New Life, New Coast.

Minnesota, Take 2

2007-08-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

We're home. After a year and a half of thinking, praying and wondering, we pulled into the Twin Cities this afternoon after three straight days of driving. It feels great to be back -- the streets are familiar and we know we have a church to go to on Sunday. Have we mentioned we bought a house? It's the cottage we've been dreaming about all these years:

It's in St. Paul and we're thrilled to be moving in soon. Until then, our friends Bjorn and Sarah were nice enough to let us stay at their house while they're on vacation.

Of course, our joy being back is muted by the terrible bridge collapse yesterday. We were driving through Montana when Ben finally reached me. I couldn't believe the news, and though we were still probably 1,000+ miles away I just wanted to do something, help somehow. I couldn't. I just prayed, sped to our hotel where I glued myself to CNN. Prayed for the families. Called Tracy in St. Paul who was luckily safe and sound. As we reached NPR range today Ben and I both listened to each press conference, every bit of information we could. We have been so impressed with the Twin Cities leaders -- their grace and dignity in handling this tragedy. Also interesting are the stories of the pedestrians who jumped in the river to save people and those who helped the children off the school bus -- surely there are countless more. This is the spirit of Minnesotans I believe, and truly the spirit of the Midwest. Probably the spirit of all people in the midst of a tragedy.

Anyway...we're just so glad to be back.

“Don’t visit unless you intend on staying. It’s just that good.” – Garrison Keillor

2007-07-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Mr. Keillor was, of course, referencing his home state of Minnesota. A lot of people assume Minnesota is some barren wasteland in the middle of the frozen tundra. They don’t know what they’re missing. Try gazing at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, riding your bike on the miles upon miles of dedicated bike trails in the Twin Cities, or just drinking coffee on the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais and then tell me it’s a barren wasteland.

The truth is, we’ve missed Minnesota for a long time. We only lived there for a few years, but it got in our blood. And so, we’re heading back. I’ll continue exploring my new passion for financial aid as a Financial Aid Counselor at Anoka Technical College, just north of Minneapolis. Nikki is looking at a variety of options in public relations.

Portland is a nice place. I can understand why a lot of people want to live here. But ultimately we had to heed the words of Garrison Keillor, the patron saint of Minnesota. And so we gladly head back to the Midwest, a little bit older, hopefully a little bit wiser, and completely ready to embrace who we are: Minnesotans.

A Change of Direction: Trying a New Church

2007-03-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

Finding a church in Portland has been a rather interesting (and disappointing) experience for us this past year. There was the Presbyterian church where no one spoke to us for five weeks. We tried an Episcopalian church, but it lived down to every cliché of that denomination (just a couple of old people talking about how enlightened they were and badmouthing more conservative Christians). And we can’t forget about the stereotypical, non-denominational church in the suburbs. We didn’t like it, but we kept attending because we didn’t want to hurt the feelings of our college friends who believed the church was the greatest thing since Super Mario Bros. 3.

We’ll save the hardcore analysis of our inability to find a church for another day. Let’s just say that we decided it was time to scrap our usual game plan and move out of our comfort zone. With that in mind, we found ourselves visiting the Evergreen Community. Our fellow Minnesota transplants, Kobie & Travis Moore, have settled in nicely over there.

Overall, it was a good experience. Some random observations from our visit:

I had been reading the blog of Bob Hyatt, the pastor at Evergreen. I got the feeling that he was just a normal, down-to-earth guy; someone you could have a beer with. After Sunday, I still think that’s true.
Kobie introduced us to Chris, the Associate Pastor, who bears a striking resemblance to my brother, Joe. He also lives in our neighborhood. You have to love it when Multnomah Village represents.
They’re a church plant that meets in a pub. I have some church plant experience. I tell you, being in the pub made me feel very nostalgic for the days when Church of Cross was meeting in the social room at my apartment complex. Not having your own building really gives you a certain energy that is lost when a church “settles down” into a permanent space. I could definitely sense that at Evergreen.
They don’t do typical sermons. It’s more of a guided discussion. (It’s not as shallow and annoying as it sounds.) It went better than I thought it would. People were engaged and polite. Plus, my mind didn’t wander like it usually does during sermons (and it always does).

Bottom line: I got the feeling that at its core, Evergreen is a community of people struggling together to figure out what it means to be the people of God in a broken world. That sounds like Nikki and me. I don’t know if that means we’ve found a new church home, but I do know that it means we’ll visit again. (Of course, with Nikki out of town on business this Sunday, I might chicken out and “be sick” instead of visiting by myself. We’ll see.)

Annie mugs for the camera

2007-03-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

We've had Annie for two weeks now and she's doing just great. We took our first trip to the dog park yesterday where she romped with dogs twice her size tirelessly. We went back again today -- it's just so fun to see her run in an all-out sprint! She can't do that in our backyard. Here are a few pics of her playing with her toys today, and just sitting pretty for the camera.

Heroes in a Half Shell

2007-03-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

For those of you out there like Ben and I, who grew up in the 80s and 90s, you must be horrified nand slightly amused (like me) to learn that there is a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie coming out. Seriously? Yes, seriously. We grew up with Raphael, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Leonardo -- and now they're coming back into our life?! Wild. Except now they're called "TMNT." This only conjures up memories of another childhood memory...when another group of childhood idols needed a new image to recapture what they once had. My favorite was always Joey. :)

A dog who loves to chew

2007-03-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend was incredible. The rain stopped, the sun came out, and the temperature climbed to near 60. We took long walks with Annie who's getting over kennel cough so can't stop and sniff the other dogs like she'd like to. Three more days of antibiotics and then...dog park!

We did come across a wonderful little store that just opened up about two blocks from us -- Healthy Pets Northwest. I was in search of toys that Annie couldn't chew through in less than an hour, and they were happy to help. I bought a rope, tied at two ends, that also serves as dental floss! Also, a very durable fabric frisbee-type toy. She's had both for more than 24 hours now and both are still in tact despite lots of chewing. I think we've found some winners!

In completely non-pet news, I also broke down and bought a smart phone...I have been traveling for work a little more lately and feel a smart phone will be really handy so I don't have to break out my laptop every time I need to check e-mail. I can't believe I finally broke down and bought one, but I did. It's kind of sickening, but kind of exhilarating.

Here's to another good week...you can just tell spring is in the air. The daffodils are blooming, some little purple flowers are too, and daylight savings time is only a week away!

Do you know the way to San Jose?

2007-03-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

I do now. I took my first official trip to California this week for work -- spent a few days with the Hotmail team, and as strange as it sounds, had a great time. Silicon Valley is amazing -- you can practically feel the high-tech power oozing from everyone and everywhere. I was there to spend time at the Microsoft campus, of course, but my cabbie drove me past the Google campus just for fun, and pointed out the Yahoo! campus too. It wasn't all Hotmail talk...we also ate at an amazing Vietnamese fusion restaurant called Xanh in downtown Mountain View.

