Oh Portland, I love you so

The first time I went to Portland I was 22 years old. I loved it so much! Ever since I've yearned for Portland like it's my lost lover. The weather, people, and "small town vibe" absolutely won my heart over. It's something about a walkable city I just cannot get enough of! 

Being from los angeles, a "walkable city" is laughable. We have walkable parts of the city but Los Angeles as a whole...walkable...those two things don't even go together. Finding bookstores, cafes, music stores, small shops, all within walking distance is something I think we has humans have failed to build within our society. We crave third spaces. Somewhere that we can get creative, socialize, and give our eyes new scenery. Being stuck in the same environment; work then home...it can make one's mental health decline like crazy. Doomscrolling is at all time high and It won't get any better the more we sit at home and do nothing! 

Many people from Los Angeles say it's very hard to find community within the city. They're right. You have to go looking for it because we have third spaces but no one talks about them...why? simply because people gate keep like a mother fucker. However, when going to Portland I find that so Many locals were telling us so many cool things to do! They thrive on community and a third space. They don't care if you're from Portland or not. If you come with good energy they fuck with you period. That's simply from my personal experience, everyone has their own life path and journey!

I always wondered would I ever move out of los angeles...my hometown...everything I've ever known. I have everything I could ever want in los angeles; maybe that's the problem. Everything is too readily available at my hands. Leaving my state is such a mature grown thing to do. I love traveling and experiencing new places; I also love knowing I have the comfort of going back home. 

I have to go back to Portland again and again. With my besties (Khad and Shanece), My girlfriend and again with my besties HAHAAH. I want to visit all over Oregon not just Portland. I want to see the full beauty of the state. Wow, could I become one of those hiking granola people?

As an earth sign I do long to be around nature. As much as a city girl I say I am I LOVE nature and being outside. It's so beautiful. Being surround by trees and its dead silent does something absolutely amazing to the mind. Sitting there in no sound, crisp air, nothing but the sound of the trees and animals in the forest. My journal and I would go absolutely crazy. 

After writing about absolutely nothing lol point is... living in Portland is a dream of mine, we need more third spaces along with walkable cities, and as scary as it is moving from your home; its something I must do to grow into the person I aspire to be. 

xoxo, 

Starra ˚₊‧꒰ა 𓂋 ໒꒱ ‧₊˚