pacific wonderland: seattle & portland!

despite taking my first solo trip to san francisco a couple years ago, i was still a bit nervous to tackle seattle and portland on my own for some reason. yet, once again, i was reminded of how empowering, exciting, and just plain fun it is to travel sans companions. i met a ton of great people, saw & did a bunch of cool stuff, and didn't have to answer to anyone! hiiighly recommended. now let's get into it, shall we?

SEATTLE

THE ACCOMMODATIONS

i decided to go the air bnb route on this trip ... mainly to save money, but also to get a different and possibly more authentic local experience since i was essentially renting a room in someone's apartment. this spot in seattle's first hill neighborhood was adorable, and everything i was hoping for from my space in the city. my host, molly, should be an air bnb spokesperson because she was so sweet, and we spent an hour on my last evening chatting, watching netflix, and hanging with her two cats, hank and will. more importantly, can we talk about this decor? it's like anthro had a party with a vintage store. LOVED IT.

pac 4eva

FOOD AND DRINK

pike place market
 

 

if you haven't been, i assure you that this place lives up to the hype. it's bustling, fun, and completely insane.

 

 not only are there 10 billion stalls with fruit, veggies, produce, cheese, eggs, etc., but there are artisan craftspeople and vendors as well (like the ones that apparently travel in this amazing grateful dead van). buskers also set up shop to play all kinds of music.

 

i did a short market tour on my second morning since it's pretty overwhelming, and we got samples of the best smoked salmon i've ever had in my life, pears, half-popped corn, and other treats.

 

of course, it wouldn't be a visit to the market without a stop at pike place fish co., where they famously throw the fish. it had long been on my bucket list to catch one (thanks, real world: seattle), but i soon discovered that you have to actually BUY the fish first. and like, what the hell am i going to do with a big smelly fish? so instead i just lurked around for like 20 minutes to witness a toss in the flesh. at least i got a sample of dungeness crab while i waited.

oh, and here's the first starbucks. whatever, i didn't go in because who really cares? IT'S A STARBUCKS.

seattle coffee works

around the corner from the OG starbucks, i discovered some really good coffee (and more importantly, outlets) at this cafe. in fact, it's entirely possible that i visited about 75% of the coffee shops in seattle and portland during the trip while looking for places to charge my phone. on my second visit here, i started chatting with a guy from mexico, now living in denver, named javier who was staying at a nearby hostel. he regaled me with a tale of the night prior, which involved something called "tequila suicide" (think: tequila slammer, except you snort the salt and squeeze the lime juice in your eyes). you learn something new every day!

the pink door

delicious italian food, tucked away in post alley. i had dinner there too early to catch the live entertainment, but they apparently host trapeze artists and burlesque performances and such.

white horse trading company

popped in here for a nightcap on my first evening and immediately fell in love as i strolled through the saloon-style door. half-tiny bookstore, half-tiny dive bar, white horse is dark, quirky, and completely at odds with the touristy establishments that surround it in post alley. i was one of five patrons, and two of the others were surly old men. one was known as "the scat king" for reasons i didn't explore, and the other ominously slurred "don't have too much, or you'll drown!" as the bartender refreshed my water. anyways, i gleefully sipped a white russian and delighted in the strangeness of this hidden gem.

yes, that's a "seat taken" wooden block.

market grill

 

lunch here was definitely one of the most enjoyable experiences of the whole trip. market grill is a counter-service spot right in the middle of pike place. shortly after i sat down and ordered, this couple rolled up, saying they were from new york and had heard about the place on a travel show. "i'm from a place that doesn't like new yorkers," the dude behind the counter (middle one in the photo) said to blank stares. "think sports," he added. "massachusetts!" i shouted. "i'm visiting from arlington!" "i'm from stoneham!" he yells back, promptly fist-bumping me. as if that wasn't enough, they were playing a soundtrack that included the raveonettes and interpol, and my salmon sandwich was phenomenal. sold.

quinn's pub

 

four words: WILD BOAR SLOPPY JOE. actually, seven words: WILD BOAR SLOPPY JOE WITH DUCK EGG. it was delicious, and quinn's is a solid neighborhood joint in capitol hill that's the perfect mix of casual and cool.

unicorn

 

you know i couldn't read about a bar called "unicorn" and not put it at the top of my list immediately. kitschy and carnival-themed, this place is just a good time. you probably can't see it in the photo below, but the first cocktail listed is called "unicorn jizz." i steered clear and opted for the "adult root beer float."

