I lived near this street for more decades than I care to admit (not in terms of living nearby, but…read moremore in terms of my own age). The best part of it was my grandparents lived one block down on 83rd and Flavel. It was a beautiful residential neighborhood at the time, and they kept an immaculate yard full of roses and dahlias. We even got to do the classic American thing of walking to the ice cream store with grandpa for cones. Memories like that can't be beat. After my grandparents died, my mom sold the house. The new owner rented it out and let it go to hell, and the surrounding neighborhood got pretty rough. I got to where I couldn't bear to drive by and see it. And that's pretty much the story of 82nd to me; rough and rougher and too much to make fun of. I haven't spent a lot of time over there for many years, but recently I've had to be out there for several reasons, and I've seen promising signs of change. PCC has built a new-ish campus on 82nd & Division that is very handsome. A lot of young couples have bought homes there as well, the most promising sign of all. There has been a lot of business development also. 82nd is never going to be anybody's idea of beautiful, but there's a lot of pride of ownership that can be felt. I was very sorry to hear that their Rose-Festival-sanctioned community parade was canceled because the Oregon Republican Party members were threatened with harm by opposing groups. That's so wrong. However, I think with all the changes I've seen lately that this is a community that has the strength to rise above. As for me, I got brave enough to drive by my grandparents' old house. One of those young couples (I would guess) had bought it and brought it back to its old glory. For all the good and bad and all the history, I had a good cry. The young woman in the front yard probably wwondered who that strange woman was, but I hope she somehow understood how pleased my grandparents would be to see all their hopes and dreams still being worked on just a block from 82nd.

But where are the Roses?…read more Last Monday, I was southbound on the #72 bus, after transferring from the Max Red Line at the NE 82nd Ave Station. And when I saw the sign for the "Hung Far Low" Chinese restaurant, it was time to get off at Division and transfer to the #4 bus. After this experience, I take it all back about occasionally needing a cab in Portland. I can really do public transit here! When I visit Portland, I try to explore a "cute" new neighbourhood each time. On this trip, that was NE Alberta, Nob Hill, and a huge chunk of Division (between 25th and my bus stop). On the other hand, the "Avenue of the Roses" is Portland's longest continual commercial strip (from the Clackamas County line to PDX). Every City has one, and even Sustainable Portland is no exception. Judging by my fellow bus travelers and the scenery going by, there's a lot going on here. And it's probably best that I was just passing through....

fascinating... you can gaze for hours... Portlandia is even on this clock. even the procession of…read morecharacters that comes out with the chime is fun. They need to get it out front in a better spot!

Airport art is typically meh. You're more interested in making your flight or catching a shuttle…read morethan gazing upon art. The Portland Cuckoo Clock is awe inspiring. It has Portlandia herself, as well as various Portlander personages adorning it. It's breathtaking. It has a bicyclist, a craft brewer, including Bigfoot himself. It's spectacular since its arrival in 2014- https://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/12/29/portland-airport-cuckoo-clock/21005975/ There's a procession of figures every hour. An amazing piece of airport handiwork.

Adorable Mural. Brought my kids to see it because they love the song. It was a fun stop on our self…read moreplanned Portland Mural tour.

She is so beautiful! I remember when she was installed in just under two weeks. I could not even…read morebelieve what I was seeing when I turned that corner and there she was. I go to Akadi (delicious West African food) and parking is right there with a glorious view of the 'Attitude of Gratitude' mural featuring over 1,000 plants for her hair. She looks stunning day or night but I highly recommend dropping into this area since she looks even better in person and is one of my favorite murals in Portland.

Did you know you can review murals on Yelp?!…read more Maybe one of Portland's best recognized murals, "Attitude of Gratitude" is an incredible mixed media mural on the corner of SE Division and 9th. The is image of a woman in a pose of gratitude, with more than 1,000 plants for hair. There's an eclipse happening behind her, marijuana leaves on her waistband, the building owner's (SolTerra) logo is a pattern in her clothing, and the national bird of Cuba on her shoulder. She took 12 days for the artist, Fin DAC to complete. If you get the chance to stop by to see this and snap some pics, it's worth it! Lots of great shops, restaurants, breweries, and food carts in the area as well.

We arrived Union Station from Seattle. Upon arrival, the crew directed us into the station. We had…read moreto cross tracks. It's a very small station. 3-4 ticket booths. A area to pick up the checked baggage. Benches for travelers. We waited a bit for the baggage. Staff were helpful. The waiting area outside is a little sketchy. Smell bad. Lots flies. I'm sure I don't want to be there at late night.

there isn't really anywhere to park. It a get in and get out kind of situation. The surrounding…read morearea is a bit sketch at certain hours. There is an area for taxi cabs and Uber pick up and drop off only. I dread coming here to pick up or drop off my husband for short business trips to Seattle. Wish there was a better short term parking option especially if the train is running a bit behind.

SSSSSS!!!!! Stellar! Sensational! Sensual! Scintillating! Stimulating! So-ssssss! Words can only…read moredescribe the beauty and profoundness viewing the mural by Faith47, South African artist! See it sizzle your emotions. Next-door is the new Stumptown coffee shop. Sit with coffee. Emotions sizzle sizzle with the kiss of ecstasy and wonderment - who is this mysterious lady and why are you here? You question - lost in your own muse!

