As we say slide towards winter, we are remembering the beauty of bright leaves on shiny roads and all the mysteries of the forest coming to the surface.
Laurelhurst Park is, of course, my favorite place in Portland. As cool and busy a playroom as it is in summer, it is a place of small life in fall.
Last year, around this time, we saw a fellow raking leaves into heart shapes and appreciated his art for art’s sake. Yesterday I may have seen his work again, as this wonderful “Yellow Brick Road” leaf installation greeted us uphill from the lake.
Leaf art installation
Walking today, I saw a plaque near the Pine Street entrance to the Park. It commemorates the planting of this huge oak tree in 1932 by the Wakeenah Chapter of the DAR (The Daughters of the American Revolution) to celebrate the 200th birthday of George Washington.
DAR Plaque
In a funny way, all the leaves falling reminds me of a speech from The Merchant of Venice, where Portia talks about mercy “blessing both he who gives and he who receives”.
Blessed is he who gives…
Having given up their leaves, the trees show their beautiful branch structure, allowing us to see beauty that is hidden in summer. It also makes the ground more beautiful, blessing both the tree and the ground.
Abigail Clarke, first female school teacher in Portland, and a ghoul
We have had a few weeks of Halloween celebrations, but Wednesday was ACTUALLY Halloween, so we went out for some fun. We got into costumes and walked around the corner to Suzette, a lovely restaurant and crepe place. French onion soup and goat cheese crepes, along with some lovely wine and cider, filled us up for our adventure.
Then, on to OMSI! The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, down by the river, was having a party which included an exhibit of replicas of the treasures from King Tut’s tomb. The originals were discovered in 1922 by Howard Cater.
We played a game called Haunters, where you needed to find people in ghost costumes who gave you clues for places inside the museum. Then you took pictures of yourself with the ghosts and at the place the clues lead you, to win a prize. After several false starts, we got our prize, which was three tickets to come back to OMSI for free!
There were all sorts of science activities, and I was happy to see that the adults were having just as much fun as the kids do during the daytime. Upstairs we even found a 3-D land form simulator table, like you got to play with at Hartnell College! It was amazing. I will spent lots of happy afternoons there.
King Tut’s finger and toe sleeves, and his sandals
When we had seen just about everything and were worn out, we called for a Lyft and headed home. The Halloween season is now officially over and we get to start thinking about Thanksgiving!
I loved living in Salinas because I got to spend time with you, and, not surprisingly, one of the best parts about Portland is being able to see the Cousins as often as I want.
Last night I gathered chicken and Brussels Sprouts for dinner, Jasper’s costume, cookies to decorate AND the frosting, and walked down to Ladd’s Addition. The rain had stopped and I had a nice sun-in-my-eyes walk through wet neighborhoods and bright leaves.
Naked Cookies
I laid out the cookies and colored the frosting, then got dinner started. Things were well underway when Auntie Katie, Jasper and Kestrel got home from Books with Pictures and Abernethy Elementary School. Everyone picked a cookie and started in, being careful and artful in their work. Auntie Katie’s witch cookie cracked me up, and Kestrel’s appreciation of the phases of the moon was lovely to see.
Self-Portrait? I think not!Tasty Astronomy
Once we had eaten dinner and finished decorating (and eating!) the cookies, it was time to try on costumes. Jasper seemed very happy with his Stealth Ninja, and the costume wasn’t nearly as too-big as I had expected. He is growing so fast! He looked very fierce.
Kestrel’s costume for Halloween is a pirate, and she has it all together except the eye patch.
As the evening wound down, I texted Grandpa Nelson to come fetch me, and got home in time to watch a scary 1935 movie, Mad Love, starring Peter Lorre in his first American movie. He was so creepy!
Today was predicted to be stormy and wet, with possible thunder storms. And that’s okay, because I was inside helping make Jasper’s Halloween costume.
There were several detours along the way, however. Grandpa Nelson wanted to stop by Fleur de Lis Bakery for brunch. Yummy pastries and coffee? Not a problem!
A Yummy Distraction
Another errand took us to Home Depot, where we saw Halloween AND Christmas decorations! Holiday overlap…weird….
Finally, we got home and I got started. Each piece only took a little while….the light grey scarf and the dark grey bandanna needed an edge, the arm wraps needed to be torn and safety pins located to attach them.
My Part
Auntie Bridgett also worked her magic on the piece. Jasper is being a Stealth Armor ninja, and Auntie Katie provided the dark grey body suit.
Bridgett’s Part
I also made cookies to decorate with Katie and the Cousins. I will try and remember to take pictures of the costumes and the cookies to show you!
I think this was a productive day. Happy Halloween!
Last night, we walked to the Belmont Library to listen to local historian Tanya March, Ph.D, talk about “Ghosts, Criminals and Murders in Slabtown”. It being the Halloween season, the subject matter seemed fitting, and I am always looking for more Portland history.
