Bernards Farms, Oregon

I have to admit to my own preconceptions and prejudices. I tend to think people who live in rural places, especially rural Oregon, will be more conservative in their politics and values. This was what I assumed about the people who run Bernards Farms, a farm and produce stand (in a barn) about 5 miles outside of McMinnville, Oregon, which is about 45 minutes southwest of Portland. Having been a Portlander for about 5 years now, I enjoy the extremely progressive atmosphere that infuses this town. Whenever we go outside its environs, to partake of the many scenic wonders nearby: the coast, Mt. Hood, etc., I always feel a bit wary that I might come across people much less liberal than I'm used to. Not that that makes them bad, but I am comfortable in my little bubble. 

Whenever we drive to the beach town of Lincoln City, we stop at Bernards Farms. They grow hazelnuts there, and sell them for less than you can buy them in the Portland stores, plus the fact that they're fresh and delicious. We use them to make hazelnut milk as they are much more sustainable than almonds. Did you know that? They require much less water (almonds need a ton!), don't need pesticides and besides, they're a local crop. Bernards Farms also sells produce in season, walnuts, honey etc. 

We were passing by last March, basically the day the Coronavirus lockdown was put into place in Oregon (we were not yet aware it had happened), on our way to the beach, and stopped at Bernards Farm as usual. The produce stand was open, but there was no-one there. A sign asked that you leave cash or a check in a box, and take what you want. Wow. That struck me as pretty darn sincere - and trusting - as there was probably thousands of dollars of nuts and produce. The problem was, I had neither cash nor a check. So I took two pounds of hazelnuts, and left a note that I would call them and give them my credit card over the phone or send a check. The lady who answered the phone said to just send a check and I did. That right there gets them a pretty high sincerity rating, plus the fact that their hazelnuts are amazing. 

Then the Black Lives Matters protests started after the killing of George Floyd and we didn't get back down to the beach for a while. The next time we did though, in late July, we of course stopped by Bernards Farms. Everything was as nice as usual, the employees back at their jobs, wearing masks, and being safe - and over the register two huge signs: One said Black Lives Matter, the other was this one: 

 

I was impressed. My favorite farm stand also stood proud in support of their values - those that I believe to will move our country closer to "justice for all." 

Thank you, Bernards Farms. Your evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! 

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Homeopathy is Alive and Well

Yesterday I had a really interesting conversation with a couple of very interesting women. One, Linda, is an MD, the other, Ashley, is a nurse. Both I would identify, with high praise, as unabashed Homeopathic Evangelists. Each of them spoke with great eloquence of this system of medicine, that while not at odds with Western Medicine, continues to be viewed with considerable skepticism by the modern medical community.

To read more about the early days of homeopathy https://is.gd/b012aY

What these two women are working toward is the education of as many people as they can reach, to let them know of the benefits of this "alternative" medical system. The reason I placed quotes around, alternative, is because it is so often used in a pejorative way; to make it appear that this sort of practice is to be viewed with a certain amount of suspicion.

As I came to learn through our conversation, homeopathic remedies have been around for more than 200 years and are regulated by the FDA just like pharmaceuticals. There's nothing alternative about that. Each of these incredible women works with people both locally and remotely in such far away locations as India. Ashley spoke of hosting meeting with some attendees in the room and others checking in via Facetime (or some such). Linda spoke about her own experience with having been healed, not through her own deep understanding of what was needed, but rather through the slightly different perspective of one of her colleagues. The sense I got was of how dedicated each of them is to the task they see ahead. I was so impressed by their commitment to the dissemination of this information, that I've invited each of them to write a guest post, or two, here on the Searching for Sincerity site.

I certainly look forward to seeing more their insights on this subject.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

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Old Market Pub and Brewery - offers an unassuming, yet excellent experience

There are times when we go out to dinner to celebrate in style and look for an exceptional flavor sensation. Portland is obviously one of the very best places to discover such establishments.

However, there are the other times when we're just looking for a good, quick place to get something decent to eat and fast food is not a desirable option. Such was the state of things a few evenings ago.

