Portland, Oregon

Green, hippie, but I like it!



I got a free trip to Portland... but a hard one.
It was as though there was a strong, very strong force trying prevent me from getting to Portland, but I got there anyways, on the next day. So here's the story:

I was to take a flight from South Bend, Indiana to Chicago, then connect to a flight to Portland. Since it South Bend was in Central Time zone a month ago when I was here, I didn't think otherwise. Turned out that South Bend joined the Eastern Time zone! It's ok, I was at the airport early for the flight anyways, so I was on time. Then I waited and waited.... 4 pm, but there was no announcement for my flight. I checked my boarding pass and the TV display. They both match. So I went to the counter to ask.... "Chicago? Oh, it's leaving now!" So I ran to the gate only to see the door of the plane gradually closing. Why did I miss it when I was right there waiting for it all this while? United Airlines switched my flight around with another without updating both my boarding pass and the TV info. Plus, they didn't even tell me when I checked in!



So I was put on the next flight. Big deal, happens every day on domestic flights. 3 hours later, I boarded the plane and looked for my seat 16A.

"12... 13.... 14.....14..... wait, there's no 16!!!"

So I made my way all the way back to the front and showed the lady my boarding pass.

"You're right, there's no 16 on this plane! It's ok, there are only 26 passengers, you can sit anywhere you like."

Ugh ok.

The plane took off late, so I arrived at Chicago late, plus, the plane sat on the run way for a good 20min before it docked. I hurriedly made my way from one end of a terminal, to the other end of another terminal, only to see the gate to my flight pulling away, FOR THE SECOND TIME!!! WHY!!!

It was late, and there way no other flight to Portland now. They put me in a Hilton and flew me out the next morning. What bothered me was, I wasn't the few who were in similar situation. There were buses of people who had to stay over night just like me, in the Hilton. How is UA surviving at all?



A sandwich and a soda for $28 at the hotel..... but it was good though.


Bad experience aside, let's go to the fun part.



After the interview that I was really here for, I checked into the hotel. Ace Hotel it is. Very unique. Every room is designed by a different artist, therefore each has a different layout, finishing and decoration. Mine was laid out to be like a studio space. Unlike a typical hotel that tries to make you feel comfortable by being bland, I didn't feel like I was away from home being in this room. It's what people would do to their homes, so naturally, it was comfortable... at least for me.





Vinyl player for your entertainment



And a big cat to wake you up... or keep you awake!





My little window to Portland downtown






The Pearl District is where I was at. It's the hip part of the town. Each block is small. The town is rather dense and everything is happening at the same time. It's a big bike town where people commute on bicycles(me likes). So "green" is big here. There are also a big emphasize on organic food, and I didn't see a single fast food restaurant in Portland.

Portlanders loves to bike



Pearl District





West of the Pearl District just beside the Washington Park area, there's the Nob Hill district. This is where the artsy stuffs are at, where you can find both high end commercial art and street art pieces.





Bad Karma news stand



A street pole layered with advs



A tile in the wall



Some chickens running wild



There also seem to be a presence of design consciousness....

"Eames lounge chair" styled barber seat.


More than just Portland

I guess I will never be satisfied with just Portland, so I went to google map to see what's up around the area, and I spotted something VERY interesting...



Twwwenty some miles of twisty road waiting to be conquered!!! Rental Car!!!

So I immediately reserved a rental car, just to thrash around... nah, I'll never do that... right?





opps....

Anyways, it's really a pleasant surprise to me that Portland is this close to the countryside. Cows, horses, trees, farms, ridges, MOUNTAIN ROADS!!!





"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!"

Horse or cow?



Where the fun is.



My famous "one-hand-on-the-wheel-one-on-the-camera" skillz





Over the ridge



Oregon's logging industry



Before we go back to the city, here's a summary of the experience...



Alright, that wasn't exactly an accurate description, but it was great!

Last but not the least... Man I really need to look for a better closing. Anyways, Nike's corporate HQ.



Over all, Portland is a fantastic place for me. Other than the things to do, there are the food to eat. Not having visited Singapore for 3 or more years, it was extremely pleasing and torturous to be having such good South East Asian food. Pleasing... yes, it was great, beyond great. Torturous because my stomach can only take so much, but the menu..... arrrhhhh!!!!!

In the end, I choose to move to Atlanta instead. They better have good food waiting for me!

Let's talk about Benton Harbor

Benton Harbor: Port of Opportunities



Benton Harbor hasn't really been mentioned yet. It is the town right beside St.Joseph, across the St.Joe river, and is where Whirlpool is situated. While St.Joseph is this very nice little vacation town by Lake Michigan, with neat touristy downtown and well maintained streets, Benton Harbor is the mini-Detroit. Two years ago before coming to Whirlpool for my internship, I read a book that a friend lent me. It's called "On the other side of the river", which talked about a African American teenage boy who went over the river to attend a party in downtown St.Joseph. Something happened, and he ended up dead in the river. It became the typical political and racial incident. Although I never finish reading the book to find out what exactly happened to the boy, it wasn't about what happened to the boy, but the disconnection between these two communities.

That was in the 70s. Does this disconnection still exist? I think so. Benton Harbor is far less developed and maintained than St.Joseph. It's like Detroit, only smaller and even less exciting. However, like a mini Detroit, much of its history is preserved in its unique ways.

The following series of photos were primarily taken in Benton Harbor downtown, connected to St Joseph downtown by the same road, just a mile away, but it's a difference of Heaven and Earth(hell will be too extreme).

Abandoned theater


Hotel








One of the main streets surrounded by closed businesses



I think it says a lot when grass grows between the laid bricks on a main street



Some interesting remains of businesses









So how long has this gas station been abandoned? Easy, just check the last gas purchase!



$15 for 50 gallons of premium gas..... I can't even find the record online! If anyone has the answer, please let me know!

This building is interesting, because it resembles Eero Saarinan's design for the US Embassy in London.







And here are some of the current businesses





Last but not the least, Benton Harbor's very own water tower



Be sure to check out a few more photos here

A little to show-off from St. Joe

Nothing exciting really happened in St.Joe recently, but there were some worth mentioning moments around this American Dream house. The summer season is really distinctive, because there will be all kinds of creatures lurking around the house making my dinners a lot more lively.





Water droplets from the sprinkler on spider webs.




One thing that has become an icon for me is the water tower. It's in every town, sometimes distinctive, sometimes generic. Whatever it looks like, it's always the local landmark.

Remembering Cranbrook

Well, can't close the chapter on Cranbrook without a video. Here's the drive into Cranbrook Campus, from the Woodward Ave main entrance to the Art Museum. ( Ragn was the camera-lady!)