Portland Love: Three Years Gone and It Was Like I Never Left

For some reason I thought I had already posted about Portland. Turns out that I looked at some pictures, didn't edit them, and then completely spaced on it up until now. My trip to Portland was phenominal. The trip was absolutely everything I wanted it to be and more. Portland delivered in the best of ways.

While in Portland I:
- Got to meet up with two gorgeously amazing and wonderful women that I had been conversing with through blogs and instagram. Kara and Mei are doing great things in the world and I highly suggest you look them up.

- Had my friend Lisa add to my arm. I am so frickin proud of this girl, I've known her for many years now and I've seen her decide she wants things and just powerhouse to them. Such an inspiration that girl. If you are in the Portland area and are looking for traditional tattoos hit her up at Jackalope Tattoo!

-Talk about women doing great things, I think that's what this trip was all about! Nicole, one of my besets friends, has had her shop, Victory for about three years now and I finally got to see it. Great vibe, lovely clothes, styled out like a boss. (Her shop is fourth row down, she is 6th row giving the double peace sign at the coast)

- Nicole and I took a day trip to the coast. It was the weekend so it was quite busy, but I love me a good coast view so it was worth it. I rented a car for the occasion and the guy gave me a Cadillac SUV for the price of the compact. Were we stoked? Heck yes! Did we listen to Mariah Carey and other wonderful music on the way? Of course. We also tried desperately to find a path down to the shore but I think we went the wrong way and had the wrong shoes. Maybe next time.

- Nicole also took me to my very first Timbers match. Holy goodness it was soooo much fun. We won, which was so great because the person next to me helped with the dances and chants and the guys on our other side kept requesting kisses on the cheek when a goal was scored. I started to understand why people get so into sports. I'm not about to go picking my teams and spending lots of time with it myself, but I get it. There's definitely a sense of community.

- Ate at Mio Sushi, Nicholas Restaurant and of frickin course Voodoo Donut. I recommend all three definitely. My favorite Mio Sushi is on Hawthorne, my favorite Nicholas's is on Grand, but the one on Broadway is good too, and if you are going to Voodoo Donut I highly suggest getting on the 20 bus over the bridge to the East Side. The downtown Voodoo almost always except for the wee morning hours has a long, long line. I think the other one only has super long lines on the weekend.

- Walked around my old neighborhoods. It was really hot and muggy while I was there which wasn't ideal, but I did get to see everywhere that I use to spend a lot of time. I definitely miss it. Years from now I might just find myself back in the Pacific Northwest. A part of my heart is still there without a doubt.

- I got to dance at Dante's Sinferno as a go-go. I use to do this every couple of Sundays and I had so much fun. It was like getting paid to dance at a club AND see awesome and sometimes strange performances. The show is definitely not for everybody, it can get pretty crass and sometimes lewd, but the talent up on stage is undeniable. Contortionists that balance on their hands and shoot a toy boy and arrow over their head with their feet and hit the target?! Aerial artists on lyra and on silks, funny magicians and of course, the go-gos. It was really by chance that I got to do it, the Portland Gods were definitely smiling down on me this trip.

- And of course no Portland vacation would be complete without a visit to the Downtown Powells followed by some time in the photobooth in the Ace Hotel lobby.

Portland, you have a big part of my heart. I don't plan on staying away for so long ever again.

xoxo