A Weekend Getaway!

I first heard Lykke Li on my Yelle Pandora station (thanks Christine!) and fell in love with her song Everybody But Me.  After going to the Yelle concert (and having a blast), I went to Lykke Li's website to see if she was ever going to play in Arizona so that we all could go.  On her show page I noticed that every single one of her California concerts was sold out (months in advance) and that she wasn't coming to Arizona any time soon.  So, I bought two tickets for her Portland show because my Dad has an apartment there, and all my besties live there, so if I decided to go I would have a place to stay and people to see.  If I didn't go, I could just sell the tickets on ebay because I was sure that it would sell out.

After talking to my friend Christie about the tickets, she agreed to go with me (she's up for anything, one of the things I love about her).  And, I knew I would be on summer break (which meant I was up for anything too) so we had a plan.  We found cheap tickets and were off to Eugene, with a 2 hour drive to Portland and then off to see our show!

The morning before we left I was really nervous for some reason.  I couldn't sleep and woke up just feeling scared of something.  Without telling Ian any of this, he gets on the computer and while he is cleaning up he plays Bob Marley's Don't Worry and Bobby McFerrin's Don't Worry Be Happy.  How did he know I was worried?  Too funny.

It was a super fun trip, short but awesome.  Ian and I usually go to Oregon for the 4th of July every year so this trip allowed me to see the people I would normally see during the summer and travel with a friend to see a show that most people don't get to see.  (Plus, I got to see Matt twice this year because of his trip in February so I was excited!)  Traveling with a good friend and seeing two of my best was reason enough to go! 

 

 

(Stopped in Salem to see Christie's friend, Veronica, who works at Mac and we got our makeup done!  What a way to refresh from a two hour plane ride and hour car ride!)

 

(I opted for a summer, sun-kissed look.  It was a lot of makeup for me!)

(Then we stopped at the Coach Outlet on our drive to Portland and I almost bought this cute purse but am glad I didn't so I had money to spend on other fun stuff - feathers!)

We took 7 hours getting to Portland from Eugene, normally a two hour drive.  It was so much fun just taking our time an having nowhere to be.  Matt was still at work so we knew we had some time to just hang.  When was the last time you allowed yourself to do something like that?  We finally got to Portland, and to my Dad's apartment and settled in, getting ready for a night out.  Once we coordinated with Matt, we went to Dot's, a tradition we didn't even mean to make but somewhere we go every time I come in town, and ate.  They have the best food, it's definitely not good for you, but it is delicious and they have vegan and gluten free options.  Then, we went to the Star Bar to meet a couple of Matt's friends and then to a new H.P. Lovecraft themed bar where there were cool lasers and giant cthulhu's on the walls.  It was very goth but very cool. 

 

 

(We were so tired after this from a long day of traveling that we went back to my Dad's, hung out for a bit and then went to bed.)

The next morning we met my sister from another mother, Meaghan, for lunch at Papa G's (finally a Portland restaurant with an actual website!).  It was good but a little too strange for Christie (and maybe Meaghan too).  I got the curry and it was delicious, but they did only have vegan options and nothing for someone that eats regular stuff (and was expecting regular stuff).  I told the girls we could leave but we stayed, and I'm glad we did because I really liked it.  After lunch, Matt and I had always wanted to check out this Christmas house (Keana's Candyland) by my Dad's apartment and when Matt told me they had gluten free elephant ears, I was totally in.  Every time I go to Portland I do 4 things:  eat at Dot's, go to Saturday market, eat an elephant ear and eat a vegetarian spring roll (both food items at Saturday market).  Well, since I'm gluten free this year (I promise to blog about this soon!) I knew I wouldn't be doing the last two so I was totally into trying the gluten free version.  Well, it turned out to be like a giant piece of fluffy, not very good cake (I think I could do better) and was nothing like the real thing.  But, the house was totally worth the visit!

 

 

(My Meghan)

 

(Every inch of the house is covered in some strange picture or saying.  You have to really go and see for yourself, it is truly outstanding.)

