Cough drop: Check. Dirty pile of Kleenex: Check. Impending sense of doom: Check.
The votes are in, and the decision is unanimous. I have a whopper of a cold. But, strangely enough, the weather in Portland has made me feel a little bit better. The quiet wheeze of my inhale and exhale personifies a distant windstorm, complementing the sleet and hail that pounded against my bedroom window last night. Together, nature and I are defying seasons. Does this sound like Spring to you? . . . .We didn’t think so.
With nature on my side, I have the strength to carry on. But, having recently finished Book 7 in the Harry Potter series, I can no longer rely on J.K. to wait out the storm. Instead, I am left to sit and think of better days, which, fortunately, are not far from reach. In fact, only days ago, my girlfriend, Whitney, and I were enjoying a plush weekend at Portland’s Heathman Hotel. There were valets and room service, complimentary chocolates and tenth-floor views. A kind attendant even drew the blinds and turned down the bed in our absence – an unfamiliar gesture that had me on the hunt for a burglar with manners. The real culprit, however, was Travel Portland who treated us to an incredible weekend in the city as a part of the Portland Perks package.
It was April 1st, and the weather wasn’t joking. With skies as clear as my nasal passages, Whitney and I became tourists in our own sunny city. We kicked off the weekend with lunch at one of Portland’s many Food Cart locations. Out of over 200 city carts to choose from, I selected Whole Bowl on SW 9th & Alder. According to urban legend (and the company website), Whole Bowl’s Tali Sauce is rumored to leave a wake of “tremendous relaxation upon consumption.” In response, Whitney and I participated in a series of leisure sports, running on the waterfront and tossing a frisbee in the South Park Blocks. While enjoying the sunshine, we met a nineteen-year-old street performer who could hammer a three-inch nail into his nose. Hours later, we were befriended by a man who showed us how to flip off a police officer by inserting his middle fingers into his nostrils. [Note: Given the Portland community’s apparent knack for nose-related talents, I am currently seeking an entrepreneur capable of instantaneously removing my sinus infection.]
Later that evening, Whitney and I crossed the Burnside Bridge for a gallery tour courtesy of Portland’s First Fridays. The combination of art, live music, and free booze was the perfect precursor to a night of NW folk by the Renegade Minstrels at the Alberta Street Public House.
The perks [name that pun] continued on Saturday with a trip to Portland’s infamous Saturday Market – home of face-sized elephant ears and Elvis impersonators. Per usual, I did not walk away empty handed. Thanks to the irresistibly witty t-shirts at the Lonely Dinosaur booth, I am now the proud owner of “Reproductive Oregons.”
Last, but certainly not least, Whitney and I ended our “we-could-never-afford-this-in-real-life-so-thanks-Portland-Perks-you’re-the-best” getaway weekend with a ridiculously delicious dinner at Pazzo Restaurant. I’m talkin’ 15-year-old balsamic vinaigrette, folks. If you ever get that extra dime, it’s worth throwing down at Pazzo.
Yep, those were the days. But, hey, the sun is starting to peak through the clouds, and I haven’t blown my nose in fifteen minutes. Portland Perks, even in memory, you are something of a miracle.
So, here’s to the good days that were, and to those that will come again.
Photography Credit: Whitney T. Jones