My Guide to Portland

I've tried to write a recommendations post about Portland for so long and each time I do, I get overwhelmed by all that I want to say. So now I am going to extend myself some grace and say that I could not possibly include EVERYTHING I love in Portland so these are the go-to's. Phew.

Ok. Here we go.

First off, Portland is divided into 4 sections. There is SW (downtown, Portland State, Goose Hollow), NW (The Pearl, Alphabet District, Slabtown), NE (Alberta, Mississippi, N Portland, etc.), and SE (Division, Hawthorne, Laurelhurst, etc.). The Willamette river divides east and west and Burnside street divides north and south! Downtown and The Pearl district divide at Burnside (as a general spot) near Powell's Book Store. Highway 405 divides The Pearl and the Alphabet District. 

So now that we are all situated...

T I M E   T O   E A T

 

 

1. Tasty & Alder- go for cocktails or dinner but you NEED to go for brunch. Also their radicchio salad is in my top 10 favorite things I've ever eaten list. 

2. Kiva- delicious acai bowls and smoothies (pictured above)

3. Ava Gene's- an amazing culinary experience every time I go. It's Italian. That should say enough.

4. Tilt- delicious burgers and tator tots. Definitely a good low key spot.

5. Bamboo sushi- super fresh and delicious!

6. 23 Hoyt- I like their brunch but dinner is also good!

7. Food carts- I love whole bowl

8. Ken's Artisan Pizza- AMAZING! 

9. Tusk- delicious middle eastern fare and the decor is 100%

10. Grassa- handmade pasta!

11. Matador- a chain but great for street tacos

12. Por Que No?- a classic but I do love their tacos and aqua frescas

13. Produce Row- fun happy hour place. Sit on the patio!

14. Sweedeedee- go for brunch! It's small but worth it!

15. Please Louise- delicious pizza!

16. Pine Street Market- like an adult cafeteria. You have to go for lunch. Don't forget Wiz Bang Bar (that's Salt & Straw soft serve for ya!)

17. Pip's Original Doughnuts- YOU HAVE TO GO HERE. This is my favorite doughnut spot hands down. Sure, go to Blue Star, do what you want, but you HAVE to go here.  

18. Guero- delicious Mexican tortas

19. Vivienne Kitchen and Pantry- go for brunch!

20. Olympia Provisions- love their brunch. 

21. Podnah's- their bacon is the best of all time. Now you have to go just to see if I'm right. 

22. Prost- a German bar and restaurant that has a large selection of only German beers.

T I M E   F O R   A   D R I N K

 1. The Rambler- my favorite bar on Mississippi. It's in a house and they have a killer back patio and fire pits out front. 

2. Multnomah Whiskey Library- worth the wait! Put your name in then go explore downtown.

3. Departure- rooftop bar!! It's part of The Nines hotel.

4. 10 Barrel Brewing- delicious beer and they have a rooftop patio.

5. Bar Bar- also on Mississippi. This is a part of Mississippi Studios so there are usually concerts happening right next store. Maybe you can snag a ticket!

6. Dig a Pony- I love the feel of this place.

7. Bit House- one of the oldest bars in Oregon! Right across from Dig a Pony too!

8. Vault- I've made every friend in town meet me here for a drink. I love their Habanero martini!! Also best happy hour!!

9. Pope House- also in a old house!

10. Church- there's a photobooth!

11. Eastburn Public House- they have swings!

12. Kask- tiny & intimate.

13. Irving St. Kitchen- They have a really good happy hour and a delicious drink called the Berry Blast.

14. Rontoms- one of the best happy hours and a really fun spot.

 (Friends at EastBurn)

D O N T   F O R G E T   C O F F E E

 1. Heart Coffee Roasters- my favorite. Hands down. They do cupping classes and different brewing methods that are fun for the coffee addict!