 

then the guy i'd been chatting with there told me he knew a great place to watch the sun set. i was thinking we were headed to a park or something, but we definitely ended up on the top of his apartment building as nightmarish memories of my first tinder date came rushing back. it did provide a great view and he didn't chop me into little pieces before i escaped for the light rail though, so win/win! 

starbucks reserve roastery & tasting room

 

what do i look like, an amateur? every savvy tourist knows that this is the place to go if you must have the 'bucks in seattle. not only is it incredibly instagrammable and snapchattable, but the vibe is really warm and cozy, and you can do tasting flights and all sorts of nonsense if you're a coffee snob. i'm not, so i just got a latte and a chocolate croissant.

owl & thistle

best $5 happy hour fish and chips and a bunch of wild soccer hooligans! also, the smooth-talking bartender known only as "jersey johnny" invited me for a drink after his shift. but he had a wallet chain, so... :(

OTHER STUFF

seattle great wheel

 

the ONLY thing i felt weird about doing by myself, and on a friday night no less! but i fuckin' did it, man. and promptly realized as the wheel started to turn that i'd never been on a ferris wheel and was a little scared? i was still able to get some dope pics, at least.

gum wall

i could seriously take pictures of this disgusting wall all day, because it's not just random gum. talented gum artistes spell out important messages with their bubblicious, like "SEND NUDES" and "LIT AF!" what a treasure.

museum of pop culture

unsurprisingly, i loved it.

no joke, i snapped this pic of elliott smith's piano as "baby britain" played in the background.

so many geetars

video game nirvana

there was even a special jim henson exhibit!

capitol hill

i actually spent more time than i was expecting in the capitol hill neighborhood, but it was just so much fun and had such good vibes.

REAL TALK

elliott bay book company. shh, don't tell anyone, but i liked it better than powell's in portland.

all of the crosswalks are painted with rainbows to support LGBT rights!

underground tour

 

multiple people recommended this tour to me and i guess it's cool that current seattle was essentially rebuilt on top of old seattle, but to be honest, i thought this tour was boring af and a waste of money. it's just a basement!

fremont

 

hit up a fun sunday flea market here, and obviously had my picture taken with the famous troll. 

movie/tv/music/random sights

the sculpture that inspired the soundgarden song "black hole sun"

site of the paintball scene from 10 things i hate about you!

real world seattle house, site of the "slap heard 'round the world"

"zoinks! seattle makes me so stoned. like, let's go get some PIE scoob."

mood

loved this juxtaposition

my favorite random dog of the trip

mystery vending machine

 

nobody knows who stocks it, and each press of a button is a gamble as to what will roll out. i was too scared to try (and i don't drink soda), but i had to find this oddity for the photo opp. 

then, i hopped on the train and headed for ...

PORTLAND

THE ACCOMMODATIONS

 

i stayed in an airy loft in portland's goose hollow neighborhood, just across the street from the providence park stadium for any of you soccer buffs.

 

i was all about the exposed brick and weird art throughout, which included a large chicken painting and purposely-cracked mirror.

FOOD & DRINK

picnic house

 

 lovely little lunch spot downtown. i went with the shaved turkey sandwich with aged white cheddar, tart green apple, and arugula.

voodoo doughnut

 

i just had to, y'know? since i went on a monday afternoon, i only waited about five minutes in line.

 

i ordered the "maple blazer blunt" doughnut, which -- you guessed it! -- mimicked a lit blunt. it was actually pretty delicious, but my favorite part of the entire experience happened as i was sitting at one of the picnic tables outside with my fellow tourists. a car rolled by, and someone screamed out of the window, "IT'S JUST A DOUGHNUT!" i burst out laughing.

deschutes brewery portland public house 

 

i forgot to take a picture of the inside of this place, but it was massive and there were lots of wood carvings and neon signs and cool shit. i also experienced my first elk burger, which paired wonderfully with my "pacific wonderland" beer. aww yeah.

teardrop lounge

 

a small, sleek cocktail bar with strong drinks and friendly bartenders. sorry, "mixologists."

 food carts 

 

portland is home to food cart "pods" that line the streets and offer cheap, tasty meals that range from grilled cheese to ramen. i met a fellow from the netherlands on my mount hood day trip, and after some ruby ale on the patio of ringler's, we grabbed dinner at an asian fusion cart. i decided to be a bit evil and let him get a spam fried rice bowl because he didn't know what spam was and i really wanted to see his reaction (he loved it!), while i went with black pepper shrimp. then, we sat on the sidewalk and chowed down.

multnomah whiskey library

 

soooo painfully portland, but so much fun. post-food cart, we met my new friend's couchsurfing host at this hipster haven where you have your own personal bartender and little guys and gals in bow ties scale ladders to retrieve your whiskey. i was into it.

