Portland feels like a good fit. There’s so much to do here… so many fun things, that I keep having to remind myself that I need to be working… book launches, art openings, museums, restaurants… (Yay!) And I am looking to find a balance of daytime activities and night time work-time. After all, the ideas and good stuff come from doing things… from living life.
The weather has been really warm. I’m not used to 85 degrees and above. I don’t believe that is normal for Portland either… but there’s been plenty of sunshine so the transition has been a little easier… when the rain and drizzle starts up in the Fall, I will remind myself that I was once walking home from the Portland Zine Symposium in 90 degree blazing sun.
Life here in Portland sure is a different experience than living in Salinas, CA. Leaving “freebies” out on street corners is a thing. If you have a box of stuff you don’t want, but want to move on, just stick the stuff in a box with the magic words “FREE” on it… and the stuff disappears. We put out our moving boxes and paper for wrapping out on the sidewalk. People on bicycles, people in cars, people walking by… they made the moving supplies “move on.” Boxes gone. There was a box on the corner (we live at an intersection) of magazines, hats and doodads that disappeared, although it seemed to take about a week… unfortunately, a large ugly orange chair with a busted leg has appeared… and only the neighborhood cat, Phoenix has shown any interest.
In the same spirit, the neighborhoods have many a free library… an enclosed box or some contraption where books live that can go free to a new home. You can also deposit books and CDs in said place. Here’s one with a Doctor Who theme. Yes, there were shelves inside filled with books. It’s kind of fun… it’s like you don’t know what books are being offered and so it’s a bit of a surprise inside.
Since the sun doesn’t go down until 10-ish… people stay out late here. We live near many cool restaurants and a theater and stuff, so conversations can be heard late at night of folks walking by. So far we’ve seen and heard a breakup, many a wailing baby in a tummy pack, discussions about where to eat and other passing by conversations. Also, the sun comes up earlier, and so bicycles and runners and walkers get started early (Laurelhurst Park is just down the road).
One warning about that sun up and down business. Come winter you won’t see the sun until about 7 or 8 some mornings and it sets about 4/4:30 in the evenings. You are closer to the arctic circle there. Lots of rain and snow for days on end too, even in Portland.
Thank you for the head’s up, Ruth…. yes, Portland had a very snowy winter last year… and dark days of winter are coming… I’m sure they’ll be some art days where painting indoors will be the order of the day.
I’d a-taken it for a Port-a-Potty, not a TARDIS.
It DOES have that look as well.
85ish is pretty standard for the summer. It gets unpleasant in the 100s, but that doesn’t happen often. The low 90s aren’t great either, one of the negatives of being right on 2 major rivers, but eh.
Spring is allergy season, so you missed it this year. It’s AMAZINGLY beautiful when the flowers and trees are all blooming, but if you have pollen allergies it will also ruin you. Fall is probably my favorite time of the year, weather is lovely, trees are lovely, rain hasn’t fully kicked in yet, just a wonderful place to be.
Two things to think about for the fall/winter: Seasonal Affective Disorder is really big here as it rains from like October to April. The pair to that is that the low sunlight makes vitamin D deficiency pretty prevalent.
If you happen to have some free time, try to hit up the Japanese Garden or the International Rose Test Garden. They’re right across the road from each other, and they should both still be pretty lovely. Also, try to head out to the coast. I imagine the beaches will be quite different than what you’re used to in Cali. I <3 cold water beaches. Also also, try to stop in Tillamook and take a tour of the Tillamook Cheese Factory on your coastal adventure. It's fun and the ice cream there is delightful.
85 degrees… is a bit warm for me, but I will get used to it… luckily there are plenty of shade trees. And as winter comes along, I will make sure I keep the D supplements on hand. I suppose this is why Portland is all about the coffee … you need the upper during winter-time. I’m looking to find the coast in the upcoming still-summer time. I am also looking into my first Oregon comics convention on the coast… for the Spring. The author of “Gulls” steered me there… and the Japanese Garden is unparalleled in its beauty! Also, you had me at cheese!
So where are you, Legacy?
Currently Tualatin, and not looking forward to this upcoming week. I think the weather took my proclamation that it rarely hits 100s as a challenge.
July and August are the hot months though, so it hopefully will go back to being nice in a few weeks.
Oh yeah, that’s the other thing about up here, the miserable part of summer is only a month or so long, and it usually gets down cool enough at night to turn the AC off (if you have it) and use a fan in the window. I was shocked when we moved to Washington 20 years ago and almost nobody had AC on the coast. Inland, definitely had them, LOL!
You can’t take a tour of The Tillamook Cheese Factory this year, its closed down for renovations to make it more accessible for all visitors and I think to expand the ice cream shop. I can’t remember what all they are doing, but its a pretty big dealio! I was so sad to hear it was closed as we go a couple times a year (admission is free), so many free samples of cheeses and a cheese shop and did I mention ice cream??
And yeah, this heat wave is very very unusual for oregon, we typically get 1-3 100 degree days a year and they’re usually closer to the end of august start of September.
Welcome to Portland, give us a heads up when you know which comic con you’ll be attending, I’m not big on the big crowds but if you go to a smaller one perhaps I’ll finally be able to make it 😀
Tillamook ice cream is wonderful! Legacy is right about the vitamin D deficiency, also. We live on the east side of the mountains in Washington and have to take supplements here, even. That’s mainly because neither one of us can take the heat in the summer here so we don’t get outside. Sunburns this far north are painful, too. Lived on the other side and loved the beaches. Absolutely wonderful in any time of year for walking.
I had some Tillamook somewheres… not long ago… Farmer’s market? Hmmm… I just had some Eb & Bean’s organic frozen yogurt, which was lovely! mmm…. perfect for a warm day.
I go for Tillamook cheese, myself. Which I can find in south Louisiana, believe it or not. I see where Dave’s Killer Bread is to be had at Costco; must have missed that last week.