Family Flocks for Fun & Pomp

 She did it!

Inga made it through the pandemic and graduate school (at the same time) by isolating in her apartment and pulling long hours attending online instruction in front of the Zoom screen, which in these times counts for 'attending' classes at Portland State University, School of Public Health. The result; a Master's Certificate in Public Health. 

All of the reasons above are enough to celebrate, and celebrate we did with the whole family. Once the hooding ceremony schedule was confirmed, everybody was in for the celebration. This included the special good news that Grant and Kaileen planned to fly into Portland for a few days from far away in New York City. Sue blocked out her summer schedule to arrive in Seattle a few days early and the two of us made the four hour drive from Arlington to Portland to meet up with Grant, Kaileen, Inga, Sean and Sean's mother Annie up from Salem. It was a grand gathering.

Kaileen & Grant on Airbnb porch in Portland

Grant and Kaileen are planners, and jumped into action and found and rented an Airbnb for us four out-of-towners, a few blocks away from Inga and Sean's place in the popular Alberta Street entertainment/dining district. 

Inga still had some loose ends to attend to in order to finish some of her classes and get her degree, so she and Sean were allowed to keep their noses to the grindstone while the four of us footloose visitors settled into sampling the Portlandia dining landscape. Inga and Sean making appearances for sustenance and family fellowship at recommended brunch locales and eateries.

All the family joins for a leisurely, sophisticated brunch at The Tin Shed for Morning 1 on Alberta Street

Inga suggested a Thai place for dinner, so we all ambled a few blocks and brought our curry and soups and satay sticks to a picnic table on the curb. Good times.

 

Thai food on the street

We walk up and down the now familiar environs of Alberta Street, taking in the local ambiance, of political posters, sexual graffiti and street art and sculptures. It feels so 'West Coast 1960's' to me - but maybe it has always been this way? Maybe it was was just me who left the 60's and 70's behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark mirrors the Alberta Street Beaver Sculpture

 

 

 

 

Grant waits for his name to be called from the waiting list

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another day and another reason for brunch. This morning we make our way to Fuel, a brunch storefront that seems to have a reasonable wait time. Grant puts his name on the waiting list for a party of four and we hang out and watch the cool people go by.

Sue and cartoon cat pause in search for a fabulous brunch

Sue and Kaileen round the corner to join me and Grant for brunch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A hearty meal is enjoyed in Portland

We digest our meals and make plans tomorrow to go to PSU's School of Public Health hooding ceremony and cheer Inga as she walks across the stage and grabs her diploma.