Portland Z

Zigzag
Monday, January 30
And so the final day has arrived. I thought Z would be one of the most challenging letters, but in the end, it was effortless. Zigzagging probably captures the spirit of this project as well as anything. I begin by walking down Johnson St. toward downtown and go straight until I hit a red light or barrier and then alternate lefts and rights.

The first landmark is the Pacific Northwest College of Art at Johnson and 12th. Inside there is a delightfully whimsical exhibition: Instruments of Art in which violins, guitars, etc are used as pieces in sculptures--or in some cases, pieces of instruments are put back together to form something new. Just a few blocks away is the Ecotrust Building at Johnson and 10th. Once a warehouse and then a truck terminal, today the building houses multiple progressive organizations plus a coffee shop and one of the best Pizza places in town--Hot Lips Pizza. The Ecotrust is a "Green" building in terms of its materials and its water and energy use (the excess heat from the pizza oven provides hot water). You can walk up to the roof where not only is there a great view of the city, but several patches of native grasses--which I learned is a good insulator and also reduces stormwater runoff. The Ecotrust building is one of the best examples I've found of Portland's very visible commitment to sustainability.

From here I zig past the main post office and zag by the Greyhound Terminal and Amtrak Train Station and then I am in Old Town. It's not exactly rundown, but it feels kind of vacant today except for a crowd of people standing outside a storefront. I see it is Sisters of the Road, an innovative community that serves meals and provides training and support to those in poverty. A few blocks away, I come across the Everett Station Lofts a row of storefront art galleries and artist residences. (Later, I coincidentally meet Anna Abraham at the co-op. She was instrumental in helping to save this building from developers--yet another example of the spirit of preservation in Portland. When she learns I am from Twin Cities, she tells me that Minneapolis' Artspace actually purchased the building, ensuring it would remain in the hands of artists.)

After skirting past the arches of Chinatown, I am into downtown Portland and do a few more turns before tiring and turning back. I reflect on how I once thought of cities mostly in terms of their downtowns, and now...not so much. I seem to prefer neighborhoods instead, so I retrace my steps to mine. A few blocks from home I pass an old, beat-up file cabinet and see inside a drawer full of old tile. Regular readers of the Portland Project may remember that a week ago when I was at the Rebuilding Center I decided that once this project was over I would do something with tile and mosaic. I gather up an armful and take them home. This feels like the perfect ending, my pot of gold under the rainbow. And sure enough, when I walk home from the co-op later in the day, there is a rainbow and I can see in the distance that it seems to be coming down at the very spot where I found my treasure.

I'd like to thank all the fans of the Portland Project (famous in at least three states: Oregon, Minnesota, and North Carolina.) Also, I'm grateful to all the folks that took time to chat with me during my wanderings and especially to Krishnee, Sebastian, Nissa, and Isaac, who went on expeditions with me.

In the end, the Portland Project is not just about going to new places. It is about the spirit of exploration and engaging with strangers. You know, if we just go a little outside of our regular patterns and routines, some really magical things can happen. There are treasures waiting for us everyday.