To Be Hip and With It.

My days here in Portland get better and better.  With this being so, today was my favorite day with my team. 

We ventured to the outskirts of the city for some thrift store hunting and cafe occupying.  While some of us gravitated to a rock climbing gym, others sought out Stumptown coffee, while Ellen and I wandered to wherever the wind blew us.

Something about these small communities outside of downtown Portland is so movie-esque.  I can't quite put my finger on what it is that makes them so.  Maybe it's the quaintness of the homes or the hippie appeal of the scattered cafes and coffee houses.  There were simply moments where things would align and kids would be playing in school yards, people would be walking their dogs and talking with their neighbors, and the chill in the air just felt right.  I'm sorry if I'm getting too flowery here but I just had a really good day walking around the suburbs.  I could easily see myself moving to a place like this.

Ellen at my favorite place in Portland so far.  A thrift store called Really Good Stuff.  I could have spent hours there.

Preparing for FMT!

Feels good!

The weird factor was certainly present.

Tommy, the store feline.  He was snuggly.

I bought these old photos.  The one at the top right is from the 40's.  I am such a sucker for this kind of thing.  Luckily he had file cabinets of old photographs for purchase.  Very, very interesting.

There were lots of cool paintings.  I guess this is an updated American Gothic.

Another.

And another.

Ellen looking through the old photos.  She found some good ones.

More great old stuff at cheap prices.

My second favorite place in Ptown.  The Rockin' Frog.

Learning how to be a hipster Rocking Frog style.

Love, Peace, and Happiness.

I double backed a ways to get a shot of this.

Where a farmer's markets meet food trucks.

Friendly animals everywhere.

Everywhere!

Isn't this movie mural awesome?!

I could live here.

Or here.

But I am content actually living here.

Sol Plaza near our apartment.  It's the solar system!

 Thanks for sitting through my little slide show there.  I'm thinking of video blogging soon so keep an eye out for that!