a few things we love in Portland

We've had a glorious few days in Portland.Its tough to be only passing through when we so wish we could stay for a longer spell, but it was great to be here and catch up with at least few of the friends we are behind on seeing.

Jen and I made sure our first few days were about hitting all the wonder portland food spots that we miss on a daily basis. - Screen Door and their cathead biscuit sandwich, check. - Another Reggie Deluxe form Pine State, check. - Bryan's bowl from Porque No?, check. Okay, for the record, we don't know for certain that this meal was named for me, and since the owner's name is also Bryan some like to believe that he named it for himself... but i know Bryan, and he's a really nice guy and a fabulous restauranteur (and writer to boot). I just cant imagine that he would do something so self-proclaiming. I also seem to recall first seeing the name around the time I helped them lay bricks for the patio of the original location off mississippi. I thought the margarita i received was thanks enough...but there's a chance this miracle bowl was named in tribute to my community building efforts, no? I digress. - Happy Hour Manhattans, Hushpuppies and Spaetzle from Victory Bar, check.

Not a bad start to any visit. We could eat and drink our way through this town forever!

We also picked up a few packages that have been delivered for the bus, meaning more projects when we get home! I ordered a 12gallon water tank to make sure we can stay out of civilization for at least a little while when needed (which will made the faucet installed a couple weeks ago way more exciting than it is as a mere decoration).

We also got a folding ladder from Pedro's, to ensure acrobatics aren't required every time we need something off the rack. This will require a bit more work (like every project/purchase for the bus), as the bumpers are supposed to hit along the belly strip of the bus (where its far stronger) rather than 2" above like they do now. Ive already spoken with Pedro and he's awesome to work with. We should have a custom ladder in the works before leaving town.

Had an awesome BBQ with friends at KnTs, and got a few morning/evening hottub soaks in. Whats not to love about vacation?

We also had a chance to swing by and get Lisa to realign our Qi. for those who don't know, Lisa is our acupuncturist and runs Riverwest Acupuncture in Portland. She is truly an amazing healer in every sense of the word. I think most of you who know us have already been referred to or visited Lisa, but for those who haven't... if you have anything wrong (physically,mentally, emotionally...) she can fix it, or at least put you on the right path to fixing it.

Among other small ailments and moments of turmoil in our lives, Lisa helped Jen to a rapid recovery from a knee injury, put my back on the path of health and cured Jen from lactose intolerance. Seriously, this lady is amazing. We are also now proud to call her a good friend, and she's an all around miracle worker and fantastic person. Her goals go far beyond her personal practice and she is actively pursuing dreams of helping those in need through group and community acupuncture programs. It was great to see her new space, and phases of her dream coming to fruition during our visit! We love you Lisa!