Can't wait to visit California again...for leisure next time!

The MS campus in Mountain View...right down the street from its rival, Google.

Yummmm...Xanh. My favorite was the green beans smothered in peanut sauce.

Welcome Annie!

2007-02-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

We've only owned you for a few hours and yet we already love you. We're looking forward to exploring Portland with you, taking you to the beach and camping this summer, and spending many, many happy years together. Thanks Family Dogs New Life for bringing us together!

One Year Anniversary

2007-02-22T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today marks our one year anniversary of moving to Portland. While it's been a year full of changes, I think I can safely say we've grown to have a healthy respect for our little corner of the world. Life is good, and we're content. (And we're going to get a dog, but more on that later.)

72 Hours of Dad Bonding

2007-01-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

My dad came for a visit this weekend -- staying just long enough for his poor body to start getting adjusted to West Coast time. It's cruel, this time zone thing. After Christmas it took me a solid week to get re-adjusted to West Coast time -- I fell asleep at 8pm each night and kept waking up at 4am. Anyway, here's a snapshot at what we did each day:

Friday:
After picking Dad up from the airport and grabbing some lunch at home, we load him into the car and drive him out to Cannon Beach along slightly icy and slightly scary roads. Do we know how to use chains? NOPE! Poor Dad has been up since literally 12:45am Pacific time and we know the fatigue is setting in, but he's a trooper. We walk along the beach, ooh and ahh at the haystack rock, and see some kind of large, twisted mass of undersea foliage that washed up on the beach...maybe...but we agree it's some kind of hippie art installation.

Saturday:
My birthday! The realization that when my dad was my age he had a 2-year-old and a pregnant wife. Crazy. I've just got a houseplant and a slightly temperamental husband. I took Dad up to Washington Park, and then attempted to find SE Hawthorne and Mt. Tabor Park, but somehow got lost three times in the process. Got so frustrated that we came back to MV and soothed our souls at the Grand Central Bakery...yum. Later, Ben came home (he was volunteering at a work thing earlier in the day) and we went to the Columbia River Gorge...Vista House and the majestic Multnomah Falls. We finished the day with what is my dad's new favorite movie (right?) - The Devil Wears Prada.

Sunday:
With Ben's help, found SE Hawthorne and Mt. Tabor. And then...FOOTBALL. The main event. The COLTS ARE HEADED TO THE SUPER BOWL!!! To finish the day, some Hot Lips Pizza. So proud of Dad, he tried the ham, pear and cheddar pizza and liked it.

Monday:
Bye Dad...our time was really too short! We love you. Hopefully our paths will cross again soon.

The reality of the world.

2007-01-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ben and I dined at our favorite fast-casual establishment, Noodles & Company, last evening in Beaverton. As we sat down with our mid-priced plates of steaming pasta, in walks Drunk Girl who plopped down RIGHT next to us. Immediately she calls Some Dude and their conversation goes something like this (one-sided only, we only heared this from DG's point of view):

DG: Dude, I am so drunk right now! Yeah, I got fired today. The fire department came in and said the kitchen was insanitary. So they fired me.

Ben and I look at each other. Then we look at our pasta.

DG: So I'm back here at my old job, Noodles, I start tomorrow.

Sigh of relief.

DG: And I am SO wasted!

No kidding!

DG: Dude, I've been doing a lot of thinking, you know? About life, and I just miss you. I miss the way you took care of me. Remember the day we were out on the lake?

Ummm...should we really be listening at this point? But we just can't stop. It's getting too good.

DG: And I almost passed out?

Kind of like now?

DG: You took such good care of me...you really did. I just miss you being you.

Awwwww...go get him then!

DG: But this is the life I've chosen for myself. I have to take on real responsibility and make a life for myself, you know?

Yeah, we know, real responsibility. Kind of like getting drunk on Friday night in a Noodles & Company.

DG: Life is just too hard.

We understand, DG, we do! Go home and sleep it off. Your first (and second) clue should have been the manager asking you two different times to leave. This is a family establishment.

DG: Everything is so messed up. There is no justice in the world. I am the only reality of the world.

WHOA, DG. That is deep stuff. Maybe you should consider a career in philosophy!

At that point we left. We'd tried to leave at several points before but it was just too entertaining. DG, wherever you're at tonight, I do hope you find the reality you're looking for.

Giving Thanks.

2006-11-26T17:06:00.000-08:00

It always gets difficult this time of year living far from our families. Because it's just too far to travel home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, we try to get creative for how we spend our Thanksgivings. This year was pretty great -- we made a mini-feast at home and then took off for the Alderbrook Resort in Union, Washington, a little town located on the Olympic Peninsula. It was out in the middle of nowhere, but boasted some of the most picturesque views we've seen since living in the Pacific Northwest. We got blissful massages on Friday morning and Santa flew in by seaplane on Friday afternoon. We ate at the on-site restaurant on Friday evening and felt like real adults when we said "Charge it to our room!" Here are some shots from Alderbrook...

Not that you care, but our room was on the third floor, the third from the left. :)

The view from our room, the Olympic Mountains in the background.

Our view at dusk...

Now...to start thinking about Christmas! Three short weeks and I'm headed home to Indianapolis to start WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING with my sister Betsy who got engaged on Thanksgiving! Congratulations Betsy and Ryan!

The happy couple.

Sea Lions and Tiger Sharks and Beer, Oh My!

2006-11-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we traveled to Newport, a not-so-little town on the Oregon coast. We spent much of our time in the "Historic Bayfront" part of town where fishing boats dock and unload their daily catch. We watched as fishermen -- weathered from battling the wind and salt water day after day -- handed off their daily catch to two women that fileted the fish with such skill and speed. We walked on the beach, which we shared with just a handful of other folks who braved the 48 degree coastal temps! But our favorite part was the sea lions -- right there, out in the wild. We saw several sleeping, right underneath a pier we walked out onto, and then there were probably another 50 out in the water sunning themselves on some rocks. They're such huge, blubbery creatures and we were so close!

Not sure what they're saying to each other, but boy do they bark!

We visited the famous Oregon Coast Aquarium and and loved seeing this exhibit, Passages of the Deep. Sharks swim all around you...even underneath of you...the glass floor plates make you feel a bit uneasy!

We ate dinner at the Rogue Brewery -- I (admittedly not a beer lover) actually found a beer I (kind of) like -- the Hazelnut Brown Nectar.

All in all, a great trip. And we fit it in right before the rainy season began...

Sleeping under the stars

2006-10-22T20:19:00.000-07:00

Ben went camping (no, that's not a typo -- yes, camping, with a tent and a sleeping bag in the great outdoors) last weekend with some fellow Taylor grads who all live in the Portland area. They stayed at Lost Lake near Mount Hood and hiked, fished, and hunted elk I think. Here's a few pics...

Keep Portland Weird.

