Category Archives: Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

Assignments, Infrastructure, Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

CAFE ETHNOGRAPHY

October 31, 2014 lwang 5 Comments

Local Sprouts Cooperative

After doing some field work through Cafe Ethnography and collecting some mental maps, I have reaffirmed my original ideas about improving infrastructure in Portland, Maine (more development projects to attract investment and population, such as building a casino). I have reached this conclusion from the following insights drawn from my ethnography and mental maps, below.

1) Lack of population. There does not seem to be enough people to sustain Portland’s service industry. This would also explain the empty prime location retail spaces still looking for tenants. It is not that businesses are not attracting people, but the fact that even a major thruway looks relatively empty. This would also explain higher prices in the cafe to help compensate for high fixed operational costs.

2) Lack of businesses. More business mean more tax income, which could go to aiding the Preble St people, along with funding many other public space projects that would make everybody’s lives better. It would also mean more job opportunities.

3:00 pm – The cafe is mostly empty, with only 10 patrons including myself. The cafe seems to offer a lot of options in addition to coffee and tea, including beer and drink specials. The prices tend toward the higher end of the cafes I have been to in Maine.

3:10 pm – The place does not look like it is well attended to. There seems to be only 2 staff working. I spot patrons waiting at counter for somebody to help them.

3:25 pm – I spot a couple dating, a female student texting, another female student with headphones on doing work, a mid-aged woman doing work on her laptop (all electronics have an Apple logo on them).

3:30 pm – Talked to 2 people who identified as queers: they loved the character of Portland and the sense of community, stating that it is not overwhelming.

3:50 pm – Decorations and vibe in general feels very “Maine.”

4:03 pm – Music : Something in the way he moves – Bobbie Gentry.

Lighting and mood feels organic in a sense. I also spot artwork of plants and animals. There is even a food map of Maine, something which I feel is quite relevant to our class. I should have taken a picture of it. I guess the cafe is really capitalizing on Maine’s distinct personality and why people chose to come here. Most furniture are made of wood, and even the floor is wooden.

4:05 pm – Just noticed there’s free WiFi— not really obvious.

4:07 pm – Music: Fancy – Bobbie Gentry.

4:10pm – Looking out, I observe little car traffic on Congress St, which is quite shocking considering all mental maps contained the road in a central artery position. The couple dating just got served food and are now eating.

4:15 pm – There is nobody in the children area.

4:25 pm – Pretty much the same crowd at the cafe. A guy came in by himself, and is eating a meal. The woman who was working on her laptop is now cleaning up and getting ready to leave. And then I just noticed that even without much staff attention, the place still looks pretty neat and clean. This might be suggestive of Portland residents being really considerate of others.

4:30 pm – I see a guy standing along in a corner reading a book? Questionable what he is doing.

4:40 pm – I feel the lighting and vibe makes me become negligent of time, though I am not sure if time feels faster or slower. Or maybe it has something to do with the music — Amy Winehouse is playing at the moment.

4:50 pm – There is seemingly more traffic outside, though I see way more pedestrians.

4:55 pm – There is a giant “For Lease” sign outside at 648 Congress St. Its neighbor, 652, looks empty too. The retail situation on Congress St doesn’t seem so great.

5:00 pm – Traffic outside have started to die down.

5:10 pm – A couple of people are walking around while talking on their phones, though not disturbingly.

5:15 pm – I just noticed there are a lot of christmas lighting, a Social Justice board, and a giant wall outside of bathroom dedicated to ad and event posts. The information seem to be very diversified— I see events and opportunities catered to a variety of different interests.

5:20 pm – Most of the people in the cafe when I entered have already left, except for the female student working, and the couple on the date still dining.

5:24 pm – I observe many single males come in ordering meals at this point.

5:26 pm – I also just remembered that almost everybody I talked to in the cafe mentioned Preble St. as being the sketchy area that people have to detour around to get from Old Port to Whole Foods and other business on Marginal Way.

5:28 pm – I have seen a bus pass through Congress St. roughly every 10 min. All the buses look pretty empty. Directly across the street at 650 Congress, is a “she-bear” gallery?

5:30 pm – People outside don’t seem to be walking fast at all. Everybody looks like they are just casually taking a walk. Most passer-bys look young and hippy, or older and badly groomed.

5:32 pm – As I am leaving, I notice a piano that’s not being utilized (don’t know if you are allowed to). By the way, how does a cafe become emptier at 5:30 pm than at 3 pm??!!

Map 1: Parker, 26, in Portland for 3 years, identifies as male, lives in South Portland, works in retail at the Maine Mall. [email protected]

Map 2: Lahana Palehcia, 19, Female, Housekeeper, in Portland for 1.5 years, lives on Congress St, [email protected]. Uses the Portland Bus System extensively.

Map 3: 24, female, student, in Portland for 3 months, lives on High Street, wishes there were more public shuttles to get to wilderness areas.

