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The puppets were sculpted by Gesine Krätzner. Last week they decided to take a rafting trip. Even robots like to take some time off to enjoy summertime.
Keng Lye is an artist from Signapore who specializes in realistic, 3-dimensional resin paintings, mainly of small fish. It is the type of art where the process is as magical as the finished product. I spoke to him about his work and this is what he told me:
"In 2011, my photographer friend, Gerald Gay, showed me a video on the great Japanese artist, Riusuke Fukahori. Gerald gave me a challenge - try and create 3-D resin art similar to the works of Riusuke Fukahori. That was how I began to experiment in this art form. Since 2012 I have devoted myself to resin art, inspired by the great Japanese artist, Riusuke Fukahori.
After seeing the video on Riusuke Fukahori and experimenting with the resin & acrylic layering process, I have gained some experience and knowledge about this technique.
I start out by pouring resin into a container. Cover it with plastic wrap so as to protect it from dust and let it harden and dry. After that I start to paint on the resin with acrylic paint. I will paint parts of the object first; for example, the fins or tail of the goldfish. Then when the acrylic is dry, I will pour another layer of resin over and let it dry. When dry, I will continue to paint with acrylic. This process is repeated until the object being painted is completed.
By painting layer upon layer of resin, this helps to create depth to the object. It also makes the entire composition more realistic.
I have also experimented using a pebble, immersing it in the resin and painting over it, to create an even more outstanding 3D effect. I have also started to use eggshell as the base of the tortoise shell.
It takes 4-5 days to finish a relatively simple piece. Definitely having patience is an advantage as there is waiting time in between as you paint then pour then wait for it to dry before painting again." - Keng Lye
HOUSE/guest is our monthly interview series where we showcase an artist who has impressed us in the digital world. They might not be local, but their effects are felt here in Portland.
This month's HOUSE/guest is Maryanna Hoggatt, a painter/sculptor/illustrator. You might know her series Animal Battle, or her 2 part comic book Adult Babysitting. She may have even been your bartender.
L/h: What does being a full-time artist look like? MH: About eighty percent of the time: sweatpants or pajamas, unkempt hair, no makeup, headphones. It’s not very glamorous. I manage to put on real pants whenever I leave my house/studio. And I try to make up for the slobbery when I attend actual social events.
L/h: What kind of stuff did you draw as a kid? MH: I think my first drawings were Disney characters. Actually, the first thing I remember drawing on my own was Mickey Mouse, when I was about five. Later, Looney Tunes characters. I kept spiral notebooks as sketchbooks, and drew the beginnings of various storybooks, like a family of dinosaurs living in caves. If I made a mistake, I’d draw over boulder it. I also started painting fairly young.
L/h: When did you feel like your skill level had caught up to your taste level? MH: Not for a looooong time. I could always somewhat draw what I wanted, but with a lot of struggle and frustration. It took a long time before I felt I was really rendering images the way I pictured them in my head, and even longer before I felt I was doing that with ease. I don't think my skills really started to develop until my late 20s, when I finally decided to stop screwing around and get serious about making art for a living. That's when I moved to Portland to attend art school.
L/h: What do you do that is unique? MH: I seem to cross mediums pretty easily. Some people were surprised that these were my first clay sculptures, but I found the transition very natural. I think of myself as a storyteller. All art mediums are another extension of storytelling, and in that regard I try to never place any limits on myself.
L/h: What advice would you give a less experienced artist? MH: You will probably suck for a really, really long time. Even when you think you're pretty good, you actually suck. Talent counts for very little. Hard work makes up the rest. When you see an artist that is successful and creates amazing art, you're looking at thousands and thousands of hours of hard work. Never, ever give up.
L/h: Who inspires you? MH: Anyone that hustles for a good dream. It takes guts.
L/h: What art is on your walls? MH: Too much of my own. I am the proud owner of very few original pieces of art, which I plan to remedy. I want to become more of a collector. My husband is a designer, so between the two of us we have illustrative work of designers, like Milton Glazer. And I have a couple of comic's prints, like a Paul Pope piece.
L/h: What blogs do you read? MH: When I'm working in my studio I try really hard to stay off any useless websites, but usually end up failing. Especially if I post any promotional stuff, then I end up wading around the black vortex of social media. But with intention, I'll read the news each day at NPR, or check Twitter for the latest happenings. Thankfully when I'm sculpting I'm away from my computer.
