My Portland Coffee Tour - Part 13

Hey! It's that time again and it also means April has come and is almost gone. I don't know who the days just seem to fly by, but there it is. That just means it's that much closer to Summer. Woo! We had a whole week of warm weather here in Portland and now we're back to the 50s and rainy. Joy. 

Just because I didn't make a post for my coffee tour in March doesn't mean my life was coffee-less. I just tended to hit up the Dutch Bros drive-thru, grabbed a cup at Starbucks, or made my own at home, because I didn't have time to get out and enjoy a leisurely cup in a dedicated shop. Anyway, let's look at the first 3 coffee shops I hit up this month (because I had to make up for my slacking last month).

Oracle Coffee Co.

I've been meaning to get out to Oracle for quite some time, and I had a nice Sunday morning where I just drove out to the waterfront to try them out. I found them on Instagram, like I find a lot of shops near me, and I was not disappointed. This well-lit and welcoming shop serves up drinks made with oatmilk and mostly vegan treats. This was the first time I have ever had oatmilk and I am in love with it. The shop is dog-friendly, and I saw several patrons come and go with their pups, since this is in the middle of a neighborhood.

After some discussion, I settled on the Flapjack Latte ($5) and an onion Bowery Bagels bagel with Tofutti cream "cheese" ($3.50). This is also the first time I've tried Tofutti, but I was pleasantly surprised by how like cream cheese it was. My bagel was delicious, despite my thinking that I didn't get enough spread. It was the perfect amount. My latte had a delicate maple flavor and the oatmilk made it less acidic, in my opinion. I greatly enjoyed the flavor combo and the nice smooth coffee they pulled for me. 

Since Eric didn't come with me, I decided to grab a treat for him, so sorry that you get a weird inside-the-bag shot here. This is what they call a Phillycake ($3.50). It's homemade by Shoofly Vegan Bakery and is, essentially, a yellow cake, topped with peanut butter, and then coated in chocolate. It was not what I expected, but the bite I had was really yummy and definitely worth the price. It can be hard to find great vegan food, albeit, not in Portland, so this shop is definitely a gem with reasonable prices in that regard. I can't wait to go back and try something else.

 

Palio Dessert & Espresso House

I wanted to love this place, but it took me too long to find it, even with GPS, and then I wasn't impressed once I got there. Perhaps I made the wrong choices, since a friend raved about their desserts and their giant coffees. She DID just get a drip coffee, so maybe that's it. The shop is adorable though and has a cute little European feel.

Palio has different rooms and little cozy corners. I especially love the little reading nook and the employee was super nice. I ordered the special, which was a Vanilla Rose Tea Latte ($5.75) and a salted caramel cupcake ($3.50) that I didn't have heated up, which may have been a mistake.

My latte was ginormous! Like, the size of my head. It was beautiful, to be sure, with the tea bag settled on the side. Even with no coffee in it (another mistake of mine), it didn't have much of a flavor. It sort of tasted like a vaguely flowery marshmallow, but not a good marshmallow. I made it 2/3 of the way through before I just gave up. The cupcake was good, but was super dense and beside the top, wasn't the most enjoyable. I'm not sure I would have liked it more heated up. It had the consistency of a brownie, but on the plus side, it was too sweet, so there's that. I'd be willing to try again and order different items from the menu, but it's not on the top of my list.

Cellar Door Coffee Roasters

Not too far away from Palio, I found Cellar Door (Google maps is the best sometimes). I went there second, because I knew they had actual food and figured that would be better after sweets than before. You could tell this is a staple of the community based on the outside and I was excited to go in.

I asked for a recommendation and the barista said he prefers a cappuccino, because it has a bolder coffee flavor. After Palio, this sounded perfect, so I ordered a cap with regular milk ($3) and a plain Black Heart bagel with cream cheese ($2.50). Not only did they spread the cream cheese for me, but they gave me twice as much as most other places for cheaper. It was the best. I was also shocked by the low prices, as it turned out to be about 40% less than what I had just paid. 

The barista was not incorrect recommending the cappuccino to me. It was delicious and perfectly made and so, so tasty. I already plan to return when I can, because YUM.