Map 4: Erneok Moreno, 32, male, in Portland for 2 months, lives in West End, [email protected].

Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps, Uncategorized

Cafe Ethnography

October 27, 2014 edupliss 3 Comments

Cafe Ethnography

Location: Crema Coffee

Time: 2:30pm to 5:00pm

Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2014

—————————————-

2:30

First Post. Initial reactions to location: large, can seat up to fifty people (more space than a typical cafe), and mostly filled. Age groups represented are quite broad, with a large number of 18 to 25 year olds (20+ members) mixed with a large number of 50 to 65 year olds (also 20+ members). Must take into account that it is a Tuesday during a work week, as well as during the work day, so demographics may change over time.

2:40

The space is quite loud. This may be a result of the high ceilings, but people are not discouraged from talking to each other in this space. Cafes tend to have a library feel to them, as if conversations are expected to take place in a subdued voice out of respect for the people sitting alone. There are definitely people sitting alone in this space. There is a bar specifically dedicated to people who want to sit by themselves. However, many people are sitting in groups and are happy to talk in a normal tone. One might think that it would give the space a high school cafeteria feeling, but the essence of the cafe is not diminished by the lack of indie music playing in the background.

2:50

There’s a guy sitting next to me at the same table. He’s been sitting here for a while, not saying anything, looking out the window at the cruise ship in the harbor. In front of him sit a coffee and an iPhone—the typical mask of today’s city-goer. That’s not what interests me, though. Its the fact that he sat at the same table as me—without needing to ask—and it was okay for both of us. It makes me question just how many people, that I would assume are in groups, are sitting independently of each other. There is minimal sense of ownership of individual spaces by their users. Why? There may be several reasons. I think its because there are so few spaces to sit inside, and there are SO MANY people here in terms of a typical cafe. Odds are, I will not speak to this guy (he doesn’t look like he wants to be disturbed—everyone has those days, I can empathize). However, there is no awkward tension between us, despite our shared space, our proximity, and our mutual identities as complete strangers. I’m a fan of that. More spaces should be this welcoming.

3:00

I am seeing a lot of runners go past the window. Its lightly misting outside, but that doesn’t seem to be deterring anyone. The runners are all in their 20s or 30s. This tells me a lot about the location of the cafe within the city fabric. Granted, Portland is not large, which mean a 3-mile run could most definitely include Exchange Street as a part of a runner’s route from anyone living on the peninsula. However, their age corresponds directly with the age of the people sitting in the cafe. What this tells me is that Crema Coffee is also within walking distance for many of these individuals, which means that Exchange Street on the north side of Franklin Street sits in a neighborhood that has a large young-person population. The success of this establishment is proof of that as well.

3:10

I spent $4.39 on a small maple latte. ALL THREE of those words, associated with the price, are evidence of (dare I say) gentrification. As much as I hate the negative connotation associated with that word, I can’t deny its existence. I purchased twice the amount of liquid at Tim Horton’s in Topsham earlier, and it cost half as much. So why, oh WHY, was I willing to pay four times as much per unit of liquid for this beverage?? Well firstly, it was made with real maple sugar. That’s an added cost that is directly absorbed by the customer’s wallet. Secondly, the beverage, made with the same type of bean as my Tim Horton’s coffee, was called a latte. Marginally stronger, I’ll grant you, but no less similar. The name latte allows them to charge more because it is a specialty beverage. It is not the norm. Lastly, it was served to me with a fancy heart drawn in the steamed milk in the top. That’s the clincher. The effort to create that heart, however minimal, and the idea to add the superficial decoration (that adds nothing to the actual quality or flavor of the beverage) is reason enough to charge more than a standard coffee.

3:20

I just had a wonderful conversation with the elderly lady sitting adjacent to me at my table. This is another example of mutually shared space, but also a great example non-existent stranger anxiety within this space. We have never met, but we were more than willing to have a meaningful conversation following the simple question of connecting to the local WiFi. This probably would not have happened on the street, and it would definitely not have happened in a fancy restaurant. The cafe creates a sense of community. We are here for various reasons, but we are connected within the space by the welcoming aura .

3:30

I’ve seen many people walk in here, look around briefly, and then approach an individual who had been apparently waiting for them inside and proceed to sit down with them. This is important for the identity of the space. It has been recognized as a space of welcomed congregation. In doing so, it is creating repeat customers, who will frequent the space, spend their money here, and contribute to the success of the space. It also creates a node of the space within the fabric of the city.

3:40

The age group of the cafe has begun to shift. The younger people who were here in large numbers earlier have mostly departed. They’ve been replaced largely by members of the 50-65 year old age group—they represent about 75% of the people here right now. I’m sure this has to do with the cruise ship docked right across the street, but the number of flannel shirts I’m seeing suggests there are a good number of local users in here too.

