True Arctic Blast 2008

The storm really did turn into a "Winter Storm." Our flight was canceled out of PDX, so we're back home alternating between staying warm and playing in the snow. I was able to do a little bit of last-minute Christmas shopping while the streets were nice and quiet. Joe tried snowboarding down the little hills in our park, but there was too much powder. My steps sank down at least seven inches into the snow on the hills. We ended the outdoor fun with a couple of snow angels.





































A few TriMet buses got stuck outside our condo & the rescue team(s) are on their way. The rest of the day has been spent sipping hot chocolate and watching intrepid drivers (dummies - I am not the Mean Girl in Portland) crossing the bridges over the Willamette. Crazy people...be smart and stay home!

Winter Storm 2008

Portland-area weather forecasters get overly excited when there is a storm coming, as do members of the public. The storm gets labeled (Winter Storm 2008), and the skeptics get in their cars and find themselves being videotaped by the hovering news helicopter a result of sliding on the Marquam Bridge (which we witnessed from our condo, as well as watched the news helicopter shoot video of the slides). The schools get snow days tomorrow, even though the flurries have stopped. I need a snow day, too. It is really cold outside.

Providence Festival of Trees

This annual event at the Oregon Convention Center raises money for Providence Hospital programs, so the entrance fee and the $$$ raised from the tree auction supports excellent causes. The largest trees raise between $3000 and $20,000...quite spectacular. The photo only shows the little trees. I'd like to be able to sponsor a tree some time, and design it, too. But only if they ask me.

Jury Duty + Hatfield Courthouse Sculpture Garden

I had to report to Jury Duty the first week in November. I had no excuse not to be there because I only live a few blocks away from the courthouse, and I really wanted to serve on a jury. The Multnomah County process is different from Washington County. In Washington County, if you don't get picked for a trial, you are excused. In Multnomah County, if you aren't picked for the first round, you have to come back to the jury room to see if you get picked for another trial. I stayed until 3:30pm, and finished a book, a few magazines, watched CNN's election coverage, and eavesdropped on conversations. My neighbor was with me, and she was picked during the last cycle. She told me later that she had to report back the next day. I got dismissed.
During lunch, I took the opportunity to run across the park to the Mark O. Hatfield US Federal Courthouse. It is a beautiful and distinctive building, with quotes etched into the marble. After going through security, I stood in the huge atrium, looking at the two (or maybe three or four?)-story waterfall coming down the wall. I took the elevator up to the 9th floor (the elevator looks like something out of a sleek space station). There were courtrooms up on the 9th floor, but it didn't look like any court was in session. The view from the large windows is absolutely spectacular. I headed outside to the rooftop sculpture garden. I had heard that there were "whimsical" sculptures up there, and they would probably feel a lot more whimsical if it wasn't drizzling. I would have spent more time out there if it weren't cold and if I didn't have to go back to the jury room. This garden is free and open to the public. The security people are quite nice.

PSU Weekend

PSU weekend, an annual event put on by the PSU Alumni Association, happened this…well, weekend. I am still trying to figure out just how active the alumni association is. I have a lifetime membership, so I should get some type of benefit of being a member (besides being called on my mobile phone every so often to hear pleas for donations). I do get periodic announcements of alumni events, but I have been unable to attend past events because there has always been a conflict. For the past few years of PSU Weekend, I have been out of town, until this year. The event usually consists of a series of free seminars (which were really interesting) and a keynote luncheon (which I had to miss). What struck me about the gathering was the overall mono-ethnic population. What struck me as odd was that I actually noticed to begin with. Usually, I don’t care if I am the only Asian-American in the room, but this was a university-wide event. You’d expect actual university students there in addition to the throngs of alumni. There is an active Multi-Cultural Center on campus, as well as more than several student ethnic groups, and not one of them attended. Their loss…they missed some interesting seminars. The PSUAA recognizes that learning isn’t just for students. I attended: Youth Culture 1968 vs. 2008: Where have all the riots gone? The Artist as Time Bandit: How to find the time to be creative in a world that makes no allowances for such frivolous behavior; and Embraced by the Octopus: How railroad barons shaped history in the Pacific Northwest.
Well, I would have attached a link here to the site, so everyone can see what a fun time we had and what you all missed, but whoever manages the website hurriedly yanked all the information off of the site. Either they didn’t think PSU weekend was all that good and don’t want to brag about it, or they were in a rush to thank those who made it possible (with a terse “Thanks to everyone who made PSU Weekend such a great success!” I think they need me to help them with their publicity.

