10 Reasons I Love Portland So Far

Portland, Oregon, can be described in a handful of ways depending upon your predilections for weather, ideology and geographic inclination. As someone who has lived in Portland before and visited it regularly throughout my life, I have come to appreciate it as one might appreciate any place: with an understanding that no place is a utopia, but depending upon what you enjoy, value and need to thrive, it has the potential to be the perfect utopia for certain people.

Portland is such a place for me.

As I have begun to settle into my flat in the Pearl District - a district that is revived, European-esque with its focus on walk ability and bike-friendly streets, eco-friendly urban spaces and very much a dog owner’s sanctuary – I would like to show you where my first few weeks have taken me and what I have discovered.

If you follow @thesimplyluxuriouslife on Instagram, you may have already been following my journey, but today I will provide even more commentary and pictures as I share glimpses of the Portland that I love and am falling in love with.

1. The Benefits of Oodles of Rain

While the rain can be a deterrent for those who adore the sun, I will admit freely that rain has always been an attraction to me. The serenity it creates, the growth it inspires and the fresh scent that is immediately provoked are all fruits from the plentiful showers.

Walking around the west side, I came across many lush outdoor areas and blossoming trees that I couldn’t help but snap a photo of. Have a look:

~Inspiration for spring wardrobe color options. Pops of color that make a fresh, beautiful statement.~

~A block in the Pearl of neighbor’s front steps.~

~A blossoming tulip magnolia tree. My favorite.~

~A reminder of the gift of spring and renewal. I could have gazed at this tree for hours. (found in the Nob Hill district while walking to breakfast at Saint Honore~

2. The Willamette River Waterfront and Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Similar to the annual blossoming of Washington D.C. cherry trees, Portland’s waterfront along the Willamette River includes a brief stretch of Japanese cherry trees. Fortunately, I happened to be Portland during the last week of March to witness them in full bloom.

Needless to say on this particularly beautiful early-spring day, everyone was trying to capture their brilliant-blush beauty.

~Taken from the Steel Bridge with downtown Portland in the background.~

  ~A hot item to capture by all professional (them) and amateur (me) photogs.~

3. Access to Local Produce

Portland has become well known for its fantastic foodie scene, access to local produce from Oregon and Washington farmers, living nearby the famed Oregon Pinot Noir vineyards as well as satiating breweries. Consequently, I was excited to learn about the Pearl District recently welcoming a food market that focuses on offering customers direct access to them all.

Opening just this past January, Local Choice Market is located on the corner of NW 9th and Everett, and having already frequented it a handful of times in two weeks, I have found my new favorite go-to for in-season, local produce (specifically marked so you know where your food was harvested), fantastic cheese selection and organic dairy options as well as wine labels I recognize and love from both Oregon and the Walla Walla Valley.

 ~Bike cyclists get front VIP parking!~

4. Don’t Forget Whole Foods!

It would be remiss of me to ignore the fact that I love having Whole Foods just a few blocks away. While for basic necessities, it may not be the best price option, however, for quality options that bring that extra flavor, it has those rare ingredients that a typical grocery store may not have. For example, my mother was looking for white truffle salt, and Whole Foods has an entire area designated to salts I had never heard of but now am curious to try.

   ~At Whole Foods, the produce is always beautifully styled. I could just stroll around in the store for inspiration, purchase nothing and walk out with my creativity brimming with ideas.~

5. Sammy’s Flowers

For years I have picked up flowers from Sammy’s Flowers and driven them home three hours to Pendleton to buoy my mood for the upcoming work week. In fact they were my centerpiece for my Kitchen Facelift post earlier this year (click here). So having one of their locations just a block away from my new flat is akin to a cherry on top of an area I already adore.

~Fresh white hydrangeas ready to be adopted by a customer at Sammy’s. I’ll always stop for hydrangeas as there is something quite regal, elegant, yet rustic about them.

~French tulips from Sammy’s that were calling my name and served as the perfect inaugural bouquet in my flat this weekend.~

6. A Love of Cooking

Over the weekend I enrolled in one of the many cooking classes offered by Sur la Table. Focusing on learning the tricks and techniques for Parisian Boulangerie favorites, baker Emelia Hall taught us how to make croissants, chocolate éclairs, sweet or savory palmiers, quick puff pastry and pâte à choux (the dough for éclairs, cream puff and gourgeres). Needless to say, I walked away more than satiated and with dessert for that evening and a sweet treat for the next morning.

With hands-on instruction, the experience was full of information. And while I’ve always loved to cook and bake, the most important lesson I walked away with is that quality ingredients are paramount, more is not better (ingredients, servings) and simple quality utensils save stress, time and assist in creating the end result you want.