3:50

The rain has been a big factor in the number of people here, I’m sure. However, I’m curious to see how the business is affected by nice weather. Obviously, people are staying inside because the rain keeps them off the streets. That would suggest there are people here that wouldn’t be here if there was nice weather. However, I would also speculate that the space benefits from nice weather too, because there are more people on the streets. Tourists definitely contribute to the business here, and they are probably deterred from venturing this far off the beaten path of the Old Port. I would venture to say there would be fewer locals in here if there were nicer weather, and MANY more tourists.

4:00

There are paintings periodically placed on the walls. They function as great decoration, off-setting the rustic brick of the walls and making the space feel a little more welcome. Each one also has a small, white square at its bottom-right. All of these paintings are for sale! This space isn’t just a cafe—its a functional gallery too. This cafe is the quintessential mixed-use space: it has so many varying functions that add to its usefulness, and also makes it a more attractive space. It is going to attract a wider variety of users, it will attract MORE users, and it will likely be more successful than a space that only offers coffee, only offers a place to sit, or only offers paintings for sale. All it needs is a performance stage in the corner…

4:10

The work day is nearing the end of completion, so new groups of people are beginning to pop up in the cafe. One of them is the casual business type. Pointed leather shoes, sports coats, and designer jeans are clear indications of someone with an “important job” and a very, very “disposable income.” They come in, buy their grande mocha-choca decaf latte double-shot with pumpkin spice, and leave. Probably off to an “important business meeting.” This is countered by the other group: the college student, specifically the artsy type. This group has an affinity for facial piercings, loose black beanies, fantastic hair, and outfits purchased at Goodwill for under $10. These students probably don’t have disposable incomes, but are also staying in the space much longer. They know the people who work here, and while they can’t necessarily buy the most expensive item on the menu every time they visit, they are definitely far more of a staple to the environment. They are contributing to the success of the business by their mere presence.

4:20

There is a completely different group of people in the space now than was here when I first arrived. Even the barista positions have changed hands. There are fewer people here than there were earlier, but the space feels just as active. There may be fewer contributing members, but the people here are far more often in groups than they were before. There are fewer individual users in the space, who were more likely to be silent and less likely to interact with the people around him. The people now, however, are gathered in mutual groups. These people are not silent, and are contributing to the white noise of the space even more than they were before. A line has formed at the counter now, though. I have a feeling that the space will start to feel spatially full once again, as well as resonantly active.

4:30

For the first time since I arrived at the cafe, the couch in front of the bay window at the front of the space is open. It has been occupied by a group for the entirety of my time here. I’m going to keep an eye on this: I want to know just how valuable this space is to the users of the cafe, and I’ll judge that by how quickly the space is filled up. INSERT: It took 90 seconds. And that’s being generous; it probably took less time than that. I’m astounded. My guess was three times longer than the actual time it took. That makes it three times more valuable than I first considered it (in terms of usefulness and desirability, as the space really isn’t “worth” anything to use). Imagine if we charged the use of space in a cafe by how much people want to use it, like we do parking lots or apartments? That would be the definition of degenerative gentrification, if you ask me.

4:40

As I reach the tail-end of my observations, I continue to see the same patterns occurring as I did earlier: people coming in and meeting people who have been here already for some time; a majority of young people balanced by an equal majority of middle-age people; business types who enter and leave, and artsy people who come in and stay in. Something I haven’t before that I’ve begun to see: people are moving seats. If they were sitting towards the back of the cafe, they are moving positions toward the front of the store. If they are sitting at dining tables on wooden chairs, they are moving towards the plush lounge chairs and coffee tables. As vacancies in more valuable spaces are opening up, people are taking advantage of them to once again create a natural scarcity in valuable spaces. It seems to be the natural tendency to migrate towards the more valuable spaces in the cafe; such spaces will not simply be left open if the opportunity to “conquer” them arises. Human nature, at a microscopic level.

4:50

The space has quieted down in the past hour. I can hear the background music for the first time since I arrived—its indie music, just as I expected. The space has gained more of the typical cafe aura, but it has not lost its identity as a place of congregation. Demographics remain the same, even if the total numbers have gone down.

5:00

The cafe is going to close in an hour. As a result, the staff is beginning its pre-closing routine: emptying garbage cans, washing empty tables, cleaning dishes and equipment, etc. More people are leaving than are arriving, as would be expected. The weather hasn’t really changed during the entirety of my stay, so its safe to say that my observations can be used as a summary for the majority of rainy days in this establishment. Given its location, though, I would wager that this place could function as a very successful bar on the weekends. It has the space and the atmosphere that would welcome many of the same people, just at a different time. A suggestion I could bring up to the proprietors of this business at a later date, perhaps…

Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

Hilltop Cafe’s Ethnography and Mental Mapping

October 27, 2014 lpaniagu 3 Comments

Cafe Ethnography

The setting is very mellow. The music is mostly indie melodies, but at the same time soothing sounds. The dim lighting and the hardwood creates a mood for peace and relaxation. The red walls and chairs creates a fiery atmosphere where it is meant to have an absence of mind.

