Partly due to a number of requests, and partly just for fun, I wanted to share some of my Portland images, since I just spent about two weeks up there and it was a lovely combination of pouring rain and gorgeous blue skies, with about half of my time there being one before transitioning into the other. I hope you enjoy them! I didn't take many pictures when I was downtown, unfortunately, but I have a bunch from my wanders with Lucy, my friend's dog that I was dog-sitting, and a few from my dinner at the Vancouver Waterfront, and the Alberta Arts District and a number of other places. Mostly it's just a Portland vibe in the softer, quieter parts of the city - beautiful houses, old trees, gorgeous blue skies, parks and quiet streets.
I definitely need to go back again soon! And I wish I'd thought to get more photos of my friends while I was there! I was extremely lax on that front, as well as some of the restaurants and fun places we visited, but I did get a chance to see a lot of old friends while I was there, which was lovely. I also got a chance to eat some amazing food, play Scrabble at a bar with my friend, Niki, and go to my favorite Thai restaurant (which thankfully survived Covid).
Portland itself is still recovering a bit from its rough past few years, but I'd forgotten just how pretty it is up there! Just such a beautiful city - I wish people showed that side of it more, frankly, as it's mostly how I remember it. My biggest issue with Portland when I left was the weather, honestly, since I'm kind of a sun person and Portland isn't exactly known for that. But it was a lovely place to live, all in all.
Okay, so here are the photos... hope they aren't too repetitive! There are a lot of dogs and houses, lol. But I'll try to pare them down a bit before I post the final:
My flight in - just had to share my glimpse of the Cascades, always lovely.
Just a little glimpse of Mount Tabor, one of the parks in Portland
This was the building I mentioned in one of my newsletters - it used to be an old family business but got bought out by some predatory investor when the family business closed, and he let this happen to it. It's a huge bummer for my friend who lives nearby and a big eyesore now, but he won't fix it because I guess he makes more off the insurance.
A really cute coffee shop in the Northwest District (this is more downtown)
This is part of the Beverley Cleary Sculpture Garden in Grant Park
Just a funky blue house in the Hollywood / Sullivan's Gulch area of Portland, OR
First glimpse of little Lucy, the black fox, in the wild of flower petals in one of our rainy walks.
Just a pretty house and more lovely blooming trees...
Love all of these old trees, and everything was blooming.
In the food cart area, a really awesome coffee cart with amazing espresso (and giant dog bones for Lucy, which were a little much for her, lol - Lucy was a big hit everywhere we went, though).
More food carts - I got Greek food that day, I think
Getting stink-eye from Lucy for not giving her as much of my gyro as she wanted.
More pretty blooms
This was the day we didn't get out much - poured pretty much the entire day and night.
Cute little coffee shop I passed on the way to Thai food with friends (I was on foot)
The old Hollywood Theater. They have the Lovecraft Festival here.
Little Lucy crashed out on my leg. She was super snuggly.
Wondering why I won't stop writing. Why so much writing? Wouldn't you rather go for a walk? Or ply me with snacks? Or go for a walk AND ply me with snacks?
I loved how every single house was different in all of these neighborhoods.
Another beautiful house... I love the sunrooms a lot of houses had that led into their gardens.
Irving Park - the first day of real, all-day sun during my time there
Pretty cloud + contrail
I love this old tree - just like a monster growing out of the sidewalk.
Another pretty old house encountered on one of our walks (we walked a lot)
It definitely felt like spring for the last half of my time there
There is, indeed a dog (or small fox) at the end of that arrow)
This was just so "Portlandia" I had to include it, lol. This is in the Alberta Arts District.
Case Study Coffee in the Alberta Arts District.
Lucy in Alberta with rainbows...
Some of the mural art in Alberta Arts District
Another mural in the Alberta Arts District
More Alberta Arts District...
What I saw after I looked up to see what Lucy was barking at. The very smug-looking squirrel was completely unrepentant.
So was Lucy...
A ferry from the Vancouver Waterfront
The Vancouver Waterfront (a friend and I had a lovely walk and dinner here)
Part of our walk along the water in Vancouver
The Oregon-Washington Bridge
A few more pretty houses and flowers on my last few walks...
...and the last one, on what must have been my last walk with Lucy (sniff)
***
So there you have it! I know it's kind of an unusual look at Portland, not the typical photos of downtown and the Steel Bridge and so on, but I hope you still enjoyed them! It was lovely for me, kind of a writer's retreat in my old hometown, with the bonus of a little fuzzy creature as my constant companion. I miss Lucy a bit, I'm not going to lie... as well as all of my human friends up there. It's definitely motivation to go up there again soon to visit.
Anyway, have a lovely weekend everyone, and thanks again for all of your support!
Best wishes and happy reading ~
