Friday, May 16, 2008
Americana
The dog and I took a summer evening cruise, ballgame on the radio, all windows down, into my old NW bohemian neighborhood long since gentrified so that dozens and dozens of sidewalk tables were filled with the younger wining-and-dining set, oh how times change. Back home and glad to be here.
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4 comments:
I suppose it is too much to expect that panhandler Jesse still haunts NW 23rd Avenue, upscale as it has apparently gone.
Where does all the gentrified money come from? California?
Best, Charles.
-eric
Damn, Eric, I heard something about Jesse at Nobby's recently ... what was it? Maybe just that he's still alive. I think it's local restauranteurs, or transplanted ones, but there were HUNDREDS of folks, 20s and 30s, maybe thousands, lining 23th, where outside dining is everywhere. A far cry from the bohemian tavern days, for sure!
Freakin' Jesse, he'll probably outlive us all!
Don't think I'd be comfortable on 23rd Ave these days, sad to say.
Maybe there's some decent boho neighborhoods in N or NE Portland?
Thanks for the update, Charles.
Best,
eric
The boho trail went to SE after NW, the Hawthorne and Belmont corridors, then after they became gentrified, yes, to N Portland, esp the Mississippi Ave corridor (where I lived in 1967, a poor black neighborhood then), still funky, and St John's, becoming gentrified. Also, some surprising pockets: Clinton St is still pretty good but changing; there's a nice boho neighborhood west of 82nd and Glisan. A fascinating if sad process to watch.
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