Farewell little Miami

Our little man, Miami sadly passed away the Wednesday after the long October weekend. We arrived home from our holiday on Sunday 19 October to receive the news from my sister.

Miami spent his last few weeks with “Granma and Pop” and was valiant to the end. Sadly, his arthritis and nearly 17 years of age had wearied his little body and it was time to go to sleep.

He is in our garden outside my studio window and surrounded by flowers. He was my best friend and while I was searching for the love of my life he would stare the potentials square in the eye and if they got a ‘smile’ (snarling with a sneer) I knew he was thinking ‘fat chance mate!’ Adam passed with flying colours and Miami soon realised he had double the attention he had always wanted. More pats, more food, more walks – anything he could try and get from this tall skinny man!

We always joked that Miami refused to die. He had a great life – living in doors 24/7, visiting cafes, running around the lake (when he and Mum were both fit!), road-trips to Sydney to see the girls (Kim/Rachel/Helen), staying at various palatial homes (Diane/Kristine/Mick & Mer, Granma & Pop), living with two gorgeous flatmates (Megan/Lisa), endless hugs from nieces/nephew, my Aunties/Uncles, friends, children/teenagers, sleeping on our bed, pretending not to be sleeping on the couch even though he was, being groomed, clipped and styled by Marion, cared for when Adam and I travelled (Cath/Ella/Kathy J/Rachel P) and most of all simply being my faithful companion all day every day for nearly 17 years. He will be sorely missed.

Miami’s newest friend Rachel Purdy sent a beautiful email and I’m sure Miami would have given it the paws of approval:

Oh Anne 🙁 I cried. I’m so so sorry to hear this. He was a very special little boy and friend and I know he was so much more than just a dog to you and your family. I have a lump in my throat writing this because i know how awful it is losing a pet. Just like any other member of the family.

He was a very funny and enthusiastic puppy and his name suited him perfectly. I think of a sunny, exciting, happy and busy place when I hear the word Miami. How suited 🙂 and as awful as you may feel that you weren’t there, he wouldn’t have wanted to leave had you been there. Now he can sleep easy, comfortably and free of any pains.
Goodbye little Miami man!
And lots of love to you my lovely Anne xoxox I’m sending all of my loving energy to you wherever you are ❤️
Thank you to everyone that has sent well wishes.
Anne & Adam xx
Here are a few photos of Miami over the years.
Anee with smelly hound
In 2008, with Mum, Kim and Helen at Bondi Beach – loving the girls!
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“Are we moving again!!” Miami has moved 11 times for Mum…and a few with Adam too.
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At last! home in Watson, Canberra and wooly carpet to sleep on.
After major eye surgery in 2013
Poor little man! after major eye surgery in 2013 he just seemed to age from that point on…
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Sneaking in after guest visitors have left…a little morning snooze…
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The last photo of Miami…tucked into his favourite bed and growing old.
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“Why does she do this to me?” – One of the many Christmas cards photographing Miami as the model. What a cutie!
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Miami – a rare occasion – venturing outdoors and at the beach near Brenda & Rhys house. He was a great road-trip companion.
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In his favourite place – near the roses, in the sun and being top dog at Jerrabomberra!
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“Okay, I know where you are taking me…either to the vet or the groomers! Mmmm…not happy Anne!”
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Strike a pose! Miami modelling while Anne takes way too many photos! “Geez Louise!”.
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Miami in the sun. Taken @ August/September 2014. Not bad for nearly 17 years of age.

Portland, Oregon – land of gentry – beards, beers and strip clubs!

Interiors of the strip clubl...oops! the brewery ;)
Interiors of the brewery

Yes, strip clubs. Let me explain. We see lots of plain buildings out near where we are staying. Mmm..strip clubs?? I purchase a little book on Portland by a local who says:

Portland is home to more strip clubs per capita than any other USA city…this doesn’t make sense…all I can see is coffee shops and record stores…

Anyway, luckily we are not in need of naked women. We just want to catch up with our Australian friends Fiona and Trevor who are staying with us for a week in Sellwood – a sleepy neighborhood about 15 minutes drive to the city. It’s near Antique Row which has vintage, bespoke shops and of course a bar serving beer!

Fiona and Trevor among the tall trees (one of a few in Oregon ;)
Fiona and Trevor among the tall trees (one of a few in Oregon 😉
One of many beers Adam and Trevor 'sample'!!
One of many beers Adam and Trevor ‘sample’!!

