found a place!

i'm in portland, and it's been a nutso weekend. i've gotten lost about 5 times (and i NEVER get lost). i've looked at many apartments... duplexes and complexes, new and run-down, sterile and charming. i feel like i've been bombarded with a lot of information at once (new areas of town, crazy rent, new people) and i feel thankful i've had a comfortable place to stay. kurt & amy have been great hosts, and their son milo is a hoot. plus, they're feeding me well.

anyway, the apartment hunt. it's not going to be a problem finding a place to live. the tough part has been weighing whether i want a newish place that's clean and small or an older place that's more rickety but has lots of character. nothing compares to my house in durham (which has the best of everything) but i think i've found a place i can live with. (these photos are of a neighboring apartment in the same complex; there are some differences between what you see here and what i'm getting.)

anyway, it's a 2-bedroom, townhouse-style place in a REALLY great area of town. and close enough to work that i can walk. there's a giant mall nearby, and lots of funky bars, restaurant and shops, too. location, location, location... that's the biggest selling point. the unit is kinda run-down, but it has lots of charm. it's big enough to accommodate guests (hint, hint!), but the kitchen is totally weird. the cats will love all the windows. it seems like a quiet, nice place to live. i need to get over the kitchen, though.

here's some video of the apartment: