What’s more patriotic than a houseful of volunteers, pool noodles and dance parties? Nothing, that’s what. Us JVC’ers celebrated our independence from salaries and the nation’s birth in style this past weekend in Portland. Its been a fun past few weeks with this fabulous summer weather and getting to be outdoors with friends. Here is a snapshot of how fun we are:
I started the weekend off at the fantastic Last Thursday, a street/art/craft fair held on the Last Thursday of the month on Alberta St. in Portland. Meghan and I hightailed our way over to Alberta after work for an early-bird dinner (literally ate dinner at 5:15.. am I 70 years old?) at the fabulous vegan/veg Vita Cafe. We walked around saoking in the rays, meandering through art pieces, past people in tutus on stilts and listening to fantastic music that ranged from 10 year old kids dropping beats on buckets to a little kid singing Beatles with his dad to some guys and gals from All the Apparatus, a great street band. Homemade ice cream from Suzette’s, a precious creperie dessert cart and store front. Honey lavender and cinnamon ice cream? Yes, please.
The weekend was very patriotic, as I mentioned.. we all made it into Portland to hang with JVs from a few of the Cascade region houses. Loads of fun watching fireworks from the roof (they’re legal here!) and catching up with everyone to hear about their post-JVC plans. As if there is any life beyond JVC.. ha! We danced the night away and into the morning too.. Christie, Elena and I said our goodbyes to friends the next morning and meandered around some fun shops on Missisippi St. We stopped for a root beer float breakfast.. duh. Wandered down to Saturday Market on the waterfront and ate some lunch on the grass. It was an extreme day for us kids and so we headed home to rest for the evening.
4th of July was a super fun morning as we all survived stapling 1200 Tootsie Rolls to slips of paper to hand out during the Hillsboro parade with HomePlate, Sean’s agency. We walked with some of the folks from the agency and had a fantastic time.. we saw our neighbors and they FREAKED out when they saw us walking in the parade and handing out candy. “It’s our neighbors! Our neighbors!” Why yes, it’s us. We did indeed turn into movie stars overnight and so yes, your excitment is valid. Lots of fun. And a breakfast of marionberry ice cream cones followed! Plus a lunch of organic pizza deliciousness at Earth Oven Pizza, a fantastic new restaurant in Hillsboro! Chris, Elena, Christie and I biked to a nearby park for dinner and a photo shoot and watched some fireworks. And then we biked home cause we couldn’t see any fireworks. And then we had to dodge the ends of people’s driveways because they were all setting off their own fireworks. Perfect. And then we ate brownies.
What a weekend. We’re so independent and patriotic. More stuff coming soon.
you'll never roem alone 