Today it was raining pretty hard as we made our way over the Broadway bridge in search of the Alberta Arts District.Last time I was here Michael and I walked over to the Hawthorne District and, parched and tired, had a beer at McMenamins Bagdad Pub.
Today R suggested that we check out a pub in the Alberta District which, at one time, was an elementary school and is now a bar and restaurant as well as a hotel: McMenamins Kennedy School.
The Alberta district was cool: lots of indie clothing stores; coffee shops; book stores; and pubs. It was a really interesting district, lined with historical houses and resplendent with lots of young families. It was a much more interesting and gentle version of our Main Street, but in a good way. There was a strong sense of a close knit community there and I even checked out housing prices: $400k gets you a nice, large house from the 30s.
The Kennedy School "pub" has been the highlight of the trip so far. We actually just wandered in and strolled through the school, which was beautiful. They'd added tons of very cool art, and it was funny to use a washroom where the sinks were about a foot lower than normal because they were built for little kids.
Lunch was brilliant - as was the beer - and it was a very amazing, airy and whimsical space. The food and service was great and, oddly, there was a plethora of babies and kids running around which hearkens back to the fact that this area seems to be a place which is conducive to raising a family.Walking back, in overcast weather, R started to get a blister so we popped into a Walgreens to get some bandaids. Almost immediately after it started to rain so hard that the roads were almost flooding. It was torrential. A few of us gathered at the exit, staring out into the onslaught, waiting for it to end. And it did end. And then, of course, it got really sunny and warm.
Afterwards we checked out Powell's Books, where R picked up some Rilke, and finally on to Kells Irish Pub for a light dinner before flaking out and watching horrible TV in the hotel. I feel a bit dirty, but I like CSI and House.
What of it?
What a cool idea for a hotel. My cousin and her husband own the old Berwin High School in Gene Autry, Oklahoma. They use a portion of it as a museum.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool. I really can't say that I've seen such an ingenious re-use of space as I've experienced at that pub/hotel that was once an elementary school. Your cousin should come to Portland and check it out!
ReplyDeletePortland's cool to begin with, but this was just the topper...
When they originally bought it they hadn't thought about renting out the gym for special occasions like wedding receptions. Now they do and they also have a free exchange library in one of the old classrooms, people bring in their old books and exchange for a new (used) one, they said most people bring 3-4 books for each one they take. They also have a huge Calf Fry Fry-off and Bluegrass festival every year. So if you are ever in Gene Autry, Oklahoma in October, you should try to go. It's all you can eat calf frys!!! But you'll have to get a room in nearby Ardmore, because there are no hotels in Gene Autry, only about 150 people.
ReplyDelete