What to do in Oregon… Portland and beyond.

Hi friends! Two years ago I spent the summer living in the beautiful city that is Portland, Oregon doing a missional internship with QuadW. The internship itself was an experience I’ll never forget, but doing it in Oregon made it even that much better. I did SO much while I was there and I realized today that I’d be a cruel and evil FOOL to not share all my knowledge. So, that being said, here are 12 things you need to do when in Portland (and surrounding areas).

1. Get some donuts

If you know anything about me or care about my existence AT ALL, you know I am a donut enthusiast. There is nothing I love better than a delicious donut. If you go to Portland and don’t eat donuts you are committing a DEADLY SIN. My recommendations? The original Voodoo Donuts, Blue Star, and a donut food truck.

 

2. Hike your booty off

It’s no surprise that the Pacific Northwest is known for its hikes. I did a hike every week while in Portland! Here are some of my faves

Multnomah Falls – a classic Portland landmark

Salmon River

Columbia River Gorge / Cascade Locks

Hood River / Mitchell Point Overlook

Ape Caves of Mount St. Helens – the most memorable and adventurous hike I’ve ever done.

3. Drink Stumptown Coffee

Sadly, I wasn’t a coffee enthusiast yet at this point in my life. However, I did get me some Stumptown Coffee, a Pacific Northwest fave.

 

4. Go to Mount Hood/Timberline Lodge

You can probably imagine this Southerners complete and utter surprise when we drove up to the Mountains for the Day in June and they were COVERED in snow. No warning (hence the capri leggings), just complete awe. Real tears were shed, folks. This was a memorable a spiritual moment for me.

 

 

 

5. Eat.

If there’s one thing I know how to do it’s eat. Here’s my fave places in and around Portland! (Picture creds to me but mostly to my dear friend Alex Bryan who is way better at taking food pics than me!)

Cubo – Hawthorne District, Portland

This place gave me a little taste of home and made me extremely happy.

Burgerville – a Pacific Northwest fast food chain

 

Brix Tavern – Downtown Portland

An affordable and yummy brunch spot!

The Local Cow – Gresham, OR

Best burgers in my favorite little town.

All the Food Trucks

Don’t matter which one, just try ’em all. Portland is notorious for its food trucks.

 

6. Use Public Transportation

Tbh, I hate public transportation. That being said, Portland and surrounding areas had the easiest to navigate bus/transit system I’ve experienced. Plus, everything is better when you have 9 other friends with you at all times.

 

7. Get lots and lots of ice cream

Whether it’s Tillamook from the cartons or Salt and Straw. Ice cream is a MUST.

 

 

8. Pick wildflowers and berries.

I so dearly miss walking home from the bus with all my pals, eating berries, and picking wildflowers and sticking them in my hair.

9. Explore Cannon Beach

Make sure you visit this iconic beach and explore the sweet town after.

10. Visit the Grotto

I didn’t know how much I would really like this Catholic outdoor shrine, but I loved it. The gardens, the spirituality, the labyrinth. Everything.

11. Dye your hair a crazy color, just cuz

Keep Portland weird

 

12. Be extra kind to my friends who live outside

Portland has a large homeless population that I spent some good quality time with while I was there and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Make sure to be extra kind to them, they live lives worth knowing about.

 

TOP 10 COFFEE SHOPS IN DENVER (in my humble opinion)

Alright ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! *crickets* Today I will expose my fave coffee shops in the mile high city! I moved to Denver in January and although I’m now in Boulder, Boulder coffee shop game has NOTHING on Denver’s. So, here’s a list of the 10ish coffee shops you MUST go to if you live in the area or are traveling through! I’m open for suggestions because even I, the queen of coffee shops, haven’t tried them all.

10. St. Mark’s Coffeehouse

St. Marks is more of an honorable mention! Finding a coffee shop (that isn’t Starbucks) after 6pm in Denver is ROUGH. St. Marks is open until ! midnight ! and they have yummy sandwiches and bagels. 10/10 would recommend just for that!

9. Commonwealth Coffee Roasters

Commonwealth is quiet and quaint and everything I could ask for in a little neighborhood coffee shop. Their hours are sad (they close at 2 or 3 everyday 😦 ) but their coffee is not! Plus, they soak cereal in milk and then use that milk for lattes. Interested? You should be.

8. Rivers and Roads

This coffee shop is serving ALL the looks! Literally if I had to make a coffee shop my whole Instagram aesthetic this would be the one! Rivers and Roads is the perfect coffee shop for the days you want to enjoy the weather. They have a cute patio and their indoor area is still open with fresh air. Aside from their bomb a$$ coffee, I recommend the yogurt and homemade granola!

7. Bellweather

Who needs to take pictures of their coffee when they can take pictures of themselves in this mirror? Amirite? Aside from being the spunkiest coffee shop in town, Bellweather is open past 6pm! *que the cheers from deprived coffee addicts around the world* AND, if their latte art wasn’t enough, they have some pretty cool staff. My first trip there I was reading Everybody Always when the owner stopped by and asked how I liked it and then we bonded over our mutual love for Bob Goff. That alone was enough for this coffee shop to end up on my Top 10 in Denver.

6. Quince Essential Coffee House

Coffee AND empanadas? Say no more fam. On top of Quince’s delicious coffee and snacks, they come fully equipped with board games to pass the time away with your pals. AND, if you’re lucky (like me) you might just show up on a day they collab with a boutique and give away free sweaters. It doesn’t get much better than coffee, empanadas, board games, and sweaters people!

5. Lula Rose General Store

This Colfax coffee shop is a DREAM. Like seriously, the cutest. Coffee ✓ Delicious toast with jam (or avocado, your choice) ✓ Pink espresso machine ✓ Roses everywhere ✓ Lula Rose really is a perfect as it sounds y’all.

4. Prodigy Coffeehouse

Prodigy isn’t just one of my favorites because they’re coffee is delicious, they sometimes play Frank Ocean, or they sell my favorite drug (cold brew), but because they stand for something awesome! Prodigy hires youth who live in marginalized communities and they treat their jobs as an oppurtunity for personal growth, networking, and apprenticeship. How could you regret supporting this small business?

3. Jubilee Roasting Co

My go to drink everywhere I go is an iced vanilla latte. Once I’ve established that a place has a good iced vanilla latte I feel at peace to spread my wings a little. Well, Jubilee Roasting Co had damn near the best iced vanilla latte I’ve ever had. I CAN STILL TASTE IT MONTHS LATER. Also, doesn’t the name just make you happy? On the first Friday of every month they have a Day of Jubilee and give out FREE coffee. And I’m not talking free, black, bean water coffee, I’m talking free ANYTHING coffee. If there’s one thing I’m here for it’s free coffee. Okurrrr!

2. SONDER Coffee & Tea

When I think about Sonder I want to cry. Not in a bad way, but in the way that it really is that special to me. Their coffee is… to DIE for. Literally I would give both of my arms and a leg for their seasonal Toasted Coconut Latte right now. Not to mention their coffee shop is just lovely!

1. The Weathervane Cafe

If you only have time for one coffee shop in Denver, I’d recommend Weathervane. I love taking my friends here for their first time because it never disappoints! Their homemade syrups are amazeballs (I recommend doing a vanilla lavender or vanilla coconut latte) and they are by far the coziest coffee shop known to man-kind, complete with nooks and a balcony perfect for Colorado weather. If you live in Colorado and haven’t been to Weathervane, what is you doing honey????