{ Portland }
I just have to keep reminding myself that in a few short weeks, it will get very very cold there and I would end up being very very miserable. Because if I don’t keep doing that, I will just be forced to pack up all my things and drive all the way up the coast to Portland, so I can once again frolick in The Coolest City in the World. Because I loved every little thing about it – the cute cafes, the trinket-infused shops, the hipsters on their single-speed bikes, the pots of flowers hanging from the street lamps, the fountains around every corner, the wide open river, the green green trees to match the green green environmentally-happy attitude. But I just have to remember that eventually it will get cold and gray, and remind myself how cold and gray and me have never gotten along and are prone to nasty cat fights. And even cuddling up with a perfect cup of coffee from Stumptown and a perfect book from Powell’s would not be enough to console me. Or would it…?
We stayed at the amazing Hotel Lucia – a hip, modern yet classy boutique hotel with some of the best service ever. We felt sufficiently spoiled!!
Here’s Scott meticulously planning the day while I shoot ninja-style in the corner:
The Ace Hotel was another hotel we considered, and while we ended up choosing Lucia at the end, we knew we could not miss a visit there, with its adjoining Stumptown Coffee and a perfect vintage photobooth!
Waiting for our photos to arrive…
Voila!
Next door to Ace is a bustling eatery known as Kenny & Zuke’s and I am SO glad we paid a visit there! My reuben was fantastical but Scott’s latkes might have been even better. (I only stole a couple, I swear.)
We spent quite a bit of time in the fabulous Pearl District, full of restaurants, shops and parks. Portland is just so jam-packed with awesome gift stores – a couple of our favorites were Canoe and it’s next door neighbor, Flora.
The Pearl District was also home to Jamison Square with an awesome fountain/local water park:
We couldn’t miss Portland’s Saturday Market, full of booths brimming with art and good food:
Or the famous Powell’s Books, the largest private used/new bookstore in the world:
We walked to most places but took the streetcar to get to Mississippi Ave., a quaint teensy little neighborhood on the east side. It was here where we stumbled upon the best food of the trip, Scott’s blackened salmon sandwich from Gravy. (Think bacon and gobs of cream cheese. Just gobs.)
And there you have it. I want to send out a special thank you to Serena & Abby for recommending a lot of the fantastic little places we were able to visit.
And Portland, don’t you get too used to me not being there eating all your food and buying all your cute irresistable paraphernalia – I’ll be back before you know it!!