Bagby Hot Springs

Bagby Hot Springs is about an hour out of Estacada where you can soak in the hot springs for free. You have to buy a parking pass from the ranger station, and then you hike in about a mile and a half. It is a beautiful hike. I think it must get really crowded in the summer or on the weekends. This being a weekend, Joe and I got up really early in the morning to make the two-hour drive there. I was reading the flyer the Forest Service gave us; it said that on busy days, there may be a 30-minute wait to actually get into a hot springs tub, and to pass the time, visitors can hike to another spring and play in the cold water. Ha! As summer was over, it wasn't so busy. We were able to get one of the five private rooms that has a hollowed out log for a tub, which was really nice. While you may get what you pay for, this hot spring is worth it.

The Swifts

Those of us who grew up in Southern California know about the swallows who come to the Mission at San Juan Capistrano for the winter. Apparently, the swifts stop in Portland for a short spell on their way South. There is a chimney at Chapman Middle School in NW Portland. Apparently, it is a Portland tradition, which I have never heard of before. People bring blankets and picnic dinners and make an evening of it. You can see the swifts flying around by the thousands, and then just before dusk, they start flying in the same direction, whipping up a cyclone cone, only backwards, almost like a whirlpool. Then the swifts dive into the chimney until they are all tucked in. There was a hawk hovering near, hoping to get a snack, but there were so many swifts that they chased it away.

Time-Based Art: City Dance

We got to see part of a performance by Third Angle New Music Ensemble: The City Dance of Lawrence Anna Halpin, as part of Portland's Time-Based Art Festival. The dance/music performance took place in four parts, each part taking place at a different fountain (Keller, Pettygrove, Lovejoy and Source) that was built during the city's first urban renewal project of the South Auditorium District (where we live). I could only handle the first two parts; I really don't get modern dance. But it was impressive that the dancers were able to move the crowd in a certain direction. Portland audiences are so obedient.

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is the only wildlife refuge in Portland, and administered by Portland Parks & Recreation. It has a nice walking trail which connects to the Springwater Corridor biking trail along Oak Park (Amusement Park). There were interesting trees with fuzzy red caterpillars and one great blue heron (supposed to be the city of Portland's official bird). The Springwater Corridor looks like a terrific place to ride a bike; much better than downtown Portland where there is too much traffic.

Strunk Plaza

Strunk Plaza (Joe calls it "Protest Plaza") is a great gathering place for those with grievances against the city. It is located in front of City Hall. Where I am standing is a great place for a Toastmaster to practice a speech. You sound as though your voice is amplified, even though it really isn't. If you are really full of yourself, this is a good place to be...

Oregon Historical Society

Joe and I took our daily walk and decided to try a different route, to go up toward the South Park Blocks. We had to go that way anyway, to buy a new wire brush for our new BBQ grill. On the way back, we stopped at the Oregon Historical Society museum. They were having a special exhibit on Puppets: An Out of Body Experience, featuring the work of Michael Curry whose puppets have appeared in Broadway’s The Lion King. Absolutely fascinating. Joe’s favorite was the giant crocodile; I was trying to figure how to work the controls of the Pegasus; it looked heavy. The permanent exhibit on Oregon is neat too and highly recommended for anyone who is preparing for Oregon’s 150^th anniversary of statehood next year (February 14, 2009).

