Food on food on food

Hello everybody! I'm really excited about today's post. Why? Well, because it's about food, and who doesn't get excited about food?! 

Today I will be showcasing food that means a lot to me along with a little surprise at the end. The reason this food is particularly incredible is because it's all dorm-made either by me or by my roommates for our roomie dinners, which happen four nights every week. We each have one day during which we are responsible for making dinner for everyone, and once it's prepared, we all hang out and eat together. Definitely one of my favorite parts of college so far :) 

Let's get started!

Pancakes with bacon strips (in the pancakes!!) and to add some healthiness, a side salad.
This was Bri's incredible creation.

Another revolutionary meal by Bri - eggplant pizza! Delicious, unique, and healthy!

DJ went all out for this dinner by preparing a gourmet hand-crafted burger, guacamole, and coughwinecough (for extra classiness!) -  absolutely DELECTABLE! 

Lately Bri has been really into eggplant, and this is her healthy version of lasagna - made out of eggplant instead of pasta. Definitely a success!

THE meal for a gloomy, cold, depressing day. Chicken, gravy, dinner rolls, green beans - what could be better as comfort food? As always, a success by DJ.

Not a dinner, just my go-to meal for lunch: eggs, spinach, and Dave's Killer bread.
(Fun Fact: Dave's Killer Bread started out at PSU's Farmer's Market and now is a big-name brand, as well as the most delicious and healthy bread out there!)

Burbon maple glazed donut

And now, the sweet surprise to end the post. We have discovered the most incredible place in Portland: Blue Star Doughnuts and Coffee on SE Hawthorne St. Not only is the area wonderful, filled with unique, cute boutique shops, caffés, and thrift stores, which by the way have some great finds. But Blue Star is where it's at - literally everything about it is perfect. The food is delectable, the ambiance of modern white classiness is well above par, the service is beyond friendly, music selection - fantastic, and did I mention that the food is DELICIOUS?!

Lemon poppyseed doughnut 

Unfortunately, I was so captivated that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of probably the most unique item on their menu - Fried Chicken and Doughnut. May sound strange, but turns out that it is a heavenly combination. Apparently even better with the hot sauce. We serendipitously stumbled upon this haven on Friday and may or may not have gone back today...

Definitely, though, Hawthorne and the Sunnyside District is one of my favorites in Portland. We will certainly be visiting there again...many times.

Well, that's it for today's post. Hope I didn't make you too hungry!

Thanks for reading :)

Running 'round Portland

Since moving to Portland, I've been occasionally going on runs and exploring the area. And boy is there a lot to see around here! Everywhere I go, I find a new view, treasure, secret, and it's wonderful! 

Here is some of the beauty I have encountered while running:

Random artwork under the Morrison Bridge

I've found that Portland is a plant sanctuary. All of it, everywhere!

This majestic forest ten minutes away from downtown.

Cute paths that lead to even more beauty.

And the fact that the air is always fresh and clean after
 the last rain makes each run even more pleasant.

Trees on trees on leaves on vines on branches on beauty.

The infamous Portland, Oregon sign as seen from the
East side of the Willamette River.

Hidden view of the city from the hill that is the view out of my window.

And this stunning end to the day that I witnessed during my last run along the waterfront. 

Despite Portland being an urban location, it is a very biker and runner-friendly city! Whenever I'm out, I see fellow runners, rain or shine, getting out there and enjoying the wonderful outdoors. That gives Portland and exceptional vibe that makes living here that much more pleasant.

This is the end of the post, but there is much more beauty to be explored around here, so an update will surely follow. Hope you enjoyed today's simple update post :)

Oregonian Fall

Happy November, everybody! It's that time of the year when fall is in full swing, the leaves are dramatically changing color, my nose begins to match Rudolph's, and here in Portland, apparently, the ceaseless fog becomes a permanent resident.

We're all saying our last good byes to the summer and blue skies, preparing to brave the gloomy winter ahead.





