Sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for yourself to just getaway somewhere special and forget about what you do for once in a while. After all, as a Freelance Writer / Photographer, I’m always working on my next blog post, magazine article or some other project. Notebook, iPad, iPhone and Nikon in hand I plunge ahead, even during holidays with the family or a weekend away with my wife.
Yummy..raw oysters
So this past weekend I headed to the Oregon Coast, Newport to be exact, with my love interest, yes..my wife Marsha, and my best friend Kurt Brickner and his wife Sara. We had talked about attending the benefit affair, “Oyster Cloyster” held each year at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. Well, this year we made it happen I’m thrilled to say.
This annual benefit gives all the proceeds to the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Oregon Coast Community College Fund, both great organizations. I have attended for the past three years and will continue to do so until I move to Belize in 1-2 years, but thats another story.
Why do I love this event so much you might ask? Oysters ! All you can eat oysters, prepared by some of the best Chefs in the Pacific Northwest IMO. You can have them raw, in a stew, stuffed with caviar , wassabi, or oh so many other inventive things. I will tell you, I am in heaven at this event. There’s just something about letting that flubber-like gooey, slippery, raw slime thing slide down your throat ! Especially along with some fresh horseradish cocktail sauce. Yummmmmmy !
And to complement all that fresh seafood, which does include some fresh shrimp, there are wineries and breweries there too. That’s affirmative. One of my very special and favorite wineries is always in attendance, Noble Estates Winery from Eugene, Oregon. My friend Steve was there again, smiling and just exploding with updates on their newest vintage, while pouring me a healthy sip or two. White or red, it doesn’t matter, there isn’t one of theirs I wouldn’t sip on, but I gotta say, the new release of “reserve” Pinot Noir? fantastically f*cking awesome ! Oooops..did I say that? 😉
Fried oysters anyone?
I was very pleased to not only see the great turnout, but also how much my buddy Kurt and his lovely wife enjoyed the event, and oysters. I think Kurt would agree, the way to a woman’s “heart”, quite often is via the “Oyster Road” if ya know what I mean.
Ahhh yes yes yes..oysters
Something we did this year but I don’t remember from last, was going to different other buildings there at the Aquarium, like where you walk through the tunnel of water, with sharks, rays and the like swimming all around you.
All in all, quite an excellent night.
Now getting back to my point at the beginning. I told my wife before leaving on this weekend adventure, that I wasn’t going to work. I was on the receiving end of the look, you know, the one that says “your full of crap!?”. When I first entered the Aquarium, I ran into my friend Steve from Noble Winery, and the first thing he asked was “where’s the camera?” His next statement was, “Good for you, your hear to enjoy not work”. And he was right. My wife looked at me with an enormous smile, and we had a super evening, just enjoying each other.
So as is life in so very many circles, work is always hanging over us, even when we aren’t “working”. I say, leave the fucking cell phone, or camera, or notebook at home once in a while. Enjoy life and put a priority on those you love and not the “boss” who really doesn’t give a shit about your life.
That being said, what the hell am I going to do ? I didn’t take any photo’s? Guess I’ll figure out something.
Cheers you all,
Gary
storiesbygary 