hangin’ out in portland, or
What a great city. It seems quaint in comparison to NYC, but still very cool. The big moment for me was when I was waiting for a “train” and instead a two-car trolley pulled up. It was so sweet! And caused me to wonder about how many passenger cars are on a typical nyc subway train? (8 to 11 by the way).
Quick note: with baby in tow I had a tough time taking as many photos as usual so I have borrowed from websites, etc, in some cases.
from fenouil website
Day ONE took us to the Pearl District. We had lunch at the NY Times reviewed restaurant Fenouil, recommended by my friends Clare and Justin. Lovely French food with an accommodating staff . Generally Portland is very vegetarian focused, but this IS a french restaurant after all, so they custom made a vegetable plate for me and a fruit plate for Aadi. The restaurant was bright with rustic elements, and very comfortable seating.
posted on flickr
Afterwards we went outside and were met with the unexpected surprise of the Jamison Square Fountain where kids were swimming with delight in the water, which ebbs and flows like the tides. Aadi, of course, ran straight into the water without reservation.
We checked out the boutiques and tea shops in Pearl District as we strolled back towards downtown, with a MAJOR stop at Powell’s Books!! We were in heaven. Aadi had fallen asleep after his heaps of fruit and frolicking in the water, so we could peruse freely while he napped in his stroller.
on powell's website
It definitely feels more like a library with its color-coded numerical index system, multiple rooms and floors, and no frills atmosphere. It is a book heaven with titles you can’t find everywhere, and several locations including one with a sole focus on home and garden that I couldn’t fit into this visit. Another NYC comparison: people in Portland buy more books per capita than in NYC. A good city to host the largest independent bookseller in the world!
Day TWO took us to our first breakfast meal of the trip. I always LOVE breakfast food, and Bijou Cafe was REALLY good.
There is a wait to get in on a Sunday morning, but not too long and well worth it! I had a garden vegetable omelet which had sauteed fennel, cauliflower, carrot, and other veggies in it. Very different. They also added goat cheddar which took the whole thing to a new level. Aadi once again received a gorgeous pile of locally grown fruit, this time atop Nancy’s Yogurt. Lovely, lovely meal.
from nytimes.com
Bijou is right near the famed Portland Saturday Market (also open Sundays), an outdoor shopping bazaar with interesting arts, handicrafts, and imports. I always find cute jewelry, beachy dresses, indian print spreads, artwork, fudge, jams, handbags. Bring $100 in cash and it will go a long way to getting you souvenirs for everyone on your list. There is also live music and great food.
photo by pie
The other neighborhood we kind of checked out was NW Alberta Street. We ended up there on a fluke, though it was recommended, but I would go back in a second to get a better look. This neighborhood is very funky. Every shop we peeked into had devoted at least some wall space to local artisits’ galleries. Michael bought vegan shoes made of hemp and recycled car tires from Pie Footwear.
photo by tour de crepes
photo by tour de crepes
We then ate across the street at Tour de Crepes. We didn’t know what to think when we ordered at the window of the kitchen, which was an outdoor trailer behind the restaurant!
photo by tour de crepes
The crepes were REALLY good! And the place is VERY kid-friendly to boot.
DAY 3 was a day of friends and family. We met Clare and her son Harrison for a quick tour of the Portland Zoo. Aadi and Harrison bonded over their shared love of trains, as we took the ZOO train. This train gives you a good scenic tour of Portland’s vast forested park area.
Clare suggested lunch at Old Wives Tale Restaurant. This place looks like a basic diner, but it is chock full of vegetarian options and has a playroom for kids. This is my refrain for Portland dining, I know, but hey: “the food was REALLY good.” Here is Harrison and Aadi hangin’ in the playroom.
For dinner we headed back to “the pearl” and had the most wonderful meal at Andina with my cousin and his family. This Peruvian restaurant is SO good, and very veg-friendly. They provide separate menus for vegetarians so that you know you can eat anything on the list!
We sampled a lot of everything. And the kids did so well here too, though not necessarily a top choice for a family meal. Here are the two sweet peas making friends over dinner, in Andina.
