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Robert Mondavi Solaire, Cabernet 2005
Castello Monaci, Liante, Salice Salentino 2006
Ricardo Santos, Malbec 2006
Quinta da Espiga, Tinto 2006
Charles Smith, Holy Cow Merlot 2006
Charles Smith, Boom Boom Syrah 2006
Charles Smith, The Honorable Pinot Gris 2007
Santa Rita, Cabernet Reserva 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2007
Gloria, Douro, Tinto 2002
Bogle, Petite Sirah Port, Clarksburg 2005
Cardwell Hill, Pinot Noir 2004
Silkwood, Red Duet Cabernet-Syrah 2004
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006, 2007
Osborne, Solaz 2004
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Reserva 2005
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2004
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Hannah Nicole, Red 2004
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005
Protocolo, Red 2005
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2006
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1996
Kirkland, Roogle Shiraz 2004
Garda, Classico Chiaretto
A to Z, Oregon Pinot Gris 2005
I Giusti & Zanza, Nemorino 2006
Treana, Marsanne-Viognier, Central Coast 2005
Fife, Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2005
Marques de Casa Concha, Cabernet 2005
Santi, Sortesele Pinot Grigio 2006
Al Muvedre, Tinto Joven 2006
Layer Cake, Shiraz 2006
Gritti, Ca' Andrea, Umbria red 2005
Altos de Luzon, Jumilla 2004
Thomas Leithner, Zweigelt 2004
Cain Cuvee NV 3
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot 2003
Meridian, Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Paringa, Shiraz 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2005
Kris, Pinot Grigio 2006
Silvan Ridge, Pinot Gris 2006
Fife, Mendocino Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
Castle Rock, Cabernet, Paso Robles 2005
Willakenzie, Pinot Gris 2006
The Show, Cabernet 2005
Essencia Valdemar, Rioja Rose 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Beaulieu Vineyard. Napa Valley Cabernet 2004
Irony, Cabernet, Napa Valley 2003
Rosenblum, Petite Sirah, Heritage Clones 2005
Fra Guerau, Montsant 2002
Barefoot Chardonnay
Kana, Syrah 2004
Castell Salegg, Chardonnay, Alto Adige 2004
Fetish, The Watcher Shiraz 2004
Gold Note, Fair Play Zinfandel 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet 2003
Ponzi, Pinot Noir 2004
Red Diamond, Merlot 2003
Mateus, Rose
Benton Lane Pinot Noir 2004
Penya Cadiella Vins de Comtat 2003
Kamiak, Cellar Select Red 2003
Anselmi, San Vincenzo 2005
Rubrato, Aglianico dei Feudi di San Gregorio 2004
Le Grand Noir (Black Sheep) Cabernet-Shiraz
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2005
Los Vascos, Cabernet, Reserve 2004
Jackaroo, Shiraz 2003
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Crozes Hermitage Syrah, "La Jalet," 2001
Paul Jaboulet Aine, Cotes du Rhone, "Parallele '45,'" 2003
Rolf Binder, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003
Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Woodbridge Chardonnay 2005
Barnard & Griffin, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2004
Quinto do Carmo, Alentejano Red 2000
Forefathers, Alexander Valley Cabernet 2001
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Miles run year to date: 18
At this date last year: 74
Total run in 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (24)
What exactly are those rings?
Posted by ginseng | February 24, 2006 12:41 PM
They're for tying up your horse.
No, really. When they repair the sidewalks, they leave the horse rings in there for charm. They really are as old as you think.
Posted by no one in particular | February 24, 2006 1:04 PM
This is the kind of thing I consider really nice-and serendipitous- about Portland; people who provide you with antecdotes for out-of-towners while you're givng them the Grand Tour.
Posted by Cynthia | February 24, 2006 1:06 PM
Of course, there are rings in the sidewalks in the Pearl -- which are brand-new sidewalks. Not sure about the details, but they're putting new little rings in. I love 'em.
Posted by Kari Chisholm | February 24, 2006 1:12 PM
perhaps these are dehydrated horses, strategically placed for emergency use only by the PPB's mounted patrol.
add water and STAND BACK!
Posted by rickynoragg | February 24, 2006 1:15 PM
I didn't know about the rings until we moved to our place in NE portland. My boyfriend pointed them out and explained what they were. I thought he was kidding (as when he told me about the California Barking Spider), but since then I've heard that when the sidewalks started needing repairs and the rings weren't included in the new curbs, citizens protested, thus now new curbs have the old rings. I think it's pretty cool beans.
Posted by P&S | February 24, 2006 2:03 PM
The rings are one of the quirky things about this town that I actually like! It makes me think of the "good ol' days" and wonder what Portland was like back then.
Posted by Slacker | February 24, 2006 2:09 PM
That's a well-composed and well-lit photo. I'd actually frame that and put it on a wall, to be honest.
Posted by Dave J. | February 24, 2006 2:21 PM
I've seen a couple of those little ponies in North and Northeast, I believe.
Posted by Libertas | February 24, 2006 2:59 PM
How excellent.
Posted by Alan DeWitt | February 24, 2006 3:32 PM
The colorful ponies ARE really cool, and I adore the horse rings, but when do we get to stop being nice? Jack is trying to distract us by posting this cute little pony to keep us calmed down, I suspect.
Posted by Slacker | February 24, 2006 3:38 PM
@rickynoragg:
"Just add water"?
In that case, there's gonna be a whole lotta horses in the Pearl very soon, if weather.com is right...
Not that that's a bad thing.
Posted by Brian | February 24, 2006 3:39 PM
Too Late.
