Work Holiday Party

Mid-December we had my work holiday party at the Portland City Grill in downtown Portland. It's a really nice restaurant at the top of the tallest building in the city, so the views of Portland are spectacular from up there. And the food is amazing...it is definitely one of the most popular happy hour spots in town. My company rented out a private room where we ate dinner and had a casino night (with fake money of course). It was a great time being able to socialize with co-workers outside of the office and meet their significant others...definitely one of the best parties we've been to in a long time.

My company also hired a photographer for the event. She took formal pictures of people when they came in to the event (we received a nice 5x7 picture to take home) and then took candid shots throughout the night. Below are some of the pictures she took.

Actually, I think this picture is photoshopped :) But it does serve as a good representation of the evening.
Here are Brad and I at the roulette table. Also in this picture are our good friends Laura and David. Laura and I used to carpool to work together (when we both lived in downtown Portland). We also bought our houses at the same time and closed 1 day apart from each other, so we definitely helped each other with tips with the whole process.
Here we are playing a little blackjack. Too bad they didn't have a poker table to play on...
This is a pic of my co-worker Scott and his wife Suzette. Scott is another good friend of mine at work and also a Business Analyst like me. Our cubes are right next to each other, so it's good to have someone to joke around with all day. He went to Michigan State for undergrad and Ohio State for his Masters in Accounting - so he's also a Big Ten guy! We're definitely a minority at the office...but at least I have someone on my side when we argue with our University of Oregon co-workers about who's going to win the Rose Bowl January 1, 2010.
Besides dinner, open bar, and a casino night, our company also hired this guy to provide us with entertainment. He performed Frank Sinatra covers...and sounded exactly like him!
And finally...the view from the Portland City Grill. Too bad it was night time...the view from up here is really gorgeous when it's sunny out and you can see Mt. Hood.

Christmas in Ohio

Christmas has been a long month celebration that we've been too busy to post to the blog! So as usual, we are a little behind on our posts. Christmas this year started out with a trip to Ohio in the beginning of December. I had a work trip planned in Cincinnati for a few days, so we decided that I would stick around for the weekend and Brad would fly out so that we can celebrate Christmas with his family and attend our nephew Elliot's baptism.

After Brad landed in Cincinnati, we met up with Tony (a friend of Brad's from college) and his wife Kim for dinner. After dinner, Brad and I drove up to West Alexandria to spend time with his family. On Saturday, we met up with Paul Kersey (Brad's friend from grade school) and his fiancee Leeanna for lunch at Brad's parent's restaurant the Twin Creek Tea Room. We haven't seen them since they got engaged, so it was great catching up with them. Later that evening, we opened presents and had a nice Christmas dinner.

A pic of all of us (minus Kristy since she was the picture-taker) at the dinner table. Also included in the picture is Pat's dad who drove in for Elliot's baptism.
A pic of the group in the family room opening gifts. Of course, the center of attention was Elliot :)
On Sunday morning, we went to church where Elliot was baptised. What a trooper! He didn't cry at all during the ceremony even as his face was dripping with water. He is by far one of the happiest babies I've ever seen. The pic above was taken during Elliot's baptism. Brad and I were part of the baptism since we're Elliot's guardians.
After the baptism, we had to get a few shots of Elliot in his cute outfit. He's laying on a quilt that I sewed for him. I started this quilt when we moved to Portland over a year ago. This was prior to even knowing if he was going to be a boy or a girl :) I thought it would be fitting to sew a quilt for him because Kristy actually taught me almost everything I know about sewing. Though it's only a baby sized quilt, I think all in all this quilt took me over 100 hours to cut, sew, and create. Yes, I'm a little slow at sewing...but it was also my first quilt that I've ever created and I had to learn to complete it on my own.
I love this pic of Elliot. This just shows how happy of a baby he always seems to be.
I forgot to mention that Saturday night we hung out with Kersey, Leeanna, and Greg. We also got to meet Miley, Kersey and Leeanna's adorable new puppy. What a cutie...she was so playful!

Thanksgiving and Christmas around the House

I know, I know...it's been awhile since we've posted. We're almost past 2 holidays here. So lets take you back to Thanksgiving. We hosted our annual Thanksgiving dinner at our house for those of us away from our hometowns. Actually, it seems everyone who attended this year was at our Thanksgiving last year with the addition of Eric. The nice thing about having the same people year after year over for Thanksgiving is that you know what dishes they're good at making. So now everyone kind of has their token dish they bring to Thanksgiving, and man, is everything good!