The architect for the new building has been able to design the new building to preserve views of…read morethis mural! Thanks ZGF and developer! http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2017/07/eleven_west_tower.html and http://www.nextportland.com/2017/12/13/eleven-west/

What is the most Portland thing that I've ever done in Portland? Easy, it's the Every Wednesday…read moreSquare Dance. What's that? It's a square dance. And it happens every Wednesday. Yes, their name is very informative. When my friend brought me to the EWSD it was a surprise, and I had no idea what we would be doing until I saw the sign. Smart move on his part, as it was too late for me to back out. Atop Oregon Public House, we head up the stairs and enter The Village Ballroom, a rustic and cute spot that is the perfect venue for a hoedown! Knowing that I would need some liquid courage, I went straight to the bar. OPH drafts were $5 each, and they had affordable wine and beer options. Radlers were only $3, people! That's just crazy! Lasting from 7-9pm, we got there at the very beginning and the crowd was sparse, and had a lot of young children. It was adorable, and I enjoyed the added benefit of being almost guaranteed to not be the worst dancer on the floor. The caller for the night (Marta King) walked the crowd through the very basics, and soon the band (Missouri Turnaround) started up. For the next two hours, we square danced our hearts out! As the evening progressed the ballroom filled up. The kids disappeared and were replaced by seemingly everybody who had ever been an extra on Portlandia. Square Dancing is hip, ya'll. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of types of people, but I was shocked at how young and cool the crowd was. This isn't your grandpa's square dance, but your grandpa would totally be welcome to join. As the evening progressed, so did the dances and soon I was lost. But that was also perfectly OK! What I really loved was that everybody was so genuine in their enjoyment. Even though we were TERRIBLE and basically just bumping into each other the whole time, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. This is some good times people, even if I myself didn't believe it at first. There's a $7 recommended donation to cover the costs, though it's sliding if you can't afford that. If you can afford more, you should consider giving it. This is a really unique opportunity in Portland, and I'm glad to have discovered it.

I've started coming to camp in Oregon for over a decade. I still remember my first visit with a…read morefriend. We drove down the gravel drive through overhanging trees with ferns trying to overtake the drive. It reminded me of jumanji. Even after living here now, I have ferns and horsetail fighting to take the land back. It's a diverse state. The west with its ocean front, high rainfall forming lush forests, waterfalls popping out of rocky banks, and rich volcanic soil. The east side is high desert with volcanic geology, sagebrush, wildlife like pronghorn, and dramatic colored rock landscapes. The Cascade Mountains separate the two sides with amazing natural wonders such as Crater Lake and Mount Hood. The Cascades provide much water to the state from snowfall. It gets 50-75 inches in lower areas to over 400-600 inches in mid elevations. Areas in the North Cascades can get 1000 inches of snow! The Cascades form a barrier to moisture from the Pacific Ocean, causing the east side of the state to be much drier. Unfortunately, global warming is significantly reducing Oregon's snowpack, causing less snow, more rain, earlier melting, and contributing to more severe droughts and wildfires. If you haven't visited Oregon, I highly recommend the state. The natural beauty, outdoor activities, unique towns, wineries, breweries, and cultural attractions give you plenty to do-or nothing if all you want to do is sit and enjoy the river flowing. It has something for everyone.

Just Go (#13) We've…read morevisited this state many times since it is located just north of California. First time in Oregon was in 4/8/14 with the last road trip on Thanksgiving 2023. The drive along the coast is beautiful and scenic. There are a lot of beautiful places in Oregon but Crater Lake would have to be my favorite. The stunning rich deep blue color and extreme clarity is truly amazing. We visited Crater Lake National Park twice (2014 and 2018). Another one of Oregon's wonders is its stunning coastline. We drove down Highway 101 from Brookings and enjoyed viewing the sunset from many viewpoints and stopped by these sites and little towns along the way (Thanksgiving 2023) Umpqua River Lighthouse, Winchester Bay Sea Lion Caves, Florence Thor's Well, Yachats (low tide) Thor's Well, Yachats (high tide) Sea Lion Docks, Newport Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport ... and, of course, one of the most notable is Cannon Beach (2019), which was featured the 80's classic, The Goonies. In central Oregon we did a little exploring of the Lava Lands at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Acres and acres of lakes, lava flows, and cool geologic features. We stopped at a rest area and we saw signs about the Oregon Trail (2014). The western half of the trail spanned most of the future states of Idaho and Oregon. At Seaside we saw the "end" of the trail where a sculpture of Lewis & Clark was erected (2019). Then there's its most famous city: Portland. We signed up for a couple of Walking Tours (one was a ghost tour), experienced our first iconic Voodoo Doughnut, and visited the Tillamook Creamery (May 2019). We watched how they make their famous cheese and sample some of their yummy ice cream. Oregon has some of the most beautiful waterfalls: * Horsetail Falls * Multnomah Falls * Shepperd's Dell * Latourell Falls ... and botanical gardens: Portland Japanese Garden International Rose Test Garden We also drove as far as Astoria, the oldest city in the state, which was founded in 1811. Astoria has close historical ties to the Lewis & Clark Trail Flavel House Museum Astoria Column Astoria Megler Bridge on the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington So much history... Oregon is a unique state with personality and many scenic things to see. Happy Travels Review #3471