The Pacific Northwest, with it’s lush forests, sky-high waterfalls and mountains, is simply stunning. I spent two (gorgeous) summers in Seattle and was excited to explore Portland, Seattle’s hipster sister, over the Labor Day long weekend. We drank at 3 breweries (that’s one every day), hiked to 2 waterfalls, and got to feed alpacas at a farm! Stay tuned below on how we accomplished all of that in 3 short days.
Day 1
Our first day in Portland was spent exploring the city. We drank coffee at Stumptown Coffee, and explored all the books at Powell City of Books. We ran into a friend from SF while we were in downtown Portland. We ended the night by having s’mores by the campfire and figuring out how to get our marshmallows roasted just right. Many of my marshmallows ended up dropping off my stick into the fire pit.
Day 2
The next day, we started off our day with avocado toast and the famous Blue Star Donuts. We went to Cape Kiwanda, which was supposed to be one of the less-trafficked places. When we got there, tons of city-mongers also decided to escape the heat. While waiting in the bathroom, I overheard a lady say that this was the most crowded she’s ever seen Cape Kiwanda in the last 5 years. There were rows of cars also parked on the beach. The hike was short but adventurous- you surmount a sand dune and then cross over the “no passing, danger zone” (every one is doing this) to the sea cliffs.
Day 3
One of the food highlights of this trip was Coquine. It’s situated on a neighborhood corner with plenty of outside seating, which was perfect for this warm weekend. The food was on the pricier side, but reminded me of Paris with its fresh and clean ingredients. We ended the meal with the signature Coquine cookie that consists of roasted almonds, gooey chocolate and some sea salt sprinkled on top.
The first waterfall we visited was Multnomoah Falls. This is probably the most photographed waterfall and rightly so, because its so beautiful! It’s also worth mentioning that this is not a hike. The most challenging part was finding parking (like I said, it’s super popular). Afterwards, we went to Horsetail falls and Oneonta gorge. This was the polar opposite of Multnomoah Falls. The hike was close to 2 miles, but very quiet and secluded. At the very top, you’re rewarded with a beautiful waterfall, and a view of the gorge all to yourself.
Tuna and couscous salad (L) Heirloom Tomato and Ricotta cheese toast (R) with sangria at Coquine 
Strawberry and Coconut (top) Pear and blue cheese (bottom) at Salt and Straw
We stayed at Susan’s farm near Hood River through Airbnb. Living in the city for the past 3 years, it was interesting to learn more about Susan’s life on the farm. It was also amazing to be so close to all this fresh produce. We got to taste all of the fruit that she had- pears, apples, berries, grapes- and also feed the alpacas and llamas. She also prepared a delicious breakfast for us in the morning.
The Eagle Creek fire was the most devastating part of our trip. As we drove past Mount Hood, we saw smoke rising in the air. The sky was orange, and even the sun was tinted orange the entire day. The air quality in Portland was also impacted. On our last day, it was literally raining ash. Many shops were also closed so that employees could stay safe. This makes me so sad because it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. There are several ways to help those who are fighting fires here: http://www.kgw.com/mb/news/local/how-to-help-eagle-creek-fire/471147563.