PDX | no.5 Cafecito

Instead of doing one big Portland blog post, I've share some short dispatches of moments y fotos.
There are now a few in the past two months – you can check them out here: PDX | past posts
Hope you enjoy them.
xxom
--

This week we turn the stumptown spotlight to my love, COFFEE.
My favorite aspect of coffee shops is mostly the company, people watching, chatting, not chatting, and being in Portland was all of the above, y rain.
Overall a very pleasant experience.
Some simple details below – here we go:

✚  |  Maglia Rosa at West End Bikes
1111 SW Stark St


Went to Maglia at least 3 times, the first time I got to talk for sometime with Phuong Tran (a teeny peek of her in the first picture behind the cart) She is a former barsita champ and an absolute pleasure to talk to.

La Ratta found this place from the internets, me thinks.
We walked there a very early morning and it was great seeing some of the early birds around town.


I love this trio, very much so. Stories in the making, like it's our full time job. Really.

 ✚  |  Stumptown at the Ace Hotel
1026 SW Stark Street
After enjoying lunch at Lardo with Patricio, we were due to walk over to this famous spot.

Of course a couple of the baristas knew him, such a rockstar :)

Don't you love it when you run into your friends without planning to, in a visiting city. Look for a coffee place, find me. Here's la ♥QELI!

*Note: The restroom is cool.

Here is this picture again, because why not – I love it, so much good going on:


 ✚  |  Barista
529 SW 3rd Ave

This spot was open on early Sunday morning. A coffee shop after my heart.

Dave, many thanks for reccommending this spot. 

Quiet, nice, super good y open super early. 

Instant fan.

A nice detail, those clocks are all times from different Portlands: AR, CT, PA.
Muy nice.

 ✚  |  Fresh Pot
724 SW Washington


Had not really planned to stop by this shop but the large prints on the shop's walls drew me to it from walking across the street. Turns out it was indeed a coffee shop, but sadly closed on Sundays. Next time! :)

 ✚  |  S Mystery cup of awesome

Pine State serves biscuit deliciousness. But first, a misty walk through the farmer's market at the PSU campus was started with this surprise latte from Trina y Dave. OMG.
The latte came from a place where morning magic baristas know everything about expired film photography and japanese vintage macro lenses. Or I imagine some place like that exists. This coffee surprise from them was the BESTESSSSST.

YUM.
--
/ All fotos taken with my LX5


Have a great weekend.
xxom


--
The sequence of events is in no particular order.
TBC→

café para tres

cafecito break: en portland, or.
stumptown at the ace hotel | 1026 sw stark street
--
august, 2013

PDX | no.4

PDX: united state of portlandia
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. -wiki

--
The sequence of events is in no particular order.
TBC→

PDX | no.3

Asides my good college friend getting married in Portland this past month, one of the highlights was to finally meet IRL mi longggtime cyberamigo Dave y his wife Patrina. It came as no surprise that they are both awesome.

The first night we walked around a few brick buildings. In California we don't have that many brick buildings due to our grounds shaking and doing their platonic dance often. There are some, but not many. After a few turns, from SW 6th street and we walked right into some cilantro scented imaginary cloud and we ordered some vietnamese food. The sandwich I had for dinner was delicioso, the beer was light and easy. The company was the best.

I don't have many pictures from the first day other than the train and at the airport.
A handful at night.
It was my first time to the beaver state and as soon dinner and pals was planned, everything else was to be left behind in the hotel.

After dinner, we spent some time walking in the rain, drinking and the rain. Theater spotting!

It happened to slightly rain everyday we were there but it was the very brittle kind.
Dave y Trina were very patient to show us around and also give us places to check out and things, food, and spots they are fans of. I love these two Oregonians.

We even got to meet their kitties and check out their angelic apartment. How rad is this elevator?!


There is a minute wine bar at the bottom of their apartment with a small black chalkboard next to its tiny entrance and most people talking and chatting the night away all over the place. They were plenty of tables but most people preferred to hang right by its rather small bar. If I recall correctly there was only one person wine-tending.

