GUIDE TO PORTLAND

I recently visited Portland and I have to say, I am completely enamored. There is great food, great shopping, amazing beer, incredibly nice people and it's super easy to get around. Can't wait to get back and visit some new found friends.

                                                          TO STAY : THE ACE HOTEL
 

The rooms are small but the lobby is a great place to lounge, it's in a great location to mob around on foot and you can't beat Stumptown Coffee in the adjacent room.

                                    TO EAT: CLYDE COMMON, POK POK, HOYT 23

Clyde Common is also located in the Ace Hotel, we had a brunch here of an amazing rapini and pistachio salad with a friend oyster sandwich. I heard the dinner was fab too, it's a must eat.

Hands down the best chicken wings I have ever had were at Thai outpost Pok Pok in the South East. They were fried to a perfect crisp and covered in a spicy fish sauce, accompanied by great cocktails and a super fun atmosphere make this a fun spot.

This area of PDX was a little too mainstream for my blood but locals said NW23rd street wasn't always that way. We had lunch at Hoyt23 which is owned by a well-known local restaurateur. If you're doing some sight seeing in this part of town, its a great place to stop for quality seasonal ingredients and a banging happy hour.

TO SHOP: TANNER GOODS, CANOE, FRANCES MAY, ANIMAL TRAFFIC, REVIELLE

Tanner Goods is an amazing men's store in downtown that specializes in locally produced leather goods—I suggest the over-sized biker wallet with leather strap. Raawrrr! The staff is super nice and gave us some great suggestions.

Canoe is also in downtown that has a well curated, modern selection of home goods and especially tabletop. There is also great local jewelery, bag makers, beautiful porcelain and gorgeous books available. Do stop in if your interior inclined.

Frances May carries brands such as Rachel Comey, Wings and Horns, Rag & Bone and more in a beautiful lofty space for both men and women. How fab are those pendants too?

If vintage is your poison definitely check out Animal Traffic on Mississippi. There is a great selection of denim, sweaters, footwear and bags. I bought an antique African cowbell here, yeah you read that right.

This place is serious, I'm talking real serious when it comes to Americana work wear and denim. Reveille also carries some fav's such as Pamela Love and Opening Ceremony for both men and women but seriously check this place out if your into vintage denim or turn of the century, meticulously crafted clothing. We purchased an amazing Mister Freedom jacket here that can't be beat.

                                             TO DRINK: DIG A PONY,  PROST

If I lived in Portland I would be a Dig a Pony most every night. It's in the SE area, near a bunch of other fun dives bars and a fab strip club called Sassy's. It has great cocktails, a sexy staff, huge bar and a perfect dose of that grimy hipster vibe that I'm not too proud to admit I like. 

Portland is full of beer, really amazing locally made beer. I definitely recommend going to the following breweries: Cascade, Green Dragon, Amnesia and Hopworks. One of our favorite beer stops however was German pub and biergarten Prost, (pictured above) on Mississippi. The outdoor area is full of very fun, buzzed locals and they pour the beer to perfection.

                                                                         ENJOY!

GUIDE TO THE L.E.S.

One of my favorite apartments that I've lived in was right in the heart of Manhattan's Lower East Side at Ludlow and Rivington. With pretty much anything I wanted to get into at arms reach or a few stops away on subway, I was a very happy camper. Margo Ducharme, owner of my go to shopping spot Assembly, shared with Vogue a few of her favorite LES spots and I couldn't agree with her picks more. Read more here...

DEM BELLY FULL

When moving from NYC to SF recently I became nervous that I would miss those special restaurants and dishes that seem irreplaceable—I'm looking at you Chinese sausage with sticky rice from the Lower East Side's Kuma Inn. Luckily San Francisco has a banging food scene, here's a comprehensive guide from 7x7 on how to eat your way through the city.  View the link for an easier read and download-able pdf.