I’ve been in what can only be described as the most miserable travel dry spell. I haven’t stepped foot in an airport since January, but even then I didn’t have a ticket in hand – it was for a bittersweet goodbye.
In less than a month, I will be touching down in a new place. Something that you can probably guess I’ve been eagerly awaiting since I booked the trip 12 (TWELVE) long weeks ago.
Frustrated that time isn’t passing to my liking; I looked through Facebook albums of pictures from trips past. One trip on my mind recently was one I took this time two years ago with my then-roommate Courtney. We were burnin’ up from West Coast Fever- as we like to call it- and we booked a trip to see what it was all about.
Two years a little too late (hey- I didn’t have a blog then), these are the my Portland top 5- the highlights of my West Coast adventure.
1. Sweedeedee
I won’t lie- a post from @Sweedeedee on Instagram fueled the fire for us to book our trip to Portland. Hands down the best brunch I have ever had in my life. And, brunch wasn’t even that big of a thing in 2015… At least not as talked about as it is today. If it’s still on the menu, get the Baker’s Breakfast- it won’t disappoint. I mean, we biked our way from the city center just to get a table. If that’s not a 5 star recommendation…..
2. The Record Store Across the Street
It’s actually called Mississippi Records. If you’re a vinyl lover, you’ve got to go to the West Coast. I’ve never seen such a wide spread collection of original pressed vinyl. Each record store we went in to had such an awesome retro vibe, too, which just added to the experience.
3. Cinema 21
Who goes to the cinema when they’re traveling in a new city? Me, apparently. Truth be told, Courtney and I were 20 at the time, so we couldn’t enjoy the brewery tours, or a night out at the bar. Instead, we found Cinema 21 online and made a point to get tickets to a show. Cinema 21 is the best of the best Indie film cinemas out there… Or so I made up just two seconds ago.
Portland is known for it’s hipster vibe, so I’m sure Cinema 21 isn’t the first, or only of it’s kind. This Indie cinema offers cheap tickets and snacks, to pair with some of the most obscure films out there.
We saw, What We Do in the Shadows– and I’m not in the film-reviewing business, but that’s a must-see as well.
4. St. Honore Bakery
On the topic of films- I’m sure you’ve never heard of this one: The Grand Budapest Hotel? No, can’t imagine that you have. Nothing famous about it. Even lesser known than the movie, a Portland bakery actually made the cakes featured in the film. You can even have them for yourself.
Two years later I’m not sure why I went to the famous bakery and didn’t order the famous cake… Regardless, the lemon tart I had there was great, if not better.
5. Lan Su Chinese Garden
Who knew that among the chaos of Portland’s quirky city life, rested a tranquil getaway quite like the Lan Su Chinese Garden? The website says that Lan Su is a window to over 2,000 years of Chinese traditions. While I’ve never been to China, I could see this ringing true. I highly recommend stopping by the Teahouse for a cup of oolong.
Honorable Mentions
Bethany en Belgique 