2006-10-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Portland residents love their "Keep Portland Weird" bumper stickers, and there's a reason why: because Portland is weird. Or it can be weird. In the past few months we've witnessed the following with our very own eyes:

- A 450-lb. pumpkin growing in front of someone's house, about two blocks from us. Normal? I think not.
- Some dude walking laps around Multnomah Village loudly rapping along to Eminem's "Stan" on his iPod. Strange -- we've actually seen him several times.
- A three-legged bulldog gleefully strolling down the street.
- A man jogging backward down the street in front of our house.
- A woman vomiting in the middle of a downtown street. She finished, wiped her mouth, and kept walking.
- A fox right in the middle of Gabriel Park. Okay, not weird, but freaky!

We'll keep chronicling the "weirdness" we see -- it's what keeps life interesting around here. :)

Family Part II and III and the Fruit Loop

2006-09-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Reeds were out to visit this past month -- Ben's parents, Bev and Larry, over Labor Day weekend, and Ben's brother, Joe, sister-in-law, Natalie, and their 1-year-old, Ezra, this past week. We were able to sightsee with Bev and Larry -- Pacific City, Tillamook Creamery, and Cannon Beach on day 1 and rose garden, downtown Portland and Columbia River Gorge on day 2 -- and always love getting to be tourists in our own state because it's just so darn beautiful.

Joe, Natalie and Ezra explored on their own while Ben and I were at work, and also saw some wonderful sites. Ezra loved playing in the sand (and frigid water!) at Cannon Beach and they picked up some fresh blueberries at a local fruit stand on the way out to Mt. Hood. Being with them made us homesick -- last time we saw Ezra he was just four months old and now he's practically a little boy! He's just a joy to be around...very loving, happy and energetic. We can't wait for Christmas -- our next chance to be with everyone again.

Also wanted to mention that we toured the Hood River "Fruit Loop" yesterday -- a 35-mile loop of local orchards and fruit stands about an hour east of Portland. You may or may not know that I LOVE orchards, especially this time of year. While we didn't end up picking our own, we did come home with fresh apples, pears and apple cider. And we stopped for some fresh "pie in a cone" -- warm Gravenstein apple pie filling in a waffle cone with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. SO good!

Rasmussen Farms on the "Fruit Loop"

Pear trees are ready to be picked! We came home with several "Comice" pears, voted #1 at the stand we bought them from.

The seasons are definitely starting to change here -- you can see the leaves beginning to transition from green to red or gold, and we've traded in 90-degree weather for high-60s and 70s. Though it always makes us homesick, Ben and I love fall and can't wait for the season to come.

Celebrity Sightings in Stumptown

2006-08-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

The other day, sensing a need for some caffeine, I stepped out for a few minutes to grab a bottle of iced tea from the corner store across from my office. I'm waiting patiently to pay for my beverage when in walks film director Gus Van Sant. (His films include Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Good Will Hunting, and Finding Forrester, to name a few.) He's a Portland native and reportedly owns a condo in the pricey Pearl District, where my place of employment is located.

I wanted to turn and engage him some sort of deep conversation - the kind of discussion that shows I understand the deeper philosophical themes of his work. Instead, I just paid for my iced tea and walked out, leaving Gus Van Sant to buy his cigarettes in peace and quiet.

This was almost as cool as the time I passed Rupert from Survivor on the street in Indianapolis.

Multnomah Days

2006-08-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the annual "Multnomah Days," a celebration of our little urban oasis, Multnomah Village. A sign up in town advertised this weekend festival as "Sizzlin' Hot!" so Ben and I knew we were in for a treat.

We staked out a great spot for the parade this morning and clapped for the old folks' marching band, Boy Scout troops, Whippet club, hobos on funny bikes, local businesses, fire trucks, old timey cars and countless other hooligans that made their way down Capitol Highway. I'm sure this will sound a little funny, but I found the whole event to be very moving. There we were -- neighbors -- diverse as can be, coming together for this beautiful event. After the parade was over we perused the street fair, got a hot dog from Fat City, watched a bag pipe player perform atop Renner's Grill and stopped in the Well Dressed Home -- a new store to us!

It all reminded us of Fountain Square in Indianapolis -- we were only there about nine months before we moved to Minneapolis, but we loved that rag tag community. Still do.

Thanks Multnomah Village for a GREAT day! Tomorrow we're walking in the Multnomah Stroll 5K...trying to make this fun weekend last.

First Friday

2006-08-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was "First Friday" in Multnomah Village -- an evening where shops stay open later than usual and the whole community has an open-house kind of feel. I have loved Multnomah Village since we first happened upon it five months ago when we moved to Oregon, and First Fridays remind me why. I don't get the feeling that people drive from far and wide to come to First Fridays, and that's just fine -- in fact, most people I talk to hardly know where Multnomah Village is. It's a time for locals, for neighbors, to gather, to shop, to dine, to listen to music, and to enjoy this little village just a few miles from the city center.

We love Switch Shoes, the Front Porch Mercantile (where we bought a very cool antique fan!) and of course, the Lucky Lab. Peggy Sunday's, a home decor store, is heavenly, and I'd recommend Gary at Glitzie's for a hair cut and color! If only Multnomah Village had a grocery store, I may never have to leave...

If you're interested in the real scoop on Multnomah Village, check out the Multnomah Villager's blog here.

A Family Affair

2006-07-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

I admit, it's been a LONG time since we posted, but we have a good reason -- my mom and sister were in town! We played Oregon tourists for a week, seeing the sights and sweating in the 100+ degree temps. It was SO good to have them here...to see where we live, to assure me that our garden isn't that bad, and to catch up on life in general.

In other news, Ben got some great news on Friday -- he's being promoted to Financial Aid Counselor!

Here's a sampling of the things we saw while my mom and Betsy were here...

We saw the Columbia River Gorge...

And Pacific City...

And Cannon Beach...

And Mount Hood...in this picture we were at Timberline Lodge, which is at 6,500 ft, funny how the mountain seems a little less majestic when you're halfway up the mountain!

We're excited for Ben's mom and dad to come out over Labor Day weekend, and for my dad to possibly come out this fall too. Anyone else? You're welcome to stay with us anytime.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

2006-07-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I’ve been at PNCA for less than two months, and I’ve already driven away half the admissions staff. My boss is leaving to take a job at Lewis & Clark College, and one of the admissions counselors got a job in academic counseling at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

It’s weird. I had just gotten to the point where I felt comfortable being part of this office, and now half of them are going on to bigger and better things. While I’ve grown to really enjoy my coworkers, I’m excited about what’s next for the Admissions Office.

If you or someone you know would be interested, check out the job posting. Not only will you get to work at a great little art school, but you will also get to be my boss. I don’t think I have to explain what a unique and amazing opportunity this is.

[For those of you with a little less experience can apply to be my coworker. Also a very unique and amazing opportunity.]

