April 28th, 2008
If I could draw or paint or “do art” in some fashion it would probably mostly consist of a weird and concerning homage shrine to Portland’s Fremont Bridge, which, for some reason, I find to be pretty much the best thing I’ve ever seen.
The obsession started sometime in my late teens. The college years, the wandering, lone-wolf, mostly-lonely years wherein I had time to brood and draw bad sketches in black-bound notebooks. I started noticing the Fremont was easy to draw, that double bounce swoop. Plus, it was appealing. I liked standing underneath it. In middle school my marching band practiced under its east flanks. In the awful 2001-2002 times, when breathing even seemed a burden, I spent time under its left flanks taking photos.
Then I resorted to the Internet, which usually serves as a good gateway from “interest” to “stalking/obsession.” Fortunately the bridge is inanimate and has so far been kind enough not to press charges.
Why do I like it?
- It’s very epic in proportion. It soars without effort.
- It’s modernistic and unemphatic.
- It has calming lines like Scandinavian furniture.
- It’s unapologetic about its utility. It puts me in mind of Bauhaus in that sense.
- Peregrine falcons nest atop it.
From work, at Cloud Four, all I have to do is swivel around in my chair to see the Fremont
Here is some trivia:
- It came into being in 1973, yes, before I was born. At the time they lifted the center span, it was the heaviest thing that had ever been lifted, ever. It was in the Guinness Book of World Records.
- Last time I’d looked, it was the longest tied-arch bridge in the world. Now it’s second to a bridge across the Yangtze (dang you China!). It is the biggest bridge in Oregon, which is likely not surprising.
- Its noticeable design was reactionary to the humdrum, un-fun-utilitarian Marquam Bridge (I-405 bridge over the Willamette River).
- It’s 381 feet high. Yep, that will likely kill you, with the jumping.
Fremont bridge + Boats + Birds originally uploaded by Samgrover
How do you feel about the Fremont? In terms of Portland bridges, where does it fall for you?
Tags: bridge, bridges, portland
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April 24th, 2008
Here are what I believe to be the answers to my rather popular post reminiscing about Portland of years past. Keep in mind that these are what I believe to be correct answers, but I could be inaccurate.
Which of the places listed below are currently still in their original location as of, oh, the early- to mid- ’80s or so?
- Nordstrom’s (downtown): Still in its original location. I used to buy my shoes here back in the Saltwater sandal and Mary Jane era of my life. Buy shoes, get a balloon shaped like a peanut. Anyone?
- The Children’s Museum: Used to be located off of SW Barbur near the YWCA south of downtown. Now located up by the zoo. Bonus points if you knew that the building it’s in up by the zoo used to be OMSI (the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry).
- Camera World: A bit of a trick question. The original Camera World was located a block away in a darkish, smaller spot. I think the old location was 5th & Washington on the south side, and it is now at 6th & Washington, on the north side. It is also no longer locally owned (sad).
- Central Library: If there is one stable building downtown that has never moved, it’s this one. Having said that, during its renovation the “central library” branch was housed in the location of the current downtown 24 Hour Fitness at, what, 4th & Clay?
- The Bijou Cafe: My dad used to take me to breakfast there when I was three. Still in same place.
- The Old Spaghetti Factory: Surprising how few people remember the original location in Old Town, across from Bar 71 or whatever. It was the Quest night club for a lot of years after that. The big, flagship location in South Waterfront was a product of the 1990s.
Tags: nostalgia, portland
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April 17th, 2008
Everyone gets to participate! The older the memory, the more cred you get for being Portland-indigenous.
- Remember when Lloyd Center was open to the sky? It got rainy in there. I have a photo of me with the Easter Bunny there when I was about three or four.
- Remember when they imploded that building downtown to make room for Pioneer Place?
- Remember Powell’s before the expansion? Extra credit: remember when the children’s section was in the present Gold room? Extra extra credit: do you remember shopping in the kid’s section when you were a kid? How about the Catbird Seat bookstore above the present location of Columbia Sportswear downtown?
- Did you attend the arrival of Portlandia, downtown in the rain? “It was installed in September 1985 after being floated up the Willamette River on a barge.” (Wikipedia)
- Do you remember the waterfront before the Harborside/Riverplace development?
