Last Thursday morning I stepped out of the subway, looked up at the Empire State Building against the bright blue sky, and thought, “The staff retreat in Portland is only three days long and I stretched it into a weeklong excursion! Why am I giving up a whole week of beautiful NYC October?”

Then I looked at the pictures from my 2010 Portland visit.

Four days into my trip, I’m happy to report that the days have again been packed with giggly, pun-filled conversations with coworkers and friends. And that the chilly air provides the perfect excuse to sample steamy food cart lunches and endless, perfect cups of tea and coffee. I feel grateful. If a little damp.