Portland for the win

Letter #9: My newfound love for the Pacific Northwest begins in Portland. And I get to room with 3 sweet rescue dogs.

Feb 10, 2023

I’ve spent virtually zero time in the Pacific Northwest, save for a rugby national tournament in Seattle when I was about 15. My parents recall us placing 7th place in the nation, and I can’t remember at all, but sounds like we pretty much lost, right?!

When I landed in Oregon on January 6th, 2023, I loved Portland immediately. I can’t quite pinpoint why. Maybe it was the shocking amount of different shades of green I witnessed on the drive from the airport. Or how easy it was to feel “outdoorsy” just by taking the dogs for a morning walk through the neighborhood. But more likely than not it was how warm and inviting Helen & Casey were in welcoming me into their little Portland life.

Helen and I didn’t know each other well, but she’s always been incredibly kind to me on the rare occasions she visited the New York office. I had a feeling we would have a successful weekend together based on our shared interests and her fiery Instagram posts, with Portland being my first stop along the west coast. Helen is vivacious and fun, active with her dogs, and down to have a mid-day glass of wine. She and Casey have built a beautiful life in a mid-century modern home tucked away in the woods, and it was an honor to sneak a peek at what it’s like to live in Portland.

The city is great. Every meal we had was spectacular. There’s an undeniable “cool” factor about the place, the hometown of the original hipster against the backdrop of a landscape dripping with green moss and more variations of pine trees than I’d ever witnessed before. It was rainy, yes, but with a rain jacket borrowed from Helen plus my water resistant Danners, I was game to do some hiking no matter what the weather.

And the PEOPLE. ARE. NICE. Her personal trainer, Hashim, at The Inner Circle, was so kind, that those guys alone would make me want to move to Portland just for a positive vibe/ass-kicking every morning.

But more than anything, I appreciated how we embraced being outside even if it was cold and wet. Having the excuse of needing to exercise the dogs was perfect to keep us from being lazy POS. I typically am active, but with no real agenda in life right now, I could easily slip into sloth-dom.

I had a blast there, lots of laughs and deep conversations, with Helen & Casey helping me form a newfound love for the PNW. I highly recommend it others, just don’t expect to shield yourself from the rain with an umbrella (which I brought with me on my year of travel, and quickly learned that was just a “New Yorker” thing).

Things to do:

Brunch at The Woodsman. Very cool 1970’s cabin-y vibes with some wild, old school paintings of Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens. And also a great painting of Merle Haggard, even though Helen swore it better resembled David Crosby of CSNY—we still aren’t sure. The breakfast sandwiches and cinnamon bun were 100.
Take your dogs for a hike around Tyron State Park. It’s drowning in lush vegetation from the steady winter rain, there are horse trails, creeks, and my skin never felt so youthful and glowing after spending time there.
See the stunning Multnomah Falls (no hiking necessary), then grab some fish & chips at Brigham Fish Market, which overlooks the iconic Columbia River Gorge.
Lastly, drop by Division Wines in the hip Hawthorne neighborhood. The owner is a gem, such a laidback guy that will put together a custom 3-glass wine flight for you—at only $16. What a steal!

Portland…I’ll be back.

Multnomah Falls, Walking the Dogs, Helen's Home in the Woods, Post-Dinner Helen & Heather, Tryon Park

What I’m watching: Nate, Alie and I just watched the film Triangle of Sadness last week. It’s weird and hilarious and sometimes a little gross. But we loved it. There’s a scene where Alie laughed so hard she cried, so that’s all that needs to happen for me to recommend it to others. Just be ready for something unexpected.

What I’m reading: On Sasha’s recommendation, I started reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I’m freshly into it, have only read 7 chapters so far but I’m hooked. Set in the 1930s on a fishing island off the coast of Korea, the story follows a young girl’s coming of age while Korea is under Japanese rule. I’m keeping this edited because I still have much to learn about it. I’m always looking for captivating fiction novels—I’ve spent so many years reading books to LEARN—that I’d love some more recommendations for entertaining novels as binging Netflix will be harder to come by during my travels.

Where I’m at: I just reached Bali two days ago, after about 23 hours of travel and lost luggage. Stay tuned for my updates on Carnation, WA, California, and Hawaii!

Hey! Would you like to connect over creativity, self-growth, and problem-solving? Or just to have a virtual glass of wine or mocktail? Please book a time on my Calendly for us to chat! I can’t wait to see you. XOXO.

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