drive from my home here in Southern Oregon. The amphitheater, located on a grassy slope surrounded by Ponderosa pines and oak trees, seats about 2,000 music lovers on a combination of fixed (reserve) seating and lawn. Begun originally as a brief classical music festival, the Britt now encompasses virtually every genre of music in a series of concerts scheduled throughout the summer months.
The setting at the Britt is lovely, but we also like it because the rules are limited and easy to live with. One can bring in any kind of food one likes, and beer and wine (and any non-alcoholic beverages) are also welcome. (No restrictions on glass containers; remember, this is Oregon, after all, so there are plenty of recycling bins placed around the grounds for your empties.) Hard liquor is prohibited, as is smoking, and there is a height limit on lawn chairs (so your neighbors can see the stage over you), but that seems to be about it.
This past Wednesday night my husband and I brought Paul and Julie, our good friends who were visiting from our previous hometown in Washington state, to the Britt to see Styx. Harry dropped me off about an hour before the gates opened so that I could stake out a good spot for our blankets and beach chairs. He and our guests arrived later with four bottles of wine, stemware and a cooler full of dinner and dessert. We began with a light white wine, a selection of cheeses I’d picked up earlier in the week from the Rogue Creamery and crackers and a baguette. During the break between the opening act and Styx’s performance, we broke out the main course: cold grilled French-cut lamb chops that had marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary; a bulgar, nectarine and watercress salad; and a fruit salad including local berries, nectarines and melon. The four of us managed, over the course of the evening, to also polish off three bottles of Washington Merlot (2001 and 2003 vintages) from a few of our favorite Walla Walla wineries — yum!! Then, after the final encore, we broke out brownies served with blueberries and a Syrah reduction sauce and let the crowd thin out before us. By the time we swallowed the last crumbs and packed up our gear, we were able to stroll right out the gates and down to our car with no delays. Did I mention my husband is a great cook??!
No, I didn’t forget that we came for the music, and Styx was just fantastic. They played for more than 90 minutes straight, including many of their great hits (“Come Sail Away,” “Mr. Robato,” “Suite Madame Blue,” “Grand Illusion” — to name just a few), with an energy that was impressive. Tommy Shaw’s voice still hits those notes in “Lady” clear and true; Lawrence Gowan was highly entertaining as he played his 360-degree rotating keyboard; Todd Sucherman on drums never seemed to take a breather; and Shaw, James Young and Ricky Phillips provided classic, hard-rocking guitar licks that were oh-so satisfying. Chuck Panozzo, one of the original founders of the Chicago band, even joined the group on bass guitar for the last several tunes.
What an amazing evening it was: great food, great wine, great friends and great rock and roll on a beautiful, warm summer night. Life doesn’t get much better than that!
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor
A Great Birthday Weekend
Jul 24th
Last weekend we traveled to Portland to celebrate my birthday and spend time with family and long-time friends. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t need a bunch of presents or a big event to mark the day. Give me a great dinner, a nice bottle of wine and pleasant conversation and I’ll call it a perfect celebration. My husband and I had a delicious meal at Wildwood restaurant in Northwest Portland (fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared simply but perfectly) and brought our own bottle of wine (though Wildwood has a very nice cellar). The 2000 Leonetti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was lush, complex and a perfect complement to the meal.
We then stopped in at Papa Hadyn to pick up an absolutely decadent cake (they have several to choose from; choosing just one was quite a chore!) to take back to my mother-in-law’s house to share. Harry’s brother and his family were visiting from Texas, and we spent a couple of hours over dessert on the patio sharing news and old stories under a clear, warm, summer night sky.
The next morning we visited one of the best farmers markets I’ve ever been to, anywhere. The Beaverton Farmers Market covers a full city block and spills over into side streets beyond, chock full of vendors of everything from organic buffalo meat; fresh tuna, halibut and salmon; artisan cheeses and honey to herbs, perennials and fresh produce. There aren’t many crafters or artists; virtually everything on offer here can be eaten or grown — or both. I never visit without coming away with at least a few plants for the garden, some ingredients for a great meal or two and something I need to eat immediately (berries, a fresh fruit empanada, some German sausage). There’s always live music, whether it be jazz, blues, folk or country. On this particular day the group played “Galway Girl” and nearly brought daughter Jenny to tears as it transported her back to her trip through Ireland this past February.
