As a disclaimer, we've had an extremely rough time getting Internet access the past couple of days, so you're not going crazy... I've just had to add these most recent posts and adjusted the time stamp.
Last night the Wives’ Club (me, Natali, and Donna) went down to the cocktail reception for the last 30 minutes and then headed out to dinner to Jake’s Famous Crawfish with our husbands and other coworkers. The meal was nice, and it was fun hanging out with everyone, though we called it a fairly early evening considering the others just arrived that day and were fairly exhausted due to the time change.
This morning I met Natali and Lucas downstairs to partake in the business breakfast buffet in the hotel before we set out for a full day of shopping in Downtown Portland. I first took Nat to 23rd Avenue because I had seen a dress earlier when Jarrett and I were there in a store called Ipnosi that I still could not get out of my mind – good reason, in my opinion, to go back and buy it. So I did. I also bought a very cool shirt from the same place. While we were in the shop a squirrel decided to dart in. When I first saw it bolt to the back of the place I said rather loudly, “Ack… a squirrel is in here!” After doing so, however, I thought to myself, “You know, this city is just crazy enough that this squirrel could be the store pet.” Thankfully it wasn’t, and I wasn’t seen as the insane foreigner. I left the clothes behind the counter while we continued our 23rd Avenue shopping extravaganza, but the poor squirrel was still in there when we came back by to pick up my bag. He was chillin’ by the speakers over the front door… I think he liked the music.
We stopped by yet another McMennamins for a pint and a bite to eat – this time the Rams Head (where Jarrett and I went four years ago when we were in town). I think Baby Lucas quite enjoyed the atmosphere, and had fun eating his rice cereal in a big-boy highchair. On our way back toward the hotel, we stopped in at Powell's Books (the best bookstore EVER) and then at the Starbucks (you just can’t get away from them) at the bottom of the hotel for a cup of tea. It drizzled on us all day, so the break was quite nice, super franchise and all.
Nat and I (and Lucas, of course) met up with Donna later and decided we needed to make a trip over to Nordstrom so Natali could find a cool top to wear to the business dinner us wives were invited to attend this evening. The Nordstrom trip wasn’t so successful, but Natali did find something at the Banana Republic sale, and on the walk back to the hotel I spotted an awesome T-shirt in the window of another small boutique called Say Say. Yeah, that is the photo of it at the top of the page… too cool, right? Yes, that's right... just nod your head and everything will be fine.
We stopped by yet another McMennamins for a pint and a bite to eat – this time the Rams Head (where Jarrett and I went four years ago when we were in town). I think Baby Lucas quite enjoyed the atmosphere, and had fun eating his rice cereal in a big-boy highchair. On our way back toward the hotel, we stopped in at Powell's Books (the best bookstore EVER) and then at the Starbucks (you just can’t get away from them) at the bottom of the hotel for a cup of tea. It drizzled on us all day, so the break was quite nice, super franchise and all.
Nat and I (and Lucas, of course) met up with Donna later and decided we needed to make a trip over to Nordstrom so Natali could find a cool top to wear to the business dinner us wives were invited to attend this evening. The Nordstrom trip wasn’t so successful, but Natali did find something at the Banana Republic sale, and on the walk back to the hotel I spotted an awesome T-shirt in the window of another small boutique called Say Say. Yeah, that is the photo of it at the top of the page… too cool, right? Yes, that's right... just nod your head and everything will be fine.
The dinner tonight was at South Park Seafood Grill and Wine Bar, and it ended up being really good. Because I had salmon at Jake’s last night, I opted for the Strawberry Hill New York strip this evening, and it was quite tasty. Jarrett had picked out the wines for the evening, which included an Oregon Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Both were very nice.
After dinner I called my cousin, Ben, who lives near Salem but works as a Multnomah County Paramedic Supervisor in Portland for three 12-hour shifts per week. He happened to be in town working while I was there, so he picked me up in his fancy truck and we enjoyed a cup of coffee (again at Starbucks…ack!) and good conversation for an hour or two before he dropped me back off at the bar everyone went off to after dinner – Henry’s Tavern (on Burnside). Because I spotted Marathon Taverna on our way to Henry’s, I decided that it was imperative that at I go there before the night was over (because, yes, Matt, this was on your list and I hadn’t made it anywhere else on that list yet!). No one else ended up joining Jarrett and me, but that was their mistake, as this was my favorite bar yet. I enjoyed several Black Butte Stouts while sitting at the bar, enjoying the atmosphere. The bartenders were awesome, the beer was excellent, and the bathrooms were amazingly clean. A dive bar at its best. Jarrett can now blame me for keeping him out too late before the last day of his meeting (and his day for presenting), but it was totally worth it.
After dinner I called my cousin, Ben, who lives near Salem but works as a Multnomah County Paramedic Supervisor in Portland for three 12-hour shifts per week. He happened to be in town working while I was there, so he picked me up in his fancy truck and we enjoyed a cup of coffee (again at Starbucks…ack!) and good conversation for an hour or two before he dropped me back off at the bar everyone went off to after dinner – Henry’s Tavern (on Burnside). Because I spotted Marathon Taverna on our way to Henry’s, I decided that it was imperative that at I go there before the night was over (because, yes, Matt, this was on your list and I hadn’t made it anywhere else on that list yet!). No one else ended up joining Jarrett and me, but that was their mistake, as this was my favorite bar yet. I enjoyed several Black Butte Stouts while sitting at the bar, enjoying the atmosphere. The bartenders were awesome, the beer was excellent, and the bathrooms were amazingly clean. A dive bar at its best. Jarrett can now blame me for keeping him out too late before the last day of his meeting (and his day for presenting), but it was totally worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment