Seattle is on course to have its' warmest January ever. It is that El Nino effect happening and our loss is California's gain. So I have been down to see Mom this year and it was a lot of fun. On the flight down I got to try the Whistler Brewing Company's Thistle Black Ale. Mighty fine beer to be sure and also discovered pretzel crisps. They are good! If you have not tried them, you must. So before I get going, I have been informed that sometimes my postings tend to go on, oh, a little long. What can I say, I have a gift for the word. I try and keep it light and fun, but I get carried away. I shall try and pace myself and perhaps, just perhaps do more than one posting this week. I know, I know, that's just crazy talk, but hey miracles do happen.
On January 13th I flew down to Medford, oh wait, I'm sorry, I flew down to The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. Talk about puff, puff, puff! Heck I flew out of Sea-Tac and it has a hell of a lot more flights and does not need to strut around like a puffed up turkey! Alas, the flight was uneventful and we landed without incident. Walked out just as Mike, my brother, was pulling up after making one round. Good timing. Drove home and got settled in for the evening. Flying down on a work day is challenging and I do not get a lot done. What was wonderful was that Mom decided to make one of my favorite dishes from our youth, Tamale Pie. A true Betty Crocker recipe, but oh so good.
Afterwards, we watched some TV and called it an early night. Sleep was so needed and tomorrow brought a new day. I slept like a log and it was wonderful. Woke up refreshed and got ready for the day and headed up to get coffee going. Mom joined me and was game to make another favorite from the past - gashouse eggs. These were a staple of the years up at Lake of the Woods and to sit and enjoy them with her was a treat. For those that may know them by another name, you take a piece of bread and cut out a hole and crack the egg into the middle of the bread. You flip it and grill until cooked. It is like a fried egg in the center of a piece of bread. Oh and you grill the little circles as well and eat them on the side = YUM! I had to run a few errands and then got back to the house to see what Mom was up to. From there it was time to begin the domino games. We play a version called Wagon Train. It involves 15 rounds to a game and so can take some time.
After a few rounds, I took Mom down to Standing Stone Brewing Company. Here is a bit of history about the place, you can skip it if you like:
Floyd Whittle built his one-story, fire resistant, reinforced concrete
structure and concrete floors to last. If he thought about how his building would be used in the future, surely a micro-brewery restaurant would not have entered his mind. After all, that was 1925, eight years before the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition. And the Amarotico brothers, responsible for
converting the Whittle Garage Building into the classy Standing Stone Brewing
Co, surely have trouble believing that Whittle built that garage for $6000. It
took a half million dollars for them to renovate the garage before it was suitable for public assembly in 1997.
By the time Whittle arrived in 1909, Ashland, founded in 1850, had already developed a substantial industrial base. Whittle formed a moving and storage operation, and in 1925 built a new industrial building in the commercial area. The plan he chose was an adaptation of the Falsefront form used extensively in the
towns of Oregon since 1850. The extended facade gave the appearance that a
one-story building was larger and more formidable than it was; it also hid the simple gables and sloped roofs from the public view. During the early years of the 20th century, the automobile became the main source of personal travel. New buildings were needed to accommodate the growing businesses needed to service the cars, while existing buildings were simply modified.
Upon completion, Whittle leased the garage to Sim Morris and Sons, owner of Morris’s Oak Street Garage. Over the 20 years they occupied the space, Morris’s garage and machine shop business expanded to include other services related to automobile repair. Eventually, they found their niche in the manufacture of welded steel tanks. No one is certain how the building was used subsequent to the Morris’s relocation, but there is speculation that Lithia Motors may have used a portion of the building for repairs and storage. Regardless, the garage remained essentially unchanged for almost 30 years, until August 13, 1953, when a fire at the Busch Motors Building spread and damaged the Whittle building.
Whittle hired E.H. Nicholson and Charles Delsman, owners of the Pioneer Glass and Cabinet Shop, to repair and replace the windows, to tear down the rear wing ruined by the fire, and to build a wooden deck for storage. Nicholson and Delsman, in need
of additional space, then rented the newly repaired garage and moved their shop in November. When Nicholson died the following September, James Delsman joined his brother Charles to run the company. In 1977, they purchased the property from the Whittle estate, and ran the operation there until their retirement in 1994.
In March, 1996, the ownership was transferred to the Amarotico brothers. From the beginning, they recognized the importance of retaining the original integrity and industrial character of the building. All renovation was designed with the intent to appear as though the brewery/restaurant was simply tucked into the open original space. Most of the flooring is still exposed concrete, though now it is sealed with clear polymer. The original or similar raw concrete and brick walls remain exposed, and the original open truss system is still apparent. Requirements to meet seismic, sanitation and the ADA (American Disability Act) codes were installed so as not to detract from the original interior. The wooden storage deck, demolished in the early l980?s by the City of Ashland because it had become an attractive area for indigents to gather, has been rebuilt and new serves as a large, attractive, outdoor dining area.
The building was officially registered with the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. According to George Kramer, an historic preservation consultant and the preparer of the nomination’s The Whittle Garage Building, completed in 1925, remains Ashland's best surviving example of the simple utilitarian Falsefront form as it was employed in southern Oregon during the 1920's. Substantially unaltered from its historic exterior appearance, the Whittle Garage Building retains exceptional integrity in appearance, workmanship, setting, and use of materials. Floyd Whittle should be pleased. With appreciation and acknowledgement to their website and
Nancy Bringhurst, Heritage Magazine, S.O. Historical Society, Vol.2, No.1,
January 2000
So getting seated we knew instantly what we were having. Mom had the Grilled Reuben with Corned Beef (oh they offer it with turkey or tofu if you so desire - UGH!) and I opted for a bowl of chowder and the fish & chips. Loved the former and other than the fish, could have passed on the latter, but you learn something every visit. All was not lost as I found 4 awesome new sipping glasses and they made the trip home safely due to Meagan wrapping them up so nicely. One sad note of the trip there was seeing that Chateaulin, an institution in Ashland since 1973 had closed. Bummer! A place I always wanted to go and never made it to. Got to mark it off my bucket list as undoable. Kind of like riding on the Concode.
