First Thursday, and P Town Outdoor Style

I have to admit it has been awhile since I've made it out to a first Thursday, but today (forgot to finish posting this until just now) was a perfect one, 75 degrees with a nice breeze blowing, and people everywhere.  I had a little monkey on my back, (my daughter) but still managed to get around the Pearl to see what was happening tonight.

If you haven't been to Portland recently, it's become quite the great place for outdoor inspiration, we've got just about everything you need to see to get a good "left" coast outdoor vibe, with big guys like The North Face, Patagonia, Columbia, and Mountain Hardwear all with freestanding flagship stores here, and a good mix of smaller brands including Lucy, Lululemon, Title Nine, Ice Breaker, and Nau.  Not to mention some great specialty stores too, U.S. Outdoor Store, REI, and The Mountain Shop.

In addition to these, there are some other great newer places that are must sees as well.  One of them is Lizard Lounge, by Horny Toad, this is a hip "lounge" where streetwear and outdoor come together blended with random Horny Toad styles throughout to create a great mix.

Another place worth visiting any time of year is Signal Sports not far from REI in the Pearl District. This is an outdoor specialty store entirely focused on women. Skiing, snowboarding, streetwear, and outdoor lifestyle. If you are in town it's definitely worth checking out, they carry tons of great brands, have great customer service, and it is always fun to see what product assortment they have.