. hilltop-coffee-by-bryan-bruchman

The numerous plants and flowers are very welcoming to the customers. The windows cover the whole front wall next to the entrance. There is beautiful light entering the “glass wall” created by the large windows in the front. The seating is arranged for larger groups, but can easily be manipulated for the purpose of a single person. Obviously the location/shop smells like coffee, but it also smells like a good fragrance, more likely coming from the numerous flowers and plants. Overall the sense of Hilltop Coffee Shop is amazing and comforting. I am excited and glad to spend the next 2.5 hours here.

People come in to look for jobs. The person is in college and loves the atmosphere of the place. He is available for some late shifts, but the coffee shop seems to have a full staff.

A couple sits next to each other to read their respective books while drinking their coffee.

Customers walk in and buy their regular items for the day and quickly leave.

Women came in with sporting clothes, probably went on a run, bought an iced drink and left.

The cashier seems to know some customers as “regulars.”

A customer compliments the nice flowers by the register.

People usually walk in two’s or alone outside chatting about their day and goofing off. The three men crew, whom I am referring to as goofing off, is laughing a lot, looks like they are having a good day.

Sounds like mild traffic, some beeping of larger vehicles and normal car sounds.

Kids are coming from a sport practice, looks like soccer due to their long socks.

An older couple walked by holding each other (pretty adorable).

Some people came in to buy tea or coffee and sat down while checking their smartphones.

A young woman sat around waiting for another man (waited for a period of 7 minutes and seemed frustrated)

Met Professor O’Brien from the math department and got him to draw a mental map for me. Only thing he is not a resident, but he grew up in Portland, so I thought it would be interesting if he drew a mental map of Portland when he was growing up in the East Side. (Extra Credit, am I right?)

I have seen many individuals, usually by themselves, walking and smoking a cigarette.

Younger folks with ear buds passed by listening to music.

Bicyclists pass by on the street, but sometimes went on the sidewalk.

Road worker came in and talked to the person attending the register and seem to know each other. I guess he came in earlier and had his coffee, and now he is just checking in and chatting.

Another male individual walked by while smoking, except he was using an E-Cig.

e-cigarette

Lastly, the shop was closing up, but lady at the front was very nice and generous and gave us the bagels and cookies that were going to be thrown out as well a free refill of coffee. What a lovely spot it has been; I am glad to have chosen the Hilltop Coffee Shop. The atmosphere is great to study or do work in, and the people running the shop are extremely nice.

Mental Maps

This map is very personal and the woman who drew this was very nice, but she did not want to give any information. Her map shows what she thinks of in different locations and the purpose of each location. I like her Old Port representation as”Shiny things I do not need.” She did draw on the map where she lives which is by the Deering St. Park. Her map showed me the importance of trails and paths I did not even know. Maybe these paths should be used when thinking of implementing pathways that create energy. I am specifically talking about the “Strolling Trail”, “Back Cove Trail of Bliss”, and the “Route to a slow escape (by sea).” These are clearly important routes to this resident.

This map was drawn by a new resident; he actually moved to Portland a year and a month ago. He lives on Woodford and Forest and is 23 years old. He is from Utah and white. Most importantly he is “80% not sober.” I thought it would be interesting to see how his mental map would turn out. He had difficulty with the task, but I know he put his best effort. He labeled Blitliff’s Cafe and Preble Resource Center. I couldn’t really tell the rest, but I found it interesting overall.

This map pertained to a 24 year old female who has lived her whole life in Portland. She draws the “booze alley”, the shelter on Peble St, the library, and the YMCA. She on the other hand, is “80% sober.” She also notes where the train tracks are and the importance of the Nickelodeon theater. In addition, she told me she believes bicycle routes would benefit the city the most. The oaks is also an important space for her.

This guy was super interesting to talk to. He is the guitar player for his band Tumbling Bones. His band is actually really good if you are into folk music check them out on spotify, soundcloud, or their website at www.tumlingbones.com. He gave me a very simple map, because he told me “Portland was one for him”/he probably could have just been lazy to draw a map, but he does show the highway, where he lives (the star), the docks, and a very accurate shape of Portland. He pointed out that musicians in Portland try to find good places to play, and they adopt well, but it would be nice to have a bigger open space. That way even first friday could be less congested.

This assignment was great, because I met some rally cool people. They have given me a lot to think about. Does Portland even need new infrastructure? Many of the people I met never really thought about technology; they just want more efficient space which includes more bicycle routes and parking. Other than that they feel content. Again not the most diverse group of people, but they had important inputs. I still believe that Portland could benefit from some sort of technological innovation, like energy absorbing sidewalks.