 

(Upstairs there was even a wishing well, what do you think I wished for?!)

 

(Yes, this is huge and in the house.  Along with other things just as nutty.)

 

(After the Christmas house we went to Meaghan's house.  It was the first time I'd seen it since she bought it and it was beautiful.  An old house that she and her family are updating, so much so that you can't even tell that it was once old.  I loved it and was so happy I finally got to see it!  Here we are, friends of 30 something years.)

 

(Oregon has a fast food restaurant called Burgerville USA.  All of their meat is grass fed and they even have about 5 different containers for trash and none of them are labeled trash.  They care about the environment and their burgers are yummy, we had to stop!)

 

(They even print all of your calories on your receipt!  Don't be alarmed, mine was actually less because I had no bun.)

 

(Delish!  That's a real ice cream and fresh strawberry shake back there too.  So good!)

After Burgerville Christie and I had to get back for our Lykke Li concert at the Wonder Ballroom.  We got snazzied up, not as much as we would have in AZ because it was only about 55 degrees, and took off.  The place was big and the crowd on the under 21 side was small so that's where we staked out our spots to stand.  When Lykke Li came on it was amazing, there was no opening act so we waited a good hour an a half for her, but it was worth it.  She had these big pieces of black fabric that waved around while she sang, a mini drum set next to her that she banged on intermittently, tons of wind that blew all over her and a crazy amount of musicians backing her up.  Her voice was like an angel and we were so close, it was SO MUCH FUN.  One of the best concerts I've ever been to, for sure.  These pics and video do not do her justice, it's a show you have to see for yourself.

 

And, on Sunday, we HAD to go to Saturday market.  My favorite!

 

(Christie thought the gluten free one was good so I made her try the original.  It blew her away!)

 

(Matt's annual gyro pic.  He loves these things and lives where he can get one every Saturday/Sunday if he wants but seems to only go when I'm in town!)

 

(His 2010 gyro pic!)

 

(My gyro this year could not involve a pita was so good none-the-less!  Even though I missed out on my spring roll, this salad was totally worth all of it!)

 

(A girl at the market was doing feather extensions so I got one for $25.  I am in love with it and when school starts again, and I actually have people to impress, I want MORE of them!)

 

Let's take a moment to talk about the flowers in Oregon.  We live in AZ and have flowers, yes, but nothing like this:

 

(Oh, and squirrels!)

 

(Biggest irises and poppies I think I've ever seen!)

Every time I go to Oregon it seems like I am surrounded by guys - Ian, Matt and my dad (Meaghan works a lot so I only get a girly day once while I'm there).  So this time, we made Matt listen to girl talk and do girly things.  He took us to vintage store after vintage store, he was such a trooper! 

 

(Dinner at another restaurant I'd recommend, Vita Cafe.  Delicious vegan and gluten free food!  I had Asian coconut tofu something or other, yum!)

 

(Got me some feather earrings too!)

Stayed in on Sunday night and hung with Matt at my Dad's.  We knew we had to get up super early the next day to be in Eugene by 9:30am to make our flight, and to clean up and pack, so we went to bed kind of early.  Turns out, when we got to the airport, that our flight was delayed until 4 something so we actually had over 6 hours to kill, it was so lame.  We ran around the airport, ate at the airport restaurant (that my amazing husband called ahead to and found out what I could eat there and sent me a list) and finally our plane pulled in!

 

(Waiting with all of our carry-ons.)

 

(A cute muffin on our flight that had to wait for hours too, him and 2 cats.  Poor babies.)

 

(Yay!)

Overall, a really fun trip and time spent with great friends.  I am such a lucky girl to have such amazing people in my life (I know I say this all the time!).  Matt and Meaghan are like the brother and sister I never had (I am an only) and I love seeing them any chance I get.  It was a much needed getaway after this crazy year and I had lots of fun.  Missed my husband though and was happy to see him when he picked us up at the airport!  Thanks Christie for going with me!  :)