L/h: Who do you follow on Instagram? MH: On Instagram I follow some of my favorite artists, like Esao Andrews (@esao), Souther Salazar (@southersalazar), local galleries like Pony Club (@ponyclubpdx), Hellion Gallery (@helliongallery), Antler Gallery (@antlergallery), and some peeps like my adventurer/illustrator pal Brooke Weeber (@littlecanoe), and this guy John Stortz who takes amazing pictures of his pure white wolf-like dog in beautiful landscapes (@johnstortz). And so, so many artists! The extraordinary ability to glimpse the process that is behind the work of so many people I admire is one of the best parts of social media.
L/h: What is your dream project? MH: When I started sculpting in January, I was referring to the first sculpt as a maquette. My initial research was for armatures, puppet fabrication, and animation. I read articles on stop-motion sites, watched a lot of youtube videos, and of course, studied the work of Kent Melton. Halfway through my first paintings of Animal Battle (begun early 2013), I knew that I wanted to make these characters move. I didn't see them as just drawings. Each animal I create has a personality, and lives within the narrative behind the whole series.
I became really interested in the maquette stage of animation, and since it seemed like a good place to start making these characters a reality, I started sculpting. After I finished the first one, I was obsessed. I could not believe how ridiculously fun it was to sculpt!
Eventually I will get to the rest of that dream. There's still a lot of exploring to do.
L/h: What is your favorite animal? MH: Boy, that's difficult. I find so many animals charming, or majestic, or wonderfully weird. There's a very long list of creatures I still want to draw for Animal Battle. One I know personally that's pretty cool is my cat, Theodore. He's my favorite feline dude, even if he is kind of a jerk.
Okay, let's be real: sloths. Sloths! And raccoons. And foxes. Wolves. etc..
L/h: What is your favorite cocktail to make? To drink? MH: After so many years tending bar, my home drinks require nearly zero effort. Like wine. Or a greyhound. I much prefer someone else to make my drink now. When I go out, I'll drink 400-ingredient cocktails from fancy menus. Negronis and Manhattans are also delicious. And any bar that stocks Fernet Branca is a good one in my book.
L/h: If you were an animated character, who would you be? MH: One I have yet to create.
Thanks, Maryanna!
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You can keep up with Maryanna on her blog, on twitter, and through her Instagram. Her solo show featuring the Animal Battle maquettes opens on August 7th (First Thursday) at Hellion Gallery in Portland and will be up the rest of August.
By Alise Munson Portland isn't really known as being a sports city. Sure we have Nike and adidas, but we don't have a professional football team or NHL hockey. We used to have a fancy AAA baseball team, but it moved away after the team lost money. The Timbers are great, but it's soccer...
Not since the year 2000 has this plagued home team made it past the first round of The Finals. The hearts of fans have ached for a return to 1977 and a trophy – proof that we can play with the big boys in LA, Chicago, Miami or OK City.
This year, we made it past the first round and into the semi-finals of the NBA Western Conference Championship. We made it. WE MADE IT!
Go Blazers! from LAIKA/house on Vimeo.
And a closer look at the gear includes the best socks ever.
If you ask Alex which is his favorite, he'll say, "Come on. Really? All of them of course... but if I had to say which is the most coveted, then that would be the glossy nylon Starter jacket."
The rest of us may not have a Brandon Roy jersey or a pink ball cap, but we do wear our heart on our sleeves for the Blazers.
Thanks, Alex.
Jessica Hische is a world-famous letterer who has worked with everyone from Wes Anderson to Starbucks to Barnes & Noble. She is as well known for her side projects as she is for her professional work. Her wedding invitation went viral. Her Daily Drop Cap project has inspired thousands, and she loves to give advice. Curious how Twitter works? She'll tell you. Wondering if you should work for free? She's got a helpful guide. She can even teach you to code.
On Friday, Jessica came to Portland to lead a WeMake sketchXchange at Tillamook Station. (Tillamook Station, if you haven't been, is a gorgeous creative space in North Portland.) They brought in the Taco Peddler, sold booze, and Jessica talked about the evolution of her career, and then showed us how she takes a project from pencil sketch to Illustrator file.
Like many of us, her early high school work included lots of fairies. After designing several fonts for use in her senior project (a board game about divorce) at the Tyler School of Art, she realized that typography was where she was happiest spending her time.
During her talk, Jessica emphasized the importance her side projects have had on her career.
"People won't feel comfortable hiring you for something they don't see much of in your portfolio," she advised.
She credits her Daily Drop Caps with helping get her more lettering work, because at the time she was mainly illustrating. "Make something that shows you have a brain in your head, not just hands on your body," she said.