2. Upper Left Roasters- great spot to sit down for a while and their coffee is 100%

3. Never Coffee

4. Barista- my favorite is the one on NW 23rd

5. Tea Bar- obviously a tea place but you have to go

6. Sisters Coffee- the cutest and coziest

7. Chai at Pips' Original Doughnuts- my favorite is heart of gold

8. Coava Coffee Roasters

9. Ristretto Roasters- go to the one in Schoolhouse Electric and shop around!

10. If you have to go to Stumptown, go to the one in the Ace Hotel.

11. Water Ave. Coffee

12. Cathedral Coffee

13. Good Coffee- big influence on giving back


14. Kainos Coffee

T H I N G S   T O   D O

1. Walk the waterfront. I recommend going over the Tilikum bridge. I like walking on the east side of the river (opposite of downtown).

2. Visit the rose garden in Washington Park

3. Catch a concert at the Doug Fir Lounge or Mississippi Studios

4. Walk up and down Alberta St., Mississippi St., Hawthorne, and/or Division. 

5. Walk around NW 23rd. Stop at Salt & Straw.

6. Go hike the Gorge. I like taking people to Multnomah Falls then Horsetail and climbing the upper Horsetail. If you are feeling like a longer, more intense hike, do Tunnel Falls.

7. Hike around Forest Park.

8. Beach day on Sauvie Island in the summer. In the fall visit the pumpkin patch there!

9. Wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. See THIS post.

10. Explore Hood River. Drive the fruit loop and taste delicious ciders. You can do this after the gorge!

11. Do a brewery tour- you could go to 10 Barrel, Rogue, Deschutes, Fat Heads, and Bridgeport all in one afternoon and they are all right next to each other.

12. Visit the Grotto. 

13. Relax in Laurelhurst Park. Bring a frisbee.

14. Go to the beach! I love Cannon Beach and Pacific City!

15. Drive up to Mount Hood. Tell him I say hello. Eat something at the historic Timberline Lodge.

16. Catch a movie at the Living Room Theaters

17. Shop in downtown & the pearl- I love Tender Loving Empire, Poler, Ecru, Boys Fort, Porchlight, Made in PDX, Bridge & Burn, Work/Shop, Union Way, and Alder & Co. Oh, and get lost in Powell's!

18. Saturday Market in Downtown

19. Portland Farmers Market on the Portland State campus

20. See if there is a '90's night at the Crystal Ballroom. If so, GO.

21. Pack a picnic or get food to go at Pine Street Market and sit by the waterfront

22. Relax in Cathedral Park.

23. Go to Mt. Tabor, Rocky Butte, or Pittock Mansion for some pretty views!

24. Buy a distillery row passport and try out some of the amazing, local distilleries!

W H E R E   T O   S T A Y

 

I recommend staying in downtown or NW for easy transportation and use of the streetcar and the MAX (our modes of transportation out here). If you are planning on renting a car, then maybe an AirBnB on the east side would be a good idea! You can rent bikes at any of the Nike Biketown locations for easy access to bikes and another mode of transportation other than walking (they are bright orange and you can't miss them!). 

I've had friends and family stay at the Residence Inn in the Pearl (great location), The Nines (in downtown), and an AirBnB on the east side. Most everyone else has just stayed with me so I'm not incredibly helpful with recommending a place to stay. If you need something cheap and are willing to be more adventurous, there is a nice hostel in the Alphabet District that was just redone! 

Phew!! That was a lot. You still with me?

With this list, you are bound to have a good time in Portland. Send me pictures!

Why Knot Explore:: Charleston

Going to Charleston has been a dream of mine for quite some time. If you look back to THIS post (hello 2013), you'll see that I've always felt that Charleston was a kindred spirit kind of city. For my sister and I's graduation trips, we spent 8 days around Charleston. Our home base was with our cousin on Seabrook Island just south of Charleston and we took day trips into Charleston, around the greater Charleston area, and to Savannah. I'll do another one day guide for Savannah but for now I want to share with you my little guide to Charleston. 

I had done a LOT of research prior to our trip on where I wanted to eat, shop, drink, and walk around. So that's how I'll break this down! This is going to be a guide for the greater Charleston area since we spent a decent amount of time not specifically within the city of Charleston. :)

T I M E   T O   E A T!

 

(obstinate daughter!)

