I'm partying like a crazy person from now until 10 days from now. I've had a few parties at the floating home, I'm eating at food carts or Saturday Market or bars galore, picnics at Laurelhurst Park or birthday parties at Mara's...this is the good life. My last days in Portland are filled with: good weather, yummy beverages and food, great friends, fun strangers/new friends, world cup games, etc. Needless to say, adventures abound.
The weirdness of leaving for 2 years is beginning to set in. I've given myself free license to eat all the veggies, fruits, meat, junk food, and other delicious sundries I can get my hands on (guessing it's a pretty safe bet that I won't be able to find sushi in Niger). I'm starting to feel queasy at the thought of not seeing these people for a spell. I get all moody, but then I just grab a friend (and a drink) and keep on keepin' on! I'm filling my schedule for my last 8 days with: Doug's play, coworker happy hour, drinks and dinner with Bart, STEVE!!!, errands and shopping with my mom, filling my iPod with music from friends, world cup games, beer, wine, friends and coworkers, and sleep (but only if I can squeeze it in). :) And then there's Philadelphia with Tab and Michael Faris and Jenny Balisteri!
Images of the past few weeks that will stay with me for awhile (whether I'd like them to or not): running into a bachelorette party with Miles at Dixie Tavern (safe to say, the first and last time I'll ever frequent that joint). Strawberry daiquiris and yummy 'cuisine a la Dau' at the floating home. Drinking wine with Rachel watching my new favorite show, Noah's Arc.
I'm so excited, but worried, a little. Worried that Niger isn't ready for all this jelly! Hey-eyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
Showing posts with label bar scene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bar scene. Show all posts
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Best. Weekend. EVER! (Until the next, that is)!
Thursday would have been a perfect day except for the weather. Meh, it's Oregon in the springtime. Which, I've decided, is the perfect metaphor for life: it may be sunny for now, but 5 minutes later it will be pouring and you'll be soaked. Oregonians know this, so we're always prepared (or should be) and we don't hesitate to soak up every second of sunshine, because who knows how long it'll stay? I digress. I started at Tasty & Sons for brunch with Mara and Lauren. I can speak to the tasty (mmmmmboy! the pork cutlets melted in my mouth!), but where were the sons? Then on to a hair appointment with Chris which was like an interview for him at a new salon in the Pearl. He ROCKED it: I love my hair and he got the job! Awesomeness continued when I met up with Megan to hang out and we proceeded to cook, I mean uncook a raw food meal. WOW! A bunch of veggies and spices and herbs and sauces and lettuce, and it was actually pretty darn yummy. Following that, Chris and I headed over to the party of the century: Guidos (& guidettes) vs. Hipsters! Instant Jersey Shore recipe: hot new haircut + short shorts + gobs of bronzer + drawn-on Italia tattoo = one hot Snooki, if I do say so myself! ;)
Friday started out with Helser's on Alberta for breakfast with Mara and John (Mara's a huge breakfast/brunch fanatic). All I can remember is: crumpets!! But they were delicious! That night my mom, stepdad and I headed over to our favorite island happy hour spot, Shenanigan's (inside the Red Lion). If you're feeling sassy and classy...this isn't the place for you. If your mom is buying, it's barely acceptable. Ok ok, maybe if BOTH bridges collapse and you somehow find yourself stuck on Hayden Island (Jantzen Beach)...no, I'd still say: swim! I guess I felt I couldn't end the night there, so I forced my mom to drive us over to Backstage, (off of Hawthorne, behind the Bagdad), a gorgeous McMenamin's I've been hearing about for awhile but which was finally introduced to me by Hannah last week. Pool + guest appearance by Doug + most gorgeous mural in a bar EVER = WIN!
Saturday meant shopping! Hooray capitalism! My mom and I went to Bridgeport Village and the Woodburn Outlet Mall because we are classy like that! I got some shoes, some shirts, a raincoat, a headlamp, a radio, a waterbottle...did I mention I'm going to Africa in 43 days?!?! AH! I really need to read up more on Niger, as my current talking points (it's 80% desert! they're poor!) just aren't cutting it. As I was watching Sex and the City the movie with a big ol' glass of (boxed) wine that evening, I was summoned to Blow Pony, the big gay party at Rotture that I've never gotten around to getting to. So I got myself all dolled up in my drag queen/Katy Perry get-up and I'm so glad I went! Sophia, Sam, Eryn, Chris, Charlie, drag queens, dance music: hells yeah!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome to the world, new little cousin Isabella Selah McFarland!