For the grand finale, she took a pencil sketch she made at the beginning of the night and digitized it in Adobe Illustrator, while explaining her methods and offering suggestions.
Advice from Jessica:
• Print your work and make your edits on a paper copy. "There's something that happens when you print stuff where your brain is like, 'This is permanent! Notice stuff!'"
• Don't do research during the project. You will just rip it off. Let it sit. You'll make inventive work.
• If you're interested in type, spend a lot of time looking at type you know to be good. Look specifically at lowercase "a" and "g." Also, check out Inside Paragraphs by Cyrus Highsmith.
If you would like more advice from Jessica, she offers student portfolio reviews as well as professional consultations.
Wapato Jail has been vacant since it was built 10 years ago. There is ongoing debate as to its future, but in the meantime it provides a fantastically creepy location for commercial and film shoots.
Introducing HOUSE/guest, our monthly interview series where we showcase an artist who has impressed us in the digital world. They might not be local, but their effects are felt here in Portland.
Are you familiar with Hombre McSteez? He's an Instagram hero of ours. (There's also a Tumblr.) Here is our interview with Marty Cooper, the man behind the magic.
L/h: Who is Hombre McSteez? MC: Hombre McSteez is your friendly neighborhood hombre.
L/h: What do you, Marty Cooper, do? MC: I am a storyboard artist for animated movies. I have worked at Blue Sky, ReelFX, and Rovio. I also make pickles, play golf, and ride my skateboard.
L/h: How did you get the idea for this? MC: You can actually see the progression of the idea on my Instagram from over a year ago. It started with a whiteboard drawing of a fish in my dad's workshop:
Then I thought it would be cool to try to make it look like the drawing was existing in the environment. I found a plate of glass and a dry erase marker and began experimenting with that, erasing the drawing each time. Then I remembered how the classic animators would use acetate cels and paint on the reverse side and overlay that on the backgrounds... So I basically did the same thing that animators have been doing since the beginning of animation.
L/h: How does it work - do you always have transparencies with you? MC: I carry a backpack with my sketchbook, transparencies, pens, and whiteout. Then I basically just walk around aimlessly for miles looking at things and trying to find a good setting. Once I find an interesting place I sit and draw in my sketchbook until I draw something that makes me laugh. This takes 4-5 sketchbook pages sometimes. Then I draw and paint the cel on the spot and take a bunch of pictures. It's a lot like a treasure hunt only I have to create the treasure. Usually when I go on an expedition like this I get 5-6 images and usually only post one or two of them.
L/h: Do people around you notice what you're doing? MC: People are always really nice! They ask me what I'm doing, then I show them the picture and sometimes they ask if they can help hold the cel or something. Sometimes people won't let me take pictures in their store. I got kicked out of the movie theatre once for taking a photo in the theatre. I won't try that again. Also gyms won't let me take photos inside, which is a bummer because there could be some funny ones in a gym. If there are any gym owners out there that want to let me take photos, let me know!
During the shoot for the little butter guy jumping on the pancake, the IHOP staff thought I was crazy. It took me 3 tries to get it right, and each time I would order a stack of pancakes then smoosh them down with my fist to get the bounce effect. So I ended up with 15 pancakes that were smooshed and didn't eat any of them. I don't know what they thought.
L/h: What is your art background? MC: I studied animation/illustration at San Jose State University. Shrunkenheadman animation club for life! SJSU's animation program was awesome because they teach you how to animate traditionally (with pencil and paper) before you ever use the computer to animate. At the time it seemed archaic to not use the powerful animation tools we have on the computer, but it was tremendously helpful to learn how to animate on paper, just to get a feel for flipping the paper and understanding spacing and timing...and now I use it everyday!
L/h: What blogs do you read? MC: I frequent the cartoon brew, fecal face, Toby Shelton has an amazing blog with his storyboards. So good. John K stuff, Leo Matsuda, Erik Benson, Rad Sechrist, LAIKA's own Grickle, love his work. PES, and a lot of skateboarding websites.
L/h: Who should we be following on Instagram? MC: Jay Howell - @punksgitcut - rad cartoons in old books; Ed Templeton - @tempster_returns - pelicans and chicks with skateboards on the Huntington Beach Pier; Jerry Hsu - @internetfamous - strangeness and oddities in the daily life of skateboarder Jerry Hsu; Artrebels - @artrebels - fresh art/design from Denmark and Europe; David Choe - @davidchoe - legendary artist/hitchhiker/billionaire; and Lindsay Olivares - @lindsayolivares - best chicken drawings ever.