My wife Georgina and I went to see an early showing of "Black Panther" on a Wednesday night and decided at the last minute to have some dinner before the show. (That, of course, made it a date, which was my evil plan in the first place). We stopped at The Old Market Pub & Brewery at 6959 S.W. Multnomah Blvd.

Like everyone in the neighborhood, we'd driven by the place — which sits in the curve of Multnomah Boulevard — plenty of times without stopping, even when we were hungry (or thirsty), because it always looks so busy. As anticipated, the parking lot at 5:30 p.m. was indeed packed, but we took a chance anyway.

Turns out the place is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. In spite of a fairly large crowd, there were plenty of tables and we were seated immediately. As we entered, we informed the host that we had a bit of a time constraint, and he let our server know before she even came to our table.

Let's just say that the young woman who took care of us earned a hefty tip. She was personable, fast and efficient. Our food — two amazing grass-fed, Oregon-organic, hickory-bacon cheeseburgers — was delivered in record time.

We ordered one of them with a side of really delicious shoestring fries, and the other came with a generous portion of Kettle Chips. Of course, we shared the fries and chips, but the fries won the contest hands down. Thankfully, the fries were on my plate where I could properly defend them.

The atmosphere is light and airy. There are large TV screens, displaying sports of all kinds, all around the dining area and over the bar, and they can easily be seen from every table. Such a place, filled with people as it was, could easily be too loud, but fortunately the TVs are muted and we were able to have an easy conversation without having to resort to screaming at one another.

Discovering unassuming restaurants like this one, particularly those that offer gluten-free buns for the burgers, is a real treat.

The sincerity of a place is not always the food, nor the service or the look and feel of the building. It is all of these things assembled with the idea of conveying a welcome to longtime customers as well as to those who wander in without a clue or expectations of any kind. Having an experience of sincerity is that feeling we walk away with and carry into the rest of our day or night. That's what happened that Wednesday night; we went to the movies with a sense of satisfaction that we were valued customers of a place new to us, one that's just around the corner and down the road.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

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Hillsdale Farmers Market

What is more wonderful on a crisp fall day than perusing booths of seasonal vegetables and fruits, local meats and seafood, baked goods, dairy products and other items that will delight your taste buds and benefit your health?

Not much that I can think of.

Though the Portland State University Farmers Market is probably the biggest in town, it feels more like a weekly event than a local tradition. On the other hand, there’s something innately satisfying about being able to just pop over to the Hillsdale Farmers Market on a Sunday, right here in our own neighborhood, where it sets up in the parking lot of Rieke Elementary school at 1405 S.W. Vermont St.

The last time I was there, I scooped up freshly caught salmon, vine-perfect tomatoes, a handy bag of baby lettuce, some crunchy local apples, late-season zucchini and a pint of the last strawberries of the summer. When it comes to buying fresh, local produce, I find a grocery store simply does not compare to the flavor and value available at the farmers market.

Oh sure, I might be able to find a zucchini for a few pennies less in the bins of grocery stores, many of which certainly sell — at least for part of the year — some local produce. But it’s never the same in freshness as what I find at the farmers market, where growers bring their wares straight from field to market.

We all know that a store-bought tomato almost never compares to what the local farmer grows (or what we grow in our own backyards), and strawberries imported from California are a far cry from the delicious red nuggets harvested from nearby farms. Yes, OK, we won’t find all the items at the farmers market that we get used to having year-round from the grocery store (like kiwis and avocados, for example), but the fruits and veggies at the former ensure that we are always buying seasonal, as well as local.

That’s better for the local economy, better for the environment (fossil fuels aren’t being used to ship products long distances) and better for our palate.

And what about fish, meats, eggs, etc.? Again, it all comes down to supporting our local farmers and fishermen and getting items for our table that have been lovingly, humanely and often organically raised, or caught with sustainability in mind.