That evening saw us gathering with our group of friends that began meeting as young married couples nearly 30 years ago over wine and good food. It is rare these days when we are all in the same town together at the same time. That evening we shared a unique and wonderful collection of wines that had been purchased about 20 years ago when jobs and moves made it impossible for us to keep up our bimonthly get-togethers. Leftover funds we had used to purchase wines for those tastings were used to buy up wines from the 1988 and 1989 vintages of Bordeaux (including Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut Brion). While some were certainly past their prime, all were still drinkable, and some were still amazingly balanced, complex and delightful. The entire collection, which originally cost us $835, would require an investment of well over $5,000 at retail to replace today. What made the evening most special, though, was the time spent with such dear friends. We sat overlooking the Willamette River, watching all manner of watercraft plying the waters as Mt. Hood glowed pink in the dusk and the lights of the downtown towers and bridges twinkled on. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday, without a doubt.
– Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor  Â
Rafting Adventure
Jul 21st
Along the way to our Minneapolis destination, my friends and I made a sidetrip to do some white-water rafting at Wildman Ranch in northern Wisconsin, about a five-hour drive from Chicago. The fun takes place on the Peshtigo River, which features the longest continuous stretch of rapids in the Midwest.
Our adventure started when 11 of us and the guide waded into the water to climb onto the raft. Our guide gave us some tips before pitting the left side against the right side in a balance contest. The left side lost when they fell into the lake. I should have been part of that, but I managed to fall into the raft instead. With the water test done, it was time for some real fun.
We paddled under the instruction of our guide, doing our best to row in sync. Soon we were at the first rapids. The four-foot drop was a nice appetizer for what was to come. We bounced around a bit, paddled strongly and got a little wet; but we stayed afloat and paddled onward.
After another short stretch, we beached the raft and hiked to check out the big rapids. Although a bit nervous, I suppose it was better to see a preview of what awaited us. The 10-plus-foot-drop looked a bit menacing.
We hiked back to the boat and paddled toward the challenge, everyone filled with nervous energy and adrenaline. The guide shouted a last preparatory warning as we hit the rapids. We bounced around but sailed through it all quite uneventfully, except for a couple of refreshing splashes.
We beached the raft again, hiked back a bit and prepared for one last run at the big rapids. This time, the river was a bit more agitated. About midway through, our raft started sliding sideways. At this point, I really thought there was a good chance we would capsize. Several huge splashes and some strong rowing later, we sailed into calmer waters, having conquered the rapids again.
The whole experience lasted about three hours. Upon reaching dry land, we had some Cokes and snacks at the lodge, where we also watched a picture stream of our recent adventure.
This was an awesome experience. The Wildman guide was helpful, funny and assuring throughout the afternoon. He did a great job keeping us alert while letting us enjoy the experience. We always felt safe yet infused with just enough apprehension to make it exciting.
The rest of the Wildman staff (pre- and post-rafting) were also great. It was simply a fantastic time.
– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
Beach Bound
Jul 9th
I’m looking forward to spending the weekend with some friends in Ocean City, New Jersey. There’s nothing quite like spending the day relaxing on the beach, soaking in the sun, but also enjoying the soothing effects of the ocean breeze.
Ocean City, in southern NJ, is about two hours from my home in Bucks County. I’ll be heading down tonight, after catching the Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park. It’s a fireworks game, and the stadium is known for putting on a pretty impressive fireworks show. Hopefully the struggling Phillies can also capture a win!
I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning, when my friends and I plan (weather permitting — of course, the forecast calls for rain) to go out on jet skis. I’ve only been on jet skis a few times before and driven one myself once. My friends like to joke with me about that jet ski experience, during spring break in Cabo San Lucas. Four of us rented jet skis, and the other three joke that they were out in the middle of the ocean and looked back to find me put-putting it out there far behind them. I was trying to be safe and get myself adjusted!
Saturday afternoon and Sunday will be spent lying on the beach. At some point, I am sure we will venture over to Sea Isle City, and we will definitely cap off the weekend with a dinner at Somer’s Point’s Crab Trap restaurant for some delicious seafood.
Enjoy your weekend, and hopefully you, too, can take a little time to relax!
– Kim Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive
