Portland

Portlandlia is a favorite show of ours lately.  And, it is spot on.  There are so many unique things about Portland that seemed even more evident to us after leaving than I think I was aware of when we were part of that community.  We spent all week saying, "..that is so Portland".  Great to walk down memory lane and totally enjoy all the adventures this city has to offer without any regrets about leaving as well.  Good times.

Our first stop- Saturday Market where we enjoyed at least four awesome different musical performances including a cello duo.  We bought the CD and it was the soundtrack for the rest of the week.  Picked up a crystal that now casts rainbows all over our house each morning and an air plant...coolest thing ever.  Hope I can keep the latter alive and well in Utah.

To see the music and some dancing click here- https://vimeo.com/76744147?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDBlZWQxZjkxMjc0NTc3YzU2N2IyY2RiNjU5MDE4N2JkNjI5fDE1NDAxMjY2fDEzODE1NTAyMzU%3D

The artwork all over Portland is amazing.  They paint buildings, roads, and telephone poles with reckless abandon.  I don't understand why other cities have not done this as well.  It makes all these ordinary things extraordinary.

Speaking of extraordinary, the food and drink options (Nicolas's, The Jade Tea House, Pinestate, HUB, and Stumptown)  are endless and as much an adventure for the tastebuds as the endless artwork is for the eyes.

Fried chicken and egg on a biscuit.  Yes, please.

Forest Park, our sanctuary.  It was as spectacular and overwhelmingly awesome as I remembered it.  We each got out on a run on the endless storybook trails that wind through this incredible piece of rain forest.  Ahhh....I miss you already.

Made a quick visit to the neighborhood we lived in the longest while in Portland- Ladd's Addition.  The roses were still going off and our "little castle" reminded me of so many things-struggling to get pregnant, getting pregnant and all that that entailed, and then the journey and experience of growing TWO little beings inside me.  I was almost full term when I left this place.  Nuts.

We got to explore Portland in a way we never had before....now through the eyes of two and a half year olds.  We went to the Children's Museum, which was awesome (play grocery store, vet office, clay studio, build-it center, and dino exhibit to name only a few things) and found the coolest city fountain that mimicked (in high speed) the ocean tides going in and out.  The kids could swim in it and grasp in a physical way what a "tide" was.  So cool and great prep for the next part of our trip.  

Who doesn't love a doughnut?!...Especially when they are rotating in a display case and have things like Tang, bacon, and a variety of sugar cereals on them. VooDoo Doughnuts.  Yummm.

Biking and Portland are synonymous.  We borrowed this kick-ass bucket bike from Nicki and Ben.  It is dutch made, and I could go on and on about how cool it is and how much sense it makes...if you live in a flatish place.  I pedaled Ruby and Owen home and up a slight hill.  I don't think Chip thought I was going to make it, but I did. Barely.  At any rate, it was perfect to ride down the river side trail from their house into downtown and across some bridges.  The other cruiser bike we borrowed from them was sick as well.  Can't believe I don't have a picture of it.  

A Pedicab, why not?  Took one through downtown to our favorite book store.  It really is the perfect speed to see a city.  

We stayed at a friend's house the last night in Portland.  This is so Portland... She lives on one of the corners of "Share It Square".  Pictured below is a treehouse play house where there are toys that any kid can stop and play with for a bit.  There is a take-it and leave-it library on another corner and free tea and coffee for whomever cares to indulge on another corner (picture of Chip below).  Oh, and, ps- they painted the street again, cause, why not?!  

Alright, the city was A BLAST but we are ready to leave all the people and traffic and get to the coast.  Mother Ocean, here we come!