Laser Animals

You may have recently noticed our expanding collection of mysterious animal figurines loitering on our counters. They are the masterpieces of Stephanie, a soon-to-be-former intern at ZGF, a big architecture firm a few blocks down from us. She has been making them on the office laser cutter, a mythological machine about which most layfolk only dream. Many architects and architectural interns frequent Half & Half, due to proximity and perhaps the appeal of a cluttered and chaotic atmosphere to either take them away from their offices, or make them feel better about going back to them. Stephanie goes back to finish her degree in Texas in two weeks, and we would miss her morning americanos and complaints about Portland weather even if she wasn't a laser-animal pusher. You never know what she's going to bring in. To date we have a sloth (the original figurine, known as Tip Sloth), 2 giraffe, an alpaca or Llama, a muskrat/meerkat thing, and an okapi (something between a giraffe and a zebra.) Apparently, laser animals are rampant at ZGF headquarters, so I'm not sure if Stephanie does any real work, but she appears to be smart, and her talent speaks for itself. We have had many a customer inquire as to how they might purchase one of Stephanie's animals; alas, they are not for sale. Stephanie is that rare creature who does not equate 'hobby' with 'business opportunity.' This makes our creatures all the more special, thus all the more vulnerable to theft and destruction (one of our giraffes has already lost a tongue and tail,) but we will display them for as long as they last. I am hoping for one more piece before Stephanie leaves, either a bird or a dog (or, dare to dream, a bird dog.)