fooooooood

One of the main things, if not the main thing, that has brought my roommates and me closer together is our mutual love for food. And by "love" I mean LOVE. There have been several times where we have gone out of our way just to get free food. We watched an hour-long documentary for free pizza. We spend hours at the farmers market sampling. We constantly debate leaving our dorm room, braving the rain and cold, and attending a random club meeting just because we know there will be some sort of free food... It's real. It's intense. And it's a really fulfilling (see what I did there? haha) bonding moment for us.

But not to worry, Mom, we also make our own food and eat relatively healthy. In fact, we have a tradition going that every week, we each have a day on which we are responsible for cooking dinner. Preferably something cultural and extra-fun, but really, we don't discriminate. Then, we gather all around and have dinner together! It's really cute...I wish I had a picture of us four having dinner together because #1 it's the cutest thing ever and #2 we are the embodiment of diversity, one of the main principles of PSU. It's fantastic.

Here's a sample of what we've been eating for dinner. (I should probably have more pictures, considering that this happens often, but usually the food is gone by the time I remember to take a picture...oops.)

One of Bri's first ever 'cultural' dinners was this delectable taco from a family recipe. Pictured is the beautiful arrangement that got devoured within seconds (you're welcome for restraining myself enough to take the picture.) 

My attempt at creating a rainbow pizza, which looked so much better on Pintrest...that seems to always be the truth. But hey, pizza is pizza and it was delicious, if I may say so myself. 

Bridget, my suite mate who is from China, is known in our room for making the best meat ever. She marinades it, adds a touch of love and a sprinkle of magic, and it always tastes incredible. Toss in some bok choy, peppers and rice, and we've got ourselves a meal!

Another one of Bri's family recipes is for stuffed peppers. I honestly don't even remember what went into this meal, but not only was it scrumptious, it got bonus points for adorable plating!

I also cook...I promise! In fact, I made some Russian food and introduced buckwheat, a common Russian side dish, to my roommates! But, naturally, I didn't take a picture. Next time!

Finally, seeing as we live in Portland, there is a lot of tasty, unique, and mostly healthy food out there to try. The other day we stopped into a small sandwich shop, which turned out to be our absolute favorite place. It's called Theo's and this is what it serves:

BREAKFAST WAFFLE SANDWICHES! Soft waffles filled with scrambled eggs, either sausage or bacon, cheese, and topped off with a concluding touch of their special maple syrup/sauce that perfectly completes this heavenly dish. Oh and did I mention that all of this is $4?!?!

WE LOVED IT.

SO MUCH.

(cough-goingbacktoday-cough)

Really, a gem in the rough. So glad we found it.










So that's a general overview of the food that has been adding deliciousness to my life here in Portland. A very general, brief overview....

Trust me when I say that there will be several follow up posts about food.

So if you ever find yourself in Portland, make sure to go to Theo's and, really, you almost can't go wrong anywhere around here when it comes to food. Everything is scrumptious, and I am determined to try it all!!!!!!! (...eventually...)

Hope this post didn't make you too hungry! :)

The Story of the Hidden Gem

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away called Portland, there were three roommates: DJ, Sasha, and Bri. One fine day in early October, the sky was blue, the sun was out, and realizing that this might be the last warm day, the three roommates set out to make the most of it. A carpe diem feeling was in the air, and they embarked on an adventure to visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden. 

DJ, Bri, and Sasha strolled along the waterfront, soaking in the sunshine, trying to get as much Vitamin D in as possible before the wave of dreary, sunless, rainy, foggy weather set in for the winter. 

Being from California, both DJ and Sasha were worried about the upcoming lack of sunshine and the effect it may have on their spirits. 

They arrived at the garden, and Sasha was in heaven...

A beautiful, majestic landscape opened up before them, filled with elements of feng shui, which instilled a sense of peace and quiet within - a pleasing change from the hustle and bustle of Portland.

The words on the six intricately carved panels in the center of the garden rang true within the girls:
"Most cherished in this mundane world is a place without traffic; truly in the midst of a city there can be a mountain and a forest."

 The beautiful part of the garden was that it was a full five-sense experience. The fresh scent of the lush greenery, the calming song of the gently cascading waterfall in the distance, the harmonious arrangement of the paths, the herby taste of some green tea, and even the tactile cool from the perfectly placed stones that comprised the ground - all of these aspects brought about a peaceful serenity deep within.

The beautifully patterned walkways particularly entranced Sasha, who experienced them fully by walking barefoot on them. (It was awesome!!!)

Every direction the girls would turn, they would encounter a stunning landscape, one that had the potential to become a painting.
To fully experience this natural beauty, the girls were provided a pamphlet, which contained a "window" for them to peer through and imagine the scene before their eyes as masterpiece paintings.

Sasha, DJ, and Bri thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Lan Su Chinese Garden, as it revitalized their spirits and made them happy to know that this wonderful place exists not too far from where they live, so they can come back any time.

Sasha will probably get a membership to save money...

Their adventure was lovely.

THE END.




...But really, the Lan Su Chinese Garden is a gem that I feel not many people know exists in Portland. If you ever visit, be sure to stop by this hidden sanctuary right in the heart of the city.

Thanks for reading :)

Les Fleurs de Portland

[Disclaimer: Despite my cleverly-disguised title for this post, I will be straight up with you, dear reader, and warn you that this post is 100% about flowers. Just beware...you've been warned. But most importantly, enjoy all the beauty you're about to see!]

