I moved out of my home of 15 years on August 13 and immediately spent two nights at a friend’s house. We originally met on the tennis court and it turned into dog walks, lunches and long talks. And these two nights were no different…long talks deep into the dark, warm nights of summer.

I then moved back to my previous street to housesit for a neighbor for two weeks. Her garden was glorious and the art work that showered her house’s walls were sublime. I learned she did some of the art work (the things you learn when you stay at someone’s home) and other pieces were purchased at many art shows. As a matter of fact, she decided to stop going to art shows because she is so compelled to buy art and there are no more bare walls. Each piece felt spiritual and special in her home. Her ex-husband was a woodworker and the trim and shelving that dressed the house was absolutely divine, too.

During this six weeks I attended several events at various parks during Portland’s Summer for All events. I look forward to this every summer and this year I managed several concerts, an opera and a comedy show. Portland really shines during the summer and these events really highlight all the wonderful parks in this city.

I also managed a trip to Mt. Rainier. This has been on my list to-do for a long time. I realized (a bit too late) that it is really easy to get there and, of course, the mountain trails were gorgeous. The accessibility and beauty of the outdoors in the Pacific North West really is difficult to beat!

Meeting with friends to say good-bye meant a lot of food. Some places I visited were Jam on Hawthorne for brunch. I’ve been here a few times and it’s always busy, which is a testament to it’s flavorful, hearty meals. I ate at an old Portland institution, Nicolas. The flat bread cooked right before it arrives at your table has remained consistently delicious throughout all these years. I attended a networking event at Hey Love where the cocktails were lovely and the food varied. I made a new friend and talked shop! I had coffee at Crema Coffee and caught up with a Laurelhurst mom outside at the open tables created by blocking off the street from cars. It was perfect.

It was a full two weeks of movin’ and shakin’ and then I moved to Sellwood for a dog sitting gig for my next two weeks. I have certainly visited Sellwood before but the dog sitting allowed me a more intimate glimpse of the area. The Sellwood and Westmoreland Parks were well-maintained and clean. Pete loved the new smells and having another dog as his partner in crime. They got along well and every evening chased each other for over an hour. I found Cloud City Ice Cream along the way. Yowzah! Let’s just say it’s a good thing I don’t live closer.

I had lunch with a friend at Tavern on Kruse which was closer from my Sellwood digs than NE Portland. Lunch was great and I loved my salmon burger. We sat outside which was a perfect place to eat lunch on a Portland summer day. My neighbors on my old street had a get together for me on a Saturday night. It was a wonderful gathering and emulated all the gatherings I coordinated when I lived on the street. It was the perfect sendoff!

The next day another friend had me over for brunch. We shared work and motherhood experiences for many years and she is someone very dear to me. I met a friend for coffee at Carina’s Bakery in Beaverton. I don’t make it to Beaverton very often but my friend wanted to try this vegan bakery. There were so many sweet and savory options and we were able to grab a table outside.

A few nights later I went to one of my favorite restaurants with one of my favorite couples. Lovely’s 50 50 did not disappoint and we got a table right away (highly unusual but helped that we got in line right at 5 p.m.). We ate two salads and two pizzas and, of course, homemade ice cream. I highly recommend the salted caramel.

I walked the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. It was my first time there and although it is a small park, it was so beautiful with water, fauna and wildlife. The next night I went to dinner at Campana with my favorite family. The restaurant bills themselves as the best Italian restaurant, which is a bold statement. I enjoyed my meal but it certainly is not the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to. But it didn’t matter because I was with some of my most treasured people. Enough said.

Coffee with another friend happened at Sterling Coffee Roasters. I had never been to this coffee shop and the vibe was cool. It is on NW 21st, every seat was occupied and the coffee was really smooth. That evening I it was dinner with another set of neighbors. We went to Ken’s Pizza. It was a later dinner than usual because ever since this place was highlighted on Instagram, it has been packed…every night…every hour. Admittedly everything that comes out of this kitchen is amazing…the pizza, the roasted vegetables and desserts. These neighbors have been kind and generous with me and I made sure they realized how much I value their friendship. The tears flowed that evening.

I met a good friend from one of my jobs in Portland for a walk around Reed College. The campus is serene, green and lush. It was great to catch up and talk about our dreams for the future. The next evening I met a friend that I made at the gym. It makes sense since I work out religiously. We went to Blackbird Wine and Atomic Cheese. This is the sweetest wine shop around. It’s small and quaint and the wines and cheeses are scrumptious. Another evening sitting outside. My only complaint is the shop closes at 7 p.m., which is way too early when the ambience so good.

I managed a lunch at Paadee with a second visit with one of my friends…what a bonus! I can never go wrong with Thai for lunch. I was invited spur of the moment to bowling on a Saturday night at Grand Central Bowl. I decided to go for the social aspect and had no intention of bowling. But, alas, I was not allowed to opt out and I guess it is good I didn’t because I ended up winning against my four opponents. On the weekends a reservation is a must and they hold you to the times…we had to beg to finish our game when our hour expired so that we could see our scores.

Happy Hour with another work friend at Cheese and Crack. The cheese boards and soft serve are not to be missed! I love this place and have visited often with Carli. If I were to open a business, I would love something similar to this place.

And alas the drop off at University of Oregon…the final stop on the goodbye tour.

Throughout the month, I kept running into people I know and was asked over and over, “You’re not gone yet?” My timeline was always dictated by Pearl’s school start date (super late September 29th). And although it is a late start date, it did allow me to do lots of fun things and visit with tons of my friends in my last six weeks in Portland. Lucky me!