23 years!

Dan and I celebrated our anniversary the week after Christmas with a fun getaway to Portland. We had been talking about options for our anniversary for awhile - we considered spending a few days in Seattle or going to a spa resort along the Columbia Gorge. 

 In the end, we put off making definite plans after we heard that our good friend's mother had had a stroke. We thought we might be needed to watch their kids (and they had been planning to watch Joseph while we were gone).  Then found out, last minute, that our friend's mother was recovering well and they were free to watch Joseph. So, we quickly conferred and decided that we didn't really care where we stayed - we just wanted to get away and be together!  So, we decided to book a room in downtown Portland.  At 3 p.m. on a Thursday I made reservations at a hotel, threw clothes into a suitcase, and we took off on our adventure as soon as Dan could drive home from work.

We made a good choice - we always enjoy spending time in downtown Portland.  It is is eclectic, unique and intriguing, with plenty of great food.  

We stayed at a fancy boutique hotel in the center of Portland's downtown, across from Pioneer Courthouse Square (where there was an 80 foot tall Christmas tree all lit up).

The hotel itself was on the 7th - 15th floors of a building.  Parking was all valet, so we pulled up and someone whisked our car away. Then we walked up to explore the very contemporary and slightly strange lobby on the 8th floor. The lobby was pretty sparse, filled with nude mannequins and random chains hanging from the ceiling. 

We rode the elevator up to our room and were pleased with the opulent and extravagant look of the room.  It even had a perfect reading spot by the window.

We were planning on a nearby restaurant for dinner, but decided instead to try the restaurant on the 20th floor of the hotel after the concierge raved about it.  We are SO glad we did.

Walking into the restaurant (called Departures) was a little like walking off the Star Tours ride at Disneyland.  It was spaceship-like and bizarre.

But the view was amazing!

The food was "Pan-Asian."  It was scrumptious and so unique.  We literally wanted to lick the plates clean.  Every bite was like a culinary symphony!  I really should have taken a picture before we devoured almost everything in front of us, but I did put down my chopsticks long enough to snap this photo.

Our favorites were the Korean dish Bibimpap, the sushi, and the truly phenomenal Brussel Sprouts with chili, lime, and mint.  I would pay dearly for that recipe . . .

For dessert we decided to walk to a place called Cacao which has great reviews.  It purportedly has drinkable chocolate which is to die for.  We walked about a mile through the dark streets. We enjoyed the walk, or at least I thought we did .... later Dan told me that he was worried that someone was going to accost us so he had his karate skills ready to defend me. (I don't actually think he knows karate, but he has watched Brandon do karate and has watched plenty of fighting on movies, so hopefully that would be enough to prepare him).  It didn't help that we had to pass by several homeless encampments and strip clubs, along with the upscale shopping centers and fancy restaurants. Portland is an interesting mix of gritty and grungy and upscale - and always quirky.  We made it to our destination just fine, but learned that they had closed 15 minutes prior. So, we walked a mile back and settle on "drinkable chocolate" from Portland's first Starbucks on Pioneer Square.
 
 When we walked back up to our room, we found that the maid had completed the "turn down service" - the lights were dimmed, the bed turned down, a relaxing music station was turned on the TV, and chocolates and water were set by our bedsides.

 
 I could get used to this!

The next morning we took off to another restaurant which came highly recommended - Mother's. According to the menu, it was started by a Jewish Mama who is a very good cook.  The restaurant is enormously popular because it is incredibly good. We weren't the only people who thought a mid-morning brunch at Mother's would be perfect for a Friday in late December, so we had about 40 minutes to wait for our table.

This was the sign above the check-in area. 

To pass the time, we walked 5 or 6 blocks to the very famous Voodoo Donuts - a Portland institution. We wanted to get some donuts to take home to the kids. At Voodoo Donuts they put bizarre combinations of things on top of the donuts, and apparently the donuts are delicious.  I say apparently because we discovered that there was about an hour long line to get into the store!  We waited for about half an hour but the line was moving slowly and we didn't want to forfeit our precious reservation at Mother's.  So, no donuts for the kiddos. 

 While we were waiting we laughed at all the quintessential Portland sights:

 

 We walked back and ate the best omelets/scrambled eggs we had ever enjoyed in our lives.  Along with a delicious hot cocoa, with the ever important reminder to call your mother.

And then we walked back to the hotel and packed up. Then we drove to a movie theater, where we watched the very good movie "Lincoln."  And then we returned home to our wonderful children who had cleaned the entire house for us while we were gone! 

We had so much fun being together.  There is no one I enjoy spending time with more than my sweetheart Dan. He is amazing - patient and kind and loving, smart and dedicated and fun.  The best choice I have ever made, hands down, was marrying him 23 years ago!  Happy Anniversary!