Ice Cream in Portland

Dear Liza,

A few months ago we visited our friend Jack Kent while he had a table at an Art Picnic at Colonel Summers Park, and it looked like such fun that Auntie Bridgett signed up for one this month. This time, we packed up the car and drove north to Alberta Park.

Art Picnics are unique in that they are not organized by any club or group. A lady named Lucia went on line and asked “who wants to do this?” and people signed up. Everyone who wants to shows up, sets up, and sells their art. Folks are helpful and friendly. It feels like the best of Portland.

It was predicted to be very warm, so we made sure to get a spot in the shade. With dappled tree shade protecting our tent shade, we we comfortable for most of the day. People coming by to see Bridgett’s work were comfortable, too. There was a lot of delightful conversation.

Alberta Park is a park that just keeps giving. There are basketball courts under a shelter, tennis courts, roller hockey courts, climbing toys and lots of trees. Music from boomboxes made fine background music. It was fun to have so many activities overlapping.

We met some creators of comics, too. A young man named Christopher stopped by and told us about his digital comic, “Korina Trials of Shadow (WIP)”. He struggles with social anxiety and says he often asks himself, “Who am I to think I can tell this important story?” Of course the answer is that no one else BUT him could tell it, because it’s HIS story.

We met a very young artist named Sky (she is too short to show over the table display) who came by with her mom. She was interested in learning about how to make her own comics, and Auntie Bridgett gave her contact info so she could write and ask! Maybe Sky will be selling her comics in a few years.

We also had some non-human visitors. The usual Portland compliment of dogs came by, a lady bug settled on my hat and a bee kept buzzing around.

At 3:00 it was just getting uncomfortably hot, and it was time to pack up. Once again, my little red wagon proved its worth as we schlepped tent, table, and boxes of art back to the car.

We were feeling the effects long day and stopped by Nico’s Ice Cream (this used to be a food truck at Books with Pictures and is now a brick and mortar store) for a life-saving refreshment of blueberry soft serve. Thanks, Nico’s!

We got home, had pizza and wine for dinner, and slept like dead people. What a day!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Dear Liza,

Last night we wanted a nice long walk, and we wanted ice cream. We headed south, toward Division Street.

Just down our own block, we walked past the house where the flamingos are out in the yard. They were all wearing eclipse glasses!! This cracked us up. The whole city has gone eclipse crazy, with lots of visitors coming to Oregon to see next week’s solar eclipse. Hotels and rental cars are all booked. But these flamingos are ready.

We walked through a lovely neighborhood called Sunnyside, with interesting gardens and all sorts of decorations, like the Giving Tree, where people are invited to write what they are thankful for and hang it on the tree, announcements of neighborhood picnics, and cats.

**Tiny free library Photo credit: secondhand-goods.blogspot.com**

We stopped at one of the tiny free libraries that are in many of the neighborhoods around here. They are smallish boxes, like a cupboard on a pole with a (sometimes) glass door. I had brought a book to share, a copy of “It was a dark and stormy night” that I have had for years. I traded it for a new copy of “Junie B Jones is a Party Animal” which I can share with you when you come up.

When we got to Division Street, about a mile south of our house, we stopped at Salt & Straw Ice Cream. This is a famous ice cream shop and there is always a line. We only waited a few minutes, time for me to decide on a tiny but delicious strawberry basalmic and pepper ice cream cone. Grandpa Nelson got a cinnamon snickerdoodle milkshake…he loved it! We sat in a nice shady patio and enjoyed our ice cream while happy kids ran around, giggling like goofballs.

Auntie Bridgett prefers frozen yogurt to ice cream, so we walked just a block up Division to Eb and Bean, a tasty frozen yogurt shop. She had a peanut yogurt cone, which was very, very good.

Heading home, we walked up Caruthers Street, and the name was very familiar. The other streets around it are Lincoln, Sherman, and Grant, who are all Civil War heroes and Presidents. Once I got home I realized that I had just photographed Finice Caruthers’ grave in Lone Fir Cemetery the day before, and read about him in my Portland history book, “Portland: People, Politics and Power”, by Jewel Lansing. Caruthers was a pioneer in Portland, getting one of the first Donation Land Grants just south of the main part of downtown.

He was one of the men who made decisions that got the city started. He died young, with no children to carry on his name, so he is mostly forgotten. But this street, and now you and I, remember him! The history of this city is long and complicated, but I feel like I am starting to put some of the pieces together.
On our return walk, we saw more gardens, and cats. We had walked about three miles, so we were tired out. But it was a lovely evening!
Love,

Grandma Judy

Tag: Ice Cream in Portland

Ice Cream Walking