The Irresponsible Gardener

2006-07-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

You see this? This is a garden out of control. I can explain it, really:

1) I completely disregarded those guidelines that come with the plants on how far apart to plant them. They were just little sprouts at first, and I couldn't imagine how big they were going to get. So now our squash and zucchini are about to strangle one another.

2) I don't know how to use tomato cages. First we got stakes to hold them up, then tried to force them into cages after they were already three feet tall. Bad idea. Now we have a space-age, fancy, three-sided tomato cage to handle all of the off-shoots.

3) I hate weeding and I'm bad at it. Many people find it relaxing, but I find it boring. I never know what to do with the weeds I've pulled so I throw them somewhere behind me, probably breeding more weeds.

4) I remember to water these poor guys only sometimes. Plants are pretty smart though, and really do quite well on their own. Now that it's so hot, we're doing better at giving them a nightly drink.

So as you can see, it's a sheer miracle that our garden is doing as well as it is. Our tomato plants are going gangbusters, and our squash and zucchini plants are just now starting to sprout. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, but aren't they kind of cute?

Farm Fresh

2006-06-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of today's record-setting 103 degree temps (no, I'm not kidding), Ben and I hit the Hillsdale Farmer's Market early. It's just up the street from where we live, and as farmers markets go, it's absolutely perfect. With just enough booths offering fresh fruits, veggies, flowers, baked goods and cheeses, advertising "produce with integrity" and with names such as "Sweetwater Farms," there's just something I LOVE about this farmer's market. We're used to stocking up on the usuals -- and today it was bing cherries, zucchinis, a squash and garlic -- but we did a little "out of the box" shopping by stopping at one of the meat booths and puchasing some bacon and sausage. There's just something about knowing the food you're buying is fresh and feeling like you're supporting a local farmer -- for me, it's much more fulfilling than shopping at Fred Meyer (which we also did today -- a necessary evil).

Last weekend we supported another local farm -- Kruger Farm on Sauvie Island. We hand-picked raspberries and strawberries from acres upon acres of gorgeous farmland reminiscient of the Midwest but with a backdrop of rolling hills.

In other news...I'll be traveling back to Minneapolis for a long weekend soon -- July 7-10. I am thrilled and can't wait to see everyone!

A Prairie Home Companion

2006-06-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

I remember interviewing Ethan VanDrunen my junior year at Taylor University about his now-legendary rafting trip down the Mississippi River. He mentioned that he and his rafting buddies had a battery-operated radio on board, and they'd treat themselves by listening once a week to Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion." I had never heard of the show at the time -- we didn't listen to NPR growing up -- but knowing what I know now, I certainly understand it!

The Twin Cities were all abuzz last summer when Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Lindsey Lohan, John C. Reilly, etc, came to town to film the movie, and finally, at long last, it opened this past Friday. Now faithful "Prairie" listeners, we loved it. We love the way the movie and the radio show poke fun at the Midwest -- Minnesota most often. We love the Lake Wobegon stories, the constant references to Lutherans and cold Minnesota winters -- things we now consider inside jokes that we're lucky to be in on.

There were also a few fleeting scenes of St. Paul -- Mickey's Dining Car, the Fitzgerald Theatre -- that we were excited to see. While St. Paul may not boast the nightlife of Minneapolis, it's a city with a rich history, housing the state capitol and the St. Paul Cathedral, which lit up at night is a spectacular sight.

So to any Midwestern expats or NPR lovers like us -- go see "Prairie Home" to soothe any pangs of homesickness.

The Rose City

2006-06-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

They don't call Portland the "Rose City" for nothing. We went up to Washington Park yesterday and saw hundreds of gorgeous roses at the International Rose Test Garden. Here are a few shots we got:

We then spent a few hours moseying around the Pearl District -- finally venturing into Powell's City of Books and Buffalo Exchange, and stopping by an interesting little water park. The water comes in and out of a rock formation, very rhythmic, very cathartic.

It's a pretty one, this new city of ours.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2006-05-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

As we've mentioned before, we love our little Portland bungalow. One of the best things about it is the abundance of interesting plants in the yard. Thought we'd post a few pics here so you can help us figure out what they are!

Here is a tree in our backyard...gorgeous purple flowers.

Here's a random bush by our back patio that bloomed bright pink flowers. Right next to it is a rose bush.

I should know what these flowers are because they are blooming everywhere right now! Since I took this picture, we've had yellow and white ones bloom too. And yes, that is a port-a-potty in the background. We have a monstrosity-of-a-house being built right next to us right now. That means hammering every weekday (and some Saturdays) starting at 6:50am sharp!

Also, did we mention we have a garden? We do. And because of the nearly seven days of straight rain we've had (no hint of bitterness here), the garden's gone quite wild. We're excited for the tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and strawberries to come this summer!

Here's Ben "Green Thumb" Reed in the garden...

And here's our garden about three weeks ago before the torrential rains...

Glitzie's and my new friend, Gary

2006-05-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I decided to do something about my hated blonde highlights. I called Glitzie's -- a local salon about 2 blocks from our house -- and was connected with Gary the hairdresser. I don't think my life will ever be the same. Upon first meeting, he told me that he was "very good at what he did" and that I was "lucky he'd be the one working on me." He told me that with my blue eyes, the perfect color for me would be "chocolate brown."

As he sits me down in the chair and starts playing with my hair, not only did he tell me I was the spitting image of Giada DeLaurentiis (what? I wish!), but that I was "hot." He said -- and I quote -- "You're hot. [And then whispering] And I'm a homo. And if a homo says you're hot, you're hot!!"

All I could do was laugh. And I continued to laugh as he made fun of every other stylist in the modest salon (especially one who was wearing black denim jeans), their customers, the salon's decor and The DaVinci Code. I laughed as he told me about how he wanted to "nibble" at his two chihuahuas and how he had just moved up from Santa Barbara and how he practically "ruled" Glitzie's. I even laughed as he gave me a FREE haircut.

Not sure if I'll go back, but how can I argue with a stylist who thinks I look like Giada?

Working For The Man Every Night And Day

2006-05-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got a job. I am the new Admissions & Financial Aid Office Assistant at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA).

Let’s just say that an art school is not quite like working at a church or at a Christian bookstore (my previous two jobs). Everyone seems really nice, but I can’t help feeling “not cool enough.” I wore my funky glasses instead of my contacts, but I might need to break out my green Chuck Taylor All-stars.

Some interesting (and random) events from my first day:

One of my coworkers sounds just like Sarah Vowell (journalist, This American Life contributor and the voice of Violet in The Incredibles).
This same coworker is an artist who makes earrings and yet does not wear earrings (or have pierced ears for that matter).
In an office of 6 people, I am the only guy. I’m thinking about buying a Hulk Hogan action figure for my desk, just to crank up the testosterone level a bit.
I found out that a guy from my high school graduating class, Mike Showell, is a student at PNCA.
At one point, I sang a few bars of "Forever Young" by Alphaville. Don’t ask - it was a long day.
September 19th is National Talk Like A Pirate Day, which the Admissions/Financial Aid Office observes. I am expected to participate.
Speaking of pirates, one of the I.T. guys at the school is in a local pirate band called Captain Bogg & Salty.
The office has a celebrity of the week. We just switched from Tori Spelling to Angelina Jolie.

