My Portland Coffee Tour - Part 17

Like all places, Portland seems to be filled with places that make excellent coffee, places that only serve coffee because it's a breakfast staple, places in between and then places like my local Einstein that said I couldn't order vanilla lattes anymore, because it's no longer on the menu. What the? 

Luckily, this month found me at some of the better coffee joints in the city. 

Stomping Grounds

I've been going to the same hairdresser for longer than I've been with my husband (12 years married, 4+ years dating). She moved a few times, but I've still been going to her salon in the same area for at least a decade. I've seen this coffee shop over the years and have never stopped there, because either I was on time for my appointment or off to have lunch/bruch with my mother. We arrived super early for our last appointment and decided to go in, and I'm so glad we did.

Stomping Grounds is cozy and welcoming with a lot of places to sit. It was really busy and you could tell it was a usual haunt for a lot of people. They have a nice drink menu and lots of food options, but we were in (sort of) a hurry, so we ordered a couple bagels with cream cheese ($2.75 each) and some coffees to sip  a little faster than normal.

My mom got a regular latte and I asked for their most popular drink and was told that was the Spanish mocha ($4.75), also cinnamon in anything is pretty top notch in my book.

The coffee had some lovely depth to it and my cheddar bagel was toasted perfectly with the exact right amount of cream cheese. I'd definitely come here again and try their other food options. I can see why this is a hoppin' place on the weekend and why so many people choose this as a place to meet up with friends.

40 LBS.Coffee Bar

I was meeting a friend one afternoon and decided to go early so I could hit up a few coffee shops I hadn't seen in the downtown area. 40 LBS. looked intriguing and the inside is really clean and industrial looking. 

I went in asking for a recommendation, but the barista was like "I dunno. I just drink cold brew all day." Not a great start in my book, but I settled on a vanilla cardamom latte ($4.50) and a tasty-looking cheese and butter baguette ($4.95) that reminded me of walking the streets in Paris. I love the coffee cups, but the coffee itself was perfectly balanced and aromatic. I loved the baguette, even without it being toasted. I suppose that's just how they serve them, unlike the stalls in Paris, since I wasn't asked if I wanted it warmed up. It wasn't disappointing though.

As you can see from the decor, if you think about what a Portland coffee shop would look like, this is pretty much it. Despite the barista's attitude about their non-cold brew coffee drinks, I'd return.

Café Ponté

Just around the corner from 40 LBS is Café
 Ponté. It's a cute little European shop with warm woods and friendly baristas. You feel really welcome there.

They had a small board of specials and, with fall almost here, I couldn't resist the maple chai latte ($4.75), which had the perfect hint of maple flavor under the chai spices. It's perfect for a cold weather pick-me-up. Even though I'd already indulged in a baguette, I decided to get all my carbs and order a croissant ($3.50). I was less impressed with it, as it felt a bit more dense than your typical flaky croissant. They do have other offerings though, so don't be put off by their sad croissants. Go for just the coffee or opt for a different pastry or food choice. The coffee's worth the visit.

The shop is smallish and narrow, but it has this whole front  full of windows that faces the morning sun, so even if you're inside, you can feel like you're outside too. It's in a great location and if you sit in the window, it's great for people watching.

There you have it. My September edition of my Portland coffee tour. Follow me on Instagram if you want to see my visits as they happen, or if you want to view photos of my travels, things I do around Portland and sometimes cute pics of my dog.

Do you have a favorite coffee shop from your travels or at home? Tell me about it in the comments!

How To Be An Airport Security Pro

The holidays are coming and it's time to start planning and packing. Soon you'll join the millions of people traveling to visit friends and family or, if you're lucky, going on a winter getaway. I definitely approve of those, because the holidays can be stressful and getting away from everything is always nice and relaxing.

The airport during the holidays is a madhouse and security lines can be longer than usual, so let's talk about how to get through them with as little annoyance as possible (at least when it comes to yourself).