At Hillsdale Farmers Market, you can even grab a little lunch from some of the booths that sell prepared foods, like soup or tamales. You can also pick up a delicious loaf of freshly baked bread, pies, muffins or other goodies, or a beautiful bouquet of seasonal flowers. I never come away from the market with anything less than some new discovery and a feeling that I’ve participated in my community in a very special, and kind of basic, way.

So that all income levels can benefit, the farmers market accepts the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) card (as most markets do), which can be swiped at the info booth in exchange for tokens. In order to make the SNAP purchases go even farther, Hillsdale Farmers Market participates in the Double Up Food Bucks statewide program, which means that SNAP participants can receive up to $10 in matching funds by purchasing tokens at the market’s information booth; they then get $20 for their SNAP purchases instead of $10.

Sarah West, who manages the farmers market, shared with me that Hillsdale’s matching program is unique, because it is not being run by a USDA grant. Hillsdale Farmers Market does 100 percent of the matching and the fundraising itself. This helps the program overall and, by proxy, helps fund markets that are less well off.

Businesses can donate at various financial levels, including sponsoring a booth at the market, and the market accepts public donations as well. West is usually at the info booth, or you can speak to the volunteers there too. 

For more information, contact West at contact@hillsdalefarmersmarket.com or check out the market’s website at hillsdalefarmersmarket.com

The market is open every Sunday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. from May until the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and twice monthly from December through April. I couldn’t rate our wonderful Hillsdale Farmers Market as anything less than Extraordinarily Sincere!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

John's Marketplace has stood the test of time - with good reason

John's Marketplace is an institution in Southwest Portland's Multnomah Village. If you're a beer person,this is your paradise.

"Basically, if you can get it (beer) here in Oregon," the shop advertises, "then we have it!"

You want wines? The selection is supreme and the staff incredibly knowledgeable, especially if you happen to run into Dave Kaplan, the "wine guy" at John's Marketplace. Kegs, drafts, wine tastings, fantastic burgers and sandwiches — it's all at John's.

However, I'm particularly fascinated by the historical aspect of John's, which anyone other than longtime residents may not know. It is among the oldest remaining businesses in Multnomah Village, dating back to 1923, when it used to be John's Meat Market, according to Nanci Hamilton's historical booklet, "Portland's Multnomah Village."

While many businesses in Multnomah Village closed their doors after World War II because of the arrival of convenient shopping meccas like Fred Meyer and Washington Square in Tigard, as Hamilton points out, the most notable establishments that still remain are John's and Renner's Grill (1939).

According to the Multnomah Historical Association's website in a piece written by Lowell Swanson, John Feuz Sr. bought a meat market from James Sullivan on Dec. 1, 1922, which at the time was located where Sacred Money Studios now resides. John at that time was 28 years old, having come from Switzerland in 1914, where he'd been trained as a butcher. His wife, Anna Gabriel, whom he married in 1923, became his business partner.

John and Anna used the front of the store for their retail business and the back for wholesale. John also delivered meat to his customers and sold it wholesale to the Oregon Electric Railway. He had a two-story smokehouse on premises and made his own sausage in his basement. He started selling groceries as well as meat in 1932, and opened the store in its current location at 3535 S.W. Multnomah Blvd. in 1958.

John's store remained in the family until 1984, when it became mostly a convenience store under the management of John's son David. In the early 90s, Jack Furman bought the place and was the one who added the wine and beer selection. In 1999, the current owner, David Percival, bought John's Marketplace and runs it to this day.

Since I tend to be drawn to historical places and things, knowing its history makes John's all the more appealing to me. But most importantly, I have never, ever, not found what I wanted in terms of wine or beer at John's. And if I didn't know what I wanted (since I'm not the world's biggest connoisseur of beer or wine), some helpful salesperson there would steer me the right way.

John's has wine tastings every Friday evening from 5-7 p.m. when, for $5 a person, you can sample a variety of local and imported wines. They also have Winemaker Tastings a few Saturdays a month. You can check their website, johnsmarketplace.com, under "events" for specifics, or keep an eye on their sign, where they advertise various events — including some that are free!