Housing, Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

Hilltop Coffe Cafe Ethnography and Maps

October 27, 2014 pnauffts 4 Comments

Female, age 24. 2 years a resident. Recommendation: Fix the potholes in the roads!

Male, 60 years old, 7 year resident of Portland. Recommendations: More reasonable housing rates, and better AT&T Service on the Hill.

Two things are particularly worth note: that the coffee shop was, on the whole, pretty busy all morning, and two, that it was busy with a rather specific population. I don’t know the demographics of Portland, but if this coffee shop had been taken as representative, it would be a city of under 30 year olds, all white and relatively well off. Perhaps this is the kind of crowd a coffee shop draws. But it is a curious thing to witness anyway. Where is everyone else? I think, to the extent that I can extrapolate, my mental maps confirmed this trend. Though they varied in age and gender, the mappers most frequently identified local eating establishments and upscale shops. Few people identified landmarks or museums or libraries—public or free spaces. It confirms my interest in a more inviting and economically mixed Portland.

10:00—Sitting facing the window, I notice that the streets are super busy. Lots of young, hip looking people in flannels and men with beards.

10:10—It’s pretty full in here, roughly 25 people. A few empty seats. People are encouraged to sit together, as there are lots of twotops.

10:20—Emptier now. Still, I’m noticing that it is very loud! The espresso machine or whatever is constantly buzzing, milk is being frothed. Nice indie rock drones. Conversation is quiet and minimal, a couple is sitting doing the crossword in one seat. Cute.

10:30—(I drew a map of the coffee shop, showing a variety of smaller seating around the perimeter—which, by the way, was a pretty small rectangle, roughly 20 by 25 feet—and a big long table for 8 or so in the middle of the place.)

10:40—Not very busy now. 2 conversations or so, I can hear the music pretty clearly. A man with a cowboy hat enters. 10 people total inside. 5 people at least are 25 or under, one is maybe over 60, all are white.

10:50—The guy sitting across from me is youngish, with a huge beard and tattoo sleeve, skinny. Another older man, maybe 60 walks in, but he is well in the minority.

11:00—A bus drove by with a big U.S. Cellular ad—is it a public bus? Someone enters with a stroller, maybe the first one I’ve seen? Also, just a note on the space, it’s pretty dimly lit, and as said before, pretty minimalist as a space. Small, cozy, not very much in the way of decoration except for some pumpkins. Big windows on the two street-facing sides. They don’t have much of a menu it seems.

11:10—Down to 6 people. 3 were here when I arrived. A biker has entered. I’ve seen lots of bikers ride by. Cars at this point seem pretty infrequent for a main thoroughfare (Congress). So are people on the street.

11:20—Ok, it’s gotten busier again. An elderly lady with a pushcart and a cool headscarf has struck up a seemingly spontaneous conversation with a younger woman.

11:30—Worth describing the general appearance of people—if I can take that liberty. First off, just about everybody is rather put together (cafes are great places to show off). Lots of boots, a few of which are bean boots. Still lots of facial hair amongst males. Patagonia and Northface abound.

11:40—Hats, lots of baseball caps! They are never fitted caps—that’s not how Mainers do it, it seems. They are faded, roughed up, blues and beiges. As if to say, “I don’t care too much…” It is very in line with the yuppie look.

11:50—Two guys walk in who seem to be in construction. They have on dark blue jeans with paint and grass and dirt stains. They have matching sweatshirts with a company’s name on it. They are the first people who seem to be working, and manual labor at that.

12:00—Lots of people are entering and taking coffee or food to go. People who sit down are here for the long haul. One is reading Frankenstein, another is reading The Odyssey. One does sudokus. Someone has the Wall Street Journal out—what?? 5 men, 6 women.

12:10—There is now one Asian person here—and he happens to be a former Bowdoin student.

12:20—I notice the bus again, and see that it is indeed a municipal bus. I can’t see if it’s crowded or not, but I would guess that it isn’t…

12:30—A trolley cruises by. Has to be tourists. The café is still pretty quiet. People on their Macs are still chugging away.

Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

A Sunny Day on Congress Street and Alternative Living Situations

October 27, 2014 bmiller 4 Comments

Simultaneous perception was a challenge in conducting my café ethnography. Instead of going about my business and taking notes every ten minutes, I found myself hyperaware of everything going on both inside the café and outside the gigantic window. In terms of housing, the location of Tandem brought up many questions about neighborhood, weekend wandering/flanerie, and demographics. Though I saw more racial diversity outside the window than I had expected, the clientele at Tandem were predictably homogeneous. Though I think Tandem is technically situated in the West End, its placement on a main artery made peoplewatching a more varied experience.

