growyourwings (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
growyourwings) wrote2009-01-22 06:32 pm
growyourwings) wrote2009-01-22 06:32 pm
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Project 365 - Day 22: A Renaissance Day
Busy, busy, busy today. But better than yesterday because it didn't feel so mundane--or maybe I just wasn't so mundane.
I met with a headhunter for lunch to talk about job prospects. We met at this neat SE Portland restaurant called Mile's City Grill. Over by Lloyd Center area. Had a great lunch with the dude. He's been working in job placement for 8 years in this community and one of the first things he told me was that when he checked around with his contacts, it seemed like EVERYONE knew me and had good things to say.
Now of course the guy's not going to stress bad things to me. He wants to make money off of me. But I know from personal experience in the last several weeks how people have been coming out of the woodwork and contact me.
Just made me feel good. We had a long talk about the job market and about health care reform and about living in Portland (how great it is) and about our mutual excitement over the hope that Obama brings.
Then since I was in such a high mood, I decided to head off to NW Portland across the river to the New Renaissance Bookstore. A place that a friend had recommended to me. I'd been putting it off for a few reasons--not the least of which was...dude...it's in NW Portland! On 23rd of all places!
Now NW 23rd Avenue is one of those places in Portland where all the bohemian, new age, inner city, cool people live. There are tons of interesting and cool shops along the street. Amazing older (and very large!) houses and attractive newer townhouses and condomiums are springing up all over the place. And the parking is basically NON-EXISTENT! Everyone likes to go, shop, eat on NW 23rd--and there is only street parking and they are very narrow streets. So basically it's hunt and peck for parking and walking for a few blocks (if you are lucky.)
But it was a beautiful (if a tad chilly) day out and despite the fact that I was wearing business clothes and not walking shoes--I decided to check out this bookstore.
Glad I did. Got a ton of books (on top of the books I bought yesterday at Borders). All new-agey (or old eastern if you prefer) types of books. Perhaps more on this on my other LJ if I feel up to it later. Plus got some other neat stuff there too. The place was a little over whelming with all it's terrific stuff! It was in three connected old NW Portland houses.
Then I drove back home by way of SW Portland. So I have photos of NW and SW Portland as my Project 365 post today.
First the NW 23rd area of Portland. Beautiful in the sunshine...and I SWEAR I spotted some blossoms on a flowering cherry. But it was across the street and I couldn't get a photo of it.
Above you see the ubiquitous Starbuck's masquerading as hip and cool.
Above and the next two below are two of the houses where the New Renaissance Bookstore resides.
Gotta get my photos of rocks, moss and trees in there as well.
I particularly like old stone walls that has mucho moss growing on it. (Above)
One of the side streets by NW 23rd. (Above) Near where I had to park.
*sigh* Sometimes we Portlanders (or suburbanites of Portland) dream of living near NW 23rd. It always seems so cool.
With the photo above, I transition into SW Portland. This is taken near PGE Park (our local minor league baseball field).
And into the business downtown SW Portland district (above.)
The Park Blocks (above and below) near Portland State University. These are continuous blocks that run south to north for the length of SW Portland. Great way to walk through Portland and see the diversity of the city.
Portland State University (and Park Blocks) above. Not to far from where I used to work and this is where my daughter currently goes to college. A few blocks down I drove past my old place of work. I was amazed to discover that I felt no attachment to it at all. In fact, being unattached helped to to re-see and re-discover how beautiful this area was. I spent so much time here rushing to/from meetings that I'd forgotten that.
I met with a headhunter for lunch to talk about job prospects. We met at this neat SE Portland restaurant called Mile's City Grill. Over by Lloyd Center area. Had a great lunch with the dude. He's been working in job placement for 8 years in this community and one of the first things he told me was that when he checked around with his contacts, it seemed like EVERYONE knew me and had good things to say.
Now of course the guy's not going to stress bad things to me. He wants to make money off of me. But I know from personal experience in the last several weeks how people have been coming out of the woodwork and contact me.
Just made me feel good. We had a long talk about the job market and about health care reform and about living in Portland (how great it is) and about our mutual excitement over the hope that Obama brings.
Then since I was in such a high mood, I decided to head off to NW Portland across the river to the New Renaissance Bookstore. A place that a friend had recommended to me. I'd been putting it off for a few reasons--not the least of which was...dude...it's in NW Portland! On 23rd of all places!
Now NW 23rd Avenue is one of those places in Portland where all the bohemian, new age, inner city, cool people live. There are tons of interesting and cool shops along the street. Amazing older (and very large!) houses and attractive newer townhouses and condomiums are springing up all over the place. And the parking is basically NON-EXISTENT! Everyone likes to go, shop, eat on NW 23rd--and there is only street parking and they are very narrow streets. So basically it's hunt and peck for parking and walking for a few blocks (if you are lucky.)
But it was a beautiful (if a tad chilly) day out and despite the fact that I was wearing business clothes and not walking shoes--I decided to check out this bookstore.
Glad I did. Got a ton of books (on top of the books I bought yesterday at Borders). All new-agey (or old eastern if you prefer) types of books. Perhaps more on this on my other LJ if I feel up to it later. Plus got some other neat stuff there too. The place was a little over whelming with all it's terrific stuff! It was in three connected old NW Portland houses.
Then I drove back home by way of SW Portland. So I have photos of NW and SW Portland as my Project 365 post today.
First the NW 23rd area of Portland. Beautiful in the sunshine...and I SWEAR I spotted some blossoms on a flowering cherry. But it was across the street and I couldn't get a photo of it.
Above you see the ubiquitous Starbuck's masquerading as hip and cool.
Above and the next two below are two of the houses where the New Renaissance Bookstore resides.
Gotta get my photos of rocks, moss and trees in there as well.
I particularly like old stone walls that has mucho moss growing on it. (Above)
One of the side streets by NW 23rd. (Above) Near where I had to park.
*sigh* Sometimes we Portlanders (or suburbanites of Portland) dream of living near NW 23rd. It always seems so cool.
With the photo above, I transition into SW Portland. This is taken near PGE Park (our local minor league baseball field).
And into the business downtown SW Portland district (above.)
The Park Blocks (above and below) near Portland State University. These are continuous blocks that run south to north for the length of SW Portland. Great way to walk through Portland and see the diversity of the city.
Portland State University (and Park Blocks) above. Not to far from where I used to work and this is where my daughter currently goes to college. A few blocks down I drove past my old place of work. I was amazed to discover that I felt no attachment to it at all. In fact, being unattached helped to to re-see and re-discover how beautiful this area was. I spent so much time here rushing to/from meetings that I'd forgotten that.