Portraits of Portland

The Only Year To Remember

2010-10-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

This hangs in a neighborhood bar near my house. As far as I'm aware, '77 is the only year the Blazers have won the NBA title. Here's hoping the Timbers will rock the pro sports world a little harder. Though I will say, the fans in this city are really loyal and really into their team, which in many ways is better than having a team that always wins.

Well Composed

2010-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Intermission at the Portland Chamber Orchestra's Chopinade performance to kick off their season. Fabulous performance! The first part had ballet on the stage, which was beautiful.

Pack Your Bags

2010-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I did say to pack your bags, didn't I? This is a photo I snagged in the Portland airport before my flight out to Philly last month. Hopefully this isn't a repost of the photo. Either way, I still love this shot.

City Swap: Last Day!

2010-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am doing a city swap with my "sister city," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! Today's the final day I will be posting some pictures from the Philadelphia area, and over at Scenes from Philadelphia, my sister will be posting some photos from her trip to Portland! City Swap!

Here is a sample street sign (Walnut and Broad). I love it because it has a little Liberty Bell on it. My sister commented that she'd never even noticed that before. Guess sometimes it takes a tourist to notice certain everyday details.

Pack your bags though, we'll be back in Portland tomorrow!

City Swap: Philly

2010-10-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

I am doing a city swap with my "sister city," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! From Saturday to Monday, I will be posting some pictures from the Philadelphia area, and over at Scenes from Philadelphia, my sister will be posting some photos from her trip to Portland! City Swap!

Broad Street view of City Hall

City Swap!

2010-10-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am doing a city swap with my "sister city," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! Over the next few days I will be posting some pictures from the Philadelphia area, and over at Scenes from Philadelphia, my sister will be posting some photos from her trip to Portland! City Swap!

Since I've posted the replica, I figured I should put up the real deal. Here's the actual Liberty Bell hanging up in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Park.

Pretty in Pink

2010-09-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

Flower up at the View Point Inn on the edge of the overlook staring west down the Columbia River Gorge.

Hopefully I've not posted this before. Things are hectic for me at work this week and my family just left town from their visit, so I wasn't able to post until this afternoon. Apologies!

No Pressure (Sprayer)

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the window washer! He has one of those cool handle grippy things that spies use in the movies when they cut through windows or climb down glass walls. The best part is, this guy probably goes rock climbing and repelling on weekends, both popular sports out here.

When In Doubt, Look Up

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

This isn't a sign you see everyday! Outside my morning Starbucks I saw this under where the window washers were working. Now they are working on my building, but haven't gotten to my floor's windows yet. Stay tuned for exciting pics of the repelling washers tomorrow!

A Crack in Time

2010-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thinking about going to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell like I did last weekend? Forget about it! Just go to City Hall in Portland and voila! This replica was purchased for $8,000 after the original replica, received as a gift, was lost in the 1970 bombing of City Hall.

Water, Water Everywhere

2010-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

You can find these water fountains, called the Benson Bubblers, all over downtown. Fresh water, always great after coming from a workout at the gym and waiting on my bus...

Here's the history, taken from John Gorman's article on Portland fountains.
"Early Portland legend and lumber baron Simon Benson— nondrinker himself—realized that local saloons were slaking the thirsts of his parched timber-company employees. Eager to provide an alternative refreshment, he originally paid for the installation of 20 fountains created by noted Benson Hotel designer A.E. Doyle, which he insisted flow 24 hours a day uninterrupted.

Soon thereafter, Benson proudly noted that saloon sales dropped nearly 40%—a trend more likely attributed to the growing temperance movement than to free water fountains. Still, the Bubblers have remained famous, functional Portland landmarks, and on hot summer afternoons they are especially appreciated by all."

Painting the Community

2010-09-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

A drive-by shot of the Buckman Community mural on 12th and Morrison.

Dancing Turnover

2010-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the signs for the food carts on Hawthorne Blvd. I love the pies one on the bottom right. It's a dancing turnover!

With Our Powers Combined...

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our buses all run on bio-diesel, but now some of them run on electricity, too.

Drawn Into the Sky

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

A shot of the south part of downtown from the Burnside Bridge while we waited for the drawbridge to go down.

An Octopus' Garden in the Shade

2010-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

This little garden area is just a segment of the many greenhouses at the Portland Nursery on SE Stark St.

Tinsel Town?

2010-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood theater. Portland is full of little independent theaters that play both independent films and dollar theater type of films. Some play brand new films too, but they cost more. We saw Avatar at a local theater, but not the Hollywood one. I will get a better photo of the facade to put up here as you can only see the side angle.

Shoot For The Stars

2010-09-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Broadway in Hollywood? Whoa. What is going on?

We're No Yokels

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Portland really does love local, not just Whole Foods where this sign is located.

