Road Trip - Portland, Oregon

Baby Kai and I jetted up to Portland to visit an old high school friend for a girl's weekend. I was craving a little 'girl time' - shopping, eating, and no boys allowed! Portland, rain and all, is a fun little city. My favorite walkable neighborhood, The Pearl, reminded me of Brooklyn's Dumbo - cool warehousey buildings converted to lofts, art galleries, bistros, and chic boutiques. For low-light, sophisticated dining, we enjoyed dinner at the Latin restaurant, Oba, in the Pearl district, where I ravished my butternut squash enchiladas and cheese-dip nachos -yummmm! Snatched up some cute duds and Pippy-long stocking tights for Kai at Hanna Andersson's organic cotton kids boutique (my friend calls it Hannah Montana!) And all Portland tourists should check out the famous Powell's bookstore - the huge emporium of new and used books galore (snagged some out of print Sesame Streets for Campbell!) On my list was to scout out the retail scene for Stacia too. Checked out Hot Box Betty's Portland outpost on Broadway Street (we sell to their Bend boutique.) It's matchbox size store is stocked with a nice edited selection of clothes for men and women. And what do stylish women do in Portland with all the rain? Umbrellas are faux pas for sure. And unlike their sister city, Seattle, this town is less about Patagonia anoraks and more about sleek trenches and cute newsboy hats to stay dry. Fell in love with the jacquard newsboy hat at Hot Box Betty. If I lived where it actually rained, I'd be doning this hat for sure! Portland's NW district of Nob Hill was also a favorite. With Fall in full bloom and orange, gold, and red leafy trees lining the street, NW 23rd Street could have been mistaken for a street in Boston or Connecticut. And lastly, let's not forget the unforgettable cupcakes at Saint Cupcake on NW 17th Avenue- to die for!