Back to the house and more domino's and a nap consumed the balance of the day. Good conversation and enjoying the Christmas decorations filled the evening as Mom enjoyed her game shows from 7-8pm which she loves. It allowed us a bit of a break from the non-stop coverage of the horrible earthquake that had hit Haiti just a couple of days prior. It is amazing at the response and yet at the chaos that is there. I have to say that while the television special that aired last Friday, the 22nd, was assembled so quickly and had such amazing support, it had such a gloom to it at a time when offering hope is so needed. I know what they were trying to do, but one can only remember when Barbara Steisand sang at the Emmy Awards back in 2001 and it was amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch? It was the beginning of my healing from 9/11. But I honor what they were doing.
OK, so after some heart warming soup and some more television we were off to bed again for Friday was going to be a full day. We were up early and playing more domino's. Oh have I mentioned that Mom kicked my butt! Won the first two games - you rock Mom! We then enjoyed leftover tamale pie for lunch as a taco salad of sorts and then on to White City to see the new Grand Niece - Elizabeth Grace otherwise referred to Lizzy or Lizard! Could not believe how much that girl slept and boy were Justin and Meredith proud parents. From there we headed to the Eagle Point cemetery where Dad is and Mom got to have a little chat about the visit. It was her 1st seeing the baby as she had a cold when the baby was born. On the way back to town we stopped briefly at Bruce Robinson's house - he had been a dear friend of Dad's and Mom got to share about the baby and catch up for a few. I think Bruce appreciated that she stopped by.
We headed home for a nap - I REALLY LIKE TO TAKE NAPS ON VACATION! But alas, it was time to get up and head back to Medford and join up with Mik, Joce and family for a dinner at Olive Garden, because when you are there, you're family! OK, bad humor! Well, after 45 minute wait we were seated and half of us opted for soup and the other half went for salad. Numerous bread sticks were consumed and seeing Courtney order a cocktail, legally, really made me feel old. She is my niece! Mike enjoyed the Mixed Grill of skewers of grilled marinated steak and chicken with a rosemary demi-glace, served with grilled vegetables and Tuscan potatoes while Justin has the Tour of Italy with homemade lasagna, lightly breaded chicken parmigiana and creamy fettuccine alfredo. Meredith enjoyed her first glass of wine since the baby's birth plus Chicken Parmigiana which consists of parmesan-breaded chicken breasts, fried and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese & served with spaghetti. Mom & I were traditionalists and opted for the Spaghetti & Meatballs - traditional meat sauce over spaghetti with meatballs. Talk about filling! Joyce had what I had my eye one and wish I had gone with in a way - Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo - grilled beef medallions 
drizzled with balsamic glaze, served over fettuccine tossed with spinach and gorgonzola-alfredo sauce. Just hurt me now and I will be happy! Finally Courtney had in addition to the afore-mentioned cocktail the Garlic-Herb Chicken con Broccoli - rosemary-seasoned chicken breasts sautéed with fresh broccoli in a garlic cream sauce over orecchiette pasta. Can we all say yum now! It was lovely and yet at the same time a moment of *BLUSH* as my card declined. Do not know why or how...but it did. My brother, ever the trooper, stepped in and took care of the bill and I posted a check to him upon my return home and let's just say I am more than a bit perturbed with my bank. Missed having Kevin with us, but he had to work up on Mt. Ashland due to the snowfall.
OK - so complete sidebar - I went to youtube for the Babs reference above and do not ask, just watch the following very cool - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFuIgWYJFZw - some of you might not know I am going to Las Vegas this Saturday and get to see Bette Middler's last show at Caesar's Palace on Sunday. Well, I love fountains and who has the most amazing fountain in all of Las Vegas...need I say more!
Now back to our regular posting...I have gone on a while haven't I and just about done with the visit to Ashland. Friday was lovely and well, Saturday was forgettable and let's just say I got a taste of growing older and 16 hours later I am regular and we're walking, we're walking...come along, don't dawdle. Thanks to Mom, Mike and Joyce for their assistance and well...on with the show. Due to the situation, Mom and I postponed our dinner at the Jacksonville Inn until our next visit and stayed home to enjoy meatloaf and potatoes. Simple and good. Did begin another game of Domino's and amazingly, when we finished the next day, I won! YEAH! Mom then made a lovely brunch of eggs, bacon, toast and we enjoyed screwdrivers. Mom mentioned she had not had one since Dad had died. Well, 10 years is a long time to go without a screwdriver. It was fun to toast day and the trip and Mom as well. What a great trip and good memories.
So there you go. Flew home on the 17th and nothing exciting happened. Last week was spent beginning to pack away Christmas. Also sent out 18 boxes to people who did not attend the 50th birthday bash and asked them to let me know a charity they wanted the money to go to. Amazing at how many do not have time to take 10 minutes to let me know. We have all these things to help save time in our lives and it seems we have less time than ever, but don't get me off on a tangent. What I do know is that this posting is coming to an end and I wish you well and enjoy reading. More later!
Cheers, Chris
PS: Hello LAs Vegas, here I come!
We do love our Tamale Pie!
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