all the places we went
My friend Bec is in town and it is my job to make her love Portland so she will move here. I've known Bec since 1994 and she's one of my favoritest, oldest friends. She's been living for 6 years in Brooklyn and she just bought a condo, but she *also* just ended a 5 year relationship and she's feeling like moving on soon... so... my fingers are crossed. Her *real* best friend (sadly, it's not me) just moved to town w/ husband and baby, and I think that will be the real draw. After all, she followed that chick to Brooklyn 6 years ago, so maybe she'll follow her to Portland too. We'll see.
So she took a bus downtown and met me at my work at one. I only had 4 hours to make a first, Portland impression on her. So what did we do?
1.) We walked down to my absolute favorite Thai restaurant in town, E-San, on Second in Old Town. E-San is gorgeous on the inside and the food is *perfect* -- Bec loved it.
2.) We walked over to Stumptown on Third and drank really good, Belgian beer. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be introducing her to *Portland* and Portland has *great* local beer, but she said she was in the mood for a Chimay, and it just so happens that Stumptown has Chimay. It was yummy and, of course, that Stumptown location is great, w/ the one wall of exposed brick and the hip barristas w/ those sexy, floor length black aprons... those are hot. It was good.
3.) Then we walked to Powell's City of Books. The most important thing to do in Portland -- Powell's is as big as a city block and several stories tall -- the hugest bookstore I can imagine, though I'm not sure if it's *actually* the biggest one in the country. I imagine it has to be. She bought two Nadine Gordimer books and I bought two Adrienne Rich books... which figures. I love Adrienne Rich. And I have about 80 bucks of store credit b/c I sold a bunch of books to them when I moved in February... so... it's like I'm not even spending money!
4.) Then we walked down to Reading Frenzy. The front of the shop is full of graphic novels and adult dolls (not "adult" dolls, just dolls and toys associated w/ comics and stuff like that). The back of the shop is full of really good porn. We flipped through On Our Backs (lesbian nudie magazine), which had Kate Clinton on the cover, looking bronze, wrinkled, grey-crew-cutted and *hot*. Then we looked at a book called something like "Lesbian Sex Tips From Straight Chicks." Hilarious and surprisingly educational. At this point in my life as a sexual being, I like to think I could *write* a book like that, however, Bec and I both ran across things we've never even considered. Simple things. Good things. We both seriously considered buying the book, but in the end, just couldn't put the money down for it. Oh well. Maybe I'll go back to Powell's and see if they've got it... I can use my store credit. :-)
5.) Then we walked over to Rich's Tobacco Shop -- why? Because it smells really good and they have an *incredible* magazine selection. I guess the fact that I took Bec to three different book/magazine stores says a lot about me and not that much about Portland. Oh well. I found about fifteen journals I wanted to buy (eg: The Paris Review, Glimmer Train, The American Scholar, Granta, on and on) but didn't buy anything. Again, I thought about running back to Powell's w/ my store credit. I surfaced from looking at journals and found Bec flipping through an Us magazine. She tells me Brangelina aren't doing well. Hmm.
6.) Then we finally made it to Pioneer Courthouse Square. I love Pioneer Square. When I first came to town, I hung out at Pioneer Square a *lot* -- like the other street kids. Only I wasn't a street kid. I used to hang out, eat cheap food from the carts, people watch, kill time, etc. I didn't have a lot to do when I first came to town, and I was broke. I showed Bec the spot where the Dalai Lama stood when he was here in 2001, and how close I was to him, which was pretty close. I showed her the weird little spot in the Square where the bricks go round in three-quarters of a circle and if you stand in the middle it throws your voice back to you magically. That's always pretty cool to check out. Then we sat on the steps and just talked for a long time. It was nice. We talked about the best sex we've ever had. It was a hilarious conversation. Bec, having just ended a long (and long ending) relationship, hasn't gotten laid in a really long time and it's pretty heavy on her mind. I wish I knew somebody cute and free to hook her up w/ while she's here. We'll see. I mull it over.
7.) Then we rode the Max (light rail train) back to the place where she needed to catch her bus. And that's that.
