WeekENDS in PDX

     I was watching TV recently and one of the characters had some sort of accent. Although I remember nothing else from the show I do remember enjoying that character but mostly loving the way the word "weekend" was pronounced. Most of us red-blooded Americans pronounce it WEEK-end but this, perhaps rogue, character pronounced it week-END. I though that was so much more fitting as it emphasized the "end" part which we all know to be so much more enjoyable than the "week" part.

     True to the weekEND pronunciation, Portland knows how to make the most of 48 hours. Pick a weekend, any weekend, and you will find any number of charity runs/walks/bike rides, farmer's markets and about a bagillion festivals.You're probably thinking, "Come on. Bagillion isn't even a real number. Surely you're exaggerating." I assure you I am not. As for bagillion, Portland is a safe haven for all things hipster, so naturally it has a bagillion of something before anyone else even knows about such a cool number.

     I realize photographic evidence is a must so here are just a couple of my weekEND adventures in PDX.

                                                                                 

This lovely Irish festival is touted as the only thing Portland does halfway. Complete with Irish music, Irish dancing, bagpipers, and costumed leprachauns, it's a perfect event for anyone looking for a dose of Ireland to get them through to St. Patrick's Day.

Portland just loves cultural festivals. I'm pretty sure that at some point throughout the year every single country gets some sort of representation including Djbouti and Lesotho. This weekEND it happen to be Fiesta Patrias. Nacho Libre wrestlers came to celebrate, although part of me thinks they were just wandering the streets in a "keep Portland weird" kinda way when they stumbled on to a festival where their attire happened to be appropriate.

         

 

    

 Next stop... Poland. You thought I was kidding about the cultural festival thing... but I wasn't. I attended a legetimate Polish festival. Luckily, I had a Pole to go with me to give me the inside scoop. Lucky thing too, because he was also quite helpful in translating what the vendors were saying about me in Polish... and ordering me the absolute best Polish food.

 In our fruitless pursuit of a funnel cake we stumbled upon this gem. It's an ice cream shoppe called Salt&Straw and we figured it must not be the worst ice cream ever since the line was out the door and around the corner... so we decided to get some.

In true PDX fashion this place only offers ice cream made with all natural, local, organic ingredients. I took a quick trip to the farm to make sure everything was above board before I placed my order and the cows seem quite happy there. This sign is also what distinguishes the line around the block as eager customers rather than picketing activists.

Then I saw the menu. Forget 32 flavors. This place offers pear with blue cheese ice cream along with malted plum, honey lavender, and brown butter popcorn among other flavors. It was then I realized the genius of this shoppe's proprietor. All natural, local, organic, homemade ice cream made in one of a kind flavors which after eating you can discuss amongst friends less hip than you... the PDX jackpot.

 Lest you think everything happening in Portland revolves around food (it does), sometimes I go to events where food is only half the reason people show up... Like quilting expos. Another great time, although I'm pretty sure my friends and I were the only ones there that didn't personally witness Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon... may he rest in peace.

 

 

 



 Aside from food and crafting, I would say Portland's third love is the arts. There are always tons of free concerts in whatever genre your little heart desires. What makes this even better is moving the arts outdoors because Portlanders go nuts when being outside is even an option. What better way to get hipster Portland excited about the opera than putting on a free outdoor opera sampling and following it up with an outdoor Marx Brothers movie projected on a giant screen? I suggest there is no better way.

 And last but most certainly not least...My all time favorite event in Portland is the annual Symphony on the Waterfront concert and it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a free Portland Symphony concert on the waterfront complete with performances by the Portland Ballet and finished off with the 1812 Overture and fireworks to the sound of cannon fire. It was one of the first events I went to when I moved to town last year and it felt like it was all for me. It probably was...Portland sure knows how to show a girl a good time.