RiverFest

This year, various friends of the Willamette River put together a massive educational event to inform the public about one of our main waterways and its environmental importance. There were lectures, kayaking tours, dragon boat races, and other events that occurred along the river, but the only event from RiverFest I could see was the dragon boats. Everything else was relatively low key. Apparently, it was expected that at the opening ceremony, our current mayor and mayor-elect were supposed to jump into the Willamette, but disappointed the small crowd gathered by staying dry. Parts of the Willamette are polluted, so I understand the reluctance of actually having skin touch water.

Japanese Garden

Once a quarter, the Japanese Garden will host a free day, usually on a workday. After Labor Day, the Washington Park shuttle doesn’t run as frequently, so luckily, Joe was able to meet me there with the car. Otherwise, it would have been a long walk uphill in both directions. The garden is a beautiful composition of tranquility, and it probably would have been more tranquil if I had just paid for a ticket and not waited for a free day. Still, the koi ponds, waterfalls, graceful maples and zen gardens are worth seeing.

Oregon Symphony (Oregon Ballet Theatre & Portland Opera)

For one glorious evening in August, the Oregon Symphony performs at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. This is where the masses who can’t afford the usual symphony tickets at the Schnitz (and for those who don’t want to dress up for a formal evening out) attend. You still have to get there early for a seat on the plushy grass, otherwise, snooty people will tell you “you can’t sit there because you’re blocking the aisle” when in reality, we all know they don’t want you sitting there because you’re in front of them. We were also treated to cameo performances by two Swan Lake ballet performers and La Traviata opera singers. The ballerina is so tiny; there is no way I could spin like that. This performance was the favorite of all the little girls in the audience. National Guard members were on hand to fire cannons to accompany the 1912 Overture. The show was followed by fireworks. It was like watching leftover fireworks from the Olympics Opening Ceremony (Beijing used up all the fireworks and we got one case of leftovers).

Festa Italiana

Each August, the Festa Italiana Association “celebrates their culture” with the Festa Italiana at Pioneer Square. I was too busy eating (meatballs, caprese with fresh heirloom tomatoes, pesto, and canoli) to take pictures. There was music, and dancing, and a host of other events (bocce tournament, opera night) that happened around town as well.

Cannon Beach

There are those days when you just feel like getting out of town; however, fuel costs have kept us from multiple road trips this year (our car takes plus, not regular gasoline). So we decided on one day trip to the beach. We left early in the morning before the crowds started their beach exodus, and stopped for breakfast at Camp 18. Joe had something traditional and boring (eggs, sausage, biscuit) while I tried the rainbow trout breakfast. I imagine that if I had gone camping and fishing, rainbow trout cooked over the campfire for breakfast would really be delicious. It may even be worth it to spit out the bones periodically. I don’t think I’ll be ordering this in a restaurant again, but I had to see what it was like.


We originally planned to stop in Cannon Beach and then drive on to Manzanita, but once we found a parking spot in Cannon Beach, we decided to stay put for the day. Cannon Beach was named for, well, cannons. Earlier this year, some of the original cannons were actually discovered. I must not have been to the coast for a long time, because as I walked through the town’s main street and window-shopped, it was as though I was looking at everything through new eyes. We went down to the beach, sat, and people-watched, and Joe fell asleep. We dipped our toes in the water, which was predictably cold (didn’t seem to deter the children we saw splashing away). I found a neat Sylvia Paz watch at Haystack Gallery, and we both agreed on a glass-blown birdbath from Dragon Gallery for our balcony. A halibut & chip and clam chowder lunch at the Driftwood Inn, and our day was just about over. You couldn’t ask for a better day.

Washington Park Summer Festival

For two weeks in August, Washington Park hosts a series of free concerts at the Rose Garden amphiteathre. This is a great venue for smaller (and larger) musical acts, outdoors with the wafting aroma of roses. Some concerts are better than others. For some reason, the Lions of Batucada are very popular. They are a troupe of percussionists and dancers who specialize in the carnival sounds of Brasilia. Of course, they would sound better if there was an actual Carnivale replete with parade and parties. Here, they sounded like adults who wished they were children in their mom's kitchen, banging pots and pans (I am not the Mean Girl in Portland). Sanyu, a gospel chorus, was much better. Last night, we went to see the Portland Festival Symphony with Three Leg Torso as guests. Good music. A great way to spend an August evening.

