Portland

[melodyssister]

We had very high expectations of Portland, and it mostly lived up to them. Our vague plan back in DC was to go to Powell's bookshop, SockDreams' brick and mortar store and the Rose Garden. We managed to do two out of three, and several other things, too

Comments

[mimimanderly]

I'm always a little sad when I sniff a rose and detect no smell. It seems, if I remember correctly, that they started hybridizing them to keep their bud shape longer and for color. I don't really care what a rose looks like; I want to be bowled over with it's scent.

That bookstore sounds like heaven to me! We have something similar around here; it's called Baldwin's Book Barn, and indeed, it is a converted barn. It has five levels crammed with used books, most of them reasonably priced, but also with a section for rare editions. I always love going there on one of my "muse dates".

[melodyssister]

I'm always a little sad when I sniff a rose and detect no smell. It seems, if I remember correctly, that they started hybridizing them to keep their bud shape longer and for color. I don't really care what a rose looks like; I want to be bowled over with it's scent.

I totally agree! There were some gorgeous red roses that looked as if they should smell wonderful, and it was quite disappointing when they had no scent at all. Chocolate-box roses, I call them, they somehow don't seem quite real.