Brandon "Not the Book-y Kind of Librarian" B.'s Profile

You may have noticed the plethora of medical reviews lately. Well, kids, that's what happens when you turn 40.

Tear it up and burn it down while you still can.

My doctor wanted a baseline mammogram so we have a picture of health for any later comparative assessments. A fine idea.

And so I found myself bleary-eyed, sipping coffee in a toasty warm spa robe at 7:00 one recent morning. In an attempt to save sick time at work I took the earliest appointment possible, so the quiet spa atmosphere and caffeinated beverage kiosk was very much appreciated.

Also very much appreciated: the professional and warm manner of all the staff, the modern yet non-hospitaly facility (until you've had medical services in an environment that is nothing like a middle school cafeteria, it's hard to understand what an amazing difference it makes), and the speed of the services. Although I had no reason to worry, it was still very nice to know quickly that for certain nothing was wrong.

The mammogram itself was uncomfortable (not painful) but that's the nature of the beast. The technician did a great job explaining what was going on, and working efficiently so we could limit the discomfort (but not so quickly she might make a mistake that required a re-do).

So, that was that. I'll need another mammo at some point -- hopefully always on a check-up rather than illness basis -- and I'll definitely come here.

I came of age in Portland at a time when many cars and even a couple of Trimet buses sported bumperstickers saying "In case of accident, don't take me to OHSU."

Over the years, that sentiment has proven true some of the time with tragic consequences (RIP Julia), yet been proven equally wrong at other times (D. is cancer-free 12 years). So it was with some trepidation that I placed my own health in the hands of an OHSU doctor.

But, hey, it's just an eye doctor. Nobody dies from pupil dilation, right? Right?

I lived to write this review, so far, so good.

Dr. Lombardi listened attentively to my tale of woe, performed a thorough eye exam quickly and efficiently, and when that yielded no hints at the suspected underlying problem, she said quite simply, "Well. Let's just do an MRI."  

Yes, let's.

With other doctors that kind of request was met with the skepticism, scoffing, and side-stepping usually reserved for avoiding lunatics on the street or evangelicals on your doorstep. I might as well as asked to ride a chocolate unicorn to Mars.

I'm pleased and relieved to find a doctor who treats technology like the useful tool it can be rather than like some precious resource only reserved for the mysterious deserving.

Plus, I'm super excited to see my own brain. How cool is that? Cooler than a chocolate unicorn.

Since my last review I have moved my primary banking to Rivermark, but through sheer laziness and the desire to isolate my tax refund (which is direct deposited) from my grubby spendthrift hands, I never got around to closing this account.

Said tax refund was mostly diminished when I received a phone call from NRFCU's fraud alert department. "Excuse me ma'am, are you currently spending $200 at iTunes?"

Um, no....  I get my music for free from the library (legally with Freegal, but that's a different conversation).

The whole fraud thing was handled pretty well by the alert department and by the NRFCU employee I subsequently dealt with. They were very friendly and helpful.

I'm waffling between 2- and 3-stars because some key details were bungled (a new debit card supposed to be ordered was not, some paperwork supposed to arrive via email did not).  On the other hand, Gmail was having known problems that week and the employee didn't mind me calling with dozens of follow-up questions and she had a great attitude. .... 'Course, that is her job.

Oh well, I'm practicing kindness and gratitude, so 3 stars it is.  I don't recommend NWFCU, but if you're there anyway you can at least feel confident in the fraud detect & remedy process.

I cut my teeth on tiki benders in my 20's so Trader Vic's held a special place in my heart.  And I'll put up with quite a bit to swim in the warm waters of nostalgia -- hence my 5-star review of Montage.

But damn, good memories only go so far when the prices are this high.

After the pink slip bomb went off at work, we gathered for foofy drinks and commiseration. Granted we were a large group, so a mistake or two is inevitable, but a decent establishment, especially a posh Pearl place, should know how to gracefully handle a mistake or two.

Or, twenty? Nearly everything was wrong. Drinks, food, wrong, missing, all the fault of our waitress -- by her own admission. When asked about a missing drink she'd blankly respond, "Oh. Yeah. I didn't put that order in" or "I forgot that."  Over and over and over again. And never an apology or comp offer.

Only once did she offer an excuse: "The music, like, sort of, I dunno, threw me off."

Sweetie, you aren't pretty enough to be this bad at your job.

And I'm not stupid enough to come back here.

An otherwise ordinary grocery store becomes exciting terra incognita to a foreign visitor. Ooh, unrefrigerated milk! "Organic" eggs still have feathers and goop on them! Great wine is less than 5 Euro!

Bonpreu was an easy place to shop for most of our list, from yogurt to vodka. I also picked up a few items that will be greatly enjoyed as gifts without breaking my budget.

Recommended, but bring your own bags!

Can Xabanet, an elegant family restaurant, sits on a quiet corner in Banyoles.

On the day after Christmas, our large group enjoyed the prix fixe menu. For our two vegetarians staff gladly provided an alternative to the typically meat-heavy menu. *Hello, Catalonia, there are these things called vegetables. They are not part of the pig. ;)

Everything from the traditional canelons to the veal to the crema Catalana was delicious, and service was excellent!  I hope to return one day.

The largest natural lake in Catalonia, the Lake of Banyoles (Estany de Banyoles) was the site of the 1992 Olympics rowing competition. It retains a sporting atmosphere as residents and visitors walk, run, and bike around the lake on a trail that varies from maintained to wild. People use the lake too of course, rowing, kayaking, swimming, and during the summer, partying in the teeny houses that dot the city side of the lake.

Christmas Eve day and plans are afoot. Making a feast tonight, for us, for the Caga Tio. We need supplies and Pere Roca is here to oblige.

Greeted at the door with samples and a glass of cava, it was fun to shop in the festive holiday atmosphere. We got everything we needed, at good prices, with quick & friendly service.

I picked up a few last-minute gifts from the excellent selection of wine, chocolate, and other foodstuffs.

Bon Nadal!

Time passes. The bangs stay the same. My high opinion stays the same.

I followed Donna to another salon, and back here to LL in their new location in Goose Hollow. It's a cute little pocket neighborhood that feels far away but is easily accessible by MAX and bus.

Vineyards can be forgiven for focusing solely on their crop of grapes and the attendant machinery necessary to convert the grape into the wine. First things first, no?

Though it leaves most Oregon vineyards looking somewhat dull and forgettable. At least the ones that haven't already succumbed to the Californication of outlandish tasting mansions, complete with pour bimbettes, massive parking for massive hummer limos, and bad bad bad art (made by the owner, or the bimbette-in-residence).

At this recent Yelp event, I learned that Red Ridge strikes a perfect balance between its wine and its experience. Good wine, good facilities, good -- no, great -- gardens, and a lovely little shop. I didn't see it, but there are some limited lodgings also.  And nary a bimbette in sight.