Iranian-American Festival

This is the 9th year that the Iranian-American festival was celebrated here at PSU. I had been meaning to attend, but something always came up. The information booths were informative, the food booths served delicious delicacies, the performers were colorful, and everyone was very friendly. Mint-flavored yogurt soda, anyone?
While we were on the PSU campus, we looked at some of the unusual sculptures there. We were particularly intrigued with this one. We can't remember what it was called, but it was created when the School of Social Work opened. Does this evoke the symbols of someone being helped?

Flugtag!!!

Four years ago, Red Bull’s Flugtag (Flying Day) blew into town, and Portlanders have been hooked since. Teams of five build dangerous looking (but quite fun and ingenious) contraptions to launch off of a 30-foot drop into the Willamette. Whoever “flies” the farthest wins the competition. This year, we found good seats on a “hill” that had views of who was “on deck,” the skits, the launch, and eventually the crane hauling the spent crafts out of the water. From our view, we couldn’t see the actual landings, but we could see everything on the big screen. There were great flying machines like the shoe, the banana boat (replete with banana suits), a butterfly, a Chinese takeout box, various planes, including one that looked like it was made of Legos...and more. The guy in the picture climbed up on a signpost for a better view. I thought he was going to hurt himself on the sign coming back down. People also climbed up into the trees. First it was the kids, and as the day progressed, the climbers got bigger and bigger. I kind of hoped that a branch would break (I am not the Mean Girl in Portland).

Lovejoy Fountain

Lovejoy Fountain is in another park near our condo. Lovejoy Park is a bit more "industrial" than Pettygrove Park in that it is all concrete. There is a small theatre area, but I've hardly seen anyone perform there. The fountain is actually quite interesting, if you look at it closely. At first glance, it is rather ugly, but when you notice the dimensions up close and complexity of how the water falls, it is really quite nice. The people who can't get into our pool swim in the top "pool" of the fountain. Just don't swallow the reclaimed water.

Willy Wonka in Washington Park

Happy August Everyone! Washington Park has several musical offerings (free, with the hat passed around at the end of the show). Last week, we went to see Willy Wonka. This was the culmination of a summer workshop for kids. The kids hit some unusual notes, but they looked like they were having a terrific time. What a great way to get them interested in theatre.

Oregon Wine Tasting

My aunt and uncle came to Portland for a visit and besides introducing our favorite restaurants to them (VQ, Jake’s, Henry’s, Portland City Grill, Kenny & Zuke’s), we took advantage of the fabulous weather and headed out to Newberg for some pinot and rosé tasting. My aunt and uncle are expert wine tasters who mapped out our course of action. We pulled into the parking lot of our first stop, August Cellars (family-run), 15 minutes before they opened, but we stared long enough and they put the “Open” sign in the window. Our next stop was Rex Hill (not sure how long they’ve been charging for tasting – obviously, we haven’t been wine tasting for awhile). We picnicked at Duck Pond Cellars (beautiful setting), and then took a long lazy drive over the hill to Ponzi (one of the first winemakers in Oregon). We managed to avoid the evil limos at every turn. I hate limos and the people in them. (I am not the Mean Girl in Portland).

Oregon Convention Center

The Oregon Convention Center is an amazing facility. I couldn't climb over the roses to ring the bell. Inside the OCC, there are beautiful glass flowers hanging from the ceiling, a giant pendulum in the design of the sun and planets, and all manner of artwork. All it needs is a major convention or trade show that would be worth attending. Oh, wait, all we need is major convention hotel to go with it. For such a progressive city, Portland doesn't think ahead...(no, I am not the Mean Girl in Portland).

International Rose Test Garden

This garden is a must for locals and visitors to stop and smell the roses. Visit in the summer so you don’t miss it. It does get cooler in the evening, so bring a light jacket.

