Travel Diary | oh.my.leopard

{Can you tell I was loving my outfit? Chloe Faye Bag | Zara jacket (old) | Show Me Your Mumu sweater | Old Navy Jeans | Nike shoes (no longer available)}

Day 2 was a big day for me because it was my only full day in Portland and I wanted to make the most of it. I got up bright and early, got ready, and headed out for the day. I decided to go to the “East Side” for breakfast. I was inspired by Crystalin Marie to go to Upper Left Roasters for some avocado toast. I took a quick uber and stepped into the bright and inspiring space. I wish I had my computer because it was a great place to work and spend some time. I ordered a chai latte with homemade almond macadamia but milk and avocado toast with radish and a poached egg.

Since it was such a beautiful day in Portland, I decided to head to the Lin Su Chinese garden after breakfast. I explored the garden a little bit on my own and then joined the free tour, which I highly recommend. There were tons of little details that the guide was able to point out and hearing more about the history and reasoning behind certain details was super interesting. After the tour, I made sure to spend a few extra minutes sitting alone and reflecting on my time and hopes for my trip.

I decided to walk back into downtown after the time at Lin Su because I had seen a ring the day before that I couldn’t go home without. I wouldn’t recommend making this walk. It was a little sketchy especially as a woman walking alone. But I made it back into town and got my ring, so I was a happy girl. After exploring more shops, I was definitely hungry and decided to try Lardo for lunch. I ordered the kale caesar salad and the dirty fries #balance. This was definitely way too much food for one person, but boy was it worth it!

After lunch, I decided it was time for Salt & Straw. It was only a mile or so walk, but after walking through the not so nice part of town earlier, I decided to take a uber. For the first time ever, I got the same uber driver. He had gotten a drastic haircut in the 3 or so hours since my first ride so it took us a few minutes to recognize each other. He dropped me off at Salt & Straw and as soon as I got out of the car I was welcomed with the most amazing waffle cone scent. Luckily I had beat the rush and had a few minutes to try some delicious flavors before deciding on almond brittle with salted ganache in a waffle cone.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had ended up in the alphabet district and there was tons of shopping and cute restaurants to explore. I took full advantage and visited every boutique and shop on 23rd street. Everyone in Portland is so nice and welcoming. I spent tons of time just chatting with the people working in every store and learning about the city and the shops. After spending a couple hours exploring, it was time for my daily nap/rest and I headed back to the hotel.

I was starting to feel under the weather so I decided to treat myself and head to the hotel restaurant, Nel Centro, for happy hour and dinner. I had a couple glasses of wine along with the ricotta cavatelli with kale pesto, marcona almonds and pecorino; brussel sprouts with pancetta, and cinnamon creme brulee with chocolate dipped shortbread that the bartender let me take back up to my room so I could enjoy it in my bed!

A couple weeks ago I packed my bags and headed to Portland. This was the first time I ever went on a trip alone and decided to go to a city I had never been to. Portland really is a charming city with so much to do. I stayed downtown at the Hotel Modera and spent all of my days walking, exploring, eating, and relaxing. If you’ve never traveled alone before, I highly suggest it, even if you are only a short plane ride from home.

My first stop after dropping my bags off at the hotel was Blue Star Donuts. I have a donut addiction and any time I go to a new city I have to try a local donut. One thing I quickly learned is that locals judge you by your donut choice. The two main options are Vodoo and Blue Star and every person has a strong opinion about which is better and which you should visit. Since I tried Vodoo in Denver, I went with Blue Star and was NOT disappointed. I tried the lemon poppyseed old fashioned and the orange olive oil cake donut. Both were delicious and I would eat them again.

After sitting at the window people watching and enjoying my donuts and the sunshine, I decided it was time to walk it off and start exploring. My first stop was the famous Powell’s book store. Within a few minutes of being inside, it became one of my favorite places. The bookstore has every book you could imagine and is such a peaceful and relaxing place. I kept walking around and around exploring all of the rooms. I ended up spending close to two hours walking around, taking it all in, and getting my hands on a couple fun things. With my purchases in hand, I hit the streets again to explore all of the cute boutiques and unique shops in the area. Since I had been up since 5am I was extra excited when the hotel called saying my room was ready and I headed back to unwind and relax before dinner.

The room was great. It was chic and modern and I love a good throw blanket. The bathroom was bright and spacious with a fun sliding door. I took full advantage of a big bed all to myself and took a pre-dinner nap. I heard from a few people that Departure was a great restaurant so I freshened up and headed there for happy hour. A wise friend who travels often for work told me to sit at the bar and that’s exactly what I did. I had the bartender whip up his favorite tequila cocktail and ordered a teriyaki chicken skewer and garlic fried rice. Both were delicious and I would undoubtedly eat them both again. I met some really nice people at dinner who gave me their must see list and made dinner alone not so uncomfortable.

After a long and exciting day, I was super excited to unwind with a long bath and a good nights sleep. Check back Wednesday to hear all about Day 2!

oh.my.leopard

Tag Archives: Travel Diary

Portland Travel Diary {Day 2}

Portland Travel Diary {Day 1}

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