But let's get back to the food.

You can sit at the lunch counter at John's and enjoy $5 draft pours while you chow down on legendary Tillamook cheeseburgers — single or double, with bacon or without, "veggie-tized" or not. They've got a "Killer Turkey" sandwich with turkey, bacon, provolone, lettuce, tomato, etc.; the "Flying Pig" sandwich, with ham, Tillamook cheddar and fixins'; the "Virgil," a BLT with onions and avocado; a "Dirty Cheesesteak," with lean steak marinated in a house brew; and a grilled Tillamook cheddar and provolone sandwich on Challah bread.

Yummy, hardy and all a great value.

So next time you're looking for exactly the right libation or a delicious sandwich/burger, visit the place that's made its name in history for all the right reasons: John's Marketplace.

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

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'Perfect place' for environmentally-conscious carnivores

Georgina Young-Ellis enjoys the 'meaty goodness' at Block & Board in Burlingame

Originally published Friday, September 01, 2017

I only recently discovered the Block & Board butcher shop in Burlingame, and what a wonderful surprise it was! Several people had recommended it to me, and so, consolidating our need for deli meats, stuff to grill for the weekend and something for dinner, my husband and I stopped in.

Oh my gosh, it's nothing but meaty goodness from one end to the other.

Block & Board (8421 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.) offers take-out BBQ, including baby-back ribs and pulled pork, prepared in house; sliced meats by the pound, such as roast beef, ham and turkey—brined, rubbed, smoked and roasted on the premises; fresh meat in the butcher case, with items as unusual as duck breast, or as classic as New York steak; sandwiches to order; and even premium local wines and draft beers.

Here's the thing that really sets Block & Board apart, though: All of their meats are sustainably and humanely raised, and all come from local ranchers. I mean, really local, as in the ranchers deliver the meat to the store themselves on a regular basis. And trust me, you can taste the difference that makes.

We weren't able to wait to get home to sample a slice of the smoked turkey breast, which tasted like actual turkey, but with a hint of cumin. We had the barbequed baby-back ribs for dinner and were similarly wowed by the fantastic flavor of the meat, as well as the spicy, not-too-sweet sauce.

We also got a pound of the house-made pork, parsley and parmesan sausage links for Saturday's grill. And again, we were astounded by the incredible, fresh flavor.

Erick Paulson is the owner of Block & Board. He says — and it turned out to be true — that when you eat meat that is so thoughtfully raised, there is more nutrition in it, and it actually fills you up more than commercially-raised meats.

I think we've all gotten used to the pre-packaged meat that comes from a long way off and, even if it's grass-fed or humanely raised, tastes sort-of bland. We don't even notice it anymore. But the meat you get at Block & Board has the kind of flavor I imagine meat tasted like in the days when one got it directly from the rancher within a day or so of its butchering.

Now, I realize that all this talk of meat may not be appealing to those who don't partake, but as Paulson said, "If a vegan were to open a butcher shop, this is what it would look like." I totally saw, and tasted, what he meant.

The products he sells make you feel like you are doing the right thing by the animals that provide the meat. You are also doing the right thing for the environment by eating local products that don't have to be shipped far, and that are raised by ranchers who are protective of the land on which they raise their animals.

By the way, Block & Board also sells prepared sandwiches and sides that sound amazing. How about a slow-smoked pork shoulder sandwich in house-made barbecue sauce, topped with apple celery slaw on a Portland French pub bun? Or the Burlingame Bánh mí: slow-roasted candied pork belly on a Portland French baguette with Jalapeño-ginger aioli, pickled vegetables and cilantro. Or the Smoke House Cuban: house-made ham, and smoked, roasted pork, grilled and pressed with Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard?

Whoa.

Sides include beef chili, burnt-ends baked beans, potato salad, mac and cheese — all made in-house. You can either dine in or take out. Add a glass or bottle of unique, local ales, ciders, IPAs or Pilsners — or a glass of Yamhill Valley Vineyards wine — and you're all set. Other wines from around the region are sold by the bottle to take home too.

