The above shows how it looked to the West. I turned around and looked East:

The little planting strip next to me contained something I have not seen in months: plants in bloom. Nothing too showy yet – I almost walked right past them – but so gorgeous. I think this is an Oregon Grape:

I believe these are camellias:

I have no idea what these next flowers are. Some were pink and some white. The flowers themselves faced downwards:

I put the camera under one and faced it toward the sky. So if you were an ant, and happened to look up, this is what you would see:

And it’s only February.

On our way home we stopped at the Korkage Wine Bar in Hillsdale. Its unlikely location is between a hair salon and a yoga studio in a small mid-century strip mall:

The parking lot was almost full, and we barely squeezed through the crowd to get to the bar. We chose the Oregon Pinot Noir wine tasting. For $10 per person, we juxtaposed these four works of art:

The person who served us – I suppose he is a sommelier? – was extremely knowledgeable about wine, and shared many details about the specific vineyards and the growers. For example, one grower who is allergic to wasps amusingly placed a beautiful sketch of the insect on the label and named the wine “Vespidae”. I could actually taste the buzz.

And there was live music. It was standing room only, but despite the elbow-to-elbow jostle, I took a picture:

The performers were an a capella group called The Sandals.

They gave out CD’s free of charge, with all donations going to the Hillsdale Main Street project:

So this is an homage to Hillsdale. Its business district may not be commonly associated with a vibrant nightlife yet, but it seems to be coming along splendidly.

This last category is my focus here. They are collecting signatures (often for minimum pay), holding attention-grabbing signs, or handing out leaflets. Without endorsing any of their messages in particular, I do want to acknowledge their hard work, because I respect everyone’s efforts to speak out and effect change in the community.

I saw this young man a couple weeks ago next to Pioneer Courthouse Square:

I regret to say that I have not paid much attention to this issue until now. NDAA is the National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2012. Its most controversial provision is the indefinite detention of suspected terrorists, according to Wikipedia. This legislation, if upheld by the Court, may be a huge blow to civil liberties according to Counterpunch, Forbes Magazine, the Guardian, and many others. I am grateful to this individual standing outside on a chilly February 3rd and bringing the issue to my attention. He was unable to speak, because he symbolically covered his mouth with an ominous sign:

It says: “2012 to become 1984″. So, I don’t know his name, or I would put it here.

And then yesterday I saw this gentleman:

Again, the weather was cold. But he cheerfully attempted to engage passers-by, asking them to sign a petition for the decriminalization of marijuana use:

He introduced himself to me as Trevor Giuliani, and said that he is actually a musician. Indeed, I found that he has some recordings that can be heard at his MySpace page. I also found some information about his work in a 2009 Willamette Week column.

So this is my shout out to two young people, as well as to hope and perseverance. Thank you both.

This new art installation may look a bit chaotic. But the work is brought together by its thematic design, and by its underlying message that Portlanders deserve something better than a conventional construction zone for an entire city block in the heart of their City for years to come. I think it is an ingenious use of the space.

All four sides of the block are illuminated with a work of art called Billions and Billions of People. Sponsored by TMT Development, it is a collaborative project by New Avenues for Youth, thirty homeless youth, and professional artists Chris Johanson and Johanna Jackson.

They have created a stunning patchwork of human faces, and it is hard to walk by without stopping to look.

The pedestrian tunnels are now absolutely inviting.

Parts of the installation are rough around the edges, but worth noticing. The little guy in green is one of my favorites. That’s how I feel when I’m looking for a parking space, which is why I usually take the bus.

Some of the work can only be viewed from across the street:

There is quite a difference between how the faces look in the sunshine and in the shade. I was glad to be there on a sunny day, and I think the exhibit will be even more interesting this spring as the sun gets higher in the sky.

Some of the paintings are larger than others. All look towards the left.

I would like to know more about the youth who painted this one:

This one represents just how I felt while looking at this art display:

(If you’re interested in seeing more of this mural, I just found a beautiful post from Andrea at Hula Seventy.)

Many large limbs have rotted, too:

The house next to the tree is 120 years old, and it is thought that the tree is at least that old. It is also believed that the tree was damaged during the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. Phil sounded sad to see the tree go, but knows it is time.

Neighbors frequently stop by to look at the limbs on the ground and the half-tree that is still standing. I have seen groups of four or five people gathered to chat about the tree, and probably about other things, too.

While I was there, Paul walked over from across the street, saw in hand, to help Phil cut up the fallen branches:

Phil said that he lived in a different Southwest Portland neighborhood for a while, and one thing he enjoyed there was the neighbors’ strong sense of community. They got together to share tools, skills, and to volunteer at the Oregon Food Bank. He said that he has not experienced quite the same thing here in Hillsdale, but hopes that will change. It seems that in its final days, the tree is helping with this.