- Did you shop at Finnegan’s toys when you were younger? And can anyone (besides me) remember “City Kids” in, I think, the current location of the Great Harvest Bread Co. in Yamhill Market? And, for that matter, anyone recall actually shopping in the Yamhill Market?
Quiz!
Which of the places listed below are currently still in their original location as of, oh, the early- to mid- ’80s or so? Discuss.
- Nordstrom’s (downtown)
- The Children’s Museum
- Camera World
- Central Library
- The Bijou Cafe
- The Old Spaghetti Factory
Speaking of all of this, am I the only person who misses the former Psycho Safeway at SW 10th & Jefferson? It’s all a heap of condos now and when we drive by I have to turn my head and tell myself not to look over there because it’s just going to be weird.
Tags: PDX, portland
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April 12th, 2008
70 degrees this morning and suddenly last night the first time since last fall the air has gone soft and you can smell things, sometimes things you don’t want to smell, but we take the bad with the good because this city’s winter climate is the cross we bear until it unfurls into something so glorious we can barely talk about it for the grins we’re carrying on our faces.
A confused season. Daffodils, tulips and iris all blooming at once.
David and I suppose we will go camping today. We’re headed for the gorge eschewing trees because trees get in the way of seeing the sky.
Was up last night til four reading, reading, sleepless with my shattered belly parts making sounds of discontent–I’ve started eating vegetables again and the system has taken voluble notice.
In Boston, I understand, it’s also a beautiful day. My sister is there, and is ecstatic because she got the (foregone, if you ask anyone else) news yesterday that she passed the bar. As if we’re surprised. Magna cum laude from Harvard Law. As if we’re surprised! But we congratulate her!
Tags: camping, maggie, spring, weather
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March 21st, 2008
Living in Oregon means being strung along by the weather in great swaths of wet-laden weeks at this time of the year. But at least things still bloom. A few weeks ago was high daphne season–it smells so strong and sweet it’s like it’s synthetic–and the daffodils are just eclipsing.
Which means it’s (deciduous) magnolia time. We have a stunner: a full tree (not just shrub) of a specimen in our yard. Though I admit I do prefer varieties with some pink, I agree with Mr. Pencil that our magnolia is a bit less feminine and more modern.
I don’t really like Rhododendrons that much (maybe it’s just that we’re glutted with them here), but the very unusual variety that Wes found for us last fall–the leaves are black!–is blooming right now, an unreal lavender-on-black flame. Yes, I know, it’s very early–rhodies usually bloom around mother’s day.
What’s your favorite springtime bloom?
Tags: flowers, magnolia, plants, spring
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April 28th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
i’m fond of the warren-like element of the undercarriage. it always seemed to me a realm unto itself.
as a side note: it came in a very strong 2nd in the “favorite portland bridge” survey
April 29th, 2008 at 11:41 am
The Fremont is definitely the most entertaining bridge to drive across. Driving from the east to west side affords an expansive view of the Pearl district and west hills and always gives me that “wow, I live in a real city” feeling.
But, I have to say for looks, the St Johns bridge does it for me. The Hawthorne is nice too, because it seems designed for pedestrians and bikes, with cars being an afterthought. Also, I’m just waiting for the Sellwood bridge to collapse.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:39 am
Okay, I’ve finally been smoked out of lurker-stan. The Fremont Bridge is a particular love of mine as well. Effortlessly my favorite bridge in Portland.
I have a photo on my wall of Portland taken by a friend that most people, I think, would find actively ugly. It’s taken somewhere in inner southeast, on the top of a building. The top third is cloudy sky, the bottow two-thirds are a sea of warehouses and similar buildings. And rising out of that sea, of course: The Fremont Bridge.
Fuck, now I’m missing Portland hardcore.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:55 am
I’d like the Fremont more except from elementary school to the present day, I have recurring nightmares about driving off of it (usually in a school bus), where the top deck curves into 405 - you just keep driving straight and then there’s the sickening plunge. It’s definitely not a bridge for people who are afraid of heights… but then again, most bridges aren’t.