Block & Board opened just a year and a half ago, according to Paulson, and it's an excellent addition to the other popular Burlingame establishments nearby. It's also a dream come true for meat eaters who want to do the right thing for their palate, and the planet.

Rating: Extraordinarily sincere

La Moule: Mussels and Oh, So Much More!

I was looking for a great place to take Jon for his birthday. We'd been to a few fancy-schmancy places around Portland, and, while suitably impressed, felt like something a bit more casual for this occasion. I searched around, rather at the last minute, for a place that we'd like and that had a table available with just two days notice. After exploring options for Steakhouses, Italian, and more, I came across La Moule in SE Portland. They had a yummy sounding Steak Frites on the menu, which I knew Jon would like, and I'm a sucker for really good mussels. With a name that literally means, "the mussel," we decided this place might fit the bill. Oh my gosh, did it. On a Friday night in early November it was hopping, but our table was ready though we got there a bit early. While not exactly intimate, La Moule's two candlelit dining rooms have an air of romance about them. There are booths for three or more diners and round cafe tables for two.

Since the prices were quite reasonable, we decided to splurge. Jon ordered a crab salad as an appetizer and I ordered the steak tartare, (which I'd never had but always fantasized about). Though it took that first course a little longer than ideal to arrive, we sipped our wonderful Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and engaged in the entertaining conversation we always enjoy, even though we've been married nigh on 30 years. Finally, the appetizers arrived and they were beyond what we'd expected. Jon's Dungeness crab was served in a delicious, garlicky-type mayo on a bed of fresh, snappy green beans. It was heaven. My steak tartare was served with a quail egg cracked in the middle, on top of a hot beef bone with marrow. One had only to scrape out the marrow and mix it and the egg into the steak, then enjoy the horse-radishy deliciousness of this ultra fresh, raw beef, that came with slices of french baguette. Wow.

Our main courses arrived more promptly than the appetizers, in perfect time, in fact, and again, we were bowled over. His steak frites was a juicy square of - I'm not sure what particular cut - but was cooked to perfection and melted in your mouth just like the herb butter that was drizzled on top. The frites (french fries, in case you didn't know) were slim and crispy, served with a garlic mayo. Jon gave me plenty of bites and we agreed it was a plate of pure heaven. I had the Moule Marniere, which is basically a huge bowl of mussels served in a broth of white wine, olive oil (I think), butter (I think) and garlic (yes, everything here is drenched in garlic). The mussels were huge, tender, fresh morsels, that, like, like the steak, melted in your mouth. I later asked the incredibly fun, nice, and efficient waitress where they were from and she said they come from just up north in Washington, delivered every day.

We had no room for dessert, but were so impressed overall, we vowed to come back. This place really had it all: hip factor, great food, great atmosphere (though a tad loud, just so you know), and great service. It was a departure from our usual dining out spots, and an experience we were so glad we got to have. Jon declared it the perfect birthday dinner!

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere!

2500 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR 97202
Lamoulepdx.com
Reservations through OpenTable.com
(971) 339-2822


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Hillsdale Library - Revisiting Their Sincerity

I think it could be argued that the Multnomah County Library system is one of the most progressive and inclusive in the country. About a year ago,  I wrote a piece for the Sincerity column that I do for the SW Community Connection paper in Portland about how very sincere the Hillsdale Library, part of the county system, is, mentioning that they have a good Spanish language section. http://portlandtribune.com/scc/125-opinion/308713-184235-hillsdale-library-a-people-friendly-place-
Well, I'm feeling like I need to rethink that evaluation. They have removed the Spanish language section for adults, and replaced it entirely with Russian. As a matter of fact, it looked to me like that was the only other language for adult readers that the library now features besides English. Though I know there's a large Russian population in Portland, I also know that the Spanish speaking population is growing. For the library to replace all Spanish language books for adults with Russian, in this Trump-era, Russian loving, Mexican-hating atmosphere we live in, it just seems like an iffy choice. They probably won't see this post, and that's okay, just want to get it off my chest. I let them know in person that I wasn't happy with their choice. I have nothing against Russian immigrants living in my vicinity, nothing at all. I welcome them like I welcome all newcomers to the U.S. But let's not send the wrong message by excluding Spanish speakers either.