The meeting room for the talk was decorated with a wonderful quilt made in 1988 to celebrate the centennial of the Sunnyside neighborhood, with embroidered squares showing local landmarks like the library itself and The Avalon, the neighborhood theater. It was a work of love, friendship, and considerable skill.
1988 Sunnyside Quilt
We were early for the talk, so got to visit with Tanya. She is a very energetic young woman who digs into history and ties it to current projects, like protecting old buildings or neighborhoods because of their history. I love that she uses her academia for social good.
Her rapid-fire talk, which included very helpful slides, ranged from stories of murders and hauntings in northwest Portland (called “Slabtown” because of the early use of slabwood for stoves) to the KKK, to reputing the tales of Shanghai Tunnels. She covered so much ground that I thought I would trip over my brain trying to take notes fast enough!
Pretty patch
Most interesting to me, however, was her mention of Mrs. Nina Larowe, who I had just learned about that morning while researching activities for the kids in my story. Born in 1838, Mrs. Larowe had been a well-to-do lady and actress in New York, and had traveled to The Holy Land on the ship that Mark Twain wrote about in his book “The Innocents Abroad”.
According to Tanya, Twain wrote about Mrs. Larowe as one of the Pilgrims who would break into tombs and take ancient religious relics, then carelessly throw the precious artifacts overboard when their suitcases got full. This damaged her reputation in New York, she got divorced, and moved to Portland for a fresh start. Mrs. Larowe came to Portland in 1888 at the age of 50. She used her knowledge of the theater to open a dance hall called The Esquire, where she taught dancing, gymnastics, and elocution (public speaking).
Tanya included Mrs. Larowe in her talk because of her “criminal” status for defacing ancient tombs, but the lady was successful here in Portland, dying at the age of 83 and remembered in her obituary as a cultural icon and trainer of several generations of young men and women in the social graces.
My brain felt like one of Mrs. Larowe’s overstuffed suitcases, full of wonderful new things that will take some sorting out. Exhausted but happy, we walked home through the dark neighborhood, realizing it is time to break out my well-lit winter coat again!
You and I have talked about Mr. John Steinbeck, how he was born in Salinas, lived a long and busy life, and then died, and is buried in the Garden of Memories. Knowing that there was a big part of the world that happened before us, and will be a long time after us, lets us see ourselves as a piece of the world.
This month at Barbara Kadden’s funeral, Death was right there with us, by her grave under the bright maple trees. It wasn’t dressed in a long black cloak, but silently standing up from its usual crouch in the dark corners of our minds, letting us see it clearly for a few hours.
And now it is Halloween, and pretend-Death is all around. Bony hands reach up from make believe graves in flower beds and grim reapers swing on sunny porches. They seem to say “See? It’s really okay. It’s all in fun.”
But the peaceful dead at Lone Fir, Home of Peace, Garden of Memories, and River View Cemeteries disagree. “Not in fun,” they say. “We really lived. Some of us for only a few months, some for over a hundred years, and then we died. Those we loved mourned us. It is not fun, but what is.”
I think people love Halloween because it lets us toy with Death. The Great Mystery becomes a costume to wear or a movie to watch, to make it small enough so it can be thought about safely. It is a way of thinking about the unthinkable.
One of the many things I love about Portland is that theater and music are everywhere! Last night we took the number 15 to The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall downtown and enjoyed “Swing is the Thing”.
The Schnitz
But first, dinner! The Artbar, a pretty restaurant in the same theater complex, fed us not-too-fancy quiches, fries, and nice local wines. As we entered the lobby of the theater, we heard applause coming from the balcony and went to investigate. Two pairs of dancers were jitterbugging to lively swing music, egged on by the well-dressed crowd. We could tell we were in for a good time.
“The Schnitz”, as it is sometimes called, was built in 1928 and has been restored to its historic voluptuousness. Ceiling decoration, lighting, and painted iron railings all let you know you are in a special place. The performance included the entire Oregon Symphony, directed by Jeff Tyzik and, at certain points, the theater took on the feeling of a opulent lecture hall, with Mr. Tyzik explaining the finer points of jazz and swing and how they morphed into early rock and roll.
Mr. Tyzik and the Symphony were assisted by Julie Jo Hughes, a wonderful vocalist, and Dave Bennett, who plays clarinet and does vocals as well as a wicked Jerry Lee Lewis turn on the piano. Dancers Stephen Sayer, Chandrae Roettig, Hunter Krikac and Karine Hermes came on stage every now and then to stun us with gravity-defying moves and light footwork.
Dancers put on a show before the show!
The first half of the program was dedicated to swing music, starting with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”. There was also an original piece called “Harlem Street Scene”, written by director Tyzik. It had a swingy, jazzy dissonance that was easy on the ears but definitely not boring.
The second half was rock and roll, and not nearly as good as the swing portion. If it were not for Dave Bennett’s crazy acrobatics on the piano, the music selections would have felt disappointingly like a mother-daughter dance.
