girl at large

I like to write about life when you have a job, some kids, a fixer upper and a fatal disease.

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Category: upper left-hand corner

  • the Portland binder continues to grow fat and happy

    Humorous print:The Portland Mercury, a celebration of the pint:Oregon Brewers Festival, living on the cheap:PDX DirtCheap, living to eat: The Bite of Portland, where to drink:Bar Fly, where to get vegan doughnuts:Voodoo Doughnuts, a little jazz:Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, some big sausages:Otto's Sausage Kitchen, something to watch:Cinema 21, another something to read:Willamette Week and lots…

  • more to like everyday

    My file folders for Portland are getting full— Life will be made easier for Miss Ruby with resources, leash-free parks and services found at DogNose News and Portland Pooch. It's a very dog-friendly area, by comparison to most mid-sized American cities. Probably no brioche treats from the baker, but we can't have everything! Getting around…

  • i think i’ll just live alone….

    I've spent hours, days, nights, an eternity researching housing in Portland…beware "Roommate Wanted" ads. Requirements such as these set my teeth on edge: – Female non-transgender-biased roommate wanted for (tiny, moldy) room in attic. Absolutely NO smoking, must be cannibas-friendly (what the ?!??!). Absolutely NO meat. (well, you're not going to get any being that…

  • open the shop and she will come

    Portland Modern (real estate, back in favor and rapidly rising in price), including plenty of Rummers, the original Eichler copycat (so they say), new and vintage furnishings at Splinter, catalog come to life at Design Within Reach, modern accessories and giving-goodies at Relish, scandinativan modular basics at Hip, high-end and contract furnishings from id collection…

  • and there’s outdoorsy stuff too…

    Oregon has lots of green leafy and granola daytrips and weekend excursions, including Mt. St.Helens, the Columbia River Gorge, and Crater Lake (at right, i LOVED the area when i saw it on vacation with The Custard a few years ago). you can explore by the gorge by paddle boat, the foothills of Mt. Hood…

  • in the cards

    we went to the Musee de la Carte Postale today, an amusing way to kill two hours, where we were treated to a personal tour that encompassed not only a history of the postcard but a bit of French history as well. there were 5 or 6 American examples…one of which was from Portland, Oregon.…

  • well, i wouldn’t be wanting for caffeine…

    a statistical side-by-side comparison–Savannah vs. Portland. surprising: though having fewer rain days, Savannah overall actually has more rainfall than Portland. encouraging: Portland has a markedly lower crime rate, not a big shock as Savannah can be crime central. slightly alarming: 45 Starbucks in Portland? 45?!?!? how would i find which one Miss Dawn is at???

  • could this be it?

    on a suggestion from The Custard, i've been investigating Portland, Oregon as a place to live when i return stateside in the fall. and what a contender! it had been on my short list some years ago when i first left Wisconsin, but it had slipped my mind–i think the rain deterred me. but i…