On the morning of my second day, I planned my schedule at Courier Coffee Roasters near the hotel. The weather was beautiful again, and it looked like it would be a great day.

For breakfast, I went to Clyde Common, next door to the hotel. The atmosphere was bright and the music was great. It had a 70s vibe. I was hoping to get ricotta pancakes, which I don't usually eat, but they hadn't made them that day. Instead, I ordered a cheese and asparagus omelette. It was fluffy and had a gentle flavor.

I cycled briskly toward Forest Park, the largest park in the United States. It's a forested park, roughly the size of 39 Yoyogi Parks. Apparently, it was selected as one of the 1,000 places you must visit in your lifetime. It's located on a hill, so the slope gets steeper as I get closer. In the distance, I could see Mt. Hood in the distance. While you can enjoy winter sports year-round, I gave up on it this time because my rental period was over.

It was about a 20-minute bike ride from downtown to the park. It's more like a forest than a park. The fresh greenery is beautiful and the negative ions are plentiful! It was a great hike.

From there, I cycled for another 15 minutes to Rose Park.

On the way, I was feeling hot and thirsty, so I stopped off at Salt & Straw, a very popular local ice cream shop in the Nobu Hill area. I must have waited in line for 20 minutes for ice cream. (I hate waiting in line in Japan.) I ordered anise ice cream, but it doesn't look like it, but it has lavender underneath. The lavender was delicious. They also had a lot of other interesting flavors, like Stumptown Coffee and bourbon. The cones are hand-baked in-house, so they're crispy.

This area is home to many wealthy people, so it has a slightly celebrity-like atmosphere. I went into a salt and chocolate specialty shop. The wall was covered in an amazing selection of salt and chocolate.

At my destination, Rose Park, a variety of roses were in full bloom. The wonderful fragrance filled the air and was enchanting. I want to live a life with roses in my garden.

Then we head back downtown. We had reservations at a nice restaurant that night, so we got ready and headed out to the Northwest.

Before dinner, we stopped by the stylish Pearl District area. TANNER GOODS, designed and produced in Portland, has a wide selection of carefully selected men's clothing and leather goods! There are also other interesting shops in the area, such as record shops. No amount of time is enough...

The restaurant we were looking forward to for dinner was Ned Ludd, a local favorite. We were captivated by the simple cooking method, where everything is cooked in a wood-fired oven. We ate the vegetables with smoked butter and sea salt. It was so delicious! The interior, inspired by the pioneer era, had a cute, old-American atmosphere.

On our last day, we took a bus to the North East area. This was the most culturally rich area and my favorite spot of the trip. First thing in the morning, we discovered a cute stationery store.

The variety and delicacy of the stamps here! As a cat lover, I got a super cute Steinbeck that looked just like my cat (I have one).

For lunch, I went to my target curry restaurant, Bollywood Theater. The stylish interior mixes Indian and American culture. The chef, who trained in Italian and French cuisine, didn't have the same spiciness as Indian cuisine, but it was still very refined and delicious!

Afterwards, I stopped by Townshend's Tea company, a specialty store for black tea and kombucha. They will blend tea leaves to suit your physical condition. Above all, I was happy to be able to drink their original kombucha. I wish there were places like this in Japan.

After that, I browsed vintage clothing stores and terrarium shops in the Southeast area, before enjoying my last meal of the trip. I arrived at the restaurant Le pigeon. Apparently, this restaurant has won multiple awards, known as the Academy Awards of American cuisine. Luckily, I was able to get a reservation! The Oregon wine, food, and service were all excellent.


...And so, my stay flew by. I mainly visited places that were designed to relax and experience the local food culture. The city is divided into four major areas: Southwest, Northwest, Southeast, and Northeast. The natural beauty of the West was the most relaxing. The delicious food seemed to be in the East. I'd love to return to the culture-rich Northeast. If I have the chance, I'd love to experience a more local experience.

Before going to Portland, I had a strong image of a hippie-like West Coast culture preaching "Back to Nature." But in reality, I found the place to have a more punk-like DIY spirit, where everyone enjoys their own unique style and everyday organic connections.

The food we eat every day shapes our bodies, and so do our daily experiences, connections with others, and a more natural way of being. I want to be more naturally creative and enjoy it. These were some of the things I considered during my trip. These few days gave me plenty of inspiration for living my ideal life to the fullest.


■Portland Travelogue
--I went to Portland, the "nerdy" and independent city! --Portland Travelogue Vol.1
--Enjoying local food culture such as farmers markets and Oregon wine --Portland Travelogue Vol.2


[Profile: Chiemi Tobe]
Born in 1978. After graduating from a vocational school, she gained experience as an assistant to numerous teachers before going independent in 2003. She currently works in magazines, advertisements, catalogs, etc.