Cellar Door isn't large, but the shop is welcoming and the employees are wonderful. You can tell they enjoy what they do and engaging with customers. The shop has local artwork up on the walls and they offer up few, but tasty food options. They also roast their beans onsite in the basement, which is where the name comes from. This coffee gem should absolutely be on your list if you're anywhere near them in Portland.

I'll save my next three shops for my next post, but you can see all my coffee stops in real time (and see my opinion and ask questions) by following me on Instagram. Where are your favorite coffee shops located?

10 Ways to Stay in Shape While Traveling

When you’re out and about flitting from tourist attraction to subway station to lunch, it’s hard to keep up with your diet and exercise regimen. Even though you’re out walking all day, and it may seem like you’re getting a lot of exercise, you’re probably also eating a lot of high-calorie and fatty foods that pretty much negate all the good you're doing with the walking, hiking and stair-climbing. Those extra pieces of cake and pie for dessert aren’t helping either. Contrary to popular belief, calories do count on vacation, as much as you wish they didn’t. So, if you want to stay on track and earn those meals, you might want to add additional exercise to your vacation itinerary.

Get outside

I love to be outdoors when I travel. It’s the best way to see your destination, so why not get out a little more and burn extra calories?

• Go running – You’re going to bring along a pair of walking shoes anyway, so why not make them running shoes that are also good for walking. If you run at home, then keep your routine set and get up early to run around the block or the hotel grounds.
• Jump rope – This is an easily packable item and gets you great exercise anywhere you have some extra room. Not just little kids love to jump rope. It’s fun and helps you tone and keep in shape. Make sure you buy a nicely weighted one that will stand up to the rigors of the road.

Make your lodging your gym

You walked all day yesterday, but you got up early in order to watch the news or eat breakfast in your room. As much as you know you should put on your workout clothes and hit the gym, the thought of looking presentable just doesn’t sound appealing. You aren’t alone. While you’re waiting for your bagel to toast or you’re listening to the weather report, you can take advantage of the floor space in your room to get in a quick workout.

• Chair crunches – If you have a chair, you have a low-impact gym. Work your abs by sitting on the edge and pull your legs up or pump your legs as if you are riding a bicycle.
• Do lunges – You’ll feel a lot less awkward doing them in the privacy of your room than out in public, too.
• Calf raises – Do these anywhere, like while you are brushing your teeth, making oatmeal or waiting in line to get into the Louvre (for bonus exercise points).
• Resist – Pack a resistance band (or set) in your carry-on and do more strenuous workouts in the time you have available. There are also fancy loop bands you can use to strengthen your legs/thighs.
• Boxing – You don’t have to bring along full gear and a punching bag, but a pair of weighted gloves is a fabulous way to tone your arms and legs. Bring along a DVD to pop into your laptop or just search for a few good training videos on YouTube.

Use what’s available at your accommodation

Your hotel or rental property might have some useful ways to help you work out. If the weather cooperates enough to be outside, then you’re in luck.

• Go for a swim – Almost all hotels have a pool. Pack your swimsuit and you can get in some laps. If a fancy indoor pool is available, then you can swim if the weather is uncooperative.
• Use the stairs – Walk or run up the stairs to your room and you’ll start to feel the burn. Generally, the stairwell is pretty private, so you also won’t be disturbing others if you are up early or late doing this.
• Go for a run – Not close to a park or afraid to go out running in unfamiliar terrain? Strap on your running shoes and do laps around the hotel. Chances are it is surrounded by a parking lot and/or sidewalks that make it easy to get your strides in.

Keeping up with an exercise routine when you travel will keep you motivated to continue doing it at home, even if it takes you a few days to get back into your healthy eating habits. You’ll feel better about yourself and might even add to your regular workouts.

Review: Travelon Active Anti-Theft Packable Backpack

Use code SHEREENTRAVELS20% to save 20% off any Travelon purchase.

Do you tend to pack extra bags for your trips or get to your destination and dump out your personal-item size bag to use as a day bag? I'll admit, I've overpacked just trying to plan my trip around the city or my travel back home, but Travelon knows that people want bags that are functional for more than just one thing, so they created this anti-theft backpack, that is also packable, so you can bring it along without much fuss. 

