I’ve wanted to explore Wilhelm’s Memorial, that huge mausoleum in Sellwood, ever since I laid eyes on it from the Springwater Corridor. I got my wish on Monday, when the historic building opens to the public every year on Memorial Day. I walked four miles around that place (so says my pedometer) and spent nearly […]
History
Posted inHistory
Ye Olde Underground Loo
Vintage Portland A SW 6th and Yamhill enterance. Come on down! Did you know? Public toilets have always been a hit in downtown. The city’s recently been caught up in the heavily marketed “Portland Loos”—the downtown public bathroom brigade led by Commissioner Randy Leonard—but little has been leaked on the interesting history of the city’s […]
Posted inEvents
Tonight: The History of Pinball, Gaming, and Vice in Portland
You guys know Joe Streckert—he of Game of Thrones recaps and tellings of our state’s history by way of explosions—but did you know that he also manifests his passion for local history as a guide for Portland Walking Tours? Unless you’re a tourist or entertaining one, you’ve probably never experienced Joe in this mode. But […]
Posted inHistory
Portland May Day, 1910
I stumbled across an Oregonian article on the fantastic Portland history Tumblr, PDX Tales, proving that May Day rallies (and shindigs at Chapman Square) have always been tumultuous in Portland. Titled “Socialists To Be Peaceful May Day” (library link), the article explains May Day ralliers’ interest in occupying Chapman Square, much to the dislike of […]
Posted inDrunk
Regression Never Tasted So Good
The brewing industry in this town has gotten to the point where truly new ideas are few and far between, and ironically the most original thing to pop up in a long time (at least design-wise) is a return to basics. I’m talkin’ ’bout Churchkey, the newest old/oldest new way to drink beer as of […]
Posted inFashion
Marie Antoinette’s Spirit Lives On
Meanwhile, in rich-people world, a pair of Marie Antoinette’s shoes, circa 1790, were auctioned off in Toulon, France recently. Guess how much they went for. No, guess. Hôtel des ventes de Toulon To be fair, they are still pretty cute. Okay, got your guess? Answer is after the cut. $57,336 Now go back to your […]
Posted inMusic
Video: The Alialujah Choir – “A House a Home”
The Alialujah Choir not only celebrated the release of their album at Friday night’s show at the Doug Fir Lounge, they premiered their new video as well. Today that video went up on OPBmusic. Directed by Daniel Fickle, “A House A Home” has a fairly involved and complicated backstory—it’s loosely based on some actual individuals […]
Posted inReligion
Kirk Cameron Makes Doc About America’s “Growing Pains” (GET IT?!?!?)
You know, I think it’s unfair that us devil worshippers have all the awesome celebrities on our side (Louis CK, Emma Stone, Ernest Borgnine) while Christians barely have anybody. But the “anybody” they DO have is pretty awesome, and that “anybody” is KIRK MOTHER-BONING CAMERON—best known as Mike Seaver from Growing Pains, and star of […]
Posted inHistory
The American Dream, Revisited
Limitless opportunities, professional success, material wealth. Lately, the key words epitomizing the idea of the “American Dream” are just that — a dream. But, while it’s definition may have morphed over the years, the idea of a tangible, liberty-fueled future is far from dead. Just…different. So what’s the current status of the “American Dream” for […]
Posted inTV
I Have a Joke
Here’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on a 1968 broadcast of either Mike Douglas’ show or The Tonight Show (there’s some disagreement). Either way, delightful and fascinating to see.
Posted inArtsy
Dioramas! History! Awesome!
Oregon History Diorama There are very few opportunities in your life (aside from elementary school) when you will be praised and rewarded for your awesome diorama skills. Those tiny little shoebox scenarios were the stuff of many agonized late nights with rubber cement and construction paper, badgering your parents to help you with popsicle sticks […]
Posted inHistory
A Short North Williams Story
The big news yesterday: New Seasons is opening shop on North Williams! Woohoo! Cue excitement over a grocery store opening in the North Portland food desert and 150 new jobs right in inner Portland! The New Seasons seems to me like a pinnacle of change in the neighborhood—over the past 15 years or so, many […]