Sunday, March 15, 2009

Chez Cascadia Weekend

It was a beautiful, high energy weekend.
Our friends arrived Friday night and we descended upon a glorious Evergreen contra dance. The Bendite/Portlanders were in great form and added significant spice to the event. During breaks Brent had a large circle of intrigued Greeners watching his acro-antics with a few slender partners...

From there we brought a large gathering of revelers back to the hostel and had a music, dance party until four am. Saturday morning breakfast was late and fantastic... followed by an outing to the Evergreen forest where we played an intense game of capture the flag. Our backdrop was the mesmerizing Puget sound and a pebble beach covered with barnacles. Oh, and as with any proper semi-coordinated romping about in the woods, there was an accompanying handle of whiskey. There was high tech communication, cell phones being used to strategize and William, distracting his PBR guzzling prison guard with a tale of his birth in Arabia, and how he really is Armenian. The unsuspecting Olympian was nearly engulfed in the spell.....but Aisling brought him back in time to spy Travis just 5 feet away.

Thereafter we progressed to the Evergreen saunas and allowed our muscles to absorb the enveloping cedar scented heat.

Then of course there was the grand Chez Cascadia event. We had a bluegrass music jam (in the bunk room), firespinning (on the street), and a Talking Heads dance party (in the living room)....all at once. Sometime during the night we went from Talking Heads to an om circle after which a band assembled and a local caller called a series of Contra and Square dances. There was more...much much more..like multiple people taking turns wearing my bright yellow leotard with my gold speedo. Elise found my Grinch suit. She was incredibly adorable! The theme was Cosmic Cascadia Explorers.


By noon the following morning we were once again in the bunk room playing old time favorites... Josh was at the helm. Meanwhile Travis and his breakfast cohorts were preparing an amazing, honey chocolate, whipped cream, maple syrup covered french toast/scrambled egg extravaganza. All of this was supplemented with oversized mason jars of Mimosa, served in the bunk room which at that point had between 3-5 people on each bunk bed. Josh was officially served "breakfast in bed", he had not left the room all morning with the exception of a restroom visit.



It was classic, wonderful weekend. And for that Trav and I thank you.

Thank you all for being, for making community! And as William said during a pause in the om meditation:

"Oh, oh...god, please don't... stop!"








Rachel and Aisling, the best hostel Innkeepers ever!


Thank you Jonah, for manifesting Chez Cascadia.
Daniel's sweet guns!

Monica!
Peter!

Bunk room lounging
Robin Hood!
Tasha.