We ordered some post-dinner spirits while it was raining. We sat on the curbside tables without anything covering us the light rain. Chatted.
Mellow bohemian súper cool at its finest.
Thankfully thin polyester dries quite fast and after a wonderful evening to be had, back to the train it was. Shortly after met with Morpheus.

Gracias Dave and Patrina, was beyond wonderful to spend some good times with you.
xxom
♥

--
The sequence of events is in no particular order.
More TBC→

PDX | no.2

--
Sequence of events are in no particular order.
TBC→

PDX | no.1

I was in Portland for 3 days in late August for one of my good college friend's wedding.
He is now married to an Oregonian.
Instead of doing one Portland blog post, I'll share some short dispatches of moments y fotos.
Hope you enjoy them.
xxom
- - -
No.1 Books
As I ended the phone call, I stood right in front of Cameron's books.
A book store can possibly be accurately described as a bedroom; it's personal, you can easily get lost and your mind travels.





I found Adrienne at Powell's without looking for her for too long after realizing she told me in our phone call she would be in the red room, and not in her bed room.

Puzzles.
I suppose I have no troubles finding people.
Mazes, elimination process.
I like those challenges. I don't like them.
I love them.
Math, riddles, translation.

Not luck but rather, an eye color map being built as you walk.
His sweater matches that wall.
That lady sounds like the mall.
And a dash of an accurate sense of direction, that doesn't always work, and that is just how it works.

Before exiting, I decided to purchase two items that I wouldn't find in any other bookstore. A tote designed by a local Portland artist and a navy blue patch with golden letters on it.
The woman ringing me out had a bright red 80s sweatshirt with oversized sleeves and a peculiar flower-like pattern on it. Her resplendent Caribbean skin, the softest accent and that nice smile took me back to a hot summer night I had once imagined in a novel.

It had just stopped raining outside.
Her femininity radiation was the highest I've absorbed in quite some time and in a matter of seconds my feet had walked me almost magically outside.


And we were on our way to drink coffee across the street at the Maglia Rosa coffee cart, inside West End Bikes.

--
Sequence of events are in no particular order.
TBC→

Renegade Fair: Arcane Arts

Arcane Arts from Portland gets its own post. I was lucky to chat it up with her last year, and we were both happy to see each other again this time around. Bikes and SF and Portland. Super! I love Adrienne's work and if I could I'd buy her whole collection to have around the house and work :)
This year, I bought myself a set of the magnets and a print that, now lives alongside my bike poster pieces at home. Anyways, here is her work at this year's fair, a picture of her lovely self & co. and the links to her work are at the end of the post, below the photos. Enjoy!!

away bikes we go


Adrienne Vitta & Co.

arcane-arts.com / arcane arts on etsy

Project BikeWay

How cute is the wonderful Tim Gunn and Portland's finest Leanne in a tandem bicycle??? This was part of the final couple of episodes from this season's Project Runway, which has been more about the drama and emotional breakdowns than actual vava-boom executions.
Oh so cute! and what about a matching helmet? Adorable. Ride on Tim y Leanne!

**update (for Yokota y friends/ This happened upon the finalists working on their final collections. Tim Gunn visited the final 4 in their homes to review before they show the dresses to the judges. Only 3 would go to the final.
The decision came upon judging a wedding dress (Leanne's was beautiful!!) and a bridesmaid dress (Kenley's I'd wear!).
So there are 3 left, all women (about time!! the last few Project Runway winners have been male designers...) and the final episode is next Wednesday. My fave is Leann (I'm in love with this and this dress) but honestly I can see me wearing most of Kenley's dresses. She is good. Read more here

"A major arbiter of style" /via ProjectRunway Bravotv.com

Vancouver Boys

I met this trio of road trip warriors this Friday. They had just crossed the Golden Gate bridge, finishing their trip of 2 weeks. They are form Vancouver and finished their trip here in San Francisco. That's about 1500km/950 mi. Pretty cool.
They were in Portland, OR. Check out the purple-yellow Seattle to Portland ride throw-back retro jacket (far left). Off they went, looking for some food and beers. Sweet.