Overall, I think I’ll enjoy it, and it sure beats the temp job I was working at the sales office for Yellow Book.

The Rain Came Down

2006-05-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

It is POURING rain right now. Thunder, lightning, the works. It's springtime, so why is it strange that it's raining so hard right now? Because it NEVER does this here! Yes, Portland is known for its rain, but usually it's a light drizzle...just enough to annoy you. We're from the Midwest, as you know, where boy does it rain. And thunder, and lightning, with the ever-present chance of tornadoes. So this feels like home. We have the house opened up, just listening to the rain come down. It's soothing, really. And our garden should love it.

Multnomah Village sightings

2006-05-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

If you were a random roamer in Multnomah Village, here are a few of things you would have seen the past few days:

- Nikki and Ben playing badminton and sweating in Gabriel Park tonight.
- Nikki and Ben grilling out every evening since we got our new grill on Sunday.
- Nikki learning how to correctly throw a frisbee last evening and Ben getting frustrated.
- A random guy laying next to his bicycle with a six pack in his arms in Gabriel Park.
- Buds starting to sprout on our tomato plants!
- A three-legged happy-as-can-be dog trotting along in front of the Lucky Lab Public House.
- Ben, coming back and forth from a SECOND interview today!

Several days of summer-like weather have us giddy and excited for the season to come.

All grown up

2006-05-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

I remember getting ready for my first prom...the turquoise sparkly dress, the hair, the makeup, the nails. Dinner at Illusions, dancing the night away in Broad Ripple. Ah, those were the days. Hard to believe that was quite a few years ago, and my little brother Daniel just experienced all this for the first time. Except for the dress, hair and nails part. He did look pretty handsome, though. Check him out!!

Daniel Schulz, on the far right, looking good in a tux, before his first prom (on the canal in DT Indy...one of Ben and I's favorite locations).

Reminders of the Midwest

2006-05-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

We won't lie -- we're really missing the Midwest. For good reasons, of course: we were both born and raised there and are actually very opposed to Daylight Savings Time (kidding...though Indiana just adopted it!).

Our Saturday started with a call from Ben's brother, Gabe, who graduated from Anderson University today. Congratulations, Gabe! The whole Reed family was together for the happy occasion -- except us, of course, because it was nearly $400 per plane ticket to get there. We were so sad to miss the big day.

To soothe our Midwestern longings, we took a drive out to Sauvie Island, just NW of Portland -- it's a massive island in the middle of the Columbia River. Supposedly hopping in the summertime, it was quiet today, but the landscape was all too familiar -- fields and orchards and flat, much like Indiana. It was gorgeous though...we can't wait to go back and pick strawberries and Marionberries.

One other Midwestern sighting that I've been meaning to report -- Indiana license plates everywhere! What are all these Hoosiers doing in Oregon? I see several Indiana cars a week, which wouldn't be so strange if we were living in Chicago. But we're in OREGON, thousands of miles from Indiana. Whoever these Hoosiers in Oregon are, I'm glad they're here.

We all need some reminders of home once in awhile.

To market, to market.

2006-04-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

We had a great day yesterday with some new friends, Travis and Heidi (from Ohio), who were nice enough to invite us out for breakfast and some Portland sightseeing.

We started at the J&M Cafe, right across the Burnside Bridge in SE Portland where we gorged on organic eggs, bacon and home fries. Portland residents are just so COOL -- it's hard to explain, but every time I visit an established hangout like J&M I find myself wishing I had more piercings and some Keen sandals.

We then trekked to the Portland Farmer's Market on the Portland State University campus, and then took the streetcar, and then the MAX train over to where the real action was: the Saturday Market.

Part flea market, part craft fair, and part freak show, the Saturday market amused us as we wove our way through the booths selling everything from kitschy jewelry, to lovely purses (my purchase of the day) to bongs. Yes, bongs. Certainly an experience we won't forget -- from the colorful clientele to the man juggling fire to the poor little dog with her hair died pink. Only in Portland!

The Lucky Lab

2006-04-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Ben and I have a favorite new spot -- the Lucky Lab Public House, just about two blocks from our house. They serve pizza and beer -- that's it -- and we love it for its simplicity. On a gorgeous evening like tonight, eating outdoors at one of their picnic tables, it's hard to imagine life getting much better. Except, of course, if we had family and friends to share the experience with.

On a completely separate note, we received the horrific news about four Taylor University students today. Though we didn't know any of the students, we mourn with the community we were once a part of. Our thoughts and prayers are with the students' families and the entire Taylor community.

Home.

2006-04-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

We've been in our new house a few weeks now and love it. Tonight we took a long walk and found our way to Gabriel Park, just a few blocks down the way. We took a trail that meandered through the park -- passing through a community garden, little league game, tennis courts, and countless happy dogs fetching frisbees. All this, and in the distance were mountains. Gorgeous!

Here's our new house...

And here's some of our unique flowers...

And by the way, we miss these folks in Minneapolis so much it makes my heart hurt!

Mocha Chocalata Ya Ya (Oh Yea)

2006-04-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

People in the Pacific Northwest love their coffee. Every neighborhood in Portland has at least one locally owned coffee shop in addition to a large number of Starbucks sprinkled throughout the metro area. There are also a large number of coffee huts/stands. They look like storage sheds with drive-thru windows. They are fully functioning coffee shops offering any sort of coffee related beverage you could desire, except there is no seating. You either drive-thru or walk up.

Well, I went to Home Depot this morning, and right next to the front door is one of these coffee stands. There was a line made up of rough looking men with dirty clothes. They looked like your typical construction workers. The biggest, meanest looking one ordered a grande vanilla soy latte with an extra shot of espresso. Since when do construction workers order soy lattes at Home Depot? And more importantly, is it possible to be a coffee snob in a city where even the blue collar workers order specialty coffee drinks from a coffee stand in front of a hardware store?

I'm not sure if it's beautiful or disturbing.

What happens in Vegas...

2006-04-11T19:51:00.001-07:00

Many of you know that Ben and I traveled to Vegas last week -- I attended a trade show on behalf of my client, and Ben hung out (and gambled a whopping $5 on nickel slots). I've always had these dreamy visions of Vegas -- the lights, gondola rides, the "Eiffel Tower," mountains in the distance -- but this trip affirmed that there's nothing truly dreamy about Vegas; it's only an illusion.

