the coolest, bar none, exhibit is here at the art museum right now! "cyclepedia" is 40 bicycles (of a much larger collection) ranging from an ice bike (studded rear tire and blade instead of a front tire) to a paratrooper bike and literally everything in between. if it can fold up, take a picnic, race or let you pedal side-by-side "the buddy bike", it's there! the exhibit itself, though small, is lithely displayed in a white room; bikes arranged in curving formations and hung by ceiling cables. outside the museum is a collection of bike helmets that make up the red "P" that is the art museum's logo. tres hip. from here you could literally bike to portland's "slabtown" area (lovejoy street area and north). last night at powell's i got to hear norm gholston and tracy prince talk about the archives, historical photos and interviews used to uncover the history of one of the city's most densely populated neighborhoods (you can get their book "Portland's Slabtown" new from Arcadia Publishing). they taught us, a standing-room only crowd, just how influential the Native American and Chinese cultures were to the settlement of this area and peppered their lively lecture with tidbits such as the fact that portland's first hockey team was bought by Chicago and went on to become The Blackhawks (i never knew that!). a gal on the streetcar the other day looked at me amusedly like i was a tourist and asked me where i was from? "from here," i answered, "i live here". it must have been the joie de vivre permeating my face that gave me away: dare to explore where you live like it was the first time you'd ever been there. i guarantee you'll find new eyes...(new maps...new japanese happy hours, new saltwater soaking pools...to be continued!)
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