My three-day weekend kicked off yesterday with heading to Portland after work. I’ve been half a dozen times now, but my perception of the city has changed after each visit, something I’ve never experienced with another place. It was already late so I went in search of food largely based off of what was still open. I had heard about an ice cream shop (Salt & Straw) that offered some pretty unique flavors; I planned to check it out, but the line was well out the door, even approaching closing time.

I kept walking down the singular most hipster street I have ever been on – it actually felt unreal, as if it was a parody of hipsterdom instead. There were barber shops for trimming and styling your hipster mustache, bike racks for your penny-farthing (had to Google that, I’ll admit), organic and vegan everything, and so much street art (which I absolutely love). These people looked straight out of an image search for “hipster.” I have nothing against hipsters – in fact I envy anyone who wears and does what makes them happy without being so influenced by what’s the norm – but I do tend to feel somewhat judged that I’m “not hipster enough.”

The social anxiety started to kick in, with my brain telling me that everyone was looking at me and judging me for my outfit of leggings-as-pants, baggy baseball tee, and Air Jordan’s. It took some serious self-talk to relax and realize that everyone was taking it all in, just like I was. Today I want to make a conscious effort to be more confident and in the moment of what I’m doing and experiencing rather than wasting my time and energy on what others think. And that’s the great thing about Portland – no matter what I’m doing, someone is doing something more unusual, and I love it. #KeepPortlandWeird

There were tons of food trucks along Alberta St., and I think I could spend a week here just trying them all. I decided on The Grilled Cheese Grill because cheese is easily one of my top 5 favorite foods and also, YOLO. I did challenge myself to get something I normally wouldn’t eat slash wouldn’t make for myself – I got a sandwich with Brie, roasted red peppers, spicy mustard, and tomato. The flavors complemented each other well but, being a recovering picky eater, I just wasn’t as fond of the mustard. However, the atmosphere is what would make me go back and try different sandwiches until I found that winner; after getting your food, you can choose to sit at one of the picnic tables by the street, complete with some lovely string lights and music, OR you can sit on the bus-turned-diner. Obviously I chose the bus.


So my sandwich and I sat in a bus seat, alternating between staring at the paintings on the ceiling and the hilariously embarrassing old school pictures collaged on the tabletops.

Today I’m planning to walk back along Alberta St. when everything is open, and this time, I’m going to focus on being fierce and free 😉