at bipartisan cafe; yes, again.

song of the day:

every direction is north, el ten eleven.

  -------------

after starting the day off with some orange blossom tea,

elyse and i decided to set out on some adventuring.

we hit up portland's saturday market, but first of course, 

we had to purchase ourselves some coffee.

once the java kicked in, we laughed our way through the endless sea of booths:

trying on funny hats, admiring polaroid photography and eying several gifts for friends.

if there's one thing portland knows how to do, it's one-of-a-kind trinkets and souvenirs.

feeling a little overwhelmed and claustrophobic, we decided to enjoy the sunshine,

meandering up and down the walkway down by the willamette river. 

we made jokes, commented on how wonderful the weather was and snapped a few pictures.

after some aimless wandering and a trip to trader joe's, we set off for home.

naturally i couldn't stay cooped up inside the apartment,

so here i am, once again, at bipartisan cafe.

(off se stark for those portlanders interested!)

a nice 3mile bike ride from my house, i enjoy the saturday sounds and delicious iced coffee.

with people sitting around reading the newspaper, a father reading to his son, kids doing their homework,

a woman's solitary afternoon, a couple on a date and little me, sitting in the corner, people watching. 

someone asks me for directions to the nearest MAX line

and it suddenly dawns on me:

it's taken a little while, but after a little less than two months, 

portland is really starting to feel like home.

i have a cursory knowledge of the city and no longer get lost on my way home,

i stumbled upon a starbucks barista job with regulars that fill me with endless giggles,

and school will be starting on monday. 

after the stress of the last six months and the loss of my grandma,

now, more than ever, i feel a connection to this city, to these surroundings.

i feel a wave of new air in my lungs and a bounce in my step. 

i cannot wait to see what new experiences lay ahead.

and really, what's even more exciting,

this is just the beginning..