Day 5: Portland, Oregon
Geno Panino and A Glass of Gruet Bubbly
Sunny Day Gruet
The clouds broke over Portland – here comes the sun – and it’s time for a little flop-flop adventure. Today I decided to get a little business done and then maybe, oh, I don’t know ‘do something I guess’. It’s a day before the big show at Eugenios and I figured I’ll take the day off and soak up the sun and dig on the locals for a while. I started out with a stroll down Hawthorne Boulevard and called Eugenio’s to see if I could catch the owner Eugene for a chat before the big night. I wanted to tell him how many people I think are coming and just put a face to the name. He’s been so good to me I thought I’d pay him a visit.
Down 34th Ave and a the left on Division Street and I scooted through the door. I had called about ten minutes previous and Eugene was out running errands so I’ll have a little lunch and sit on the patio. Kate was behind the bar. She’s an M-80 in a swimsuit and jean shorts sweeter than anything and fully capable of beautiful disaster if you meddle with that fuse. An angel with the devil her pocket, breaking hearts and taking names – don’t cross this one. Yeah, she’s rock and roll, man.
I ordered a Geno Panino and a glass of Gruet bubbly in a short stubby glass. I try to refrain from using stemware due to my penchant for destruction. I want no challenges today. So it’s bubbly in a stubby – Easy is the recipe, and the finest ingredient is time; so it’s slow-go to the patio. There’s a champagne sunrise at three PM and I’m in search of a day-buzz.
The Nicest Human Being on the Planet
Eugene rolled up in the alley by the sidewalk in a white Honda Accord and stepped out looking exactly like I expected him to. Laid back and relaxed. Eugenios should be built on a boat with Eugene at the helm swaying smoothly on calm waters and going where the breeze wills you. He’s rocking a blue T-shirt and cream-colored shorts and shades. He looks like he just stepped off of the deck of a schooner somewhere sandy and blue. He puts you in the mood he’s seems to be in perpetually; unceremonious, and cruising across the surface of the earth doing what he’s doing and then checking something else out for a while. The way it used to be? The way it is here at Eugenio’s. He’s a natural restaurateur.
Matchbox Omega
Three girls sat at the long table across from me, in true Portland fashion, we were all sharing the same table in a matter of minutes. Just in time too, because no more than a minute later I would have been destroyed by a cyclist that slammed into the chair that I was sitting in. These girls saved my life. Myshelle in sleeves and a sundress. A 4′ 11″ live wire and a kindred spirit of the bartendress Kate. Ashley in a simple grey dress and a push up – making a statement in muffled colors the statement she made sounded something like “Damn!” All the while laying down the wit like a short-order cook. Becky behind her cell phone peeking out to smile and drop a joke. Everything said about one could be said of the other if we are speaking solely on first impressions. There the kind of girls that make the clouds break and I blame the perfect weather on them. They had a name for their little coalition: Kappa Kappa Matchbox Omega.
Kappa Kappa Matchbox Omega:Ashley, Becky, Myshelle, and Kate
Chad meandered into the mix, he’s moving to Portland from Vermont and searching for a house. He won’t find it today, the Matchbox Omega girls stepped in and he and I are about to be hijacked. Before long we were all ‘life-long’s' riding the crest of a wave beatific and ready to sail this thing all the way up to the Gold Dust Meridian on Hawthorne leaving Eugenio’s in our wake and on the docket for tomorrow night. Showtime.
Myshelle, Ashley, Chad, Kate, and Supernormal Tyler
Meridian
The Gold Dust Meridian was the next destination, so we paid the tabs and said our goodbyes to the crew of Eugenio’s leaving it as our safe harbor. We’ll return tomorrow night, and I can repay the debt of a great day to all of the people who gave it to me. That’s why I love playing music, the human connection. Stepping in and creating happiness for people, positive and prolific – I’ve got one-and-a-half hours of stage time and it’s gonna go by to fast. At the Meridian, we found a back patio, Omega had been there before but none of them had noticed it before. The little pathway was like entering a secret garden and we assembled ourselves at a table. Omega was drinking Mojitos made with 12 year Rum, and I was stepping it up a bit. I had an IPA and a shot of well bourbon, I was seeking the day buzz, and hell bent getting on there. Our collective energy soon filled the patio to the gills with day-drinkers. General jackassery and side-splitting laughter, Myshelle drew a Black Bart moustache on her index finger and was holding it up to her face and the rest is a blur. I believe the buzz had arrived. And I believe it skipped a few stages and put me straight in Zangsville!
Myshelle and her Black Moustache
One guy came in with a guitar and some one said paly us a song, he refused. I took that as my cue and went back to the Hostel and got the Git-fiddle. I walked back on the patio and asked if I could play them a song and so I played “Arizona Born and Glory Bound”. That song is kind of becoming my anthem for this trip. “the secret to success is get the F*** out”, an urge I am trying to fight. I fall in love with everywhere I travel and the common theme around here is that what is trying to happen to me has happened to many. Ich bin ein Portlander! Myshelle asked me if that was a harmonica, I said “yes”. Apparently, she plays. She started tooting around on it and I played a remix of one of my own tunes: “The Things I’m Gonna Miss”. Normally, it’s a heartbreaker track slow and solemn. People have told me it made them cry, but, now it was up-beat jovial and I gravelled-up the vocals and Myshelle rocked the Harmy. I had to go after that. I could have stayed there all day, but, I wanted to hit the Muddy Waters Open Mic on Burnside and the sign-up started at seven.�
The Crew is Growing at the Meridian
Murky Moods at Muddy Waters
I arrived at 7:05 and the place was already awash with troubadours with guitars in-tow. I got a negative vibe and heeded it. I chose to head back to the hostel and good thing I did because about ten minutes later I had to put the buzz to bed. I spun motionless on the matress then dropped off the planet at 7:00 PM. That’s Rock and Roll.
More Pictures and videos coming soon.
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Tags: eugenios, Matchbox, MUSIC, oregon, portland, Public Transit Tour, supernormal records, supernormal tyler
