On the road again: Portland, day 2

The non-work highlight of today, which is also the only part of the day I can discuss, was a drive with a friend and colleague to his home in Astoria and a visit to that lovely coastal village.  Astoria is a funky little place with a strong personality, exactly what I want from a beach town.  Unlike where I grew up or where I now vacation, though, Astoria is relentlessly cool, thanks to the breezes off the river and the ocean.  I certainly see why my friend settled there. 

I don't want to encourage folks to buy all the property there and over-populate the place, so let me instead suggest that you'd enjoy visiting it, spending money with the local merchants (our dinner at the Voodoo Lounge was a lot of fun), and then moving on.