No, I take that back. A song that was not even listed on the program, Julie Jo Hughes singing Peggy Lee’s “Fever”and taking a turn dancing with Mr. Tyzik as he was conducting, was knock down gorgeous.
When the show was over, we crossed the street to catch the bus back home, along with some other music lovers and a violinist. Another lovely night in Portland!
First, the exciting news: We finally got to see one of Portland’s drawbridges, the Morrison, actually UP! Of course, we were trying to cross it at the time, so this meant that we waited in traffic for an extra 20 minutes, but it felt very Portland-ish.
This happened the other day while we were heading to the traffic nightmare that is Portland’s South Waterfront. This part of the city is full of new construction, looming overhead freeways, labyrinthine detours, and part of the OHSU Medical Center. After 30 minutes finding a parking space and getting up to the tenth floor, we were rewarded with wonderful views of the Willamette River and the Ross Island, Tilikum, Marquam, and Hawthorne Bridges.
View of four bridges from the tenth floor
We admired the view, had a short chat with the doctor, scheduled another appointment, and headed down to find our way out of the maze before the Minotaur found us.
“Schoolhouses are the Republican Line of Fortifications” said Horace Mann
By then it was dinner time and we were brain dead and hungry. We headed for Revolution Hall on SE 12th, formerly Washington High School, now repurposed as offices. There is a restaurant called “Martha’s” on the first floor and a bar on the roof. This beautifully designed and preserved school from 1924 is the Alma Mater of Linus Pauling, a famous and controversial scientist, and there are several portraits of him in the foyer.
Portrait of Linus Pauling at Revolution Hall
Again, we hunted for parking and when we finally got in, “Martha’s” didn’t have what we wanted and the other place (which I have never been to but Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett love) was closed for redecorating.
Heavy sigh. Back to the car, around a newly arrived and hastily parked ambulance, and off again, hungrier than ever.
Auntie Bridgett remembered The Belmont Station on SE Stark. We entered through the cider and beer shop, through the bar, and out the back door to Monk’s Deli, a food truck that sells sandwiches and French fries. By combining everything, we were able to assemble a delicious meal and recharge in the lovely open patio, petting dogs and catching our breath.
Monk’s Deli Food TruckMonk’s shady, peaceful patio
Watching the light change from blazing afternoon white to mellow evening rose, we arrived home, happy to be out of traffic, fed, and together.
I am still researching about Portland history, and I’m learning so much! Besides the history, I am learning about how to get around Portland without driving. Yesterday I needed to get to 501 North Dixon, a part of town I had never been in. That’s where the Portland Public Schools keep their archives.
Googlemaps told me there was no transit solution, and I should walk. Almost 4 miles, one way? Carrying research on my back? Um, nope. Thanks anyway, Google.
I chatted with Steven Hanks, the fellow at the District who was pulling files for me. He suggested the number 17 bus, which passes within a few blocks of the office. Grandpa Nelson suggested the Portland Streetcar. There were so many options, and the only way to see which was best was to do them. I chose the bus method first, taking the number 15 downtown, walking a few blocks, and catching the 17.
Downtown Portland always show me something new. This time it was that a 13 block stretch of SW Stark Street was renamed Harvey Milk Street in June of this year. I am proud of my city for recognizing this important gay activist. Well, first I was confused, because I was looking for a bus stop on Stark. But then I was proud.
Catching the 17 took me through the Pearl District and old Chinatown, past the fabulously old Union Station, where people have been catching trains since 1896. Then over the Broadway Bridge and into Northeast Portland. Down in the second sub-basement was Steven, who had found all sorts of wonderful history for me.
Couch School, 1882
As I learn more about schools of 1903, my story keeps adapting. I have been a teacher too long to play fast and loose with facts. So the walking field trip in my story had to get written out, because there were no ‘field trips’ in American elementary schools in the early 1900s. “Kids in school should stay in school”, was the thought. I had included a scene in the school cafeteria, but schools of that time didn’t have them. Kids ate lunches brought from home at their classroom desks. As it is often said, good stories are not written. They are re-written, and re-written…
Heading home, I decided to try Grandpa Nelson’s suggestion, because the Portland Streetcar was as close as the bus. The A Loop runs clockwise, the B Loop, counterclockwise, in a large oval from the Eastside to the Westside of the city. The A Loop would take me within a block of the number 15 for my trip home, so I waited in the Fall sunshine by a delightfully ‘retro’ shelter.
Streetcar stop on NE Weidler
On the streetcar I chatted with folks visiting from Massachusetts and a potter who works at the Radius Community Art Studio, just under the Morrison Bridge. Another new place to explore!
Walking from the Streetcar to the bus stop, I realized I was fading fast and needed a snack. A perfect opportunity to try the NEW place that smells so good: Pufflewaffle! This pretty shop just opened last month. They sell Pufflewaffles, which are unique, cake-like made-to-order waffles which look like tiny round pillows sewn together. They are sweet and light, and rolled around ice cream. After that, I was ready to make my way home, where I rested and thought about how lucky I am to live here.
Love,
Dear Liza 