Sick in the Summer

I caught one of those evil summer colds last week. There is nothing worse than being sick in the summer. It is such a waste of time! If it were in the winter, I wouldn’t mind bundling into my bed. As soon as I'm better, I'll take and post more pictures.

Sculpture at American Plaza Apartments

This sculpture is another one of those hidden finds. It was constructed in 1975, and I guess no one has had the heart to replace it (I am not the Mean Girl in Portland). It’s not even all that practical to climb on. We found this on one of our evening walks past a brick walkway and brilliant miniature plum trees. For a trio of apartment buildings, it sure was quiet.

Pettygrove Park

Pettygrove Park is a nice little hideout near our home. During the weekdays, I call it Smoker’s Row, because people who work in the surrounding offices come out there to stink up the air with their smoke (I am not the Mean Girl in Portland). But on the weekends, it is truly a hidden nugget of peace. There are three little hills and a gentle incline of a walkway that I think I’ll try to create a sled trail on the next time it snows. There is a sculpture here called "Dreamer." Joe thinks it looks like a squished Snoopy. Apparently, the sculpture has foam in its center and it is supposed to create some kind of interesting noise when it is rained on, but I haven’t wanted to stand out there when it rains just to hear the sculpture “speak.” Here is a picture of Joe...he is real. Some people don't think I have a husband. I didn't make him up! He exists!

Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival + Fourth of July Fireworks

The Blues Festival is one of the best venues in Portland to hear up-and-coming musicians as well as those well-established in the music realm. Joe and I used to make it a point to get to the festival during its four-day run during the Fourth of July celebration. But this year, when people ask, “Are you going to the Blues Festival?” We say, yes, but all we have to do is open a window, we live that close. To see the fireworks, we just step out on our balcony. This year, instead of one big barge like usual, the organizers decided to have two little barges. Fireworks are shot off the barge on the Willamette River, which makes for quite a sight. Not to complain or anything, but the two little barges made you divide your attention too much (Remember, I am not the Mean Girl in Portland). One barge full of fireworks is much more dramatic.

Salem World Beat Festival

The Salem World Beat Festival is held annually on the last weekend in June. The event is divided into five “villages” with enough food, handicrafts, and fine arts performances to sate your desires for worldly ethnic travel. There is no entrance fee, but a $3 donation per person is welcome, and you can’t beat that price in bringing the world to you. The performances are always entertaining as well as educational (spurring thoughts of “Wow, I wish I could do that”), but I have to question having the event on what feels like the hottest day of the year when normally benign people are at their most irritable. That angora bunny must have been hot. I had an unfortunate encounter with two of the most unhelpful snotty volunteers named Mary and Judy. They were at the volunteer tent, and I think their role was to be condescending to everyone who crossed their path. It is too bad that two rotten individuals could completely mar an amazing event that promotes brotherhood, sisterhood, and global cultural understanding. If you can avoid Mary and Judy, then you, too, should go to the World Beat Festival.

Avenue Q

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending opening night of a fun, particularly raucous musical, Avenue Q. The show, with puppets as main characters, deals with the trials and tribulations of being young, single, and broke in a small borough of New York City. What a great show. If you offend easily, this show is probably not for you, but if you can look at life from more than one set of lenses, you may enjoy it. Joe was offended. See his comments. Leave your children at home. Joe said that those who grew up with Sesame Street probably liked this show so much simply because they were nostalgic. While there may be certain elements of Sesame Street (monsters, buddies, and good-hearted protagonists), Sesame Street this show is not.

The show is at the Keller (formerly known as the Portland Municipal Auditorium, the Portland Public Auditorium, and the Civic Auditorium), which was built in 1917. It was completely renovated in 1968 (after a sizable donation by Richard B. Keller). The location of the auditorium is convenient to me – I love that my favorite Broadway shows and the Portland Opera is only a short block away. The Oregon Ballet Theatre and the Oregon Children’s Theatre also perform here.

