Be Careful what you wish for...

Portland is a city with attitude. And not the bad kind either. From a bumper sticker reading Keep Portland Weird, to a window sign stating The American People vs. the Oligarchs, Portland has a distinct voice and isn’t shy to show it. Walking around a neighborhood you might find the most random things like a brightly painted blue mailbox standing on a street corner, its sole mission: to act as a book exchange for any interested passerby.

Portland has a forest in the middle of the city. It’s called Forest Park and covers more than 5,000 acres making it a nice walk in the woods. Hikers, bikers and runners can all be found on its various trails. Just watch out for those big, fat, juicy slugs. 

I had been wishing for rain for a while now. On August 11, after 30 straight sunny days, the clouds parted and the raindrops came down. Ever since, it's been a mix of sun and clouds further solidifying the belief “be careful what you wish for”. Though on the flip side, wishing for friends can be a good thing and that’s certainly starting to happen. I like being the new girl in town. There’s something fresh about being a newbie anywhere, whether it’s at work, at a school, in a new town, or hey, even prison.

A highlight of this past week was a visit by an Atlanta friend who now lives in San Francisco. My friend Lisa and her boyfriend Chris drove through P-town on their way back from Washington and we spent an afternoon and evening hanging out in some of the neighborhoods including The Hawthorne District. Hawthorne personifies funkiness and trendiness from nonstop vintage thrift stores lining the main drag, to jam-packed cafes and restaurants. We ate at the Bagdad Theater, a movie theater & restaurant with delicious food and plenty of locally brewed beer. From there we ventured to the Space Room, an old-school drinking establishment that draws all walks from the hoodie crowd to the preppies. We ran into some guys who had just come off a race presumably requiring costume. They had decided to wear super short shorts and cutoff shirts. I think it’s safe to say, never a dull moment around this town.