Update 2/20/12:

This week a crew came and took down the tree. Phil is cutting the wood into smaller pieces so it can be hauled away, used for firewood, wood carving, etc.

It is a big project:

There was a considerable amount of decay inside the tree:

Phil noted that the dark lines in the wood are called spalting, and that this type of wood is often used by artists. The cross sections look like maps of another world.

Barbara and Angel checked in to see how things were going.

Phil said that losing this tree has been like losing a member of the family. He then pointed out the other big leaf maples in the neighborhood that are probably descendants of this tree, according to the arborist. Because so many people stop by to inquire, Phil and Laurel put up a sign to tell their story:

There are a couple of hotels in this area that seem suitably placed in their urban surroundings. But at the moment I am more curious about the four motels (hotel + motorist = motel) here, because they seem less suited to the setting, and because some of them have been part of the landscape as long as I can remember. (Here is a map.)

Of the four, the Downtown Value Inn located between SW 4th and 5th on Montgomery Street, is the closest to the PSU campus.

Convenient to the streetcar:

There is a pizza shop on the corner:

I always wonder about the Sahara (?) font on one side of the building.

The other motel East of I-405 is the City Center EconoLodge. It is nondescript, but I see it out my bus window nearly every day.

It has a tidy office lobby.

It won a prize:

The two motels just West of I-405 are visually more interesting, but in a pedestrian no-man’s-land. One is the City Center Travelodge on SW 4th Avenue between Caruthers and Sheridan.

I noticed the wood carving on the sign pole. Maybe it used to be a tiki bar?

Suki’s, for karaoke and 49ers fans.

I didn’t get a picture of the restaurant side, which was fairly busy for the weekday lunch hour. This is the game area:

The person behind the desk here was very friendly. I inquired about the fish in the tank because I had never seen any like them before. He said they are not real. But they swam around like they were real – I’m not sure how that works.

The fourth and final is the 6th Avenue Motel located at SW 6th Avenue and Sherman. The sign is stunning, and even more so at night. The manager of the European Auto Centre next door said that a lot of veterans stay here when they are being treated at the VA just up the hill.

The brick walls are dotted with pastel-colored shiny enamel pieces.

The office:

They use a color scheme that wouldn’t have occurred to me:

The newer red letters saying “Wi-Fi” used to advertise something else:

Kitchen? Pool? View? I wonder.

Location and price clearly are the main appeal of these motels. I have not had the opportunity to stay in one. If you have, I would enjoy hearing about your experience.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit.

Waterfront Park appeared to be navigable by boat:

While the boat was actually in the river, the park lawn was seriously soggy. The Oregon Maritime Museum was completely drenched:

I visited the museum gift shop, met some lovely volunteers there, and bought some vintage photo postcards:

The Willamette River resembled cold latte:

Then on my way back to the office, near SW 2nd Avenue and Oak Street, I noticed this charming sculpture:

I don’t need to be told twice. It’s raining in Portland.

The Hillsdale Neighborhood Association first became aware of a proposed deal between the landowner and Chase this last summer, and the issue has been on the front burner since then (see minutes of past meetings at above link). Chase’s initial proposal for developing the site was a strip-mall-style McBank building, surrounded by a large parking lot. After feedback addressing the issues of pedestrian safety and support of local businesses, among others, Chase stated that it would adapt its building plan to comply with two hard-won neighborhood initiatives: the Hillsdale Town Center Plan and the Hillsdale Main Street program. Then, using loopholes, Chase proposed a second plan that technically was in compliance with the Town Center Plan, but disregarded the larger goals for local development. You can read more about the issues of this ongoing story in the Hillsdale News, the Portland Tribune, the Southwest Connection, and the Oregonian.

By the way, Chase Bank already has a branch nearby, in the Burlingame Fred Meyer, and the Hillsdale business district is served by Key Bank, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. So if neighbors ever need a large bank (personally, I use a local credit union) there is no shortage of options. I work downtown, and Chase Bank branches seem nearly as ubiquitous as the coffee shops. One just opened a few weeks ago on the ground floor of my building:

When I look around Hillsdale, I see the results of decades of work by the talented, knowledgeable, indefatigable volunteers who have made it a great place to live and visit. I oppose the proposed Chase Bank in Hillsdale, both to honor their work, and because I support neighborhood sustainability and livability. So, on Saturday I stopped by Hillsdale’s newest business, Tre Bone, and signed the petition effort being spearheaded by journalist and local resident Rick Seifert, editor of the Hillsdale News and author of The Red Electric blog.

If I knew where to begin, I might even connect this to the bigger issues of corporate greed, the role of banks in the economic downturn, and economic justice, on this day we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For right now, I can write on a blog.

