SE 9th & Powell in Portland. It's kind of my spirit animal.


I ALWAYS get the hashbrowns; their hashbrowns are so good I don't eat them anywhere else. Always crispy and hot, the potatoes aren't too mushy, and they fry them with BUTTER. They ain't shy about the butter. I just got the plain ones 'cause I've been running a little short on dough. Their bacon is always good too; thick cut and cooked to a crisp, but never burned.



They're open 24 hours, and for some reason or another we always end up there at like 4:30 in the afternoon, when it's completely empty but the BEST chef is working. (She has short hair, is a bit older, looks crabby when she's cooking but always smiles when she's talking.)


Max comes with me (it's our spot) and we play seafood. COOL MATURE VOTING/DRINKING AGE ADULTS.

-hannah

One of the all-time best Portland spots. SE Grand and Stark-ish. I never eat Lebanese anywhere else because it's SO GOOD and SO AFFORABLE. With vegan options! And piping hot pita brought to your table when you sit down!


I always get a shawarma combo. For around $10 (what up Golden Corral), it gets you a fat plate of humus, a good little side-salad, and a BIG pita with your choice of meat and more salad wrapped up in it. I never finish the sandwich or the humus, so it's like two meals. TWO MEALS for $10, y'all. Can't beat it.


Every ex-pat Portlander that I know weeps when I mention Nicolas anywhere. Suckers! Why would you EVER move somewhere with no Nicolas! (as an aside, this is my current favorite pix of Evie)


We didn't get it (still sad), but the baklava is so amazing. Baklava in general makes me the happiest of campers. All of the best in the world: honey, phyllo dough, and nuts UM YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU. The turkish coffee is wonderful too, although I did manage to get it all over myself/my camera last time I was there, so consider yourself warned.


Nicolas is usually CRAZY busy on evenings at the weekend, so go a smidge early or on a weekday. We went at 6:30 or so on a Tuesday and there was no wait at all. I mean it's COMPLETELY worth the wait though - I've waited up to 30 minutes for a table, which is pretty beyond me considering how much fast food I eat. You can stare pitifully through the window at the fat steaming pita breads to whet your appetite!

-hannah

Nothing too special... just dinner with my gramma c: The sun was setting, and the light in her west-facing living room was GORGEOUS.

-hannah

It's spring in beautiful Portland, which means crazy weather - it hailed, but it's been consistently sunny when it isn't rainy for the last few days, but also cold??? We get gorgeous flowers and sidewalk cats.

I like taking pictures of flowers too too much. It's a compulsion! I can't help it! I'm trying to limit it to when the light is real pretty, like it was yesterday evening.


My boo Jordan and I hung out at SE Grind yesterday with some coffees and talked shit and she's my favorite. Then Max and I went to Dairy Queen. #dairyqueenappreciationblog



Not the most flattering picture, but my nails look GREAT. (Sinful Colors Hazard.) Seriously though, I have nothing but good things to say about Dairy Queen. I WISH they were giving me money, or at least free food. The best summer meal is a double DQ cheeseburger and a cherry Slurpee, eaten outside.

-hannah

Max and I went to the dopest Mexican place around; La Carreta. I'm still upset with myself because I didn't get any decent pictures of our food!!!

Though I managed to get a good one of my margarita, of course. During La Carreta's happy hour those margaritas are 99c! (That's Monday and Tuesday, 9pm-12am. Waiting on pins & needles for summer, when there will be No School For Hannah and I can drink on a Monday night!!!) The decor in there is WONDERFUL, and half the time they're packed and a three piece mariachi band walks around serenading awkward tables.


Didn't get too many good pictures at all, really, we got a little bit silly and had to head home for a nap directly afterwards. It was actually an excellent evening: got drunk & real full of Mexican food, nap to the Simpsons at 8pm, wake up and watch a Freaks & Geeks, then go to bed at 11.


I guess the moral of the story is: HIT IT UP. SE Holgate & Mcloughlin, in Portland. We've been going there for a while (I HIGHLY recommend the nachos); it's cheap, it's greasy, it's tasty, and they give you a lot of it.

-hannah