 ~Sur la Table in the Pearl District located on NW Couch and 11th.~

~The cooking classroom, prepped and ready.~

 ~Baker Emelia Hall slicing the dough for sweet palmiers.~

~The finished sweet palmiers that changed my understanding of what they are supposed to taste like. Palmiers, like all freshly baked treats, need to be enjoyed within one or two days of being baked. The buttery, flaky taste is mouth-watering. I am now looking forward to an excuse to bake savory palmiers which would be filled with either prosciutto, parmesan cheese or honey mustard.~

~I couldn’t help but peruse the store. I believe I’ve stopped in a couple of times these past few weeks to purchase just a few of the finishing touches my kitchen needs while taking advantage of their cookware sale. In this image are the white dishes I purchased in January. Classic white that pair well with nearly any decor.~

7. The Food Cart Craze

I have only just begun to taste test all of the many food carts that Portland has available (click here for information about all of Portland’s Food Carts). My first taste of this foodie extravaganza was PBJ’s Grilled gourmet sandwich food cart located on NW 23rd street.  Creating the most amazing sandwiches, it uses ingredients you might not otherwise would have thought to pair together (such as bacon, duck, feta, etc).

  

8. The Alliance Française of Portland

The eighth largest Alliance Française in the country, Portland’s organization offers year-round French language classes and events such as book readings, wine tastings and conversation gatherings. I recently became a member as a way to meet others with the same Francophile appreciations, and my first event was to attend a book reading and signing by best-selling author Cara Black. Her recent book Murder Below Montparnasse is part of her Aimee Leduc detective series which are all based in Paris. What a treat it was, and to hear occasional French terms dropped in the middle of casual English conversations – very nostalgic and motivating at the same time.

~Cara Black’s book reading took place at the Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center in NW Portland.~

9. Beautiful Treasures to be Discovered

One of the many things I am looking forward to is simply exploring and poking my head into all of the many clothing boutiques, decor shops and art galleries. And it just so happened while looking for linens at French Quarter Linens located on NW 11th between Glisan and Hoyt, that I discovered these unique white cylinder vases (below). While I didn’t purchase them, they were drastically reduced in price and would look lovely as a statement piece on a coffee table creating a beautiful vignette.

10. Turning My Flat Into a Sanctuary

For the first week, my sole piece of furniture was a bed. My dogs couldn’t for the life of them understand how such a living arrangement would work. Finally, I acquired a sofa, a small bistro table for dining and work, the necessities to create a savory or sweet meal and a tea kettle. And while the space may seem sparsely decorated to some, I must admit, I am loving living in a small space with fewer items to need (and my dogs are content now that they have a place to take a nap).

Here are a few images from my flat:

~The view from the flat – the Willamette river and one of the many bridges.~

~The best purchase I almost didn’t make. As a substitute for having a coffee table (no room!), this acrylic “C” table from CB2 is perfect for holding a wine glass, my tea, my computer or rolling over to my bed for my reading glasses upon falling asleep. (other details: rug, sofa with chaise) ~ 

~Breakfast with a view. Living in a small space is more than doable, and often preferred. One thing to try to incorporate into your decision is choosing a place with lots of natural light, as it makes the space feel larger than it actually is.~

~Time to cook. Enjoying one of my favorite appetizers (click here for the recipe) and rose wines from Walla Walla Valley, an evening in doesn’t get any better than this.~

I do hope you enjoyed my first tour of Portland. Many more discoveries await, and I look forward to sharing them with you. Until tomorrow morning, au revoir!

All images were captured by The Simply Luxurious Life.

All To Myself

If I am lucky and can find time and the resources, taking a day trip to Portland is an absolute luxury that I try to embark on at least every couple of months.  Such an opportunity presented itself this last week, and I made the most of it.

I loaded up my car, and tried to channel my inner Amber Valetta, as I was going to travel in style.  Had I known better, I would have checked the weather report before I headed out the door.  (I was greeted with rain and wind – a perfect Winnie the Pooh day.) Oh well.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I had my list, and by golly, I actually checked everything off by the day’s end and not a stitch more; well, maybe an extra top and then a few extra boxes of my hard to find pasta.  However, I have to say, I wanted to pat myself on the back because this doesn’t usually happen.

What was on that list you might be asking?  Well, that’s why it was so enjoyable to tackle.  A few items for my wardrobe, essentials for an upcoming dinner party, and a mandatory stop at my favorite grocery store to pick up ingredients that I can’t seem to find in the little town I live.   Have a peek at the collage of images that made my day such a treat.

 

  

 

Items searched for and discovered (in order of appearance above):

(1) A freshly baked baguette from The Pearl Bakery for the dinner I was going to make upon arriving home as a way of toasting what turned out to be a very successful day.

(2) A delectable meal at The Everett Street Bistro, – a cod sandwich with a side of deep fried shallots (yum!) and some of the best service I have had in quite some time (Thanks Ashley!)

(3) Dark denim straight leg jeans from Citizens of Humanity.

(4) Another fantastic photo from The Pearl Bakery

(5) World Market – a must for those mix and match items in the home – I was in need of a rug that was dispensable for the duration of my dog’s puppy stage – FOUND IT!