 1. Minero- delicious Mexican food!!

2. The Ordinary- best oysters of my life. Pricey but worth it for HH oysters!

3. Cru Cafe- delicious, fresh food that was a HUGE crowd pleaser

4. Obstinate Daughter- on Sullivan's Island and 100% worth it. I got the Lieutenant Dan pizza!

5. Beardcat's Sweet Shop- yummy gelato right below Obstinate Daughter!

6. Monza- amazing pizza 

7. The Daily- their breakfast tacos were unlike anything I'd had before.

(the ordinary- in an old bank!)

W H E N   Y O U   N E E D   A   D R I N K

1. The Watch- rooftop bar!

2. The Ordinary- they specialize in rum based cocktails!

3. The Living Room- at The Dewberry hotel and the people that work there are THE BEST

4. 48 Wine Bar- on Kiawah Island and they let you taste so many different wines all at your own pace! 

5. Rise Coffee Bar- so cute and they had some delicious latte flavors

6. Firefly Distillery-  on Wadmalaw island and they have a sweet tea flavored vodka and 1000 other delicious flavors.

(Rise coffee bar)

** there were so many more places I wanted to try but my sister is still underage and we didn't want the whole trip to be centered around alcohol and cool bars ya know?**

   T I M E   T O   E X P L O R E

(Boone Hall Plantation)

 1. South of Broad- the CUTEST homes. I could walk around there for hours.

2. King Street- shopping!

3. Boone Hall Plantation- loved the tours and the grounds were un.real.

4. Angel Oak- so cool

5. Sullivan's Island- the beach as well as eating at Obstinate Daughter!

6. Cannon Street- walk down Cannon St. and go inside the cute shops. I liked Cannonborough Collective (the shop owner was SO sweet), mac & murphy, and Sugar Bakeshop. 

** we also toured the Calhoun Mansion and were NOT impressed. I would not recommend paying the money to tour the house. I ADORE touring old homes and plantations but this looked like a hoarders dream and our tour guide was pretty rude. The new owners have JAM PACKED the place with old artifacts. Just an FYI.**

Overall, Charleston was a dream. As I mentioned before, we spent a decent amount of time on Seabrook Island (the beach is pictured above) but I also saw so much of Charleston and totally get why people love it! I can't wait to go back with a group of girlfriends sometime. 

 

Why Knot {Explore}:: Philadelphia, PA

Holy smokes. It's been a while! Or at least sporadic. I'm in my last semester of classes for grad school so time is limited and blogging has not been receiving the kind of time it demands unfortunately. 

Last week I went to Philadelphia for the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association conference AND it was my very first time in the city/state! What a diverse city filled to the brim with history! So unique!! Now add 15,000 SLP's to the mix and you've got yourself a party ;)

This was my friends and I's first ASHA conference and the only way to describe it, would be- intense. I learned SO much and loved all the sessions I chose. I'm realizing my interests lie in traumatic brain injury and working with adolescents! Some of that probably has to do with the population i am currently serving (I'm at a children's hospital) but it's been fun to discover what really gets me excited. 

We wanted to make sure we took some time out of the busy conference schedule to actually see the city so we carved out some time on Thursday. We walked to Old City for coffee at Menagerie Coffee (delicious!!), Elfreth's Alley (stole my heart), Rittenhouse Square (pictured above), the Rocky steps (classic), and Boathouse Row. Oh! And we also strolled around where the liberty bell is, Benjamin Franklin's grave, Betsy Ross' house, Constitution center, and all the other amazing historic buildings. 

We also ate at some great restaurants! I had lunch two days in a row in Reading Terminal Market and while it was overly crowded and I was a bit overwhelmed, it was worth it for the delicious food. (I was told it is not usually as crowded as I experienced it. Us SLP's were taking over) For dinner we ate at Little Lion, Common Wealth, and we had Philly cheese steaks at Jim's Steaks. (Though we were told many times after the fact that we should have gone to Gino's!).  I highly recommend Little Lion for the atmosphere and the happy hour! 

I miss writing trip reviews and recaps! I wish I had more time in my schedule to escape more often. :) I have to say though, flying back into Portland make my heart flutter. I sure do love this little city. 

Happy Thanksgiving week! 

(I included links to all the restaurants and some of the attractions! Just hover over the words)

Why Knot {Explore}: Crater Lake National Park

Holy smokes you guys! Crater Lake!!!

