My life as a study in contrasts extends to my travel. I am a fan of getting in very large airplanes and hurtling thousands of miles to get to places where I can then dispense with all modes of transportation besides my feet. I enjoy hanging out in little towns and villages where the best live entertainment comes in sitting around, drinking coffee amidst the locals, alternately eavesdropping and participating in the conversation. Such it was, then, that last week I headed off for Oregon. For the fourth year running, I lighted temporarily in Portland, then joined forces with my friend David, whereupon the two of us headed on over to Astoria, a town famous for a few things. This is the place where the Columbia spills into the Pacific, Lewis and Clark wrapped up their little walk, and Goonies and Kindergarten Cop were filmed. And it’s the first town in Oregon Country where a white woman—an English barmaid named Jane Barnes— lived. more ›