For my mental maps, I interviewed two middle aged males (around 50 years old), one 30 year old male, and a woman in her early 20s. They all lived and worked in Portland, though the two older males lived on the border of Portland.

It was interesting to find exactly how much one can tell about people and a city from their mental maps. For example, the two older men both included University of Southern Maine (where they were taking classes), Starbucks (a frequented café), and Hannaford (where they buy cat food and groceries). These landmarks suggest a typical student or settled down family in an urban area. Compared to this, the notable landmarks of the 30-year-old barista at Coffee by Design were good bars, gentrified areas, and coffee shops. And, the woman who worked at Love Cupcakes (a cupcake truck) drew at the places the truck travels to, along with a map that focused more on the streets of Portland (probably because she drives through the areas for work).

I interviewed three of these people at Coffee By Design on India Street, where I did my ethnography. Though the neighborhood did not seem very touristy, the people coming to the café seemed like affluent people with low diversity. Since it was raining for the majority of my time at the café, most of the people who came inside were meeting people, or they at least stayed for a while.

The people I spoke to all seemed to agree on one thing: Portland has a lot of areas that need work. The three men I interviewed stressed the pros and cons of the gentrifying neighborhoods to the extent that Sean drew them on his map and Peter made pretty clear distinctions between the neighborhoods. It was really interesting to see how the residents (of 20 to 30 years) perceived the changes in Portland and how the changing city affected their lives.

However, the technological suggestions did not reflect on the gentrification, but more at the infrastructure of the city. Public transportation was mentioned every time and overall, the request that Portland become a more accessible city. Whether the suggestions were adding a more functional bus line, rebuilding a trolley system, or creating parking apps that list free spots around the city, it was agreed that Portland needed to improve its accessibility.

Another improvement was free public Wi-Fi. With a growing need to always be connected, public Wi-Fi would definitely be a realistic addition to the city. Portland is large enough that there is a demand for public Wi-Fi, yet it is small enough that this suggestion is manageable. Additionally, a few people suggested creating better parks and overall, more green spaces in Portland. All the suggestions from the people I interviewed would be good ideas to help improve the city of Portland, though many of them are more basic suggestions that do not actually involve technology. However, they provide the necessary structure for a growing city, which would then allow for more technological improvement afterward.

Hannah:
Age 23, white female, lives on High and Sherman for over a year
Technology Improvements: Free public Wi-Fi, all 2-way streets, some sort of parking map that shows occupied spots (apparently, it already exists for certain cities)

Sean:
Age 30, white male, lives in the East End, has lived in Portland ~30 years total.
Problems with Portland: There is no outreach of what people want in the city, unaffordable condo, Portland is using money on arts to amp East Bay Side, but displacing middle class because housing is becoming unaffordable
Technology Improvements: Public transportation, some sort of rail line, public Wi-Fi

Peter:
Age 49, white male, lives in Rivertown for 26 years
Problems with Portland: Unaffordable for working class, condos are too expensive
Good things about Portland: Green space → lots of trees, green areas (compared to other cities), the ocean and islands nearby

James:
Age 54, white male, lives in Rivertown for 33 years
Problems with Portland: Bigger companies are coming in and taking out independent business, there is a sense of false diversity (pockets of immigrants), unaffordable housing
Technology Improvements: Better public transport system → more times, more reliable, restrictions on amount of bars in city at a given time (changed nature of Old Port and downtown Congress St), nothing privileged in parks (Woonerf system), bike friendly streets

Café Ethnography (10/4/14) Coffee By Design, India Street
Cloudy, rainy

4:00pm
I first went to Bard Coffee—very hip and located in a central place
Now on India street: much more empty–maybe that means less tourist filled?
Raining outside…not many people walking around
Seen a few people in groups with umbrellas
16 people inside café
many apple products → ipad, iphone, laptops
people sit on the outside of the café first (chairs near front window, tables along walls, in back)
one man walking, couple walking
signs outside have small graffiti
horse carriage passed
three friends just met up → two women, one man (white)
man stays in café for a while…talking about hybrid cars

4:10
18 people in cafe
many people in line to order food
people are sitting in the middle of the table row (because place is more full)
couple closest to windows individually reading newspapers
man alone with headphones writing in a journal
three friends that met up earlier talking
man sitting alone on computer with headphones
gets up with empty coffee mug to order more
couple walking outside (white; male and female)
they parked across street → walked in, tried to use bathroom (locked)
slowly walk in and stay close together as read the menu out loud
ask for bathroom key
father and son sitting outside at restaurant across the street

4:20
couple still reading newspaper
group of three left
two women talking at middle table
lonely man w headphones went outside to smoke cigarette
16 people inside cafe
a few cars driving past
some people walking on street
couple looking at bathroom (following map to get key for door)
no one really staying outside → mostly in transit
bob marley playing
man walked up to man smoking → looking through window at people inside café

4:30
I’m definitely the youngest person here
Only people here alone have headphones in and on computer
A lot of people still wearing jackets → either cold or not too comfortable?

4:40
Everyone is doing something → reading newspaper/magazine, working on computer, talking
Most people here are in conversation of two people rather than doing work
14 people and a baby!! (which is included in the person count—I just wanted to emphasize its presence)
baby/child and father are playing on the ground in back of store
Man walked in and then left
Family walked in and looked at bathroom
Man walking dog outside
Though not a very touristy area, still affluent seeming people in coffee shop
Well dressed, using technology, people leave stuff at table when getting refills

INTERVIEWED BARISTA

4:50
15 people in cafe
many people in line (barista paused interview)
two younger (mid teens?) girls (white) alternating turns and holding possessions in bathroom

5:00
two women still talking
16 people here
two men sitting at table – one writing, one reading newspaper
lone man still writing book
waves of people (many people at once, then empty)
when people order, standing around counter
man sitting, using phone

5:15
most people here for conversation (meeting up other people)
some people doing work

INTERVIEWED 2 MEN (the ones sitting at the table)

(yes, it took 45 minutes –they had a lot to say)

6:00
no one here (7 people including 2 baristas)
employees cleaning → sweeping, vacuuming
very friendly bartenders (I got a chai latte on the house)
female barista wanted people to leave so she can sweep
couple sitting together secluded in window area
man reading map alone by window

6:30
8 people here (and another baby!)
Asks barista a question about the map
Barista sweeping → Closing/cleaning up/winding down
Man drinking tea with baby (sits in comfortable chairs by window)
Waiting to meet someone at cafe
Shrek music playing (Accidentally in Love)

6:40
Since it’s later in the night, more people here individually
7 people here (including baristas)
Not as many cars outside
People walking by alone
Man with baby is looking at the products for sale (and singing with the baby)
Blink-182 playing

6:50
Middle aged people left
Mostly younger people still here – 30s?
Low diversity
middle aged