kisskissangela@PDX

Memorial weekend, I took a trip to Portland, Oregon to visit my old friend Helen. A friend of 14 years and we have been apart from each other for, well, 10 years...

Portland is definitely much better than I thought. According to Helen, more like the teenage Helen 10 years ago, it was nothing but a boring, rainy and rural woody place. But thanks to massive lumbering and global warming, Portland is nothing like the old Portland. It's fun, it's hip, it's in, it's chic, it's lovely. No wonder it's the hometown of hippies... or tarot readers?! Maybe it's just because I was on vaca, and my vaca mood completely blinded me from the downside of Portland, but I do want to say I wouldn't mind living in Portland. Especially with a friend like Helen. I hope she can say the same for Minneapolis?!

There's always this part of me that loves the West coast, the ocean and the beachy feel. After some trips to downtown and uptown Portland, Helen and I, plus some friends, took a trip to Seaside (it's just Seaside, a place name; not THE Seaside. aight?). Cruising along the Northwestern coast line under this amazing sunny and warm weather, just can't ask for anything better I guess.

At Big Big Sushi, aka Saburo (?). But forget its real name, if you've been there, Big Big Sushi will be THE name that'll stick in your head. Because......the sushi is enormous....

No way you can fit one cut of the roll in your mouth. Unless you are Yao Ming. crazy. Look at the hand roll. Yea, it's a hand roll, the one that should fit perfectly in your palm and rolled like an ice cream cone. But instead, I got this... a hand roll that just looks like a whole sushi roll "uncut"...

Friday: Visited downtown/uptown Portland. Lunched at Kenny's and Zuke's near the Hotel A.

As Helen described: a sandwich that's the size of your face. In fact, that place serves a two layers sandwich that's called a "double-decker", which is definitely the size of your face, and the width/height of your head. You are basically eating a sandwich that's a big as your head... Again, you may need a mouth like Yao Ming's to be able to fit that sandwich in your mouth. Nonetheless, good pastrami and good potato salad.

Friday night: Dinner at Pambiche, Cuban food. Very nice restaurant indeed. Exotic Cuban colors cover the entire building. Definitely interesting menu since I've never had Cuban food before. And I still don't really know what do they eat exactly or what are their main ingredients in their cuisine etc. But I'm definitely interested in finding out. Pretty sure it's more than just grilled bananas.

Grilled Bananas with Grilled Chicken over rice:

And how can I forget my fabulous drink! Clockwise from the pink straw glass: banana & pineapple smoothie, Lemonade with Sugar Cane, Palm beach cooler (Mojito in Sugar cane juice and white wine) and Orange & Pineapple juice. Oh so exotic, so fruity and my mouth is already salivating as I'm typing this... drools*

Saturday: Portland Saturday Market, where you find all the hippies! Below: picture of me and the Hippies!!

I just love this Market. I could go every weekend, just to hang out or people watch. So many things to look. My wallet was very much complaining after me purchasing pairs of funky earrings and accessories... It's okay, my dear wallet, we'll struggle together~

Saturday afternoon: Microbrewery and wine tasting. Boy, was I weak or what. I got a little tipsy just over two three glasses of wine tasting... Microbrewery is quite famous in OR, and a must-go for most of the tourists. Weird enough, I didn't get to drink beer but wine instead when I was at the brewery. Still I managed to taste the beer smoothie... Strawberry or chocolate flavor for your choice. Chocolate flavor one is mixed with dark beer.

Sunday: Seaside!!! Woohoo~~ finally getting close to the ocean for once. You know, as much as I "love" Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, it's nice to be back at the beach once a while...

Beautiful and crowded beach. And breath-taking landscape.

And I have to mention this: Salt water taffy!!! Oh my gosh, the first time I've ever heard of salt water taffy is from Sex and the City. Apparently, Carrie and friends went to the shore and she was so excited about salt water taffy. I wasn't very sure how they taste really, but was very intrigued to try. And it's not until beginning of this year that I got to taste some salt water taffy for the first time in my life. It was FANTASTIC!!! What makes it so fantastic is probably because it's so rare. Can only be found near the shores/coasts... not fair. But! I made sure I stock up enough. Till my next trip to the coast again....

Here I am, immersed in the Taffy land~~

Don't laugh. Cause I won't be giving out taffy to mean kids.

Super long post. Wish I could share all my pictures on the post. But whoever is interested, check out my facebook album. Now back to the reality.

I miss Lloyd Center! Let's park there again!