Portland, Oregon
May 2011
As we know, Starbucks came from the northern part of the West Coast (Seattle). It's easy to understand why, with all the overcast rainy days. What's more comforting than the concept of a place that encourages you to sit and relax in an inviting atmosphere with a steaming cup of joe?
The concept spread like wildfire throughout the nation and around the world. Even hot and humid cities now have people crammed in coffee shops!
Portland, being the rainiest city in America, was a coffee experience unmatched by any.
As we know, Starbucks came from the northern part of the West Coast (Seattle). It's easy to understand why, with all the overcast rainy days. What's more comforting than the concept of a place that encourages you to sit and relax in an inviting atmosphere with a steaming cup of joe?
The concept spread like wildfire throughout the nation and around the world. Even hot and humid cities now have people crammed in coffee shops!
Portland, being the rainiest city in America, was a coffee experience unmatched by any.
| 
Who would ever think of a Drill table as a coffee table?
*Check out Michelle's blog on the list of favorite coffee beans, COMING SOON!* |
They also take pride in preventing waste.
When you finish with your sugar spoon, you drop it in the "used spoons" glass. | Whatever it may be, the coffee shops here are the hippest business around. |
THE WHOLE BOWL
Just when you think a business has to have certain rules to survive, like say...
a good menu selection, you stumble across a business that breaks all the rules.
The Whole Bowl has 1 menu item.
It's a bowl of food.
A perfectly nutritionally balanced meal.
It doesn't look like much, I know.
But this little bowl of goodness is a taste explosion in your mouth!
It's energizing, filling, and addictive.
a good menu selection, you stumble across a business that breaks all the rules.
The Whole Bowl has 1 menu item.
It's a bowl of food.
A perfectly nutritionally balanced meal.
It doesn't look like much, I know.
But this little bowl of goodness is a taste explosion in your mouth!
It's energizing, filling, and addictive.
"It's like eating a hug"
You can dine in or order at the window.
There is a special sauce in the bowl of food called Tali. The owner created the addictive lemony-garlicky sauce. It became one of our most favorite stops. See my own homemade recipe, on our "We Love - Recipes" section. http://www.thewholebowl.com/ | 
|
Biking in Portland
It's almost unbelievable how convenient bike riding is in Portland. All bikes have the right of way and all motor vehicles are very "bike-polite." There are signs for the biker so they know how far they have to travel, and all kinds of bike parking; even inside containers. There are also sensors on the streets so when you pull up in your bike lane, it encourages the light to turn green.
I got a simple double sided cargo basket for my bike at one of the local shops.... For carrying the "evidence" of my exploring.
Most shocking was the bike map. Its hard to get the prospective in the photo, and the map is much bigger, but ALL the lines are bike paths!
One important note, always keep rain gear in your backpack.
I got a simple double sided cargo basket for my bike at one of the local shops.... For carrying the "evidence" of my exploring.
Most shocking was the bike map. Its hard to get the prospective in the photo, and the map is much bigger, but ALL the lines are bike paths!
One important note, always keep rain gear in your backpack.
| 
|
Mystery Pizza...
Worn out from a busy Portland weekend, we decided to chill out in our hotel room with a local pizza. I called a place called Lonesome's because on their website they said they have 2 goals:
1. "To make the best pizza in North America. (there is a pizza place we've eaten at in Venice that we are never gonna touch)"
2. "To bring a couple of new artists to your attention with hopes you will enjoy them as much as we have."
They ended with: "We hope you love our food. We've put our whole hearts into it."
1. "To make the best pizza in North America. (there is a pizza place we've eaten at in Venice that we are never gonna touch)"
2. "To bring a couple of new artists to your attention with hopes you will enjoy them as much as we have."
They ended with: "We hope you love our food. We've put our whole hearts into it."
The pizza I ordered was called
"Lee Majors vs. a Barracuda with a bowie knife"
....What?
The fella on the phone told me that he will meet me in the parking lot of the Black Sheep Bakery.
What is this, some kind of east coast relocated Mafia coverup?
We pulled into the parking lot: there was definitely No pizza place, simply a bakery and a motorcycle repair shop....which delighted my husband whom scurried over while i waited for the Mystery pizza to appear.
After a bit I called again to inquire exactly how to obtain the pizza.
The same fella answers "oh yes, people just call us when they get to the parking lot. Your pie is just out of the oven. We will be right out." So in the rain, comes the pizza guy from the Bakery. No jacket, no boots (like all Portlanders). At my window he took the money and he handed me the pizza. He said, "ya its just a kitchen inside, so we always bring out the pies."
Once back to the hotel, I realized how exactly they accomplish goal #2.
The fella on the phone told me that he will meet me in the parking lot of the Black Sheep Bakery.
What is this, some kind of east coast relocated Mafia coverup?
We pulled into the parking lot: there was definitely No pizza place, simply a bakery and a motorcycle repair shop....which delighted my husband whom scurried over while i waited for the Mystery pizza to appear.
After a bit I called again to inquire exactly how to obtain the pizza.
The same fella answers "oh yes, people just call us when they get to the parking lot. Your pie is just out of the oven. We will be right out." So in the rain, comes the pizza guy from the Bakery. No jacket, no boots (like all Portlanders). At my window he took the money and he handed me the pizza. He said, "ya its just a kitchen inside, so we always bring out the pies."
Once back to the hotel, I realized how exactly they accomplish goal #2.
The pizza was amazing
