I *heart* Portland

That's it. I've found my place. My new long-term goal: Move to Portland. I don't know how, but that's it. I've found my place. This was my third trip to Portland--each time I go, I love it even more.

I got home a little while ago and on the train trip north I was trying to sort out the events of the weekend. It was an exhausting weekend for many reasons (all good) and I think it would take several different posts to sort it all out. I may get around to doing that, I may not. But first and foremost, let's start with the food

Portland = Vegan. It is a vegan haven. Absolutely.

Places I ate: Persian House. And the next night we went to the place next door, India House. Both amazingly good and vegan friendly. They were also part of the street of restaurants I ate when I was there two years ago.

We hit the Saturday Market where I found a tofu scramble that was pretty damn good and huge. I also found vegan elephant ears, but I was so full from breakfast I couldn't eat anymore. We hit up this little coffeehouse where I was going to get vegan "cheese"cake, but they were out. That is what lead me to finally nail down the exact location of Saint Cupcake. My so-called smartphone doesn't have the best internet browser, so getting some information either took too long or was damn close to impossible. But I found it.

We walked up to the NW location of Saint Cupcake and, y'all, it was worth it. Completely. Totally. Vegan fucking cupcakes. Now, if they had had Red Velvet vegan cupcakes I probably would have broken down into sobs of joy, but I was okay with the straight up vanilla and chocolate. I don't want anyone to tell me that Red Velvet is just chocolate with red food coloring because I don't care. Red Velvet is Red Velvet.

Saint Cupcake at NW Flanders (You suck didely-uck, Flanders)

Vanilla and Chocolate

Five minutes later

The next morning we went to a place not as vegan friendly because my friend wanted a bagel and lox and there was a place that was supposed to have the best bagel and lox breakfast in town. And since she had walked all over the Pearl District so I could get vegan cupcakes, I was willing to give a little on the breakfast. Vege Thai was later that afternoon with the Recently-Found Facebook Friend mentioned last month, but that will be discussed later. And that night we went to Blossoming Lotus where I ate Live Pizza. I wasn't what I expected, and I was a bit wary, but it was amazingly good. This was followed by vegan soft serve.

The next day was more laid back. It was my last day, and I needed food for the train trip back north, so we hit Whole Foods since Trader Joe's was farther away. Just so you know, Trader Joe's has a better selection of pre-made food than Whole Foods. We wandered the Pearl District, drank some tea and went our separate ways.

The entire weekend I kept asking, "Why do I have to leave?" Because less than an hour after being in town I was already trying to figure out how I could move there. The sooner the better.