16 days until Miles gets here!
Friday started out with Helser's on Alberta for breakfast with Mara and John (Mara's a huge breakfast/brunch fanatic). All I can remember is: crumpets!! But they were delicious! That night my mom, stepdad and I headed over to our favorite island happy hour spot, Shenanigan's (inside the Red Lion). If you're feeling sassy and classy...this isn't the place for you. If your mom is buying, it's barely acceptable. Ok ok, maybe if BOTH bridges collapse and you somehow find yourself stuck on Hayden Island (Jantzen Beach)...no, I'd still say: swim! I guess I felt I couldn't end the night there, so I forced my mom to drive us over to Backstage, (off of Hawthorne, behind the Bagdad), a gorgeous McMenamin's I've been hearing about for awhile but which was finally introduced to me by Hannah last week. Pool + guest appearance by Doug + most gorgeous mural in a bar EVER = WIN!
Saturday meant shopping! Hooray capitalism! My mom and I went to Bridgeport Village and the Woodburn Outlet Mall because we are classy like that! I got some shoes, some shirts, a raincoat, a headlamp, a radio, a waterbottle...did I mention I'm going to Africa in 43 days?!?! AH! I really need to read up more on Niger, as my current talking points (it's 80% desert! they're poor!) just aren't cutting it. As I was watching Sex and the City the movie with a big ol' glass of (boxed) wine that evening, I was summoned to Blow Pony, the big gay party at Rotture that I've never gotten around to getting to. So I got myself all dolled up in my drag queen/Katy Perry get-up and I'm so glad I went! Sophia, Sam, Eryn, Chris, Charlie, drag queens, dance music: hells yeah!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome to the world, new little cousin Isabella Selah McFarland!
16 days until Miles gets here!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Fellow Niger PCVS, you out there?
Life's been pretty surreal lately. I think and talk about Niger only in social situations when people pepper me with dozens of questions. Other than that, I'm trying to focus on more pressing matters. I'm taking the GRE later this week! I was nuts to sign up for this, and I'm just hoping to come out the other end with an average score, above-average seems too much to hope for at this point. I have to finish reading my book by the end of this week, and I've started thinking about packing (what shoes and clothes and things will I need? I just bought an Oregon t-shirt at the Saturday Market yesterday, on Sunday). And family, friends and Portland- and America-themed adventures are keeping me busy too!
Friday I hung out with cousins Kirk & Sue, Kate and Kyle in Salem. We went to the dump, Home Depot, and for lunch we went to a Mexican restaurant and then got a Belgian waffle and a cannoli for dessert (not at the Mexican restaurant). I need to start running. Next week. Saturday I went to a 'Mothers and Others' brunch and then hung out in SE. It was gorgeous! Mara and I met up with some of her friends on Mississippi for Amnesia Brewery fare, where I got a yummy pint and a spicy sausage with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. It was awesome! Then she and I volunteered as the concessions people for a play. Portland Playhouse's production of Radio Golf was incredible! The acting was good, the set design was cool ("you're such a theater nerd" said Mara), and the setting was intimate and awesome (in an old church, a thrust stage). I miss you, the theater! Then we met up with John and went out to the Aalto Lounge. Rock it, Portland!
To continue the Portland did-it list: last Tuesday I checked out the Rialto (nice old sports bar), the Tube (a classic-the yummiest cheap well drinks around), and the Boiler Room where we sang karaoke! Carly Simon's You're so vain is my go-to karaoke tune. Mara and I sang a duet, and apparently we don't know the lyrics to Telephone as well as we thought we did. Damn. And a sushi restaurant opened on the first floor of our building: Sushi Sakura is yummy, pretty cheap, and even cheaper for us since John now works there and gives us deals!
