Portland:walk, eat, repeat
Remember that game Girl Talk, from the 90s? When I was a kid I always wanted to play, but I think my mom knew it was trash so I wasn't allowed. At least my memory is that I wasn't allowed. Maybe I just never had access. In any case, I still remember the feeling of wanting I had in relation to the game. [I also missed out on "My Size Barbie", but I think I still turned out alright.]
As a young girl, the thing I was drawn to with Girl Talk was the camaraderie that was advertised through the sharing of laughter, secrets, and those mysterious topics that older girls seemed to know all about. The game (and I had to look this up because at 28 years old I still haven't played it) is a very superficial representation of what I was really longing for: quality female friendship. It's something that is crucial to our growth and mental health. I was fortunate to have found it once in high school, and it's what made my college years so memorable. I love life with my husband, but if there is anything I was sad about when I got married, it was giving up the vivacity of life in a house full of girls.
That's why my recent girls weekend in Portland was so life giving.
I spent four refreshing spring days in Portland with Kelsey and Ashley - my dear friends and college roommates who are now beautiful mature women. In the years since graduation, we have moved thousands of miles from one another, and have each metamorphosed into different people than we were back then. Stronger, braver, kinder, more beautiful people. We were blessed to be able to share the new phases of our lives together, and explore a great PNW city.
An AirBNB in Division Street served as our base, and it was exceptionally cozy. The owner, an artist, had such thoughtful touches scattered around, and the backyard was the perfect spot for a Sunday morning yoga session under the blooming lilac tree.
Portland is filled with historic corners and modern shops that make you want to buy one of everything. There's so much to see just walking the streets of various neighborhoods, and seeing everything in full spring bloom made it that much more lovely. The Saturday Market was a feast of beautiful handmade goods ranging from art to jewelry to clothing to food. When we got tired of walking around, we grabbed a snack and found a sunny seat near the splash park from which to watch the kids playing in the water, the street performers, and the variety of people visiting the market. Now I understand why they talk about "keeping Portland weird", and I love it. Free hugs from Scout the Golden Retriever were the icing on the cake.
Food was a key feature of our trip. Ashley being pregnant meant that we were sure to be looking for something good to eat every couple of hours. [But let's be honest, pregnant or not, lots of good food would have been on the agenda regardless.] And we were not disappointed. Biscuits, tacos, donuts, smoothies, street food, ice cream, bread, cheese, waffles. Even the ambience was dreamy - open air patios, balmy sidewalk benches, Edison lighting, and indoor markets with something for everyone. Every bite was delicious, but the thing that I could go back for again and again is Salt & Straw ice cream. The line out the door was well worth the wait for the unlimited free samples, the unexpected flavors, and the smile on my face with every bite. Almond brittle with salted ganache is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Next time you're in Portland, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some ice cream. Even if you're a hermit who can't tolerate people or lines, you can still get it delivered (for free!) by Postmates. No excuses.
We also spent some time getting outside the city to visit Multnomah Falls and explore the northern Oregon coast. Just 20 minutes outside of the city you can find stunning views of the Columbia River and surrounding mountains from Vista House. And a few more miles down the road is the popular Multnomah Falls. The falls are surprisingly easy to get to, sitting quite literally right along the highway. Usually, there are a number of trails in the area to explore as well but they all remain closed due to dangerous conditions from last year's fire, which burned nearly 50,000 acres.
A view of the Columbia River Gorge from Vista House.
Astoria's Coast Guard Port and town trolley.
Further east, about a 2 hour drive from Portland through the countryside, is the town of Astoria, one of the northern most Oregon coast towns. It reminded me a little bit of my college town of Duluth, MN with its large bridge, path along the water, and variety of boats to watch from the shore. But there was one exciting addition: the sea lions. Such grumpy, noisy, foul smelling creatures; we couldn't look away. Maybe it makes us sound immature or uncultured, but I'm not ashamed to say it was a highlight of the trip. They're truly disgusting. And unnaturally entertaining.
Be glad you can't smell through pictures. It was vile.
After Astoria, we proceeded further down the coast. Seaside held Kelsey's first encounter with the Pacific, and the discovery of the old bed and breakfast where Ashley learned to walk when her parents owned it back in the early 90s. Cannon Beach, the home of the famous Haystack Rock, was beautiful but cold and windy, so our time on the beach was short. Instead, we experienced the town from a cafe booth for a sandwich alongside the local crowd.
<3
Back in Portland, we were able to get lost in a forest without leaving the city limits. Washington Park has miles of wooded trails, plus flower gardens, picnic areas, memorials, an amphitheater, and a zoo. We breathed the fresh air, hugged some giant sequoias, and walked enough miles to earn ourselves another meal.
We packed a lot into those 4 days, yet still managed to find some time to relax. I love these women. They're good humans. Here's to our next great adventure.