L/h: What do you think about social media for artists? MC: I think it's awesome! I love having an audience that sees my work everyday. It motivates me to make more stuff and try to entertain people.
L/h: If you could be any animated character, who would you be? MC: Flint Lockwood from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, but I will always aspire to be Roger Rabbit.
Thanks, Marty! Keep being awesome.
By Alise Munson
Perfect.
For some of us, the word triggers anxiety about expectations, obligations and self-worth accompanied by a sharp grumble in the deepest gorges of our stomachs. The idea steals sleep, ignites fights and welcomes madness, but does it have to? What if we took back the word and lifted up the imperfect as authentic perfection? What if we adjust to define perfect as the inclusion of the imperfections of ourselves and our world?
A mouthful from speaker Ben Haggerty (aka Macklemore) that summarized the day's theme: “If you are a creative, don’t let the idea of being perfect stop you from creating.” — @macklemore #TEDxPDX
"Perfect is the enemy of good enough." – Lisa Sedlar @GreenZebraGroc #TEDxPDX
"Perfect paralyzes you."
Lisa, another one of the 14 speakers, opened stores for Whole Foods and local chain New Seasons before opening her own store, Green Zebra Grocery, and taking out four liens on her home. Huge risk, but the rewards are there waiting to be won through work and faith.
But the show stealer was Frank Moore, 91, whose love for life, our rivers and his wife made his life nearly perfect.
Here are some of his nuggets of wisdom:
Always practice the art of living.
I realized that if you have love, you have everything.
Because of that gift of receiving love my entire life, I have not been afraid of giving love to other people.
They seem simple, but their complexity is profound.
In fact, they are so profound and worth sharing, that a documentary, Mending the Line, was recently made about the man and the legend. Funding ($50,000) was crowd-sourced. Franks shows us his WWII as he returns to France to fly fish and reconnect with his past. If the film is anything like his TEDx talk, you'll need a box of tissue and a hand to hold.
Watch all the live streams here.
For me, TEDxPDX helped me take back "perfect." We need to be the best we can be, but we don't need to live in fear of the unattainable perfection. Embrace it all and love it. If you can't, change it until you can.
Keep it coming, TEDxPDX.
Meet Union Way. This local-vendor centric pedestrian alley is built with design flair out of Oregon poplar and glass. The vast, industrial space was formerly occupied by two abandoned nightclubs. Now it very cleverly connects two of Portland's most popular commercial districts—SW Portland and The Pearl - and spans two blocks.
On one end, Ace Hotel, and on the other end, Powell's Books, and in between—a rarefied shopping experience. There's an apothecary (Spruce Apothecary), odd candy (Quin), nice leather (Danner Boots, Will Leather Goods), clothing (Steven Alan, Self Edge denim, Marine Layer), a bakery (Little T Baker), and some of the best ramen you'll ever have (Boxer Ramen).
It started snowing around 10am last Thursday. It gave us all good cause to freak out. School was canceled. Work was canceled. People traveled by sled or cross country ski. This poor gal became more famous than she ever wanted to be for snow running:
From Yelp:
Genna in Beaverton gave the storm 4 stars. "I really wanted to love this snowstorm. Epic! This storm went above and beyond any forecaster-posted hours, annoying!! Lololololooooooll!! -1 for cabin fever. Finally went out and got some snacks, om nom nom! Oh SO good, need I say more???"
Kal C. said, "A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."
Photo by Kal C., Yelp user.
Janet M. wrote this little poem: "Oh! Portland shuts down in winter / like a whiny kid with a splinter / and you might as well hole up and know /It's got to go! F the snow! F the snow!"
Andrea L. gave a comprehensive review: "This is a damn fine snow storm...On the other hand, my freeloading friend has his trailer parked in my driveway, so with a bit of nagging, I got my car cleaned off - twice. On the other hand, without the snow, I could have paid to have my freeloading friend towed out of here already; On the other hand, I've had to cancel plans; On the other hand, my friend went to the store and picked up some stuff for me; On the other hand, she went by the liquor store and couldn't find a spot to park in; On the other hand, folks in St Johns have really been having fun with it - sledding and building igloos; On the other hand, I really don't have adequate winter gear anymore; On the other hand - enough already!"
