Friday, November 13, 2020

Well, that's still true

A famous slogan of the city of Portland, Oregon, is "Keep Portland Weird".

It's one thing the municipality has managed to do without missing a beat...
H/T: David Thompson

Update: From Gregory, in the comments - "Gad. Those faces would scare a bulldog out of a butcher's shop."

Update II:  More interesting doings in the, er, Beaver State.

11 comments:

Steve Skubinna said...

Portland used to be a fun city to visit. I would spend several hours browsing Powell's Books. One could easily spend days. They have, or had anyway, a huge food truck scene, with a few blocks dedicated to nothing but food trucks.

And we're not talking your basic taco truck here, though there were some of those. Nearly every cuisine imaginable was represented. And then, the McMenamin's brew pubs and restaurants have several unique venues there, they like to buy properties that have a history and retain as much as possible. I liked the Crystal Ballroom, which felt like some weird time warped refugee from the 1920's. But with legal booze, wine and beer.

Haven't been down there in years, and frankly can't see any allure any more. Even if things settle down there I'm not sure the city can ever regain the quirky charm it used to have.

See, the thing cities such as Portland and Austin don't realize is that being weird is nothing. If you have no talents or skills or charm to begin with, dying your hair with Kool-Aid and poking pins through your face don't make you worth paying attention to.

JeffS said...

Portland reached "weird" long ago. They are currently at the bats**t crazy level. And embracing it.

Steve, I enjoyed those food trucks many times, whenever I was downtown on business. Ditto on the eateries.

No more, alas.

RebeccaH said...

I don't know anything about Portland other than we passed through it on I5 last summer. All I remember are the miles and miles of homeless camps along the highway. We decided not to stop.

JeffS said...

I don't blame you, Rebecca. The I5 corridor from Eugene to the Canadian border (with a few exceptions for areas where decent people live) is one big s**thole.

I grew up in that region, and have family there; I plan my routes carefully when visiting. It's sad to watch the decline.

Gregoryno6 said...

"Give me your unemployable, your career freaks, your unwashed masses yearning for free stuff..."
Gad. Those faces would scare a bulldog out of a butcher's shop.

Veeshir said...

The only things I know about Portland I learned from Stirling's Change series.
What I've seen lately makes me think Norman I, Lord Protector of Portland, would be a step up in leadership.

JeffS said...

Veeshir, from my perspective, "Thunderdome" would be an improvement for Portland.

Deborah said...

Haw! So true! I'll have to remember "career freaks", and the bulldog. Thanks!

Veeshir said...

I agree Jeffs, a little pig crap would be a step up from the crap in those mugshots.

Paco said...

I've no interest in visiting Portland, but other parts of Oregon sure are pretty. I'm thinking of the background views in Paul Harrel's gun videos; beautiful country!

JeffS said...

Portland used to be a nice place to visit. No more, of course. Mores the pity.

Much of Oregon remains a good destination, but stay away from the I5 corridor from the Columbia River down to Eugene -- that's leftie territory.