Floating House Inspired by Nature

Portland, Oregon-based architect Robert Oshatz created this beautiful, floating home for the Fennel family on the Willamette River. Oshatz is known for his curvaceous, swooping architecture and unique approach to design. Since active construction is prohibited on the Willamette, Oshatz had to construct the home off-site on the connected Columbia River and pull it by barge to its mooring. This unique home is kept afloat by locally sourced 80-foot Douglas fir logs, and the exterior design takes its cue from ocean waves.

I’ve always wanted to live on a houseboat. It seems like it would be so relaxing, enjoying the gentle sway of the houseboat as it’s rocked by waves. Sigh.

Link [Environmental Graffiti]

Green Bicyclists and Filmmakers’ Gear Stolen During Stop in Eugene, OR

Andy Davis and Melissa Henige had planned to make Eugene, Oregon a key stop on their cross-country bicycle trip, having heard that it was a great bike town. Excited about the trip and the sustainable documentary they were making, the couple never thought that soon after stopping at The Beanery coffeehouse they’d be updating their blog with the words, “Dear thief who stole my gear…”

From The Register Guard:

Sometime between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, someone snipped the cable locking the engaged couple’s bicycles and Burley Design trailers and made off with Henige’s red, white and blue Trek 1000 touring bike and the trailer.

Inside the trailer was all their camping gear, including their tent, her sleeping bag, personal belongings, food, checkbook and all her clothes. And their business cards — thus the “Dear Thief” blog written by Henige on their Web site, www.changinggearsmovie.com. The cards list the Web site, so Henige thought there would be a good chance the thief might read it.

“Little did you know when you stole my bike and gear that you would disrupt an incredible journey across the country … As you read through our blog, you’ll see the amazing people who have helped us on this adventure, and maybe their wisdom, ingenuity, and warmth may inspire you to work for a better world as well.”

The couple was supposed to be continuing down the coast to San Francisco, where they plan to exchange pre-wedding vows in the Muir woods. They’re still heading down there, but it’ll be on a Greyhound – they shipped Davis’ bike back to their home in Indiana.

What a buzzkill. We hope they get their gear back!

See the couple talk about their experience on the video at The Register Guard.

Link [The Register Guard]

The Vegan Stripper: Casa Diablo Gentlemens Club Combines Hot Naked Ladies with Animal Free Eatin’

Talk about a mash up made in heaven- The Casa Diablo Gentlemens Club in Portland, Oregon combines veganism with strippers. I was a vegetarian for six years in my early twenties and could never see myself giving up milk, butter, and cheese, but if anything could convince me to make the jump it’d be a hot naked vegan girl dancing in my face.

Naturally, some vegans are pissed that their movement is being used to sell sex (but then again, a lot of vegans are pissed about one thing or another all the time, so what can you do…).

Here’s a bit from the story in the New York Times, it’s hidden behind a registration wall, but you can head over to BugMeNot and grab some logins (I used ‘pleasestopthis0′ for a login and ‘blahblah’ as a pw, try those first).

TWO things that you can find a lot of in Portland, Ore., are vegans and strip clubs. Johnny Diablo decided to open a business to combine both. At his Casa Diablo Gentlemen’s Club, soy protein replaces beef in the tacos and chimichangas; the dancers wear pleather, not leather. Many are vegans or vegetarians themselves.

But Portland is also home to a lot of young feminists, and some are not happy with Mr. Diablo’s venture. Since he opened the strip club last month, their complaints have been “all over the Internet,” he said. “One of them came in here once. I could tell she had an attitude right when she came in. She was all hostile.”

Mr. Diablo isn’t concerned with the “feminazis,” as he calls them. As a vegan himself, he says he hasn’t worn or eaten animal products in 24 years and is worried about cruelty to animals. “My sole purpose in this universe is to save every possible creature from pain and suffering,” he said.

Casa Diablo is just the latest example of selling veganism with a “Girls Gone Wild” aesthetic to draw the ire of vegans who complain that such tactics may get people to pay attention to animal cruelty, but for the wrong reasons. In Los Angeles, some frown at the scantily clad Vegan Vixens — a kind of animal-loving Pussycat Dolls — who perform songs like “Real Men Don’t Hunt” at fund-raisers for animal welfare groups.

Link [New York Times] via [Boing Boing]