PORTLAND, OREGON

Never would I have thought that I would be going to Oregon as much as I do but I can thank my sister for that. Visiting her and exploring Oregon has to be one of the best parts of her going away. Being from Hawaii entering 30 degree weather was definitely a culture shock but it was fun to dress up. 

My favorite part of traveling is not only experiencing new places and all they have to offer but THE PLACES TO EAT! 

• A must try place in Portland is SALT AND STRAW. Salt and Straw makes the most satisfying ice cream ever. It is very different and unique because they have interesting flavors such as lucky charms, olive oil, bone marrow etc. They all sound extremely sketchy but you will be pleasantly surprised how it actually works. My favorite is the Honey Lavender ice cream. It is a beautiful lavender color and made with lavender fresh from Kula Lavender Farms on Maui. How much better can it get knowing that the ingredients come straight from Hawaii. It is a cute little shop that will make you fall in love in an instant. 
• A new place that I tried was Kyra's Bake Shop in Lake Oswego. The unique and cool thing about this place is that everything is 100% Gluten free. My biggest concern was that it wouldn't be moist or flavorful but to my pleasant surprise it was quite the contrary. It was absolutely delicious. They have so many choices that everyone will surely be satisfied. I had a hot chocolate cupcake and my mom had the Hazelnut Cappuccino cupcake. I would definitely recommend both but you can't go wrong with anything from Kyra's. When in Portland, driving the 20 minutes to Lake Oswego for these delicious cupcakes is worth the drive. 

Needless to say, Portland for the weekend was definitely a fun but short trip. I can't wait to go back and explore more of the city. 

xo. Laur