Mid-December Afternoon Wandering

This afternoon I took the bus downtown to SW 5th and Washington, strolled past Portland’s Christmas tree at Pioneer Courthouse Square, and continued on to Portland Art Museum. As I approached the museum a woman of my generation coming out asked if I was there to see the McCartney exhibit. Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm opened here on September 14 and will be on display in the main first floor galleries through January 19, 2025. I told her I have already seen it, whereupon she exclaimed, “Isn’t it wonderful!” and proceeded to tell me how much she liked it. In truth the exhibit left me lukewarm. There was no need to mention that. I found nice things to say about it because she was a nice woman and it was a joy to share in her joy. We parted wishing each other happy holidays, and I went inside with a light heart and good spirit.

The museum is in the midst of expansion and renovation scheduled to be completed in late 2025. Main galleries on the first and second floors are open for special exhibitions. I headed upstairs to check out Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s, the other major exhibition, and Throughlines: Connections in the Collection, an eclectic assortment of works from the museum’s permanent collection. Then I made my way back downstairs to give McCartney another look.

The McCartney photos still leave me lukewarm, not that they are bad or that I regret spending a little time with them. The show just didn’t pull me in apart from a small dose of nostalgia. It seems a tad overhyped. That may have something to do with my lack of enthusiasm. The same goes for the rock posters, some of them familiar from the long ago time of my youth. That is okay. Nothing is for everyone. We do not all have to like the same things, and we do not have to like everything. Throughlines was a mixed bag elevated by inclusion of two favorites I look for each time I visit the museum: Monet’s River at Lavacourt and Girl with an Accordion by Yasuo Kuniyoshi. Ah.

From the museum I walked down to Park Avenue Cafe on the South Park Blocks at the entrance to Portland State University for an espresso and journal session. The barista spotted me at the door and had my espresso brewing by the time I reached the counter to place my order with the other barista. It’s that kind of place. I suppose classes are out for the holidays at PSU. Only a few tables were taken. I snagged the best, the corner one by the window, super for people watching and views of park trees as they change with the seasons, and the sky as it changes multiple times through the course of the Portland day.

There is a Portland Streetcar stop right there at the cafe. It so happened that the next one was due two minutes after I headed out from my espresso and journal session. I hopped it down to the waterfront. The afternoon was overcast but dry and warm, temperature around 55. The sky was lighter to the east with a dazzling view of Mt. Hood as I walked toward the river from the streetcar stop. The excursion was worthwhile for that alone.

I decided to walk home by way of the Morrison Bridge instead of catching a bus downtown to take me back. The route along the waterfront to the bridge and home is the back end of the seven-mile loop for my Saturday run, so three, maybe three and a half miles. On the way home I composed this account of the day’s outing. There was nothing transcendent about it, no great adventure, really, not even much of a minor adventure. It was just pleasant. Good for my spirit. That is enough to cherish.

Keep the faith.
Stand with Ukraine.
yr obdt svt