The next day we go downtown Portland to discover over a few days that in general, its one big sleepy town. It becomes apparent food, coffee, beards, beer, cupcakes, donuts, books, records, anything vintage, old neon signage, wood, iron, anything industrial are all the necessities that keep its citizens happie chappies. Oh! Did I mention how nice the people are here in Portland? They are all nice, friendly and down to earth. This is the most optimistic city I’ve ever been too.

One of the many signs @ downtown Portland, OR
One of the many signs @ downtown Portland, OR

 

 

Vintage signage in downtown Portland
Vintage signage in downtown Portland
In front of an old theater in the Arts District
In front of an old theater in the Arts District

So apart from hand-crafted beer, bourbon and velvet brioche/donuts, volcano cup-cakes, bearded baristas and “fries or salad with that?” we escape the gourmet hood/city and drive to the mountains of Oregon.

Views of Mount Hood from the winery
Views of Mount Hood from the winery

I later discover the two places we visit on our day road trip – Mt Hood and Columbian Gorge turn out to be two of the seven wonders in Oregon! For me the third wonder is the Mount Hood Winery – how many wineries can boast not one but two volcanoes as the views from the tasting room!

On the Columbia Historic Highway stopping at one of the many viewpoints of the river
On the Columbia Historic Highway stopping at one of the many viewpoints of the river

Our road trip is scenic and staggering – blue skies and still lakes stretch on forever, mountains are as high as they are wide and trees are bathed in warm sunshine lighting up yellow leaves as we zoom along the highway.

We enjoy our mini-stops to see replica steamers ready to go up the Columbia River Gorge and read about the latter

Tranquil waters as old steamer prepares to travel down Columbia Gorge
Columbia Gorge, Portland, Oregon

American history of the Gorge where the locks were installed @1895. However, the river was and continues to be a food/transportation hub for the descendents of various Native American tribes. According to http://www.columbiarivergorge.info/history.html , “…The Sahaptin word for the Columbia was “Nch’i-Wana,” the “Great River..”. We note the token Native American girl with her dog sculpture and the cultural/historical focus is lost among the Disney interpretation.

Native American sculpture
Native American sculpture
Heart attack pulled pork buns
Heart attack pulled pork buns

We continue our road trip and at Hood River pull over at the Big Horse Brewery to have ‘heart attack’ pulled pork sandwiches. Fiona and Trevor are good and stick to the salads (even though they do have their guilty moments – they sure love their cupcakes!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount Hood - Oregon's tallest peak and active volcano
Mount Hood – Oregon’s tallest peak and active volcano

We arrive at Timber Line Lodge and head up Mt Hood. Adam and I drop out ½ way as our hearts are beating. Well, we were 1 mile up and the oxygen does thin out….either that OR we are just old fobies!! Fiona and Trevor sped their way up with energy abounding.

We head home and as we drive through Sandy, Adam recalls how he once went out with a girl called Cindy from California. We all have a laugh about Adam and his “Californian Dreaming” girl!

After a week in Portland and having a wonderful time with Fiona and Trevor we say farewell as they drive back home to Victoria, BC and Adam and I board our silver plane to head to Los Angeles. We are very excited as we get to catch up with more Australian friends Kim, Pete and the kids who have recently moved to the USA. So, keep watching this space as one more posting to go before we head home to Australia in a few days.

New York – gourmet food, museums and divine weather!

One of my drawings from a sculpture in Madison Park, NY
One of my drawings from a sculpture in Madison Park, NY

Well, New York has turned out to be this amazing city and provided 10 days of gourmet delis/bakeries, dining in romantic restaurants/bars, exploring alleyways and finding unexpected shops of all kinds, beautiful parks to sit and people watch and draw amazing sculptures and basically keep our hearts beating an extra beat every second with all the sirens and car horns bleeping loudly. Whether you are in a cab or crossing a pedestrian it is a hair-raising experience!

Gosh! I don’t even know where to start…we’ve been pounding the pavement and walking everywhere averaging 7hrs and 20,000 steps according to my pedometer. I’m keeping slim and trim and don’t feel so bad when I eat a pastry from the french patisserie, drink my lattes and wines and nibble on gourmet cheeses from the local delis. If New York could be described as one word…it would be food! I’ve never seen so many options and the big thing over here is chop! chop! salads. It’s like theater or pulling teeth eventually when they finally hand over your salad which has been chopped to death but oh! my! tastes fantastic!

yummy salads on a warm Autumn day - 30 degrees!
yummy salads on a warm Autumn day – 30 degrees!

