This past weekend was the annual “fancy dinner” for the trusty husband’s company.? Long time readers know what this is, but newbies may be unaware.? It is a formal dinner that the regional office puts on.? They put us up in a hotel, give us (an alloted amount of) free drinks and I get to put on a fancy dress.? I have to sit through an awards presentation, but the food is usually good, so I don’t mind.
I was going to be frugal this year.? I wasn’t going to buy a new dress.? I had a perfectly good cocktail dress that was cute.? I recently purchased new shoes and made a gorgeous wrap to go with it.? I was set.? Friday night I thought it might be good to actually try on the dress since I hadn’t worn it since August.? Turns out that was a good idea.? The dress no longer fit.? So Friday night I had to go out and buy a new dress.? Not fun.? The dress I bought was cute, and certainly not a bargain.
We originally were excited about this outing because we got a kid free night in a hotel.? Then I was stricken with some illness that is clinging to my lungs for dear life.? Hard to be romantic when you are coughing up a lung.
We made it through the dinner (which was full of pregnant ladies btw).? I slept like the dead and the nasal congestion was clearning up for our Sunday out in Portland.
We had a lovely breakfast at Mother’s Bistro (sorry about the music, it irritates me too).? In fact, I think it was the best breakfast I’ve ever had.? I actually ordered eggs benedict.? I never eat poached eggs, but this was so good that had I not previously eaten an apple turnover I might have licked the plate.? However, the breakfast left us both a little overstuffed and not feeling that great, but dammit, I have kid free time.? We are going to make the most of it.
Not trip to Portland, OR would be complete without a visit to the best book store in the world.? I can overlook many of Portland’s many downfalls* because of the few things that I love about this city.? Powell’s Books is the bee’s knees.? The store consumes an entire city block and is (I believe) 4 stories high.? It is the type of place that you either have to have a particular book in mind or the entire day to spend.? I had neither and it was very overwhelming, as it always is.? However, Powell’s is where I go for vintage gardening books.? I could have walked out with no less than 20, including 1 published in 1887.? After the whole dress fiasco I decided to be frugal and pick one that I couldn’t live without.? I purchased a 1st edition Western Garden Book.? It is well loved, inscribed by a mom and dad and with little gardening tip sheets and newspaper clippings in the back.? All of this for $13.95.? That is why I love Powell’s.
My new book in hand I felt that I could brave the cold for a stroll around the Pearl.? (*)This is the epitome of Stuff White People Like.? Coffee shops, Columbia stores, hoity fro-yo shops that are really chains and enough tattoed, pierced lipped, NorthFace wearing hippy wanna-bes to drive you insane.? After an hour of enduring the bitter cold we went on the hunt of a lifetime.? To find a Wii Fit.
Oh Wii Fit… you are the bane of my existence.? How I need you in my house to help me shave off 5 extra pounds.? We criss crossed Portland in search of this mysterious Wii Fit.? We went to 6 stores looking for the Fit.? Not a one in sight.? We wouldn’t have been so insitent if we were in Washington, but Oregon has no sales tax and by golly we were going to save $8.
In the end the weekend actually was fun.? We had a nice breakfast, we spent some time together, what more can I ask for?
amazon…not saying another word.
Toys R Us, better deal than amazon. We love ours, but sorry it probably won’t shave off the 5 lbs. It is false hope my dear (you won’t elevate your heart rate to burn calories) its just plain ole fun and sillyness, go walk around the block a few times and that should do the trick.
Hmmm. Tattoed, pierced lipped, NorthFace wearing hippy wanna-bes? I can’t exactly picture it. And, scads of them? You Northwesterners really are an odd lot!
Getaways, especially weekender’s are the best. Long enough to have fun and short enough not to get homesick. Lucky you!
Illness aside, a weekend away sounds fab!
As I learned this week, the best way to find a Wii Fit is to not look for it.
tacomachickadee– much like a monkeyshine? (no, I have not found one yet)
It sounds like you had a fantastic time! Ah, to be child-free overnight…. What’s that like?
Glad you had fun
no dress pics?
well, I haven’t found a monkey shine yet either … though I have found a wii fit … by accident. now I’ll have to kick my not looking for monkeyshines into gear.
I love your description of the Pearl, accurate and hilarious! Sorry the Wii eluded you. You had two uninterrupted meals in a row, incredible. I envy you.
What’s a monkey shine? And I’m desperate to hear more about the dinner, and see your dress, part two. Save some money, I’ll give you a key to my house, you come walk my crazy dogs, and the pounds will FLY off, I swear.