Thank you, Patrick, for the excellent information and suggestions. FaceBook is an amazing resource, and indeed I was able to contact Denise D’Angelo, and then her aunt, Patti Foglesong. Patti worked at the salon owned by her brother and Denise’s uncle, Dennis Lee D’Angelo, known professionally as “Mr. Lee”. Denise stated that, “Lee is his middle name and when he started out (I believe it was in Beaverton) there was already a Mr. Dennis, so he chose his second name.”

The following is what Patti graciously shared with me, and she gave me permission to share the contents of our conversation here.

The D’Angelo family moved to the Burlingame area in 1947, when Dennis was a young child. For many years they lived on SW 14th, which is now next to I-5. (The house itself is a part of SW Portland history. It is situated along what is now Multnomah Boulevard, a former railroad line, and over the years served as a hotel, brothel, and post office.) After graduation from Wilson High School, Dennis was trained as a professional stylist, cosmetologist, and barber. He was also an accomplished jazz pianist.

Dennis’ father loaned him the money to start the business that operated at the Burlingame location from 1961 to 1978. At the time, Freddy’s leased a number of spaces to small businesses, including a laundromat, and Joyce’s Barbershop. The salon had big picture windows, and was well-located (for marketing purposes) near the Fred Meyer drive-around, where shoppers pulled in to have their groceries loaded into their cars. The shop had a swinging glass door, inscribed with a large letter ‘D’ in the center of a diamond, and the words, “Where Hair Cutting is an Art”. The graphics were done by the same artist who created Tom Peterson’s iconic face. (My research to find the artist’s/advertising firm’s name came up empty. Readers?)

To drum up customers for this new business, Dennis’ father got the idea to pay a newspaper delivery person for placing D’Angelo’s Hair Fashions fliers, promoting a special on permanents, in the Sunday papers, at the rate of $.05 per paper. This only lasted for two weeks, but served its purpose.

The salon was a successful small business, and there were usually three or four people working there. The clientele was mixed, and some patrons were quite well-to-do. Clients included Rose Festival pricesses, many people from the KGW television station, and local radio personality Barney Keep. Former Governor Tom McCall was also there for a haircut on occasion.

Patti fondly remembered that Dennis disliked doing the popular 60′s up-do hairstyles, because of all the extra back-combing, drying time, etc., so she would teasingly (no pun intended) schedule him for these types of appointments.

Dennis D’Angelo died at age 52.

According to a brief autobiographical statement (more information here), Dennis D’Angelo was an Instructor of Hair Design at Cosmetology Careers Unlimited, Inc., and Trichologist and Director of Pilo Genic Hair and Skin Clinic and Analytical Lab., Inc. In addition, he was a working member of Musicians Mutual Association. He was appointed to the Oregon State Board of Cosmetic Therapy by Governor Straub in 1975, and served as the President of the Oregon Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association.

Thank you to Patti Foglesong for much of the above information. Patti herself is a wealth of information and stories about the area. She lives in SE Portland and welcomes those with inquiries to contact her through FaceBook.

I thought I left it in Portland, then I thought I left it in Wisconsin. I asked friends if they had seen it, contacted airports’ lost and found offices, and searched in and under the couch, and everywhere else I could think of. That is one thing about newer point-and-shoot cameras: they are so tiny that they can easily be misplaced.

My feeling about objects that are misplaced is that they are not actually “lost”, a word that suggests they are gone forever so there is no point in looking for them. In fact, they still occupy space somewhere on the planet Earth. Most of the things I “lose” without doubt remain in North America, in Portland, Oregon, and in fact, are usually in my own house. That is a pretty small area to search when you think about it this way.  This perspective is necessary to keep the hope alive.

But this, my new, first, and only camera, was now lost. Perhaps it disintegrated in a vat of acid, or went up in flames. If it still existed in its camera-ness, I would have found it.

I thought.

Last week I was in Wisconsin when I received a text message from Garry: he found my camera in the Subaru, in the black hole that serves as a handy storage box between the front seats, underneath a stack of gas station receipts and gum wrappers. I have no explanation for how it got there, but am so glad to have it back. My pictures inspire me to write about my experiences. So, a bit chagrined, I will move forward, starting with my new cat, Howard.

We are kind of his indefinite foster parents. Howard enjoys life, and understands how to make full, happy use of an ottoman, especially when we place it near the wood stove for him.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

The Burlingame Fred Meyers re-opened several weeks ago, and it is a completely new space. Early in the summer I had a lovely telephone chat with the daughter of the owner of D’Angelo’s, the salon whose name was revealed during the remodel. I hope to get back to my notes from our conversation and write about the history of this former neighborhood business. It sounds like it was a “beehive” of activity for many years in Southwest Portland. All for now.