Noor Ibrahim, Contributor
The Portland Pottery Cafe is a local cafe and pottery shop located on one of the busiest avenues in Portland. An inspection of the exterior will draw guests into what almost feels like an earth-vintage era. Once they walkthrough the red door, they will find a spectacular amount of balance between nature and craft. The walls are coated with displays of pottery, taking many forms, from functional pieces to decorative works of art.
Despite the crowded tables, there is still a sense of arrangement in the space. The main, small tables are stationed in front, while there is one large table for five in the back. They are arranged by color and style. Some are traditional wooden tables and some are more vintage retro style. The one table that stood out is white and black with a touch of turquoise.
When visiting at the right time, customers may be lucky to choose a seat by the large windows that overlook Washington avenue. The use of lighting is brilliant in such a way that the natural light washes the forefront, and the artificial light embraces the background. Not only that, but wood and pottery add a very nice mixture that creates a therapeutic experience. Customers will find a piece worth studying no matter where they look. The place vibrates with liveliness.
The coffee accommodations station is self-serve. Handmade mugs for use are available at the station. The guest may then fill the cups and head to a large table surrounded by shelves and more displays.
After the coffee cools down, the consumer can savor it and scrutinize the flavor. This regular coffee was quite unusual to experience because of the levels of flavor. The first flavor is the bitterness of coffee, then it falls back slowly. On top of that, the medium in which the coffee was served had an important role in the taste. In parts of the middle eastern culture, handmade tableware has great health benefits. Many of today’s tableware is made by machine or with processed elements. However, while crafters create some tableware by hand, the energy of the creator is said to bind to the object.
Masaru Emoto, a Japanese scientist, conducted a research studying the effect of positive words on the structure of water. This research was done by comparing the effect of negative and positive words, music, and pictures on different kinds of water and observed the effects. The results demonstrated that positive words had structured the water molecules in beautiful fashion, while negative words had the opposite effect. Going back to pottery production, making art has been linked to a therapeutic experience which improves the state being of the maker tremendously. Therefore, the good energy will be passed on to the product that is made, and finally impacting the user tremendously.
Analyzing Portland Pottery’s menu, their cookies were eye catching due to their massive size, similar to that of a mid-sized plate. The flavor of the chocolate chip cookie is delectable. It has a hint of fruitiness and a lot of crunch due to the high amount of sugar. Although it’s crunchy, it had the right amount of chewiness, an excellent amount of balance, and no aftertaste of baking powder as is often found with some baked goods.
The atmosphere is very well presented and the passion is evident, from the artwork to the good service. It has the perfect atmosphere for relaxing; it is especially so for students to be surrounded by such aura to be inspired. Of all the good this place provides, there is still one element that could be improved.
The only thing that could be improved is the music. There is no sense of harmony between the theme of the cafe and the music. Such vintage-earthy-styled cafe needs classical music to complete the mood. Once the guest walks in, they will feel as though the entered into a whole new world. With the right sound, the experience would be perfected and complete.
It is certainly recommend visiting the cafe, not for entertainment purposes only, but supporting a local business. The atmosphere is refreshing, and the works of art are breathtaking that the customer will feel almost detached from the hustle of everyday life.