Music of the Night

As mentioned in yesterday's post, Portland has a professional symphony called the Oregon Symphony.  They have a couple of different regular venues, but this is the one they use a vast majority of the time.  It's located just a few blocks from Pioneer Square, as seen in yesterday's post.  Husband and I have enjoyed three concerts here thus far; two as date night activities and another as a family event for their annual Sunday afternoon Christmas concert (which we will likely do again).  We already have plans to attend their September performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade," a concert which also features a modern percussion concerto.  As a percussionist and classical music enthusiast, I am extremely excited for this concert and have been waiting on pins and needles for the tickets to go on sale (and for my bank account to have enough money to purchase them).  Tomorrow I will show you what this concert hall looks like on the inside!

Pioneer Square

One of the first areas of Portland that I really explored after moving here was this downtown area.  This is the Pioneer Courthouse, as seen across Pioneer Square.  I took this while Husband and I were waiting on the MAX (Portland public transit) after attending an Oregon Symphony concert.

Paper Tiger Coffee

The Pacific Northwest sure loves its coffee, and there are independent coffee and tea shops on just about every corner in both Vancouver and Portland.  I have spent most of my adult life thus far believing this was normal across the country, but I'm beginning to think it's an awesome part of living here in this region. 

I stopped by this little shop to check it out and while I didn't find it to be earth-shatteringly amazing, it was a cute little place I have returned to on occasion.  I do like the atmosphere of the local coffee shops around here (Starbucks all look the same), and Paper Tiger is no exception.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

This is about 45 minutes south of Portland in a town called Woodburn.  Every year at this time they have a festival celebrating their beautiful tulip fields.  You can pay a ridiculous price of $10/car to go in and walk around in the fields, take pictures, play on old tractors, and spend even more money on kids' rides, flower bulbs, and food.  Aside from the cost, it's a beautiful place.  It's definitely worth paying for once in a while. 

Easter

On Easter Sunday my family and I decided to go to a sunrise service. We chose a church near our home that we'd never been to before, and we were not disappointed.  They had a fire in their outdoor fire pit, they sang wonderful praise songs to start the service, and the view of the sunrise was amazing.  You can't see it (and there's no way my iPhone could have captured it) but in the gap there on the right-hand side of the trees you could see Mt. Hood in the distance.  I love where I live!

Pink

I love spring in the Pacific Northwest.  These trees blossom all around my neighbourhood, and I love the way the fading evening light looks on the delicate pink blossoms.

Stately

Portland's First Presbyterian Church stands between Alder & Morrison at 12th Ave.  The lighting was unpredictable this particular evening, and I think the dark stormy clouds contradicted by the bright sun makes this steeple look even more dramatic than it would normally.

Cape Horn

It's spring.  It may not be spring in Montana or Wyoming or New York...but it's spring in the Pacific Northwest!  And you could not ask for a better place to enjoy this season.  Bright tulips, deeply pink dogwoods, long-lasting cherry blossoms, and the beginnings of rosebuds (Portland is, after all, the City of Roses). 

The Columbia River has oft been given the cliche adjective "mighty" because, well...that's what it is.  I see it every day - twice a day, at least - and I never tire of its beauty.  This is perhaps one of the best vantage points I have found, and it is a short 20-minute drive east of Vancouver on WA-14.  I believe it's called Cape Horn and I think I could stare at this picture forever.  Better yet, I'd like a home office with this view.