Pour(tland) some sugar on me!! JK no sugar (well not much, anyways) because this is a healthy guide to Portland! All bolded words can be clicked on to navigate to airbnb / restaurant websites. Warning: many photos of kombucha below. Portland: kombucha on tap capital of America.
WHERE WE STAYED:
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This Airbnb: We stayed in this delightful, secluded floor of a couple’s home. It was so bright and clean and had everything we could have ever wanted or needed: fresh towels, a coffee maker, tons of fridge storage for kombucha storage, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, a plethora of pillows, Aux cord for surround sound music, washer and dryer, you name it!! It was a bit outside of the city, so a car is recommended, though walking distance to [/one_half][one_half_last]
Picture of the bathroom. This place is amazing if you’re really comfortable who you’re staying with. Note: no real bathroom door – just a small turn of the corner and then toilet and shower. Not much pooping privacy. [/one_half_last]
WHAT WE ATE:
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Tamale Boy: Right near our Airbnb and came highly recommended by our hosts. I got the bruselas fritas (crispy brussels sprouts sauteed in lime, olive oil, dried chiles, and olives – topped with chile oil and sliced grapefruit) and vegetables oaxaquenos tamales. In all honesty it was a bit dry and disappointing. Brussels were good though! Our hosts really oversold this place but maybe we just went on a bad night? If nothing else, the ambiance was adorable. Outdoor patio with overhead string lighting. And great margaritas.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Heart Cafe: This place has my whole Heart. The best almond milk latte I’ve ever had. They use homemade almond cashew milk or something? I don’t know what it was but it was a potion that was just magical. Frequented this cafe at least twice a day, making for one very over caffeinated trip.[/one_half_last]
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Tusk: Tagline for the restaurant is locally sourced, aggressively seasonal. Pretty much sums it up. The cocktails and the plates were both inventive and delightful. Think: cucumber vodka with aperol, turmeric, and lime. I”m sure the menu is a bit different now but we got an assortment of breads and spreads, vegetables, and a fish dish. Everything was colorful both in appearance and flavor. The homemade bread makes this place worth it in and of itself. [/one_half][one_half_last]
Previously described cocktails from Tusk.[/one_half_last]
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Harlow Portland: Fresh, conscious cuisine is their motto. Accurate. We went for brunch and split the pesto garden scramble and the walnut pancakes (pictured here). I also got a cookie as an appetizer and the witchdoctor elixir: apple, cucumber, lemon, ginger, wheatgrass & echinacea on ice.[/one_half] [one_half_last]
Broth bar: We went here on a rainy day and it was just perfect. You can choose your own broth base (chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, bison, pork) and add-ins like miso, turmeric, or ginger. AND a protein or noodles or medicinal mushroom powders. Check out the menu even if you’re not even planning on traveling to Portland. Truly amazing. They also have growler kombucha on tap. Everywhere in Portland has kombucha on tap. [/one_half_last]
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Gorge Ice Cream & Kombucha Bar: Vegan ice cream (coconut milk based) and the most extensive collection of kombucha on tap I’ve ver seen. The entire wall was lined with different flavors and options. We stopped here after our hike on Dog Mountain. 10/10 would recommend the strawberry coconut milk ice cream in the gluten free waffle cone.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Prasad Cafe: Sister restaurant to Harlow. Came here on my last day and went out of Portland with a bang with, you guessed it, avocado toast. This was located in the most serene yoga studio. I really should have taken a class but I was too fixated on ordering everything off of this place’s menu to think about extending my limbs into any sort of exercise. [/one_half_last]
WHAT WE DID
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The Dog Mountain hike: drive to dog mountain was about an hour and a half away, but so worth it for the views. If you rent a car and enjoy being sore for 4 days straight, try out this hike. Took us 2 hours up, 1 hour down. Granted, I’m not sure I’m the best control for soreness. There was a group of 40 something year old moms who trotted up behind us. Took them 1 hour total. Eye roll. Also, if you go during the right time, there are fields and fields of flowers along the way. We went in May and didn’t quite hit it. [/one_half][one_half_last]
The Fruit Loop: After we finished hiking (as recommended by the smokin’ hot moms who smoked us up the mountain), we drove 20 minutes or so to something called the fruit loop. That’s a lie, first we got pizza, beer, kombucha, and coconut strawberry ice cream (Gorge Ice Cream & Kombucha Bar pictured above). Anyways, the fruit loop is a giant loop of fruit stands with huge fields of sunflowers. Look how pretty my luscious friend Grace looks here.[/one_half_last]
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TBH I can’t remember the exact name of this shop. It’s right across the street from Tasty N’ Alder, which is a famous brunch spot. We went for brunch, but were largely unimpressed, so it didn’t make it onto the city guide. Anyways! Lots of cool all natural beauty things, and clothing, and books, and trinkets. Fun to both shop or window shop. This is actually where I bought the Fat and the Moon deodorant (featured in my deodorant post) [/one_half][one_half_last]
Kennedy School Hotel: This movie theatre was at the Kennedy School. It’s a hotel that’s renovated from an old high school, and set up as such. In each of the old classrooms is a cool little bar, and there’s even a movie theatre (equipped with the comfiest couches, pictured here, and wine and popcorn or you can grab a kombucha in the gift shop), AND a soaking pool. Such a cool place!!! [/one_half_last]
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Fettle Botanicals: This place is amazing. If you ever dreamt of sauntering into an herbology class at Hogwarts, it would be this place. Herbs and remedies for every ailment. I complained of an upset stomach, and was prescribed a stress tonic. Genuinely did work, and my tummy trubbles miraculously disappeared. [/one_half_last]
THE PDF – itemized list of places and prices (some of which I wasn’t able to get to): POURtlandsomesugaronme