The group around the dinner table minus the two hosts :) Hopefully some day we can upgrade to a formal dining table! Sigh... But on the plus side, we have a huge kitchen counter top to serve as the buffet this year.
The spread. I bet you're just drooling right now looking at this picture. I am at least. I suggested to the group that we host a mid-year Thanksgiving feast. Why celebrate one of the best holidays only once a year? It sounds like a go :)
The weekend of Thanksgiving we didn't have much going on since it was pretty icy on the mountain (so no snowboarding...we can be picky like that now!), so we decided to decorate the house for Christmas. Here's our Christmas tree - we went to a local tree farm and did a U-Cut where we sawed down our own tree. No worries though...this is Portland, and this farm plants new seedlings for future Christmases where we cut our tree. Turns out too that our tree is decorated in semi-Ohio State colored ornaments (how did that happen?). We also got some stockings put up - the extra one is for our CAT. No kids yet. And we had a nice fire going that weekend...definitely felt like Christmas in the new house.
I came up with the idea of decorating our stairway with garland for a really festive look. Notice too in the background that we have some framed pictures hanging. These are actually some great shots we've taken in the past of unique locations and great views. We have some pics up from Egypt, Lebanon, Utah, Hawaii, and Mexico. Guess you'll have to come to Portland to check them out!
We decorated the outside of our house with the icicle type lights. Sorry the lighting isn't very good, but at least it kinda portrays how the lights look outside the house.
Thanksgiving weekend also happened to be a gorgeous weekend, which is kinda rare since it's usually in the midst of rainy season. We took advantage of the weather by going on a hike around Forest Park, which is a park located right in NW Portland (pretty much downtown). It's very lush and full of elevation changes, so it made for a good workout. This trail that we hiked is a 30+ mile trail...I think we only ended up doing about 5 miles of it.
On the hike up the hill in Forest Park, we ended up at Pittock Mansion where we were treated to an awesome view of downtown Portland and Mt. Hood. Definitely makes for a rewarding hike!

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Keep in touch and stay warm! :)

Parents Visiting

We finally got our parents to make the trip out west to visit us in Portland. Thanks so much to my sister Karen for giving them her frequent flyer miles as a gift....which they used to come see us. They stopped along the way in Denver and spent a few days with my Aunt Rochelle and Uncle Lee, as well as visiting Dave and family.
Unfortunately the rainy season has started here and most of the amazing things to do in Portland require being outdoors. Oh well, we decided to tough it out and hit up some outdoor activities anyways. I have kinda gotten used to the rain so it is not a big deal anymore. Usually it is a light drizzle.....however this weekend, we had some really heavy downpours. My parents were troopers and stuck it out in the rain to make the most of their trip. We'll just have to get them out here again in the summer, when it is nice weather.
We picked them up on Friday and immediately headed to our favorite Chinese Seafood restaurant, OM's, to show them some amazing local seafood. The next morning, we headed downtown to the Farmer's Market. Dad had a good time conversing with some of the local farmers......while Mom, Em, and I made our way around the tents to sample all the local delicacies.

Produce for sale at the Farmer's Market (every Saturday downtown)

Next, we made the 30 minute scenic drive out to the Columbia Gorge. It was overcast, so we did not get many good pics of the gorge. Too bad, because it alone is enough to make you want to live here....with picturesque views of the river cutting through the mountains. The one good thing about the heavy rain that day is that the waterfalls were gushing the best I have seen in my year out here. There were a few new ones alongside the road, that are normally too small to notice.

Mom and Dad: toughing out the rain to enjoy the breathtaking views around Portland

The camera lens was even getting wet at Multnomah Falls

We visited the International Rose Test Garden, which is home to thousands of new varieties in a multitude of colors, sizes, and shapes. I am almost embarrassed that we have been here for a year and had not visited this place yet. We'll definitely come back in the summer when in full bloom and post more pics....

I wanted to pick some flowers for my Mom....but it is a $500 fine per flower here....I think we'll just take pics instead of flowers, thank you. (Bought her some instead ;)

Had I not already proposed to Emily and had we not already been married....this place would be an ideal location for either occasion. At least if you have a wedding here, you won't need to buy any floral arrangements!

Our last day of visiting with the parents took us to the Pittock Mansion and the Japanese Garden...both just 5 min drive from downtown Portland. Both locations proved to provide extra beauty with the trees changing color for the fall.

I'm actually glad they did not rake the leaves yet....it looks better with some color on the grass.

Portland has just the right mix of deciduous and evergreen trees such that you get the variety of colors in fall, yet there is still sufficient greenery in winter such that it does not look dead and barren.

