I Love Portland In the Summer.

Mt. Tabor in the summer

I haven't been so complimentary about Portland lately. And it might seem a bit late in the season for a "things to do this summer list" but in my defense, we're still holding our breath for any sign of it here. It's been cold and obscenely, unrelentingly rainy. But the weatherman promises that's all changing this weekend, when we'll hit 80 for the first time this year, mid-June. So, here it is; My summer wish list, to make sure I appreciate every non-work gorgeous summer minute I'm offered, if the season does manage to present itself.

PLACES TO GO:
Portland, Maine / Newport, OR / Chicago, IL / Vancouver, BC / Seattle, WA

FOODS TO MAKE:
basil, lavender, rosemary gelatos / weekend brunches / whole trout / artichokes

HAPPY HOURS TO HIT:
Nobel Rot / Bakery Bar / Pok Pok / Navarre

THINGS TO WRITE:
a short story with a thunderstorm / a dream / a food cart interview / a little creative nonfiction

THINGS TO SHOOT:
my ladies in maine / the ocean / summer meals / walla walla vineyards / bike trips

PLACES TO HIKE:
Laurelhurst Park or Mt. Tabor (every day) / Pacific Crest Trail (at Skamania) / Vancouver Island, BC / Cape Perpetua Scenic Area (Newport) / Mt. Hood

BOOKS TO READ:
Too Much Happiness (Alice Munro) / Little Children (Tom Perrotta) / We Tell Ourselves Stories In Order To Live: Collected Nonfiction (Joan Didion) / The Last Summer (of You and Me) (Ann Brashares) / A Gate At the Stairs (Lorrie Moore)