Ah spring – the worst is over! Every year it’s the same feeling, like by the end of February you begin to believe that the grey and rain is just not going to end this time. But it does and it’s always worth it. Seeing blossoms all across the city makes me a little giddy. Here are some things I love about spring in Portland… cherry blossoms at Waterfront Park blossoms in general, all around the city escaping the rain Japanese gardens last basketball games rum horchata at Por Que No rollerskating at Oaks Park Tulip Festival! fair weather biking cupcakes Read more…

I’m a fan of alternate transportation methods. It makes life different, and cheaper, and sometimes more inconvenient, but definitely more interesting. One of the things I love about living in a little city, like Portland, is how it makes transportation easier. Whether you’re biking, walking, taking the Streetcar/MAX, riding the bus, car-sharing, or some combination, it doesn’t take ages to get to the “other side” of the city. I’ve been using car-sharing (Zipcar to start) since January of 2008. At the time, I was just getting ready to go traveling for a year, so in preparation for selling my car, I signed Read more…

Living in a beer city, it can start to feel rather ordinary when a new brewery pops up. I love the beer/coffee/bike shop economy idea (ie. more isn’t competition, it’s just more growth for an industry/consumption) though, so I’m always happy to see more opening. I just might not jump up and down about every one. One of Portland’s newest breweries, Base Camp Brewing, is my brewery crush at the moment though. The whole ‘outdoorsy’ decor might be a little over the top for some people — not this girl. String up a canoe to the ceiling anytime, please. Maybe Read more…

I have a hard time remembering the last time I got completely absorbed in a book. Mildly embarrassing, but I spend so much time reading online, that I hadn’t picked up an actual book in too long. So I took The Rum Diary (Hunter S. Thompson) to the park on Saturday and left a few hours later, book finished. Reading undisturbed for hours on end, while drinking rose in the park has to be one of the best ways you can spend a Saturday afternoon. This Week: Beet salad – Dove Vivi has one of the best beet salads: beets, Read more…

Summer, my friends, has finally arrived in Portland. I may have said summer is on its way a few times this year already, but it’s finally here! This Week: Oblique Coffee Roasters – you would think it would be easy to find a coffee shop open at 5am, right? Maybe that’s just wishful thinking. My quest led me to Oblique, which opens at 6am. That’ll do. Tubing on the Clackamas River – First river float of the year. Check! A fairly last minute and short trip to the river, but always worth it. There’s nothing like floating down the river Read more…