2930.About three weeks ago, on the 27th of April, there was a delightful thing … a parade of SE 82nd Avenue.
The real thing. Classic cars, happy people, politicos, even a float or two. Marching bands. Free slices of pizza. Marching bands. Goth-y majorettes. Asian dragons and lions and wonderful, colorful native American display.
Yeah, that's Portland … the one
we love, after all, out here on the Heavy Eastside, the part that Portlandia-watchers think is the edge of Gresham. We have a lot to say about being Portland, but that's all for another channel and time; in the meantime, look at what happens when we Heavy Eastsiders throw down and party.
We ourselves kind of stumbled on the event. The Wife™ and The Lodger™ were out along SE 82nd Avenue the evening before and saw that 82nd between Division and Holgate was going to be closed for a parade from 10 AM to Noon the next day (Sunday AM quarterbacking: they could have promoted that a little better).
So it was that Saturday morning, a few hours after getting off my overnight-shift job, we find ourselves near 82nd and Powell, in the old Powell Street Station shopping center, parked with the old Subaru nose-out under the center's sign, and happily unpacking our chairs.
It was a damn' fine time. We didn't actually sit down. The Papa Murphy's at 82nd and Powell were giving away free half-slices of pizza. They didn't have to sell us, we love Papa Murphy's; but still, the free pizza sample was most welcome.
One of the reasons it's taken so long to get a posting up about this is there are so dang many pictures I took! The best I can do here is bring you a 'best-of' … there was much to see and much to drink in. It
was, in every way, a good-old-fashioned American parade, Portland-style, and all that this implies.
This next photo is for those of you cozy-catastrophe fans. This is something you'll
never see, I can guarantee you if you're any sort of 82nder; The Avenue of Roses, looking north from Powell Blvd toward Division Street, the top of that far rise, about a mile away, devoid of traffic.
Set
Omega Mannish Chuck Heston racing down the Ave in a permanently-borrowed sports car, and you'll have it just about right.
One of the first acts to cross our field of vision was a group of drum-n-bugle corps types out for one last go-round. They were quite delightful and casual about it, out for a good time. They looked like seasoned veterans.
There were a couple of acts that verged on actual flotation. This display, from the
David Douglas Historical Society, speaks to our two biggest crops that are grown east of 82nd: trees, and active volcanoes.
No trees were apparently injured in the construction of this, and the active volcano behaved. But it's lurking out there,
beyond the easternmost part of Gresham, and would just like you to know that it's ready to get busy if it has to.
It doesn't want to go all
Harry Truman on us. And we
all know how
that turned out.
Next, a float sponsored by George Morlan Plumbing, the Water Heater King. Because plumbing, crowned lions, and elephants.
I see no possible hidden meaning other than that. Nice work, tho.
An interesting and vibrant east Asian culture is starting to spring up along 82nd in this area. Despite the demise of the pagoda'd Legin Restaurant (which was, at one time, called Lung Fung East), there are any number of Asian businesses, groceries, retail, and restaurants up and down 82nd from about Washington Street to Powell Blvd and beyond. The original Hung Far Low, once at the corner of NW 4th and Couch and whose sign still remains a Chinatown landmark, is now in the building on the NE corner of SE 82nd and Division.
The Wisdom Arts Academy carried a banner:
… and not long after, a dragon sauntered down the boulevard …
… chasing a flame, but never catching it …
… and, just like that, was gone, still at that Sisyphean task.
More in the "but, of course, this is
Portland, after all" dept:
The Last Regiment, a 'syncopated drum' marching corps:
… and the flag girls, appropriately inked and attired in tank tops, short skirts, and net hose. Like I said, to steal Ian Karmel's
Portland Mercury column title, this is as
Portland as f#ck.
Okay, I don't have a tight snappy comment for this next one, so I'll leave it to you all: Jesus-preaching Christian church using a monkey to convince onlookers (who, I presume, haven't been to church) to trust Jesus.
Discuss.
Colorful flags and Scottish pipers. A welcome and delightful fixture at
any parade. Seriously. I love that stuff.
An unexpected blast from the past:
Lonnie Burr, one of the first class of Mousketeers from the original
Mickey Mouse Club. Vintage television royalty.
The Scooby Gang was apparently there, but, as luck would have it, I did
not get to flirt with Velma. Still have three wishes to go. KITT rode honor guard, as you can see.
Short, shameful confession: I have no idea which tribe this wonderfully-costumed bunch belongs to. But aren't they a feast for the eyes?
They are fearsome looking … but were quite friendly.
And, once again, because this is Portland … custom muscled-up … hearses.
Also got a few minutes of video complete with Lion, Dragon, Charlie Hales, and Amanda Fritz. Also the most adorable little girl.
This was 82nd Avenue, Saturday, April 27th, 2013. We had little-kid fun. We were well pleased.
Nifty.