Eric, awkwardly, trying to pose for a pic while navigating this tiny Precheck hallway.

Sign up for TSA Precheck

You have time to do this and get approved before the holidays. For $85, you get 5 years of bypassing the main security lines and going through a much shorter line with less strict rules. You can keep your jacket, hat, belt and shoes on and your laptop and toiletries can stay in your bag. We're on our fourth year of using it and I'll never look back. Next year, when we renew, we'll be getting Global Entry, which works internationally and also includes domestic Precheck for just $100.

Get There Early

Longer lines mean longer wait times and the holidays means more traffic. Don't cut it too close to get to the airport. Give yourself at least two hours before your flight if it's domestic and three if its international at the airport. Accidents happen, extra long lines happen, computer glitches happen. Just be prepared. Bring a book or magazine to keep you occupied if you end up having a long wait at the gate...or go check out your airport's art or do some gift shopping.

Fly With Just a Carry-On

I've been flying with just a carry-on for a decade now. I've gotten my packing down to almost just the bare essentials, since I now know what will get worn and what won't. The trick to packing small in the winter is layering and not caring if all your pictures are you wearing the same coat and scarf (maybe two). Here's a post I did on packing light in the winter.

Don't Wrap Any Gifts

If you are visiting friends and family and haven't shipped your presents ahead (which I highly recommend), don't wrap them and stash them in your carry-on. TSA may very well want to inspect them and will not be sorry for you if they have to unwrap them. So, I suggest packing small gifts and saving the wrapping when you arrive. This takes up much less room too.

Go Left

Most people get to the security lines and head right to go through the x-ray machines. This makes these lines longer. Instead, go left if given a choice. These lines are shorter, making them a bit faster. Try skipping any lines with small kids, because they usually take longer.

Keep a Zip-Top Bag On Hand

Always have a bunch of things in your pockets? If you don't have an empty accessible pocket on your bag, have a plastic bag with you and then empty your pockets into it, so it doesn't get lost in the bottom of your bag or you don't have to stand at the end of the conveyor picking everything out of one of those little round bins to load your pockets back up.

Have Your Liquids Bag and Laptop Easily Accessible 

This is super annoying. All your liquids need to fit in a one quart see through bag in 3.4oz or less containers. Have this out and ready to toss in the security bin along with your shoes and laptop. When you're holding of the line rummaging for things that you knew you needed to have out, everyone gets that much more irritated and grumpy. You saw the signs. Don't pretend you didn't.

Wear Slip-On Shoes

Having to tie and untie your shoes to get through security is just another hassle you don't need. Pack those in your bag and wear some easy on easy off shoes. You will thank me. Anything that's hassle-free is nice, and can get you on your trip faster.

Don't Wear Any Accessories 

If you can get away with it, skip the jewelry and watch and belt. Those are just more things you'll need to take off to put through the scanners and nobody wants to wait behind you while you're spending an extra five minutes de- and re-accessorizing.

Download Your Airline's App

Carry one less thing. You're already walking around with your phone, so download your airline's app so you can easily check in, get updates and have your boarding pass on hand instead of stuffing it into your pocket or a book and then having a small panic attack when you can't find it. You can have everyone's boarding pass in your party on your app. Another brilliant tip: screenshot your boarding passes in case your app logs you out or the airport has shoddy WiFi right before you need to show it to someone. This has totally happened to me more than once. Never again!

Keep Your Chill

Don't be that person who gets all irritated when things don't go your way. Everyone's trying their best, the airline employees are already dealing with dozens of jerky people everyday. Don't make their life harder. Just close your eyes and breathe before you start yelling. Find your chill. Ask if it's really that important. Everyone's having a hard time, but they're dealing with it. Lots of things can't be helped, so you being grouchy and mean isn't going to change anything.

The holidays are supposed to be a happy time. Smile, even when you don't want to, think of the awesome trip you're about to go one, play games with your travel buddies and think of this as just another part of your adventure.

