One "Portland" thing a week - check.

Week 1: hiking Dog Mountain, which, although not technically in Portland, "counted" according to my friend.

Week 2: baking gluten-free, egg-free brownies from scratch. What? That is SOOOOOOO Portland, people.

Week 3: Mates of State and the Black Kids at Wonder Ballroom, the NE's answer to the Crystal Ballroom (and let's be honest here, it's the better answer).

Week 4: volunteering for a Friends of Trees benefit BBQ.

Week 5: Storm Large's Crazy Enough at Portland Center Stage. Oh yeah, she's Portland. For sure. When her show comes to a city near you, RUN, do not walk.

Week 6: The Shins at the Crystal Ballroom. I know it's not the better answer, but it's THE SHINS. Also this week, Portland's Best New Band show, free at Berbati's. Can't say I was blown away by either.

Week 7: Yelp Portland gave me two tickets to Loney, Dear at the Doug Fir. That's right. Elitism has its privileges. It was an amazing show.

Week 8: I think going to Bend for a three-day weekend is a Portland thing to do. Yep. I do.


Week 9: This is the week I should've gone downtown to the Starlight Parade, part of "the" quintessential Portland thing - the Rose Festival. But there was a hockey game to be watched, and also, I heard that like 250,000 people go downtown every year for this. So I stayed in and watched some of the live coverage on TV after the hockey game. Much better view, 0% of the hassle, and when I got bored with the parade I switched over to House reruns. Win!

Week 10: The aforementioned Canterbury Castle demolition.

Week 11: Hiking in Forest Park to break in the new boots after the Portland Pride parade (where I overheard the best conversation between a gay boy and a man holding a sign saying that homosexuals would burn in hell: "You know what the worst part of this is? YOU WILL BE IN HELL WITH US! Oh my Gawd that SUCKS!" and also saw the best sign held by an old lady marching in the parade: "Better gay than grumpy!" I love Pride parades).

Week 12: I had hoped to go to one part of the "best of" School of Rock shows Saturday, because really, who wants to sit through a whole Floyd or Zeppelin show? So "best of" sounded like a perfect compromise. But part one conflicted with my haircut and part two conflicted with my (apparently much-needed) nap. Later this week I went to an organic brewery for happy hour. That's pretty Portland.

Week 13: Portland roller derby championship bout... followed by a Broadway show. I had a hard time with the transition from one to the other, and my ears are still ringing from both. But it was worth it.