March 8, 2008

• Saturday Update

  Today feels like the first weekend I was truly free.  No longer on call.  No longer having to wait around to talk to the superintendent.

  
  

  After breakfast and a shower, I took the Yellow Max line to the North Lombard station where I caught a bus (#75) to the St. Johns neighborhood in the north section of the city.  It's famous landmark is the St. Johns Bridge which has gothic towers and spans the Willamette River from 240 feet above.  Cathedral Park is under the bridge and to the north along the river.  Caution, things sometimes fall from the bridge.  There were lots of cars in the parking lot that had empty boat trailers on them. 

  
  

  The neighborhood has the basic shops and services and appears to be going through a transition.  I saw trendy cafes on the same block as "panaderias".  There were two Chinese restaurant / lounges with off track betting.  A tattoo parlor.  The oldest bike repair shop in Portland.  A old gas station converted into a cafe.  A domed movie theater converted into a bar & restaurant that still shows movies.  There appeared to be more construction of new homes east of the neighborhood center, closer to the river.  Houses to the west of downtown seemed run of the mill except for a special block of what appeared to be town houses but might have been condos or apartments close to the school.  South of center were the larger houses.

  
  

  After lunch at the afore mentioned pub and another short walk around the place, I boarded a bus (#75) going the other way, but stayed on it past the Max station until I reached the Hollywood neighborhood.

  
  

  The Hollywood neighborhood is east of downtown in the north east section of the city.  There are lots and lots of stores and restaurants.  There is a highway exit there as well as another Max station, so draws in people from other neighborhoods.  I looked at houses on both sides of the highway.  All single family, detached, on various amounts of land.  Except for the Bookmark Apartments, perched on top of the library. 

  
  

  I bought a used mystery novel that was touted as a "needlecraft mystery" at a used book store.  Still have to finish the mystery novel set in a Tokyo department store which I found at Powells last week.

  
  

  I found two comic book stores.  One was close to the Hollywood area, which was adequate but heavy on the action figures.  Then I walked along Sandy away from the highway, and came upon another one that was larger and had a greater selection of print material.  I think I was in the City of Roses neighborhood at that point even though their web site insists they are in Hollywood.

  
  

  I had a late afternoon snack at Pal Shanty's. It is another pub that serves food.  They specialized in fish and seafood.  I had calamari steak fingers and a razor sandwich.  What's a razor sandwich, you might ask.  Well, it is a razorback clam that has been flattened into a fillet, deep fried and place on a bun with onion and a single leaf of lettuce.  Tartar sauce served on the side.  Comes with a pickle and potato chips.  It was all very good but I may regret it later tonight.

  
  

  Just before I left the neighborhood, I bought a few items at Trader Joes. (You don't need a link for them too, do you?)  It's like every Trader Joes I have been to, crowded and with the same products available at any other store.  I was sad to see there were no cheeses from Oregon sold there.  So far the only place I have found Rogue Creamery cheese has been Fred Meyers and Whole Foods.

  
  

  So then I got home around 6:00 pm and drew a bath because my feet hurt so much from walking everywhere.

  
  

  Waiting for 9:00 pm to roll around so I can watch the new episode of Torchwood on BBC America.

  • 11:17 pm
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