This was my last planned trip for the summer (though, technically, I started school last week so I'm kind of counting this as a fall trip). A couple friends and I planned this trip kind of last minute but everything worked out perfectly. 

We left Portland early in the morning, stopped for some lunch items in Eugene, and got into the park by 3. (It should have been more towards 2 but there was a huge line into the park) We knew going to the park during Labor Day weekend was risky due to tourist overload but we felt it was still worth the trip. I'm so glad we made that decision because it was DEFINITELY worth it.

The lake was unreal! What is even crazier is how deep it is. Just imaging the depth of this giant volcanic spot took my breath away. I couldn't stop taking pictures of how blue the water was, the perfect clouds over the lake, the colors of the rocks and the general uniqueness to the whole lake. There's really nothing like it. 

We ended up camping at Diamond Lake right outside the park and I would definitely recommend it!! The lake was stunning, we got to camp right next to the water, the sites were well organized and clean and everything went smoothly from start to finish. I definitely didn't anticipate it getting down into the low 30's during the night though and woke up like a frozen Popsicle. But what are you gonna do but add on more layers? :) 

ALSO, this really cool company, Cotopaxi, contacted me to share some information about the National Parks and I jumped at the chance. Not only are these stats interesting, but it also gives me some ideas of where I want to go next! Pretty exciting that I crossed off Oregon's only national park this last weekend!

Cotopaxi is my kind of company and has a strong focus on their environmental impact and giving back. Check out their IMPACT page. It's seriously inspiring. 

They also carry some amazing backpacks for hiking, day use, or whatever you need it for! I have my eyes set on THIS one. :) They're the kind of backpacks that any fan of the outdoors would want. 

What is the next National Park on your list? I think mine is Glacier.

Let's Go Back: Summer 2016

Last summer contained so many changes, exciting moments, big moves, & uncertainty. In comparison, this summer was all about being present, exploring, and not letting one minute go to waste. At this time in my life I never really know how long I'll be in one place, one state, etc. so I'm learning to embrace living in the moment and really seizing all that is near me. 

I'd say summer 2016 pulled that all together nicely. 

So I wanted to look back on the summer before I start school again and everything becomes crazy. This is more for me in the future than anything else, but I guess it could also serve as a Oregon summer guide. :) 

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M A Y

I surprised my mom in mid May by flying in for the family Yosemite trip. I originally didn't think I would be able to go so it was a huge surprise and one I'm glad I made a priority. That trip was just what I needed after an intense Spring. See post: HERE

Friends visited me at home and we spent the day in San Francisco. I documented my One Day in SF trip HERE. 

My youngest sister graduated high school and is now off to college!! Both my sisters are now in San Diego living the beach life. 

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J U N E

I got back from my quick trip home in the first days of June and had a little bit of time before summer classes began so my friend and I decided to take a beach day trip to Oswald West State Park and Cannon Beach. I love taking quick trips to the coast whenever I can.

The app, Square, put on a fun flower crowns, wine tasting, local Portland goods kind of showcase one weekend and we had fun checking out the pop up space. We also went to Pine Street Market for the first time and it's now one of my favorite places for lunch in the city. 

My mom came out to visit and we did a little trip out to McMinnville, OR to go wine tasting. It was such a relaxing trip and I just love spending time with my mom. She's the best. I definitely got my love of wine from her. See that post HERE.

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J U L Y

For the fourth, my friends and I knew we wanted to take advantage of 2 days off of classes so we booked a day trip out to the Painted Hills. Absolutely worth it. One of the most awe-inspiring moments of my time in Oregon so far. Post: HERE

And a bunch of us had a lake day out at Hagg Lake near where we go to school because when it's the fourth of July weekend, you best believe I'll find a lake to go to. 

One of my oldest and dearest friends came out to visit me with her boyfriend in July and it was such a fun time. We went to Tunnel Falls (see the post HERE), Hood River, the Multnomah Whiskey Library and as many breweries as we could fit in to a quick day and a half trip. 