Mental map collection mostly yielded discoveries about the many living situations possible in Portland. Whereas I had expected to see several detailed maps that were telling in their inclusion and omission of certain neighborhoods and public areas, what I ended up gathering from my cartographers was more pertinent to housing than expected. For example, one can see below that Helen’s map is influenced heavily by the fact that she lives on a sailboat docked right outside DeMillo’s and once commuted further inland to CBHS via the highway. Sam lives and works at Bayside Variety Store, but a street of bars and clubs in Old Port were the first places he marked, and he marked no East Bayside locations at all. I was interested to see that living in Portland isn’t always a simple matter of finding an apartment in a shiny new condo, even though the future holds many new developments of that nature.

Café Ethnography: Tandem Bakery & Café (742 Congress St)

Saturday 9/27 @ 3:30PM

I almost walked straight past the whited-out gas station awning of Tandem Bakery
Walk in, immediately greeted with a friendly hello and enthusiastic conversation about their Malt Iced Coffee
I watch the guy make it with all these beautifully curated tools and cups
It’s really good coffee
After sitting down in the more interesting corner bench area with low marble tables (impossibly small), I decide to move to the window counter with tall stools. I realize the whole place has really nice natural light, and feel pretty cool sitting in a former gas station store that is all bleached out and minimalist and stuff.
A couple pulls up their car and leaves it unlocked, idling in a random spot in front of the awning, like we’re actually at a gas station. Nobody seems to mind at all. They come in, say some friendly hellos, and seem to order the usual. They are young, white, and clearly well off. They leave and get back in their little eco-friendly Toyota and zoom away happily
Somewhat hip guy rides bicycle past a big brick house that was clearly a mansion, but is now for sale by KW real estate
The music in here is solid and nostalgic
Woman in headscarf walks by, wearing very cool Nikes. If I were to make a snap judgment, I’d say she belongs to an African refugee population here in Portland, but she is clearly integrated in terms of fashion.
The baristas are talking about umami and something with a ragout…this town really cares about food.
The pastries are sitting behind me, pretty much staring at me. The sticky bun looks really good. Maine for real. Even though I feel like I’m in Brooklyn.
Apparently what I’m hearing are “records.” Of course
Longboarding is happening in front of me. It’s so nice out that I’m not really surprised. This just doesn’t happen in Brunswick so much.
I notice that the house across from me (that isn’t made of brick) is really intricate and somewhat Victorian/arts and crafts.
Portland police vehicles keep passing by
People really ride motorcycles on days like this too.
Wandering is a popular activity on a Saturday (for some)
Emily is sitting next to me. She has the impulse to write in this space. It is blank and therefore creatively open?
A blonde family on bikes stops by, boosting the Scandinavian quality of the space. Families happen in this neighborhood, and they hall have their own cute little bikes. Classically cute little girl says something about “a long bike ride.” Mainers take advantage of nice weather when they can.
Racial diversity out this window isn’t on par with NYC, but it’s noticeably better than Brunswick.
Barista checkup: . All hip. Having fun together.
Asian guy w/ glasses, top bun, blue running nikes.
White guy with Red Sox cap and scraggly chinstrap beard.
Black woman with big braids, lip piercing, big earrings
The people who come in here are willing to spend $4 on a coffee. The café is not always full, but they do have consistent business. Some people can afford this lifestyle. They are all seemingly under the age of 50, and are mostly white.People are jogging by occasionally.
The natural light is really doing its job.
Okay these buildings across the street from me are literally ivy-covered. Portland was/is fancy. People on the street don’t match the fanciness that much.
Portland seems very walkable, even though this street is clearly a feeder off some highway.
Baristas share a secret code of theirs about a “cappuccino knife.” You don’t ever need a knife to make cappuccino, but you ask a coworker to pass you a cap knife when you’re frustrated.
Like you are secretly pissed off and stabby
Good to know
Emily comes back from bathroom, comments on bathroom art and lemon verbena soap. Of course.
Bus passes by at 4:10. “Metro Runs on Maine Natural Gas” Holy frack.
It can get pretty calm in here. Just hearing the soundtrack and washing of dishes is kind of nice. I feel like I’m doing my homework in a restaurant kitchen.
I don’t see nearly as many elderly people walking on the street here as I do in Brunswick. This one I just saw has varicose veins like a lot. Poor guy. He’s wearing a button-down though…
Beginning to suspect that the African-American population here is more substantial than I thought before. Like just from who you see on the street.
A lot of kids skate on these cobblestone streets! That seems bumpy.
Some friends show up, as well as a carful of Bowdoin kids I didn’t expect to see. They are ecstatic. Coincidentally, the barista says to a member of the cast of Girls: Portland Edition that he is “very happy to be working here” as he caresses his La Marzocco machine.
The place just smells really clean. Like water, alternately colored by the smell of espresso coming out of the machines. This is a bourgeois side of Maine that emulates many other styles. Most notably Scandinavia. It’s all white, but in a warm way. White walls + wood + white tile + plants. Green still makes its way into here, but not the typical Maine green coniferous growth you’d expect.
Asked for a glass of water and the barista said “It looks like you guys are hangin’ out,” and handed me a whole nice bottle of cold water with one of those pop off caps. Maine manners are alive and well.
Beanies n’ bicycles outside. Fixies too.
Woman comes out of an apartment-looking building to smoke. What’s the housing makeup of this neighborhood (West End)? I see a lot of former mansions, but they no longer seem to be single-family homes. Tree lined streets and low buildings. Kind of like Brooklyn.
A family comes in and the little boy wants a soda. Unfortunately, we are in hip Scandanavia, so all that ole’ top bun can offer him is a sweetened sparkling water. Tandem. I really like you, but I can see how some local people would hate you; namely these grungy Dakine backpack skater looking kids walking by. They probably think your coffee shop/bakery is bullshit.
This location has been open for one month. Redheaded mom of white family (+ chacos & ankle tattoo) says “this place is so nice.” Barista says thanks, clearly having heard this sentiment all day.
J Crew catalog model walks by in his best photo shoot attire, aviators and all.
The bathroom has very interesting hanging practices. Portland strikes me as an aesthetically minded place, at least when people can afford to give a damn about that kind of stuff.
I feel the need to walk for two reasons. My parking meter is running out, and activity on the street and in the café is slowing down considerably. As I exit, a man in a Bruins shirt and Red Sox cap with an absurdly small dog walks by. “Keep Portland just slightly weird.”

