Pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving 2007

Because I couldn’t find one perfect recipe, I used the crust from one and the filling from another. Actually, Michael did the work.

Lowcarb notes: we’ve made this pie (filling and crust) with xylitol instead of sugar and it works fine.  Leave out the molasses.

We decided to triple the recipe this year but somehow ended up with 4 pies (and 6 crustless cupcakes we made for a nut-allergic friend).  We used small/medium springform pans.

The crust:

From:
http://www.somethinginseason.com/2007/10/pumpkin-pie-from-scratch-part-1.html
(note: this lovely site has been shut down)

Basic recipe:
2 cups whole pecans (you can substitute walnuts if you like)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Michael processing pecans

I used pecans and organic cane sugar and flaxseed goo for the egg (1 tablespoon fine flax meal in 1/4 cup water, nuked for a minute then left to cool). You simply grind it all in the food processor and then press it into the pan. Cover the bottom and an inch or more along the sides with a good thick crust (1/4″ or so).

Crusts ready for filling

The filling:

From: http://www.tazarat.com/results.asp?id=33

Basic recipe:
3/4 lb firm tofu
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin puree or 2 cups fresh-cooked pumpkin
1 cup Sucanat (organic evaporated cane juice/cane sugar) or brown sugar
2 TB oil
2 TB molasses
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ginger powder or 1.5 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Michael & Miriam measuring pumpkin puree

We used homemade pumpkin puree (from Peterson pumpkins) which I measured into 2 cup bags and froze. For the sugar, we used organic cane sugar. Michael used 4/5 of a cup instead of a full one in 2007 but we forgot in 2008 and used the full amount.  The pies tasted great and weren’t too sweet. The oil was sunflower (also oiled the pan with it). Instead of ginger powder, we used twice as much grated (both fresh and frozen work well) ginger.  In 2008, we couldn’t find nutmeg in the pantry so substituted cardamon (yum…I think we’ll have to do both next year).

Pumpkin pie filling

You just food process and/or mix everything and pour it on the crust. Spread out evenly.

Filling the crusts (picture by Miriam Norwitz)

The directions say to cook for 1 hour at 350*F, until cracks appear.  But this isn’t nearly long enough.  The filling takes 1.5 to 2 hours; unfortunately, the crust starts to burn after you pass 1 to 1.5 hours.  The secret is to turn off the oven after an hour or so, before you get that burnt smell, but leave the pies inside where it is warm.  The filling will continue to set.  If your oven doesn’t hold heat well, leave it on a low temperature (like 200 or 250).

The good news is that overcooking the crust actually tastes good.  People liked it even when it was burnt, though it was better when it was just caramelized.  Just keep an eye on it and you’ll be fine.

Pumpkin pie display

This is a rich pie with plenty of spice, but still a good pumpkin flavor. It is softer than your usual pumpkin pie but part of that is regular pies have a very firm crust that holds the filling (this crust doesn’t do that at all). The texture is good. All in all, it was a success.

I made a cashew cream to go with it. The cream was also a huge hit. It was great on it’s own but even better with the pie. They went together superbly.

Pumpkin pie with cashew cream

Note: Recipe rewritten with new pictures 11/08.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Cranberry sauce is one of those dishes that is so easy to make I can’t understand why everyone doesn’t do it. Especially given that the canned stuff is so bland and without texture.  You do want to use organic cranberries here, as chemically-grown berries tend to be high in pesticides.  2008 was not a good year for cranberries and they were horribly expensive.  Fortunately, you don’t need a lot of them (1 lb served over a dozen people).

This recipe freezes extremely well. It also lasts in the fridge for a long time. I froze a batch leftover from Thanksgiving 2006 and served it for Thanksgiving 2007 with very little reduction in taste or texture.  I used the recipe again for Thanksgiving 2008.

Ingredients:

Fresh cranberries, 1 bag (about 16 oz)
Fresh lemon zest from 2 small lemons (organic only)
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon (2 if not juicy)
Fresh ginger root, grated, 1-3 teaspoons
Salt, pinch
Stevia, pinch or two (optional)
Organic cane sugar, as desired
Water as needed

In 2008 I used 3 TB sugar and no stevia and ended up with perfect sauce that was not very sweet (which is how we like it).  In 2006/7 I used a bit less sugar and some stevia.  In 2008 I also used 3 TB water to thin out the sauce a bit.  How much water you need (if any) will vary a lot based on how juicy the berries are, how much you cook it, how much sugar you use, etc.

Rinse the cranberries in water and drain.

Put into an empty pot on the stove and heat gently while stirring until the cranberries start to soften.

Zesting a lemon over cranberries

Add stevia and sugar to desired sweetness. The stevia is optional but will help reduce the overall sugar level. I end up using about half of what is called for in a traditional cranberry sauce that also has a sugar boost from orange juice. Don’t use all or mostly stevia as the dish will be too bitter (I love stevia but it doesn’t mesh well with lemons).

Add salt, lemon, and ginger.

Stir and cook until the cranberries start to pop open and the texture is to your liking. Mash a bit if you wish or leave mostly whole. Adjust sweeteners/seasoning if needed.  If the flavors aren’t coming together, you probably need a touch of salt.

This cranberry sauce makes a great traditional accompaniment to turkey or other Thanksgiving fixings. It’s also good as leftovers with a variety of foods as a condiment. Miriam enjoyed dipping carrots in it. And for Thanksgiving 2007, some people ate it straight as a dessert.

