{random photo of the day. pike’s market, seattle. during our honeymoon}
SO….I’m FINALLY answering all those questions you guys sent me forever ago. Yeah… I got busy/lazy. I’m super behind on blog reading too. Sorry if I haven’t commented on any of your posts. I still love you. I just suck sometimes….but mostly I just get busy. OK… here are some the questions you guys asked. OH…and if you were wondering what’s up with that random photo (above)….I really don’t know. I just couldn’t think of a photo I wanted to put up today. OK…now here goes….. Oh…and P.S. stupid blogger is giving me stupid spacing issues again. I hate it, but I just have to let it go because I can’t figure it out and don’t want to waste more time on it. Hope you’ll still red my blog even though it has ugly spacing. OK….for real….question time.
*What is it like living in Portland? A huge part of me has always wanted to someday maybe give it a go. Is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Let me just start by saying….I LOVE Portland. I live less than 2 hours from the ocean, less than 2 hours from the mountains and have a “big city” right at my fingertips. I use quotation marks, because I am quite aware that Portland is not a big city, but it’s pretty decent size, and I like that it’s smaller because it’s not as overwhelming and the traffic sucks a lot less. I love that people here care about things. People are kind and generous (maybe that’s why we have such a large homeless population). I love that it’s laid back here. People aren’t in a rush to get everywhere. And I love how creative the people here are. Genius designers and crafters abound. People are also incredibly innovative – making the best of the resources they have. Everything about it makes me happy.
*What is your favorite thing to do in Portland?
I love to eat here. It’s for sure my favorite thing to do hands down. So many restaurants offer fresh local ingredients and you can taste the difference. Even our food carts are amazing -we’re sort of known for them (check out this video the NY Times did on them). I work right downtown and there are rows of them lined up. It’s great for the foodie on a budget. My favorite brick & mortar restaurant is Pok Pok. If you ever come here, you have to try it. We’ve also got some ridiculously great microbrews.
*What would your dream vacation be?
My dream vacation would be to travel around Europe, but especially Germany. Craig and I both have some German heritage….and Craig works on German cars every day, so that would be rad. Craig also wants to drive on the autobahn, so we could do that too.
*When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a gymnast. I seriously wish my mom was better at organizing photos, because I’d show you some ridiculous photos of me in a metallic hot pink unitard (complete with stirrups) showing off my gymnastics moves. I watched the 1996 Olympics religiously. I wanted to be Dominique Dawes and would play Barbies and pretend they were gymnasts. Yes I was 10 in 1996…probably too old to play with Barbies, but I’m OK with it. Anyway, I blame my fascination on the fact that I was born in L.A. on the closing day of the 1984 summer olympics that were in L.A. Anyway, long story short, I have absolutely no athletic abilities or flexibility. That idea was a fail.
*i’m in a serious relationship. we’re talking about engagement and marriage right now – yay! – but i feel like my peers, the youth, people in their early 20s seem to be so ANTI-being committed to someone at an early age. i don’t get it. i think it would be fabulous to be young and married and be able to still goof off but have given forever to one another. how do you feel to be young and married? did you ever experience criticism from your friends and peers?
*you said that you new some spanish because of your family! it made me curious as to how many place you have lived..where you grew up..how many sibling..etc.
*what was your first job ever?
*what was your first memory? or are you like me, where you think you remember it, but it is probably just from hearing your family tell you about it, that you think you remember?
*if your house was burning down, and you had 60 seconds to grab something, what would it be?
*What is your favorite book?
*Do you like your job? And if so, what do you like about it?
*Do you live close to your family? Are you close to them? If so, how?! And if not, how do you deal with that?
*What is the one thing you can’t resist buying at the store when it’s on mega sale. And what store would it be from?
P.S. Go enter the giveaway if you haven’t!
1st, I’ve always wanted to go to Portland but didn’t what exactly I do, so when I decide to visit, I’m going to ask you about all the must see spots! I love that Portland is such a creative city, and I wish the area I live in was, too.
2nd, Ich bin Deutsche! My great great grandparents are from Germany, and I know that I have family that still lives there, so I’ve always wanted to go on a German vacation to explore and meet distant relatives!
3rd, I used to want to be a gymnast, too. I took gymnastics classes for years, and I just always knew that some big time coach woud see me and think, “she’s the best in the class, I’ll ask her to train for the olympics.” It didn’t happen.
4th, Yay for the Shopaholic series! It’s my favorite!
I’ve never been to Portland and now you make me really want to plan a little trip there. Thanks!
All of your jobs started with A. Nice.
Germany has some good hearty food!
Thanks for sharing Lauren. I moved from Corvallis to the midwest a few months ago, and i miss it! You are lucky to be there!
Yes, blogger hates me, too and for some reason the spacing issue isn’t entirely solved. I have no clue what’s up with that one, but oh well.
I love this!!!! Great job girl. 😀 You so gotta go to Germany, I’m sure you’re gonna love it there. 😀 And yay on Forever 21 jewelry, and the Shopaholic series!!!
I’ve never been to Portland, but a friend of mine went to school there…about ten years ago and said it was his best year ever! 🙂 One day I’m sure, I’ll be visiting! 😀
Your post is not boring at all. Its fun to get to know people. P.S. I rarely comment but I Love your blog.(just thought I should add that)
I loved learning more about you Lauren! I love that i can say i have been where you lived! i just such a blast in portland. i went to a carnival there and it was so neat. i would love to go back someday!
another funny thing? i wanted to be a gymnast so bad when i was little! i took gymnastics, was getting pretty good at it, but my neighbors who carpooled with me told me they weren’t going to take me anymore so i had to quit. i was devastated. i used to want to be an iceskater too. i was obsessed with Nancy Kerrigan and would mix gymnastics and iceskating and wear my hot pink leotard in our family room. unfortunately we have all of this on video..hehe.
anyway, i love that you guys are close with your families, and i really hope someday i can come out there and meet you guys! hope you have a great day lovely!
