For many people, vacations and trips out of town are a chance to sample the destination's food. My trip to Portland was no different—food took on a central motif. I am an avid foodie who believes that tasting the food of a new destination gives you insight into its culture. If the ingredients alone don't tell you, the conversations that happen about the food allows for an understanding of how natives and food relate. I had some amazing things to eat while I was visiting Portland thanks to suggestions from locals and seasoned Portland foodies who led me to some delicious endeavors. If you're headed to Portland soon, or if you're just a foodie like me, this post should get your mouth watering.
"Wait, today is what day?" I found myself asking this question on several occasions during my 2-week trip to Portland at the end of June. Perhaps this is the meaning behind "summertime." Summertime is when school lets out and, for most young people, time loses all relevance or meaning. Unfortunately, the freedom summer affords usually changes when you reach adulthood. For most adults, it's business as usual working a 9-5. As a graduate student, it's the same deal: "Summer? What summer?" I'd often say to my family when they asked if they would see me more now that it was May or June. "HAAH!" I would laugh, and they would learn rather quickly that I no longer had summers off like I had in the past.
What I love about Portland is that actually knowing the day of the week in the summer means something fun is planned. In fact, if you're not paying attention to the time--you just might miss out on the most fun ever.