My job got extended, so after this week I'll be working part-time basically up until when I leave. Which has its pluses and minuses, but I think the good outweighs the bad: I'll stay busy, and as John says, "Beer don't buy itself!" Yesterday, Mother's Day, Alisha hosted a fabulous brunch (featuring 'Marc's Brunch Munch, a delicious new dish created by Marc-"you should open up a food cart!"), so I skipped part of work to hang with Aunt Beth, Barb & Nick, my mom, Alisha and Marc. It was excellent. Mimosas are the best invention ever. Now here I am at the beginning of another work week, so excited for my roadtrip to Moscow (Idaho) on Friday, and wondering where all the other Niger July 2010 Peace Corps Volunteers are! I guess they're not as obsessed as I am: I check facebook groups and the Peace Corps Wiki almost daily for news, even though I already got my Invitation, the biggest news of all. I'm not too worried: I'll meet them eventually. Just like how my mom's been checking out Niger on Google Earth. I haven't, because I figure: I'll be there! I'll get my fill soon enough!
Things to look forward to:
-Moscow (countdown: 5 days)
-Miles (probably coming around June 10th, so, countdown: 1 month)
-Niger (countdown: a shade less than 2 months)
Friday I hung out with cousins Kirk & Sue, Kate and Kyle in Salem. We went to the dump, Home Depot, and for lunch we went to a Mexican restaurant and then got a Belgian waffle and a cannoli for dessert (not at the Mexican restaurant). I need to start running. Next week. Saturday I went to a 'Mothers and Others' brunch and then hung out in SE. It was gorgeous! Mara and I met up with some of her friends on Mississippi for Amnesia Brewery fare, where I got a yummy pint and a spicy sausage with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. It was awesome! Then she and I volunteered as the concessions people for a play. Portland Playhouse's production of Radio Golf was incredible! The acting was good, the set design was cool ("you're such a theater nerd" said Mara), and the setting was intimate and awesome (in an old church, a thrust stage). I miss you, the theater! Then we met up with John and went out to the Aalto Lounge. Rock it, Portland!
To continue the Portland did-it list: last Tuesday I checked out the Rialto (nice old sports bar), the Tube (a classic-the yummiest cheap well drinks around), and the Boiler Room where we sang karaoke! Carly Simon's You're so vain is my go-to karaoke tune. Mara and I sang a duet, and apparently we don't know the lyrics to Telephone as well as we thought we did. Damn. And a sushi restaurant opened on the first floor of our building: Sushi Sakura is yummy, pretty cheap, and even cheaper for us since John now works there and gives us deals!
My job got extended, so after this week I'll be working part-time basically up until when I leave. Which has its pluses and minuses, but I think the good outweighs the bad: I'll stay busy, and as John says, "Beer don't buy itself!" Yesterday, Mother's Day, Alisha hosted a fabulous brunch (featuring 'Marc's Brunch Munch, a delicious new dish created by Marc-"you should open up a food cart!"), so I skipped part of work to hang with Aunt Beth, Barb & Nick, my mom, Alisha and Marc. It was excellent. Mimosas are the best invention ever. Now here I am at the beginning of another work week, so excited for my roadtrip to Moscow (Idaho) on Friday, and wondering where all the other Niger July 2010 Peace Corps Volunteers are! I guess they're not as obsessed as I am: I check facebook groups and the Peace Corps Wiki almost daily for news, even though I already got my Invitation, the biggest news of all. I'm not too worried: I'll meet them eventually. Just like how my mom's been checking out Niger on Google Earth. I haven't, because I figure: I'll be there! I'll get my fill soon enough!
Things to look forward to:
-Moscow (countdown: 5 days)
-Miles (probably coming around June 10th, so, countdown: 1 month)
-Niger (countdown: a shade less than 2 months)
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Lately
The weather's been nice lately, which just makes me wary of what's to come. In like a lamb...
I live on the wrong side of town. I've known this, obviously, for some time (Jantzen Beach is the most disgusting mix of industrial, trashy 'mall,' Vancoovies, and million dollar yachts imaginable...little wonder we hit the bottle so frequently down here). And a beautifully fabulously lazy day in SE yesterday complete with Swedish food, Hamm's, a sunset on a rooftop, and a healthy smattering of hipsters just made it all that much more obvious. (Note: for good Swedish fare and a really cute waitstaff ;), DEFINITELY check out Broder. 3 thumbs up!).