I wish I could find pictures of the auditorium from before it was renovated. I heard that there were beautiful columns and a decorated ceiling. When it was renovated, it was “modernized.” It feels like you are sitting in a cavernous capsule with a view of the Death Star or maybe a stylized version of the moon. Thus Spake Zaruthustra, anyone? The theatre is purely functional. Nearly every seat offers an excellent view of the stage. Sound quality tends to be sporadic, however. I think there were microphone issues at last night’s show. While the theatre serves its purpose (a very important word in Avenue Q), it is also visually unappealing. I keep saying that they should just tear the Keller down and start over. My favorite theatre on the West Coast is Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre. And I don’t even like Seattle that much.

Sahagún Chocolate

This weekend, I went for a walk for no reason. I tend to do this a lot, especially when it is beautiful outside and I need to think. I brought Joe with me and we found ourselves on NW 16th Avenue. We ended up at a small cheerful chocolate shop called Sahagún, which I had been meaning to try forever, ever since I saw a small newspaper ad that was published just in time for Mother’s Day. The shop owners were celebrating Sahagún’s 3rd birthday with balloons, bubbly, luscious chocolate cake and music spun by DJ Primativa. Joe said he liked her ocean wave tattoo. I bought hot chocolate and it honestly gave me a much-needed energy boost. I didn’t buy any of the other wonderful creations that beckoned from behind the display case, but this serves me with multiple excuses to return often. They also make homemade sodas – the chili lemon one looked intriguing, but I was cold, so hot chocolate was my choice. Everything is homemade and fresh. It almost reminded me of the chocolate shops I delighted in during a trip to Belgium, but not too sweet (just the right amount) and certainly much more accessible.

June Weddings

I remember my "final" moving trip to Portland. Joe had landed a nice job with a large chip-designing conglomerate (he had a practical college major), and I was returning from Peace Corps. Joe met me at the airport with a bouquet of red roses. This was when passengers could actually be met at the gate. Joe set off the metal detector and had to be “wanded” by Security, all while holding out the bouquet, much to the delighted amusement of other airport-goers. What a guy. Joe lived in Beaverton at the time, and while he worked, I explored downtown Portland on foot. I spent most of my time in the Portland Art Museum and didn’t want to leave. I found Portland State University and thought it a very strange campus with streets running through, very different from UC Santa Barbara where we went to school – UC campuses are often separated from the community while being a large influence of the community. Two years later, Joe had moved downtown, and after a brief substitute-teaching stint, I moved here.

Within a week, I had a job and signed up for classes at PSU. Within another week, I started getting familial pressure on the marriage issue. Certain family members didn’t like the living together thing, but realistically, could I really afford my own place on $9/hour without knowing all that much about Portland? Joe called me at work one Monday afternoon to ask if I could leave early on Thursday. I said probably. He said great, because we had an appointment at the Multnomah County Courthouse for a civil ceremony. Giang and Jasmine (two good friends who we hardly ever see anymore), were our witnesses. Then we had lunch and went to the Rose Garden at Washington Park.

Am I sad that we never had a “real” wedding with all of our family participating? Sometimes I am, especially when I see the run of June weddings occurring. I see the fragrant flowers gripped tightly by brides in their beautifully-made gowns and smartly-dressed somewhat nervous grooms. I certainly would have liked to do something before my grandmother passed away late last year. I really wanted to do something in Portland, but my Dad told me to think about the rest of the family (especially those who were averse to travel). I did think of them, and now they are all dead. I think of my parents who are divorced and continue to not get along, and I wonder would having a family gathering been worth it. With Joe’s parents back in Thailand, it is difficult to get our family members together, anyway. I suppose that’s not a real excuse…perhaps we can do something for our 10-year anniversary. I am thankful that Joe and I continue to have a good partnership through life’s turns. I do wish these newlyweds well.