Portland Japanese Garden
(ranked 1st out of 300 public Japanese gardens outside of Japan):

After the sun went down, we treated my Mom to a spa/massage/facial/footsoak for a belated Mother's Day gift (Emily somehow weaseled me into letting her get this treatment too....oh hon, always finding some way to get to the spa). Meanwhile, Dad and I went to do man stuff. First we went to a drum shop, where my Dad found a good deal on a new cymbal for his drumset. Next, we went to some car dealers to look at cars and trucks....just for fun....although I think this did plant some seeds in my head, because I am picking up a (used) Toyota 4Runner tomorrow. Gotta have 4 wheel drive to get us up the mountain on the heavy snow days...when the riding is good! :)

We capped off their visit by having a nice dinner downtown at a local favorite restaurant that features Contemporary American cuisine. One of my favorite dishes is their little Kahlua burger (Kobe beef, pineapple, canadian bacon)....so good I had to get 2 (hey, they're sliders afterall so one is not intended to be a full meal).


After getting home each night, my parents got absolutely hooked on Wii bowling. Dad set the high score on the game and was bowling at a "pro" level. Mom kept playing after the rest of us had wore out (well past midnight each night). Ah, good to see they are still young at heart and love to play games.

Dad showing off his "pro" form

We had a great weekend with them here....and will demand that they visit again in the summer when it won't be raining. I have a feeling that their visits will increase in frequency once we have some little ones..... ;)

NYC, 5 Year Reunion, Halloween

It's been awhile since we've posted, and I have some random things that I've been meaning to post for awhile...so here it is! The month of October was really busy with Halloween (trick or treaters at our new house!) and traveling to Albuquerque, NM, New York City, and Chicago. Thank goodness for no travel plans for November! (Well except for November 30 for a day trip down to San Fran...). Below are some random pics from my travels in October and Halloween!

We bought 2 pumpkins from a pumpkin patch and got some pumpkin carving in. Do you recognize the kitty in the above picture? It's Puss N Boots from Shrek! The pumpkin carving was all Brad. We got a lot of comments from the parents of the trick or treaters...lets just say I think we had the best pumpkin on the block ;)

After my work trip in Albuquerque, NM, I jetted off to Chicago for my 5 year college reunion at Northwestern. I spent most of the weekend with Amanda and Pauline, 2 of my best friends and former roommates from college (and a bridesmaid and maid of honor in our wedding!). We attended the 5 year reunion party at Martini Park in downtown Chicago where we met up with old friends, floor mates, old roommates, etc. It was a wonderful evening and a great time catching up with old friends we haven't seen in 5 years.

We also attended the Northwestern vs. Indiana football game...what an amazing game! We were down 28-3 in the 2nd quarter, and some of us were considering leaving the game. Good thing we stuck it out...somehow the Wildcats pulled back and scored a touchdown within the last 2 minutes of the game to win it 29-28! Last weekend, we also beat Iowa (ranked #4) 17-10 and their first loss of the season. Not bad, NU, not bad...

The weekend before Chicago, I was in NYC. I already had a work trip there, so I decided to stick around for the weekend and hang out with my good friend Thom (third from the left). He was one of my first friends at Northwestern my freshman year. We also met up with Matthias (who was visiting from Spain that weekend) and Rachel. Both are also friends from Northwestern. Matthias and Thom are actually both from Germany - I actually traveled to Nuremburg, Germany one summer during college to stay with Matthias and also did a side trip to Zurich, Switzerland where I hung out with Thom for a few days. So it was great to be able to have a little mini Northwestern reunion in NYC.

Thom took me around NYC and showed me the sites! Here, we're walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.

I guess Northwestern kids flock to NYC. We met up with a couple other old friends from NU - one is from Turkey and the other is from Bahrain (I think). What an international group.

We stopped in Chinatown, which makes Chicago's Chinatown look small =) We had some great food from a restaurant that makes their own noodles. Yum!

I wanted to end this post with a rainbow to brighten your day. Lately since Portland has transitioned to rainy season, we've been getting some really pretty and predominant rainbows. Here's one that we caught as we were driving into the city.

Cairo

OK, it has been 2 months since the trip, but we are finally posting the last set of pics. Our Middle East journey resumes in Cairo, Egypt. Seeing the Pyramids has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I consider myself fortunate to get to experience the last of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence. Pictures cannot do them justice, and I remain fascinated by their mystical, yet simplistic appearance.

They let us climb up a few steps, but not all the way to the top. I was surprised at how jagged the outer surface was, despite appearing smooth from the distance.

