What my iPhone has to say about my last days in Oregon

September 18, 2012

What my iPhone has to say about my last days in Oregon

For those of you who don't already know: I've temporarily relocated to Vegas.

Peace out, PDX.

Before I skipped town, I tried to cram as much fun and friendship as possible into my final days in Oregon. Here are some highlights:

1) Obligatory Beach Trip:

I played in the tide pools with two of my best friends on a glorious beach trip. Newport is quickly becoming my favorite coastal town.

Joelle, Schuyler, and myself. And our crazy wind-blown hair.

We lucked out with fantastically rare Oregon Coast Sunshine.

Schuyler took us to a great new spot near some excellent rocks, which provided copious opportunities for sea-creature-catching while also blocking the wind.

Before and After weather shots. An hour can make a HUGE difference at the Oregon Coast.

2) Toddler Tuesday at Oaks Park

Kendra and I took the twins to the local amusement park for some cheap rides.

Luke and Abbey loved it.

Being an aunt is seriously the most fun title I've ever had.

Luke, soaking up his last few months as my only nephew and the main man in my life.

3) One last OMSI trip

Checkin' out the boats

I'm beginning to wonder if this membership I orchestrated as a family birthday gift was perhaps more for me than it was for them - I think I took them every single week I lived with them this summer, sometimes more than once!

4) Portland Food Mecca

I tried a few restaurants that have been on my ever-growing list of delicious Portland treats, especially during cheapity-cheap happy hour!

1. Salt & Straw Ice Cream. Where I sampled several unique flavors, such as: Pear with Bleu Cheese, Sweet Summer Corn Buttermilk Sherbet, and Chèvre with Marionberry Habanero Jam.

2. Hawthorne Fish House for "Portland's Best Fish & Chips"

3. Red-E Cafe, where cold brew coffee is served on tap (genius!)

4. Produce Row with my most lovely discipleship team. They have an excellent happy hour.

These women have been discipling me since February, during what has arguably been the most transformative/confusing/trying/spiritual-stretching season of my life. And I could not be more grateful.

Can you guess which beer is mine?

5. East Side Deli for an epic sandwich

6. Night Light Lounge for scrumptious grilled cheese and tomato soup with some fabulous MSWs

7. Maple Leaf Cafe for the most random, small-town brunch eating experience of my life

5) The Swifts!

I witnessed the simple magnificence of the swifts roosting in the chimney at Chapman Elementary School. They do this every evening at sunset throughout the month of September, and people come from all over the city to picnic, cheer, and marvel at this delightfully free Portland event.

I was impressed by the crowd.

The birds are so tiny and my phone camera is such poor quality, so this picture really doesn't do it justice...but if you look really closely you can see the tiny black specks swirling and funneling into the chimney.

6) The Illumination Project

I was enlightened at the live taping of The Illumination Project, which will eventually turn into a 6 week series highlighting the concepts of Love and Respect for us young(ish) folks...in hopes that we don't grow into a generation of married couples who later say, "If I only knew then what I know now."

7) Sweatin' to the 80's

I reveled in the spandex, neon, and sweat of 80's night at the Crystal Ballroom with some girlfriends. Hopefully I will have pictures soon because let me tell you, my outfit was spectacular.

8) Cupcake Girls

I learned more about becoming involved in the wonderfully authentic ministry that is The Cupcake Girls (best part: they are originally based out of Vegas!)

9) Vintage Shopping

Due to a rather ~~expensive~~ unfortunate flat tire incident, Joelle and I were blessed with a rare opportunity to explore one of SE Hawthorne's famous vintage shops.

My poor car, being scraped up and towed away.

Joelle was in typewriter Heaven!

10) House Party

A friend of a friend was asked to house sit for a client of hers, with the instructions that she must throw a party. The house had the most gorgeous, multi-level, riverfront, complete-with-firepits (yes, plural)-and-massive-bbq back yard. Joelle gladly accompanied me.