Dear Liza,
After our busy Saturday at the Lavender Festival, we all decided to have a quiet Sunday. Grandpa Nelson was tired and we all had stuff to do around the house.
About mid-morning, Auntie Bridgett said she wanted to have some Eb and Bean frozen yogurt, and asked if I would walk down with her…to Division Street, about a mile south of here. “Sure!” I agreed. “It’s Eb and Bean.”
About that time we realized that the toilet handle in our downstairs bathroom had stopped handling. The little plastic screw had busted clean in half. Nearest hardware store? A mile away, in sort-of-but-not- really the same direction as Eb and Bean. West by southwest, as opposed to directly south. Could we combine the trips? Of course we could.
Carrying water to keep us healthy in the 85 degree sunshine, we headed off through the neighborhood. Summer is such an abundant season, with foxgloves, old roses, towering hollyhocks and even some unnamed giants sprouting up, that every day is something new and lovely.
At Hawkins Hardware on Hawthorne, we didn’t find exactly what we were looking for. Standard toilets apparently are not as standard as we would like. After much debate, we got a complete handle replacement, just in case.
On to Eb and Bean! Walking through Ladd’s Addition is always a joy. Developed in the 1920s, this area has tall houses, towering trees and cool streets. Even baby raccoons were out playing in the shade.
On Southeast Division Street, not so much. This is a transitional neighborhood, where old houses mix uncomfortably with ultra-modern condos, and the over-trafficked street has no room for trees. It was hot! When we finally reached the cool concrete interior of Eb and Bean, we were more than ready for a rest.
We had been here before, but always on our way somewhere else. Sunday, I wanted to explore the building. After coming back to life with shade and cold treats, we explored a little.
We learned that the building, now called The D Street Village, was built in 1941 as a Safeway store. It changed hands in 1954 and again in 1993. In 2006 the current owners, Appropriate Development Group, bought the building and refurbished it into what it is today.
The ground floor houses about eight businesses including Eb and Bean, The Bollywood Theater and Indian restaurant supply company and restaurant, Imperial Brewing Pub, several dress shops and Stella Taco, for munchies.
There are 13 lawyers’ and other offices upstairs, and the whole office area is decorated with street art inspired murals. Very urban and bright.
But the shop that called to me was “Citizen Ruth”. I was intrigued by the name, which reminded me of an old Laura Dern movie… but THIS Citizen Ruth refers to the notorious Supreme Court Justice herself, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The shop has cups, pins, tee shirts, posters, and books, all celebrating women’s resistance and feminist rebellion.
Stylized portraits of RBG, Maya Angelou, Gloria Steinem and other famous women of opinions decorated coasters, posters and candy boxes. It was a colorful celebration of not taking anyone’s …. let’s say…..nonsense.
We enjoyed a long visit, but I ended up just buying a set of socks with the Portland Timbers logo on them, because most of the others had words I don’t want to wear in public. I agree with the sentiment, but not the swear words.
Knowing we still had a mile uphill to get home, we headed off. I will tell you more about our “quiet Sunday at home” tomorrow!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 