Finished cranberry sauce

Note: Recipe rewritten with new pictures 11/08.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

I made the cashew cream to go with a vegan pumpkin pie I took to a Thanksgiving Potluck in 2007 and again in 2008, though it’s delicious on anything sweet.

Recipe:

2 cups raw cashew pieces (I keep them in the freezer)
Juice of one small lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Dash or two of white stevia powder (or use a another sweetener if you prefer)

Soak the cashews overnight (anything between 4 and 24 hours is fine).

Drain and rinse the nuts and blend them with as much water as they need.  You may need to do this in several batches.

Michael & Miriam blend the cashews

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Keep blending, then stop and use a spatula regularly to get it all. Make sure it is very smooth.  Don’t be afraid to add water, but taste the cream frequently to make sure you aren’t over doing it.  If the blender is strong, the nuts will cream up and absorb the extra liquid.  If not, you’ll have a somewhat gritty cream (which won’t take too much liquid, so be aware) but it will still taste good.

Finished cashew cream

Serve as you would whipped cream.  It will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Cashew cream over pumpkin pie

Note: Recipe rewritten with new pictures 11/08.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Peterson’s Farm
636 Gossage Ave, Petaluma, CA 94952
ettamarie@petersonsfarm.com
http://www.petersonsfarm.com/

The Peterson Farm as viewed from our driveway

Yes, we are lucky enough to live across the street from a small, working, chemical-free farm.  In a mere 6 acres, Ettamarie and Ray Peterson manage to raise hundreds of pumpkins (including several delicious varieties, not just ornamental ones), fresh eggs, glorious raw honey, and a few miscellaneous things depending on the season.

Naturally, we always get our Halloween pumpkins here.  This year they graced our Sukkah too.  They make good pie when they’re done being pretty.

Cyndi & Miriam pick out pumpkins

Neighbors wander in as needed for a carton of eggs or a jar of honey but this isn’t an attraction you can just drive over to: make an appointment first.  Mostly, they host school groups.  The joyous noise of children discovering their perfect pumpkin floats through our windows all October.

Peterson's Farm barn

There is a picnic area.

Peterson's Farm picnic area

And a large barn for workshops and classes.

Peterson's Farm Barn Interior

But what Peterson’s Farm is famous for is Ettamarie and her bees.  Here she is showing off a real hive inside a glass display case (there is a hose off to the right, through the window, that lets the bees go outside as desired).

Ettamarie Peterson & her bees

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Portland Travels Overview

A) Alberta Street in the NE section.

We drove up and down Alberta & Killingsworth Streets and walked about in an area with some interesting looking stores.  It was mostly too spread out for walking and most places were closed early Saturday morning.

Portland Downtown Area

B) Multnomah County Central Library. 801 S.W. 10th Avenue.

This was a great spot to kill a few hours. We drove there and managed to find parking.  Note for Portland newbies: there is a huge difference between east and west.  Many of the numbered streets duplicate.  Downtown is west.  (more…)

C) Portland Streetcar to the Pearl District.  Downtown.

Right in front of the library, on SW 10th Ave, there is the Portland Streetcar that runs often and is free in the immediate downtown area.  We took it north to a neighborhood called the Pearl District, which was a fun place to walk around and see the sights.  We popped into Whole Foods for a quick bite to eat (including a grilled peach with berry sauce dessert which was a free sample) and a safe bathroom.  Then we zigzagged a bit along the main parallel streets until we reached the southern edge of the district where Powell’s was.

D) Powell’s Bookstore.  1005 W Burnside.

This local chain is a Portland institution and this branch is the largest.  Several stories on practically a whole city block.  We could have spent days there.  The bathrooms are scented.  The building has elevators and is basically wheelchair accessible, if you don’t have to reach too high.  There are plenty of places to sit, especially in the children’s section, which has tables and chairs like a library.

E) Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. 1945 SE Water Avenue.

Known in Portland simply as OMSI, this 2 story building filled with exhibits for all ages was a nice way to stay cool.  (more…)

F) Kalga Kafe. 4147 SE Division St.

Lovely vegetarian restaurant.  Great place to meet friends and end the day.  (more…)

Greater Portland Area

After our day in the city, we went back to Champoeg State Park.  A mere half hour drive away, it was an inexpensive way to be close to town.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214-3354
(503) 797-4000 or (800) 955-OMSI (6674)
http://www.omsi.edu/

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-5:30pm (plus Mondays of school holidays; summers open until 7pm)
Prices: $11/adults, $9 kids & seniors, under 3 free.  Show your AAA card for a discount.  OMNIMAX, Planetarium, some rides & shows, extra.
Parking: $2 but they didn’t actually charge us for it.

It was dinosaur month and they had a special exhibit.  A couple of the dinosaurs moved and roared and it took Miriam a few minutes to believe they weren’t going to jump the wall and come after her.  Then she asked to go see them and had fun.  Even looking at the pictures as I was writing this, she said, “oh I am so scared” (half kidding) and added “are they alive?”  We were there almost two months ago but she remembers…

Cyndi & Miriam

They had both full-featured dinos and some that were just skeletons.

Miriam & Michael

And of course some silly tourist stuff.

Michael & Miriam vamp for the camera

Since we had gone to A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Villiage in Salem the day before, I was a little concerned about doing science museums two days in a row.  But the places were quite different and Miriam had a blast both times.

OMSI features an OMNIMAX Dome Theater, a Planetarium, and Laser Light Shows, which all cost extra, so we didn’t go.  The Featured Exhibit when we were there was the dinosaurs but now has switched to something else.

