A Weekend In Portland

Well hello!

I'm back and I'm ready to blog (cracks knuckles menacingly), and boy do I have a lot to catch up on, but first, HI NEW PEEPS! I see there are a few new people following along, so to you folks, hello & welcome!

I'm going a little way back for this post, just to early September when I had the opportunity to take a quick weekend getaway to see some friends. Friends, who to this point had been bloggy/internetty friends, that is, we'd never met face to face, but we're as tight as any girlfriends! We chat online about all manner of topics nearly every day for the past couple of years, I already felt like I knew them and vice versa. Also... they're stitchy/crafty rock stars!

From left to right is me, Tara, Pam & Shannon otherwise known as The Mistress T, Kittykill and Gigglymama! (HI GIRLS!!) These girls are just as terrific as I knew they would be, as though there was ever any doubt.

We'd kind of planned a low key weekend of relaxing, talking, visiting, stitching and such. Welp, we never got to any stitching, but we did eat really well and see lots of very cool stuff. Pam and her hubby, Mark were excellent guides, they took me all over their wonderful city. 

Saturday morning we started with breakfast and a little shopping. We took this picture for our friend, Ellen. Yay unicorns!

Hey look, it's one of Portland's famous Horse Rings! 

AND BIGFOOT!

I took a TON of pictures, so I've taken the liberty of making some collages so as not to bog you guys down, feel free to click any of the pictures to see the large version of any of these photos.

The International Rose Test Garden

The Oregon Holocaust Memorial.

Visiting the memorial was a very deep and humbling experience, as it should be. This is the first time I've had the opportunity to visit any Holocaust memorial, it was profoundly moving for all of us. It's very hard for me to express properly, so I'll leave it at that. 

We visited a very cool old cemetery, we discovered we all LOVE old cemeteries. And not in a creepy, emo way. Just an old, historical love for them. 

Whoa.

That's my maiden name... it's always a little unsettling when you run across one of those.

Next visited the Side Street Gallery which was featuring Pam's Sugar Skulls.

T

This was such a great place, eye candy everywhere, good shopping too!

For dinner that night, Pam & Mark took me to The Kennedy School. This was the neatest restaurant I've ever been to, a converted, historical elementary school. It's so cool! 

Two drinks, one mouth. Drinking problem? Nah...

The Kennedy School is full, to the brim of art, there are murals everywhere, here are some of the ones I liked best. 

Here's my favorite!

And they let'cha walk around with your drinks, too... neato!

Sunday had us going to a birthday celebration for one of Tara's Beastie Grrlz, Delia. Dog parties are fun!

Several of dog park, doggy friends came to celebrate Delia's 1st birthday, we watched them scamper around and play ball, and watched every one of them roll on a mysteriously attractive (and I'm guessing stinky) spot on the grass. Dogs and stinky spots go together like peanut butter & jelly. Am I right?

Speaking of dogs! Let me introduce you to the girls's kids, these furry friends kept me company, made me laugh and made it easier to be away from my own fuzzy brood.

First up the birthday girl & her sister, these are Tara's dogs,

  Betty & Delia

And the Pedersen Pups!

Lola ~ Pete ~ Jujube

I had such a great time up in Portland, meeting my friends in real life was so awesome! I can't wait to see them again. Lodi isn't as great as Portland, but ladies I'll show you the town and we'll paint it red if you decide you need to see Northern California, teehee!

Coming home was nice too, look who was waiting for me!

Lola & Boz

I think they were happy to have me back home.

♥

I hope you've enjoyed coming along with me for a little bit of Portland, like I said I've got a lot of catching up to do so come back soon because I'm hoping to get several more posts published this week, better late than never I say!

How've you been friends? What's shaking in your neck of the woods?

oxo,

Lisa