A Weekend In Portland 3.12.22
A few weeks ago I had the loveliest three day trip with friends in the PNW, I booked the weekend last fall because I knew my future self would be craving the rain and time with friends! I’ll keep things short and sweet to the places we went, and where we stayed. I loved Portland - everything was exceptionally close and within an easy driving distance, all the food we had was amazing not to mention the coffee!
We stayed at the beautiful Porter Portland Hotel, (left) the restaurant and bar downstairs was closed due to Covid but the atmosphere was moody and cozy - I would absolutely stay again. (right) Saturday morning we began with delicious coffee from Stumptown Roasters and brunch at Mother’s Cafe. I have more pictures and videos saved in my Instagram highlight linked here.
I kept my outfit casual using neutrals, and comfortable and functional for lots of walking, details and products linked here.
(above) After brunch we visited the International Rose Test Garden and walked around. Nothing was in bloom yet but it was so lovely and relaxing to see the garden and surrounding area and imagine what it looks like when all the thousands of rose bushes are in peak season!
(below) Further up the road from the garden is the grand Pittock Mansion and estate, thankfully the main house was open for tours and it ended up being the perfect activity and refuge for the rainy afternoon. I always feel like paying for a tour is a bit of a risk because there’s no way of knowing if it will be worthwhile, but from the moment we stepped foot into the grand home and saw the first few rooms we were totally smitten with this relic of an American dream!
I’ll save you the long history of the family (it was incredibly interesting!) but in short - The Pittocks came over from Pennsylvania on the Oregon Trail and arrived in Portland penniless and barefoot - their estate is the fruit of their hard work and dedication to building a new life on the West Coast! Below are a few of my favorite corners of the grand house.
(top) The jigsaw puzzle floors in the turn-of-the-century kitchen were SO unique and remarkable, I had to snap a picture. Also the home’s pantry was like something out of a mid-century modern magazine! I was amazed that something so old could look so timeless and current and it gave me a lot of inspiration for a future pantry of my own. (bottom) You only see a small portion of it here, but the grand marble staircase spans 3 stories and is so elaborate its hard to picture a family living here at one time! In the last picture is an outdoor bedroom built during the tuberculosis epidemic, fresh air was prescribed to patients and the Pittock's built two fresh air rooms as a precaution.
After we left exploring the mansion we headed to Multnomah Falls - a tourist spot thats 100% worth the visit!
It could not have been a more perfect day with gloriously moody weather - it was everything I hoped for! Here are some snaps of the falls and my friends:
(below) After a quick walk to the bridge and back we stopped in the Multnomah Falls Lodge for some warm drinks and fell in love with the English interior. We all commented on how relaxed and spa-like the sunroom was in the gloom, with quiet cello and piano playing in the background accompanied by soft conversation, I never wanted to leave! (absolutely worth a visit just to enjoy a hot cup of something in this room!)
That evening we had dinner at Bamboo Sushi and had such a nice time that I forgot to take a picture. Then we finished the night next door at Salt & Straw for ice cream. They are known for their wild and wacky flavors, my personal favorites are “Arbequina Olive Oil” and “Pear & Blue Cheese”.
I hope this won’t be my last trip up North, I’d love to visit other spots and enjoy the landscape more including Mt. Hood!
If you have any suggestions for spots to visit the next time I’m in Portland, let me know! Xx Aimee