From Saturday morning to Sunday evening, I took a whirlwind trip to Seattle’s quirky sister city, Portland. There’s a lot you can do in a 40-hour visit. Sometimes you just need to get lost and find your way back.

I came down via the Bolt Bus. I was mostly exploring the city on my own. Since I was without a car, I went around using the Trimet bus system. As of today, for $2.50 you can purchase a bus ticket that’s valid for 2 ½ hours. For $5, a day bus pass has more value; it lasts all day and has unlimited uses.

The Lloyd District/East Portland

Where to stay

If you don’t mind sharing sleeping space, hostels are a great place to stay if you’re on a budget. While I do enjoy staying at AirBnBs, there are a lot of hidden fees in the final price. With hostels, the prices are much more straightforward. Plus, I only use it to sleep, shower, and keep my belongings. This time I stayed at KEX Hotel in the Lloyd District. The location was within walking distance of Downtown, numerous hip bars and clubs, and that one vegan strip mall that I always visit.

The Vegan Strip Mall

I always make a stop at the vegan strip mall in the Lloyd District, which includes Sweetpea Baking Company, Herbivore Clothing Company, Food Fight! Grocery, and Scapegoat Tattoo. Herbivore Clothing is an adorable vegan lifestyle shop. That store has ethically-made clothes, soaps, accessories, books, and shoes. Everything is fair-trade and higher quality, so the prices might be higher to reflect that. I didn’t buy any vegan shoes this time, but I did pick up some soap, a pin, and another patch for my vest.

The Lovecraft Bar

On Saturday night, I made a visit to the Lovecraft Bar, a horror-themed bar that draws an eclectic crowd. I don’t drink alcohol, but at least I can still have fun and dance the night away.

All the vegan food that you can handle

First thing was first–I was starving for brunch on Saturday morning. A friend and I met at Blossoming Lotus in the Lloyd District, where I had the flavorful Breakfast Curry Bowl.

It’s no secret that vegan pastries are my kryptonite. As a marathon runner, I rationalize that I can eat as many donuts as I desire–so as long as I dutifully follow the training schedule. I’ve been wanting to try vegan donuts from Doe Donuts for years, and made it a point to go over there and get some. They have their usual flavors, and then there are the seasonal ones.

On Sunday morning, the other brunch place that I was eager to visit was Off The Griddle, which is an adorable 1950’s-themed vegetarian diner. I had the “Awesome Plate,” which is scrambled tofu, tempeh bacon, and half a pumpkin waffle.

Later in the day, I visited Back to Eden Bakery, which serves vegan and gluten-free desserts and pastries. Some of these cupcakes were so beautiful, I almost didn’t want to eat them.

For my last meal, I made a quick stop to Vtopia, a restaurant that specializes in all-vegan cheese. It’s a compact space that seats maybe up to 15 people. I wasn’t going to have enough time to sit down and eat, so I ordered a mac & cheese sandwich to go. When I have more time, I’d like to come back.

The quirky and evocative art of Portlandia

Portland seems to have more colorful murals and vegan food than Seattle does; it’s a wonder why I haven’t moved here instead. I took many walks and a 14-mile long run in this city, and found these purely by accident.

Places to visit

The Portland Art Museum also has an expansive collection of classic and contemporary art. It was my first time there. Currently, they have exhibitions on Mount St. Helens (before and after the 1980 eruption), and the controversial yet intriguing work of Robert Colescott.

On Hawthorne, I visited Fernie Brae, a cozy fantasy-themed art gallery. It’s such a magical space.

Antler and Talon Galleries, which are connected to each other, offer nature-themed pop surrealist artwork.

Street art throughout Rose City

The murals you’ll find throughout Portland are serendipitous. It’s a surprise on many corners and alleyways. Here are some of my favorites from this weekend. Some of these I’m unsure on who the artist is, so if you know, feel free to leave a comment.

And finally, will you look at this mini art installation! This teeny, tiny diorama was spotted in an alley. It’s the little things like that that give Portland its special charm.

I made a stop in Powell’s Books. One thing that makes me a little sad is that there will never be enough time in this life to read all of the books on the ever-growing reading list. I picked up a book about Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which I’m doing a great job recovering from.

Until next time, Portland

I returned to Seattle on Sunday before midnight, a little winded, but very happy.