Things were a bit more dire for Nick H. "Day 3- supplies are diminishing. I was reduced to consuming a white bean, shallot and chard dish lightly sauteed in a base of Franzia and somewhat sluttish olive oil. There are only brown sprinkles left to augment dessert. Tomorrow I will have to eat desicated potatoes from a box to survive. The lemon pepper is gone. I had to drink one of the cans of Hamms I bought last summer that was earmarked for killing garden slugs. I am akin to a beast."
JD F. might not eat here again. "I liked the first course best of the soft, fluffy swirling snow that had little impact on the ability to travel. The second course was predictable but served with far too much wind to make it enjoyable. We were immediately served yet another serving which we would have preferred to be served only after we had a chance to digest the first course."
Meanwhile, Jesy B. was NOT impressed: "Nice try, Snowstorm. You are amateur hour compared to IceStorm 2004."
It wasn't all fun and games. Special care had to be taken to make sure The Belmont Goats were warm enough.
If you'd like to see for yourself just how crazy things got around here, you can scope this timelapse video taken by Rob Davis of The Oregonian.
Photo from The Oregonian
Photo from The Oregonian
There was enough snow for another Stumptown Birkebeiner (Portland's urban ski race (if it snows.))
In other news, Portland's Worst Day of the Year bicycle ride was canceled, as was the Polar Plunge. Until next time...
We are situated in one of the most charming and walkable spots in Portland. It's called the Alphabet District and it has everything. Really, everything. There's even a whiskey distillery. On a sunny winter's afternoon there's no better spot to be.
Every 3rd Sunday of the month, Portlanders in search of a good find head to Portland Flea, a flea market with a vintage and design-y tilt that takes place at UNION/PINE, an event space in industrial southeast. Like any good flea market, it offers a selection of things you did not know you needed. Like any good Portland flea market, that list includes items like handmade axes, racks of flannel, and antlers of all sizes.
Portland.
Our fair city's "hip" factor is probably the highest in the nation once it's divided by her small number of residents (603,000 in 2012). Per capita, there's about five hip things per person.* Just last week, Portland was named No. 1 Best American City by a blogger...
Our latest addition to the pool of cool - The Multnomah Whiskey Library.
"The place feels like you've been transported back to a gentleman's lounge from the '20s, with leather couches underneath vintage portraiture hanging from old-school brick and wood-laden walls." - Thrillist
There are 1500+ kinds of spirits to taste, but this luxury comes with a price. The wait is usually three hours or longer. You could put your name on the list, drive to the coast, down a beer, drive back and still be waiting for a table. Or you could call in a reservation from LAX, hop a plane to Portland, grab a cab and still have time to spare before your name is called.
Is it worth it? Take a look and see for yourself. It might be a one-time liquid adventure you speak of forever.
[yo_hr]
From " Whiskey season: A new appreciation of scotch at Multnomah Whiskey Library" By PAUL CLARKE, October 2013
Apple Thief
Makes 1 serving
This bold-flavored drink from Multnomah Whiskey Library takes the rich resonance of French apple brandy and brightens it with gin. The mixture is then lent gravitas with the heathery, honey flavor of a Highland single malt, and softened with the comforting flavors of figs and brown sugar.
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well until chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.
Brown sugar fig syrup: In a metal or glass bowl, combine 2 ounces chopped dried figs with 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar. Cover and let stand for 24 hours at room temperature. Add 6 ounces hot water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Cover bowl and let cool. Refrigerate for one week before straining into a jar for use. Remainder will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. -- From Tommy Klus, Multnomah Whiskey Library, Portland
The real Santa, not the mall Santa or Uncle Rodney in a ratty suit, but the real Santa knows where to shop for the really good kids (21+) on his list – the 2013 Holiday Ale Festival. If you are indeed good, Santa will bring you one of the 50 beers poured that the annual downtown Portland event this December.
Some of our favorites (hint hint):
Drool over the entire list of offerings.
If your stocking fails to be hiding a bottle of brew on Dec. 25, the message is clear: Santa is a drunken jerk and drank them all in the sleigh. Obviously, you were really good this year, right?
Beers be with you.
Let's take a few moments to savor the last of fall. Fall, you've been swell.
This past Saturday marked the end of Design Week PDX, Portland's annual celebrate of all things designed by makers. The festivals brings together indie illustrators, architects, woodworkers, painters... all into one thriving community to share ideas, party and build new collaborations. As part of the closing party, Nelson Lowry, LAIKA Supervising Production Designer, lead a sketchXchange hosted by WeMake. Nelson showed his work from various stop-motion projects (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Corpse Bride, ParaNorman) and creations from his personal collection.