For anyone who wants to come to Portland, and loves to hike, we have some of the best hiking around. You can go for simple hikes, or week long backpacking, all within an hour or less drive. There are also some great urban hikes!!
Way to give props to Portland! This is one of the best towns I’ve ever been to, and though Josh and I may live in a few different cities at the beginning of his career, I’m sure we’ll always come back to Portland because it rocks so much!
the more i find out about you the more i like you.
skype date coming soooooon
portland trip hopefully coming sooooon too.
love you mucho!
I haven’t been to Portland, but I’m dying to go! Loved learning about you through these fantastic questions!
i wanna go to portland!
and girl you and kass are the best at leaving comments!
we are both mixies! im half mexican too! i would of never guessed with you!
i love that you made your bro wear a tutu. do you have a photo of that!
i used to cry watching gymnastics bc i was so proud of them.
i was in it too when i was young. did some tumbling too but b=never was serious about it:(
i like these questions.
you are a fun and smart cookie.
B
Great answers and I love the one on getting married young. it’s a good thing for me to read since I think my lil sis (bff) will likely get married at 23-ish too.
http://www.diamondsandtulle.blogspot.com
I really enjoyed reading this. I love every thing about you!
it was so wonderful learning these things about you. you make me want to move to portland! and who doesn’t looove forever 21! they have the cutest accessories! and i love all of your odd jobs you had! too funny!
I’ve found another half mexican who looks completely white too 😉 Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book, and I was married at 24.
Yay! We’re moving to Portland next month and love it for the same exact reasons! It’s a big city with more opportunities, but still safe and earthy : ) I love Oregon so much, I never want to move!
I also agree with the young married thing– I was/am 19 when I got married and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. There are so many awesome things that you can only experience with your husband and I’m so blessed to have been able to have a jump-start on it!
that was so fun, Lauren! I have to say ditto on the love for Portland! I wish I lived a bit closer to my family, but wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
I loooved reading this!!
Also, Ravi and I have friends from Germany and went to visit during the first year we were together. It is AMAZING!!! We came back and took two years of German at our university because we were seriously talking about moving there. Although I feel like it might be a little crazy, I still want to do it really bad. It’s soooo beautiful and we’re hoping to go back again–maybe this summer!! I love finding out little things we have in common!
thanks so much for answering my question! (it was the first one. haha.)
i’d really love to live there one day.
actually, one of your favorite books, which happens to be one of my faves, “Blue Like Jazz” is sort of what really made me have the desire to go there one day.
i really enjoyed learning more about you! i hope you do it again sometime 🙂 i didn’t know you were half mexican. i’m 1/4 mexican & have always been sad that i didn’t learn spanish. i really don’t have a good excuse!
i LOVE blue like jazz!! donald miller is one of my favorite authors for sure.
I am coming to Portland in summer I’ve decided and I want to eat at Pok Pok, and you know Lauren being young and married is freaking cool. I have so much fun with my hubby and we get to see each other grow up. We got married at 25 which was last year… 25 is a good age but really it just depends on the couple… As long as being married= FUN !!! That’s our motto Couples who play together stay together. Love, love Pride and Prejudice.. one of my favorite books!! Oh and Yay for being half MEXICAN 🙂 as you know I am too!!! Loved learning more about you lovely lady!! xo oh I have a friend who just visited Portland… is it true there is a huge, huge bookstore that is GIGANTIC and GREAT.. if so let me know and I am booking my flight!!
Preschool teacher! Awh! Im student teaching in second grade right now
Blue Like Jazz was a strange and fascinating book. Doesn’t the guy who wrote it go to Imago Dei in Portland?
Lauren… you know me too well yes my boots are the plaid ones!!! I too, want a pair of hunter boots I want Canary YELLOW ahhh… that would be perfect!!! So, yes if I make it up to Portland in Summer I would love, love to get together…. we could meander in that bookstore!!! Have a lovely evening lady!! xo
I enjoyed reading your answers. Thanks for sharing! I also love your grandmother’s quilt.
don’t even get me started about the 1996 olypics in atlanta! that was like, the magnificent seven. i think i can name all of them … let’s see, dominique dawes, dominique moceanu, shannon miller, amy chow, amanda beard, kerri strug and jaycie phelps! though i didn’t want to be a gymnast, i once knew how to do cartwheels. sadly, those days were gone.
i didn’t know you are half-mexican. very cool thing i learned about you today.
i loved learning more about you.
gosh… blogging can be so much fun.
hence, my addiction…?
hi! i just wanted to introduce myself since i just stumbled upon your bloggy and saw that you live in portland too! i <3 portland as if it were my own child. it is brilliant. anyhoots, your blog is cutes and it was awesome reading your q & a!
blog to you later 🙂
i loved learning all this about you <3
Oh, I LOVE Blue Like Jazz, one of my favorites! Donald Miller is just an amazingly honest writer/person. Have you read Through Painted Desserts? Really good. I’m so glad I follow your blog! You are just so honest and sweet! 🙂
Just found your blog and am so thrilled to have found a PNW blogger! I’m in Vancouver, and it seems for the longest time all the bloggers I followed were from the East Coast! You’ll be on my list now too!
~P.S. I love Portland so much too, wish I lived there 🙂
lizzypunch.blogspot.com
come and visit me in Germany! 🙂