NE Portland: Woodblock Chocolate

I remember once reading about a chocolate tour of Portland that did not cover all of the possible locations, and that was because the number of local chocolatiers was something like 29. I don't think the number is that high anymore (a current chocolate tour lists fours stops, but it is a walking tour), but there is still far more local chocolate than Moonstruck. Just 17 blocks up from Creo Chocolate is Woodblock.

This may make NE Broadway the chocolate heart of Portland, but we haven't been to enough places to know. (Though you may remember our trips to Enchanté in Milwaukie, and I will feature chocolate in Aurora next week.)

There is not a tour at this time, but the chocolate is made on site. You can see the equipment through windows even when it is not in use and you can especially smell right when you walk in that this is a place where chocolate is made.

I was initially put off because the first time I looked them up I saw a bunch of chocolate baby heads. That is something available for Halloween. Year-round fare includes bars, drinking chocolate, a chocolate hazelnut tube that you can slice and spread, or that you can simply eat without spreading, and also their soaking chocolate.

Here the chocolate rests in coffee or hibiscus or something that it will absorb over time, allowing for infusion.

The shop has moved more to wholesale business, having cordoned off their former cafe space. This made things a little inconvenient, as the display items are right at the register, so if you want to take time to browse when other people are in the shop, you can easily feel rude.

Shopping is still available on the web site.

https://woodblockchocolate.com/

COVID19: That inconvenience mentioned has happened with a lot of spaces during the pandemic, and it involves safety precautions. Masks are worn, and the setup does not encourage lingering. 

Accessibility: There are no stairs and while there is not a lot of space, it should be fine for most mobility devices.

NE Portland: Creo Chocolate Tour

 After meaning to for some time, we finally made it to Creo Chocolate to take their factory tour.

First of all, let me say that there is nothing wrong with just going to Creo to buy chocolate, possibly eating it there or maybe taking it home.

There is plenty to choose from, including many award-winners.

However, our tour included tasting fifteen types of chocolate, plus the chance to crack our own bean and sample the nibs, and to drink some cacao juice, so you may be able to make a more informed choice after the tour.

In addition, you will have made your own chocolate bar, and that may give you some insights into the process that inform your choices.

In addition, you will have learned a great deal about the growing of the beans, the processing, and the Creo business itself.

This may not match what a "tour" means in your mind, but those elements were present also.

There was equipment that we could watch processing, but while some of it is past the normal customer area, it is a small space, and you can see a lot without the tour.

The winnower is right by the door, with explanatory signage.

You learn so much more by listening to the presentation, including an appreciation of how much there is to learn. The passion for chocolate is clear, and perhaps already shared by you, but there is much more that is fascinating, beyond the samples.

But those samples were pretty good. Even the ones that might not be your favorites will still have something to appreciate. That is not just for the sheer flavor, but also for the information on the inspiration behind it, or the techniques of creating it.

Then, you walk away with a label you signed, saying "handcrafted" and designed by you. And it was.

We found the experience well worth the $25 dollar cost. You can sign up for your own chance to be a junior chocolate maker at https://creochocolate.com/pages/experiences.

COVID-19: Masks are required in the shop. It is also a place where people eat, and where people standing near each other eat samples. People were pretty good about just moving things around their masks.

In other ways it is probably cleaner than most experiences, with wiping down of surfaces, handwashing, and protective gear required.

ACCESSIBILITY: Although I do not remember any steps or anything like that, this is an older building and somewhat narrow, which could affect some mobility devices. The bigger issue may be standing around the counter for over an hour. However, the people were very kind, and I would not hesitate to ask them about any concerns.

https://creochocolate.com/

 

Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail: Canby Depot and Canby Ferry

Back when my sisters and I were exploring Oregon City, we would frequently see markers for the Oregon Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail. We saw them again recently in Canby. 

The Heritage Trail is a selection of sites related to Oregon history. It celebrated a 175th anniversary in 2018.

https://www.mthoodterritory.com/heritage-trail

The Canby Depot Museum is home to the Canby Historical Society, and is located in the former rail depot.

