Heart of Hawthorne Plaza

These pedestrian plazas are popping up all over town;  I love these! This one is just a few blocks from our house, close to Powell's Books and a handful of coffee shops, so on a pleasant day (like today) you can grab a book and a latte and sit in the sun (no purchase required). It's a public space, one block that's closed to traffic with a scattering of benches, chairs, and tables, and some colorful art. Even though it's just off of a busy street, it seems quiet. When I was there for a while today, one guy was reading a paper (could have been napping) and had a guitar nearby; a woman was crocheting; a kid was reading a book and his dad was on his phone.

I love my neighborhood.

Extra: street view of the plaza.  The painting on the street is nothing new in Portland - many intersections are brightly painted by residents.