Road Trip: Portland

We left Amy's house around 2:30 on Friday afternoon and commenced our girls night with a drive up to Portland in the rain. We stopped off at the Woodburn outlets and were tempted by The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We resisted. Then we stopped at the Portland Temple to do initiatories as a family. Amy and I have only been in the temple together for a live Sealing and it was fun to do ordinances together. I also enjoyed showing them around the temple, acting like I knew everything.

After the temple we stopped at Kell's Irish Pub and had the most delicious food ever. We shared Irish Nachos (if you want pictures ask Amy or Mom). Individually we ordered the following: Mom had the chicken and mushroom pasty (pronounced past-ee), Amy had the Dublin Chicken Curry and Chips and I ordered the Kell's Shepherds Pie. I've tried all of them. I think there's a three way tie for deliciousness.

After our wonderful meal we headed over to our hotel at the Residence Inn (Marriott, duh). We had a two bedroom suite type of thing going and each of us had our own room to sleep in, more or less. Though we did all end up in Amy's King bedroom watching Practical Magic (Let it be noted that I have never actually watched the entire movie. Every time I try to some emergency or distraction comes up. This time was no exception. Amy forgot to bring her contact case and we had to go to Target and buy a new one.).

The next day we were ready for a day in the city. We hit up Powell City of Books (lots of books!), Penzey's Spices (could have spent hours in there just smelling the day away), and Elephant's Delicatessen. We wandered throughout the city and visited the outside of Pittock Mansion (we didn't really want to pay $8 a person to go inside). We also visited the Rose Garden in the Washington City Park. Lots of roses. I took terrible pictures. The bathroom was at least a mile away. All in all good fun.

Then we met up with Brad and the boys at the Washington City Park. When they got there it was slightly rainy but the boys were having a blast on the swings and slide. But then it started POURING. So we all sought shelter under some large trees. We were soaked and the boys were disappointed. Then when we went out for an early dinner at a place Mom really wanted to go to they weren't serving dinner quite yet. So we headed for Grassa (a modern Italian Eatery) where the boys got to watch pasta being made by hand, and they also got to taste it. We had great food (Jack might have stolen most of his mother's dinner) and enjoyed ourselves.

After dinner the Westmoreland clan headed back to Eugene. Mom and I went back to our hotel EXHAUSTED and ready for our comfortable beds. We watched Runaway Bride on her Kindle and just vegged the rest of the evening.

This concludes Day 1 and 2.