Exploring Portland
Ever since I was a child, I’ve traveled to the Pacific Northwest at least once a year to visit my grandparents in Vancouver, WA, a suburb just north of the Oregon/Washington border. While Vancouver is nothing to rave about, visiting them has afforded me the opportunities to travel to other areas in Washington and Oregon. On this trip, I decided to spend a few days in Portland by myself; exploring, dining, wandering, and learning all about the city on my own!
I am a huge fan of the Kimpton hotel chain and was happy to discover the Hotel Monaco, located in Portland’s Downtown district. I was immediately greeted by the hotel dog, and was informed there would be a complimentary wine tasting in the lobby at 5PM. Score. My room was typical Kimpton style: leopard print bathrobes, Aveda products, and décor including orange hounds tooth throw pillows, purple shams, stark white duvet cover, and carpet covered in a black and white circular design. Sounds like one mess of a hotel room, but honestly, it was one HECK of a hotel room!
After settling in, unpacking, and doing some online research (thank you free wi-fi), I decided on Clyde Common for dinner. Clyde Common is located inside the Ace Hotel, a small chain of boutique hotels. Ace Hotels tend to be trendy, slightly hipster, yet affordable. In fact, the New York Times named the Ace Hotel the Most Original Hotel in the United States.
As soon as I walked into Clyde Common, I felt at home. Clyde Common’s industrial, minimalist feel hardly feels cold and unwelcoming; friendly waitstaff serve upscale comfort food incorporating local ingredients to diners sitting at communal tables. I sat at the bar and quickly made friends with Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a well-known and highly respected mixologist not only in Portland, but throughout the country. My Cold Shoulder (gin, grapefruit, stone-pine liquor, grapefruit bitters) was the perfect compliment to the Pappardelle (cranberry beans, sage, rosemary, grana padano) I ordered. Food, drink, and the conversation of newly-made friends? Can’t get much better than that.
Happy Hour is hugely popular in Portland. In fact, there’s a book dedicated solely to this sacred time, which more often than not, spans a number of hours. Since Happy Hour is technically illegal in Boston (thank you Blue Laws), I knew I had to jump at this opportunity, so a change of venue was in order. Jeff suggested I check out Driftwood Room inside the Hotel deLuxe. A 10-minute walk brought me to one of the most interesting hotels I’d ever been to. The deLuxe is old school Hollywood, which they describe as “…as a tribute to the Hollywood era of glamor and romance, while paying a respectful nod to today’s filmmakers”. Driftwood Room follows suit, with wooden panelled walls, gleaming wooden curved bar, and purple back lighting; this bar teeters on the edge of swanky vs. unassuming. I selected the French Mojito, recommended by the uber friendly and accommodating bartender, Michael, which was the perfect blend of a traditional Mojito with the subtle addition of St. Germain liquor.
It was around midnight that I decided it was time to end the night, so I leisurely walked back to my hotel. While Portland is a very quiet city at night, I felt completely safe and comfortable, which is very important when visiting unfamiliar territory. I had plans for the next day, and was looking forward to exploring East side of the city!
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COMMENTS
I love Portland. It’s such a great city. Be sure to check out NE Mississippi and Alberta sections of town, it’s filled with local boutiques and cafes.
[...] a great first day in the City of Roses, I decided to check out the East side of Portland. My first stop would be the Hawthorne [...]
I want to visit Portland myself too after discovering that 90% of Etsy artists and photographers that I love are from there!