First of all, let me explain what's going on in the photo above - Fran wanted to take a walking selfie of the four of us, and that was the only one with all of our faces in it! And we didn't think to take photos at any other point over the weekend, so that's the best one I've got!
So why Portland? Well, Colin loves is, Johnny has a brother and sister-in-law that live there, and Fran and I had never been and were very curious as to what all the talk was about! And besides the part where it took us three hours longer to get there due to traffic and a confused GPS, we had a fun and relaxing weekend.
On Saturday we walked around the city sightseeing, including a few hour stop at Powell's City of Books. All I can say about that place is wow! It's huge! And wonderful! I got a $6 copy of The Princess Bride which I am pretty stoked about! After grabbing some pizza for lunch, we headed back to our hotel along the river and just rested some more (some of us even napped). Since it was Valentine's Day, we were unsure of how long we might have to wait to get a table at a restaurant but we ended up finding quite the hidden gem: Boogie's Burgers and Brew. It looked a little dumpy from the outside, but man, were those burgers delicious! We made a stop at a grocery store, Fran and I loaded up on chocolate and candy, the boys got some beer, and we headed back to the hotel once again and spent a lovely evening watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
We really wanted to hit up Voodoo Donuts, but were advised by Johnny's brother to try Blue Star, which tastes even better and has smaller line-ups (apparently). I've never been to Voodoo, but Blue Star was definitely delicious! After donuts for breakfast on Sunday, we made our way back to the land of beavers and maple syrup.
Now why, you might ask, is Portland everything I wish Vancouver was? Portland is cleaner, more spacious, and less busy - it's as simple as that. It was a short trip, but our Saturday there was definitely enjoyable and relaxing, and I look forward to my next opportunity to go.
So why Portland? Well, Colin loves is, Johnny has a brother and sister-in-law that live there, and Fran and I had never been and were very curious as to what all the talk was about! And besides the part where it took us three hours longer to get there due to traffic and a confused GPS, we had a fun and relaxing weekend.
On Saturday we walked around the city sightseeing, including a few hour stop at Powell's City of Books. All I can say about that place is wow! It's huge! And wonderful! I got a $6 copy of The Princess Bride which I am pretty stoked about! After grabbing some pizza for lunch, we headed back to our hotel along the river and just rested some more (some of us even napped). Since it was Valentine's Day, we were unsure of how long we might have to wait to get a table at a restaurant but we ended up finding quite the hidden gem: Boogie's Burgers and Brew. It looked a little dumpy from the outside, but man, were those burgers delicious! We made a stop at a grocery store, Fran and I loaded up on chocolate and candy, the boys got some beer, and we headed back to the hotel once again and spent a lovely evening watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
We really wanted to hit up Voodoo Donuts, but were advised by Johnny's brother to try Blue Star, which tastes even better and has smaller line-ups (apparently). I've never been to Voodoo, but Blue Star was definitely delicious! After donuts for breakfast on Sunday, we made our way back to the land of beavers and maple syrup.
Now why, you might ask, is Portland everything I wish Vancouver was? Portland is cleaner, more spacious, and less busy - it's as simple as that. It was a short trip, but our Saturday there was definitely enjoyable and relaxing, and I look forward to my next opportunity to go.
"Portland is a place where you can find a community as a feminist, a vegan or a fat activist. Artists, musicians, knitters, and filmmakers can all meet like-minded souls." -Beth Ditto