A couple of weeks ago I went downtown on my lunchbreak (
this is my job this summer) to take the cart out of its art-cage in the mall and roll it along the pavement for the dubious pleasure of the public. It was great to get it out int the sun.
This nice lady said that it was "so Portland". She was very enthusiastic.
To the Cart-Pod! Portland has experienced an explosion of street-food in recent years; many of the carts are staffed by immigrants (although most are not) and thus the cart-pods have a highly pluralist international quality. At first glance, the Viande de Brousse cart fits right in.
Upon closer inspection, it bore a burden of doubt. Curiosity. It certainly vexed people. I stood to the side with my camera, and spoke to folks if they noticed me; that was a conscious choice. I wanted primarily to see what people would do, confronted with a lunch option such as this.
These fellows did not know WHAT to think.
After a morning of vigorous financial activity, perhaps a snack?
Hey, at least the cart got to make some friends. It was an interesting sortie, with limited outreach.I handed out a few of the pamphlets that accompany the gallery show, and had an amusing exchange with
the fellow who is in charge of the Portland Food Carts blog. He was tickled. He took a pamphlet.
During the following week I revised down the "menu" to a more concise single page. The next post will be about the cart's next excursion, with more public interaction.