Did you know the Portland airport carpet is a thing? It’s totally a thing. It’s a thing on Instagram so it must be a thing! I may not have been born in Oregon but my mother swears that the raised me to be an Oregon girl and I’ve been coming to the Portland airport since I was an infant to visit family right up to my 21st birthday trip (it was all about the craft beer!) I moved here in 1999 when I was 22. The Portland airport carpet has been a staple since 1987 when I was 10 years old. I was an angsty teen dressed in a Vision Street Wear or oversized Cure shirt and attempting to drown out the word with my headphones while being dragged away from a Utah summer with friends to hang out at my grandparents or cousin’s houses. I walked on that ugly obnoxiously bright carpet saturated in late 80s jewel tones. I think it was one of the first airports that had carpet and they didn’t allow chewing gum so that the carpet wouldn’t get ruined. That always reminded me of the Shonen Knife songs about no chewing gum in Singapore.
Anyway, since they have decided to update the ugly carpet people have been taking photos of their feet at the airport and tagging it on instagram with #pdxcarlet Let’s make no mistakes, the carpet is old and gross but I can’t help join in the celebration of my favorite city and my favorite airport, and my home. So, here’s my feet on the way to L.A.
L.A. Where it was going to be 85+ degrees and I left Portland in a heavy coat and leggings under everything where it was probably in the high 40s.
I got in pretty early in the morning and my lovely host, Amber, was working but my buddy Jonas was in town so I went to go hang out with him. The house he was staying at had a tangerine tree in the front yard. I utilized his tall-ness to grab one for my shortness. It was perfect. I don’t know why I’m always mesmerized by the fact that you can just grow citrus and avocados in California, but I am.
What’s a trip to the California coast without a photo of the sun setting into the ocean?
On Saturday Jonas, Amber and I had planned a DIY tour of Buffy the Vampire Slayer filming locations!
Our first stop was the house used as Spike, Drusilla, and Spike’s house. It’s a Frank Lloyd House called the Ennis House:
The next stop was an apartment building that served as the Hyperion Hotel in Angel. We could only get into the courtyard.
Next up! A cemetery that some of the scenes were filmed at. Most cemetery scenes were filmed on set, but this was a pretty cool cemetery.
Amber and Did a silly most crypt scene
After that we headed to Torrance to Buffy’s house! 1630 Revello Drive is not actually on Revello drive. The yard had more foliage than expected. There were bushes of lavender lining the walk and we loitered around outside like Spike.
And also took a selfie with the Summer’s residence.
After that we found Sunnydale High, which was actually Torrance High. We were excited and when we walked up there was a guy there who asked me “Are you also here to take a photo of Sunnydale High?”
It was a very “California” high school with lots of separate buildings and court yards to wander around in, not contained at all.
The famous court yard!
those damn stairs
It was super fun! I suggest you make your own tour if you get a chance.
The next day was the L.A. Zine fest Here’s the Portland Button Works table
Here is a portion of ONE of the TWO rooms
Here’s me with the rad shirt my friend Jonas gave me
Prepanel photo with Kelli (That Girl) Aurora Lady, me, and our moderator Joshua James of Antiquated Future distro
here’s me on a panel with some awesome zine friends talking about perzines and what and how you choose to tell personal stories.
What’s a zine fest without some games of Mystery Sharpie Knuckle Tattoo games! This one was my favorite with Adam Gnade from Pioneers Press.
Photobooths with friends is another staples of zine fests!
And then I headed back to Portland where the weather was unseasonably nice! I didn’t even have to wear the leggings I brought as part of my carry on!
Two more zine things!
I just supported the Olympia Zine Fest’s Indiegogo campaign! You should do that too. You can get a table at a discount!
Also, The Chicago Zine Fest will be in May this year and we just signed up! Tables went quickly but we made the cut!
Alex Wrekk 