Yesterday was my big adventure into the cultured and not so cultured world of downtown Portland. Before my doctor's appointment I lounged at the ol' swimmin' fountain and watched the weird mix of young children, grizzled street people, adolescents and businessmen all trying to take in the last bits of full-blown summer heat.


Then I accidentally came across the Oregon Ballet Theater practicing in a tent at the end of the South Park Blocks. Who knew? Apparently, they're out there every day practicing on stage while in front of them are rows and rows of chairs and tables for random passerby to stop and watch. When I went by later in the evening I couldn't help but think that some of those guys I'd seen at the fountain would find a very comfortable sleeping venue if they just slipped under the vinyl sides of the OBT tent.

Then I went to the new Contemporary Craft Museum and everywhere there were these signs warning me that touching harms the art. It was the most interesting thing in the museum, especially since it was a CRAFT museum full of theoretically useful things like chairs and robes and tea sets. Not that some of the things weren't lovely and meticulously made, but really, it just made me laugh.