Kicking things off in Portland, Oregon

When I first started talking about wanting to make change in my life a wise friend told me to find the city first and the rest will follow. I took that advice and have really been enjoying the experience; though I’m doing things a little backwards: I found the city. Now I’m looking for a neighborhood  to live in. And so on and so on. I just wrapped up my first week in PDX. Much of it was spent on Carolyn’s bike, riding around various neighborhoods... and she’s right: it’s the best way to learn a new town. Now I’m on the hunt for a bike of my own. 

One place I didn’t ride my bike was to Sauvie Island where there are a handful of farms and where you can pick your own berries. I chose to pick blueberries and raspberries on this beautiful inlet in the middle of the Willamette River.

Portland has some cool bridges and some beautiful sunsets. The Willamette River runs through the city and makes for pretty driving, including a drive to what is considered the suburbs. In the big city life of Atlanta, driving to the suburbs could easily take me 45 minutes to an hour depending on where I was going. Here, it’s 15 minutes to my friend Lisa’s house in Beaverton. I've been friends with Lisa since middle school. She and her husband Ross invited me to a party my first weekend here and boy what a party it was; complete with yummy catered Lebanese food and a rockin’ live band. Cool friends too. It was so much fun that I didn’t leave Lisa and Ross’ house until after dinner SUNDAY. I’m not sure I’ve chillaxed on a couch all day just reading and taking it easy in like… ever!