Back from the dead/Portland!
Hello!! It sure has been a minute, hasn't it. I haven't written a travel blog since I lived overseas in 2018. I guess I felt like no one would care about my side trips in the US, or find entries about them useful or insightful. But after a long weekend in Portland, I realized there's at least one reason to return to writing: because it's an expression of my creativity.
Since leaving my full-time performing job at Disney, I've pivoted industries and become a full-time voice actor, working from home and on the road. I thought it might be interesting to share more about how I make it work as a remote talent, while also continuing to chronicle the wonderful sights I come across along the way.
So without further ado, Portland!
My partner of 2.5 years, Garrett, and I were invited to the wedding of one of his college friends. I had never been to the Pacific Northwest, and Labor Day weekend seemed like a time even I, a workaholic, couldn't refuse to travel, because NOBODY would be working then. Plus I've heard summer is the most beautiful time to see the PNW, if you're not one for the rain.
We left Friday mid-morning for what would amount to about 8 hours of travel to get to the wedding rehearsal dinner (including transit to the airport, the flight itself, taking the Max as far as we could, and then finally an Uber to Forest Grove - a suburb about 40 minutes outside of Portland). We stayed at the Best Western University, nothing fancy, but close to the venue â and we weren't complaining about the 24-hour pool & hot tub access.
Portland's newly remodeled PDX airport. Photo: CNN
Of course, immediately upon arriving in Portland I received an audition due ASAP. As I often do when on the road, with the help of my partner, I fashioned a quick closet booth. We hung a duvet over the clothes railing to pad the side walls and managed to fit a rolling chair in there, and shut the door with me in it! Unfortunately I realized I forgot a somewhat important piece of equipment - the adapter that allows me to connect my headphones to my preamp. I ultimately had to edit without headphones, using my eyes rather than my ears to scrub out any unwanted frequencies. Voiceover moves fast, and you have to be able to adapt!
After delivering the audition, we made our way to the rehearsal dinner at the beautiful Pine Ridge Garden, a huge woodland property that gazes upon the mountains as the sun sets.
I had to have my Rapunzel moment.
The property houses ducks, chickens, and even peacocks! A male peacock greeted us on our way up the path, and throughout the evening we would see the momma peacock walking her peachicks on the roof or in the flower beds.
After a lovely evening of socializing and eating hamburgers that, according to the father of the groom, were "walking around the ranch last week" (it doesn't get more authentic than that!), we headed back to soak in the hot tub before resting at last.
Day two: shopping and celebrating
On Saturday, we had nothing to do until the wedding ceremony was to begin at 4:00. So we rose early and made the trek into Portland for some brunch and shopping. Our Uber driver turned out to be a veteran Hollywood producer and director who had gotten worn down by the LA life and decided to move somewhere greener. We spent the ride talking about the types of stories that excite us and choosing a life of balance over a constant grind.
Arriving in the city, we grabbed a coffee at Secret Grove, and then managed to find a replacement headphone adapter at Ace Hardware!
Photo: Secret Grove, Portland
We grabbed brunch at Ken's Artisan Bakery, and then spent most of the late morning and afternoon shopping on NW 23rd Avenue. This area was so darling and filled with independent retailers along with some more mainstream shingles. I picked up some handmade soap from Tender Loving Empire (a gift shop similar to Chicago's FourSided), some loose leaf tea from Portal Tea Company (a charming, apothecary-like tea shop), and a retro swing dress that fit me like a glove from Spero Park (highly recommend for vintage enthusiasts - they even had an in-house tailor for adjustments!).
I just thought these houses were very Barbie and really cute.
Before long, we were both tired from the heat, and it was time to head back to the hotel to freshen up for the wedding, which could only be described as enchanted and magical! The smell of the cedars, the quiet of the woods and the way the sun shone through the trees just made everyone really present. We enjoyed a taco bar for dinner, an amazing layered cake for dessert, and dancing under fairy lights in the middle of the woods.
Like, sorry, did I step into Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?!
Day 3: exploring and eating
For our final day, in order to be closer to the city, we transferred to the Ritz Carlton Portland, which of course boasts gorgeous amenities and world-class service. We very much enjoyed the view from our 16th floor corner unit, where Mount Tabor (an inactive volcano) could be seen from a distance.
We were recommended to check out Dolly Olive for breakfast, and it might have been my favorite meal of the whole trip. Their pizza cinnamon rolls with hot honey sauce, gnocchi with berries in a cream sauce, and farro salad were all indescribably tasty.
We picked up a drink and some beans at Good Coffee, and from there, we headed to Powell's Books, the largest new- and used-bookstore in the world. There are several stories, countless rooms, and the whole establishment takes up basically an entire block. I picked up the first book in the Throne of Glass series, as I just finished the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and needed a new Sarah J. Maas book.
Then we made the trek to the International Rose Test Garden. Garrett may have told me it was a "walk"... it was definitely a hike, and I had the soreness and shortness of breath to prove it. But all was quickly forgiven when we finally reached the top of the park and found ourselves in the biggest rose garden I'd ever seen. Admission is free, and there is no shortage of Instagrammable backdrops.
If you don't match your outfit to your favorite flower, did you even go to the International Rose Test Garden?
Sufficiently tired and seeing the hourlong wait to get into the nearby Portland Japanese Garden ($22 adult admission), we decided to walk back down the hills. Along the way we came across the Skeleton Key Odditorium, and it just looked too intriguing to pass up. For $15 each, we were able to walk through several eerie exhibits, including this one, featuring my old friend from my UArts days, Daisy Hilton! There were also antique Victorian mourning clothes, a large Victorian dollhouse with creepy lighting, a "hall of skulls" illusion, a terrifying clown exhibit, and plenty of horror stories on the plaques throughout. I even saw the guides handing out EMF detectors to some tourists.
Side Show is still one of the proudest musicals I've ever worked on.
Needing a break from the sun at this point, we sought refuge in Pioneer Square for a bit. Had we been hungry we might have patronized any of the many food trucks or the Starbucks there. Instead, we headed back to our hotel to relax and watch some Game of Thrones. (Garrett has never finished the series!)
For dinner, we decided we had enjoyed breakfast so much that we would choose a place in the same restaurant group for our next meal. Lil Shalom served very flavorful pitas, hummus, and fresh salad. And next door, though we didn't partake this time, is 1927 S'mores, and I really think I might order a kit to make at home. For our after-dinner walk, we strolled along the river and marveled at some of the innovative bridges and architecture there.
Then we headed back to our hotel for a VERY luxurious adults-only swim in the hotel infinity pool as the sun set on the 20th floor. This is one of the bougiest things I've ever done and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
The ceiling is covered with mirrored tiles that make it look like you're "swimming in the clouds."
After sunset, we headed back out one more time to Papa Haydn for dessert. Though it was a bummer they'd sold out of their most popular dish, we really enjoyed the Mint Tuxedo Cake. And we both remarked that the idea of a sit-down dessert place is just something you don't come across very often - at least not anymore. It was a really lovely experience.
All in all, Portland was a lovely city and a lovely place to visit in the summer. But though it was gorgeous and sunny all weekend, the city did send us off on Monday morning with its signature foggy rain, making me grateful to head back to Chicago for a few more weeks of warm and sunny weather.