V-day vexes not only the lonely
Posted on February 03, 2011 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
I was grabbing a coffee at the Amarak in Luther Bonney when I saw it. “Nuttin’ but Love,” a featured Valentine’s Day blend from Coffee by Design. The name references both a Heavy D and the Boyz hit from 1994, and the nutty undertones of the coffee. I enjoy a little nut flavor in my [...]
Kiss or tell: the journalist’s dilemma
Posted on January 31, 2011 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
When a childhood friend recently asked me to be in her wedding, I was quick to accept. Then I did what anybody would do next — rented “27 Dresses.” For those not up on their cinema, it’s a romantic comedy about a woman who is always a bridesmaid, never a bride. What better preparation could there [...]
Lessons learned from the death tooth
Posted on January 24, 2011 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland, Perspectives
Over winter break, I permanently mutilated my body. I did not shoot my eye out with a BB gun. I didn’t get a piercing or tattoo. I had a tooth pulled. I was in pain. It was an emergency. I’ve had plenty of dental issues in the past, but this was a new low. I [...]
Crazy cat lady at age 26?
Posted on November 29, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
I’m concerned that I’m currently running the risk of turning into a crazy cat lady at the age of 26. One of the first indications is that right now, I’m writing this column about her. I adopted this cat a few years ago when my live-in ex-boyfriend was so depressed he couldn’t get out of [...]
Munjoy Hill’s #1 reading series in a bar
Posted on November 19, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Arts & Culture
Since its inception, The Moth and Moth-inspired events have renewed the age-old custom of storytelling. But the storytellers who come to The Moth aren’t necessarily writers, they’re people who have great stories. Many artists and musicians get the opportunity to witness live reactions to their work; there is no reason for writers to be left [...]
After leaving Las Vegas
Posted on November 15, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
It’s just like in “What About Bob?” when Dr. Willey told Bob: “You need to take a vacation from your problems.” My problems weren’t great in number, just in their stronghold on my life. I was sad and lonely. It’s hard to get out of bed when you’re sad; it’s hard to wait tables when [...]
What I learned from Chrissie Hynde
Posted on November 08, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
Last month, my best friend Mandy and I got the chance to see Chrissie Hynde play in Portsmouth, NH. We’d seen her twice before with the Pretenders. She’s one of the most captivating performers I’ve ever seen, or will ever see. Chrissie was one of the only female band leader during th the punk and [...]
How do you play it cool when you’re addicted to your phone?
Posted on October 04, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
Once, in a drunken haze, I told an ex that I loved him like I love my iPhone. I wish I wasn’t addicted to my iPhone. I keep it within reach all the time, and it’s rare that I go more than an hour or two without checking my text messages and e-mails. It’s a [...]
Afraid of commitment, we’re all just hanging out
Posted on September 23, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
It’s been a long while since I’ve been fortunate enough to sport status “In a Relationship.” I’d tried not committing. I’d tried retrosexing. I’d had a few one-night stands. I’d tried turning to the Internet. But I was always coming up short. About a month ago, I found myself in the middle of something that [...]
Discovering the wonders of Wharf Street
Posted on September 20, 2010 by Amanda Pleau in Misadventures In Portland
Spending a lot of time hanging out at Amigo’s and Rosie’s is like a Portland right of passage, and that’s where I learned firsthand about the wonders of Wharf Street. Now, as a rule of thumb, I steer clear — these people are not my people. We sat on opposite sides of the lunchroom. I [...]
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