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.