The Weekend Report

Attended two surprise birthday parties. One, for Ben, involved NoPo's best front porch awash in evening light. The other, for Charlie, involved face-melting guitar rock from the band Magic Sword, as well as everyone running around all drunk with toy light sabers.

Slashed the Bracewell mini for the last time for a spell—as Bracewell himself is becoming a new dad, like, any minute now and will need nothing in his life for a bit but peace and quiet and, probably, diapers.

Took the dog for summer's first swim. Watched him lunge through the shining waves.

Moms and pops were in town with nephew Pat. As such, they were towed around by me in search of a Portland I insist upon, one that is not clogged with kooks and traffic but rather a mellow city of incendiary pizza, easy parking, and snow-capped volcanoes off in the distance.

Wine spritzin' on the porch with my boy Walter.

Mom and nephew—nice light and good marble at Pittock Mansion.

Don't pizza make you smile?

Fact: I went to a party that looked like this and I was not on drugs.