Hot Summer In The City.

Because you love picture updates!

A few weekends ago we met up with The Brazilian and his wife for some breakfast down in The Pearl District, then walked around and I snapped a bunch of pictures.

 

I love my city.

 

Here I am walking away from the car.

The Brazilian and his wife (okay, Tomaz and Diana)

Mike and I waiting for Breakfast.

 

The Daily Cafe

 

After brunch we went for a walk around The Pearl District.  20 some odd years ago, the planning bitches put into plan an urban renewal area for the scary industrial northwest area.  Knock down a few buildings here, refurbish some there, build bright new shiny condo towers over there…. you get the idea.

 

Our first stop was Jameson Square, which has a pretty cool water foutain thing in the middle of the park.  I love that our city had the forethought to include parks in the area.  Jameson Square is where all the urban mommies take their kiddies. 

 

 

Mike and Tomaz watching the dogs and kids play in the fountain.

 

Walking away, you will notice that they covered the sidewalk in teak that borders the park and heads toward the just opened Metropolitan condo tower.

Tanner Springs park.  This is where the urban mommies get their bitching on.  The park is set up as a completly self containing ecosystem (very cool!)… which means no walking on the grass and no pets allowed.  Very serene and quiet.  The urban mommies hate this park.  They just can’t understand why their kids can’t play in the water.  Oh… it’s 2 blocks away from Jameson Square. Jeez… they want it all.

 

Doesn’t the Fremont Bridge look pretty cool in the back ground?  And I love how you can see the reflection in the building below.

 

 The Portland Street Car.

These two buildings (above and below) are my favorite of the rehabbed old warehouses.  Instead of Loft style, they made it psuedo-townhouses.  Some even have roof decks!  Around back their is an alley with garage access… perfect for those urbanites who don’t people to know they drive.

 

 

 

My favorite new building above.  The Casey.  The sided it with some kind of light colored wood vaneer.  Insanely buitiful, and the picture doesn’t do it justice. (above).

(below) People standing and waiting for a table at the Byway’s Cafe.

Walking back to the car, I stopped to take a picture of the mural painted on the side of 24 Hour Fitness (itself a beutiful redo of an abandoned warehouse)… can it be any gayer?

A 5 minute drive up the hill from The Pearl District is my house.  🙂

We finally finished the backyard…. who am I kidding? It’s never finished.

(below) Our outdoor living room. 

Katey (she wouldn’t hold still for a shot)

 

Lucy sunning herself in the grass.

Mike’s gardening addiction is out of control.  The lavender is insane right now!  Walking up to our front door the scent is powerful.

The front of the house.  It’s hard to get a good pic of the yard from angle on the street.

The view from my front porch.