Wing Ding

Wing Ding is a way to describe every weekend here in PDX. There are soooo many fun items on my agenda it is hard to get through them all. I want many of you to notice the beautiful blue skies in most, if not all, of the daytime photos. Portland has two major rivers and the coast is only an hour or so away. So weather often makes its way up the gorge (think of those delta breezes in sac or santa ana winds), fortunately, the weather (like fog or clouds) doesn't have a chance with the heat of the sun forcing all of the ugly weather away (I know - talk to me during the winter).
Hawthorne bridge is hiding between the willow tree above. I read recently that it was opened in 1910 and it is the oldest (and still in use) vertical lift bridge in the US. It is named after Dr. J.C. Hawthorne who founded the Oregon hospital for the INSANE. More interestingly, the Hospital was located on a street named Asylum, which has been renamed for Dr. Hawthorne also.
Many evenings have been spent strolling the alphabet streets of the pearl. There are restaurants and bars, clothing and furniture stores, and handmade paper and orchid businesses. It is very nice to walk and find a new location to remember and find again. On many evening strolls pictures are often captured for no reason other than research. If you are looking at the picture with the flag let it be known I am not feeling patriotic, the photo shows two buildings on either side of the frame and two in the middle. The building on the right, is called Avenue Lofts and prior to being converted to lofts it was the warehouse for Meier & Frank. The building on the left is Marshall Wells Lofts (I think?). OK-the lights are a picture taken at a drunken moment in our lobby - I think they are kinda hip!
Last, but not least, a couple of statements about health and physical fitness. The government is all up in arms about childhood obesity but they (government) are still allowing twinkies and cheetos in vending machines at schools. Here are two statements the government could use for their national campaign -I really like them but do not necessarily follow them: 1) move more than you eat, and 2) if you want to look athletic you must be athletic.