Happy travels!

My Best Fall Travel Packing Tips

Okay, so most places it's starting to get cooler, or it will be when you are on your fall or holiday travel. Even when you have to pack larger pieces than for your summer trips, you can still pack light. I'm a big proponent of layering when I travel, since you never know if the weather will be unseasonably warm or colder than you expect. Don't fret though, because you can still pack light and bring everything you need for any kind of weather.

When we traveled to London and Paris in late October, the weather ranged from cool, crisp fall air to freezing temps with rain. It could have been miserable, but learning from my previous trip there, when all we had packed were winter clothes. The first 3-4 days were so warm out that I didn't need a coat and seriously wondered if I'd have to buy some short sleeve tops in order to not get heat stroke. Needless to say, nobody wanted a repeat of that. So, taking all my knowledge into account when packing, I chose several lightweight sweaters that I could layer other things with and went from there.

So, if the weather tends toward cold, cold, cold, your pictures are basically all going to be you bundled up in your coat and you aren't going to see anything you've got on underneath anyway (see title photo). With this in mind, it makes even more sense to bring as little as possible. You'll just need enough to keep you from getting bored and to go between laundry - think of it an excuse to take a break and relax a few times on your trip. Watch a movie, catch up on email or play a game. I bring the same thing for one week as I do for two. Three lightweight sweaters, a cardigan, two tanks and two tees that match your sweaters. Throw a dress, two pair of stretchy jeans or other comfortable pants and two pair of shoes. 

Keep in mind your travel outfit. I usually wear my favorite pair of jeans (with stretch), a tee and a cardigan, one pair of the shoes I'm planning to wear throughout my trip and keep my jacket and a scarf in easy reach. This way if it's cold, I can put more layers on, and if it's hot, I can remove my cardigan.

jeans | dress | cardigan | l/s shirt | t-shirts | tights

A pair of black jeans can double as nice pants for a night out, but a breathable dress can also work. Make sure to pack a pair of heavy tights in case it's really cold and you need some extra protection. Tights are multitaskers. When the weather is colder than expected, like a freak snowstorm, you can throw them on under your pants. I tend toward thinner skinny jeans, because the stretchy ones are comfortable, but may not be as warm as traditional jeans. For this reason, that extra layer might be necessary.

Make sure your tops all mix and match, so you don't have items that only go with some things in your bag. I like neutrals, like black and gray that I can add a pop of color to. You may end up like me and have to wear three layers at once, so if you bring three different color sweaters and three different color/patterns of tanks and tees, you're going to look like a bag lady. I like to go with solids for one layer and some patterns for the other. Above you have 3 long sleeve options and two patterned t-shirts. If you have to layer, these will all work together. The dress is also reversible (from Columbia), so you can make at total of 22 outfits with these pieces. You also have the added warmth of your cardigan and/or jacket.

yup, lots of photos of us just wearing coats and hats or scarves.

Look for shoes that will go with everything. I went to Europe with a pair of flats and tall packable boots, but I love the look of a short boot and a loafer. Make sure you have enough room for your foot to breathe in your boot and that both pair are comfortable to walk in all day long. I loved the boots I took, but they were a smudge too tight, or I overdid myself on the 478965322 stairs in Paris, because I left with a stress fracture in one of my feet. Boo. But at least I didn't notice the pain until the night before we were going back home. Maybe suck it up and wear your flats when hiking up 40 jillion steps, just in case.

jacket | booties | wrap | ballet flats

Look at the weather before you leave, to be sure you're dressed for your destination. A pair of gloves and a hat are always good companions, because you'll be thrilled if you have them and need them, or miserable if you leave them at home and have to shell out money for them. We actually had to purchase another hat and scarf for Eric, who didn't think he would need them. Unless you're hoping for a lame souvenir, throw some in for everyone traveling. It'll make your life easier.

What is your best winter packing advice?