Do you ever get the feeling where you just need to take a break from life and get away? That’s precisely how I felt last week. So I decided to spontaneously visit my family up in Oregon for a long weekend. LA was expecting another heatwave in the following days so I was escaping just in time. Before leaving home I felt mentally exhausted and was starting to question my spur-of-the-moment trip. However, when the plane descended into Portland and I saw the colorful sea of pine, fir, and cedar trees in their beautiful red, orange, and yellow hues I felt this immediate assurance that I made the right choice. For the next couple of days I spent the hours catching up with my family and playing with my nieces and nephews. Since I hadn’t been to Portland since I was 18 years old, my visit to Oregon was long overdue.
My adorable nieces and nephew wandering about the garden, resisting the temptation of getting into mischief.
Wanting some reprieve from the rain, we went to The Stickmen for lunch. The meat was from a local grass-fed only farmer, which explained why it was so delicious. I washed it all down with the Gaijin Dream beer and I was ready for dessert!
We went to the original Salt & Straw for dessert. It was my first time there, but it certainly won’t be the last. While the ice cream options aren’t abundant, they do have some interesting combinations. I ordered the Honey Lavender and it reminded me of of the ice cream I had during my trip to Lyon. Super tasty!
I never get over the beautiful colors of autumn. It’s such a magical time of year that it makes me happy to be alive. Do you ever have that feeling?
We went to Moonstruck Chocolates downtown so I could pick up some goodies for the home. With their amazing truffle options, I had a difficult time choosing which ones to pick. They were all so decadent!
