a must visit in portland

this delightful friday i woke up feeling too comfortable to move. i was having strangely intriguing dreams. the ones that blend my new environment with characters from my past. it's fun to watch how my old acquaintances behave in my new life. plus, my two comforters weren't oppressively hot (as they usually are). i was perfectly content with the idea of shutting off the world for at least the next 6 hours.

however! portland opportunities are limited! i am probably heading off to graduate school next year, so i feel like i need to soak in as much of this city as possible. thus, i jumped out of bed, and listened to some terrible pop music from 107.5 MOOOVVINNN' while dancing around in my underwear before venturing outside my room.

lozito was cooking up some spicy chai, and shared a cup with me as we reflected upon our weeks. i never see my housemates anymore because i am rarely at home. it's both tragic and a positive reflection of my success finding community spaces to interact with in portland.

i often exit my house in a tizzy. i don't know why. i have this irresistible urge to blast out of my home and tear through the streets with an adventurous urgency. i'll be totally mellow up, and then 3 minutes before i decide to leave everything accelerates to light speeds.

i sort of love it.

minutes later i was flying down hawthorne with a big smile on my face and the wind stretching my blond curls. i've finally started bicycling more since i've had this car. (today is the last day i have it though. thank god.)

i went to cup and saucer for a breakfast date with revphil to discuss my 'first quarterly moon castle ballyhoo'. he is a serious event organizer in town. it seems as though he has his paws in everything fun that happens in this rosy city.

throughout the morning i gleaned some tips, and i've been directed in a few different directions. event planning is really fun because i have an excuse to meet with the people i really admire and love that i've become close to in portland since my recent transplant.

anyhow! now to the most amazing encounter of the day:

i own a beautiful little manual typewriter that has cursive type, and is a total cutie. however, it's in terrible shape. there's actually cobwebs between the keys. so, i talked to a friend who suggested i take an adventure into n. portland and visit Ace Typewriters.

i drove down lombard forever. in fact, i drove further than i imagined it could ever go. i could feel my portland consciousness expanding by the block. i am really excited about moving to ne portland because i will be more able to explore this foreign territory. anyhow, i made it to the shop.

i toted my machine in and a scruffy older man in plaid directed me towards a towel-upholstered counter. he had a soothing soft demeanor, and i could easily imagine him working with these intensely complex and fragile outdated machines in his poorly lit shop forever.

he called my typewriter a 'good little machine', which seemed like a powerful complement coming from this typewriter guru. he told me if it was red it would be worth 2,000 dollars. after examining it he offered to clean it and fill in missing parts for 25 dollars.

i asked if he had grown up in this shop, and of course he said, "yup. dad has been here since '60." his father was behind a shelf reading with a spyglass that lit up. a really special sight. his dad's desk was full of tinkering tools that i imagine have had homes on that very same desk for over 40 years. the space felt like an ancient den with years of grease and wear worn into the corners. matt (the plaid fellow) moved and adjusted my machine with a delicate, yet deliberate hand. the unique clicks and pings that emanated from the metallic components were as soothing as a lullaby. i instantly feel in love with this ageless shop. it felt like stepping back into time, when folks spent their lives learning one trade. this man's extensive knowledge of something that is technologically extinct was spellbinding. my typewriter suddenly took on an entirely new romantic quality. i was in love. i didn't want to leave. i wanted to spend days exploring these shelves and tinkering with the rows upon rows of wooden boxes full of components and typewriter tools.

he said this shop was one of the last of its kind. he also said that in 3 months this place was getting demolished. the landlord had sold the property to a company that intended to put up condos. my heart sank. i expressed my concern and asked if they would move. he said he wasn't sure yet. then, after a short silence he said, "the spirit of this city is dead." i almost started crying right there. what a scene. this craftsman's world was all but gone. a world that values quality before anything else. a man who had probably stood by his incredibly cheap prices for repairs solely on principle. when looking at ribbons he grabbed a washer to fit over the spool post. i asked why. he said the new plastic ribbons didn't fit right. i asked why they switched? he sadly explained, "it's cheaper. but, these days everything seem to be losing quality and increasing in price."

i left with an invaluable oral history of the typewriter, and a miniature portrait of the lives that were molded by this ancient technology.

is trade dying? will small craftsmen be obsolete by the time i raise my children? i hope not.

visit ace typewriters on 7433 lombard street. just to talk with matt if anything. it will be worth the trip. the old man behind the shelf told me the 75 bus goes all the way down to the shop, and in 3 months this truly historical site will be demolished.

other day details:

peninsula park looks amazing. i'm visiting it in the summer. without a doubt.

love,
kelly