PDX ( -> DEN -> DCA )

It was a beautiful St. Patty's day morning (in the United States) when I set off. This adventure took 5 years of frequent flying, 2 years of vague considerations, 2 months of magically impulsive decisions, and $10 to get off the ground. I consider myself again fit for travel, and since I hope to be taking much longer journeys in the not-too-distant future, best to test my solo wings again on something unfamiliar, but not foreign. East Coast, here I come. I am test-driving myself. Today, Portland is easy to leave because I am on an exciting adventure into the future, and I know I'll come back.



I'd never been excited about visiting the East Coast before. But, over the years, I have built up some connections there. An old roommate, a random acquaintance-turned-friend, a former teacher, friends-moved-east, ... and if I wait too much longer, I figure they'll start dispersing again, so now was the time to see the world(s) my friends have come to call their own.


I grew up a short drive from the Great Lakes (we could sometimes see Michigan across the water). I'd been out east just twice before - to go to a summer camp in New York. And no, I did not see much of New York besides the summer camp. My Dad spent quite a bit of time commuting to Connecticut while I was growing up. He began when I was part-way through grade school and continued until I was part-way through undergrad. I remember some of our family trips being taken with his frequent flier miles. This is my first trip using my own frequent flier miles. I'd never paid the east coast much mind before. I went west, crossing the Mississippi to set up near the Willamette. After years of mildly shunning the east coast and going farther and farther west - first to college and next, I hope, to study abroad - I'm headed for my father's preferred coast.



It occurred to me (I'm writing this now, though I probably didn't actually think of this until I reached New York City) that although I claim that the stereotypical teenage forms of protest - reacting oppositely to the advice of authority figures - never made much sense to me growing up ( I was lucky in that most of the people offering their wisdom were qualified to give it ), my earlier aversions to the east cost and to large cities may have been some rare vague manifestation of such protest against my father's high opinions of it. I had made it a habit to think uncomfortably of the east coast and to associate it with similarly uncomfortable-feeling large cities.

This time, I have in mind to befriend the cities I meet, and to learn from them.

Well, here we go -




* i am writing after returning to Portland - this entire adventure took place in ~ two weeks of March *

Back in PDX

At the end of one voyage, rejoining another, I'm glad my sails are catching the winds I hoped for.

After a while away, hoping to accomplish the transition, I feel myself catching the momentum of the lifeblood in this city again.
The pulse of this city catches mine for a little longer.



That didn't take long.
A matter of hours to feel again the motion of this river.

begun enough to say 'Goodbye'

I have a new time and place to look forward to -


I did not leave earlier partly out of feeling that I needed to incubate a while longer in a conducive and familiar environment. I chose to stay in my city, Portland.

Like most things that are helpful and good for me and that I find characteristically special, I'm growing to love this city.

Like many things that contribute to my growth, although I am indebted, I find myself preparing to move on, exploring the future and what I can grow into next.

And so again, more concretely, I have in mind to leave this place.

In my former years, I had a pattern of distancing myself from those I knew I would have to let go.
But, I think I will continue falling in love with Portland to the sweet and timely end.

Maybe I will come back, but I won't make any promises. My preferences now are no indication of the future.

Lyrik: Food Art Drink

The Fine Grind on 39th has recently become LYRIK. I was attracted by the stylishly drawn words and image of a small floating monster. Also, I needed to get out of the house and go somewhere else to work. I'd never been to the place while it was still the Fine Grind, so I can't compare, but I was pleased with what I found on my adventure today!


There's a great assortment of weird and art on the inside, complete with lots of counter/table space and windows a-plenty so that even the gray daylight of January Portland provided pleasant natural lighting. Lots of little notices and cards for the taking to alert people to art shows and craft nights.




baked goods: fresh ones for $2, day-olds for $1. This large walnut/cranberry scone gave me something to munch on for a good while.




hot chocolate:



I test hot chocolate everywhere I get a chance, and I was sad that my hot chocolate here tasted very much like chocolate syrup. *Edit: I found out that they use Ghirardeli chocolate sauces. If you like Ghirardeli chocolate sauce, then this is great news. However, I am somewhat particular about what makes good hot chocolate good, and I guess this is not on the list. It has a weird sweetness, I think. They used to use Monin flavors for chocolate, but people seemed to prefer seeing Ghirardeli. They still use Monin flavors for other things though. I am going to have to find an excuse to get the irish cream flavor in something.

Good news though - I have been becoming more agreeable to the taste of coffee. So maybe next time I'll have to try a mocha nutmeg whatever whatever.






bagel sandwich:

Oh, this was great. The breakfast sandwich menu is both extensive and easily adaptable. I got a toasted everything bagel with cheddar cheese lathered on and a beautiful fried egg right in the middle, plus the extra tomato slice I asked for. Warm toasty cheesy egg bagel goodness, with tomato. Yes, it was a pretty standard breakfast bagel sandwich, but it was a very solidly well-done standard breakfast bagel sandwich!



I know what I'm getting next time I'm there for lunch. There's a sandwich with my name on it!





I've never really done the coffee shop thing, but with it's endearingly border-insane artsy-ness, Lyrik is such a Portland coffeeshop. I will miss places like this whenever I get around to going elsewhere.



I have decided that the city of Portland is not unlike a small, cuddly monster, as far as city personalities go.

Pangaea Project Rocks

The Pangaea Project (Bringing the World Back Together) is a relatively recent nonprofit organization that provides high school kids from underserved areas to get involved with various issues of social concern on the international and local levels by giving them a chance go abroad and learn from others in the international community.



This Video of returning students addressing the Mayor of Portland is solid evidence for the great work this project is doing, and will continue to do.