October 8 So rather than stay in central Chicago (so expensive!) we chose the Pilsen neighborhood. Originally built to accommodate central European immigrants, Pilsen began attracting Mexican immigrants in the mid-20th century. Now, it’s slowly gentrifying and has become known as an artsy “alternative” place with a smattering of galleries amid the Mexican restaurants and bodegas.     Unfortunately the above restaurant was terrible!     Our AirBnB was in a building clearly intended for immigrants: high ceilings, large eat-in kitchen and no closets. The bathroom was clearly a late-addition; the closet in the hall had once served that purpose. The combination of Mexican and “hipster” in the neighborhood made for some odd gaps. Fresh fruit was non-existent which, I later realized, seems to be a feature of life outside major urban centers. Also we walked all over trying to find a loaf of bread for breakfast. Forget about the bodegas. We wound up in a vegan bakery of all places that sold us some sort of sweet rolls. October 9 Time to explore Chicago! I thought a quick trip to the tourist office might sort us out with maps, public transport, events, recommended activities. One of the many reasons … Continue reading →

October 12-14 We pulled into downtown Portland around noon.Time for lunch! We had a decent meal at a downtown bar-restaurant and then looked around a little. Powell’s Books was a must–the world’s largest independent bookstore. Unfortunately my carry-on only plane ticket didn’t allow room for a major book shop but it was fun to look around. Afterwards, we headed to a weed shop with a friend of Diane’s who needed to re-up his supply. It was so clean and wholesome; things have changed a great deal since I left the States! The fall colors were in full bloom and I was impressed with the elaborate Halloween decorations. And the spectacular fall colors: With the light fading, I headed to Hawthorne Boulevard for a look at the vintage shops, boutiques and cafes. I was particularly impressed with the New Seasons grocery store. As kale is basically unavailable in France, I had to buy a kale salad takeout which turned out to be delicious. It took me awhile to figure out the bus system but eventually I caught the correct bus back to our AirBnB just as it was starting to rain. The weather improved somewhat the following day which was great … Continue reading →

October 15-18 We arrived at Union Station, Los Angeles late on the 15th after substantial Amtrak delays. It’s a gorgeous Art Deco train station recently renovated and lit up. Checked into the Samesun Venice Beach Hostel which is only steps from the beach. It was a super-friendly place with a great included breakfast. We took an entire dorm room for ourselves.   And made sure to wash our breakfast dishes after! We were awesome. I loved the hippie vibe of Venice beach and the water was much warmer than I expected. Unfortunately Muscle Beach was closed for renovations though.     The “boardwalk” had lots of souvenir shops especially around Muscle Beach but the scene calmed down as we walked further north. Although I was informed that Venice Beach was gentrifying and many long-time residents were getting pushed out, I felt it could have been much worse. It retained the aura of a slightly ramshackle beach town.   Even if you couldn’t eat the local fish. After a wonderful lunch thanks to Fred and Beth, we dipped our feet in the water! And in the late afternoon, I took a walk around Venice’s little canal network. Although the “boardwalk” had … Continue reading →