Tonight she's cooking dinner for her friends where she's staying and I'm home feeling suddenly, unhappilly alone. Hmm. So good to see her after so long, so fun to spend the afternoon running around my favorite town, showing her some of my favorite things, and talking so much. And now... I'm like Wiley Coyote when he runs and runs and runs after the roadrunner, then accidentally runs off the edge of a cliff... but then just hangs there a moment before realizing he's stopped.... and then finally falling. That's me.
I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow...
So she took a bus downtown and met me at my work at one. I only had 4 hours to make a first, Portland impression on her. So what did we do?
1.) We walked down to my absolute favorite Thai restaurant in town, E-San, on Second in Old Town. E-San is gorgeous on the inside and the food is *perfect* -- Bec loved it.
2.) We walked over to Stumptown on Third and drank really good, Belgian beer. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be introducing her to *Portland* and Portland has *great* local beer, but she said she was in the mood for a Chimay, and it just so happens that Stumptown has Chimay. It was yummy and, of course, that Stumptown location is great, w/ the one wall of exposed brick and the hip barristas w/ those sexy, floor length black aprons... those are hot. It was good.
3.) Then we walked to Powell's City of Books. The most important thing to do in Portland -- Powell's is as big as a city block and several stories tall -- the hugest bookstore I can imagine, though I'm not sure if it's *actually* the biggest one in the country. I imagine it has to be. She bought two Nadine Gordimer books and I bought two Adrienne Rich books... which figures. I love Adrienne Rich. And I have about 80 bucks of store credit b/c I sold a bunch of books to them when I moved in February... so... it's like I'm not even spending money!
4.) Then we walked down to Reading Frenzy. The front of the shop is full of graphic novels and adult dolls (not "adult" dolls, just dolls and toys associated w/ comics and stuff like that). The back of the shop is full of really good porn. We flipped through On Our Backs (lesbian nudie magazine), which had Kate Clinton on the cover, looking bronze, wrinkled, grey-crew-cutted and *hot*. Then we looked at a book called something like "Lesbian Sex Tips From Straight Chicks." Hilarious and surprisingly educational. At this point in my life as a sexual being, I like to think I could *write* a book like that, however, Bec and I both ran across things we've never even considered. Simple things. Good things. We both seriously considered buying the book, but in the end, just couldn't put the money down for it. Oh well. Maybe I'll go back to Powell's and see if they've got it... I can use my store credit. :-)
5.) Then we walked over to Rich's Tobacco Shop -- why? Because it smells really good and they have an *incredible* magazine selection. I guess the fact that I took Bec to three different book/magazine stores says a lot about me and not that much about Portland. Oh well. I found about fifteen journals I wanted to buy (eg: The Paris Review, Glimmer Train, The American Scholar, Granta, on and on) but didn't buy anything. Again, I thought about running back to Powell's w/ my store credit. I surfaced from looking at journals and found Bec flipping through an Us magazine. She tells me Brangelina aren't doing well. Hmm.
6.) Then we finally made it to Pioneer Courthouse Square. I love Pioneer Square. When I first came to town, I hung out at Pioneer Square a *lot* -- like the other street kids. Only I wasn't a street kid. I used to hang out, eat cheap food from the carts, people watch, kill time, etc. I didn't have a lot to do when I first came to town, and I was broke. I showed Bec the spot where the Dalai Lama stood when he was here in 2001, and how close I was to him, which was pretty close. I showed her the weird little spot in the Square where the bricks go round in three-quarters of a circle and if you stand in the middle it throws your voice back to you magically. That's always pretty cool to check out. Then we sat on the steps and just talked for a long time. It was nice. We talked about the best sex we've ever had. It was a hilarious conversation. Bec, having just ended a long (and long ending) relationship, hasn't gotten laid in a really long time and it's pretty heavy on her mind. I wish I knew somebody cute and free to hook her up w/ while she's here. We'll see. I mull it over.
7.) Then we rode the Max (light rail train) back to the place where she needed to catch her bus. And that's that.
Tonight she's cooking dinner for her friends where she's staying and I'm home feeling suddenly, unhappilly alone. Hmm. So good to see her after so long, so fun to spend the afternoon running around my favorite town, showing her some of my favorite things, and talking so much. And now... I'm like Wiley Coyote when he runs and runs and runs after the roadrunner, then accidentally runs off the edge of a cliff... but then just hangs there a moment before realizing he's stopped.... and then finally falling. That's me.
I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow...
posted by reasonably prudent poet at 4:58 PM
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