They also have a Science Playground for children 6 and under, which is a large room with places for parents to sit down and watch their kids play.  Any child over 3 would be bored there.  The Life Science Hall and Earth Science Hall have a bunch of interactive exhibits that range from fun to lecturey to broken.  Most were geared for elementary school age children.  Some were old and outdated and some of the newer ones were very patronizing.

They have several labs (chemistry, physics, marine science, etc) there which are mostly for elementary and secondary school aged children.

Where we spent the most time was Turbine Hall, which, ironically, is free to the public.  Here you find all the hands on hard science fun that I experienced at science museums both as a kid and as a teacher a couple of decades ago.  Miriam’s favorite was the Earthquake House, a little cottage on a moving platform that rocked and rolled to the sounds of Carole King (I felt the earth move under my feet…no, really).

Accessibility: The building is two stories and there are stairs, escalators, and elevators.  There were plenty of places to sit and rest around all the exhibits and the hallways and lobby.  As I recall, the bathrooms were pretty stinky (air freshener or cleaning product fragrance) but not completely unusable.  Some of the labs (the chemistry lab mainly) emitted very strong chemical smells that wafted out the door into the Hall. Something was going on in the building at large because I had a headache and the typical spaciness/fatigue that comes with exposure.  I can’t pinpoint it though.

For a 3 year old, this is a great place to go once in a great while.  I hear that older children (in the 10 year range) love the place.  And they seem to have enough fun to keep teens occupied too.  A toddler would have enough interesting things to keep busy.  It’s the 3-6 range that might be a bit weak, but then we didn’t explore every area they had.  It certainly was a good way to stay cool on a hot day.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Multnomah County Central Library
801 S.W. 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 988-5123

Three floors of book collections.  Grand old staircases (and an elevator).  And a children’s room to die for.  This place is bigger than some local branch libraries I’ve been in.

Children's room at the Portland OR Central Library

The bronze tree marks the front desk and it’s a beautiful sculpture (more pictures).  The wood wall to the left leads to a playarea/mini theater.  The tables have puzzles on them.  And the rear room stretches back further than the picture.

As you can probably guess, I spent most of my time in the children’s section, but the rest of the library was just as spacious.  The bathrooms had some light scent but were quite usable.

Right in front of the library, on SW 10th Ave, there is the Portland Streetcar that runs often and is free in the immediate downtown area.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

So we were really looking forward to our planned lunch time stop.  Mt Shasta, just east of Mt Shasta City, which is past all the bad I-5 air.  A couple people recommended stopping at the health food store there, Berryvale, but we never saw it.  The town has several blocks of stores (and looked pretty interesting).

Once on the road, I realized I’d forgotten to put directions to the mountain on my palm.  Fortunately, it was on my map.  We took the first exit into town (should have taken the second, more northern, exit) and followed the signs to the visitor center.  The folks there were nice and the building was tolerable and reasonably scent-free.  The restrooms had a slight scent but I did not need my mask for the short time inside.  We got a street map of the town with directions to Panther Meadows.

A friend told us “Panther Meadows in August is something not to be missed.  The flowers, the fresh air, the streams, etc. are pretty spectacular…it is only a few hundred feet from the parking lot, so even kids can do the walk.”

I definitely feel like we missed something.  The drive to Panther Meadows was easy enough, and we had no problem finding it, but we saw nothing special.

Panther Meadows

This was it.  A small dirt parking lot, with some campsites a few feet away up the hill, lots of rocks, and a few trees.

We were all tired and cranky and starving and I had a splitting headache.  But there was no place to sit down, let alone eat.  The picnic tables were for the campsites, and they were all full.  We were told there was a one mile loop trail through the meadow; we saw what might have been a trail head, but nothing was marked.  We asked, but no one seemed to know where the trail or the meadow was.  I asked about the wildflowers and people just shrugged.

One arriving camper came over and said we were in the wrong parking lot.  That if we went a bit further, we’d get to the Panther Meadows day use lot and that it had picnic tables.  And that there were other areas with tables too.

There was no other Panther Meadows area.  We passed what must have been the meadow (with no way to drive in) but no there were no wildflowers.  It was hot and dry and most of the non-tree plants were dormant. It was a lot cooler on the mountain than in the valley.  Along I-5 our outdoor temp gauge read 103.  But it quickly dropped to 80 as we climbed.

We passed a lone picnic table or two.  In the sun with nothing around.  We went to the end of the road and found several tables.  Still in full sun with rocks and the occasional tiny shrub hanging on for dear life.  But there was a nice breeze.

Picnic table on the top of Mt. Shasta

We were nowhere near the top of the 14,162 mountain, but we were well above the 7450 feet of Panther Meadows.

Looking at the top of Mt. Shasta from uppermost parking area

The road up was a very easy drive, despite the elevation change.

Road leading up Mt. Shasta

We had a lovely picnic, though my headache deepened, along with weak muscles that came out of nowhere, and I realized I was suffering from altitude sickness.  It stayed with me until we’d been off the mountain for a few minutes (the base headache was freeway exposures and lasted all day).  Mt. Shasta City is at 3500 feet, which is low enough to avoid discomfort.

Picnic lunch: raw vegetable salad, banana nut bars, hummus, fish salad, and roasted vegetables

As we left to continue our trip, we passed Panther Meadows and stopped at the Bunny Flat (6900′) trail head to use the bathrooms (adequate, no water).

Bunny Flat Restrooms

We made our way back to the freeway and headed north to Oregon for the night.