Nelson's talk was followed by a silent auction featuring 80+ birdhouses created by local artists and from design giants like adidas, NIKE, W+K. Take a look at all the houses donated to help fund All Hands Raised, a non-profit raising money to keep arts and music education part of Portland schools' curriculum.
LAIKA artists also made 10 birdhouses for the event. Browse the strange and beautiful.
Limited edition posters and screen prints were for sale, too.
Feast Portland (aka Bon Appétit Presents: Feast Portland: A Celebration of Oregon Bounty) is a yearly celebration of the abundance of the Pacific Northwest, and the prodigious skill of its chefs. It's a four-day long event with proceeds going to Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Share our Strength.
The festival includes events, cooking classes, tasting panels, a dinner series, a brunch series, and a speaker series covering topics like GMOs, ending hunger, and food's role in healthcare.
The range is huge. Events vary from Wine vs Beer: the rematch to Whole Foods Market Best Butcher Contest and Fishmonger Faceoff. There are the most specific cooking classes you could ever want: Roast Your Own Coffee; Fermented Foods of Japan; Modern Sauces; Face Meat. The Tasting Panels include Cocoa Comforts; White Wines and the Shoreline; and Baby Got Beer-Back, which focuses on whiskey pairings, and proves once and for all that Portland is good at food and good at naming things.
For a small city, Portland has produced a large number of music greats. The Decemberists, Gossip, The Dandy Warhols, Elliott Smith and Floater all cut their teeth in this city of thorny roses. Even the infamous Courtney Love called Portland home at one time. That said, Portland knows music and for six glorious days in early September, Portland was THE place in the world to see live acts in small venues.
Didn't have a wristband? Bang through this flashback of five hours at MFNW and plan your trip next year.
First up, Mississippi Studios - really one of the best places to see live music and eat a burger.
Venue No. 2 - The White Eagle and the The Gerry Garcia Birthday Band. Hint: The White Eagle is also haunted.
The last stop: Pioneer Courthouse Square - Dan Deacon and Animal Collective.
Portlanders have put a spin on many things – coffee, beer, fashion – but the one thing we really rock is Star Trek.
Yep, we love Captain Kirk and his crew of endearing characters. Yep, we pack a public park to watch local theater community actors perform episodes of the 1960's TV series. And, yep, we are proud in-your-face Shatner lovers.
The episode: The Trouble with Tribbles
"When the U.S.S. Enterprise receives a top-priority order to protect a shipment of quadrotriticale grain on Deep Space Station K-7, Kirk is irritated to be guarding a shipment of "wheat." But the shipment is meant for famine-struck Sherman's Planet, and Klingons are taking shore leave on the space station.
"Another problem arises when a space trader, Cyrano Jones, gives Uhura a purring ball of fluff known as a tribble. Charmed by the creature, Uhura takes it back to the Enterprise. However, as McCoy soon learns, tribbles are born pregnant and the more they eat ... and they eat constantly ... the more they multiply. Soon the starship is overrun by the furry creatures." - from StarTrek.com
Take in the view from the crowd during the final performance of Trek in the Park. After five years, the creators behind the brilliance (Atomic Arts) are moving on to new adventures, so in honor of the final season, we salute and thank you, Portlanders of Awesome.
Dr. McCoy: Do you know what you get if you feed a tribble too much?
Capt. Kirk: A fat tribble.
Dr. McCoy: No. You get a whole bunch of hungry little tribbles.
Capt. Kirk: Well, Bones, all I can suggest... is you open up a maternity ward.
Over and out.
St. Louis has the Mighty Mississippi. Nashville has the Cumberland. New York as the Hudson. Portland? We have the Willamette (pronounced Will-lamb-it).
The major tributary of the Columbia River (the one Lewis and Clark made famous), the Willamette flows 187 miles from Eugene, Ore. to Portland. During the trip, the river absorbs agricultural runoff and city waste including recently-discovered forsaken cars, but despite about 200 years of mistreatment, this artery is regaining her health.
To celebrate and raise awareness, the Human Access Project (oh, so Portlandia-named) hosts The Big Float – the day when 2000+ people toss their rubber tubes into the water and jump in. Some are looking for a new view of the city, others want to cool off during a hot summer day, but most are looking to party and possibly hook up with the hottie in the inflatable kayak. Take a look at the fun and don't eat the fish.
Look just past the ladies... yep,that's a dog in a life vest.
In true Portland-style – there are food carts along the route.
2014: July 27.