 I went back to Oregon wine country again with some friends because I just couldn't stay away. This time we went to Dundee and it was absolutely picturesque. I have a post about it that I forgot to actually publish but look for that soon. 

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A U G U S T

To celebrate the last week of summer classes and our summer internships, my friend and I went to Cape Kiwanda! (HERE'S the post) It was a perfect beach day and I knocked off an item from my Oregon bucket list. 

I went camping with my church and some of my small group that following weekend and the place we were at was insane. Lake Billy Chinook is stunning if you ever get a chance to go! It's in the high desert part of Oregon not far from Bend and worth it for the views. 

In the second week of August I went to visit my friend Steph's family just outside of Seattle and we had some serious fun exploring the city, her hometown and Lake Cushman! See first Seattle post HERE.

I think I went to Seattle more than I ever have before this month! Less than a week after returning from Seattle, I was back up there to pick up our friend Bridget from her home in Seattle so we could continue up the coast to Canada! It was fun to do some of the classic things mixed with new adventures. That post is HERE.

For four days on Vancouver Island, we all got to relax, disconnect from reality and forget about school. It. Was. Glorious. We ate amazing meals, kayaked, watched 4 Harry Potter movies, read our books and enjoyed coffee out on the patio every morning. 

ALSO! I recently gave myself a 3 month goal of being able to do a headstand and guess what?? I did one!! So what should my next goal be? Handstand? (#iwish)

Vancouver was beautiful and those mountains made me positively giddy every time I saw them huddled around the city. So glad I was able to cross this off my bucket list!

Finally (I know, you probably finished reading this post when I was still talking about July! If not, thanks for hanging in there) I ended the summer by helping my cousin move into her new college here in Portland and got to show off my city to my aunt and uncle. I finally hiked into the Oneonta Gorge and it was everything I thought it would be. Holy smokes. 

Perfect end to a great summer.

What did you do this summer??

Summer Adventures:: One Day in Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver, Canada has been on my list of places to go for a loooooong time. This was my first time to Canada and it definitely won't be the last. 

I thought I would organize this post like I have for Seattle and San Francisco and give you one full day in the city. :)

 First stop: Granville Island! 

We had a slower morning and got to the island by about 10:30/45 and hit the ground running. I loved walking around and poking our heads into little shops. The large market was filled with stands that all looked enticing. We grabbed lunch inside the market at one of the food stalls, which was perfect for a group of 6 girls all trying to decide what to eat. I chose fish & chips and can't recommend them enough.

Next stop: Kitsilano Beach! 

It was a pretty hot day and the water was looking very inviting. I loved seeing all the children playing in the waves and doing things I loved to do and found so much entertainment in as a child. Also, I can't get over the mountains that surround the city!! I think I asked my friend a thousand times what all their names were. They took my breath away!! 

Next stop: Coffee break at 49th Parallel!

My friend, Ashley, and I did some research before the trip on a couple places we definitely wanted to stop at and 49th Parallel was one of those spots. If you're a coffee fan, you need to put this place on your list. It was delicious and just the cutest! Also!! They had doughnuts! It was such a fun surprise to stroll up and see all the fun doughnut flavors. I settled on the root beer float flavor and I was not disappointed. 

 If you haven't caught on yet, I have a thing for mountains. ;) But really, I can't get over all the mountains surrounding the city!!! So beautiful!

Last stop: Gastown!

We had heard this was a fun place to visit in the city and I would definitely agree now. I loved all the brick buildings, fun shops and restaurants in this area. It reminded me a bit like parts of Portland, especially with all the hipster-looking people we saw and unique oddities. 

I found this shop, Old Faithful, on Instagram and knew we needed to stop in. It was carefully curated and had a fun mix of items but I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. I love going into shops that carry items from around the area and this place mostly had items from New York or elsewhere. It was cute but I didn't want to buy something that wasn't from the city itself as a souvenir or sorts. 

We found some of the work buildings! 

We noticed as we drove into the city that Vancouver seems to be a city of high-rise condos but where were all the high-rise business buildings?? Where do people work? Just something we found interesting. :)

And that's it! I would love my next stop in Canada to be Whistler or Banff or to go back to Vancouver Island and visit Victoria. 

Canada, thanks for being grand!