Bunny Flat Trail Head

After this visit, I just assumed my friend was mistaken about August being wet enough for flowers.  Reading the various web accounts about Panther Meadows though, it seems it’s a special spot.  I’m not sure if the flowers persist through the summer, but many people mention the streams.

Had I known more about it, I would have found an easy access picnic spot (perhaps in town) then gone to Panther Meadows for an after-lunch hike.  Though there wasn’t much I could have done about the altitude sickness, being fed and rested would have given us the wherewithal to explore the area and find its treasures.

Links:

• Sacred Spring: Panther Meadows on Mount Shasta (Peggy Vincent’s description of the area)
• Recreation in and around Mt. Shasta (Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau with lists of day hikes and other information)
• Mt. Shasta Area – Campgrounds

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

As we drove up, we found clean air, large campsites where no one seemed to be a smoker (I saw one cigar many sites away and that was it), and a huge empty field flanked by, what else?, blackberry bushes.

The view from our tent

Champoeg State Heritage Area
Champoeg Rd NE
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_113.php
503-678-1251 Ext. 225
Reservations: 800-452-5687

From Southern Oregon (a few minutes from Grant’s Pass), the trip is 230 miles, 3:45 hours.  From Petaluma, CA, it would be 10 hours, not counting stops.  It’s about 35 minutes south of Portland.

Directions: From I-5, take Exit 278 and head west. Follow the signs.

Check in time 4pm; check out time 1pm.

Our campsite from the access road

We spoke to the folks in the one site fairly close to us (on the right) and they were nonsmokers but also locals who decided they would rather come back when it wasn’t the middle of a heat wave.  So we ended up with no neighbors.

View from blackberries next to the field, back to our site

Experiences turn on a dime…had our neighbors been heavy smokers or pesticide users, my stay there would have been hell, like it was the night before at Indian Mary.  For whatever reason though, the campers at Champoeg (inexplicably pronounced sham-poo-ey) were quiet and fairly fume-free (not counting bbq and wood smoke, which fortunately doesn’t bother me, and is pretty impossible to avoid in a campground).

View to the right of our site

First order of business was getting our tent up.  Which took half the time it had the night before.  We didn’t bother with the rain flap this time, since it was still quite hot.  The night breezes were cooler than at Indian Mary though, and we were able to sleep.  Our second night, the heat wave finally broke with a thunderstorm.  Michael and I woke up in the middle of the night, put up the rain flap and got our belongings into the car, and made it back inside the tent just as the first raindrops started to fall.  It’s an excellent tent and not a drop made it inside.

Miriam helps stake the tent

We planned to spend all day Saturday in Portland so Friday night, the night we arrived, we decided to have a campfire.  Michael bought some wood but neglected to get kindling.  All we had was matches, logs, dried grass, a couple twigs from the ground, and 2 pieces of newspaper.

Getting a fire started

Fortunately, all my old Girl Scout training came back to me.  I rearranged the logs Michael had laid side by side and, in very little time, we had a fire.

A blazing fire

The food we cooked (in a cast iron pan) was pupusas that I’d made before our trip, and Amy’s gluten-free, vegan pizza. Both were frozen when we left Petaluma but defrosted in our cooler.  The pupusas didn’t quite work out.  They were very dry.  I’m not sure if that was because they were frozen first.  On the way back, I had some fresh pupusas I made in Vancouver (didn’t freeze them and didn’t put them in the cooler) and they were very dry eaten at room temperature but fabulous when heated well in a toaster oven (even though those were chilled first).  No amount of cooking saved the ones we had at Champoeg though.  They were edible, but needed moist sides.

Cyndi & Miriam cooking on a (semi) open fire

The pizza though, was another story.  Who knew? pizza heated in cast iron over flames is delicious.

Michael & Miriam preparing fire roasted pizza

It was Shabbus, so we lit beeswax candles and put them in a fire-safe place near the picnic table.

Shabbus candles

We ended the meal with the top item that Miriam had deemed essential for camping (getting all her camping knowledge from watching Curious George): marshmallows.  I found kosher ones (egg, dairy, and gluten-free) at Trader Joe’s.

Michael & Miriam roasting marshmallows

Champoeg has a visitor’s center and museums with tours and kids programs, disc (Frisbee) golf, and huge day-use areas, none of which we were able to see.  The Willamette River was way back behind the cabins and Miriam and I didn’t manage to see it either (although Michael wandered past what appeared to be a wading section during a late-night stroll).  With 615 acres, there is a lot we just didn’t have time for.

History, overview of programs, maps.
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/champoeg_history.pdf

Full park brochure and map
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/champoeg_full.pdf

Campground map
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/champoeg_map.pdf

We were in Campsite B9.  The B loop had sites that were much further apart than the A loop.  So better for single campers or small groups.  If you look on the map, above us and to the right is a large circle labeled club camping.  This is the place for groups because there is a shared grassy area in the middle.  When we were there, an extended family was having their annual reunion.

We were warned to bring bug spray and, indeed, there were bugs that came out at dusk.  They were smaller than mosquitoes and seemed to bite a little, but didn’t give us typical mosquito welts.

The park doesn’t use pesticides or herbicides and the bathrooms have no air freshener and are cleaned with “environmentally safe” cleaners (don’t know what, but they had no smell).  Each shower had its own full-enclosed changing room, which was nice.  Bathrooms had flush toilets.  The park host has wood for sale and a cooler with bags of ice.

