A Weekend in Portland
Hey guys! We are super stoked to share with you all our first weekend not only visiting Portland, but shooting with our new Sony! On our first trip to Portland we wanted to focus on exploring the city and sharing with you guys where we stayed, where we went and what we did (restaurants, shops, cocktail bars, espresso, gluten free spots, and the amazing Japanese gardens) and hitting up the famous and oh so beautiful Multnomah Falls for a Sunday hike (had to hike off all the amazing Portland food we devoured one way or another). So let’s get weird, Portland!
Table of Contents
Where We Stayed | Little House Near Alberta Arts:
We stayed in the Alberta Arts District which is about a 10 minute drive out of the city (uber worked great for when we wanted to head downtown). Alberta arts is a artsy, homey suburbia and weird (in a good way). The neighborhood is a quiet and friendly one filled with the cutest homes and amazing restaurants, cocktail bars, and espresso shops just a walk away.
We decided to stay in an Airbnb we found that was a tiny home in the backyard of someone’s home called the Little House near Alberta Arts. It’s also dog friendly and has a fenced in yard to let your pup romp around! This was the most beautifully designed airbnb we’ve every stayed it. It was an open loft with super high ceilings and skylights, a modern and updated kitchen and bathroom, and decor that adorned the space with a boho flare. Our favorite parts about this home were the skylights (falling asleep to the soft pitter patter of the rain drops on the skylights – nothing like it) and the double shower head in the restroom (so luxurious)! It also might be our favorite airbnb we’ve been to so far!
“One of our favorite parts about this home were the skylights (falling asleep to the soft pitter patter of the rain drops on the skylights – nothing like it)!”
If you would like to book your stay at the Little House near Alberta Arts, follow the link below!
And if you would like the receive a $20 travel credit towards your next airbnb stay – click here!
Restaurants + Cocktail Bars:
Expatriate – Swanky Asian Cuisine
Alberta Arts District | 5424 NE 30th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
Right down the street from our Airbnb was a place called Expatriate. It was a small, intimate, and cozy lounge that served up swanky cocktails and delicious food with an Asian flare.
“ Expatriate is an engaging, atmospheric, and freewheeling place for drinking and eating Expatriate food encourages a certain tolerance of ambiguity, and of course, sharing. It’s in that spirit, in the balance between the implicit and explicit, that Expatriate works as a whole, as a place for drinking and eating other than the sum of its parts.”
What we ordered:
Cocktails:
Dead Romans – Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Fresh Lemon & Basil, Demerara Sugar, Shoyyu, and Cinnamon
Canary – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Torani Amer, Fresh Lemon, Local Honey, Lapsang Souchong, Walnut, Angostura Bitters
Food:
Crispy Brussels Sprouts – roasted butternut squash, napa cappage, candied peanuts, toasted rice, and szechhuan vinaigrette
Rice Waffle & Hot Fried Chicken Strips – heirloom Carolina rice flour, chili butter, and local honey
My cocktail taste is not too sweet, anything with lemon, gin, basil or champagne is always a winner – so I got a Dead Romans which had Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Fresh Lemon & Basil, Demerara Sugar, Shoyyu, and Cinnamon. And Kevin got Canary with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Torani Amer, Fresh Lemon, Local Honey, Lapsang Souchong, Walnut, Angostura Bitters. We have no idea what half of those elixirs were in our drinks, but they were divine. Off the menu we shared the Crispy Brussels Sprouts (any form of Brussel sprouts on the menu, and we order it – one of our favorite apps)! These Brussel sprouts had roasted butternut squash, napa cappage, candied peanuts, toasted rice, and szechhuan vinaigrette. They were AMAZING. Such a cozy fall/winter meal, and those candied peanuts in there – wowza. We also shared the Rice Waffle & Hot Fried Chicken Strips made with heirloom Carolina rice flour, chili butter, and local honey. Oh my goodness. It was the best thing we ate in Portland all weekend. I’m all about that sweet and savory combination! The sweetness of the honey combined with the savory rice flour waffle and spicy chicken – it was the most amazing flavor combo to hit my tastebuds! Check this place out if you’re in Portland or around the Alberta Arts District, you definitely will not be disappointed.
Autentica – Locally Sourced Mexican Cuisine
Alberta Arts District | 5507 NE 30th Ave. Portland, OR 97211
Reservations Recommended
“Autentica chooses the freshest ingredients from local farms whenever possible. Our menu reflects the changing seasons but keeps its roots firmly planted in traditional Mexican cuisine. Our rich and flavorful sauces slowly simmer with fresh spices and our tortillas are individually hand made with a traditional press.”
