Hello! It’s been quite a year on my end.

First, my mother passed away in April. I never mentioned her on here, because we always had a very complicated relationship. Despite our vast differences, one of the most important things she passed onto me is my Korean heritage, which sparked my curiosity about the world.

Now that my mom is gone, something shifted inside me. I felt restless. Since her passing, the phrase “you only live once” has been ringing hard in my ears.

Leaving Seattle

After living in Seattle for 15 years, I decided to leave and embark on a slow road trip across the U.S.

Leaving Seattle for a while is bittersweet. This is, after all, my dream city. In 2010, I moved here to get a fresh start and heal, as my mental health was in shambles and I lived in survival mode. Most importantly, I wanted to be an artist in Seattle and be my real weird self in a city that celebrates it. And Seattle took me in like a lost kitten, just like that.

This city truly healed me. Now it’s time for a change.

I just made it to Portland last week to get my feet wet. I’ll stay for a few months in each city to get to know it more intimately. Portland is a good start, because I’ll need to come back to Seattle occasionally for stuff–like adjusting my braces that were supposed to have come off in February. Then I’m going to Nashville. Denver and Minneapolis are also on my list. Cities with a good art community and vegan food. In between, I’ll still travel internationally. I may take detours to stay with friends and family along the way.

Starting off with a Mini Cooper S

In 2017, I sold my car before my trip around the world. After that, I didn’t get another one for 8 years. As someone who is conscious of mitigating the carbon footprint, I opted instead for public transportation, walking, and biking. Also, maintaining a car is so expensive, at least in Seattle. At first, I was going to get around the country with public transportation. But soon enough, having a car seemed practical.

Since my early 20s, I’ve always wanted a Mini Cooper. I mean, look at it—it’s overwhemingly cute. When a friend showed me an ad for a 2012 Mini Cooper S, I knew it was coming with me. It had all of this work done to it, and the price was a great deal. The dark color with the black rims is perfect. Zippy and compact, I can open the sun roof and roll down the windows to cruise through the city while feeling so cool. Lol.

In reality, it is a pretty neat car. The only thing is that the car has 2 doors, and the back space isn’t very big, even with the seats folded down. So, I had to be selective on what comes with me across the country. And honestly, that’s not a bad thing because it makes me appreciate what I do have.

Tiny House in Portland

Last week, I moved into a 300 square-foot tiny house, where I’ll stay for the next 2 1/2 months! Nestled among the quirky art galleries and vegan restaurants in the Alberta Arts District, this adorable tiny house has a loft sleeping area, a well-stocked vegan pantry, and most of the comforts of home. It’s a few feet away from the main house.

My landlord gave the rundown of the tiny house. It’s more sustainability-focused, so we try to minimize waste. Dry goods can be purchased in bulk at the Alberta Co-Op with the reusable jars in the cupboard. We bring groceries home with reusable bags. And we try to bike, walk, or take the bus if we can help it, instead of driving. I like the way he thinks.

Since the house is small, I must be mindful of keeping it neat. The space can easily get cluttered. For instance, dishes pile up fast in the sink. The bathroom doesn’t have a sink, so I use the kitchen for brushing my teeth, washing my face, etc. There also isn’t much counter space, so I have to always keep that clear too. If things get cluttered up, it impacts my mental health as well.

Still, I’m impressed by how optimized the space is. With size limitations, you have to get creative with storing things. There are hooks, shelves, nooks, and crannies to store away belongings.

The whole property even has a garden with several fruit trees! Every summer in Seattle, I’d go urban foraging for plums and berries. This time, delicious pears, apples, figs, and grapes are readily available in the backyard. My landlord also gifted me the last of his frozen raspberries from the garden, plus some vegan protein powder. I’ve been making smoothies from all of that fruit. Picking the fruit straight from the source reminds us where food actually comes from.

Can I just stay here forever?

My First Week in Portland

I spent the first week settling in and getting to know the city a little bit. During the day, I work remotely. In the evenings, I explore.

First Friday Art Walk

On First Fridays of the month, there’s an art walk between the Laurelhurst and Hawthorne neighborhoods. It’s more like an art bike ride, since the galleries are more spread apart. You can join a group of bicyclists, and they ride from place to place throughout the evening.

I started at Sidestreet Arts, where they featured an art exhibition about cats! For thousands of years, cats have been beloved members of society. This art show honored the magnificent beings that they are. You’ll see cats of all mediums, whether they’re colorful realistic paintings, illuminated stained glass, or whimsical paper mâché figures made of pages from a book. The exhibition was rather small, though that’s what made it endearing. Cats love cozy spaces, so the setting was perfect anyway.

Mt. Tabor Park

On Saturday, I explored Mt. Tabor Park. Built on top of an extinct volcano, this popular park offers scenic walking trails, reservoirs, and an amphitheater. The visitor center was inside a small utilitarian room, manned by a jolly park employee who was eager to talk to anyone who wanted information. He gave me a super helpful map. I spent an hour and a half walking through the park. There were several events going on, like a wedding. In a picnic, a bunch of women were wearing red with colorful flower crowns, as if it were someone’s red faerie birthday party. After reaching the summit, I went back the opposite direction to see more of it.

Sunday Farmers Market

On Sunday, there’s the King Farmers Market in the neighborhood. This one runs from May until November. Since the season is slowly giving way to fall, there are lots of veggies like pumpkins and acorn squash.

I ordered a loaded açai bowl from Carioca Bowls topped with superfoods, like cacao nibs, pumpkin and hemp seeds, and berries. Then I bought the most colorful acorn squash there was, along with a pound of string beans. (Try roasting them in lemon juice and olive oil—they’re delicious!)

I fit right into Portland, and I can’t wait to show more of what this city has to offer. I’m so grateful that I get to live here in my tiny home with my tiny car.