Champoeg was an easy commute to Portland, and very livable.  If I were in the area, I wouldn’t hesitate to go there again for group camping, single camping, their programs, or a picnic.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Indian Mary Park
Uninc Josephine County, Oregon
7100 Merlin Galice Rd, Merlin OR 97532
(541) 474-5285
Connected to the Oregon State Park system but run separately, through the county.
http://www.co.josephine.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=491

Directions: Take I-5 North or South to Exit 61. Go under the freeway and turn left on Merlin Galice Road, which turns into Merlin Road, for about 3.5 miles. Merlin Road turns slightly left and becomes Galice Road.  Continue another 7 miles to the Park entrance on the right.

A friend of ours goes there every year with a large organization that reserves a block of spots near the Rouge River and provides all the meals.  And for that sort of trip, this place would be awesome.  The river is gorgeous and the park has a communal feel because all the sites are very close together.

Miriam at the Indian Mary boat launch

Unfortunately, we weren’t with a group and the closeness of the campsites was overwhelming.

Our tent in the middle of several campsites

That’s us in the middle with an RV to the far left, an empty site to the immediate left, three sites behind us, and one RV to the right.

Between the stifling heat (98 degrees in early evening) and being surrounded by cigarette smokers, I ended up with a fall down asthma attack in the center grassy area at the front of the picture (beyond it is the bathrooms) while trying to escape the smoke.  I had my oxygen tank but not my inhaler and Michael was off with Miriam at the playground.

Fortunately, I was able to call for help and, after several tries, some folks (including a paramedic) heard me and got my inhaler and my family.  Miriam cared less about the fact that mommy was sick than about the fun of getting to ride in the park’s golf cart.  The smokers near to us were very kind and all said they wouldn’t smoke near us anymore.  And they didn’t.  But the damage was done.  I was fragile over the next couple of days and had trouble walking any distance.

Before the attack, we managed to get our borrowed tent up (first time since the dry run at home).  This was my first time dealing with a tent, or camping at all, in over 20 years.  Michael had never done real camping.  It was Miriam’s first time.  Not the greatest (re)introduction.

It only took us half an hour to get this baby up

The night went more smoothly.  I had chosen an RV site vs a plain tent site because the former had electrical hookups and water and we had an electric cooler.  The tent sites weren’t very different or less crowded.

Our campsite

We ate from the cooler, went to bed, roasted, took off the rain flap, roasted slightly less, tried to block out the partying around us, and fell asleep mostly hating the place.

Then it was morning.

Morning at Indian Mary is magical.  Everyone else was asleep, the air was cool, and Miriam wanted to see the river.

Rouge River in early morning

Once we were away from the campsites, the air at the park was very clean and fresh.  They don’t use pesticide at the park and they only use herbicide once in a while at the boat launch (most recently 3 or so months earlier).  I walked slowly because my legs were still unsteady and my lungs not at full capacity.  We made our way to the top of the riverbank, where Miriam, naturally, had to stop for some blackberries.

Miriam picking blackberries along the Rouge River

Then to the boat launch where she expressed her deep down desire to go fishing (one she has repeated dozens of times since…some day little one).

Miriam for a morning walk and yoga pose in her jammies

Then of course we had to make our way to the playground, where her visit the day before had been cut short.  We couldn’t stay long because the other campers were waking up and the cigarette smoke began to waft over.

Children's playground at Indian Mary Park

Unless I came with a very large, smoke and bug-spray-free, group, I can’t see myself returning.  As solo campers who wanted to sleep early and weren’t interested in socializing (drinking beer around the campfire with strangers), this was completely the wrong spot.  For someone with asthma and MCS, it was a nightmare.

Nominally, the park is pretty safe.  No pesticides, almost no herbicide, no air freshener in the bathrooms (they told me they use strong smelling cleaning products but we must have been there between cleanings because it wasn’t a problem).

The bathrooms have flush toilets and small shower stalls with tiny changing areas.

There is the playground for the kids plus lots of flat grassy areas, a Frisbee (disc) golf course, volleyball, horseshoes, and a place to boat and fish.  We were there on a Thursday night in mid-August so there were plenty of free spaces, though it was mostly full.  The better sites were of course taken.

Take a look on the map.  We were in site 74.  If I went again with a child, I’d want site 46 (preferably the entire surrounding chunk).  The map is somewhat misleading because those distances are actually quite close (it’s also not entirely to scale).  Many other park maps look similar on paper but they fit half as many campsites in the same space.  From us in 74 to the smokers/partiers in 85 was about 20 feet.  You can see their white car behind and to the left of us in the two site pictures above.

We packed up and got on the road by mid-morning.  On to another two nights of camping.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Williamette River at the south end of Riverfront Park

This huge and beautiful park is worth the couple mile detour for anyone travelling along I-5 in Oregon.  Our first stop was the picnic area.  They have a large covered section of tables, which was taken when we were there so we ate at a table in the sun (during a heat wave unfortunately).

Covered picnic area at Riverfront Park

The building in the background houses a gift shop and an old-time carousel.  With fairly safe bathrooms and air conditioning.  $1.50 per ride for both adults and children.  Children must be 42″ to go alone.  They would not allow me to ride on the same horse as Miriam or to ride on a horse next to her.  I had to stand.  But Miriam chose the sleigh instead.

Miriam & Cyndi on the Riverfront Park Carousel

Next we walked down to the far south end of the park to see the handmade tiled Eco Globe.

Eco Earth Globe Eastern Hemisphere

Eco Earth Globe Western Hemisphere

This 23 acre park has plenty of room to spread out.

