p to the o to the r to the t to the land

A few weekends ago, Christopher and I paid a visit to a fellow city of the Pacific Northwest. Portland is a 5-7 hour drive from Vancouver depending on the border line-up and the interstate traffic. Shout out to Sarah and Ange who prompted our visit by moving down there for a few weeks!

A Night Out: Saucebox (214 SW Broadway). The vibe is just what I like in a lounge/restaurant: hip and low-key. 1. You must try the Tapioca Dumplings with ground chicken, peanuts and cilantro; drizzled with garlic oil ($8). 2. Order a divine piece of coconut cake, or the heavenly creme brulee. 3. Most importantly, you HAVE to get yourself tastetastic cocktail to sip on! I had a lemongrass infused gin with tonic and fresh mint leaves...I'm sure there was something more in it. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever drink you order. It's all about the drinks.

Breakfast: Tin Shed (1438 NE Alberta St). The wait is INCREDIBLY long. Get there by 9am and/or take coffees with you (we waited for an hour). The food is WORTH the wait!!! I actually can't remember what I ate, but it was delicious.

Coffee: Fan of the rich flava of a delicious cappuccino? I am! So, Stumptown (there are many, but we hit the one @ 128 SW 3rd Ave) is the place to be.

Books: If books are your thing, then Portland is your town. Powell's Books (1005 W. Burnside) is an ENTIRE city block of floors and floors of new and used books. It's genuinely impressive. We spent three hours in the store and I was only able to get through the piano music books, one row of nature books, a general perusing of the sci-fi/fantasy section and a quick peak at the literature section. There's even a coffee shop right in the store! Tis a book lover's paradise my friends.

Shop: Ray's Ragtime (1001 SW Morrison St) is a fun and chaotic vintage shop that is worth checking out - especially if you know exACTly what you're looking for and exACTly what size you are. It didn't bode so well for me because I wanted to buy a dress and all the MANY MANY available dresses are hanging from the ceiling. Their inaccessibility and the lack of people to help access them proved a barrier to my dress success - but it's definitely a fun store!

Accommodations: SO cool! McMenamin's Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave) was built in 1915 and has since been converted into a hotel. McMenamin's is a well-known Oregon company whose facilities all have an eclectic decor and a welcoming feel. Guest rooms are former classrooms with private baths and telephones - are reasonable at $99-114US/night. Hotel guests can have beer in detention rooms, relax in the soaking pool or catch a flick in the auditorium turned movie theatre. SO cool!