Mom's weekend away!

After leaving later than anticipated my meatball friend and I embarked on a weekend get-away to be rivaled only by last year's escape to Estonia. Although slightly less exotic, Portland was an excellent destination!

Our day began by sleeping in until 8:45!! Both of us are the mother's of perpetually early risers, we were pleasantly surprised at the late start and decided to be lazier by reading in bed until nearly 10 o'clock (UNHEARD OF!) We had brunch at Francis on NE Alberta. It was fantastic, mostly due to the fact that it was actually Friday and we had a wonderfully attentive server AND good coffee AND the HUGEST biscuits EVER! Everything here was homemade tasty, we were pleased!

I love the Alberta neighborhood. Coffee and Tea, cool shops, Bolt, Frock, Collage, friendly people, galleries and even a resale bike joint....it has it all. (I especially love this sign in front of Townshend's, and the guerrilla gardeners that were furiously planting in all of the empty spots on the street as we walked)
I found out what God's phone number is and I am just not sure if I am ready to make THAT call...
There are still homes on Alberta and their gardens make the street that much more charming.
On our way to dinner that evening, we saw the most wonderful Turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. We were very hungry and this felt looked almost good enough to eat. (it was a display at Knit Purl.)
Day 2 greeted me with the clock reading 9:20!!!! Elation! See how happy that made me? 2 full nights of sleep can really make a difference in attitude, let me tell you. I think the words most frequently said all weekend were...I hope that everyone is doing OK, but I SO don't want to go back yet!
See how sunny and beautiful Mt. Hood was in the distance from our hotel room. After solving all of the world's problems over muffins and coffee at the corner coffee shop...we really did, I swear. We decided that instead of "social-izing" our financial market, what we really need is for all people to have health care and better parental training/support, education that lifts everyone up to their ability (or beyond) AND more mom's weekends.

That is it. The world would be better, I swear, it would. These are simple things, right?
As we walked to MY FAVORITE quilting store, cool cottons, there was this house...another reason I LOVE Oregon. Balmy October sunshine and a yard full of Zinnias. I did buy some more fabric. I got this DELICIOUS birch bark/tree trunk fabric (I shoulda taken a picture...of course) it was so cool...I just love it.

Last, but not least CUPCAKES! We were driving through the Sellwood neighborhood and I saw this weird store that said "Piece of Cake Yum Yum Yum." On the outside it looked like an odd antique store...and inside it looked like an even odder antique store that sold the BEST cakes I have EVER eaten. I got the poppy seed with raspberries and cream cheese frosting and my meatball friend got the Double chocolate with the German chocolate cake topping. They were both great, I wanted to try the peanut butter and chocolate one, as well as the ....OK let's be real here...I wanted to try them all. Moist and tasty, these had to be the best cupcakes in the area, perhaps the state!

It was a great time, but like Dorothy going back to Kansas, our return to our families was inevitable. Ahhhhhh, there's no place like home. (that could be a sigh, or a scream, your pick!)

JMB