I just saw several PETA members with wire cutters on NW Lovejoy.
They were carrying "Free the Ponies" signs.
They didn't look nice.
Posted by rickynoragg | February 24, 2006 5:37 PM
The confluence of the concepts "plastic" and "the Pearl" is so tempting. But there are still 30 hours left in Nice Week.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 24, 2006 5:39 PM
Being involved with the hospitality industry for so many years, a common question from out-of-towners was: "What are those rings on the curbs for?" We'd just laugh and tell 'em that the rings were there to tie up our boats to when the rain got too heavy and the river flooded. Amazing how many people bought that old joke...and to this day, the rings still bring a smile to my face!
Posted by Jim K | February 24, 2006 6:23 PM
There are even people so young they don't recognize the 'western movie' scenes where cowpokes are hitchin' their horses to a stantion in front of the mercantile slash saloon, and with a public trough for the horses' slake. The rings, though, I think, usually were tying down horses hitched to delivery wagons and buckboards, today in the Pearl it could be surreys or the park carriage tour that clip-clop, clip-clop's around downtown. Somehow the 'neat' in it is it's capture of a time spread, like history is in the present. It's that contrast that is the 'information' or neat 'thought' in it, otherwise it's just iron rings in the sidewalk. Contrast, always contrast, we know nothing without contrast. Fire nice.
Joni Mitchell -- "Be Cool"
If there's one rule to this game
Everybody's gonna name
It's, be cool!
If you're worried or uncertain
If your feelings are hurtin'
You're a fool if you can't keep cool
Charm 'em
Don't alarm 'em
Keep things light
Keep your worries out of sight
And play it cool
Play it cool
Fifty-fifty
Fire and ice
If your heart is on the floor
Cause you've just seen your lover
Comin' through the door with a new fool--
Be cool
Don't get riled
Smile-keep it light
Be your own best friend tonight
And play it cool
Play it cool
Fifty-fifty
Fire and ice
Don't get jealous
Don't get over-zealous
Keep your cool
Don't whine
Kiss off that flaky valentine
Youfre nobodyfs fool
Be cool fool
Be cool
(lots of other fish in the sea)
Play it cool
Play it cool
Fifty-fifty
Fire and ice
So if there's one rule to this game
Everybody's gonna name
It's--be cool
If you're worried or uncertain
If your feelings are hurtin'
You're a fool if you can't keep cool
They want you to
Charm 'em
Don't alarm 'em
Keep things light
Keep your worries out of sight
And play it cool
Play it cool
Fifty-fifty
Fire and ice
Posted by Tenskwatawa | February 24, 2006 6:27 PM
This Old Barn might have stuff that hitched up downtown for real once upon a time. ((c) me 2006)
Then here is a picture of a good old wagon, circa 1900 with my grandfather sitting next to his sister, in Gresham off Sandy Blvd.
I can only guess whether it made it downtown, but whom else would the little rings have been intended to serve?
Posted by Ron Ledbury | February 24, 2006 8:08 PM
In the time after Peak Oil maybe we'll look back at the 1910-2010 "oil bubble" when people thought they would drive cars forever, and we'll be glad they left those rings in place for our horses.
"You remember the oil bubble... back before people started getting around on horses again. Good thing they left them in place, those far sighted Portlanders. Have some hay."
Posted by Miles | February 27, 2006 4:06 PM
This Old Barn might have stuff that hitched up downtown for real once upon a time. ((c) me 2006)
Then here is a picture of a good old wagon, circa 1900 with my grandfather sitting next to his sister, in Gresham off Sandy Blvd.
I can only guess whether it made it downtown, but whom else would the little rings have been intended to serve?
Posted by Ron Ledbury | February 27, 2006 10:38 PM
The horses are part of a public art project by Scott Wayne Indiana.
More about Scott at http://www.39forks.com/39pages/projects/Horse/HorseMAIN.htm
More about those horses at http://pdxartwork.blogspot.com/2006/02/duchamps-horse.html
Posted by Cicolini | February 27, 2006 10:38 PM
My wife dragged me off to a "Cowgirl Ball" benefit in the Pearl last year, a benefit for "Foreward Stride" a group that uses horses to help developmentally disabled kids. They had a real horse tied up outside...it was cool. And we've still got rings in our home's curbs, in inner SE.
Posted by Frank Dufay | February 27, 2006 10:39 PM
I'm glad you enjoy the horses! I invite you all to tie one up to a ring anywhere, snap a photo and email it to me, and I'll add it to the collection of images on my site: www.39forks.com
(the real "art" (in my mind) is the actual horses though, the pics are just for documentation, even though some of the photos have turned out quite remarkable, like the one on this blog!)
cheers,
scott wayne indiana
portland, oregon
Posted by swi | February 27, 2006 10:40 PM
The real art (in my mind) is that ....
....kittens are very nice.
I enjoy kittens and cats and horses and....
arrrrghhhh.
(almost) Everything is beautiful,
in its own way
Posted by rickyalmostragg | February 27, 2006 10:41 PM
Frank, allergic to horses, and hay, has blocked out the real recent history of horses in The Pearl. Last year there were two, not one, horses camped out on a busy Pearl corner, munching hay, visiting with passers-by, and calmly ignoring all the hullabaloo of a fine Saturday night in The Pearl.
It wss almost the most interesting thing about that night -- how all the passersby took their presence -- oh, hum, sure, horses camping (and pooping) in The Pearl. Nice horsee. Oh -- there's our restaurant!
Posted by Anne Dufay | February 27, 2006 10:41 PM