My Own Balance Does Portland!
So I wouldn’t say that I’ve ever really said to myself, “If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to …. Portland, Oregon!” Um yeah no. More like Bora Bora or Europe or something. But, when the opportunity arose to go to Portland for Fitbloggin as part of my #SummerofFitness, I figured I had to get down with the city and find out what makes Portland special. Let me tell you, there are a lot of reasons why Portland is special and I ended up having a great time! Check out why I loved Portland!
The Greenery
Flying into Portland I was entranced by the greenery! My usual flights leave me landing in the midst of skyscrapers and city lights. The backdrop to PDX was snowcapped mountains. FitBritt is not in the big city anymore!
Now my usual travel routine involves landing, grabbing my bag (no I never have small enough liquids to just do carry ons, I’m high maintenance get over it) and heading to the taxi stand. The only problem in Portland was that I couldn’t find the taxi stand. Portland is so green, they have a Bike Assembly Line (yes I said Bike Assembly Line) and their local train system, but taxis are harder to come by! Not to worry, the train was actually super easy and convenient and dropped me right in front of my hotel. Plus I saved the environment!
The Hotel
We stayed at The Nines in downtown Portland. The staff there were incredibly friendly and accommodating. Because it was a Starwood hotel and The Hubs has been staying at a Starwood hotel while working In Mexico on a semi-permanent basis, we got upgraded to a King room on the Club Level. The room was gorgeous and overlooked the central atrium. The Club wasn’t a bad deal at all- free full breakfast, free snacks, appetizers, desserts and drinks throughout the day. I kind of wanted to move into The Nines because their bathroom is bigger and nicer than my bathroom at home. #IliveinNYC
After the conference one evening we hit up DEPARTURE, The Nines rooftop bar. It was so posh! A glass of prosecco, a view of the city, and some summer sun. What could be better?
The Food
My favorite part of Portland was the food!! This is a foodie city. Let me tell you, I was Impressed with a capital “I”. Here is where we ate:
- A healthy burger joint overlooking a park in the heart of Portland.
- The black bean burger with chipotle sauce on kale slaw with vegan dressing was to die for and made me feel so healthy. Pete enjoyed his porcini mushroom burger and honey and vanilla milkshake. It was funny because we both picked out what we thought the other would want to order before we had individually decided. That’s true love.
- I think this establishment is synonymous with the city of Portland. You absolutely can not go to Portland and not go here. Be prepared to wait in line at this cash only establishment but it will be worth your wait!
- The donuts are crazy delicious and just as unique as Portland is (fruit loops on top of a donut anyone?). My personal favorite was The Portland, which had a Boston Cream vibe to it.
- I took a break from the conference one night to experience some fine dining in Portland and I had heard good things about Genoa, an Italian establishment, so The Hubs and I headed over.
- The five course menu with half glass wine pairings left nothing to be desired. The chef’s creative use of Italian ingredients were so delicious yet did not leave me overstuffed and weighed down. Some of my favorites were the risotto, my strawberry salad and my chicken.
- As far as fine dining goes, this experience rivaled some of the best multiple course dinners I’ve had in NYC. I give it an A for quality, taste, experience and quiet, romantic atmosphere.
Food Trucks
- There is a huge culture of Food Trucks in Portland. They are everywhere but I got some tips from locals that the ones to try were located on 10th.
- I actually hit them up twice while in Portland. The first time I had Cuban, which drew me in with the Cuban music blasting from their little truck. The plantains were to die for and the Pork Box was understandably popular.
- My second trip with The Hubs was a treat because he was so hungry he got food from 3! trucks, so I got to do a taste test!
- Earlier in the day I had noticed and Egyptian truck that had an incredibly long line. I didn’t feel much like waiting earlier in the day but this time the smells wafting from their tiny kitchen drew me in. I couldn’t help but wait on the (long and slow) line for the (well worth it) falafel gryo. The sauce they add on top is what made this meal.
- We also tried some bratwurst and a grilled cheese made with turkey, brie and pesto. And I thought this conference was going to be about healthy living . . .
- The food trucks are a must if you go to Portland. There is something for everyone and I killed two birds with one stone by checking another item off my 99 Days of Summer list!
Readers, have you been to Portland? Where did you go and what did you like? Have you ever eaten from a food truck?