Don't want to be an American Idiot

Hey y'all, so here's the run down on this week's Portlandy shenanigans. But before I start I had a couple of general reedie/portland things to share. So yes, I think I can safely say I've quelled my tea fears about the US (not mind you, home brewing tea in my dorm, I miss 250v - kettles don't take 10 minutes to boil back in London). HOWEVER, what Americans/Portlanders HAVEN'T mastered is the art of Tea. They just haven't got the whole tea drinking EVENT down. There may be a cursory teacup every now and again but I see no cake stands, or BISCUITS to dunk or TEASPOONS anywhere - it's all teabags on strings and craptonnes of sugar! Quick, in and out, bam, bob's your uncle. Man what I'd do for a fondant fancy...

ALSO, I can't believe I haven't mentioned it but DOGS (I'm not sure why the Caps lock loving all of a sudden either... bare with, it might get less irritating). Everywhere. All over Reed campus. And very lovely friendly ones. People bring them to commons, to conference, you name a spot on a reed, there'll be someone with their pet pooch. Which means, although I will ALWAYS be a crazy cat spinster at heart, there is a little bit of love for the canine now too.

Enough ramble.
Onto the good stuff.

9.29 BRUNCH. Oh lordie, brunch brunch brunch. My favourite meal. I am instigating a cultural revolution when I return to the UK and force all cafes/restaurants/people to have brunch every weekend. Fact. This Sunday I got to hang out at Delta on Woodstock, SOUTHERN brunch. And yes, you got it. Southern means OMGOSHLY HUGE PORTIONS.
Yes, I'm still being that girl, taking photos of food, but humor me with this one - I think it's worth it!

9.30 Standard Monday, pretty productive day=nothing particularly interesting to report. Other than the pharmacist giving me my free flu shot making some cute jokes about British rain. And the cute barista being back at Papacinnos serving me my 8oz.

10.1 It rained. We hid in Paradox. Again. The Geese are still here.

10.2 Trip to Hawthorne had a pretty sweet day. Had an indulge seeing as I haven't actually been clothes shopping since being here (I'm shocked too) and boyyyy did I make up for it. Red Light vintag was a bit of a let down so I crossed the street (no jay-walking I promise!), to the luxury goodwill. I say luxury because it is so expensive compared to every other goodwill ever. So for the Ukians who don't know, goodwill is a kind of chain charity chop like Scope or Oxfam. And this one in particular is where they house all their top notch stock. Yes, there I was trying on ralph lauren jumpers like it was an everyday occurance haha. After accepting that a petite medium couldn't really be further from my size really and my lack of waist really wasn't going to squish into a gorgeous woolen two piece suit, I did settle for a beautiful Ralph Lauren hawaiin print maxi skirt (I'm not usually a label whore but oh lordy was I going to pass up the opportunity for a $16.99 Ralph Lauren? helllll no!) and an icelandice cardi (to console myself over mine and STeph's postponed trip.. next summer... next summer). After breaking the purse seal came the inevitable, a warehouse full of vintage clothes? Yesyesyes. I'll nab a 1980s leather jacket for $20 ofcourse I will. Blissfully tired, with a ravaged checking account I calmed down in, yes what a surprise, a lovely little tea room - The Hazel lounge. The decor was lush and the pumpkin spice chai tea was pretty good so Ima say it was a successful day! Topped off in my creative writing class getting to have a really good sit down chat with tung-hui hu, who's done some increidble things with words and art > http://www.architizer.com/projects/last-time-you-cried/ seriously, check him out

10.3 Sam invited me down to dinner in the co-op. So this is a pretty alien concept back home but second nature to Portlanders (and californians so I hear from Tash). Essentially they're a big house of people who all live together and take turns cooking/cleaning for the house. Hard core co-ops grow their own food, keep chickens etc whereas here at Reed, it pretty much means you live in a house of people and don't have a board plan. I wish I'd known about it before I came - everyone was so so lovely, they're like a little family! Sam and one of the other girls cooked a crapload and I mean CRAPLOAD (there are 10 of them!)  of vegan/gluten free delightfulness. It was so lovely to have a home cooked meal again and be able to wash up and do all domesticy things, being in a home y'know rather than dorms.

10.4 MORE BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURES WITH THE BEAUTIFUL GRACE
China Town and Beyond :)

starting, as every pretend American (and real one) would with a quick visit to stumptown - Portland's favourite coffee roasters and armed with an apricot and cardamom scone we headed to the divine Lan Su Chinese Garden (supposedly the most authentic garden chinese outside of China - and as someone having fallen in love with the beauty of Suzhou gardens in China two years ago I can definitely attest to this being true!). I'll let the photos do the talking.

 It was like I was back in China, I don't know how Grace didn't get sick of me. Of course there was a tea house - The Tower of Cosmic Reflections. Lotus tea and Lychees. Yes. Just. Yes.

So following an Emily whim we jumped on a bus and headed to the other side of Portland to hit the Japanese Gardens. After a lovely bus driver drove off route to get us where we needed to go (we weren't lost per se...) and trecked through Washington Park (Imagine me in my high heeled boots and swishy black skirt lol) and stumbled upon the Rose Test gardens instead. The roses may have finished but I FINALLY got to see Mount Hood in all her glory. Breath.taking.

  Getting back to the roots man.

Relying on our little feet rather than another bus fandango we wandered slowly back downtown, stopping at a proper Goodwill in awe of the crazy amounts of halloween decs they had on display. I'm not a halloweeny person but man, the Americans so do know how to do halloween so I'm kind of excited! I didn't pick up a tea cup in goodwill no no no, I'm not that stupid/grannyish... $2, 2 freaking dollars, I was NOT passing that up!! We finished off the day on 23rd in a little mexican place and then topped it off with froyo ofcourse :)

10.5 Portland Saturday Market and other shenanigans. It also decided to be summer again.

oh lordie....