I'd call it Whole N'uther Thing

Japanese Gardens, Portland Oregon

I love Portland, Oregon.  It's the capital of all things funky:  great vintage shops, awesome consignment clothing stores, Voo-Doo Donuts, the Japanese Gardens, Washington Park, Mt. Rainier, and of course, the people of Portlandia.  If you've never been to Portland, but you've watched Portlandia, I'll tell you now.  People like that really do exist.

We have family in Portland, and visited just last weekend.  Of course, when in Portland you must do as Portlanders do and head for Powell's Books.  We got a primo parking spot down the street from the bookstore and my husband noticed a parade going on one block farther.  He said 'let's check it out'.  Our daughter was in tow, and I could tell it was a gay-pride parade (not that there's anything wrong with that ...) so I said 'I don't know; the girl's a bit young'.

After a short debate we arrived just in time for an even shorter viewing: the guys dressed in S&M leathers (and nothing) else were passing by.  An hour later, after browsing books, we were sitting in the coffee shop, eating a fabulous pastry and drinking Chai tea when my daughter said, 'You two have scarred me for life'.  Her dad and I burst out laughing.

She probably would have disowned us had she seen the naked bike race . . .