Today we're kicking off our first post on our "virtual" Road Trip '09 from Portland, Oregon and we're pleased to have Abby Powell Thompson of abbytrysagain.com show us her city. Abby is a Portland based, self taught photographer who documents her daily life in film. The cameras she uses are vintage ones she's picked up and tinkered with. Her main camera is a broken Yashica tl-electro. She runs her personal blog called abby trys again as well as a small online shop where she sells prints of her photos. Her photos are often full of colors and soft focus. We asked Abby to send us some photo's and links that one would find in Portland. We of course loved what she sent! Thanks Abby!

Name: Abby Powell Thompson
Hometown: Portland, OR
Blog: abbytrysagain.com / Shop: abbytryagain.com

No. 1. REST:


Image is an Airstream parked in our neighborhood. Trailers dot the landscape here in Portland, it's not uncommon to see them parked all around.


No. 2. TREATS:



My cool treats pick ice cold home made chocolates. The ones pictured are made with local rosemary and local hazlenuts as well as organic cocoa. They are served with delicious espresso sodas and can be found at the very tiny but beautiful place called Sahagun. www.sahagunchocolates.com


No. 3. ACTIVITY:


My summer activity is a visit to Portland's Rose Gardens. They are perched on top of a hill overlooking the city and are in bloom in June through September. It's amazing just wandering through the acres of all sorts of beautiful roses. www.rosegardenstore.org/thegardensoverview.cfm


No. 4. SOUVENIR:


My souvenir that I would bring home from Portland would be a one of kind Karaline dress. The dresses are handmade in Portland and are timeless classics. They are available at tumbleweed boutique. www.tumbleweedboutique.com


No. 5. FAVORITE SHOP:


My all time favorite store in Portland is Ink+Peat. It's one part flower shop, one part vintage goods store and one part home furnishings. The displays are always great, too.
www.inkandpeat.com

Written and photographed by Abby Powell Thompson,
abbytrysagain.com shop: abbytryagain.com

baby souvenirs

Bookhou recently collaborated with Motherbrand for their new shop, The Souvenir Shop and and made this Canadian edition of their bag of animals. Hand-printed Canadian animals made into soft toys on eco-sensitive (organic cottons and considered inks) fabric. Comes with a handy matching storage bag. Great for a car trip this summer! Click here for the link.

Laura McKibbon and Jasna Sokolovic: Se Souvenir/Creating Memories Exhibit

I had the pleasure over the weekend to visit a new exhibit at the Gallery of BC Ceramics of two of my most favorite potters here in Vancouver (and the world for that matter), Laura McKibbon and Jasna Sokolovic. The show, Se Souvenir/Creating Memories, is an exhibition inspired by traditional souvenirs exploring cultural identity reflected in and the creation of memory. Gallery Manager, Brenda Beaudoin explained the idea behind the exhibit where typically, souvenirs are mass-produced objects, manufactured outside the country in which they represent, having little or no real connection to the very place which they are meant to represent. As Laura McKibbon also pointed out, they set out to include souvenirs that not only reflect the city but also explores the relative experiences of the artists, each piece representing each artist's walk home from their studios. "How often do we see a moose here in Vancouver?", stated McKibbon. And typically those are the types of souvenirs that we see here in Canada. The city's skyline with it's continuous stream of cranes has been something us Vancouverites have lived with it seems ever since Expo '86. It's a part of our culture, as are the mountains, the greenery, the flowers, the birds, the water.

I loved the show's concept and would so wish souvenirs like this to represent us versus the one's that we do see around and hopefully this show will begin a movement of sorts to bring more meaningful momentos to our tourists, especially in light of the 2010 Olympics we'll be hosting.

Jasna and Laura are both established ceramic artists, who have made significant contributions to their craft locally and abroad in a very short time. All ceramics in exhibition are for sale. Price ranges from $30 to $285. Contact Gallery of BC Ceramics, Gallery Manager – Brenda Beaudoin, 1359 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC. V6H 3R7, Canada, 604 669- 3606 (open daily from 10am to 5pm). Email: galleryofbcceramics@bcpotters.com

(We also made a 46 second mini-video of the show to get a sense of the exhibit. We hope to have it up later today).