(6) Stocked up on simple T-shirts at American Apparel – Love, love, love.

(7) Thanks to Uptowne Papers for helping me pick out a casual, yet appropriate invitation for my upcoming wine tasting weekend.  These are perfect!

(8) Found the necessary bucatini pasta and some Argentinean parmesan – delish – at Whole Foods Market.  Couldn’t wait to make a quick, yet delicious pasta dinner.

Surprisingly enough I only had to stifle a few yawns by the end of the day, but boy was I thankful to arrive home.

Reflecting back on the time when I decided to officially move from Portland to a rural community, I made a promise to myself that I would not be deprived of the goodies and luxuries that Portland offers.  And while it has taken me a few years to be able to afford the luxury of traveling to my former home town on these types of occasions, I am thankful every time I pull into my garage and sluggishly sit on my couch to take off my flats after such a long day.  I love coming home to a quiet sleepy town, but am thankful to play the “city” gal every once and awhile.

So, for the time being, my purse will be resting at its rightful place, gearing up for the next shopping adventure.

Have a beautiful day.

Car image - Philip Karlberg,  Purse image - Marcus Ohlsson

Inspiration, Goodies, and Recipes – 1st Giveaway!

The last three months have flown by due in no small part to my time on my blog, twitter and continually observing and taking in the immense amount of inspiration that is in my everyday life.  It truly is amazing what goodness can be found once we chose to look for it.

With all of that being said, my 100th post has come and gone during this past week, and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of my readers.  Whether you are someone who regularly comments or someone who chooses to keep their thoughts to themselves, I appreciate your time.  We all have so many options and choices in this life and for you to choose to give a few minutes to Simply Luxurious is a treat.  And so a treat for you!

During my jaunt to Portland, I came upon a lovely shop that deals primarily in elegant and unique invitations – whether they be for something as simple as a dinner or a wine tasting party, or for something as grand as a wedding or a graduation.  Uptowne Papers, located on 9th NW 23rd Place, made it quite easy to decide on the perfect invite for my upcoming Spring Barrel Tasting Party (more about the invites on Wednesday), but what Lori Pellicano (the owner) also shared with me was a new treat that I must share with you.  Brandini Toffee.

If you are even the slightest fan of almond roca, you will be blown away by the luscious combination of dark chocolate, roasted almonds, butter and sugar.  Only four ingredients! Can you believe that?  The story of how two freshmen in high school began this tasty business is even more impressive.  Learn more about the Brandini story by clicking here.

So with all of that said, Lori was kind enough to share with us one tin of Brandini Bites (did I mention Martha Stewart gave it her approval, as well as Oprah?).  Thank you Lori for your generous hospitality, it was a pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to returning for my next gathering. 

But that’s not all!  Also included in the giveaway is something to do with food and entertaining.  I have mentioned a handful of her recipes in various posts (Delizioso, Dinner in Fifteen, A Delicious Evening In). Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, has a cookbook that I think you might want to have in your kitchen (if you don’t already) at the ready for an evening in which the goal is to remain simple, yet create something that is absolutely delicious.  The most recent cookbook is (as you see below) Back to Basics, and it will also be included in the giveaway.

This is one of my most used cookbooks.  Not only does it include the majority of the recipes you may have seen on Food Network, but tips on entertaining, what type of flower arrangements to include, the best types of appetizers to serve and much more.  She really does stick to her mantra – back to basics.  The meals are simple, yet delicious.

We’re not done yet! Since Simply Luxurious focuses on a handful of interests – not only food and entertaining, I had to include something that also deals with fashion, style, and a bit about home decor.  As you may recall, I’ve mentioned Rachel Zoe too many times in the last few months.  Due to this fact, I thought I’d give away her book Style A to Zoe.

All in all, I can say you will find wonderful images of the celebrities she has styled, as well as events she has attended.  The idea for my post Weekend Essential grew out of Rachel’s mention that we should all have a weekend uniform of sorts.  More importantly though, is the wealth of information she shares on looking stylish and fabulous in your own skin.  If you haven’t read this book or don’t have one of your own, I think you would love it. It is a wonderful resource that I find myself going back to again and again. Click here for a fantastic review found on Purse Blog.

Phew!  To recap, one lucky reader will receive – three lovely items: a tin of Brandini Toffee, Barefoot Contessa’s – Back to Basics cookbook, and Rachel Zoe’s book Style A to Zoe.

To enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post and please make sure to include your email address, so I can contact you if you win. (If you don’t want to leave a comment, you may email me at info@thesimplyluxuriouslife.com to be entered as well)

2. To receive an additional entry, tweet about the giveaway and let me know you tweeted!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, April 3rd at Noon PDT.

That’s it!  I look forward to hearing from you and good luck!

The winner will be drawn at random and will be announced on Sunday’s Cups of Tea which will post April 4th.

Thank you again, and I hope to see you back her at The Simply Luxurious Life soon!