One of the funniest things we encountered was the area of our hotel called the "Canal Shoppes." It's made to look like a quaint Italian village...complete with a Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and Panda Express! It's also decorated to look like it's always daylight -- most of Vegas is like that, we found. The hotels don't want you to know what time it is so you'll keep spending money! One redeeming quality -- Canolini, a fabulous gelato stand.

The Canal Shoppes in the Venetian...it's just like a real Italian village with the sky painted on! Oh yeah, and singing street performers, and Sephora, and a plethora of shoe stores. :)

One other trip highlight -- an awesome party hosted by my client and Billboard Magazine at the VooDoo Lounge, located high atop the Rio. Ben and I just marveled at the DJ, the hipper-than-hip atmosphere, the view, and Chuck D! Yes, Chuck D from Public Enemy was there.

All in all, a good trip, glad to have "experienced" Vegas, but don't think we'll be vacationing there any time soon.

Wow. As hollow as Vegas seems, there's no doubt it's beautiful, especially from the 50th floor of the Rio. It was incredible to have a birds-eye view of the city...I had to call my sister to gush.

Proof we're here!

2006-04-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

We're moving into our house today! We've unpacked ourselves so many times now, but it never gets easier. We'll be living in chaos for at least the next week or so.

We also just developed our first roll of "Portland pics" and thought we'd share a few...

The Reeds at Cannon Beach on our first weekend in Oregon.

Handsome Ben in Seaside.

Nikki with the Lewis and Clark (and dog) statue at Seaside Beach.

The Reeds overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.

A New Love

2006-03-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Dunn Bros.,

I’m afraid it’s over. I would try to sugarcoat it and let you off easier, but we both knew this would happen. As much as we wanted it to work, the distance just killed us. Even a love like ours didn’t stand a chance. (True, I used to cheat on you with Caribou, but that was always about convenience and never about my love for you.)

Truth be told, I’ve met someone else. Stumptown and I have just met, but I can confidently say it’s the best coffee I’ve ever had. I’ve only been twice (once with a new friend, Lindsey, and once with an old college friend and current Portland jazz guitarist Dave Iula), but I’m already in love. Like you, Stumptown roasts their own coffee daily. But, unlike you, they French press the coffee. There’s no beating that. To top it off, it’s $1 for a bottomless cup of coffee. As you can see, I could not resist this new love.

I know this is hard, but let’s remember the good times. This is not about you. I will always love your coffee. Stumptown is just different, and right now, I need something different. As far as I’m concerned, you will always have the best cup of coffee in the Twin Cities.

Best Regards,
Ben

Becoming Portlanders.

2006-03-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

Our 1-month anniversary of living in Portland came this past week, the same day as my first trip to Seattle for work. It's funny how going to Seattle is so commonplace here -- you just hop on a "shuttle" (a very small plane that's very susceptible to turbulance!) and land in about 30 minutes. Easy as that! As my colleague and I drove to the Marriott Waterfront, I was struck once again at how breathtaking the Pacific Northwest is. We can't wait for our family and friends to come visit!

We have less than one week now until we move into our "permanent residence" (pics coming soon) in Multnomah Village. We went to meet with the landlord again yesterday and signed the lease...we are SO excited to move in. It's got a yard and a garage, flowers growing, three bedrooms, windows in the kitchen...the works. We've been living without the majority of our "stuff" for almost five weeks now, so we're practically salivating at the thought of sleeping in our own bed, with our own pillows, using our own towels and being able to cook with our own dishes.

Until life settles down once again (and we move into our fifth dwelling since we've been married...sigh), we're having fun exploring the city. In my never-ending quest to update my wardrobe, we visited NE and NW Portland yesterday, along with the strangely appealing suburb of Hillsboro. Why, oh why do we love suburbia so much? This morning we strolled along Hawthorne and drove through Mount Tabor Park. So much to see and experience in this new town of ours.

Food with a View.

2006-03-21T21:16:00.000-08:00

Some of my colleagues were in from Seattle today, so a bunch of us went to the Portland City Grill after work. Besides the better-than-average happy hour food, the view is to die for. Check it out:

I don't know the women in these picture, but if you want, you can pretend they're my coworkers. :)

Sun Bears and Waterfalls

2006-03-19T20:59:00.000-08:00

We found a perfect solution to Ben's parents' opossum problem (they have one living under their house) -- a Sun Bear. As we witnessed yesterday at the zoo, they look cute and cuddly, but can actually be very ferocious! We were nearly the only kid-less couple there, but had a great time seeing elephants, penguins, and musk oxen.

Today was perfect -- sunny and mid-50s. We drove out to the Columbia River Gorge area, which is simply breathtaking. Just a half-hour from Portland, we couldn't believe the beauty that surrounded us. We drove up to Crown Point, which boasts views of several mountains, along with the Columbia River, and supposedly DT Portland. Here's a pic -- look for the building on the right side -- that's where we parked and oohed and ahhed.

We then drove a little ways down to Multnomah Falls, the second-tallest waterfall in the U.S., and a definite tourist destination! We huffed and puffed as we hiked up to the bridge you'll see in the photo below, and continued about a mile past that. We are SO out of shape, but I'm hoping we'll make hiking a new hobby.

We went to Ethnos again tonight -- the third time! I feel like we're getting to know people, and though I'm just so-so about some parts of the service, I'm starting to really like it. We've been feeling very homesick lately, mostly for Indiana, and I know that having a church home here would help that. I've been thinking lately that I have an acute case of "grass-is-greener" syndrome. When we lived in Indy, we wanted to be anywhere else. When we were in Minnesota, we wanted to move to Portland. And now that we're in Portland, we wish we were in Indiana. Sigh... I know things will get easier. They have to. But until then, we'll soak up the incredible scenery all around us.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

2006-03-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

I thought about being the Easter Bunny today. This is a big step for me. I’ve been deathly afraid of the Easter Bunny ever since I saw him as a little child at a “friend’s” birthday party. A 6-foot tall rabbit lures children with candy. What kind of a twisted world do we live in?

Maybe I should just call a temp agency.

One more Sunday, two more churches.

2006-03-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

Can there be such thing as too much church? Ha! YES! This Sunday we yet again tried two churches in our quest to get connected. Here's how it went...

Lake Bible Church
Last week when I started work, I found out that a girl I graduated from college with, Sarah Tatone, also works there. Pretty wild. We connected, and she and her husband Luke invited us to their church. It reminded us a lot of the churches we attended growing up, which were just fine, but not what we're looking for right now. Truthfully, we don't know what we're looking for.

Ethnos
We made a second trip to Ethnos...while we weren't completely sold the first time around, we're moving in that direction, I think. Kobie came with us, which was great! From what I can tell, they seem to have a strong community, although that community is mostly located in Beaverton. Luckily, the pastor and his wife host a small group in Raleigh Hills, very close to us.

Other weekend highlights...on Saturday we had lunch at the Grand Central Bakery in Multnomah Village, and then had a cheap Saturday night date at Krispy Kreme!

New Kid on the Block.

