Surprise photo

I wasn’t motivated to go to the square today. They were having a good event. It was the City of Roses Resource Festival. Iron Tribe was partnering with local organizations to promote community in downtown Portland. I didn’t think I would come up with anything unusual, just more of the same, bands, tables, literature, food and people. While wandering around taking some pictures, I noticed an enclosed trampoline for the kids. I walked over and looked inside. A little girl was bouncing around, so, I took a photo through the mesh. She saw the camera and bounced over to see what was happening and to my surprise, pressed her face against the mesh. After I took her picture, she smiled and bounced away. Needless to say, she made the trip worthwhile.

Flicks on the Bricks

It took several hours to set up the projection equipment and inflate the 50-foot screen for tonight’s showing of Three Amigos. This is the second of five movies in the Flicks on the Bricks series for this summer. Next Friday night’s film will be Sixteen Candles.

Noon Tunes: Rhythm Culture

Rhythm Culture has been playing the Pacific Northwest music and festival scene for over 11 years. The Band has placed its focus on developing its own signature sound driven by a reggae beat. Combining their individual influences of the Caribbean and the Americas, and using a roots reggae foundation, the band infuses blues and jazz into their brand of Reggae music, guaranteed to get even the most reluctant of dancers out of their chairs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyVXo5uFup8

KGW photo op

Making happy signs

Noon Tunes: Derby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSL4op9LvO0

Jacob and Darcy

Monday Farmers Market

Sunday morning snack

When I spoke to these young ladies, I found out they were visiting from Seattle. They were enjoying a snack at the square. After talking to them, I started thinking about how I would rather be in Seattle, waiting outside Safeco Field for the gates to open for today’s game with Boston. Then reality set in. I hate the Boston Red Sox and the Mariner's are playing like a minor league ball club. After careful consideration, I decided I was better off sitting in Pioneer Courthouse Square, for free. I just saved $100.00 by avoiding that game. (Opps, checking the score of the game on Monday, I see the Mariners pulled out a 4-2 victory. Maybe it would have been worth it after all.)

Save lives. Earn rewards.

The founders of Text No More were at Pioneer Courthouse Square today to launch a new cell phone application. The idea is simple. Download the app, turn off your cell phone while driving and earn rewards. The minutes your phone is off while driving, are calculated on the website, which allows you select prizes from participating companies. Help save lives and earn a reward for your efforts. Check them out at: http://www.textnomore.com/

Opening night: Flicks on the bricks

Umbrella Man is really excited! Flicks on the Bricks starts tonight, with the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. He gets a free movie, free popcorn, live entertainment and lots of company until after eleven. No wonder he’s excited. I’m not excited. I’m going home to get some zzzzzz’s.

All ears!

Noon Tunes: Ascetic Junkies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4gjdYb-qKA

Karen interviews “Umbrella Man”

Karen was back today with her “Question of the Week.” She asked, “What was your favorite television show?” In the process, she obtained the first interview with Umbrella Man, who said his favorite show was Gilligan’s Island. When she asked why he hadn’t been interviewed before, he said, “no one asked.” Seriously, if you want to hear the real answers to today’s question, go to:

http://www.reverbnation.com/questionoftheweek

Bubble boy from LA

I saw this boy sitting on the square with his mother and father, blowing giant bubbles. I walked over to talk with his parents and asked if I could take a photo. It turns out they were visiting from LA, and were Laker fans.

Noon Tunes: Hello Morning

http://hellomorningband.com/media/

Upside down shadow

I saw this little girl doing back flips and walked over to take a picture. When I got there she had stopped. Her dad pointed at me and said, “he’s got a camera.” When she saw the camera, she turned and ran about fifty feet. She turned around and started running toward me, doing about six consecutive back flips.

H. Ward

Sand in the City: 2010

Overcome by excitement!

How they do that?

Future sand sculptors?

We're ready . . . come on down

The sand has been poured

Today is the big day. The sand was poured this morning for Yoshida’s Sand in the City. The sculptors will be working all day to complete their masterpieces. The public will be able to view the sand sculptors on Saturday and Sunday. This event brings the beach to Pioneer Courthouse Square. Laurie was the first sculptor to start work on her project this morning. As she mixed the sand with water, she still wasn’t sure if she was going to create a turtle or a dolphin. We’ll have to wait until later to find out.

Nike fluorescent

Noon Tunes: The Ravishers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCxMZQ7ZOa4

Nicole

Michael

Maintaining the family brick

Brandon and his family are visiting from San Diego. One of the things he wanted to do while he was in town was clean the family brick. His parents purchased it with a donation shortly after the square opened in 1984.

Noon Tunes: Miriam's Well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCKfYL7Axw8

Going Postal

Pete, Katie, Justin and Jeremiah showed up at the square tonight to promote “Going Postal”, a play opening on July 14, in which they are the stars. It's a comedy about the life of a letter. In a blatant attempt to get some followers for my blog, I said I would put their picture on “Square People”, if they would spread the word about my blog. This is a cheap publicity stunt to get readers, and I apologize. Please forgive me, because I have a zero budget for promotion. If you’re interested in their play go to:www.mtbackpack.blogspot.com

World Cup: Spain reigns on the “square”

Sax in the City

Noon Tunes: Jacob Merlin Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIdk0Aww7Tw

Roped up

Two things are very important when you’re climbing a glacier mountain, or navigating Pioneer Courthouse Square. Go with people you trust and stay roped up.

Dead battery

Chloe and Branden asked me if I would use their camera and take their picture in front of the waterfall on the square. I tried, but it didn’t work, the camera had a dead battery. So, I took this picture with my camera, and emailed it to them.

Intense

Erin

The competition is heating up

I’ve only been doing this blog thing for a couple of weeks and the competition for photographs is getting tougher and tougher. This kid shows up at the square and starts getting all the good shots. I suppose he’ll be starting a blog. Seriously, I was amazed to see little Toan taking a picture of his mother [Thanh], and his father [Tan}. All the bystanders had big smiles on their faces.

Deserted bricks

You could have driven your car on the bricks today, and done wheelies all over the square. Everyone deserted it for barbeques, the waterfront blues festival, Beaver baseball or whatever…