Portland, OR

Portland, OR

It's a three-day weekend, and I purposely didn't make any plans. Instead, I've spent most of my weekend running errands and trying to dig myself out of my numerous piles. It's slow moving, but it's moving.

JF and I visited Portland last May. I've been looking to buy a vacation home, hopefully a place my parents can eventually retire to (and I'd like to visit) when they want to return to the US. It may seem strange to consider buying a second home before I even buy my first, but given the cost of real estate in New York City, it makes sense. Anyhoo, Portland was on my list of cities to check out.

I thought the city was beautiful, but at the same time, something was missing. It didn't have the diversity that I take for granted in many of the other places I've lived -- Hong Kong, London, Washington DC, New York. Still, I wouldn't mind living there. While it has a small-town feel to it, it also has the amenities of big city living. The restaurant scene and shopping were on par with some of the cities on the East Coast but noticeably less expensive. My favorite was the City Grill for its late night menu and beautiful views. I had been very excited to dine at The Heathman but was disappointed with the service and not particularly blown away by the food. (I was dining alone that night, so instead of seating me at table as I requested, the staff suggested I sit at the bar even though there were plenty of tables available.)

The two pictures here struck me as just a little amusing. And, there were parts of the city that made me think that the city might not be a bad place to settle some day...when I grows up. If I don't become an astronaut/cowboy/firefighter/acrobat first, that is.