Since I helped with PKO’s senior dissertation, I was invited to her Senior Dessert event, where each student talked about their senior project. Since PKO’s school is just off Burnside, I decided to talk a walk up Burnside.
But first! Dinner! According to the Oregonian, it’s Dumpling Week. I initially dismissed Dumpling Week as I am not a fan of dumplings. But that was before a friend posted the featured dumplings at Sizzle Pie. Pizza “dumplings”? I can go for that. They were delicious. Apparently Salt and Straw, the ice cream place, had some ice cream “dumplings” too.
Outside of Sizzle Pie were these signs.
They seemed to be part of an art instillation that was ending tonight.
It turned out that all those signs were encouraging people to exchange high fives! Alas, there was no one to high five with. I wonder if I missed a sign like this on the other end of the block?
The Burnside Bridge. I’ve always liked the bridge operator towers. Ahead on the left you can see the new big building that changed their window ratio after the design was approved. Nothing bad is happening to them for doing that.
This building has long been a favorite. It has a Burnside Bridge entrance and for many years was empty or used for storage. Now it seems to be some sort of creative-type work space. And also the warehouse for the fruit place, but I think that was always the case.
Blurry shot of what was the used car lot with the multi-pointed roof. I don’t know what they are building, but I can guess it’s apartments/condos that I won’t be able to afford.
Back before Matt and I shacked up, and I used to walk from my studio apartment downtown to his place in Buckman, I used to avoid this sketchy motel. But it became the Jupiter Motel, a hip place to stay. And then it was fun to walk by. In my mind, this was the first thing that really changed on Burnside.
Hippo Hardware is still there.
What was once the big parking lot for the Foursquare church is now a big apartment complex of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Starting rent for a 575 square foot one bedroom? $1395.
Here’s where the restaurant Old Wives’ Tales was before it was sold to a developer to build either apartments or condominiums. I’m not terribly upset. The owner seems quite happy with the deal (see link) and the food there was always kind of bland.
Good old Little Baja! I can remember that from when we would visit when I was growing up.
This used to be a parking lot. Now it’s…guess what! Did you guess expensive apartments? You are correct!
But here is my favorite place on East Burnside. The neon is looking quite resplendent.
This corner once held a two-story run of different modest businesses, with apartments on top. Now it’s a four-story run of fancier businesses and condos or apartments I can’t afford.
I made it to the Senior Dessert. Here’s PKO talking about her project!
I kind of want to steel that High Five sign! Its awesome!!!
Those dumplings look delectable. A Salt and Straw opened up in Venice recently. Everyone keeps raving about it and telling me I should go there but I haven’t yet. However, I’ve been to the other recent Portland transplant, Blue Star Donuts. Two thumbs up!
O! Blue Star Donuts! I love them so. I call them the Transcendental Donut place in that once you eat one, you realize that your entire life consumption of donuts has been a farce.
Salt and Straw is good, but I don’t love it enough to stand in line. And there are STILL LINES! I think there are four locations now and still the lines are too long.
Oregonian dumplings look nothing like the ones we have here! It’s interesting to see how different in shape they look like. It’ll be funny to try. Nice walking photo walk tour 🙂
To be fair, those were more like “dumplings” at a pizza place. They were somewhat of a gimmick for Dumpling Week. I’m betting we have other dumplings that look like they should. 🙂