I’ve sat down to write this post so many times over the last few weeks and I keep getting stumped because I feel like I can never do this trip and these ladies justice in a simple blog post. Having friends who will get on a plane to come see you, will love on you, listen to you, kitchen dance with you and eat chips all weekend is really the BEST THING EVER. And it blows my mind that the little squares of Instagram are what brought us together. I’m incredibly thankful to have Paige and Jaana in my life, and I look forward to our get-togethers like nothing else.
At the end of July they joined me in Portland for a girls’ weekend. We’ve had a few girls’ weekends over the last year or so, taking the chance to visit each other in our respective hometowns. And we have SO MUCH FUN!
As a mom who doesn’t get out a whole lot, I took this as an opportunity to document some fun spots around Portland. One of the requests I field the most on my blog and Instagram is for travel advice to Portland. Readers are always asking where they should go/stay/eat, etc.
My answer to that is sharing our girls’ weekend itinerary for Portland! I hope you enjoy!
FRIDAY:
First on the agenda: meet-up at the airport wearing coordinating outfits and NOT on purpose. After our excited reunion and hugs we decided to set off in search of brunch.
We went to Besaws in the rapidly changing Slabtown neighborhood in NW Portland. The food did not disappoint. I had brioche French toast with goat cheese, basil leaves and fresh local peaches.
Further documentation of our coordinated selves. And yes, Janna’s Beatrice Valenzuela Sandalias are just as cute in person as they are online.
Afterward, we took our brunch-stuffed selves for a little walk downtown, then across the Steel Bridge.
A quick note about the Portland city grid, it’s divided into five basic areas: NW, SW, NE, SE and North Portland. The Willamette River separates East and West and Burnside Street bisects North and South. Downtown is in SW, and each quadrant is home to its own cool and unique neighborhoods.
Our Airbnb for this trip was located in the Richmond neighborhood in SE near popular Portland hotspots like Hawthorne Boulevard and Division Street. This made for a very walkable weekend, just how we like it!
I had super ga-ga eyes for the cute kitchen and open concept living space.
After getting settled in we grabbed some groceries for the weekend and then treated ourselves to a happy hour on the front porch of our home away from home. The drink d’jour: French 75’s. We had a great time unwinding and we stayed in for dinner.
SATURDAY:
After a lazy coffee and toast breakfast we headed out in search of real food. In true Portland fashion, we spent the bulk of our time exploring the immediate area and didn’t wander out too far.
We had lunch at St. Honoré on Division which had an epic selection of sandwiches with melty cheese on them. Afterward, we headed farther up Division and wandered through some boutiques.
Dano was beautiful. I wanted pretty much everything in there! And it smelled so good!
On Saturday afternoon we slated some time for crafts and rosé. On the last two trips we’ve had a group crafting activity. We may sound like grannies, but it is always fun!
Prior to our trip, we connected with Portland-based business The Pursuits of Happiness to test out their clay bead necklace kits. They were a huge hit, and we loved them. You can use the code FRIENDS10 to save 10% if you want to try one out for yourself.
Forever matching. 💘
For dinner that night, I insisted on Pok Pok, one of the best Thai spots in Portland. It’s very authentic, which means most of the menu listings are things I’ve never heard of, but I’m 99% certain everything there is good. The green papaya salad (on the right) is a must for me. We ate until our mouths were on fire and our bellies were full.
When we get together, we always like to fit in a walk/hike because we’re healthy like that. Or maybe it’s to burn off some of the food and drinks we’ve been consuming all weekend. On this warm morning, we walked partially up Mt. Tabor from our Airbnb. We would have gone even farther if I’d donned more appropriate footwear than Birkenstocks.
Twinning again, and not on purpose.
The view of the reservoir on Mt. Tabor, facing West.
After we cleaned ourselves up, it was time for food again (yay!), and we headed to Pine State Biscuits. I got the McIsley and I still think about it on a regular basis. It’s a biscuit with fried chicken, pickles, mustard and local honey. It was a delight (and didn’t make me feel too stuffed either.)
I don’t remember what we did that afternoon, but it probably involved more walking, shop browsing and eventually cocktails on our porch again.
That evening I made reservations at Tusk, one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. They serve high-end Mediterranean dishes, and it’s amazing. We popped in for some appetizers, and then later went out for nachos at Casa Del Matador (also good).
At the end of the night we dance-walked home instead of calling an Uber, because we’re fun like that. My sandals may have been a little beat up by the time we got back, but I was very, very happy!
Thanks for reading along in this little peek into our girls’ weekend. I hope it helps you out for your future Portland trips. I’m always happy to offer suggestions too, but it helps if you narrow down which quadrant of the city you’re planning on visiting. 😁
Cheers to the weekend friends!
Our weekends just get better and better. Can’t wait for the next one. Love you both so much!
Love you too friend!
I love this soooo much. It’s so important to carve out that time especially when you’re a mom. It’s just makes me feel so validated and… *seen* as an individual and not just as a mom/wife (as much as I do love being both of those things) when I get to spend dedicated time with friends, women I love and respect. I really believe that women are able to connect with each other on a whole other level than in our other relationships.
Cheers to you three!
Yes!! Wise words. And I think we are able to be better moms/partners when we take time for ourselves. For some reason it feels sooo hard to do it (mom guilt), but as you said it is always time well-spent.
Thanks for sharing, this post makes me really happy but okay, slightly envious that you have two close friends up for adventures!
A couple of years ago I was at a conference in Portland and my husband joined me — we had a wonderful time and ended up on Division Street at a great little wine shop, Division Wines, and then picked up sandwiches for the road at St. Honore Bakery, before heading to Seattle. I remember thinking that if we come back to Portland, that’s where I’d like to stay. What a great neighborhood.
I love hearing this! Yes, and Portland is FULL of great pockets, that’s what makes it so fun. I hope you make it back soon!