Most backpacks are bulky, and the ones that aren't tend to be really flimsy and not suited to taking along to touristy destinations where you might be targeted by thieves. I saw this bag at the Travel Goods Show last year and knew it was a must for travelers, especially those who have children or like to go on day trips or just want an extra bag for purchases. 

The Active Anti-theft Packable Backpack is compact, even when it's zipped into its pocket. The front and back is slash-proof, which will be instrumental when it is open. I had no issues restoring this backpack to full size or folding it back into its pocket, which is a big plus, because sometimes these bags are like trying to refold a map and you just give up.  The structure of the pocket makes it easy to pack up to toss in your carry-on when you're done with it or before you leave home.

Think you might need an extra bag when you're out and headed to the shops or the farmers' market? just pop it in your purse and you're good to go. In fact, I was able to get it into my Boho bag (review coming soon) without having to take anything out of it. I love that.

Now, let's look at the backpack at full size. The front and bottom are made from the slash-proof pocket, which means you don't have to worry about thieves cutting the bottom of your bag to get your valuables to fall out. Your straps also have slash-resistant construction, giving you more peace of mind when walking around in crowded areas. 

As you'll see, because the front and back of the pocket make the front and bottom, your backpack has structure and a flat bottom. The fabric is also a bit reflective, so you'll be seen even when walking around at night.

This backpack is simple and doesn't have a ton of pockets, though it has a lot of space for your stuff. You're not going to lose anything inside, because you forgot where you put it. Keep extra clothing inside, pack a picnic for lunch and a blanket to sit on, bring our suits and snacks to the beach. This has room for all of that, without being bulky, even when packed full. 

The front has a zipper pocket that's large enough for a tablet or a book, but you can use it for all those little odds and ends you pick up or for snacks that you know the kids are going to want the second you get on public transit. 

Inside, there is just one pocket, and it's RFID-blocking. This way if you have to carry around your passport or a spare credit card for emergencies, you won't be worried that your info is going to be stolen by electronic thieves. And because the pocket (which closes with a velcro tab) is along the back wall of the backpack, it's extra safe. 

This security pocket is actually pretty deep, allowing you to keep a wallet in there, passports for the whole family, or whatever else you want to keep safe.

Now, let's talk about the rest of the anti-theft features. Beyond RFID blocking and slash-resistant construction in the most important parts of the bag, you also have the ability to lock both zippers. The zips are like tiny caribiners and clip quickly and easily to tiny d-rings on the bag that are subtle and not immediately apparent to those who wish to steal your belongings. Nobody's going to be able to unzip your pack without you knowing if you use the clips to lock them in place.

Again, this isn't a huge bag, but it is just big enough for all the things you need to take for the day or to carry around with purchases you've made along the way. It's lightweight and the perfect size for me, because even full, this isn't going to hurt my back or weigh me down. The straps are fully adjustable, so if you want it to fit snugger, it's easy to do that, even when you're on the go. If you're taller, just let the straps out. The straps are nicely padded as well, so they aren't going to cut into your shoulders. Even your kid might find this to be the ideal size for them to carry around all day.

This bag has two mesh pockets on the sides. Use them for water bottles, an umbrella or whatever else you may need easy access to. I put my reusable bottle in one side and sunscreen in the other, because those are both things I'll use throughout the day. And now my hands are free to shop, ride a bike, play games in line at the theme park and so much more. 

Don't you need a packable bag that's packed with all the security features you get in a bigger, more complex or more expensive bag? I think you definitely do! Remember, Mother's Day, Father's Day and Graduation are all coming up and this is a price point everyone can get behind for a gift. Maybe include some other little travel goodies along with it to make this gift even cooler. (Tip: Travelon has tons of travel accessories to choose from.)

More details:

Where can I buy it? Travelon website

How much is it? $40 (but use my code SHEREENTRAVELS20% to save 20% off your purchase)

What colors does it come in? Black (shown) | Charcoal

Additional specs: Open: 10.5" x 17" x 6" Packed: 10.5" x 6" x 1", Polyester and 420 D Nylon

If you love Travelon as much as I do, or you just want to know about new items or how to use current items, find them on social media: 

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Disclaimer: I was provided with the Active Anti-Theft Packable Backpack for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.