Project 100: 2. First Thursday

First Thursday is a monthly art festival in Portland, and I can't believe I've never actually made it there. It's just one of those... things. You know? The Pearl District, the area of town which is host to the FT action, is a renovated industrial district boasting million-dollar modern lofts, fancy restaurants, impermeable surfaces, and white people with small dogs. It's an area of town to hit if you want a nice glass of wine or some pommes frites, so it has it's purpose. But I guess there's never really been much draw for me beyond that.

But, this being the time in my life for doing new things, I put on my fanciest t-shirt, my Wonder Woman shorts, and my rain boots and made a night of it (have to admit I was looking extra foxy, if not exactly looking the part).

I started, in true Pearl District spirit, with a glass of my favorite wine, Far Niente, a Napa Chardonnay. That shit is like licking a silver butter dish covered in honey and pears (and, of course, butter!), and at $20 a glass, is reserved for the rare fancy occasions in my life. As I sat drinking my wine, a text came through from two of my dear friends, Brett and Adam, who were mere blocks away. Hence, just like that, I had my official First Thursday posse. We hit the streets.

Not so much ready for that first one...

If there's one thing I learned from my first First Thursday, it is that things change dramatically once you cross the park blocks. East of the park blocks, bumping elbows with Chinatown, reside the small funky galleries, which are chock full of sexy breakable boys in tight pants, dirty beats dropping from elaborate sound systems, and art with hip themes like bicycles. Cross that park, though, and it gets all shi-shi frou-frou blown glass, cello music, and folks who know what Far Niente is (and not because they worked as a server in a fine dining establishment). I'm obviously an east side type, but the Westies did okay by me. It was a pretty good time.