After our 2 hour walk through Central Park, we bought dinner and bagels from Dean & Deluca – a well known Italian deli on Madison Avenue and figured its the one thing we can afford as we walked past the beautiful shops with the beautiful people and their children dressed to the max! Even the dogs were matching the kids….mmmm…that is a worry!! There was one restaurant we would pass every night and it was like a scene out of a fashion shoot for Ralph Lauren. No joke. Only the beautiful All American chiseled and blonde could wine/dine at this ‘popular – LOOK AT ME’ spot.

This town has all sorts – tall, skinny, fat, short, joggers (some in tracky dacks and others in the latest nike flouro slim runners and matching their partners outfits of course!), dogs in prams, freshly clipped poodles on steroids and a naked old lady in Times Square – save for a few twirly stars/stripes sequined bits to cover the gravity defied components which I won’t go into! and so much more.

With lovely Laura on top of the MET drinking champagne on the rooftop garden watching the sun set over this beautiful city...(Adam behind the camera xx)
With lovely Laura on top of the MET drinking champagne on the rooftop garden watching the sun set over this beautiful city…(Adam behind the camera xx)
One of the many foyers in the MET
One of the many foyers in the MET

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went to the MET yesterday and spent 8 and 1/2 hours exploring this super huge museum along with 2000 others. It was 3 levels and covered 3 city blocks hence the reason we stayed all the day. We think the trick is to break up the day and with 2 solid breaks it made it so much easier to take it all in. We went to one floor which was a storage room and it went on and on and on – ceramics, glass, silverware, furniture, paintings and so on. There were levels where they recreated a room from a palace or villa from Europe which allowed people the chance to still experience renaissance France without having to fly out of the country. I sat and drew in part of the American Wing and for an hour listened to people’s conversations without them knowing and soaked up the atmosphere – another nice way of experiencing a museum. However, my feet started to tap and it was time to check out more galleries…ceramics, glass, American Art, photography and it just kept going. Thankfully, we took a break @ 4.30pm and headed to the Balcony Bar when a quartet (minus 1) played the most beautiful classical music with a contemporary edge while we drank our wine and chilled till just after 6pm. We did a bit more gallery looking and then finally checked out the MET shop. But it was all books…too heavy to bring home as Adam has already bought a couple of heavy catalogues…but we did manage an anniversary present for moi! A beautiful necklace which has lapis blue and gold settings based on the art deco period. A perfect end to a perfect day xx

Listening to classical music at the MET.
Listening to classical music at the MET.
Brooklyn Bridge, NY
Brooklyn Bridge, NY

We walked the Brooklyn Bridge from end to end and return and started with stormy cold weather which quickly changed to steamy, hot weather. We’ve been so lucky with the weather as we’ve had a late summer burst and only one day of rain and a drizzly day – but nothing to stop us from checking out the culture and vibe of each neighborhood.

Boys toys for Adam!
Boys toys for Adam!

While Laura and I shopped/sipped champagne and talked non-stop in Brooklyn and Williamsburg, Adam did entertain himself at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. He spent a couple of hours checking out a big great war canoe (built in WWII, which also saw action in Vietnam). On the deck, Adam was excited to see a Harrier jump jet, tomcat – a lah Tom Cruise in Top Gun, a Leggo scale model of the ship, an SR71 blackbird, an Avenger from WWII, a Seaking helicopter and many more big boy’s toys!

Murray's cheeses in West Village on Bleaker Street
Murray’s cheeses in West Village on Bleaker Street

Ooh! and I must tell this story..I bought lunch at Murray’s Cheeses – an institution of it’s own. They have communal tables and this older Italian guy sits next to me and says “Can you look after my balls?”. I double-look at him and say “Sure!”.  He disappears and I check his balls – 2 x risotto balls!! Heh! Heh! He comes back and with a quick wink and flick of my hair I say “I didn’t touch your balls but they are safe!!”. We end up having a great conversation and flirt away. He has a wedding ring and so do I and it’s all quite innocent. Gotta love New York.

Miss Liberty
Miss Liberty

Ooh! Miss Liberty…I can’t remember if I mentioned her in last blog? So here she is. On a stormy, overcast day which fits in well with the day being the same when she was opened in October 1886. Finally, we will always remember New York especially to celebrate our 6th Wedding Anniversary – may we always travel and photograph our way through the cities while still loving each other (even if we have a few tiffs along the way!!).

Traveling and photographing with each other! Gotta love this life.
Traveling and photographing with each other! Gotta love this life.