This is more of a drastic-looking fall morning, where the clouds have taken over everything in sight, and the morning hours are the most sluggish and will power-less time of the day.

Although it does look quite poetic, doesn't it? So much mystery blanketed, hidden out of sight. On mornings like these, I feel as though I've been transported into a new, unknown world that I know nothing about. So magical...






Then there's rain...a lot of it. And when it rains, it pours. Oregon rain is reminiscent of Colorado rain because the droplets are freezing, individual, grape-sized monsters that plummet from the sky and hit with an incredible force. So if you (I) get caught in a rainstorm, there's practically no chance that you (I) will stay remotely dry without either an umbrella or proper attire consisting of tall, waterproof boots and a rain jacket with a hood. Needless to say, if you (I) move to Portland, be prepared to get soaked at least once due to inexperience.

The front of my pants: soaked.
The back of my pants: dry.
Got a lot of funny/awkward stares...

My white Converse + rainstorm =
terrible combination...shoes ruined.

But, it's all good, because I had a blast! After about ten minutes of trying to stay warm but keep moving closer to home, I had to give up because there was no chance. At that point, I just went all out and got drenched. I was enjoying myself so much! Just walking, skipping, looking up and having the raindrops fall into my mouth...it was magical and so freeing! I probably looked like a crazy Portlander, but hey - I was having a blast.

(Can you tell from this picture that I had a lot of fun? I look like a madwoman!)

But then, once in a very long while, the clouds will break and a picturesque skyline will appear outside my window, bringing the day to a beautiful close.

But usually, this is what a typical day in Portland looks like. Misty gray skies with no hope for sunshine to break through and grace us with its warmth and beauty. 

 This right here is what I live for now a days...that tiny sliver in the parting clouds that comes through like a blessing, revealing the beautiful bright blue sky.

Really, my roommates will confirm this, every time the sky is blue I point it out. Because I know that the day will come in the middle of winter when we are all so fed up with the grayness and lack of sunshine, and we'll have to take it upon ourselves to remember what life was like before. And there I will be, reminding everyone of those momentous snippets of blue sky that we would see once in a while, and there will be a renewal of hope! I just know it!

Now who can talk about fall without mentioning two very, very important things:
1. Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks
2. The changing colors of the leaves

Both of these are incredible, fall perks, and both of them are very important to indulging in fall to the fullest.







And HALLOWEEN!!! This year was an especially important Halloween because my suite mate, DJ, had never carved pumpkins before. So, naturally, we carved pumpkins, and, if I may say so myself, she did an incredible (and humorous) job carving - buckteeth and all!

The first pumpkin DJ ever carved!

Bri's pumpkin on the left, and mine on the right :P

But as for Halloween itself, we didn't dress up or go out. Instead, we road tripped to the near by Multnomah Falls and hiked all the way to the top with DJ and Bridget.

I had been about a month ago, but this time, the waterfall was even more massive, since the winters here are so wet. It was a truly spectacular sight.

The waterfall consists of three tiers, the two bottom of which are pictured to the left. The top third tier can only be seen from the top of the waterfall, so we decided to hike all the way up - a 1.25 mile journey with an elevation of 512 feet.

 Along the way, there were several mini caves, lots of different foliage to examine, stunning vistas of the Colombia River Gorge, which divides the states of Oregon and Washington, and vibrant fall leaves.

We diverged from the path a bit and stumbled upon a small bridge, which I, jokingly, almost got pushed off of. (Thanks DJ...)

But overall, the hike was very pleasant, not too strenuous, and definitely worth it to experience the picturesque views along the way.

And when we arrived to the final destination of the third tier and saw this view, I could not complain... This is Oregonian fall* (pun intended) at its best.

Hope everyone's fall is going great! If you are experiencing sunshine, be grateful, very grateful, and send some over here - that would be very much appreciated.

Happy November! Stay warm, my friends, and smile at all the beauty around you :)