Grey Couches for Grey Gardens

Photos of grey couches in Portland Oregon.

On our way to Pacific City Oregon, we stopped in Portland for lunch with a friend. (The day was gray and cool, which was a huge relief after the recent heat dome over the northwest.) While saying our goodbyes in a neighborhood east of downtown, we saw these two grey couches. Apparently, outdoor furniture is alive and well in Portland too.

After a moment of thought, the song "Grey Gardens" by Rufus Wainwright came to mind. The song is about (among other things) the film Grey Gardens about two Edith Beales, mother "Big Edie" and daughter "Little Edie". They were aunt and first cousin, respectively, of former US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The pair lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a rundown mansion in the wealthy Georgica Pond neighborhood of East Hampton, New York. Perhaps these couches would have appealed to the Beales. One for Big Edie and one for Little Edie.

The song "Grey Gardens" is on the 2001 Poses album by Wainwright. The start of the song features a line from the film spoken by Little Edie:

"It's very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present, You know what I mean?"

Honey, I'm a roller concrete clover, Tadzio, Tadzio
Arm wrestle your mother simply over, Tadzio, over you
But beware my heart can be a pin, a sharp silver dragonfly
Tryin' to get my mansions green
After I've Grey Gardens seen (gardens seen)

Tadzio refers refers to a character in Thomas Mann's novel Death in Venice. From a Rolling Stone interview Wainwright said: "It was a very surreal collage of all of my favorite things at that time. Whether it was Grey Gardens or Death in Venice or brooches or dragonflies, it was all just mushed together in my head and that song was the outcome."

The Return of the Space Cowboy(s) and the Couch

Left: A brown couch on a green lawn in Seattle. Right: The Return of the Space Cowboy by Jamiroquai.

Back in Seattle! It's so good to see the explosions of untamed green, clean blue skies, old friends, and of course … outdoor furniture. Within days we were back in our old haunts noticing abandoned furniture like this brown couch in Fremont. Immediately, the lyrics of Jamiroquai's 1994 "Space Cowboy" came to mind. (We are partial to the David Morales 'Classic Club Remix' of the song.):

Everything is good and brown
Oh I'm here again
With a sunshine smile upon my face
My friends are close at hand
And all my inhibitions
Have disappeared without a trace, I'm glad
Oh that I found somebody who I can rely on
This is the return
Of the space cowboy

We feel like space cowboys dropping into Seattle after being away for some time. So much and so little has changed. We love the newness of something that was once old and familiar. One of those old and familiar things is furniture on the streets. It's not something we see that often in our corner of Italy.

It was just over 2 years ago that we posted on The Couches of Summer, which also included a beautiful, outdoor, brown couch.

The Couches of Summer

Should it be "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison or "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley for these pretty brown couches seen recently in Upper Fremont?  We are going with "Boys of Summer" with its chorus:

But I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your
Sunglasses on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Left and Center: Two brown couches basking in the sun, getting an early start on their summer tan. Right: The cover of Don Henley's 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast, which included the hit "Boys of Summer".

I'm Free To Do What I Want

"I'm Free" is a 1965 Rolling Stones song that appeared on their American release December's Children (And Everybody's). The song became a hit again in 1990 with the Soup Dragons cover, which appeared on their album Lovegod. Some of the lyrics are:

I'm free to do what I want any old time
I'm free to do what I want any old time
So love me, hold me, love me, hold me
I'm free any old time to get what I want

If the free furniture pictured here could sing, it would surely be singing this song.



Left: Free furniture in Fremont. Center: The album cover of the Rolling Stones' December's Children (And Everybody's). Right: The album cover of the Soup Dragons' Lovegod.

Outdoor Sofa - Happening All Over Again

We spotted this abandoned couch just east of State Route 99 (above the Fremont Troll). The sofa looks so perfectly matched for its surroundings.

Outdoor sofas can break your heart. Believe me. Here one day, gone the next. So for this little number  - who knows what its tan cushions have see and endured - I give you Lonnie Gordon's 1990s hit "Happenin' All Over Again" (video).

I've taken you back before 'cause you told me you've changed
Looked in my eyes and said
Believe me, then you
Broke my heart and deceived me, when you
Said you never could leave me
But its happening all over again (no, no, no)

Welcome Back (Couch)

Having spent a chunk of time in Italy the last few years, I can't think of once when we saw a couch out by its lonesome, alongside a thoroughfare. However, back in Seattle in less than the time it takes to say couch pillow shams sale, we caught glimpse of an abandoned couch.

But why? Do Americans, or more specifically Seattleites, have so little regard for their couches? Do they think that couches can fend for themselves outside? I believe it's relatively easy to give a couch away or donate it, so I'm not sure why people think it's okay to just leave them around. This couch in particular has been on its Fremont Ave location for several days with rain and snow. At least it has company with that mattress. Two-for-one.

You don't believe me about Seattle and abandoned couches? Ha, check it out for yourself.

Abandoned furniture always brings a song to my mind. (It doesn't for you? I'm sorry.) For me, this couch conjured up the theme song to the 1970's show Welcome Back Kotter with the lyric "welcome back, welcome back." (youtube).
 

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out
Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

The song was written by John Sebastian.