(our bartender)

then we took a selfie, obviously.

salt & straw

 

known as one of the best ice cream shops in the whole country, i couldn't leave portland without hitting up salt & straw. i ordered the "toasted baguette pb&j" flavor, and i'm still thinking about that damn ice cream three days later. 

portland city grill

fantastic city views and surprisingly delicious sushi for a place that feels more like a steakhouse. i felt like it was the perfect place to have my final portland meal. plus, it was happy hour.

tasty & alder

before i headed for the airport, i grabbed one last drink here (the "13th precinct" with bourbon, clear creek apple, benedictine, byrhh, and bokers bitters) and immediately became BFFs with this woman sitting next to me at the bar who was traveling on business. it was one of those conversations where you're suddenly like "oh, shit, i definitely need to leave or i'm going to miss my flight." but it was the perfect end to a great vacation. and she paid for my draaaaaank!

OTHER STUFF

powell's city of books

  

i came here like three times (mostly because i had a crush on the long-haired barista in the cafe), but world-famous powell's does not disappoint. as i mentioned, i preferred elliott bay in seattle, but it was lovely to visit this landmark and browse its amazing selection.

japanese garden

 

cool trees. cool fish.

waterfalls & mount hood

such a beautiful day trip! we did a loop through the columbia river gorge, past several waterfalls (including multnomah), and up to timberline lodge on mount hood.

latourelle falls

the tiny post office in the town of bridal veil (where lots of brides send their invites from, lolz GET IT)

multnomah falls!

an old-school dr. pepper machine at a farmstand where we stopped

mount hood

outside of timberline lodge

inside of timberline lodge!

hood river

 

THIS TOWN. we stopped for lunch during the day trip here and i fell in love. i had one of the best sandwiches of my life at boda's kitchen (it involved gourmet ham and salami, olive tapenade, and smoked mozzarella) and wandered for a bit on the main drag, which was everything you'd picture from a cute lil' mountain village. i was just about ready to set up shop and move into a tiny house there.

portland farmers market

 

i've never wanted to purchase and eat vegetables more in my entire life. 

portland art museum

 

it had both traditional & contemporary art and was pretty cool overall, but i mainly just wanted to share this weird michael jackson piece.

n mississippi ave 

 

while i liked seattle better than portland, this neighborhood that i visited on my last day started to change my mind. between its quaint coffee shops, funky secondhand stores, and hip bars and restaurants, it was definitely what i pictured when i first thought of portland. it's been the setting for a bunch of tv and movies, including portlandia and wild (the concert scene is shot at the red venue below, mississippi studios). i snagged a cold brew at fresh pot, bought a vintage top at animal traffic, and a hand-drawn and screened portland t-shirt at the bohemian boutique wanderlust and wildhearts.

 

random sights

cute house #1

 

cute house #2

rollin'

until we meet again, PNW!

5 things i love right now

1. the new caffè nero in my neighborhood

just what i needed: another coffee shop to feed my addiction. but i'm a sucker for any cafe with bookcases, fireplaces, or comfy chairs, and this one has ALL THREE. plus, amazing cold brew. i won't disclose how many times i've been there in the past two weeks, but let's just say that i'm almost through a punch card. :| still forever loyal to kickstand, though.

2. this hip-hop group, flatbush zombies



this past weekend at boston calling, i was reminded of an underrated, great part of festivals: actually discovering new artists. while waiting for piebald to start, my friends and i caught the second half of flatbush zombies. from the name, i expected them to be a lo-fi indie band or something. i was immediately hooked -- not only by their dark, aggressive, drugged-out rap, but also their out-of-control energy, intriguing aesthetic (one of them was wearing an iron maiden shirt??), and hilarious stage banter, which included references to seinfeld and good-natured jabs at the crowd. the deal was sealed for me when they brought up a random fan to rap along with them for their last song. he killed it, flying around the stage, filling in the verses at all the right parts, and holding his phone over his head to document it all on social media, of course. it was just a fantastic festival moment and so much fun to watch. and now i can't stop listening to this one song in particular, "trade-off." bump it.

3. this instagram banana artist

The Last Supper #throwbackthursday #LeonardoDaVinci #biblebanana #fruitdoodle

A post shared by Stephan Brusche (@isteef) on Apr 13, 2017 at 6:52am PDT

peels and skeeeeels.