Evaluation: Kind of sincere


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Casa Vaca

All you have to do is scroll down this blog a couple of posts to see how passionate I am about what constitutes a good taqueria. As a matter of fact, you'd better not use that sacred word, "taqueria" to describe your taco joint unless you're going to present me with an authentic, delicious, Mexico City style street taco that whisks me back to the Distrito Federal at the first bite. Sadly, so, so very sadly, the tacos at Casa Vaca do not. I'm particularly sad about this because Casa Vaca is in Multonmah Village, Portland, a ten minute walk from my house. Imagine our glee when Jon and I thought we could buzz up to the Village and grab a delicious and authentic taco anytime we wanted. Such is not the case.

It was actually my brother and I, a D.F. taco expert in his own right, who checked this place out about a week after it recently opened. We were impressed with the lovely and rustic interior (suspiciously lovely and rustic, my brother observed, for what usually constitutes a taqueria), happy to see the local beers and other local items they feature, but were terribly disappointed when we were served two plates of tacos: one of Carne Asada and the other Al Pastor (good barometers for taco-sampling) upon the appropriately small, soft, corn tortillas. Once we had a bite of each, we agreed that the tortillas were good and fresh, but both fillings were bland and very far from the authentic flavor we expected. As a matter of fact, they weren't even close. The same lack of flavor applied to the rice and the beans served on the plate, though the kale salad was okay. Wait a minute: KALE SALAD? Served with tacos? Oh, come on, this may be Portland, but that's carrying things way too far.

No, no. The tacos at Casa Vaca will not do, and I have no desire to try anything else they serve, which, is mostly burritos and some appetizers, as I recall - my mind is too muddy from grief over the lackluster tacos to really remember, and I can't find the menu on line. Owners of Casa Vaca, if you happen to read this and want to know what I think a real taco should taste like, go here: La Fuente, Tigard, I mean, actually go there and eat a taco. Or go to the taco truck outside of Village Merchants on Division Street, called Lindo Michoacan. Both those places serve Michoacan style tacos which have thicker, bigger tortillas, but are nevertheless fantastic, or check out Porque No on Hawthorne, whose tacos are a little fancy for me but have exquisite flavor. I'm afraid you could use a little schooling in the art of the taco.

Evaluation: Not sincere at all
(clarification: I'm not saying there are not some sincere aspects to the place, but no place with such disappointing food can rate any higher than this on the sincerity scale.)


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Taqueria La Fuente, Tigard Oregon

The word "taqueria" always stops me in my tracks. There's something so authentic sounding about it. When we recently moved to Portland, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to find good, authentic Mexico City style tacos - you know, the ones made from fresh, soft corn tortillas with grilled and other sorts of meats inside. I wasn't so worried about Mexican food in general, since I'm pretty skilled at making it, but I can't make street tacos taste like they do in Mexico City.

So one day, as Jon and I were tooling around in Tigard, we saw the sign for Taqueria La Fuente and were intrigued. Upon their window, another sign stated that they make their tortillas fresh, so in we went for a bite of lunch. We had a couple of tacos each and were completely blown away. There's a lady in the kitchen within view, making the fresh tortillas to order, and though they're a little thicker and larger than the Mexico City style, they were fantastic, as was the grilled steak that went inside. As it turns out, the state of Michoacán, Mexico has its own reputation for great street tacos. If you didn't know, Michoacân is in central Mexico, west of Mexico City and borders the coast. I may have driven through it, but am quite certain I never had a taco there. Fortunately, I now have La Fuente to provide them for me.

