FOLLOWING TRADITIONS KEEP PORTLAND CONNECTIONS FRESH

Following traditions isn’t always convenient:

“What, we have to do this again?”

But once you start, try to keep them. 

Sharing traditions with others makes everyone stronger.

This is someone’s tradition I like:

Last Friday was ‘neighbor dinner’ night, an event we try and make happen each month.

Some neighbors have moved away and sometimes someone’s friend from out-of-town joins us.

Last night it was me, my sweetheart and 3 neighbors; so me and four women.

We’re all 60+, all self proclaimed progressives, and at differing points on that spectrum. But it usually allows for cordial conversations at dinner.

Our one rule that is rarely broken is that we eat at a new place; somewhere we haven’t been and preferably a restaurant relatively new. 

We’ve been doing this for over 10 years, we’ve only broken the rule 3 times.

Portland allows for this type of awesome dining exploration. I mean, that’s over 120 unique dining experiences.

Can’t you smell that kitchen in full swing?

Following Traditions To The End

As Portland expands and contracts, new restaurants pop up, older places shut their doors.

The Veritable Quandary new the Hawthorne Bridge and Alexis Greek off Burnside were traditions for decades, but now closed.

As a young man, I walked by VQ for years and never stopped. It looked like a place for fat old guys to pretend they weren’t old and fat.

As a fat old guy now I think I’d like reminders of those ‘other days.’

We made reservations the week prior for Altabira City Tavern, a new-ish restaurant on the top floor of the Hotel Eastlund between NE Grand and MLK at Holladay St.

My only concern at the time was that both the Blazers and the Winterhawks had games at home.

So even though it was Veterans Day, I knew it was going to be a slog driving in from the suburbs of Tigard.

The part about keeping traditions? An NBA game, hockey game, and Veterans’ Day are three good reasons to stay home, but not good enough when traditions are strong.

What I hadn’t counted on was masses of people in the streets of downtown, I-5 and the Lloyd District. So that was a concern.

As it turned out, we made it to dinner and back home before our routes were impacted.

I was initially happy to see people protesting. I was not happy to see the marchers blocking traffic on a seemingly aimless path.

And I was really pissed to see the destruction of property.

Fear The City Or The Suburbs

My wife and I have date nights, too.

Instead of Portland we hit Tigard’s Pacific Breeze about a mile away.

For a really big time, we go to Elmer’s on Pacific Hwy. It’s got a back-bar and gambling machines, but we go for the Cobb salad and Mr. Elmer’s omelette and split them with an extra plate.

Maybe it’s because I’m older, or maybe it’s because I’m less inclined to rush into an unknown volatile situation with no obvious objective, that I was reluctant to drive into Portland for dinner.

But hey, there was a great dinner and cocktails waiting, so “ya gotta do what ya gotta do”, and off we went; aware of the possible obstacles.

I had four ladies in the car, so I was prepared to take as many alternate routes as possible. I had already made the decision not to bring the sawed-off shovel handle.

This is key, leaving weapons out of the equation.

I knew a man who did dangerous work, the sort of work most people carry guns for, who wear body armor. His job was finding people who didn’t want to be found.

I asked him why he didn’t pack a pistol?

“If I carried a gun I recall situations where I would have used it. Instead I solved the problems without a gun. I own guns, I just don’t take them into volatile meetings.”

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As effective as it is, I didn’t need to encourage myself to engage in irresponsible self protection if that results in putting other people at risk, so I opted for avoidance tactics, not engagement. (It’s a little odd, even at 62, to enable your brain to override testosterone driven responses.)

So here we are in a new, but not unexpected time, where social unrest becomes a consideration; to join the march or watch on TV or follow on your Twitter feed; to go out to dinner or stay home; to go into Portland or stay in the suburbs.

For me, we’re “goin’ to town”. Always.

And you should go to town too, just do it with your eyes open.

It’s harder for life long Portland people used to the calm and serenity of strolling a city sidewalk.

New Traditions to Follow Up On

If you go to the beach and find one of these waiting, tradition says pick it up and swing it around.

Swing it low for others to jump over; swing it high like a helicopter; or just chase your group around.

The most important part of following traditions? Leave things as you found them and plan for the return trip.

Don’t take a whip into the center of your city, even if it’s Portland and you’re trying to Keep Portland Weird.

First of all, it doesn’t need any weird help.

Second, learn more about Portland before you decide it’s not weird enough.

If you find yourself in a group of people new to Portland, find new friends.

New people in town bring their olds traditions with them. Portland has enough of its own.

For starters, there is no tradition of tipping over statues and breaking into a history museum to steal a quilt.

No tradition for breaking windows in downtown shops.

Still no tradition for slashing tires.

What are some worthy Portland traditions to keep up?

Taking kids to Good Dog Bad Dog once a year?

Picking up a bag of Machismo Mouse burritos with Boss Sauce?

Throwing money on the stage at Mary’s with a buddy on a yearly Christmas shopping trip? Hey J-Ray.

If you’re following along, what are some new traditions?

The old ones need help.