Mental Maps

mentalmap002 — Helen. Female, 51. Has taught Math at Casco Bay High School for 9 years as a commuter from York area. Lives on a sailboat, which she and her husband had just docked near Old Port. Living on the wharf, she wishes there were better waterfront access all over the city’s coastline.

mentalmap003 — Sam. Male, Age 33. Moved to East Bayside from Brooklyn almost two years ago to take over Bayside Variety from previous owner who skipped town. When asked about improving Portland, responded that the area has “no manners, ethics, or beauty.” To combat this problem, he suggested education reform and a new school. The nodes marked at the bottom are clubs and bars in Old Port, and the x is where Sam lives and works.

mentalmap004 — Kazeem. Male, 41. Owner of a high-end clothing store. Has lived in Portland for 6 years. Thinks that the city could improve multicultural life through public programs like movies in the parks (he started the Maine African Film Festival). Kazeem took a different big picture approach and marked a few Portland landmarks (like Whole Foods).

mentalmap001 — Sarah. Female, 34. Works at Find, a quirky clothing and trinkets store on Middle Street. Has another job near Marginal Way, but couldn’t situate it on her map. She thinks Portland could use better transportation options or parking; she lives kind of close to her job at Find, but would rather not have to drive in winter because parking is impossible in the Old Port area.

Infrastructure, Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps

A Tale of Two Cafés, and a Funeral

October 27, 2014 arobbins 7 Comments

It came recommended by not one, but two friends. It was built into an old gas station, but didn’t sell gas. It had a memorable logo that was at once cute and minimalistic. It was Tandem Coffee Roasters, and it was empty.

Of course I could not conduct an ethnography in an empty café, but, in Portland, such eateries have propagated like horny rabbits with extra sex organs – there would be another. The proximate sibling happened to be Speckled Ax. I ordered a cup of drip, sat down, and initiated that passive, temporary sort of stalking that we all now know and love: the ethnography.
4:10
Arrived at Speckled Ax Café on Congress Street
A generally young crowd, with the single exception of a middle aged woman discussing the prospects of graduate school with an enthusiastically gesticulating woman who is (you guessed it) young.
Young (half black?) man with a beautiful brown pitbull sits at the table across from mine talking with another young woman. A young woman with short blond hair sits behind them, working on her mac pro – engrossed and wearing a black hoodie.
I am sitting in the middle of them in a row of tables, aligned by a long bench that juts out from the brown walls. To my left is another young woman working quietly at her laptop, and to the left of her is a young woman who appears to be reading a book (but her back is to me).
There are a group of early 30s (?) white men beside me discussing a messy roommate and moving to one of their girlfriends’ places (hipsters).

4:20
Woman with the guy with the pitbull gets up to go to the bathroom. He takes pictures of his dog on his iphone. Another young man strolls quickly into the café – says hi to the pitbull guy, they appear to be friendly.

4:30
A couple shows up and walks to the counter to order. They stay standing there, and talk to each other until their coffee is ready and they leave. The group of hipster men beside me leave, but one has left their iphone and espresso on the table.

4:40
The hipster guys are back, minus one. Strong tobacco smell.
There is a young woman sitting at the table beside me also working on her laptop (not a mac!) The guy with the pitbull and friend discuss weed and alcohol. She doesn’t drink much and he doesn’t either, but he smokes “like, every day.”
young woman who was been working at the bar (not making coffee, on her laptop. there’s a small counter to work at) gets up to leave. Drinks water first.. I feel creepy watching all of this and writing it down. As she leaves, finally, she says hello to the hipster guy who also knew the pitbull guy. The hipster guys also leaves, but not with her.