4. this donald trump impersonator on america's got talent

america's got talent is the perfect summer guilty pleasure and i have absolutely no shame in admitting that i watch it because it adds a significant amount of joy to my life. on that note, i may have been in a weird mood when i saw this one, but i honestly can't remember ever laughing so hard at an audition even though it's incredibly stupid. apparently bruno mars songs + fake trump = comedy gold?

5. this smoky sweatshirt

good(?) ink

sure, many tattoo aficionados (and artists) are all about beautiful, intricate pieces that are full of meaning and symbolism. i can dig those as well, but personally, my sole criterion for a great tattoo is that it makes me laugh. i mean, i have a damn cheeseburger on my hip and have a second tat planned that's somehow even sillier (it may or may not be an iconic dazed and confused quote). unsurprisingly, my tattoo role model is steve-o from jackass. that said, i decided to scour the internet for some body art that made me chuckle, and these 10 made the cut.


1. chomp.

2. pretty much all of us, right?

3. found him!

4. the colonel knows best.

5. smoke smoke smoke that cigarette.

6. doubtfire forever.

7. i actually took this one myself, coincidentally a few days after i was talking to a friend about how hilarious a tramp stamp of beavis and butthead headbanging would be. close enough.

8.  way better than "thug life."

9. [nerd alert]




10. i'd have gone with "BOOYAH," but this one's pretty fun as far as lip tats go. 

these are (more than) a few of my least favorite things

 leave your own in the comments!

1. when you hold the door for someone and they don't say "thank you"
2. when someone doesn't respond to your text, but posts on instagram/facebook/twitter/snapchat
3. INTERNET LISTS PRESENTED AS SLIDESHOWS
4. cashiers and/or other customers that comment on your grocery purchases (thank god for the self-checkout)
5. limp/dead fish handshakes
6. when someone is over the age of 10 and still doesn't understand/use the correct forms of "your/you're" and "there/they're/their" :|
7. car selfies on dating apps
8. when someone is a boring "bump on a log" at social functions and doesn't interact with your family members, particularly when it's your significant other or a friend/relative's SO
9. monsters who still come into work despite the fact that they're hacking up a lung
10. neighbors/coworkers who don't say hello when you cross paths
11. when people make singular restaurant or store names possessive or plural (i.e. "panera's," "DSW's," etc.)
12. well-done steaks

show review: RENT 20th anniversary tour

i'm typically iffy on most musicals; a full two hours of showtunes tend to make me start twitching. but there are two that i can't get enough of: rock of ages and RENT. i was fortunate to see the latter for the fourth (!) time on wednesday night at the shubert theatre in boston as part of the 20th anniversary tour, and it was fantastic and i teared up about four times.

based on the opera la boheme, the show premiered on broadway in 1996 and centers on a group of artists/musicians/creative types living in manhattan -- most of whom are drug addicts living with HIV/AIDS. not the sunniest subject matter, for sure, but most of the songs are surprisingly upbeat and get stuck in your head immediately. i had to stop myself from mouthing along the entire time like a freak. my favorite, "la vie boheme," from the movie adaptation which includes references to pee-wee herman, the sex pistols, soy burgers, dildos, and even pablo neruda.

the entire cast was incredible this time around, but i've gotta say that aaron harrington, an apparent "musical theater newcomer" who played tom collins, was far and away the best vocalist i've heard in a production (including broadway) in a loooong time. my mouth dropped open every time he sang, legit.

"Without You" from #RENT... voice almost ran away from me 😪  #leslieodomjr #withoutyou #insomniacchronicles #ArnellSings

A post shared by Aaron Harrington (@doubbleayye) on Jul 10, 2016 at 11:43pm PDT

and of course, the iconic "seasons of love" just got me right in the feels as always. i mean, that high note at 1:16? HOW CAN YOU NOT SOB? she nailed it just like in this video, too.

TL;DR: go see RENT if you have the chance.

5 things i love right now

1. this cover of the talking heads' "this must be the place"



covering talking heads is sort of like covering the beatles: if you're going to do it, you better damn well do it right. i was extremely skeptical (but intrigued) when i saw this on my spotify friend feed and listened intently, as the original is one of my favorite songs of all time. i hear a bit of vampire weekend, a bit of alt-j, and a bit of ra ra riot. i love it! what do you think?

2.  this new york times series, sunday routine

i'm endlessly fascinated by glimpses into the lives of random individuals, and this wonderful little times column satisfies all of my curiosities by profiling a sunday in the life of a well-heeled NYC resident each week (a radio city rockette, the editor-in-chief of redbook, bill nye!). i'm always surprised at how typical and similar to my sundays they are. and now, it's become a little sunday tradition of my own to read about them along with my morning coffee. how meta.