Yes, this is the most touristy photo I have ever been in! For our credit, though, the sun was scorching, leaving the sand too hot to touch.....so our options for getting around were by horse or camel. When in Rome....

We spent an afternoon walking around downtown Cairo, which isn't very common for tourists as nearly all tourists we saw in Cairo were with a tour group. We wanted to try to absorb the local culture as much as possible, but we kinda stuck out in a town that is 90% Muslim. Emily was especially out of place for not being completely covered from head to toe. We were visiting during Ramadan so the social morals are that it is strictly forbidden for men to even look at a woman.

A walk along the Nile River on our way to the world famous Egyptian Museum...with a view of the Cairo Tower in the distance. Unfortunately, the Egyptian Museum made us check the camera at the door. The museum houses all the artifacts from the Pyramids and local burial sites. One could easily spend a day or more perusing the immense collections of the museum. Our favorites were the mummies and the King Tut room. The gold-enshrined mummy of King Tut is quite impressive with its intricate carvings and hieroglyphics. Even more impressive is the fact that he was such a wealthy and powerful leader at such as young age (became a ruler at 9 years old and died at 18 yrs).

A major turnoff of the city is the overwhelming pollution. After living in Portland, we have become more aware of the environment and the importance of protecting it. One trip to a city this polluted will confirm these feelings. The smog was so dense and the air so acrid, that our eyes would burn and water just from being exposed to the toxic air.

I tried to get a picture of the sunset from our 23rd floor balcony, yet the sun was barely visible through the polluted haze.

After a long day of walking around the city, Emily crashed for a quick nap before dinner. Actually, I was wandering around our room trying to find her. I seriously could not find her because I initially looked in the bed and did not see her. The down blankets and pillows were so plush that she had almost completely disappeared.

The morning smog...yuck. After seeing this, I will never again complain about having to get the emissions tested on the car.

Our next adventure was to browse the local bazaar, Khan al-Khalili, where most of the locals go to buy merchandise and daily provisions. Pyramids excluded, this was probably my favorite part of Cairo. The key is to stay away from the touristy areas selling kitschy stuff and stick to the back alleys where the locals truly shop. You can buy everything from live animals to exotic spices to handmade rugs and clothes. A true cultural experience that should not be missed if you are in Cairo. Here are some representative pics from Khan al-Khalili:

Our last day in Cairo was spent on a whirlwind tour of Islamic Cairo. We visited around 7-8 mosques in one day.....we actually started to lose count. They all had magnificent architecture and their own style as they hailed from different eras.

The mosque of Mohammad Ali

Interior of the mosque of Mohammad Ali....a common feature of these mosques is the addition of electric lights, which hang from long chains from the ceiling. Personally, I found that the chains and lights diminished the grandiose feeling of the high arched ceilings and painted domes.

The view of the mosque of Sultan Hassan (left) and the mosque of ar-Rifai (right) as viewed from the high Citadel walls. This area is normally off limits, however a bribe to a guard will get you in really easily. Money talks in any language. When traveling, always remember The Golden Rule.....the man with the gold makes the rules. Another thing to know in Cairo is that all prices are negotiable.....you will generally end up spending about half of the original asking price if you bargain. Only a fool pays full price here. At one point on the trip, we spoke to one of the shop owners, and he told us that they have a price for Americans, for the French, and for locals. Guess whom they charge the highest price for? Americans! Besides the fact that some Americans actually pay the high price, it's also partially due to how strong the American dollar is in Egypt (5 Egyptian pounds for every dollar).

A few more pics of the mosques we visited....we had hundreds of pics, and I honestly can't remember which one was which....so I will just show some highlights from each:

Our day concluded with a trip through the City of the Dead. It is a four mile long cemetery that has become inhabited by paupers. The mausoleums were originally designed to give mourning family members a place to stay and pray for their deceased loved ones. Urban sprawl and poverty has forced many families to take up permanent residence here. Some houses are as small as 200 sq ft for an entire family....with no plumbing. The area is so destitute that our cab driver would not even let us venture outside the car for fear of us being preyed upon by pick- pocketing children.

A typical street view in the City of the Dead

Well, this concludes our journey....it was an amazing cultural experience, but we were definitely glad to be back home. Walking through a city and taking pictures with a camera that costs more than most locals make in a month gives you a strange, almost guilty feeling.....and it really makes you appreciate the opportunities and quality of life you have been given. I feel extremely lucky to have been born in a country with educational opportunities and the freedom to pursue my dreams.