Public Transportation

I cannot wait until MAX’s green line is finished! I watched as workers set beautiful brick down and it looks terrific. I love public transportation. I hate to drive. I am not the best driver in the world (I don’t pay attention as I am always running through speech drafts in my mind, or the bass line of whatever music I am listening to distract me no end), so it is best for everyone that I don’t drive. I take the streetcar and then transfer to the MAX blue or red to go to work, and then I take the MAX and transfer to a bus to get home. It is efficient for me (living downtown helps, too) and I don’t have to pay much for gas. I did fill up my car's gas tank the other day (there are times when I do have to drive out of town to far-flung places like Wilsonville), and I was glad I have to engage a gas pump only once a month. I love going over the Steel Bridge. I look out at the Willamette, and no matter how polluted it may be, I am grateful that I can have this vantage point of water every day. I grew up in the desert. While there may be peace in the desert silence (interrupted by the howl of a distant coyote or the unnerving clatter of a six-foot long rattler), there is no real peace when the heat reaches 110º in the shade. Only gasping death.

Now that public transportation is becoming more popular as the populace attempts to economize, it gets a bit crowded. Some people have difficulties with dealing with personal space. After enduring public transportation in Hong Kong, Uzbekistan, Thailand, and Turkey, I don’t know why Portlanders like to complain so much. Especially the under-21 spoiled set who seem to think that they are entitled to two seats and the highest-decibel cell phone conversation. I still don’t get the appeal of the cell phone. I understand its convenience, but really if you can’t hear the person on the other end, stop yelling louder and hang up. I wonder if it really is the convenience of being able to make a phone call nearly whenever you want or if it is the unconscious need to fill space with unnecessary vocals. Sometimes silence is all right. Try it sometime.

Flower Festival

Pioneer Courthouse Square partners annually with other organizations to create an artistic wonder that is beautifully executed in Pioneer Courthouse Square. This is the renowned Festival of Flowers. Past years have had English Garden designs as well as other wonderfully tailored concepts. Most have been visually stunning. Once the two-week celebration is over, the plants are sold, much to the happiness of area gardeners. This year, the partners created a sustainable “urban meadow.” I couldn't understand why the planners chose to make Portland messier than it already is. See the top picture? That is the "real urban meadow."

Celebrating June and the Sun

June 20 was the summer solstice. Thank goodness for the sun. Didn’t it feel great? The day brought back memories of the Summer Solstice parade in Santa Barbara, CA, where I earned my undergrad. This parade is a true home-grown party with local floats, fun music and people dancing in the streets. All year long, the kids of the city save blown-out eggs (actually, it is probably their mothers who do), and then they fill them with confetti and decorate them. They used to sell these to parade-goers for a quarter each; undoubtedly, the price has risen since then. Parade-goers crack them open and spray confetti with glee as they dance away. When the party finished, everyone pitched in with clean up duty – which is another party in itself. Upon hearing about the “Cleanest Parade in America” honor given to the Rose Festival’s Starlight Parade, I had to pause for a moment. When I first moved to the City of Roses, I went to the parades and I was impressed at the imagination and whimsy that infected the participants. You could feel the welcoming embrace of the spirit of what makes Portland unique. There was a lot of laughter and amusement for all. Fast forward to 2008. The Starlight was sleek, smooth, almost too perfect. The fire/ladder crew at the start of the parade was the best part. Perhaps everyone was saving on light bulbs and generators, but where were the colorful lights that were supposed to light up the parade? It was like the little sister to the Grand Floral Parade, another perfect sleek corporatized parade. I think I had better join the debate on whether the Rose Festival has gotten too big to be meaningful to Portlanders. I live in Portland and would like to be part of the festival, but after being part of the crowd at these parades, I sure don’t feel a part of Portland.

Has Portland forgotten its warm welcoming feeling? Only a few people almost-half-heartedly waved and cheered as the rodeo queens rode by on their flower-decked prancing horses, the floats rolled by with their amazing creations, and the bands marched by…from…Colorado? Minnesota? (Are they from Portland sister cities, too? From Kaoshiung, I understand – that’s a Portland sister city and it makes perfect sense for them to be here! And the Portland combined honor band should be larger than it is!)