What we ordered:
Cocktails:
House Margarita
Cadillac Margarita
Food:
Totopos y Salsas – crispy tortillas, annatto, four house salsas with Guacamole
Taco Al Pastor – pork taco marinated with dried chilies, served with cilantro and onions.
Sopa de Tortilla – crispy tortilla, tomato broth, queso frescom crema, avocado
Our trip to Portland was definitely an unplanned, go with the flow type of feel (we love traveling like this, definitely minimizes stress…best to do if it’s an easy place you can come back to for a weekend). So when we stumbled upon Autentica (that many had recommended to us) we did not have reservations. They told us it would be a 45 minute wait for two people but to hold on a second. They came back to us in a minute and said one of their reservations hadn’t showed, so we got to sit down and eat immediately – score! So the first thing we ordered was of course margaritas! Kevin was smart and got their higher end Cadillac margarita, and I got their house margarita – Kevin’s was better. Such a smooth and delicious margarita! Mine was still amazing, just not made with those premium liquors like Kevin’s was! When we first entered the restaurant, I eyed a table that had a fancy looking salsa spread and knew immediately that we had to get that as the appetizer. It was called the Totopos y Salsas on the menu and added guacamole for an extra dollar (uh duh)! Our margaritas came out and then our fancy salsa and guacamole platter. There were 4 different and distinct salsas to test out and try with homemade, fresh, warm tortilla chips. All of the salsas were exceptional. We kept dipping our chips and alternating through each one. There was a green more mild salsa, a creamy peanut sauce flavored one, a very spicy one, and another more mild one. If we could’ve taken all those salsas home with us, we would’ve. We also commented that we would just eat those chips and salsa for dinner and be forever happy. The guacamole was some of the best guacamole we have ever had in a restaurant, or maybe ever. After dipping and crunching up our salsa on our tortilla chips, we ordered the Al Pastor Tacos and I got the Sopa de Tortilla (tortilla soup). It had crispy tortilla, tomato broth, queso frescom crema, and avocado. So creamy, cozy, and delicious. And the Al Pastor tacos were spot on. We give this place 5/5 pines. Exceptionally delicious locally sourced Mexican Cuisine.
Hot Lips Pizza
Alberta Arts District | 5440 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211
“Hot Lips Pizza is a chain of pizza restaurants in the Portland, Oregon, area. It is known for using local, organic ingredients in its pizzas.”
What we ordered:
Cocktails – Bottle of Champagne to-go (heck yeah)
Food – 3 Slices of Gluten free pepperoni pizza
We may or may not have also gotten pizza after our dinner at Autentica. A few cocktails in, Friday night, we were ready to indulge in more delicious food. We decided to walk over to Hot Lips Pizza right down the street to order pizza to take home. We ordered 3 slices of pepperoni gluten free pizza to share and they also had a whole fridge full of a selection of alcohol and wine to take home as well. We picked out a champagne to celebrate our first night and Portland and got our pizza and walked back to our Airbnb with our loot! We popped open the champagne, played some funky tunes, and glugged down champagne straight from the bottle. The pizza was super cheesy and the crust was crispy – definitely one of the top gluten free pizzas we have had! Dang Portland, killing it with the food game! Pizza and tacos all in one night, so worth it! Ok maybe our stomachs felt like they were going to burst afterwards and might’ve needed a few tums (oh getting old)…but it was definitely a night of indulgence!
The Fireside
Nob Hill | 3003, 801 NW 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97210
“We utilize many small, organic farms and ranches around the greater Portland area to create a better plate and stronger community.”