4:50
Young woman sitting next to me packs up to leave, and the woman at the table across from me (black hoodie, engrossed in work) has also left. Meanwhile, the pair discussing grad school remain locked in conversation. It’s just me and these two talking pairs now. And the two employees chatting in the back.

5:00
Both pairs are still talking and no one has come in, though there is a lot of foot traffic outside. The pair across from me have their iphones out and are discussing them.

5:10
The pair across from me leave after friending each other on facebook. The pair to my right are still talking, but it’s just us three here now.

—

I needed paper and the Speckled Ax had emptied out. After grabbing a few sheets at Kinkos, I moved to Arabica café.

—

5:15
Much more diverse crowd. 14 people by my count.
In the front sections there is a middle aged woman reading the newspaper by the window, and a younger woman using a macbook air. There is a very stylish and tattoed man at the table beside her, also on a mac laptop. Then, at the table by him there are two women sitting quietly – one on a laptop, one reading. At the tably beside them there is a woman with over ear headphones and an IBM laptop working. Further down the cafe there is an older man in a tshirt tapping away at an ipad. A couple of seats down there is a small group of three skater-types, two guys and a girl (college age?). Towards the end of the cafe there are two couples quietly working.

5:25
One of the skater people leaves.
A group of three young women come in and head straight to the back of the café.
A middle aged woman enters and orders a drink – then sits on the couch behind the bar by herself, reading on her iPad mini.

5:35
The older woman by the door leaves, but the newspaper remains on the counter. Another middle aged couple come in and take her place. Two Bowdoin students show up and take a table in the back.

6:00
Café is closing; I have been asked to leave.

Mental Maps

Name: Savannah
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Occupation: N/A
– Grew up in Portland and lives on Munjoy Hill.
– Really likes Portland and didn’t have many problems or ideas.
– Thinks that humans shouldn’t have to work to have a home, and would like to have housing be free. Wants to see more community sharing of land.
– Wants trash bags to be cheaper
– Feels that she is approached by “narcs” a disproportionately large amount.

Name: Tim Wilson
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Occupation: Painter
– Grew up further North and has lived in Portland for five years. Currently resides in West End.
– Likes the trails in and around Portland, and biking up and down its hills.
– Thinks parking is a big issue. Wants to revamp the buses. (“Who takes the bus?” he asked. “It’s a cultural issue.”)
– Likes the park, but events are few and do not appeal to his interests.
– Would like to see more going on than just restaurants and bars.

(Note: Tim’s drawing is really cool looking, and it turns out he is a very talented artist: http://www.timothypowerswilson.com)

Name: Stella
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Occupation: Special Education Teacher
– Moved to Portland 22 years ago
– Panhandling is uncomfortable. She identifies as politically far left, but thinks that panhandlers are bad for tourism (take up benches, accost tourists), and make the city less welcoming.
–Thinks that Prebble Street or other organization should focus on getting homeless people to work, possible in an agricultural setting. Thinks farming could be very therapeutic. Wants the homeless to feel useful.
– Loves famers’ market and food coop, wants more local food.

2014-10-26 23.28.10

Name: Laura
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Occupation: Marketing
– Grew up in Portland
– Wants better parking, affordable housing, and more sustainable development / sustainability projects in general.
– Thinks that homelessness is a big issue facing the city.
– Idea: bring back the train around the peninsula!

My time in these Portland cafés, and my discussions with this small sampling of its inhabitants, suggest that these middle class citizens are generally very happy with Portland as it exists today. The most pressing issues of daily life in the city seem to be parking and homelessness. Of these, homelessness was very clearly more significant.

In my own evaluation, Tim’s desire for more cultural attractions that go beyond bars and restaurants was a subtle but important one. It seems that the restaurants in Portland have assumed the role of old Boston’s pubs, Paris’s cafés, and LA’s pool parties – stoking the flames of a burgeoning culture that will inevitably spill over to other arts and activities. It also struck a strong chord as San Francisco citizens currently face a similar issue, but from a very different angle. While SF has long been home to an impressive variety of cultures and attractions, the recent tech boom in the city has sparked a steep increase in swanky bars and dressed-down, but still high end restaurants. The parallels don’t end there – San Francisco also faces a large and very present homeless population. Perhaps lessons learned in addressing cultural development and homelessness in Portland can be applied to San Francisco as well.

Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps, Uncategorized

Crema Cafe Ethnography and Mental Maps

October 27, 2014 vyang 5 Comments

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Dreary day, misting/light dribble, temperature, 58 degrees

Crema Café/Arabica

2:30pm to 5