Dear Liza,
Portland is a big city. There are almost two million people living here! This makes it very different from Salinas, in ways both good and bad. But mostly, really interesting.
There is a big, fat, magazine, printed on paper with a luxurious matte finish, just about things to do in the city. It is called Portland Monthly, and is usually full of places we never heard of, but it is, like the city itself, always fun to look at and explore.
This past April’s edition had a cover article called “75 things every Portlander must do”. I didn’t even open that issue.
This magazine, I said, is not the boss of me. I am no servant to COOL.
Then something awful happened. I opened it, and found out I was accidentally cool. Yes, I confess. I did cool stuff.
For example, Candace Molatore, one of the young hipsters interviewed for the article, recommends Palomar, the Cuban restaurant I took your Daddy David to on his last visit. She also likes Tender Loving Empire, where Auntie Bridgett gets presents for her family, like onesies with tiny baby Sasquatches on them.
Laura Foster, who is billed as an “Urban Trekker”, recommends walking tours in the city, and many of them are places that Grandpa Nelson and I have been! Walking from the Tilikum Crossing Bridge, down the West Bank, and back over the Sellwood Bridge… we did that just a few weeks ago!
And finally, Anthony Hudson, a drag performer also known as Carla Rossi, is interviewed as an icon and trend setter. He is also a friend of Auntie Katie, and has helped her on presentations for her bookshop.
All this comes by way of a confession, sweet Liza. I’m afraid that, despite my best efforts to remain a crazy old lady, I have accidentally become trendy.
Forgive me.
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 