My Portland Coffee Tour - Part 12

We have had a last-minute winter push here in Portland this month, complete with freezing winds and snow. It has not been fun and has made coffee consumption a lot more appealing, but walking to a shop much less, so I've been hunkering down mostly at home. 

I had a day off that I made a lunch date with a friend downtown and forced myself out of the house early to hit up a coffee shop...and boy was it needed by the time I walked the 4 blocks to get there. I only made it to two shops this month, as things were super busy all the way around, but I'll be back with a vengeance next month (I hope).

Groundwork Cofee

This shop was just a short walk from where I parked and was located inside an office building, so only open for limited hours on just Monday through Friday, but it was well worth the visit. Groundwork only serves organic coffees and teas. They bring ethically-sourced coffee to Portland from Colombia made by women entrepreneurs. How awesome is that? 

I also noticed that they use a organic chocolate syrup, so I had to order a mocha to try that out. I ordered the Groundwork Mocha ($5) made with Krakow single origin chocolate and was pleasantly surprised by how smooth it was, because so often I order a mocha and am disappointed by the grittiness of the drink. 

I'd go back and try their other drinks. Their menu is small, but has everything you need from a coffee place, plus they have a small selection of bagels and other pastries. It's very minimal, but in a lovely way, including seating, but what space there is is nice a light and open feeling. 

Revolucion Coffee House

When's the last time you had a cup of black coffee and declared it perfect? I will tell you the last time I did: never. I always put milk and sometimes sweetener in it. I've been hearing a lot of awesomeness about Revolucion and made the point of stopping in on my way home from a visit downtown. The furniture inside is mismatched, and the inside of Revolucion isn't that large, but it does feel inviting and a wonderful respite from the bitter cold.

 

I asked for a recommendation and was told the Mexican coffees were a bit sweeter, so I ordered a Cafe de Olla ($2.95) and a gluten-free Chocolate Mousse Cup ($4.25) because, yum. I declined room in my coffee and was a little worried about it when the barista handed it over, but was so happy with it from the first sip. It was indeed sweeter than regular coffee and had a fabulous cinnamon overtone. It might be the best coffee I've ever had that wasn't a latte or something else fancy. I tried it with milk in it after drinking about half and it made it even better. The mouse was brought in from a bakery in town. It was good, but not nearly worth $4, unless you're on a strict diet. I wouldn't turn it down if someone offered it to me though. I plan to return to Revolucion to try their actual food and some of their specialty coffees.

I wish I had more for you this month, but I feel as if I found some local gems that will definitely get my business in the near future. 

What's your favorite coffee shop from where you live or from your travels?

Win $10,000 on Monday playing Swag IQ! (US & Canada Only)

On Monday, February 26th, Swagbucks is putting up over $10,000 that you can win playing fun trivia games! SwagIQ (available for iPhone and. Android) is a live, multiplayer trivia game show you play from your phone! 

Each weekday, Swag IQ broadcasts a live game. Simply tune-in at the appointed time by launching the SwagIQ app and log-in with your Swagbucks account credentials. If you don't have a Swagbucks account, you can sign up for one here and then download the app!

In celebration of Swagbucks's 10th Birthday, they're going to broadcast 4 shows throughout the day and give away at least $10,000! It will likely be more since the more people who sign-up via SwagIQ prior to each game, the bigger the grand prize!  

1st Game Show: 1:00 PM Eastern Time/10:00 AM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $1500.  

2nd Game Show: 4:00 PM Eastern Time/1:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $2000.  

3rd Game Show: 7:00 PM Eastern Time/4:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $2500  

4th Game Show: 10:00 PM Eastern Time/7:00 PM Pacific Time. Grand Prize: at least $4000  

To play SwagIQ, download the app to your iPhone and Android today. 

It's really easy to play, too: 

The game show host will ask a series of multiple-choice trivia questions. You’ll have 10 seconds to answer each one. Get it right; you get SB and move on. Answer them all correctly and you can win a grand prize! If more than one player wins, the winners split the grand prize.   

Get it wrong; still play along. Some questions have a bonus SB award attached to them. If you answer those questions correctly, you get those SB, even if you’re out of the running for the big money. And, if you’re in a groove but miss a question, you’ll have the option to rejoin a game by redeeming a few SB.  When you get to the end of the game, you can claim all of the SB that you've earned. 