When I decided to transfer to Portland State University, I was not aware of the fact that the city of Portland is known for it's roses. So when I got here and found that out, you can only imagine my excitement!

In fact, roses can be found everywhere... Portland's nickname is The City of Roses. The professional women's soccer team here is The Thorns. Each man-hole lid has an engraving of a rose on it (see the picture on right). Every Police car intimidatingly flaunts an image of a red rose on the side doors...super intimidating. And most importantly, Portland is home to the International Rose Test Garden, where hundreds of species of roses are experimentally bred together to produce various (and mostly delicious!) fragrances. You (I) could spend a whole day there just sniffing away, and you (I) would be in sweet-smelling heaven.

So, yes. Roses are everywhere, and they're wonderful. But before we get into that, I should mention that Oregon has more flowers than just roses, and they're beautiful too.

These balls of sunshine are bright and cheerful - a very necessary combination to counter-balance the typical Oregon grey and dreary weather. I found these while visiting my friend Tianna at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. They have a magical garden right on campus!

These, I know I've already showed them, can be spotted on the side of any freeway. They are simply wild field flowers that particularly enjoy the higher mountain altitudes. Not too sure what they really are, but they look to me as though they come from the bean/pea family. 

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS AND IT'S KILLING ME! Anyone have a clue? I found these on a run to a near-by track in Portland, and it seems like they haven't opened yet. I'll have to go back and see if the petals have opened up, but until then, I'm stuck! Such a strange and unique plant - I've never seen anything like it before! "Keep Portland weird...eh?"

These wild purple daisies are so cute! I've mainly noticed them in the more forested parts of Oregon, where those vibrant petals pop amidst the lush greenery. Such a treasure!

And last of the non-roses, but certainly not least, are these beauties. I love the pastel-purple/pink petals, the vibrant golden-yellow stamen, and the nearly chartreuse pistil. They're delicate, vine-y, and wonderful. 

And now, back to Willamette University to begin the Rose portion of the flower post. 

Oregon is home to all different species of roses. From multi-colored, small roses...

...to single-colored hearty roses - so dense with petals that the pollen didn't even show through enough to be able to smell it. 

From thin-stemmed but thorny roses...

...to perfect petal-swirl, speckled roses.

From roses at the end of their blooming life, but still beautiful in their own way...

...to young, vibrant, near-porcelein roses.
(This is my favorite picture of all the roses I've seen so far, by the way.)

There are even roses to fit Portland's funky personality, with petals poking out from everywhere!

This rose in particular was a cross-breeding success because it had the most appetizing fragrance - think: green tea with rose infusion and an aftertaste of fresh crispness. 

And finally, an all-around ideal rose as the cherry on top of this post.

Luckily for me, the International Rose Test Garden is only ~2 miles away from where I live, so I can easily have it be midway point to my runs. As soon as I stepped in, a wave of delicious aromas hit me and I was hooked. I'll be back soon, that's for sure.

As you can see, Portland is home to millions of flowers, all of which I won't be able to capture unfortunately, but I am determined to try. It's lovely to live in such a green, plant-friendly city and to be able to marvel at its beauty every day. Can't wait to see what other flower-treasures I stumble upon during my time here!

Well, those are all the presents I have for you for now. Don't worry, there will be many, many more to come. You know you love it!

Hope you enjoyed getting to know some of Oregon's flora! Come back next weekend to see what I'll have in store for you then :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Flowers are the music of the ground, from earth's lips spoken without sound."

The Beauty of Portland (and the greater Portland Area)

Portland is stunning. And the fact that you can drive an hour out of Portland and reach even more beautiful hikes, views, waterfalls, flora, ect. is amazing to me. Everything is green, lush, and gorgeous!

From the inner-city airport, which is overgrown with deep green, rich plants...

...to the top of Mount Defiance, from which all three of the near-by peaks are visible: Mount Hood (pictured), Mount Ranier, and Mount Adams, everywhere you look, it's worth taking a picture.

The reason I can confidently say that Oregon nature is one of my favorites is because it is so lush. Due to the increased moisture in the area, both in rainfall and humidity, all the plants are well-nourished and the forests are teeming with life. 

Lakes, rivers, waterfalls, dew on the leaves - there is water everywhere, which makes for a stunning place to explore and breathe in the fresh air!

Certainly, this is not the dry Bay Area I'm used to! Thick brush, wet ground, plant life encroaching from every angle, and moss covering most of the exposed dirt.

And waterfalls - they are sight of their own. 

Certainly, this is something I would imagine finding at the end of a rainbow :)

Mount Hood, Oregon's most well-known mountain, can even be seen from downtown Portland! (though this is a picture from the top of Mount Defiance)

Like I said...waterfalls!!!

And the vegetation is quite diverse. I love finding hidden gems like mushrooms!

In the late summer, it gets even better! There are wild blackberries growing virtually everywhere. I ate some from the side of the freeway, in a neighborhood just outside of Portland, and in downtown Portland itself! They are delectable and incomparable with the store-bought berries.

And flowers...don't get me started about flowers in this post. I'm going to have to put up a whole separate post just dedicated to these beauties. I have seen this specific variety of flowers along the sides of the freeway and in other over-grown areas, so they must be a weed...but they're still pretty!

So there you have it, Portland at its finest! 

And I get to live here and explore it all! Don't worry, I'll keep you all in the loop!

Watch for the next post about nothing better than...FLOWERSFLOWERSFLOWERS!!!

Thanks for reading :)