PORTLAND.

This is a big city, folks. And we live in the heart of all the action – and the Chinese restaurants! We met our energetic and fast paced landlord at our new loft around noon. Phillip and I discussed later - we are sure our slow responses, distant stares and overall sluggish demeanor created an impression of a coupla country bumpkins. The truth is, that 3,193 miles in a car will change a person! We found it slightly difficult to keep up with her and this may have just come across as, well…. being stupid. Hopefully, we’ll have opportunities to redeem ourselves as moderately intelligent people – Phillip will do some math problems and I’ll draw a picture of something smart looking and we’ll send them to her. That should do the trick.

Our loft is beautiful - bright, east facing, sleek and airy. It has 13 foot ceilings, exposed concrete, and lots of “steeze” (read: style). It sort of feels like someone else’s life at the moment, but I’m sure once our stuff arrives, it’ll feel just like home. Phillip and I definitely look forward to a big front porch and a yard for the dog at some point, but we are both excited about this urban experiment we find ourselves in now. We are walking distance to everything – grocery stores, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, museums, even dry cleaners and hardware stores. Walking definitely feels good. There are approx 20 blocks to a mile here in the city – which makes everything a short jaunt and easily accessible. There are “park blocks” right around the corner. There is also a huge waterfront park about 4 blocks away. This is great for the pups and for escaping the hustle. Bikers are everywhere and traffic isn’t nearly as bad as it could be.

While the city center is pretty exciting and offers a lot, its the pocket neighborhoods that surround the city, where charm and culture flourish. You still have everything at your fingertips in these neighborhoods, but it hardly feels like the huge metropolitan that it is. Old, huge trees, bungalows, and young families everywhere – or hip artsy neighborhoods, vibrant with self-expression. All are slightly different – some sleepy and sweet, some active and exciting.

The other great thing about Portland, and perhaps what we both value the most, is the close proximity to outdoor adventure and beautiful landscapes. Travel in any direction out of the city and you’ll find yourself in farm lands, breathtaking coastlines, snowy mountains, riverside forests or high dessert. There are so many outdoor opportunities around here - and we love that. Already (combined with the first time we came out for P’s interview), Phillip and I have traveled to the coast, the river gorge, Mt. Hood, and beyond. We can’t wait to do wine country, hood river cherry picking, tide pooling and clam digging along the coast, hiking on countless trails, walking in our own Forest Park in the city and boating on the river. Of course, Phillip looks forward to snowboarding ....and I look forward to falling down a lot as I learn to ski.
Beyond that, there is also Washington to discover, which I’ve never seen, aside from Seattle. I'm talking about the Cascades, San Juan Islands, little mountain towns and seafood – just for starters.

Speaking of food, there is a flavor explosion happening in this area of the country! Whether its coffee, food, beer, or wine… they do it right. And best of all, they grow it, pick it, brew it and cook it – right here. We already have a million cheap or free events lined up for the summer – most of them revolving around farm fresh food, seaside treats, wine and beer. Good thing we walk a lot these days.

All that, combined with a million events happening at any given minute in the city, makes for a lifetime of adventure and discovery – just what we want. That being said, all this “fun” is no replacement for good friends and family. We look forward to sharing all this with loved ones…. so start saving your pennies for a flight out. You’ve got a free place to stay and two eager hosts waiting on you….