Portland Oregon
As a Los Angeles native, the hunger for nature, farm-to- table food and authentic people has been growing strong. With summer coming to an end, I found the perfect place to unplug while feeding my mind, body and soul. If you haven't been to Oregon, than you are missing out. It is such a beautiful state filled with kind and colorful people, culinary adventures and waterfalls... so many waterfalls! Here is my guide on how to #travelcute in Portland. I have put together this #eatcuteapproved list of my favorite hotels, restaurants and shops!
Where To Stay
The Dossier Hotel
I spent my first night at The Dossier, a boutique hotel in downtown Portland that is all about wellness! Guests can enjoy a complimentary Kombucha Happy Hour in the lobby from 5:30pm-6:30pm hosted by Ferment Brewing Company where you can sip on Kombucha cocktails and meet new friends! The Dossier has also recently partnered with Knot Springs, a local Portland social club that is touted for it's health and wellness offerings. You can enjoy their yummy products in your room plus a in-room soaking ritual created by the spa to help you relax during your stay. The Dossier is also incredibly conscious not only when it comes to their guests, but to the environment. To reduce waste and conserve water, the Dossier contributes a $2 donation to Portland's Friends of Trees organization for each day guests opt-out of housekeeping during their stay. Lastly, another great perk of staying at this quaint, yet elegant hotel is their complimentary coffee and tea served in the lobby each morning. The coffee served is from one of my favorite local Portland coffee shops Heart Roasters. I would definitely stay there again!
The Heathman Hotel
This boutique hotel is a book worms dream come true! Checking in, guest will enjoy the fun decor of lights made out of bowler hats, colorful eclectic art and a cataloged lending library. The floor to ceiling book cases are filled with 3,000 volumes of literary works and even more magical, many of these books were signed by their authors while they were guests at the hotel. Not to mention, their collection includes signed editions from seven Nobel Prize winners, 14 Pulitzer winners, five U.S. Poet Laureates and two former U.S. Presidents. Monday-Thursday, from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m, the hotel librarian pours complimentary wine and opens the library cabinets for guests to enjoy. Boy I wish that librarian existed when I was in college! Want more literature? Take a peak at your room key with quotes from notable books and authors. What makes this hotel extra special is their gym. Most hotel gyms are depressing and offer a few weights, a treadmill and a elliptical, but not this gym. While petite, The Heathman has packed it with fun ways to work out. They have a rock climbing wall, punching bag with boxing gloves, speed bag, jump rope and a Peloton bike. They also offer weights, a treadmill and a elliptical for a more traditional workout. For guests that enjoy a more private workout you can stream over 300 workout classes by barre3 from the epic sized television in your room or have a Well +Fit kit delivered to your room that includes a Manduka Yoga mat, a set of barre3 bands, weights and signature core ball and an iPad preloaded with fitness videos! Need more fitness? Ask the concierge for local studio passes to try out classes nearby! This hotel makes it easy to get a daily workout in while enjoying all Portland has to offer!
Laurelhurst Market
Strolling down 28th street in Portland you will come across many fun shops and restaurants. While there are so many to choose from, I highly recommend Laurelhurst Market. By day, this neighborhood market is a butcher shop with fresh locally sourced meats, but by night the shop opens into a restaurant and has a beautiful selection of fresh, healthy eats. If weather permits, I recommend sitting outside. The sidewalk in front of the shop is lined with small apple trees with fresh apples ripe and ready to eat. Everything is made in house. For meat eaters, I highly recommend their charcuterie plate with a daily selection from their butcher and I also loved their Steak and Greens with lemon vinaigrette and Romensco. They also serve a wonderful Harvest salad with raw, grilled and pickled vegetables, with romensco, sunflower seeds and a citrus vinaigrette.
Cute Tip: If you have dinner at the restaurant you can show your receipt to the butcher for 10% off their natural, hormone-free and antibiotic free meats!
If you love locally sourced raw leafy greens, fruits and veggies than Garden Bar is a must. They offer seasonal salad bowls or you can make your own! Top your salads with their natural meats or artisan cheeses or housemade dressings. I highly recommend their homemade green goddess dressing! It was so tasty! They are also incredibly conscious about the environment. Garden Bar offers Eco Boxes to their regulars by selling a reusable eco friendly box with a $10 deposit. They also offer to-go containers that are biodegradable and are made out of corn-based compostable plastic that decays into natural material. This healthy Oregon chain offers many locations so it’s easy to pay them a visit! This place is a salad lovers dream come true!
Portland Ariel Tram
CUTE SHOPS
Nob Hill
I highly recommend spending an afternoon in Nob Hill on 23rd and 21st street. The surrounding neighbored is lined with historical victorian homes painted in bright colors. They also have a variety of restaurants and shops that make for a fun afternoon walk. For my shoppers, most of the stores close around 6pm so I highly recommend making this a morning or afternoon activity.
The Meadow
The Meadow is a magical shop filled with bookshelves displaying over 400 artisanal chocolates. While my boyfriend and I don’t consume sugar, we did find one chocolate bar made by The Grenada Chocolate Company that is 100% cacao, organic and free of sugar. I highly recommend picking one of these up to enjoy as a treat with a warm cup of coffee on a rainy Portland afternoon. The shop also sells beautiful pink himalayan salt that has been made into bowls, glasses, plates, bricks and platters that you can use for sautéing, grilling, chilling, curing, baking, salting and bathing. In addition to their sweet chocolates and rose colored salts, the shop is also a full service florist that offers fresh cut flowers and bouquets. Make sure you leave room in your suitcase to take one of their salt blocks home. They are absolutely beautiful!
Sloan Boutique
As someone who hates shopping, I was surprised to find myself enjoying the experience. Sloan Boutique provides a relaxed ambience, gentle lighting and a sincere sales staff with exceptional taste. The shop is locally owned and has three locations in Portland. They offer affordable brands that are both well known and obscure. Sloan Boutique’s manifesto is “ we are a store ‘for every woman’ and welcome all ages and all styles and don’t discriminate against anyone who comes into our stores.” I couldn’t agree more, as they had a variety of styles and sizes and were incredibly dedicated to help me look and feel my best. If you are looking to expand your wardrobe, I highly recommend stopping by.
Cute Adventures
Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is truly breathtaking, especially since it was the first waterfall I’ve ever seen. Multnomah falls is the highest waterfall in the state of Oregon and the second highest in the nation. I recommend wearing a warm jacket as it does get a bit damp and misty by the falls. What makes it particularly intriguing is you can park, walk for 2 minutes and the falls is right there. On chilly days, visit the Multnomah Falls Lodge for a warm cup of tea by the fireplace, to enjoy the view of the falls through their large glass windows.
For those who aren’t fearful of heights, I highly recommend buying a ticket ($4.90) on the Portland Ariel Tram. You can take in breathtaking views of the city. The tram travesl 3,300 linear feet from South Waterfront to Marquam Hill at 22 miles per hour and rises 500 feet during the four-minute trip. I advise going during sunset to enjoy the warm, vibrant sky and exceptional view of the city.
If you are looking to check out a new city, or if you are an Oregonian I hope you enjoy my healthy and cute travel guid! Did I miss anything? What are your favorite local & cute Portland recommendations?