Tag Archive for Portland, Oregon

Hello Chesterton, Bu-bye Portland

Today marks six months since I arrived at my new home of Chesterton, Indiana. Along with my daughter, Meriwether, and my dog, Matilda, I drove the 2,000 or so miles from Portland, Oregon to a small town about 40 miles east of Chicago. Portland was the city of my birth and my lifetime home, except for a few sojourns in places like Chicago and Istanbul.

Road Trip! Meriwether, Matilda and me.

My main reason for leaving home was that my son, Cory, had settled in Chesterton with his wife and daughter, moving there during the pandemic to be closer to Katie’s family. But soon a son was on the way and Cory wanted his side of the family to be better represented.

My other reason for leaving home was that I was sick at heart over what had become of Portland. As a writer, the subject of Portland had long been my bread and butter. I had written so many glowing accounts of my hometown and its denizens for the likes of People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times that I was given an award from what was then the Portland Oregon Visitors Association (now Travel Portland) for bringing our town to the attention of a national audience.

But by the time I left, I barely recognized Portland as the place I had loved to brag about in my articles. Every time I drove downtown past boarded-up businesses and destroyed city landmarks, I was filled with anger at the feckless city officials who had looked the other way during our downtown’s ruin, and grave disappointment that a place with such promise and beauty had been allowed to collapse.

With no regrets, I left Portland behind and set my sights for Indiana.

Grandma with Octavia and Quintus

Now that six months have passed, I can report that I have never been happier. I’m delighted to be grandma to Octavia and Quintus, and although my surroundings are much different from the tall trees and snowy mountains I loved seeing in Portland, I’m impressed by the beauty of Northwest Indiana, especially the Indiana Dunes along Lake Michigan.

Also, it hasn’t been difficult to find new subjects for my writing. There are interesting stories everywhere and already I’ve profiled a local hiking enthusiast for AARP the Magazine and have been a contributing writer for the local newspaper, The Chesterton Tribune.  

I never imagined I would move away from Portland. But now, even while in the throes of my first Indiana winter, I’m sure glad I did.

My Tattoo

For years I was tempted to get a tattoo. In Portland a tattoo seems to be part of the accepted tribal regalia. Even at my age, I figured any body art would just help me blend in

“She flies with her own wings”

with the highly decorated populace.

What gave me pause was my dread of prolonged pain for the hour or so the tattoo process would last. I also harbored a fear of operator error: What if the tattoo artist had a tremor? What if he or she was a lousy artist?

I already knew what words I wanted to use in permanently altering my epidermis. When a fitness instructor at my gym told me that the Latin words tattooed on her upper deltoid were actually the words of the Oregon State Motto, I thought, “Why not have that in plain English?” So, the decision was made at that moment. Someday I would get a tattoo that included the words “She flies with her own wings.”

And this being Portland, I was also inspired to put a bird on it. My initial thought was to have a Western Meadowlark (the Oregon State Bird) attached to the motto, but I feared its yellow and tan plumage would not stand out. So, just to liven up the design, I resolved to add a burst of color with a red-breasted bluebird.

The next task was to find a tattoo artist, one who was good at drawing birds. I started visiting websites of Portland tattoo parlors. Someone suggested attending a Tattoo Expo in Portland and choosing someone who was exhibiting there. However, I ended up finding my wonderful tattoo artist purely through happenstance.

Atlas Tattoo Studio

I was invited to a media event at a bar on North Albina Avenue. When I looked up the address on Google Maps, I noticed Atlas Tattoo Studio was just down the block. I checked out their website and perused some of the sample artwork. After perhaps too many cocktails I popped in and made an appointment with Brian Paul, whose birds I thhad judged to be exceptionally good.

When the day of my appointment arrived, I was as nervous as could be. Friends had warned me that I would suffer excruciating pain, or that I would be stuck with a visual disaster, complete with misspellings. Brian turned on his electric needle and I began my Lamaze breathing. Not long into the process, I accepted the fact that I could actually relax and enjoy it. I felt absolutely no pain at all. Brian carefully followed an ink template on my upper left deltoid and after a short break, he applied the color.

The entire process lasted about an hour and cost $160. Brian added decorative touches

Taking a break before Brian adds the color.

that brought the design to life. For example, he turned the motto into a parchment scroll that was being pulled through the air by the bird. As Brian was working his magic on my upper arm, I asked him if Atlas, this tattoo studio I had stumbled upon, was highly rated. “It’s the best,” he stated, and said that when he moved back to Oregon from New York, it was the only place he wanted to work. I congratulated myself on my excellent taste in tattoo parlors!

After coddling and caring for my healing skin for about two weeks, I unveiled my new tattoo for public viewing. I love it! How about you?

The finished product!