Keep Portland Weird, Keep Portland Creative
Hi friends,
I recently took a solo trip to Portland and wanted to share some of the highlights. The purpose was a celebratory trip for finishing my graduate program. I wanted to go to a new city and chose Portland at random. The goal was self care and revival. I wanted to reignite my creativity and love for poetry, books, tea and roses! I was only there for a few days, I achieved my goal and loved every minute of it!
I stayed in the city wandering tea shops and bookstores. Loved Of course Powell’s was a must but I fell in love with mother foucault’s bookshop. It’s quaint, inviting, and organized chaos. It almost felt like you were at home rather than a bookstore. There are books EVERYWHERE, from floor to ceiling, on tables and chairs. I came an hour before closing and chatted with the owner a bit. They ended up offering me to stay as long as I’d like. I browsed and browsed and ended up leaving with an autobiography and 2 books of poetry.
I then went to the International Rose Test Garden. It was delightful. Literally stopped and smelled the roses. As it is with Portland it started sprinkling a little bit but all was well.
Decided to treat myself to a spa day at the Ritz-Carlton. For me it was a once in a life time experience. They offered full amenities before and after my treatment. I enjoyed tea while taking in the cityscape and munching on some snacks. Very serene
Overall the experience was darling! It gave what it needed to give. I felt rejuvenated and inspired to start writing poetry again.
They say keep Portland weird but I say keep Portland creative. If you read this whole thing, bless your soul
TLDR: Took a solo trip to Portland to celebrate finishing grad school and reconnect with my creativity. Spent my days in tea shops, bookstores, rose gardens, and at the spa and left feeling inspired to write poetry again. Keep Portland creative.