When Your Body Can't Keep Up With The City

I want to be in my 20s in Portland. Instead, I am 40 (just barely) and it’s exhausting. I love Portland. I love the people, the neighborhoods, the parks in the middle of the streets, the food,—man, but I love the food—and I love the way the city makes me feel. 

Spring Rolls at Portland Saturday Market are one of my favorite things.

I will stand in line for a long time for these delicious Pine State Biscuits.

I live across the river and can go to Portland whenever I want- we are usually there at least once a week. Yet it still feels like we have so much to explore that often I am loathe to waste any time by doing what I really want to do- sit and watch for hours.

There are five coffee shops on every block, an endless stream of people to watch, and great shops with merchandise I can't afford. You can take a Segway tour of the city (see this documentary for a look at the man behind the Segway), browse through hundreds of booths at Saturday Market, find a record at 2nd Avenue Records, buy an obscene amount of books at Powell's, happen upon a random neighborhood street fair (my favorite so far-Mississippi Avenue), and go on an 80's dance cruise on the Willamette River. Let's not forget all the breweries and maker's spaces, art galleries and rooftop gardens (New Seasons in Woodstock is the latest).

Chris Paulsen's booth (3sevens Pottery) at Saturday Market. I love his work.

These lucky people are on a Segway tour of Portland.

There is so much to see and do in Portland it would take a lifetime, and I'm not sure I have that kind of time. Who knows how long we'll live near this amazing city? We are meeting some friends in the city today and will probably do/see a few more things, but for an hour beforehand I'm going to find a prime place to sit and enjoy the show. I'll let you know what I find.