more of portland....

i had found this shop in portland and went back the day we were leaving-- it was so much fun to look through this huge rambling store--it was filled with imports from japan, china, indonesia, and india-- every square inch of it was packed. needless to say-- i made peter and henry wait for me for a good long while! it was just too much fun. i bought some colorful litho tin pins to give as thank you gifts to customers, and a pair of antique chinese shoes ( i'll take a picture and post it soon). they're covered in detailed embroidery.

paper lanterns and decorations trailed everywhere-- the windows were great fun-- i took most of the shop windows the night before when we stopped at a brew pub. i had a glass of wine from a willamette winery-- locally grown.

 outside the shop had a porch with  mismatched rambling fencing -made
of weathered and faded carved doors and shutters. it was gorgeous!

 below are a few building and street views-- the sun was starting to go down and the light was especially beautiful

i feel like some kind of hokey ambassador of portland but it's truly a beautiful city --not too big and not too small. it has an intimate feeling where one isn't made to feel small or overwhelmed, with so many diverse neighborhoods. modern buildings rest comfortably among older architecture. city planning has accounted for top notch public transportation,  bike paths, wading pools and public parks, gardens, plazas-- a wonderfully people friendly place.
not only is the city fabulous but the outlying areas are amazingly beautiful as well-- at every turn there's a view,  a place to escape to, a part of nature to explore.  from ocean, mountains, to the desert interior, i'm in love with this part of the country. i'd move there in a heartbeat.