Thursday, August 24, 2006

Back From the City of Roses... and a wonderful Colorswap package!

I just returned last night from a four-day business trip in Portland, OR. I haven't been to Portland since I was a child and for whatever reason, I have a much clearer memory of the dunes on the coast than the city - so this trip was a nice re-introduction. Portland is an imminently walkable city. My co-worker Oskar and I walked all around the city before we had dinner each night and being the nice Swedish man that he is, Oskar indulged me when I wanted to go into tourist shops to buy Willow her asked-for yellow t-shirt and even better, let me wander starry-eyed around the many-floored Powell Bookstore...

Sorry... I got lost in the moment there. I could have spent lots of money in that bookstore but I was limiting myself to one book because I only had one small suitcase and my small carry-on was already full of yarn I had bought at Knit Purl... more on that tomorrow (batteries for the camera need recharging).

I digress... back to the walking. Whilst perambulating, we came across this sign:



I don't know... beer-soaked sushi? Sushi-flavoured beer? Any which way you cut it, I don't think it is for me. It isn't even a Japanese beer!

One day I had lunch in the multi-syllabic McCormick and Schmick's restaurant where I had to take a picture of the dome roof that was made entirely of stained glass:



Portland is known as the City of Roses, and unfortunately by the middle-end of August most of the smelly beauties are past their prime, but there were these gigantic hanging baskets everywhere! I wish there was something in the picture to gauge scale, but I would say that the basket is easily 5 feet long:



A day before I left for Portland I received my August Colorswap package from my incredibly generous partner Elizabeth:



In it was Interweave's Scarf Style book (which I have had out of the library 2-3 times and am so happy to have a copy of my own!), different vanilla scented body sprays and lotions (yum!), size 1 Brittany sock needles (She reads my blog!!!), a gorgeous candle from the Biltmore estate, a brass sheep needle gauge, a kit to knit a chocolate brown satin bag, a skein of Fiesta Dazzle in the Coyote colorway, a skein of Noro Transitions of creamy beiges and tans... and... and...

TWO SKEINS OF KOIGU!!



Oh my goodness. You should have heard me shriek when I pulled these out of the bag. I had never even seen Koigu before much less felt it in person... and I am in love with these two charcoal skeins of merino softness. I can see how it is possible to become a Koigu junkie on very short acquaintance. Elizabeth, thank you so much!

10 comments:

aija said...

Ooh, I'd squeal too! Great swap package! :)

Anonymous said...

Jo, love your color swap and can't wait to hear about your trip. Knit Purl looks like a wonderful shop. I have to pick up Tori at BWI on Sunday so I may miss you but will see you Tues......

turtlegirl76 said...

Those same baskets were all over Manzanita and Cannon Beach too. Amazing.

And Koigu is like crack.

Jae said...

I'm so addicted to Koigu that I buy colors I don't like. Just so I will never run out. ;)

soapy said...

Ohhh! Great swap gifts!

Sue said...

Sounds as though you were very lucky with your swap partner. Love the Koigu and I have never even seen it or touched it either.

Batty said...

That's a great swap package! And the yarn... oh, the yarn!

Anonymous said...

Glad the package got there ok and that you are pleased with the yarn. Had so much fun shopping for everything. It's been great getting to know you through your blog.

Ceallach said...

I love seeing the color swap stuff......you got a good swapper there!

Anonymous said...

wow! what a great package! and i love the portland pics - it looked gloriously overcast and beautiful!