8.24.2008

A few things about Portland so far...

  1. I love rain! But...when walking to a job interview, glancing at your reflection, and seeing the frizziest hair ever, one starts to wonder if it might be time for an umbrella. I know, not a true Portlander, you say. But a hood flattens it, and rain frizzes it. Maybe a really cute polka dot one? Or one with owls?

  2. Why the smoking? Portland, with your vegan restaurants, your ubiquitous bikers, your parks and trails and ski slopes...didn't anyone tell you that smoking kills? And seeps into the lungs of everyone near/in the room below/with the windows open in the apartment next to you? And don't act like throwing a cigarette on the ground isn't littering. 'Cause it is. So get with the times, Portland. You're almost perfect, why not go for the gold?

  3. I went to a piano concert yesterday, a duet on one piano. I get there, and they introduce two elderly ladies--complete with white, tightly permed hair and floral sweaters--as the pianists. Great, I think, and wait for some cheese-o medley or something. I nearly jumped when they started banging out this atonal piece, complete with rubber bars used mid-song to play half the keys on the piano all at once. Clearly, these were not your typical old ladies. Turns out the piece was written by some 23 year old kid, and these ladies were playing the premiere. (Hmmm...such opportunities for young composers...) Then they played some Schubert and more goods. All for free! Yep, music to my ears.

3 comments:

Andrew said...

I've never understood the Portland "don't use an umbrella" thing. Umbrella's are useful, unobtrusive, and a cool fashion statement. In a city with as much moisture as Portland gets, I say, use a brolly.

Portland is banning all indoor smoking at the end of the year. There are two exemptions: "The new law will allow smoke shops and cigar bars to continue allowing smoking." (from KGW). As for outdoors, well, there is such a thing as excessive tobacco legislation.

betsy said...

good to hear a portlander say that. brolly it is!

and good to hear about the (non) smoking. maybe i'm just a wimpy (read:spoiled) californian, but it's just gross.

Kristal said...

I was going to come here and comment on the Portland smoking but Andrew beat me to it. I think all the smoking portlanders are in a race to smoke as much as they can until the end of the year when the new legislation starts.
Also, while in New York I definitely use an umbrella because it down pours here, but when I move back home I'll stop with the umbrellas. Very few times in PDX have I actually wished I had an umbrella. The rains not that bad, plus there are way too many cool coffee shops and bakeries to stop into while you wait out the worst of the rain!