The fair weather has also made increasingly obvious the lack of a bike in my life.
Nerding out - my latest acquisition from putting stuff on hold at the public library, (recommended by Megan), is Career Diplomacy, a book all about my future working in the Foreign Service. [Speaking of my future...yeah, nothing to report. Peace Corps wasn't kidding when they casually dropped the word 'waiting' into their literature a time or two.]
Thoughts and preoccupations of late:
The Sultan Cafe - hard to find place but made up for it with yummy hookah, which simultaneously makes me feel cool as shit and miss the shit out of my brother. That shit's good shit!
Pope House - yummy bourbons. sweet bathroom. because of the Kentucky Derby, of course.
The Bitter End - I remember a jukebox, some Gogol Bordello and Johnny Cash. "This reminds me of every bar in Wisconsin." quoth the Wisconsinites.
So at least I'm continuing in my goal to get Portland did. I rode the #4 down Mississippi and that's where I want to try next, wallet- and weather-permitting. Did I really start this post out talking about the weather? How depressing...
I live on the wrong side of town. I've known this, obviously, for some time (Jantzen Beach is the most disgusting mix of industrial, trashy 'mall,' Vancoovies, and million dollar yachts imaginable...little wonder we hit the bottle so frequently down here). And a beautifully fabulously lazy day in SE yesterday complete with Swedish food, Hamm's, a sunset on a rooftop, and a healthy smattering of hipsters just made it all that much more obvious. (Note: for good Swedish fare and a really cute waitstaff ;), DEFINITELY check out Broder. 3 thumbs up!).
The fair weather has also made increasingly obvious the lack of a bike in my life.
Nerding out - my latest acquisition from putting stuff on hold at the public library, (recommended by Megan), is Career Diplomacy, a book all about my future working in the Foreign Service. [Speaking of my future...yeah, nothing to report. Peace Corps wasn't kidding when they casually dropped the word 'waiting' into their literature a time or two.]
Thoughts and preoccupations of late:
- the earthquake in Chile. as far as I know, everyone I know is okay, despite the epicenter being super close to Chillan. Their homes, (and subsequent safety) aren't so stable. what can I do? not much from here. But I know of a family or two who could use some help, anyone interested.
- what will Meryl Streep have to do to win another Oscar? Like, seriously, who will she have to channel? Jesus? Mary? Joseph? All 3 at the same time?
- I used to think about being a stateswoman on Capitol Hill someday. But do I really want to run in that crowd? I mean, reading A People's History of the US is making me sick, and it's all the Capitalists' fault!
- I'm so glad I'm not 16 and pregnant. But I'm also so glad MTV made a show about it to remind me how glad I am that I'm not!
- Evan Lysacek on Dancing with the Stars. OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!
The Sultan Cafe - hard to find place but made up for it with yummy hookah, which simultaneously makes me feel cool as shit and miss the shit out of my brother. That shit's good shit!
Pope House - yummy bourbons. sweet bathroom. because of the Kentucky Derby, of course.
The Bitter End - I remember a jukebox, some Gogol Bordello and Johnny Cash. "This reminds me of every bar in Wisconsin." quoth the Wisconsinites.
So at least I'm continuing in my goal to get Portland did. I rode the #4 down Mississippi and that's where I want to try next, wallet- and weather-permitting. Did I really start this post out talking about the weather? How depressing...
Friday, January 22, 2010
I'm Falling in Love...
...with Portland! (I hope you didn't assume that I was capable of really truly falling in love à la les contes de fées and whatnot...) The more I discover and get to know this place Portland, the more I love it. Bars, the political scene, long-time residents, transplants, 'old-lady plays', Jewish mothers, etc. Funny, because as much as I love to leave it, I find myself liking living here more and more...
Thanks to coworkers and good friends I'm indulging in the bar scene (this evening: Produce Row Cafe, 2nd and Oak on the 'East Bank,' gasp!). In general, I'm embracing the 'quasi-hippie half-assed trendy liberal' scene that is Portland (and me by extension?) Am I where I'm from or is where I from me? Whoa. Trippy to think about. I guess I'm getting in touch with my liberal roots (I LOVE when my mom complains that MSNBC is 'not liberal enough')! All this coming from a post-'uber'-Christian. Yikes. And headed into the Peace Corps. But of course! TOMORROW! I'm mailing in all my medical forms to the Peace Corps. Major hurdle. Overcome, with the help of my 'ceases-to-be-amazing' mom. As always.