3. this insane dance choreography to the lil' jon classic, "snap yo fingers"

okay, SO. you guys know by now that i could happily watch dance videos from the millennium complex in LA alllll day. and probably have. but i've gotta say that willdabeast adams (red shirt) is the only choreographer that just kills it on a consistent basis, and i love that he mixes it up with not-so-current songs (like this one). his girlfriend, janelle ginestra, is a beast of a dancer in her own right; check her out in the front of that first group. and like, just look at them dancing together to one of my favorite guilty pleasure jams. power. couple. please never talk to me again if this doesn't make you smile:

4. this show, 13 reasons why

this teen drama, based on the novel of the same name, is minimal on the cheesiness, maximal on the drama and darkness, and just a really good guilty pleasure to enjoy with some wine and cheese while painting your nails or whatever. the basic premise: a teenage girl commits suicide, and leaves behind a set of 13 cassette tapes that explain her fateful decision. i'm only on the third episode, but i'm totally hooked.

5. these perfect summaries of harry styles' new, epic single, "sign of the times:"

fusing every song on Side 1 of Aladdin Sane with Black Box Recorder's "It's Only the End of the World," or as Harry Styles calls it, Friday

— rob sheffield (@robsheff) April 7, 2017

i want to listen to the new harry styles song while he & i hold hands on an empty pier at dusk wearing only silk robes billowing in the wind

— Matt Bellassai (@MattBellassai) April 7, 2017

The end of the new Harry Styles song kinda feels like pic.twitter.com/kQsuxag12S

— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) April 7, 2017

a spring fashion wishlist

i'm currently on a shopping hiatus to conserve funds, so i've been spending much of my time drooling over cute spring apparel on various sites, adding 20 items to my cart, and closing the window. please indulge me and enjoy some of the best pieces i've found in my recent internet travels.

this adorably springy dress and also maybe that pup (modcloth)

a retro bomber jacket (anthropologie)

a sassy romper that i'd have absolutely nowhere to wear (urban outfitters)

this cheeky graphic tee (human)

"cropped linen overalls" even though i typically hate overalls, because you can't deny these (urban outfitters)

some casual espadrille tennis shoes for $158 (anthropologie)

this unique and sweet '90s top (it says "just take these flowers")(etsy)

around town: commonwealth market & restaurant

it's one of the most wonderful times of the year ... restaurant week! oh, sorry, i guess it's officially "dine out boston" or some nonsense now, but i will forever refer to it as restaurant week. for the past three or so years, my friend kathleen and i have had a standing date twice a year to stuff our faces for a fixed price at a variety of spots in the boston area: bergamot, tw food (RIP), henrietta's table, beacon hill bistro, marliave ... we've conquered 'em all and lapsed into food comas immediately afterwards.

we'd each been to commonwealth in cambridge's kendall square neighborhood shortly after it opened a few years ago, but i barely remembered the food. i distinctly do remember, however, being preoccupied with some dope i was dating at the time and agonizing over him the whole meal. LAME. so i was more than eager to reclaim commonwealth and savor every damn bite of my meal without worrying about anyone or anything.

if you aren't familiar with the concept of restaurant week, you basically get a full three-course meal for $38, and choose from a selection of appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

the vibe of the place is super rustic, with wood planks and white lights all around. basically the restaurant equivalent of a mason jar, if that makes sense. oh-so-cambridge.

there's also a market in the front portion of the restaurant, which offers all sorts of yummy treats and pickled things, etc.

but onto the food!

to start, kathleen opted for the nashville hot wings with slaw and bread and butter pickles:

and i ordered the crab-stuffed deviled eggs with salmon roe, which made them look kind of like little alien eggs or something:

(i'm kind of a deviled egg freak, and these were among the best i've had.)

for the main course, i went with the chicken cordon bleu with creamed leeks and green bean almondine:

and kathleen got the stuffed peppers with wild rice, roasted tomato sauce, and avocado ranch:

for the grand finale, i went all in with the red velvet cake, which was accompanied by toasted coconut ice cream and butterscotch oat crumbles:

(yes, i actually died and am writing this from the grave)

kathleen ordered the chocolate pie with banana cream and peanut butter cookie. guuuys.

everything was delicious, and the service was fantastic as well. if you find yourself near kendall square, i wouldn't hesitate to recommend commonwealth.