2006-03-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

I'm so tired. Physically, yes, because I hardly slept last night -- sometimes I can't get my mind to stop racing. But mostly just tired mentally after the first four days of my new job. It is just wild -- non-stop e-mails, meetings, and projects I don't know how to do yet. My client is a very large computer-related company that I shall henceforth refer to as MS (I don't want my blog coming up on our coverage searches at work!). There are 30+ teams at my company that work just on MS, that's how big it is. And right now, it's just mind-boggling. Things have to get easier soon, they just have to. Until they do, I'm just going to keep working hard and enjoy the weekends.

For those of you that care, here is my office building.

A New Career Path?

2006-03-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

As long as I'm thinking about reinventing myself, maybe I should apply for the Elephant Supervisor position at the Oregon Zoo. You only need a high school diploma. Although, they do desire specialized coursework in elephant care.

I don't know about you, but my alma mater did not offer specialized coursework in elephant care. Just one more way that Christian education is failing our youth.

Oh blessed freedom

2006-03-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

I already know looking for a job is going to get frustrating. In addition to the constant rejection, I'll be holed up in my house all day looking at online job postings and writing cover letters.

That's why I was overjoyed to find the site WifiPDX, which lists free wifi hotspots. I guess they're not entirely free. You usually have to buy coffee, but the caffeine helps ward off the crushing depression of being unemployed.

Maybe I should just get a job at one of the various hotspots. That is, unless my career as a Hip Hop Dance Instructor takes off.

Intown at the Old Church.

2006-03-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

Ben and I attended Intown Presbyterian this morning -- they meet in a beautiful old church downtown, appropriately named the Old Church (below). Somewhat reminiscent of our beloved church in Indianapolis, Redeemer Presbyterian, we're still making our minds up as to what we thought. I felt a little more at home with elements of the liturgy in the service -- the confession, the readings, the Eucharist, etc. They're between pastors, one woman I met after the service was quick to tell me, and that gives me a little hope. One troubling thing I heard was that many people drive from over an hour away to come to this church -- why is that? I mean, it's great and all, but I love the idea of a church being a community, even geographically. I want to live close to church friends, borrow eggs from each other, that sort of thing.

Perhaps the best part of the morning was having lunch with Mike, Liz, and Moses Kaufman, the folks that currently live in Indianapolis and started The New Deal and know all of our Redeemer friends. It made my heart hurt to hear about everyone having babies and friends living just across the street from one another. The folks that attend Redeemer embody a lifestyle I'm striving for, and at the core of that is community. I want to plant a community garden, I want to watch each other's kids, I want to go on walks and be a part of a neighborhood. I also want to drive a Volvo, but that's a whole other story.

A Lesson in Thievery.

2006-03-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

Today was gorgeous -- absolutely perfect. It was sunny, about 60 degrees and a great day to meet another new friend, Lindsey, for coffee at Stumptown, shopping along Hawthorne, and breaking into her house. Seriously. She had accidentally locked a door she didn't have a key for, and therefore, we were locked out. Luckily, her neighbor was pretty handy with a ladder, and broke in through an open window on the top floor. Whew!

We loved SE Portland. It has such a comfortable vibe -- independent coffee shops abound, as do second-hand clothing stores, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and houses with great front porches.

A view down Hawthorne. McMenamins' Bagdad Theatre offers $3 movies plus pizza and beer to boot -- I know Ben will want to frequent this place!

We also drove up to Mount Tabor Park -- the site of a dormant volcano. Dormant -- I think that's what they said about Mount St. Helens too, and look what happened! Volcanoes are an enigma to me; I might like to learn more about them.

A view from Mount Tabor Park. It was breathtaking. I hope I didn't freak Lindsey out with all of my "ooohs" and "ahhhhs."

Our two weeks of fun is quickly coming to a close. I start work on Monday! Portland has gone far beyond our expectations so far -- we have met so many nice people and seen more beauty in this week and a half than I have yet in my lifetime. It's hard starting over, but I am so filled with thankfulness and excitement about this move.

Le Happy in my belly.

2006-03-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Last night we went to a wonderful little creperie called Le Happy with Brian, Tricia and Kobie. The food was fantastic, and we had a great time getting to know our fellow Portland transplants.

After dinner we walked to a few art galleries for First Thursday festivities. At the Elizabeth Leach Gallery, we saw one of Richard Notkin's famous teapots. Portland seems to have a very vibrant art scene, and being at these galleries made us reminisce about our many nights spent at the Harrison Center in Indianapolis, and how special our original Kyle Ragsdale pieces are to us.

We haven't confirmed with Kyle, but are fairly certain we know all of the folks represented in this piece. BTW, this isn't one of ours, but we love it anyway.

Today we are having lunch with a former Weber Shandwick colleague who moved to Portland a few years ago from Minneapolis. Tomorrow we are getting together with Stacey Osburn (my new boss/old boss) and her family for the opening weekend of the Saturday Market. Sunday we are getting together with some Redeemer-ites that are visiting Portland -- Michael and Liz Kaufman. What a small world.

In these first few weeks, we are so thankful to be spending time with and getting to know people. Human interaction is so crucial to my attitude, to my outlook on life!

Too much to take in.

2006-03-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

There's a line from American Beauty I think of often, and fits the day we had today: "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in." Here's a few of the ways our day was filled with beauty...

- We heard it was going to rain around lunchtime, so took an early morning walk along the Willamette River. It never did rain though -- the sun shone all day and the sky was clear. It felt like summer! I even bought a great new skirt at Target to celebrate.

- We visited Portland's International Rose Test Garden, this time of year sans roses, but boasts the most impressive views of the city we've seen yet. Here's what the Rose Garden looks like when it's in full bloom, and yes, those are mountains in the background:

- We met Kobie, our Minneapolis friend, at Fruition, a coffee shop located in the hip NW 23rd area. We had never met before, but had a great conversation about life and church and community. And as we're sitting there, in walk this couple and ask if we're Ben and Nikki. Turns out Brian and Tricia, the couple we're getting together with tomorrow evening saw us as they were passing by the coffee shop randomly and stopped in to say hello! So tomorrow, Brian, Tricia, Kobie, Ben and I are getting together for crepes and the First Thursday gallery openings.

What a great day.

You may remember that we visited Cannon Beach last weekend -- here it is:

Saint Cupcake Loves You.

2006-02-28T15:47:00.000-08:00

I know we're in one of the coolest cities in the world right now, but we're getting a little bored. I mean, seriously, how much driving around and not spending money can you do? Today we gave in though to few indulgences...

1) Anthopologie. I needed something new to wear on the first day of work. Something that says "she's hip, yet professional." Maybe it was the pristine displays of garden tools and flora and fauna, or maybe it was the beautiful, soft, yet oh-so-cool song playing as I found myself the only girl in the clearance room, but I gave in and bought a skirt. And I love it.