I am Oregonian, through and through, no matter where I go.
I leave you with this:
YES ON 66 and 67!!! Oregon is NOT Massachusetts!
Thanks to coworkers and good friends I'm indulging in the bar scene (this evening: Produce Row Cafe, 2nd and Oak on the 'East Bank,' gasp!). In general, I'm embracing the 'quasi-hippie half-assed trendy liberal' scene that is Portland (and me by extension?) Am I where I'm from or is where I from me? Whoa. Trippy to think about. I guess I'm getting in touch with my liberal roots (I LOVE when my mom complains that MSNBC is 'not liberal enough')! All this coming from a post-'uber'-Christian. Yikes. And headed into the Peace Corps. But of course! TOMORROW! I'm mailing in all my medical forms to the Peace Corps. Major hurdle. Overcome, with the help of my 'ceases-to-be-amazing' mom. As always.
I am Oregonian, through and through, no matter where I go.
I leave you with this:
YES ON 66 and 67!!! Oregon is NOT Massachusetts!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
PDX means Portland, duh!
(That was for Jay from Kansas. ATL, LAX, PDX, I mean, come ON! We're kind of a big deal...aren't we?)
So I've been gallivanting about town having a lot of firsts lately, here's the report card:
Clyde Common - One of Andrew's faves, Thursday night a bunch of my workmates and I headed here for a goodbye happy hour for Dennis and Emily. TEAR! We ordered stiff drinks to stave off the sadness. I sampled a sour bourbon&cassis number, (cassis=blackcurrant liquor from France) a Christmas-y gin&tonic&then some, and something called Breakfast of Champions, with calvados (apple liquor from Normandy, where I lived last summer). All these familiar French liquors got me feeling nostalgic and thirsty...guess they're living up to their rep as a 'European-style tavern.' Yum!
Embers - After happy hour came happier hour! Some of us headed to the oldest gay bar in Portland...I can't believe I'd never been before! Cheap drinks, free drinks (!), dancing and oversharing with coworkers=a win!
Christmas Ships - OK, not a first, but a Portland Christmas classic! Friday night we hosted the first of 2 parties chez moi to watch the Christmas ships parade. If you've lived in Portland for awhile, you should know about these (even if you don't)! Lots of great drink and good food and a random smattering of my mom's, my stepdad's and my friends and coworkers made for a nice night. This Friday (December 18th) promises to be an even wilder and crazier time, with at least double the guests and double the awesome! Swing on by if you'll be in Portland!
Portland Christmas Revels - Saturday night Hannah and her fam invited me along to the Christmas revels, a very unique, really cool, and totally Portland celebration of the winter solstice! Singing, a famous fiddler, Irish dancing, stag's horns, sing-a-longs, mummers, oh boy! I saw a guy with a wizard's cloak.
Hotel DeLuxe - After the revels, Hannah, Mike, Tone, Tone's friends and I headed half a block up to this snazzy little hotel for after-revel drinks. The doorman was falling down on his job, so the door kept getting stuck open, which, on a freezing night, is kind of a big deal. I couldn't resist ordering a cocktail called the Tennessee Williams, with bourbon and sweet tea-flavoured vodka, among other things. Hello! It was amazing, even though, as Hannah pointed out, it tasted of bitterness and disappointment. [ :) Theater jokes.]
Virginia Cafe - One of the oldest bars in Portland, even though they recently had to change locations (93 years in one place, just moved to across the street from the library in 2008), this was one of John Sugie's first suggestions when I asked him about 'must-hits' around town. Doug and I went to lunch there today and I had delicious chili, salad and cheesy bread, and a $3 Bloody Mary because it was before 2:00pm! Spicy, tasty and strong...everything a BM should be! :) Now that's what I call a good deal!