I have to agree with Phil Stanford from the Portland Tribune, about being time to rethink the Portland Rose Festival. If you look at the Rose Festival website, you will see a long list of Rose Festival-sanctioned events that look as though the Rose Festival Association is just trying to find a way to barely break even. I suppose I can understand that the Rose Festival organizers want to reach out to everybody, but…they have also successfully drained the spirit of a home-grown festival from what should be all-in wholehearted participation from everyone to be a part of something major and real and so Portland. The Salem World Beat Festival should stand alone without having to be “sanctioned” by the Rose Festival, as should the Multi-Cultural Food Music and Food Festival, the Golf Challenge, and nearly everything else on the list. What should stay? Everything having to do with the Royal Rosarians and roses should stay, of course. Portland Rose Festival Association board members – all 60+ of you – I implore you to bring the focus of the Rose Festival back home. Please. This should not be the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses in Pasadena where international participation is expected. This is the Portland Rose Festival and Portland itself has somehow become lost.

I'm not the Mean Girl in Portland...

My husband said that I should have named my profile and title "Mean Girl in Portland." I'm not mean! I'm just honest, maybe too much for people to handle. My former college roommates were not exactly pleased with my honesty, and at times, my husband reminds me to be nice. Such is life...

I don't really get impatient with those I meet. When people ask about my nationality, I tell them that my mother is Thai, my father is Irish (or maybe British, depending on my mood) and I was born on a Liberian freighter on its way to the Seychelles. This is only half true. But it amuses me. I have had people running after me at a swap meet, asking me to translate the Bible written in Chinese. At a recent ukulele event, someone asked me if I was from Hawaii. Other people have enthusiastically told me that they have been to the Philippines, too, even though I’m not remotely Pilipina (though I did receive quite a few invitations to join Kapatirang Pilipino when I was in college) and have never been there (it’s on my to-visit list). I have been asked for directions in every country I have been in. Okay, so this isn’t exactly impressive – I’ve only had time to travel to 22 countries (so many places to go, so little time) – but still. I’m working on it. I suppose I really do belong everywhere, and I’d like to believe that I belong in Portland, too. Having lived just a bit over a quarter of a century, I have to admit that I am still discovering who I am and where I really belong, and ethnicity has nothing to do with it. At all.

Why have I decided to join the blogosphere? Why in the world would I contribute to the hundreds of thousands of bits and bytes engaged in mostly mindless but sometimes thought-provoking drivel? Who would want to read my observations that may occasionally degenerate into an incoherent rant (though I would like to believe I am never incoherent)? The last time I wrote anything public, I had to publish my own underground newspaper to do so. This was in high school. The paper was called The Revolution. Don’t ask my why. Even I can’t remember, and I was a co-editor of the thing! To my knowledge, copies no longer exist. Since then, I’ve written introspective and analytical papers for my degrees, my work with Peace Corps/Uzbekistan, and I sometimes write equally thoughtful observations for my current work. When I am not slacking, I’ll put together a speech for Toastmasters, as I step gingerly toward an Advanced Communicator award, one carefully chosen word at a time.

My husband (I cannot believe that we have been married for nine years) insists that I have a unique perspective on the world and especially on the lovely city in which we live. Who else would be fascinated by the unique architecture, the echo chamber in Strunk Plaza, or those mobiles hanging in the window by the Eliot. I followed Joe to Portland, Oregon in 1999, right after I returned from random travel in Malaysia and Thailand. He had proposed to me two and a half years earlier, before I left for Uzbekistan. I said, “Yes, I’ll marry you, but I have to do the Peace Corps thing first. See you in a couple of years.” Strange as it may be, I kept my word. In his (very few) letters, Joe told me about scraping off his windshield and seeing a tiny patch of blue sky which was quickly enveloped by gray cloudburst and the ensuing drizzle. When I arrived, Portland really didn’t seem too bad, especially after growing up in the Southern California desert. The Tri-met drivers were nice to me and got me where I needed to go. Yes, we are California transplants. Would we move back? Why should we? Portland is our home now and I feel we need to be included in this community, even though I may be part of the 1.5% who will actually wear a suit to work.