Romance, Friends of Trees style: Kirsten and Pete

KIRSTEN AND PETE met studying in Australia (where Pete is from) and have been leading crews planting green spaces for three seasons with Friends of Trees.

Why did you decide to volunteer together?

PETE: It was our first foray back into Portland life [coming back from Australia], so we wanted to meet some people and get involved in the community.

Does planting trees make a good date?

KIRSTEN: It’s a good thing for a first date or meeting someone. You’re going out, you’re doing something that makes you feel good, meeting like-minded people at the same time.
PETE: You’d always have something to talk about.

Describe your perfect, romantic day.

K: We realized that it’s basically just a based around food.
P: We usually start off with going to brunch.
K: I’m obsessed with the benedict at Petite Provence.
P: But it doesn’t stop there. We usually go to Portland Farmer’s Market. Then sometimes we just walk around downtown.
K: We’re big fans of window shopping. Just wandering around and…
P: Just wandering really. Then after that we’d go to the wine bar across from the Hollywood theater. And then to the Hollywood Theater for a movie.
K: We sometimes we go to late-night drinks with friends at the Secret Society or Ron Toms. So just, you know, generally kickin’ it in Northeast Portland.
P: But a lot of the time, a really good date for us is planting trees in the morning, and then getting lunch getting back in town.
K: We do a lot of plantings in Wilsonville, because my parents live down there. Afterward we go to Aurora Mills, which is a salvage yard down there. Do some antiquing.