Baker City, OR

Entering Baker City in the late afternoon I wondered why it was a city* at all. The few stores on Main Street were slowing shutting off their lights. One restaurant was drawing a small crowd for happy hour, or an early dinner. The latter being more likely. Paused at a red light, I suddenly felt like I was in an Edward Hopper painting. The sole car on a downtown street pinned by the heavy autumn sun. Sun blind, I couldn't tell if the light had changed to green. But another light went off, the one in my head. I remembered that Baker City began during the Eastern Oregon gold rush and it once was the largest city between Portland, OR and Salt Lake City, UT. These guys keep it from smelling like either city nowadays.

Portland, OR

"Portland is like Portlandia", this according to a close friend who lived there for four years. I'm glad I met her because I was shocked how many times I visited Portland while I lived in Bellingham. Three long weekends and two of those long weekends were with her. Only three? How did I let this happen when everyone and their second cousin is talking about Portland?