Have a Heart

2010-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

My Mexican Mocha at our fave coffeeshop in this part of town, Common Grounds.

(and my ancient ipod in the background, yeah that's right, forget touch screen, it doesn't even have a color screen!)

Amist It All

2010-09-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

This eerie yet peaceful fog among the moss covered trees is the real reason I wanted to move out to the PacNW. This is the park near Cape Meares on the coast.

My Hood

2010-09-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

The view of downtown as seen from the Japanese Gardens. Mt. Hood is in the background.

(Sorry for the late entry today, I was out of town and forgot to schedule it!)

Happy Labor Day

2010-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

I like this mural in O'Brien Park because it really embodies the initial feelings towards Oregon while pulling in the modern day. Oregon City, which is the oldest city west of the Mississippi river, is only 10 minutes drive from Portland. The phrase "Pack up your dreams" hits home for me as well because I packed up and moved from Florida last year out here. A lot of local Portlanders and Oregonians in general complain about all the new people coming into the city in the past decade, but really it's sort of like back in the covered wagon days with people heading west to try their luck.

On a sad note, the influx of people in Portland has really caused a lack of jobs in the city. So, unfortunately, Labor Day for some isn't much of a break at all.

A rose by any other name

2010-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

City of Roses! :) This is a mural on a building next to the 405 painted in 1995. I'm not sure if Mary Lou Fendall is the name of the rose or who it's in honor of (or both).

2010-09-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

I know roads are boring, but I wanted to point out 2 things about I-405 which goes right by downtown Portland. 1) This is rush hour (yes, 5:30 on a Wednesday) 2) There's rose bushes growing along the interstate. It really is the City of Roses.

Honk If You Recycle

2010-09-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

This guy hangs out in a really out of the way spot in front of a Mexican restaurant in the Northwest. It's made out of recycled metal. Goose or duck? I think it's a goose, but you can decide.

And the winner is...

2010-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just an old advertisement on a building downtown. While not the case here, oftentimes these old ads are actually still relevant to the business inside the building they're painted on.

THEME DAY!

2010-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I was bad and didn't get a photo of an open air market in Portland this weekend. Though there's more or less one every day whether a farmer's market or the Saturday market in Old Town. So I put up this photo my boyfriend took in Cape Town, South Africa.

Just Crumbs Leftover

2010-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Near Chinatown, this all you can eat Chinese buffet is no longer. Now it's a used book and magazine shop, so it says anyway. Actually, it's nothing. Another vacant space.

Don't miss the detailing on the street lamp though!

It's No Van Gogh

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just a pretty sunflower in someone's yard that we passed on our way to be extras in IFC's new show Portlandia. One thing that I really loved about Portland when I first visited was all the flowers in people's yards. It's always so lush and colorful here.

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a... phone booth?

2010-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's a real and working phone booth in the middle of downtown. And it only costs $1.00 for 4 minutes. Say what?!

Like The Move In Four-Square

2010-08-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Following on the transportation theme...My morning bus stop :)

(and if you're wondering about the title, back in elementary school when we played four square, if someone called "bus stop" then everyone had to run to the center. Last one there was out.)

Where You Go, There You Are

2010-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

A fun sign pointing out different modes of transportation in Portland. It's a big biking city.

Yellow Fever

2010-08-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Back to Portland! An elementary school field is lined with those yellow leaved trees, which are in full color during last fall. Also a fun look at some older Mercedes and BMWs.

Vista This

2010-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

This was taken last fall while the leaves were changing. As you can see there's still plenty of evergreens up here. This is the Columbia River Gorge and the building on the jutted out part is the Crown Point Vista House. Part of the scenic highway, it was built in 1916.

You'll Fall For It, Too

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Another trip out of Portland to Multnomah Falls. You can see the upper and lower falls as well as the bridge, which was built in 1914 as part of the Columbia River Scenic Highway, now a historic scenic route. It was the only bridge built along the highway to be used strictly as pedestrian.

It's Gorgeous

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

About 25 miles from Portland is Multnomah Falls. This is a photo of the Columbia River Gorge from the hike up to the top of the falls.

Oh, the places we go

2010-08-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love the old signage still used downtown, like this luggage store. Such a neat globe.

Lion's Keeper

2010-08-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Same building as yesterday. This is the interior of the archway.

It's just a facade

2010-08-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

More detailed carving in this facade. He looks like of like a Greek god to me.

It's in the details

2010-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love the carvings at the top of this building.

Fire Drill

2010-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fire escapes on a building downtown.

Flowers

2010-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Flowers in our front yard, conveniently growing by our neighbor's recycling bin.

The Milk Carton

2010-08-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Our favorite landmark while driving down 20th Street.

Oh, Deer!

2010-08-15T20:47:00.001-07:00

A gift and novelty shop on Hawthorne Blvd sports this guy for all the window shoppers to see.