September Morn (Couch)

Early, on a crisp September morning we saw this couch in upper Fremont. It was humming:

September morn
We danced until the night
Became a brand new day
Two lovers playing scenes
From some romantic play
September morning
Still can make me feel that way

From Neil Diamond's 1979 album September Morn.

Empty Chairs

The wicker chair we saw on the way to Zoo Tunes. The 69'ing chairs on the way back from dinner one evening. Both are part of Fremont's Ever-Changing Outdoor Furniture gallery. Makes me think of -- you knew it was coming -- a song by Don McLean called "Empty Chairs". It appeared on his second studio and breakthrough album American Pie.

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

Blackberry Couch Bed

Looks like this couch bed -- on the corner of 8th Ave N and Valley St -- has a couple of strikes against it: graffiti, trash and missing cushions. Still not a bad find? The blackberry vines creeping out from under the bed part would likely appreciate the removal of the couch.

Blue and Brown

Corner of 49th and 1st in Fremont: a blue fainting* chaise on very brown grass and dandelion seed heads. Whether you want this piece or not, you must admit it speaks to our summer this year in Seattle with blue skies (chaise color), high temperatures (fainting weather for Seattleites), and little rain (parched lawns). If only the donor had included a fan.

* Always thought this was "feigning couch" as in someone who uses it is pretending to be affected by something.

Whatcha Up To You Sexy Rocker?

Hot In The City

Stranger, stranger, stranger, stranger
It's hot here at night, lonely, black and quiet
On a hot summer night
Don't be afraid of the world we made
On a hot summer night

Night Moves

This episode of outdoor furniture features nocturnal pieces; they only come out on warm nights*, waiting to be someone's treasure. A brown corner seat, a sofa bed on it's side, a chintz-y couch, and an overstuffed sofa and matching chair. So much selection and it's not even the beginning or end of the month when you typically see pieces curbside.

* Okay, it's not summer yet here in Seattle, but sure has been some warm weather.

We were walking back from Delancey's pizza and came upon these pieces. Hope they all found a home. I imagine the furniture humming Night Moves.

Workin' on our night moves
Tryin' to make some front page drive-in news
Workin' on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime

Workin’ on Their Night Moves: Brown Corner Piece (just a tad wear); Sleeper Sofa on its Side

Work that Corner Chintz Couch

Overstuffed and Ready to Take Home

Streetside Sofas

I admit it. I’m attracted to couches on curbs, sofas streetside, and furniture foresaken. I imagine if you place your ear close to the cushions you will hear: “Human kindness is overflowing. And I think it’s gonna rain today.” (It is without a doubt Dusty Springfield’s version of the much-covered Randy Newman song.)

Left: Brown Corduroy; Right: Cyan Dream Couch
 

The Discontents of May - Abandoned Furniture

Random furniture sightings of late May, in Fremont.  A flowery easy chair interrogates a black (faux) leather sofa with juvenile pears on it. “What are you doing here?”  And, a wooden rocking chair passes out by a fire hydrant.

The title of this post is a riff on the title of the song "The Waters of March",  a Brazilian song composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim (1927–1994) in 1972. The song's translation in English starts: "A stick, a stone...". We imagine that as "A couch, a chair...".

May Furniture

Recliner at N 50th St and Woodland Park Ave N.

Slightly used café chair nearby.

April’s Furniture

Left: A mocha brown corner piece at Francis Ave N and N 43rd Street. This was probably snapped up quickly.
Right: A sight for sore eyes this tan couch with lavender pillows at Winslow Pl N and N 41 Street. Walk on by.

What’s up with Fire Hydrants and Discarded Furniture?

This fire hydrant is consorting with a rather nice looking sofa, complete with throw pillows. The couple was photographed at the corner of Evanston Ave N. and N. 35th St. The mixed-use building just west of 9 Million Unmarked Bills is getting demolished, which probably explains this couch deciding to leave the building and look for a better home.  (BTW, I will always call 9 Million … whatever the Triangle Tavern, which is what it was for many years before.)

Also, a stool. Nothing more to say. But let me leave you with the Carly Simon song Love Out in the Street from her Playing Possum 1975 album.

I've seen the sidewalks
And I've been aware
Of the lamps and tables and the paperback books
That you throw out there
All your artifacts
In disrepair
Make up a pile so high
Could tie up the traffic in the thoroughfare
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street
Put your love out on the street tonight
I don't mind your sinning
I'm no saint myself
And if the neighbors call you a hellcat
Then let them call me a jezebel
Cause I've come to know you
I've come to know you so well
From spying on you from my bathroom window
In this cheap hotel
So let flow the hydrants
And we'll dance in the spray
And we'll wash out our dirty laundry
In the alleyway

First Day of Spring - Blue Plastic Chairs

Welcome to the first day of Spring. What better way to enjoy Spring then to grab a blue plastic chair and watch it happen? (And what a Spring it has been in Seattle.) These two chairs were last seen in a Fremont alley.

A World of Abandoned Furniture

Wow, what a contrast. Just over a month ago we were basking taking in the sights of Andalusia. Now it's just roadside loveseats and couches in Seattle. This time: one on N 42 St and Greenwood Ave N (day photo) and on a Dexter Ave (night photo).

Black Friday - Black Couch

Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day and signals the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Black Couch was found on an abandoned lot on 2nd Ave NW in Fremont.