Portland, OR and my short blonde friends

It was great to get the chance to spend a long weekend out on the West Coast. Bridget and Jen both moved out this way last year and so finally I was able to make a visit. And I admit that it was so much more relaxing than any of my work trips. I am so thankful that I could spend time out here with them and away from work. So refreshing.

Jen and I ventured to the Stash Tea store and I introduced her to my favorite Licorish Tea.
Jen's husband Mike and Bridget both joined us for dinner and we had a hilarious conversation telling bad dating stories. Jen and Bridget also talked a little bit about what it was like to move to Portland.

Bridget and I went to the Japanese gardens which were so beautiful. And this Bridge is on the cover of the book Heaven that I tell everyone to read. Randy Alcorn, the author, is also from Portland.Bridget and I made a fantastic chicken dinner and ate it in her adorable kitchen. While meandering through the city we stopped at the world's largest book store - Powell's - and it was pretty overwhelming. And since they didn't have my Gillian Bradshaw books I wasn't very impressed. There were some funny signs that we saw. This one warns bicycle riders about the tracks. And of course people in Oregon can not spell "Milwaukee" as you can see in this sign. At least the Oregon City, WI is spelled the right way!
The most ridiculous thing ever was on the way from Jen and Mike's house back to Bridget's apartment we had to go over the river. So we got off the highway, merged onto a one way street that was separated by a median. The two different sides of traffic (going the same way) had different traffic lights! Then we went under the bridge that we wanted to be on, and only 2 seconds later made a U-turn to go back under that very same bridge . . . at this point it would have seemed like we were lost but no the actual way to go is make a sharp right turn up a very steep hill through a neighborhood. Not only are there no signs to tell you to go this way but it litterally feels like the highway has completely disappeared. However, after making another turn and passing a few more houses you come to an entrance ramp. This again unmarked is finally the way onto the bridge. And of course Bridget had been explaining this silly path the whole time we were driving and I was laughing so hard "I bout fell out" (Linnea that was for you). For those of you who are curious - that is the Ross Island Bridge. And my friend Bridget is quite well acquainted with her new city - she was not lost, nor did she need a map. Impressive.