Enchanted Forest

OK, humor me if you will... just a bit more about our recent northwesterly jaunt. I had my heart set on taking the kids to Enchanted Forest which is an attraction that was around when I was a kid (lo these many years gone by). It looms large in my memory of my childhood and I am so utterly pleased that it still exists and hasn't been 'dozed to make way for something shiny new and heartless without an ounce of the style (however strange it may be) and gusto and intrigue and spookiness and humor and earnestness of this place.

I think I visited this place once when I was about four with my friend Shari Murray and it must be one of my earliest memories. You can go inside Sleeping Beauty's castle, inside the mine where the seven dwarves are digging for jewels, inside Hansel and Gretel's cottage (and see these creepy mannequins behind glass, with Gretel poised to push the witch into the fire) and you can even go down Alice's rabbit hole... you creep down this tunnel and it's pitch black for about half a second before you turn the corner and crawl out through the 'keyhole'... as legend has it I had a freak out attempting to go through the rabbit hole as a child and, true to form, Bruno wasn't about to go down that tunnel, either.

Anyway, cheers to aged amusement parks everywhere, alive and thriving! Long may they live to amuse entertainment-seekers everywhere! Enchanted Forest is savvy though... they've added a few new attractions to keep up with the times, keep people coming back... you can now get your picture taken with Abe Lincoln, which is a thrilling new feature.

Free to Be You and Me

...did you grow up with this like I did? I guess I had the book and the record. I don't think I've ever seen the accompanying movie... I just discovered yesterday you can watch the whole thing on Youtube! Gotta love that Youtube.



If you've never seen it, well, you're in for an utterly sassy, liberated, seventies (eighties?) treat... it's got such a good heart and it's not ham-handed as this stuff can be sometimes... and the messages are still really important... hey, it's alright to cry, dudes!

Really Rosie is there, too!

Neskowin, OR

We spent about 18 glorious hours here and wished we could have spent many, many more. This place was like paradise for the young 'uns (and us big 'uns liked it pretty well ourselves) with a freshwater creek flowing shallowly over a big wide beach into the sea so there was SO much to play in without having to be en guarde for riptides and barnacles and whales and sharks (not to mention whale sharks). It was AMAZING. Crowning glory was Proposal Rock which was not just some li'l ol' puny rock but about 2-3 acres of rock thickly spread with loamy rich soil and thick coastal forest perched right where the sand meets the sea (at least during low tide it does) and this climb-y old family of mine just had to scamper straight to the top, of course. I went up with them the second time and had a heart attack moment when we were right at the top (about 60 feet up and RIGHT looking down at the open sea (and the tide coming in) and Bruno had a real three-year-old hissy fit not wanting to hold my hand when we crossed by this open spot... and was jerking away and acting all crazy... OK, that was the one moment when I wasn't so keen on Neskowin, OR, but other than that I basically think I could easily relocate to this sleepy, tiny town. There was this fantastic Hawk Creek Cafe which is pretty much my idea of the perfect place to eat... not only did they have a fine array of delicious Oregon microbrews on tap, but when we sat down to table each kid had a little Golden Book at their place, and the kid's menu was taped inside the front cover. Isn't that CLEVER?? I'm totally going to borrow that idea when I have my place someday.

Anyway, Neskowin, OR. I know it's far far far for my Texas friends but I'm giving it a big fat thumbs up. I'm feeling quite smart myself because Matt was craving to go to the Texas beach this spring and I begged him to save our money and just tack on an extra day or two to our Oregon adventure so we could visit the coast here instead.

More Oregon

Oregon

BACK!!

I forgot to hang up my 'gone fishin' ' sign but you may have surmised, faithful readers, that I've been indisposed these last few weeks. Off in the wilds of Oregon, revisiting my homeland, seeing the folks, my bros, a few other friends-and-relations, and having some just-us nuclear family adventures while we were at it... oh it's been a fine old time but I couldn't be happier to be home again home again jiggety jig, as they say, or do they say..? I know I'm supposed to say oh Austin ugh the heat I hate it but you know I actually like it very well even in the thick of the summer.

I'll share some of our escapades with you tomorrow but for now I'll just share a photo that was in my inbox when I arrived home, of me catching up with my friend Morgan from NYC. I wish I could share the other pics of his adorable son Harvey Valentine, but Harvey was frolicking around in his altogether so unfortunately they are better left unshared. This picture is actually so symbolic for me... there was a time in the not-so-distant past when I would have felt like such a failure meeting up with my friends from that era, especially ones who are working successfully in the arts. It's so nice to feel a lot more solid that we're all just happy, fulfilled people raising children and doing good work.

A wee giftie for my wee nephew

... I hope he digs it. It's a fort-making kit. Three thrifted sheets, a box of clothespins, and a flashlight. I want to add a little lunchbox for secret snack storage. Luckily we'll be visiting him in Oregon soon to help him play with it...