Portland Perceptions

We made it. We traveled the across the ocean from Hawaii to Portland and like the snap of our fingers we now live in Portland.

It really hasn't sunk in yet.

I don't believe we live in Portland. It's more that we're on vacation here. But it's a really, really great vacation. I like it here. I like the vibe, I like the houses, the trees, the smell. I like it. I think we are going to be very, very happy here.

To get you up to speed, here's a quick recap of our first three days in Portland. Is it really only three days? And then, has it actually been three days already?!

Day One:
Wake up, walk outside and think "holy shit, it's hot." Check out the garden (we're subletting a cute little house in an incredible neighborhood) - count three kinds of lettuce, peas, tomatoes, and berries (I'm not a berry expert but I think they're raspberries). Walk two blocks away from the house, stumbled into a "favorite" restaurant of ours from our trip in December and enjoy tasty, tasty breakfast. In between bites, develop a hatred for the pasty, emo, hippie kids to the table to the right of us. Am moderately shocked by how much I really dislike these kids. Oh well. After breakfast decide to cruise the neighborhood a bit by foot and eventually walk very far to a bar that promises to play the World Cup game. The bar is packed. On a Wednesday at noon. Don't these people work?! I study the crowd trying to determine how they make a living and manage to be in a bar at noon. I also observe far too many pasty hippie kids and they're really starting to get on my nerves. But Spain's victory distracts me and I shock both Bryan and I by jumping up and down with my excitement (no beer, either). Then we both decide to check out Portland by "walking to the river." I imagine years from now we will laugh at this very poor decision. It's 90 degrees out, we don't really know where we're going. But we make it. We make it to downtown, confirm the UPS store did reserve a mailbox for us, and nearly have our feet fall off. Luckily, my iphone saves the day and I find the best bus home for us. 30 minutes later we're asleep for a 3+ hour nap. Eventually we get up for groceries and fantastic French food.

Day Two
After what felt like a 30 mile walk the day before, I insist we pull out the bikes that were left for us. Hmmm... A little rust, a little dirt, seats and handle bars aren't adjustable. Once again, not the best decision but still very fun. We cruise the neighborhood south of us and give it two thumbs up. Then we treat ourselves to a bus ride, a stop at the Visitor Info Center, and a street car ride to "check out" the NW area of town. This area screams San Francisco and I insist we MUST live here. Bryan thinks it might be too "fancy" (read: obnoxiously rich) and I start to reconsider. But first we drink a beer. A long walk, street car, and bus later and we're back home in the backyard BBQing. While the grill heats up, I pick fresh peas. Have you ever had fresh peas? You should. You really should. We eat dinner in lawn chairs on the grass with a beer. Dessert is ice cream topped with berries from the garden. This is all too perfect. I start to dream that every evening of my life could be like this. Then the mosquitos get too irritating so we move inside.

Day Three
The heat (95+ and it only seems to affect me, Portlanders are wearing jeans and leggings!!) and the time change get to us and we sleep in way too late. I putter around on the internet and in the garden and we don't leave the house until 2. Ooops. We walk about 10 blocks to check out a rental. It has tons of potential but leaves us with mixed feelings. Then we hop into a Zipcar* and head out of town on an "adventure." Multnomah Falls. Very pretty, very touristy. It leaves me with confused feelings but I'm so thankful to get a sense of the rivers, the highways, and how close we are to Washington States. We cruise through a few neighborhoods by car and realize we can't make head's or tales of the "cool areas." We're super confused and frustrated now but hope it all falls into place as we start to look at rentals. Happily, we end the day with a beer on the porch swing.

In other news... I have a job interview on Monday afternoon. This is amazing and terrible all at the same time. I need a job! I really, really like this place where I'll be interviewing. It is incredibly flattering that they are interested in me. I'm just not ready to work yet. I wanted to wait until I got anxious. Until I had tired of all my free days picking peas.

I'm also feeling "closed in" in Portland. And this cracks me up. I moved from an island. A pretty small island. But there's something about the hills, and the tall green trees, and the fact that I can't see a horizon that is leaving me very unsettled. Do you think I'm nuts?

*if you don't know what this is I'll explain later