Grassy expanse at Riverfront Park

We walked back past the playground but, despite asking for it, Miriam was too hot to play.

A very hot and tired Miriam & Michael heading away from the Riverfront Park playground

The Williamette River runs along the entire west side of the park.

Miriam reading the river map

Williamette River at the north end of Riverfront Park

After our long walk, we were ready to get indoors.  Our next stop: the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village down the block.

Disability access: Nice flat sidewalks making a loop around the park.  Plenty of places to sit down and rest.  The bathrooms inside the carousel building were decent (no strong scents) and the building itself seemed okay.  I didn’t test the bathrooms by the playground.  I don’t know what their pest and weed control is there but I didn’t notice any chemicals.

Riverfront Park
116 Marion St. NE, Salem, OR
http://www.cityofsalem.net/departments/parks/river_front.htm

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village
http://www.acgilbert.org/
116 Marion St. NE, Salem, Oregon 97301
503-371-3631 or 1-800-208-9514
Admission is $5.50 for adults and children 3 and up.  Discounts f or younger children, seniors, and those on public assistance.

I should preface the rest of this post by saying that a heatwave struck Northern California and Oregon the day we left home.  Driving wasn’t a problem, because we had A/C, but we spent a miserable night camping in Southern Oregon and all of our stops were unpleasant at best.  The Discovery Village had an A/C system that probably works fine 99% of the time, but wasn’t quite up to killer hot days like we had and was uneven.  Also, it’s not a building, it’s a complex.  Many of the exhibits are outside and you have to go outdoors to get from one building to another.   It was not family fun at its best.

Miriam had a wonderful time though.  The first room had many devices to make bubbles, including this one as big as a picture window.

Miriam makes a giant bubble

Miriam then crawled through a giant mouth in the human body exhibit, insisted on a prolonged stop in the toddler room, and made her way upstairs, where she found the castle room, with dress-up clothes and a stage.

Miriam plays dress-up in the castle room

It took some doing to pry her away.

Our fair princess gallops away on her steed

Alas, the heat kept me from taking more pictures but Miriam enjoyed the China room (where older girls visiting the museum insisted on sitting us all down at the table and serving us a pretend lunch), a play grocery store, and a giant train set.  There were also swings and a huge (and impressive) climbing structure outdoors (Miriam needed supervision in it but, fortunately, adults fit fine).

Disabled accessibility: limited.  There are ramps leading to each building but only stairs going to the upper stories, where large numbers of exhibits are.  The exhibits themselves are not geared for use from a chair.  I couldn’t use the bathrooms there because there was a strong air freshener or cleaner scent that came from them each time we passed by.  The air quality inside the buildings was fair.  Aside from the bathrooms, there wasn’t anything terrible that I noticed.  I got a headache while I was there but it’s unclear how much was from the heat.

Most of the exhibits are older and don’t have the technology that more modern museums have.  Some of the exhibits (or components of them) aren’t functioning properly.  Yet Miriam talked about this place for days.  She really enjoyed herself.  I’d say that anyone 2-6 years old would have a blast.  Younger kids still have a few things to do and older kids would have fun if engaged in specific activities.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Expo West is held in the Anaheim Convention Center. As disability accommodation goes, it’s not terrible, but of course could be better. The spread out nature of the center, along with few elevators, make wheelchair navigation tedious, and the carpets everywhere don’t help (they are often plusher in the booths, which puts a strain on the shoulders).

The air quality is better than many other places, but that isn’t saying much. Last year, they made a huge effects to make the Expo “green” and they advertised lower-VOC carpets, safer cleaning products, and all sorts of stuff. And it really was better. I noticed the difference right away. This year, the bathrooms were cleaned (during show hours!) with nasty stuff and the carpets were the ordinary toxic variety.

The biggest problem for me is cigarette smoke. Of course it’s forbidden inside, but people smoke right outside the doors (in droves) so the lobby tends to fill up with smoke due to leakage and people going in and out of the doors. A few signs and some comfortable seating areas for smokers away from the doors would ease that considerably.

Driving there is a nightmare. We commuted from LA, which was a 30 to 90 minute drive, depending on traffic (even outside of rush hour). In the morning, the worst of it is in the last 2 blocks. On our first day there, it took us half an hour to go those two blocks, past Disneyland, to the parking lot. Parking is difficult at best (and expensive) but flashing a handicapped dashboard sign was like the key to the magic kingdom. We were ushered in to the main lot where there were plenty of handicapped spots (last year they were hard to get). Note: our friends with handicapped licence plates said that they had trouble getting into the lot because the folks directing traffic didn’t notice them (it’s very crowded and hard to get people’s attention as you get your 2 seconds by the entrance before traffic urges you on).

I would gladly get a local hotel and walk, but I’m not sure any of them will be MCS-safe. The show is toxic enough that I have to have a 100% safe place to go afterwards (we stay with a friend).

Over the next few weeks/months, I’ll be blogging about what I discovered. I shared some finds at the Los Angeles Foodlab get together and I have many more bags of samples and literature to go through.