So I've been gallivanting about town having a lot of firsts lately, here's the report card:
Clyde Common - One of Andrew's faves, Thursday night a bunch of my workmates and I headed here for a goodbye happy hour for Dennis and Emily. TEAR! We ordered stiff drinks to stave off the sadness. I sampled a sour bourbon&cassis number, (cassis=blackcurrant liquor from France) a Christmas-y gin&tonic&then some, and something called Breakfast of Champions, with calvados (apple liquor from Normandy, where I lived last summer). All these familiar French liquors got me feeling nostalgic and thirsty...guess they're living up to their rep as a 'European-style tavern.' Yum!
Embers - After happy hour came happier hour! Some of us headed to the oldest gay bar in Portland...I can't believe I'd never been before! Cheap drinks, free drinks (!), dancing and oversharing with coworkers=a win!
Christmas Ships - OK, not a first, but a Portland Christmas classic! Friday night we hosted the first of 2 parties chez moi to watch the Christmas ships parade. If you've lived in Portland for awhile, you should know about these (even if you don't)! Lots of great drink and good food and a random smattering of my mom's, my stepdad's and my friends and coworkers made for a nice night. This Friday (December 18th) promises to be an even wilder and crazier time, with at least double the guests and double the awesome! Swing on by if you'll be in Portland!
Portland Christmas Revels - Saturday night Hannah and her fam invited me along to the Christmas revels, a very unique, really cool, and totally Portland celebration of the winter solstice! Singing, a famous fiddler, Irish dancing, stag's horns, sing-a-longs, mummers, oh boy! I saw a guy with a wizard's cloak.
Hotel DeLuxe - After the revels, Hannah, Mike, Tone, Tone's friends and I headed half a block up to this snazzy little hotel for after-revel drinks. The doorman was falling down on his job, so the door kept getting stuck open, which, on a freezing night, is kind of a big deal. I couldn't resist ordering a cocktail called the Tennessee Williams, with bourbon and sweet tea-flavoured vodka, among other things. Hello! It was amazing, even though, as Hannah pointed out, it tasted of bitterness and disappointment. [ :) Theater jokes.]
Virginia Cafe - One of the oldest bars in Portland, even though they recently had to change locations (93 years in one place, just moved to across the street from the library in 2008), this was one of John Sugie's first suggestions when I asked him about 'must-hits' around town. Doug and I went to lunch there today and I had delicious chili, salad and cheesy bread, and a $3 Bloody Mary because it was before 2:00pm! Spicy, tasty and strong...everything a BM should be! :) Now that's what I call a good deal!
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Night of April 18th (Epic. Glorious.)
Saturday night the bar, (the Red Unicorn, the only pub in town), belonged to me and Ruth, NOT Olivier (read: next-door neighbor) and his posse of motherfuckers, Jean-Guy excluded. It was especially sweet because unless I'm planning on dragging my mom there next weekend to show her the seedier side of my life here, it was Ruth and my last time there together, (at least for the near future...never say never)! There were so many beautiful moments, beginning with the choicest:
- Suzy (Olivier's 17-probably-actually-just-16-or-maybe-even-just-15-year-old current lover? I could care less) storming off and out of the bar, just a few minutes after we arrived, really, never to be seen again, because I flipped her off. I also flipped off Carla and Jean-Guy. They didn't leave. Delicious. ;)
- Me singing Imagine with the singer guy, and another French song I didn't know, but could manage the chorus. On a mic, in front of my adoring fans, and Olivier, etc. Classy. Drunk.
- Me getting drinks bought for me, including once when two different men (a Dutch and a...Moroccan? Tunisian? Some sort of North African) each bought me a round and plunked them down in front of me at the same time!!! As Alison would say, Fierce!
- Ruth seeing Olivier and Carla dancing real close and Carla giving me the evils, as if to say: "I've got him now and you don't," as if I care! As if I even noticed, (maybe more accurately: as if I can even remember! Ruth had to remind me)!
We owned. We killed. The night ended with me talking to the hot guy in black across the bar I'd been making eyes at for a good portion of the night, realizing even through my very drunken haze that he was definitely not worth it, and leaving, no numbers or names exchanged. Nothing. Then Ruth walked me home and I slept a glorious night alone. It was amazing. I didn't get out of bed the next day until 4-something. I loved it, even with a hungover headache. I'm off the men for awhile, except the gloriously hot Latin ones who come in my dreams...imaginary men are something I can deal with.
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