I didn’t expect this much joy. It was amazing to even get out of the house and ride a bike around Portland. With every turn of the wheel I saw things I hadn’t seen before. It was a gray, late morning in March near the end of winter. I should have been writing essays for a graduate school application, but it didn’t take much to get me out of the house to experience what’s been called by other media sources the Sidewalk of Joy Tour, a loose network of exhibits and offerings of different kinds that border Portland sidewalks. On this trip I was seeing businesses I didn’t know existed like Coffee Beer while encountering a giant spider and an assortment of giraffes I couldn’t document because my camera battery died. I’ve realized it’s always worth seeing Portland by bike. There’s magic to be discovered and a bit of procrastination didn’t end up being a bad thing.

PDX Minifigure Exchange

The Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood is home to the PDX Minifigure Exchange. I became more familiar with these figurines this year. Imagine an Aaron Rogers version, if you’re a sports fan. I’m also familiar with the movies made starring these Lego people. I didn’t have one to trade but the next best thing is seeing the many variations of these figurines. You can find them at the intersection of SE Cora Street and SE 42nd Avenue down the street from the infamous Coffee Beer establishment.

The Be Kind VHS Depot

There are still billions of VHS tapes lingering before they transition to the landfill. No one knows what to do with them. Learning the lessons from film preservationists, it makes sense to keep VHS tape alive by establishing neighbor repositories to house them and spread their entertainment value. Here’s hoping this catches on. While The Be Kind VHS Depot, located on SE 45th Street in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, is your opportunity to view a copy of Free Willy, for free no less, there are plenty of other options. And yeah, as the name implies, please remember to rewind.***

Free Art Library

The small scale seals the deal. Large art won’t fit the box. This is another Sidewalk of Joy stop in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, an area that’s proving itself to be a hotbed of mini museums. The tiny art can also be found on SE 45th Avenue. The offerings are as intricate as they are easy to take home. The offer is open to the public just don’t take the easels.

Comic Cottage

Inside this box you’ll find a trove of comic books. If you’re not intent on hoarding your own trade for different ones. Boxy, smart, colorful and complete with a Wonder Woman door knob, the cottage houses comics on SE Rhone Street in the Foster-Powell neighborhood a few steps from another sidewalk museum.

PDX Flag (Free Little Art Gallery)

Next door to the Comic Cottage and still within the borders of Foster-Powell, you’ll find the PDX Flag Free LIttle Art Gallery. It gets bonus points for looking like an actual art gallery, complete with patrons and miniature pieces of art that presents a multi-dimensional level of creativity. It’s fun to look at and the displays are continually updated. You can keep up by viewing their Instagram feed.

The Woodward Wishing Shrine

In the South Tabor neighborhood, The Woodward Wishing Shrine feels like a rustic altar. The colors pop against its drab surroundings. It borders Franklin High School on SE Woodward Street. I’m not familiar enough with Wiccan sensibilities to know if this shrine has any but it seems to lean that way. After spending time contemplating feathers, moss, twigs and the trinkets inside the shrine I forgot to make a wish.

Free Blockbuster.org

This concept in video rental isn’t a great business model but it works as a homage to the last remaining Blockbuster Video Store that happens to be in Oregon. This is the next best thing to a Blockbuster establishment. It can be found on SE 75th Avenue. Check out entertainment options in VHS, or consider borrowing a CD or blank cassette.

Dinorama & Friends

The dinorama exhibits are personal favorites due to the enjoyment I got from making my own dioramas in elementary school. It’s a great use of miniatures for scenes that take time to decipher. The creativity alone makes this one shine. You’ll find it on SE Morrison St in the Montavilla neighborhood.

* * * * *

In my intro, I couldn’t quite figure out to elaborate on how our whole tour was organized by Jimmy Radosta. I was more than willing to be a part of any plan that had us riding around and looking at stuff and the route planning was impeccable. While we weren’t lacking in ambition, we realized we needed to split the trip into two parts rescheduling the rest of the tour for the next month. I hope to reveal that second tour to the world someday. We ended up watching one of the Star Trek episodes Jimmy grabbed from the Blockbuster bin. Keep those VCRs alive, you never know when you may need them.

***Ah, and Mrs. Yuchmow, it was just feeling to use the word And to begin a sentence because, well, it felt right. I was being playful, maybe a bit sarcastic or cheeky as they say across the pond.

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