Here are some of my favorite finds:

* Mary’s Gone Crackers now has a thick straight pretzel shape with new flavors. The best part is that, unlike the crackers, they are soy-free. All their products are organic, vegan, and gluten-free.
* Coconut juice/water was hot this year, with several booths, including some of the bigger ones that sample in the lobby. My favorite was ONE (which tastes like the real thing) but there are other good ones too.
* Gluten-free is also really hot, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. When you depend on a type of product, the last thing you want is for it to become trendy. That’s how you lose it. A couple years ago, the hot thing at Expo West was lowcarb. It had its own section and tasting buffet. By the next year, it was practically gone.
* Gluten-intolerance digestive enzymes. I found these at a booth specializing in enzymes. I am not one to be easily impressed by supplement claims, but these folks knew their stuff. The product is designed to reduce symptoms for accidental exposures to gluten. They are clear that celiacs must continue to avoid gluten. For people with non-celiac gluten-intolerance, they say increased ability to consume gluten is a possibility.

Stayed tuned for reviews of other products, including cosmetics, personal care, candles, pet food, a trillion food products, fiber/yarn, and more.

Reviews so far:

* Safer cosmetics
* Sharkies Organic Sports Chews
* French Meadow Bakery

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Fortunately, we discovered the Boys and Girls Club. They are national, and Petaluma alone has 10 clubhouses. We used the main Petaluma location:

Boys & Girls Club Petaluma
Lucchesi Park Clubhouse
203 Maria Dr., Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 769-5322
http://www.petalumabgc.org/

This is a large building with several function rooms, a gymnasium, a commercial kitchen, a teen room, and a central space with game tables. Most are for rent by the hour. We chose the multi-purpose room, which is quite large, with plenty of tables and chairs. There are lights and electrical outlets, but no water. Bathrooms are across the hall. The kitchen is a couple rooms down.

(Miriam watching her friends play musical chairs)

The cost? $40/hour for the room and $10/hour for a staff person to be on site. We chose Sunday, March 2, 2008, and had the place completely to ourselves. These folks are very accommodating. I didn’t even have to negotiate but they gave us kitchen privileges and an extra half hour before and after the party at no additional cost. They even allowed us to have the gym as a backup for the piñata if the weather was bad. So, for a two hour party and an hour of setup/cleanup, the total was $110 (2 hours for the room, 3 hours for the staff person).

One wrinkle: to rent the space, you must provide a liability insurance waiver. If you have homeowner’s insurance (or possibly renter’s insurance), you simply go to your provider and they give you the waiver for next to nothing. But ours said they didn’t do that. The only other solution was to go with the independent insurance the club recommended. But they wanted $175!! For a two-hour children’s party! Others were similar.

After a day or two of sheer panic, we simply switched homeowner’s insurance companies. We ended up saving hundreds of dollars a year on our premium and the waiver cost a whopping $4.

(Miriam in background with her cousin Jaiden. In front, from left, Aunt Kim, cousin Kalea, cousin Stephanie, Grandma Julie)

A rare trait among public buildings: The Boys and Girls Club doesn’t use pesticides or herbicides inside or outside. They also don’t have air fresheners. (The director couldn’t understand why anyone would consider using stuff like this around kids.) When I went during the week to check it out, the bathrooms and other rooms had little to no scent at all (except for some paint smell in the art room). It was very nice.

The day of the party though, the whole place had a mild but persistent cleaning chemical scent. We opened the windows in the party room and wiped down the tables (they were thick with cleaning residues) with our own cleaner. This made a big difference and the chemically sensitive among us survived.

It’s important to me to be able to provide my own food (too many allergies to risk it) and that was no problem here. Just no alcohol (you can…but it costs extra). And I liked having our own games and other activities, not orchestrated by staff or a preset menu of options.

Partway into the party, some of the older kids (age 6 or so) told me they were bored (they loved the games I had but they weren’t nonstop so they didn’t know what to do with themselves). I resisted the urge to fix it and entertain them. I expressed sympathy and told them what was coming up and went to work on something else. Before I even turned back around, they had discovered the crayons I brought and a stack of paper plates make great fun.

The one thing I wasn’t crazy about with the rental is that you’re required to clean up, or you forfeit all or part of your hefty deposit (ours was $400). That sounds reasonable in theory…until you’re rushing to get folks outside for a piñata (without them going home) and, in addition to picking up, wiping off food residue, and putting the chairs back, you have to scrub all the tables, vacuum the floor (they loaned us a vacuum), and even take out the trash (hey, at least they didn’t make us clean the bathrooms, though I was required to check them). I would have gladly paid the staff person another $5 for a half hour of cleaning, but it wasn’t an option. On the bright side, I totally forgot to take out the trash (it was all in one bag in the can) and they didn’t ding us for it.

The club had some nice outdoor space too. Since it was a gorgeous day, we had our piñata outside. It was a huge errr…hit.

All in all, I was happy with the space. The room fit our needs perfectly. I would have preferred another hour though (people showed up late so there wasn’t enough time to do everything; we skipped present opening and held the piñata bash after the official end time). From an MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) perspective, it was a decent choice, though I’d look into the possibility of providing them with some cleaning products ahead of time for a larger event.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.

Several years ago, I started taking 101 instead of 5 when heading to San Diego to clean out my mom’s apartment over the course of several months. If you start from the South Bay, it’s only an extra half hour or so, because it’s an extra shlep to get over to 5. From the North Bay, where I am now, it’s more like an extra hour.

Google Maps: Petaluma to Los Angeles

Via 5: 6:20, 413 miles.
Via 101: 7:42, 468 miles.
My experience, via 101: 7 hours each way, not counting stops.

A friend of mine who also has multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) likes to drive 5 for the quickness factor, but does it at night, when they aren’t out working the fields or dropping pesticides by plane (don’t be fooled though…the crop irrigation sprinklers are on 24/7, and they put out chemicals too). This year though, even she said it was time to switch to 101. I like 101 better anyway. It’s far prettier, with gorgeous views of the ocean, and there are real places to stop, not just highway food and gas stations. Now that I’m doing my travelling with a child, I appreciate the nicer stops too.