Tacos Mexicanos with rice and beans

However, tacos isn't all that La Fuente does right. They make a mean chile relleno, excellent enchiladas, fine tortas, and tamales to die for. As a matter of fact, at Christmas time, we were looking for a source of Christmas tamales because (for anyone who wasn't raised in a Mexican-influenced town, like I was, such as Tucson, Arizona) tamales are a tradition on Christmas Eve in Mexico and parts of the American Southwest. I have carried that tradition with me to the east coast and back, but, again, was worried I wouldn't find them in Portland. Well, not only are good tamales not hard to find here, but lots of places do them up for Christmas, and you can order them for about $20 a dozen. We had gone into La Fuente to eat a few weeks before Christmas, asked about them, and the server gave us one to sample. Oh, yeah. We ordered a dozen of the beef tamales and they won the seal of approval from my family.

The staff at La Fuente are personable and sweet, even on Cinco de Mayo when the plethora of gringos lining up at the door didn't disrupt their easy, friendly flow. They make decent margaritas, have a good selection of Mexican beers and sodas, and, though the place is far from fancy, it's clean, comfortable, and the prices can't be beat.

I have lots of other Mexican joints to try in the Portland area, but for now, I'm all about La Fuente.

Evaluation: Very sincere

Taqueria La Fuente
12198 SW Main St, Tigard, OR 97223
Phone:(503) 639-3653




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Is it Really the Best Buy?

In New York, the Best Buy stores are okay; they will sell you things that you need/want at pretty good prices, but like most big box stores, I think most people would agree, they are soulless. This is not a criticism, but rather a simple observation. I went to those stores because they were handy.

I'll admit that I went to the store here in Portland, because I was used to going there; I pretty much knew that when I went in it would seem familiar (which is, of course, part of the marketing strategy of all such franchise or chain establishments) and I was right. I felt right at home and pretty much knew where everything would be located. I have two surprising experiences to relate:

• I bought a "smart" (Samsung) TV which after three months became a frustrating, annoying, and remarkably stupid TV. Without much real hope, I went back to the store to relate my experience. I had purchased the extended warranty, but that would only mean that they would fix it, but what I really wanted was for them to replace it with another brand (Sony) that I figured would be a better way to go. They patiently listened to the issues I was experiencing, as well as to my request for something out of the ordinary. The woman I spoke with had to go speak to her manager and I waited around for ten minutes, losing hope by the minute. She came back and said, "no problem, we can see that you're really unhappy so let us make it right." It was a true Twilight Zone moment. I felt as though I should check to see if this was one of those dreams where everything works perfectly, ya know?
• Nevertheless, the second incident was even more bizarre. Georgina had been needing a new computer for quite some time and finally we decided to move on that. She wanted a Macbook, and I spent quite a lot of time making sure that we'd get the very best deal on a factory-refurb from Apple (we've had great luck over the years doing that). I placed the order. About 20 minutes later I randomly came across a Best Buy ad for exactly the same machine for $250 less than Apple! The only thing was, that I had to make the purchase online. Naturally, I called Apple to see what the heck was going on, and they said, well sometimes other stores had better deals than they could offer. Crazy huh? I canceled the Apple order and placed my order with Best Buy. In both cases the wait for the machine was like five days. No big deal. Georgina's new computer arrived. I installed appropriate software. It worked for 24 hours, and then began asking for passwords that no one on the planet had access to. I called their "Customer Service," and got nowhere (just like in NYC the Best Buy online customer service is a contradiction in terms), so I took it back to my local store, where they kindly took it back for another day to reinstall the operating system, which they said was very likely the problem. Well no. Got it back. Returned home. Installed software. It worked for 24 hours. That $250 was starting to seem like a very small price to pay for a working computer. I took it back yet again, and this time spoke with the store manager, telling him the entire story, and that I simply wanted my money returned. The Apple store was right around the corner where I could just walk in, buy a new computer and be done with it. He listened carefully to everything I had to say and then asked, "look, how about if I sell you a brand new machine with a $500 discount?" Picture me with my mouth hanging open. We're not in New York City anymore!

There's something in the water here, and it works!-)

Evaluation: Extraordinarily sincere! 
In Portland Oregon only... Everywhere else, you're on your own.


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