Weather, Temps and the NW - Monday, June 28
It's nearing the end of June and I'm happy to say - YES, I made it through another winter here in Portland. I was just visiting with Ronan, currently moving from Kuai to LosAngeles and he was laughing when I was telling him that it really hasn't rained much here. I also want to thank Lisa and Ben from
Glucose Development for creating WeatherPop; a sweet little app to keep tabs on the weather around us. By the way, the last few days have been in the 80s with light cloud cover and no rain.
Be Who You Be
As a child, I was always drawn to people who were different. Not always totally wacky or off-the-wall different, but somehow different. I used to love the way my neighbor would slowly ride her bike past my house and with her Australian accent ask how I was doin'. She was born and raised in the states, but somehow acquired an aussie way of speaking. One of my running friends used to always spit when he talked. This Swedish girl used to smile when she talked, even when she spoke of horrible things. The smell of kim-chi filled my friend's house. His mom used to drive her mini-van like a bumper car and always offered guests fresh Korean squid. Different for sure.
As my mind continues to wander I would like to encourage everyone not to be so judgemental and realize these bizarre quirks or lack of refinement are simply that, oddities. These are the things we remember - character, charm, wit.
And here's a quick jab to say go fuck yourself mister mainstream, got no style and no taste, pleated khaki wearin mofo.
Defy the norm and just be who you be.
Dress yourself up nice - Friday, June 18
Justin over at
Local.35 has created something really special on the Hawthorne strip - mens + womens clothing done right. A great collection of local fashion designers, silkscreens and jeans. Every 2nd Thursday of the month there's a gathering of the arts at his store where the store pays tribute to some great art and a little celebration to kick things off. Check it.
The bad boys of bikes - Wednesday, June 16
Vanilla Bikes - hand-crafted in Portland, built for the true blue bike fool. Taking the term custom bikes to a whole new level and still remaining true to their soul. Just thinking of getting a new bike should be a good enough excuse to check this crew out. Ride the bike, feel the vibe, support the cause.
Back in the pilot's seat
Yes, once again I find myself moving forward with many things in my life, one current sweet spot I've hit is finding a great design group to be a part of. Searching the west coast over I've managed to find this group a bit closer to home than previously thought was possible. Okay, my basement would be even closer, but who the hell wants to design down there? Portland's stock just went way up and again I remember why I left the cultural lushness of California. For one thing, it's not there anymore. Besides currently being the city in which I will always feel is home, San Francisco started to lose its edge shortly after every company on the block decided to go IPO. Yea, we all see how that story ended. No longer the hotbed of creativity and the arts - now a wasteland of the jobless. SF has a permanent place in my heart, but Portland might just become my new home? Time will tell.
Changing it up again - Tuesday, June 8
As spring is turning to summer I find myself again looking into the sun for inspiration and guidance. Not to be blinded, but to receive its energy, a new spark, with more intensity.