2) Sweet Tomatoes. Ben and I used to look for an excuse to drive to the Schaumburg, Ill. Ikea when we lived in Indiana just so we could eat at Sweet Tomatoes. Turns out we won't have to drive four hours anymore...there's one right down the road from us and we went for lunch. Where else can you find fresh salads, delectable soups, luscious breads and pastas and frozen yogurt, in an all-you-can-eat setting?

3) Saint Cupcake. By far our best purchase of the day. Located in the trendy NW 23rd area of town, this store only sells cupcakes, and darn good ones. I got a toasted coconut and vanilla one, and Ben got red velvet. Only $2. If you come visit us, we will take you there just so we can get more cupcakes. :)

In other news...
- We found a Presbyterian church we're going to try this Sunday and are kind of excited about it. I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I do miss the liturgy. I miss saying the Nicene Creed and the confession.
- We are meeting new folks tomorrow, Thursday and Friday! It's scary meeting new people, but we're excited for some interaction with other people than ourselves. Kobie Moore, who we are meeting tomorrow for coffee, just moved with her husband from Minneapolis 11 days before we did.

Protesters and Unitarians

2006-02-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

Today we visited two churches -- Imago Dei in the morning and Ethnos in the evening. I've forgotten what it's like to be the new couple at church -- it's hard. And being that new couple, we had vastly different experiences at each church.

Imago Dei:
We had heard wonderful things about this church, first through Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. It started as a church plant about five years ago and has grown to about 1,300 people -- huge!! They meet in Laurelhurst, a gorgeous area of town in SE Portland (across the river from where we live). The service was all right, but we felt a little out of place in the crowd. And they had something I've never seen at a church before -- protesters! There were two guys standing out front of the church holding signs which read "God is fake." Only in Portland!

Ethnos:
This church has an interesting disclaimer on their website -- they say that they are in no way affiliated with the organization whose space they rent. We couldn't imagine why they would say this, but turns out they meet at a Unitarian Universalist church! It's a gorgrous space, right in SW Portland. We liked this church from the moment we walked in. We met so many people, including both pastors, the entire elder board, and so many others. We felt very welcomed, very wanted. It was a great feeling. Before we left we were invited to next week's game night, a small group, and Ben was invited to the men's retreat! I think we'll go back next week.

And in other good news...it's almost a done deal that Ben and I are going to be able to rent the house in Multnomah Village! We went back to see it again today and I liked it even more this time around. I think it's going to be a great space for us...and our many visitors, hint hint!

Oh yes, and I also saw Mt. St. Helens for sure today! Here she is:

Seaside, Cannon Beach, Tillamook

2006-02-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Today we drove to the Oregon coast, a little more than an hour away, with the mountains getting closer with every mile.

We started in Seaside, a little town that caters to toursists, but has a gorgeous beach and a good coffee shop with excellent paninis. Also, is it just us, or does every Oregonian have a Lab? Black, Chocolate, Yellow...they were everywhere!

We then drove a few miles to Cannon Beach, which we had heard about from friends in Minnesota. Wow. Wow. I hope the pictures we took can show even a fraction of the beauty of this beach and town!

We then took off in search of the Tillamook Cheese Factory, about 50 miles down the road. Along the way we encountered breathtaking views -- majestic, evergreen-covered mountains and peaceful, bucolic valleys. We finally made it to the cheese factory -- it was just okay. We stood on an observation deck and watched these poor people make cheese. Felt somewhat like the "Junior Mints" Seinfeld episode!

All in all, a great day in our great new state. The temperature was in the high 50s, and the scenery was indescribable. Just wish we had more people to share it with!

Oh yes, and I caught my first glance of Mt. Hood on the way home today. And is it possible that I saw Mt. St. Helens on the way there? If it's possible, I'm almost sure I did. Here's Mt. Hood:

Fun Fact About Oregon

2006-02-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun fact about Oregon: It is illegal to pump your own gas. (For you Ken Jennings wannabes out there, New Jersey is the other state that bans the activity.)

I like being waited on hand and foot as much as the next guy. It feeds my growing sense of entitlement. But this is a bit much. I went to fill up the car today, and four cars pulled in at the same time. The one attendant on duty seemed a bit flustered. I could have pumped my own gas in less time.

Oh well.

New address, new village?

2006-02-24T21:45:00.000-08:00

We've been feeling a little, um, less than worthy to live in Lake Oswego since we got here (for those of you that live in Indy, it's like Geist, for those of you in Minnesota, it's like Wayzata, for those of you in Florida, it's like...Boca Raton?), so today we ventured out to look for something a little more our speed. We found a little three-bedroom rental house we really liked in an area called Multnomah Village (which is comparable to a mix between Grand Ave and DT Hopkins in MN, or Broad Ripple in IN). We're really hoping it works out! Here's a few pics of the area.

New streaks, new hair.

2006-02-24T21:26:00.000-08:00

So I had a very ambitious hair stylist last week that decided I needed blonde streaks in my naturally brunette hair. I went along with it, but now wish my hair looked less like a rock star and more like Charlotte's from Sex and the City. Okay, okay, it's SO not a rock star look, but I'm still getting used to it. I told my mom and sister that I would post pics of my new 'do here, so here you go...(from our going away reception at church)

Us, Paul and Anne Calvin (our first friends in Minnesota), and Jim Hart and Ariana Behmer (quite possibly the two hippest people we know)

Us and Christian and Molly Ruch (our pastor and his wife, who used to live in Indianapolis and know all of our Redeemer friends)

Ben and his former boss, Christian

Ben in DT Lake Oswego

2006-02-23T21:13:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by reedbn.

Lake Oswego is the little town we live in, just south of Portland. It's got a very cute little downtown -- very much like Wayzata, Minnesota, if you've been there! On 2/23, Ben and I walked up to the Tillamook Creamery, just about 5 minutes from our apartment.

Are we really here?

2006-02-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by reedbn.

Never in a million years did I think we'd actually be living on the West Coast. Minnesota, sure, that was believable. And after Minnesota, well, we truly believed we might be headed back to our hometown of Indianapolis. But in mid-January, our next step became clear -- I (Nikki) was offered a great job with Waggener Edstrom, a well-respected PR firm in Portland, Ore., to work on the Microsoft account. Ben was thrilled at the idea of a milder climate, mountains, and ocean, and so it was settled -- we were moving to the West Coast.

On Feb. 22, 2006, we said a teary goodbye to friends and our life in Minneapolis, and boarded a plane with one-way tickets to Portland.

And since we're about 1,500 additional miles from our friends and family now, we decided we need a way to keep in touch. Ben's something of a blog expert (check out www.christianretail.blogspot.com), so he suggested we start one about our Oregon adventures. Check us out from time to time...we'll try to post photos so we don't clog up your inboxes, and maybe, hopefully, they'll inspire you to come visit soon!

Here's a photo we took on Ben's camera phone (hence the poor color quality)...