It houses several collections, including this interesting assortment of old cameras.

While the staff was not particularly welcoming, the signage is informative, and it is easy to self-guide for what catches your interest.

A telegraph and switchboard remind us that transportation hubs were communication hubs as well.

In many ways, the ferry is in keeping with that tradition as well.

We did not actually visit both on the same day, but when we made it to the Depot, the ferry was represented.

It is only recently that I realized how far apart it can be between bridges on the Willamette. In Portland you have your pick, but once you leave the city you can go for miles with no easy way across the twisting and turning river.

That may be one reason that they keep the ferry, even though it is well-established that running it does not pay, and the service is subsidized. While the sentimental value is strong, there may be a practical value as well.

It is a short ride, but a peaceful one, and one that ties us to the area's past.

The Willamette Valley's history was largely carved by water.

And, perhaps that emphasis on transportation at the Depot Museum makes it appropriate that Canby's other landmark, the Canby Vietnam Memorial, features a helicopter.

Regardless, it is important to remember our past. It is important that it is not done uncritically, but also that it is done.

That makes the "Welcome" sign in the Reference Room very encouraging.

Also, if you are going to hanging out in Canby, and have memories of Thriftway, there is still one in Canby, Cutsforth's Market on 2nd.

Try out the bakery and deli case! Western Family is still gone though.

COVID-19: Masks were being worn in the Depot Museum and Thriftway, and while paying for the ferry. None of them were so crowded as to make maintaining distance difficult.

Accessability: For the ferry you can stay in your vehicle. The Depot Museum and Thriftway were both very navigable, though in the museum especially some turns might be difficult due to small space. It was never a large building and has remained small.

https://www.mthoodterritory.com/heritage-trail

https://www.canbyhistoricalsociety.org/

https://www.clackamas.us/roads/ferry.html

https://www.cutsforths.com/

OMSI: Mandela: The Official Exhibition

On the same day that we visited the Laika exhibit at OMSI, we also visited the Mandela: The Official Exhibition.

It starts with a short film, then takes you into exhibits on Mandela's early life, and what it would have been like.

I was especially interested in seeing the examples of the beadwork, and would be interested in something that compares beading between different areas and cultures.

As the exhibit moved on more into Mandela's growing education, we also started getting more context on Apartheid at that time.

You could sit on this bench, for Europeans only, while a recording played words from laws of discrimination. In this area, it was easy to remember similar wrongs in U.S. history.

For a moment I got a glimpse of a different life possible for Mandela. It would not be a life of equality, but still one with relative respect and well-being.

 A quote from further along in the exhibit may indicate why that was not possible.

"When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity."

I appreciate that there was empathy given to Winnie Mandela, who had her own struggles. Also, having recently learned more (via Audre Lorde) about Sharpeville, I am glad that was covered.

Even though we did hear things on this side of the world, the fullness was not told, and I think a lot was excused.

I have a lot of fondness for Mandela, so I would see photos and artifacts that looked familiar, and it would make me smile.

That made the exhibit touching for me, but there may be a greater importance in introducing Nelson Mandela to a generation that doesn't remember him at all. Many teenagers today have not heard of him, and probably do not know how legally entrenched racism has been, in South Africa and here. 

"I was made, by the law, a criminal, not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of what I thought, because of my conscience. Can it be any wonder to anybody that such conditions make a man an outlaw of society?"

We must remember that there are currently people dedicating themselves to prevent any acknowledgment of our racist past, preventing growth in our present and future.

That is why I am grateful that the exhibit ended with information on work for equality happening in Oregon...

and invitations to pledge to do your own part.

You could even register to vote.

Nelson Mandela was an example of commitment and love. Love for each other can strengthen our commitment. There is a lot to do.
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"Only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days."

"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness bloom."

Mandela: The Official Exhibition will be at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry through February 13th, 2022.

https://omsi.edu/nelson-mandela