July 5, 2014
Was the high point the parade yesterday in Ashland or the all-female production of “Two Gentlemen of Verona?” We think the Shakespeare although the parade was fun to see.
“Two Gentlemen” has some delightful and familiar Shakespearean lines in it: “All you need is Love!” And it is a chance for actors to show of their comedic skills. There is nothing serious about it, but the contrivance is just a lot of fun, from the portly steward, to the drunk failing and loathed suitor, and handsome, but deceptive best friend who throws over his own girl for the intended of his best friend. Beautifully performed (by many of the same cast from “Sidney Brustein” last night), it’s a delight. It was interrupted often, too, by the screeching of a family of owls that have taken up residence in the outdoor shell of the Shakespearean theater, and the dog Picasso, who has a lead role. Clearly this is a place where the animals are accepted as part of the scenery and employed as actors.
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Our Crew at Peeless |
We had dinner last night at Peerless on Fourth Street. We ate on the restaurant’s patio, enjoying every minute of it. Ben had Washington state oysters—they are smaller than Chesapeake or Normandy oysters, a chilled melon soup, and a golden beet salad. The beets, with general consensus from the others had no taste, but everything else was good. John had a sampler platter of sliders and artichoke pizzas, which was a lot of fun to eat but a bit heavy. His starter was some calamari, very traditional, but served with a sweet and hot Thai dip. The others had a variety of dishes from fish to lamb. The wines, however, were the high points: we had the cellar’s last bottle of a 2013 Rogue Valley Sauvignon Blanc from J Scott Winery, which was full and delightfully dry without being acidic, and a 2010 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley from Sotor Winery. A very pleasant meal—although the kitchen did not take Ed’s wish for his lamb rack to be medium and it had to be sent back. It was very rare when it came.
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A Biplane Fly-by to Start |
Now the Parade: It was sponsored by the Ashland Chamber and in many ways was a chance for the local small businesses to show of their staffs and their wares or services to the 20,000 people in town for it. But it was a fun show: The Wizard of Oz float for a local Spa, the ghastly cars pushing a fight against GMO foods, the bands from the college and the local Ashland City Band, the marching bagpipers—royalists Scots in the US Independence Day Parade (?), some scruffy Boy Scouts (not up to the 1950s military precision of John’s Rhode Island troop from his teen years!), and lots of politicians (both US Senators from Oregon) and very old cars. We did not see any Gay rights organization though there was said to be one, but there were several Latino groups with the flag of Mexico and the dancing of the señoritas in their bright colors. A hoot and worth spending the 90 or so minutes on the street.
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Saving the Bees |
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Anti-GMO Folk-- |
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Las Señoritas |
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Wizard of Oz Spa |
We need to add to this part of the blog that we did some further exploring in the town. We had thought to go through Lithia Park and so today we walked up through the park—stopping for some vegetarian pad thai at a food stand that would drive our friends in Thailand crazy with sadness. It was a far cry from even a pad thai in Washington—a collection of noodles with some soft veggies and a sprinkle of sprouts and peanuts. Oh, well…
Then we walked up through the Fourth of July celebrations, including a Lincoln impersonator doing a Gettysburg Address to the Japanese garden. It’s a small area but rather well done with a good collection of Japanese plants, rocks and streams. A pleasant oasis in a large and very nice park.
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The local band and the Lincoln impersonator |
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In the Japanese Garden |
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