Sunday, February 23, 2014

Everything is Awesome











Right after Ben and I announced our engagement and picked our (very small) groomsmen and bridal parties, my bridesmaids bought train tickets to come visit. This weekend they arrived via relaxing train travel (which means you can drink while traveling by leisurely, limited-security transport. Win and win.). We picked them up from the Amtrak station and immediately carted them to NW Portland to go out. 

I'm often crippled by the paradox of choice - so many choices to eat and drink in Portland often derails me and I end up choosing an old standby rather than branching out. We also don't love waiting in lines or battling bar crowds out at small hipster restaurants on Friday nights around 10 p.m... but we did it! NW 21st was packed with young people (who knew people went out past 9 p.m. here - we've been watching too much TV I think). We went to the Pope House Bourbon Bar and enjoyed very strong Manhattans, a dim bar, and a thick crowd but had a blast. Upon getting home, we immediately made up some more old-fashioneds and played Cards Against Humanity.

On Saturday, we kicked off a very Portland day with Blue Star and mimosas made at home before heading out to a McMenamins brewery/movie theatre where we watched the surprising amazing Lego Movie and drank beer while laughing non-stop for an hour and a half. Adjacent to the Bagdad McMenamins theatre is a backstage bar that offers shuffleboard and pool in a really cool environment. We pushed through some more beer and I excelled at shuffleboard (it's rare I excel at anything sport-ish so let me gloat). Not to let the day lose it's food and drink based track, we finished the night off at Bamboo Sushi, my favorite restaurant in Portland, with spicy tuna rolls and tempura shrimp sushi.

Today, we went out to Clyde Common for perfect eggs benedict and Caesars (bloody mary with clamato in lieu of plain tomato juice) and capped the day with shopping all over town and then carting our friends back to the train to send them home.

Whew. It was the perfect distraction from the wedding planning stress that has been making my week hell (so many things going awry and wrong). It was amazing to be able to sit down and talk about everything under the sun with my closest friends that I see all too infrequently. 

How did you all spend your weekends?

16 comments

  1. Sounds like a perfect weekend. And I'm a little behind in visiting, so let me finally say CONGRATS!! An engagement is such a fun way to start of the year. Also, I met a friend for brunch at a new to me place called Accanto. It's on 28th and Belmont. They have amazing ricotta donuts you can order as an appetizer while you wait for your meal - and the food is delicious. You should put it on your list of places to try.

    :)

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  2. Lovely photos :-) xx

    http://www.sweetcandydreamer.com

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  3. Oohhh everything looks delicious! Congratulations for you engagement!

    TaipeiStyle
    Gemma

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  4. You should DEF enjoy this time in your life and DONT be stressed! Being engaged is beautiful so soak it all in, you deserve it! :)

    x. Sabrina | Simply Sabrina

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  5. It's always nice when you get a moment to breathe and be with the people you love to be with--I need one of those moments soon! Glad you had some catching up time with your friends along with delicious food. Also, congrats!! :D

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  6. Congrats on the engagement!!!! What a perfect weekend with your bridesmaids - drooling over the food over here! Did I know that you live in Portland? I finished high school and went to college in Oregon and would love, love to move back one day.

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  7. Sounds like an awesome weekend!! I want to get together soon and catch up - sending you an email now! :)

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  8. It is NOT fair that you have such an incredible variety of AMAZING food in your city!

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  9. Congrats!! Looks like an amazing weekend - all the food looks insanely delicious!

    Sarah
    whatsarahknows

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  10. I love weekends like this!! Looks like you had a blast

    xo, Nina
    afterthe40barfinish

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  11. Food looks amazing!! Glad you had a great weekend!

    Megan xoxo
    http://www.glitterandglasses.com

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  12. Looks like a fun time!

    http://kacieskloset.blogspot.com/

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  13. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

    Love,
    Sofia

    stylishlyinlove.blogspot.com

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  14. Love the pictures! You girls look so cute:) <3

    New on www.shallwesasa.com

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  15. Yum the food just looks incredible and you ladies look wonderful. Im glad you had an amazing time and my weekend was pretty relaxing.

    -Vogue&Heels
    www.vogueandheels.com

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  16. Congratulations on your engagement! Sounds like a lovely weekend. Some of my favorite weekends might involve meeting for food or drinks, but end with playing cards at the apartment. It's just fun to sit around visit that way.

    Lots of excitement and planning to come! Don't let it stress you out too much. If at the end of the day, you're married, your wedding was a success. Everything else is just details.

    xx- Lynn-Holly from The Attic
    http://threesistersattic.blogspot.com/

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