While Portland has plenty of dive bars located in unassuming street corners, it has quite a thriving international food scene. Not only do they have amazing vegan and vegetarian food, they have a prominent Indian and Vietnamese food scene. I also had Swedish food there, which is not really a popular European cuisine in the U.S., so that was refreshing. Did I fall in love with Portland the way I fell in love with Seattle? No. But I am so happy I was able to experience Portland in its sustainable, vegan glory.
Have you ever been to a vegan prix-fixe dinner? I hadn’t been or even heard of this amazing concept until I went to Seattle. Most prix-fixe restaurants in Chicago tend to be pretty meat-centric with a sprinkling of seafood and it’s kind of a pain to switch because you want to get your money’s worth. But we didn’t have to worry about this in Seattle. We could eat everything on the prix-fixe menu, as is, and not pay an arm and a leg at $65 per person. It is definitely a special occasion, but it is much more affordable than other prix-fixe experiences.
Mountains, evergreen trees, the Pacific Ocean, a haven for vegans – is the Pacific Northwest all its cracked out to be? Yes, it is, in every possible way. Is it the most racially diverse and cutting edge place? No. Is it celebrating sustainability and environmentalism? Yes…and they have a statue of Lenin. I didn’t know what to expect from Seattle and had grand expectations for Portland as a fan of Portlandia. I ended up falling in love with Seattle and as someone who isn’t an “outdoorsy” person, I fell in love with its gorgeous nature.
So what can I say, New Orleans is a weird city. I couldn’t live here, but I could live with the weather and all of its delicious food and cocktails. I appreciated the more relaxed vibe and how walkable of a city it is. It is easy to find what you’re looking for in NOLA, whether it’s a higher-end small plates restaurant or a binge when you’re hungover brunch spot. There are so many bars to choose from and with a selection of bars open till 5am or even 24 hours! If you’re looking for opulence or a chill night away from the tourists, you will be able to find your spot. Gritty and decadent, New Orleans is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, and flavors that will keep you coming for more.
Being a fan of dark techno, I made my pilgrimage to Detroit for Memorial Day Weekend’s Movement festivities. I was not going to just enjoy the music though, I was excited to embark on the culinary delicacies of Detroit. While Detroit is known for their Coney Island Hot Dogs, I obviously did not take part in this tradition being a vegetarian.