You can use all the SB points you earn playing SwagIQ to get PayPal cash or gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and more!

Keeping Your Hair Looking Great on Vacay

When you travel, if you want to travel light, there are some things you have to change. While it can be easy to get caught up in routines, and it's important to keep some of them intact wherever you go, sometimes you need to switch things up to fit your travel lifestyle. We don't compromise on our strict carry-on only policy unless it's coming back from vacation and checking a bag with our too-many-purchases is less expensive than shipping back the spill over. That being said, we are always looking for ways to pack less and lighter. 

Now, I'm not willing to have a bad hair day in exchange for more packing space if that's my option, so I'm betting I'm hardly the only one. Want to look your best while still keeping everything in your small bag?

Decant your fave products into smaller containers

This seems like a no-brainer, but some people are still trying to pack full-size products and checking their bags because of it. I'm not going to pay an extra $35 for my shampoo to fly, especially when I'm not going to need a giant bottle of it for a week or two. Washing your hair everyday isn't good for it, unless you're spending all your time in the pool or ocean and need to get the chemicals out. Either way, a 3oz bottle should last you more than two weeks, even with everyday shampooing. Make a run to Target, pick up a selection of travel bottles and jars if your fave products don't come in smaller sizes and decant, decant, decant. Only need a smidge? Use contact cases for things like moisturizer that you need very little of.

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Make use of dry shampoo

If you don't know how to break out of the shampoo everyday rut, try a dry shampoo. You can find small spray bottles at your salon or in the hair care aisle of your favorite drugstore. Make your own at home and save money. it's easy. Here's how.

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Switch to shampoo bars

This is a favorite in my travel bag. I save room in my 3-1-1 for more important stuff, like contact solution and moisturizer, by packing a solid shampoo and conditioner. I buy mine from Lush, but they have them at Basin and several other places. They work like soap, but come in a variety of ingredients for different types of hair, just like regular shampoo. A bonus is that they last for a really long time, so you won't have to refill your shampoo after every trip like you might now. Another bonus: no spillage. I hate that.

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Downsize to travel-size hair appliances

Bringing your hair appliances from home is a good idea, since you know how they work and will make you feel better about yourself if you're used to using them all the time. I travel with a straightener by Conair, but not the same one I use everyday. It's large and bulky. Instead, I've opted for the smaller, travel-size one. It actually works better and takes up a heck of a lot less space in my carry-on. I have one that has a rounded edge, so I can use it to straighten or curl. I love a multi-purpose tool. More and more companies are making mini versions of their popular hair care appliances, and it's smart to invest in them, plus you can always keep it packed in your bag, so you don't forget it.

Don't bother taking a blow dryer

I know this is a controversial one. I tend to take showers at night and let my hair air dry, or spritz in some beach spray (see below), so I can scrunch and go, but I know there are people who swear by blow drying. I'm not one of them, because I'm lazy, but sometimes I use one. That said, almost all hotels and even many vacation rentals supply hair dryers for their guests. Save room in your bag and leave yours at home. If you must bring one though, try to find a travel version, so you aren't taking up half your carry-on with an unnecessarily large device.

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Instead of a curling iron, use sea salt spray for beach curls

I've discovered the beauty of beach curls/waves. I like it, because I can jump out of the shower, spray this in, scrunch it up and get on with my day. So much easier than taking out the curler, waiting for it to heat up and meticulously curling strand after strand. It saves me time, which I am grateful for. It can also work on dry hair, but I've been less successful with that. I'd say to just spray your hair with water first and then add the sea salt spray for best results.

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Use sunscreen

Don't forget that your hair is just as susceptible to sun damage as your skin. Rub some sunscreen in your palms and run your hands through your hair to avoid leeching your color. This also adds a bit more needed moisture too. If you're worried about it not blending in, dilute it with a little water. If you wear a part in your hair, make sure to dab some sunscreen there as well. There's nothing worse than a burnt (and eventually peeling) scalp. 

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Go au naturale

Put your clothes back on, because I'm still talking about your hair. If you're okay with saving time in the morning with tools and unneeded products, feel free by leaving your hair as it naturally is. Don't curl your straight hair or straighten your curly hair. You might find you don't hate it. If all else fails, make it easier to deal with by putting it in a braid or messy bun.

Do you have travel hair care tips that save time or luggage space?