What we ordered:
Drinks/Cocktails:
Cappuccino
Fireside Mimosa – fresh squeezed orange juice, zucca rubarbaro, and sparkling wine
Food:
Omelet – lox, bacon, cream cheese, green onion
Benedict – choice of classic country ham, house made sausage, or bacon, with poached eggs, english muffin (GF available), hollandaise and hash brown
We wanted to grab brunch before our adventure to the Portland Japanese Gardens, so we found a nice brunch spot within walking distance to the Japanese Gardens. The Fireside is located on NW 23rd Ave (Amazing strip for unique shops and restaurants) and is considered to be in the Nob Hill Alphabet District. I wish we could’ve spent more time here, such a great area! Definitely recommend this spot for anyone traveling to Portland! It wasn’t very crowded, and the decor was a northwest woodsy themed and smelled like fresh spruce trees! They have dual fireplaces in the restaurant which made it extra cozy on a cooler fall/winter day. We got lucky enough to be seated right next to one of the beautiful modern fireplaces. It was so cozy, and warm. And we decided having a fireplace in our home in the future was a must. I ordered the Fireside Mimosa which had fresh squeezed orange juice, zucca rubarbaro, and sparkling wine and Kevin got the Cappuccino. The mimosa was so refreshing and bubbly and Kevin got the most amazing Cappuccino with fancy little sugar cubes on the side. I’m never a huge fan of Capps (I’m a mocha gal) and his Cappuccino was incredible. I would order it they next time we go there! We sipped on our special drinks by the fire and waited for our food to arrive. For brunch I got the eggs benedict with ham on gluten free English muffins with hashbrowns and Kevin got the Omelet with lox, bacon, cream cheese, and green onion. He said it was to die for, and whoever thought of putting lox and cream cheese in an omelet is a genius.
Stumptown Coffee
Pearl District | 1022 SW Stark St, Portland, OR 97205
What we ordered:
Drinks:
Cappuccino
Mocha
One of our absolute FAVORITE coffee ever, we buy Stumptown (and only Stumptown coffee) for our espresso machine at home. There is a Stumptown shop in Seattle, but we had to go to where it originally originated from! And we needed our afternoon coffee fix after a day of exploring the city. The Stumptown we went to was located right next door and connected to the ace hotel. The most beautiful hotel, we would love to stay there sometime (and drink all the Stumptown coffee). We got our coffees (always a cappuccino for Kevin and a mocha for me) and went next door to explore the ace hotel lobby. They had a beautiful vintage photo booth where we took photos, and got to take home a vintage photo booth photo keepsake from our trip to Portland.
Extracto Coffee
Alberta Arts District | 2921 NE Killingsworth St
What we ordered:
Drinks: (can you guess what we ordered yet)
Cappuccino
Mocha
Back to Eden Bakery (Gluten Free Heaven)
What we ordered:
Cappuccino with Oat Milk
Mocha with Oat Milk
Chocolate Donut
Banana Walnut Bread
Apple Sage Scone
Our last stop in Portland before heading out to our hike at Multnomah Falls, we wanted to stop by this gluten free bakery close by to get our caffeine fix and sugar rush before exploring. I ran in and ordered baked goods and coffee to go while Kevin and Kota anxiously awaited in the car—ready to head out for our hike. I ordered us a Capp and a Mocha to go and chose a few pastries. They actually only make their coffees with either oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk. We chose oat milk to go in our coffees and DANG that oat milk is delicious! Now I get my mochas with oat milk after going here, I am forever converted. The pastries we got were : a banana walnut bread for kevin (it’s his favorite kind of goodie), a chocolate donut, and an apple sage scone. I brought back our goodies to the car and we gobbled them up and hit the road to drive to Multnomah falls, sipping our oat milk lattes.
Portland Japanese Gardens
A traditional Japanese Garden occupying 12 acres located in Washington Park in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon. This is a definite must-do on your trip to Portland. It was the most beautiful, serene, and peaceful exploring we have ever done and has inspired us to put Japan on our bucket list. From the stunning and beautiful woodwork in their architecture to the gorgeous landscape – we have never felt so at peace and relaxed. Go explore this oasis, you definitely will be relaxed and in awe by all the beauty the gardens have to offer.
Multnomah Falls to Larch Mountain
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Difficulty : Moderate
Distance : 2.0 Miles
Elevation Gain : 823 Feet
Just 29 miles outside of Portland lies Multnomah Falls. We knew we had to squeeze this in and take our pup on hike around this beautiful known landmark in Oregon. As you drive up to the hike on the highway, the waterfall is in plain site right on the side of the highway in all it’s glory. The trail past the bridge had just opened back up that leads to the top of the falls and trails off (ha) to another trail called Larch Mountain. This trail was closed due to wildfire for a long while, and had just opened up a week prior to our visit. So we knew we had to do that! WARNING: Multnomah Falls and the well-known bridge are insanely crowded and touristy since it is very easy to access by everyone. But, if you are patient on the bridge, you can get an epic shot! Then once you keep hiking upward to the top of the falls and to larch mountain, there aren’t as many people which is nicer! Once you branch off to Larch Mountain it takes you along a beautiful river and another epic waterfall you can get close to! It was so beautiful, and definitely recommend taking a day to explore here.