I have four stops along the way that are kid-friendly and good for adults too. All are reasonably MCS-safe and good places to picnic, with nontoxic bathrooms. There are plenty more possible stops, but I haven’t checked them out.

MCS Notes: From just north of Salinas to a bit south of King City (around an hour’s drive), the area is solid agriculture. Big corporate (Dole, etc) farms with huge flat fields that get massive amounts of pesticides. There are some scattered farms north and south of this area as well. I manage more or less by keeping windows shut, A/C or whatever to recirculate, oxygen on via nasal canula , and no talking (breathing air through my mouth). The pesticides/herbicides are so strong they will come into the car (Miriam got fairly ill from them) but these measures will help a lot. Be sure to plan your trip very carefully so that you will not need gas or bathrooms for that hour. Before and after you can find oasis’s of clean air.

Stop #1 (A) – Toro Regional Park

Toro Park – 501 Monterey-Salinas Highway 68, Salinas, CA 93908
Hours and contact info: http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/parks/toro.html

Detailed descriptions & photos: http://www.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=CAMOTO&CU_ID=1

Photos & map: http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs-parks/parks-cnty/toro.html

From the north: Take 101 S to Salinas, then get on to 68 S towards Monterey, and go about 6 miles.

From the south: Take 101 N to Chualar River Road a few miles south of Salinas. The road will curve around to the right and become River Road. Take to highway 68 and turn left, towards Monterey. The park is less than 2 miles down.

Picnic areas, playgrounds, and bathrooms are not far from the entrance. We didn’t check out the hiking trails but the park has 4,756 acres to roam around in and 20 miles of trails. We stopped here a year ago and it was a great place for a picnic and to let Miriam play. Since it was a weekday in March, it was practically deserted.

The air quality is not perfect, as it does get some air flow from nearby agriculture. There is nothing directly there but you should keep your windows closed as you approach, especially along River Road. The bathrooms were fine and the playground nearest the entrance (pictured below), with the animals to ride on, was okay. The grass and roads also seemed okay. But some of the other playgrounds had a terrible chemical smell that I couldn’t be near. I think it was the bark.

Stop #2 (B) – Camp Roberts Rest Stop

This is actually two stops, one northbound and one southbound. They are a short distance apart and aren’t connected. The Camp Roberts area is a semi-wilderness oasis, just south of the pesticide/agriculture nastiness. A few farms are south of it, but they are spotty. So the air in Camp Roberts is pretty decent, though it is close to the freeway. I especially like this stop though because it is halfway between Petaluma and LA.

8.5 miles North of San Miguel. Monterey County. South of King City.

Both rest stops have large grassy areas with picnic tables. There is water and the bathrooms are moderately safe, with some residual cleaning chemical smell. No air fresheners. We stopped at the northbound area in March 2007, and the southbound both in 2007 and March 2008.

Northbound:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/ra/ra32.htm

Southbound:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/ra/ra33.htm

Stop #3 (C) – Mitchell Park, San Luis Obispo

Mitchell Park
1400 Osos St
(corner of Pismo & Santa Rosa)
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

From the north: exit 101 S at Monterey Street. Turn left at Toro Street. Turn right at Pismo Street. To continue south: head northwest on Osos Street. Turn left at Higuera Street. Turn right on Marsh Street. Take 101 S.

From the south: exit 101 S at Marsh Street (202A). Turn right at Osos Street. To continue north: head northwest on Osos Street. Take 101 N.

Looking on the map, there are tons of parks, with and without playgrounds, in SLO. Here is a great list of them, geared for parents, with photos: http://www.centralcoastkids.com/parks/san-luis-obispo.cfm.

We drove into SLO because I heard there was a good picnic area on the main downtown street (not sure which street they meant). We didn’t find that but we stopped to ask someone to guide us to a playground and she sent us to Mitchell Park, which turned out to be perfect.

There was a nice picnic area, lots of grass to run around on, a large big-kids play structure, a smaller toddler structure, and bathrooms that had no smell of any kind. The overall air quality is pretty decent.

Stop #4 (D) – Shell Beach, Pismo Beach

This is very close to San Luis Obispo, so use one for northbound and the other for southbound. It’s fairly easy to find going south, as you pass it and then can take the next exit and double back. But we missed it on the way north. By the time we saw the beach, the exit was right there and the next one was many miles up.

Dinosaur Caves Park
Shell Beach Rd at Cliff Ave
Pismo Beach, CA

From the north: 101 S to Shell Beach Road exit on north end of Pismo Beach. Go about 1.5 miles until you see a playground on a cliff to your right. To continue south: take the on ramp to 101 S that is right at the park (on Price Street).

From the south: 101 N to Shell Beach Road exit. Turn left on CA-1/Mattie Road. Turn right at Price Street.

There are many beaches and parks in Pismo Beach but Shell Beach is right off the freeway and completely gorgeous. Here is a list of parks: http://www.centralcoastkids.com/parks/pismo-beach.cfm

Air quality in this town is stellar. There is nothing bad directly around it and you get clean ocean breezes. The bathrooms at the park were fine, with a slight cleaning product smell, but I didn’t need my mask.

Other resources:

Central Coast Kids has lists of parks and beaches by city, with pictures and descriptions.

©2010 Norwitz Notions. All Rights Reserved.