Portland in Fall

Judging by phone messages, texts that finally came through, and emails, most people didn’t know that Cleveland got hit by the hurricane. I guess we are important news for presidential campaigns — not much else. After hitting New Jersey it headed right for us! Most of the city was fine, but for those of us right on the water, it was something residents said they’ve never seen happen in years they have lived here. The white caps and lake levels were riding high, baby! Tens of thousands without power, dodgy reception, and my building was the only one who had generators capable enough of running our elevators (the rest of the Gold Coast wasn’t so lucky). After watching debris fly past my window I was without power and hot water, and charging my phone at a coffee shop or my studio was all I could do really. In fact, the hot water came back on yesterday on my block. My neighbors down the road only had power back Monday — and lost the backs of their houses. There’s been some serious damage to my building and about 60 feet of property sunk into the lake, but aside from that nothing too crazy. Thankfully I didn’t have to endure the power outage for too long, because I headed to Portland for a long weekend.

The last time I had visited was in 2003, mostly hanging out with a band on our label and the whole Dandy Warhols set. This time was to visit family, and boy was it Portlandia! Well, I know Portlandia is only a section of Portland, and we saw others, but I was still in the middle of the hippie/hipster sector of the NE. I even wore crocs for 5 minutes to go help pick basil from the garden. Me…in crocs. Yes. I also was able to visit an urban “goat farm” called Goatlandia, hit a few watering holes with my friend Lizzy, a few wine bars with my brother and sis-in-law, Thai food with my cousin, and some art galleries. My husband went and saw Cat Power at the Crystal Ballroom as well. I think we accomplished a lot in the time we had and that a 7 week old baby was dictating schedules a lot. I can now report I’m more comfortable holding, changing, and using a blow dryer on a baby (don’t ask, but it was pretty funny) as before I couldn’t hold an infant for more than 2 minutes without handing it back to someone. My husband and I are not baby people, in fact, they freak me out because they can’t tell me what they want, but we’ve discovered I’m good at dancing to The Beastie Boys while holding one. Portland reminds my husband of Ann Arbor in the 1970s. I think it’s a combination of Ann Arbor then and now, but with more going on.

Skeptical baby Lucia, is skeptical….

We were walking along and this guy on a bike yells at us, “it’s symbolism!” and rides away. At first I thought he meant the doily nailed to the post, but then we saw he had left a dead bird there. Um…okaaay.

I like taxidermy with my coffee at Barista. No really, I like taxidermy a lot!

Boss…

this thing had rock candy and everything on it! America needs more tiki bars.

in my friend’s neighborhood, these guys were having a pretty cool music shindig inside.

I was happy to visit for beer and the food was good, but come on Rogue, step it up in the ambiance and decor!

It got dark so early all I wanted was MOAR coffee!

Chuck Close print. I forget where this was at, we visited a few places like Breeze Block and others in the Chinatown area…

Loved the Stephen O’Donnell show at Froelick…

Kevin Kadar, like more colorful Lucien Freud nudes in landscapes.

Me and my 2nd cousin Sara who I hadn’t seen since she was 6!

Goatlandia!!!! No really, it’s actually named that.

that’s their puppy friend, visiting them too.

I really like goats!

Lizzy and I giving out a snack.

My family is from Michigan and either went to, or taught at U of M, so me being in Ohio is kind of funny. Although really I think Ohioans care about the rivalry a lot more than we do…

Best layover ever. A “bubbly flight” with a cheese plate.