May 2018

Whenever I return to Portland from a trip abroad, whether I’ve been in BC, Spain, Denmark, or The Netherlands, I always feel a bit let down. Of course, I’m happy to home, to sleep in my own bed, and to reconnect with friends. But, right away, I find myself missing the lively, outdoor social spaces that are such a big part of what makes Europe and B.C. so great. There are so many cafés with outdoor seating, plazas, open-air ice-skating rinks, accessible lakes and rivers, and terrific urban parks. And they are typically full of amenities: places to eat, grab a drink, listen to some music, rent bikes or ice skates, or simply people watch.