towers abound

Overall, I must say the weekend was a bit lacking.  Despite the decent weather and some positive developments in this neck of the woods, I spent hours feeling blue.

A period of redemption awaited me Saturday morning.  McKenzie was in town from Denver and we set a plan to meet for brunch at the much-recommended Vita Cafe on Alberta. I must say, brunch in Portland is one of my favorite things in the world.  Getting up and out of the house on a sunny spring Saturday, eating and drinking the morning away, chatting with a close friend - these are very restorative things. 

As I drove down Alberta I was struck by all the new shops and eateries tucked into long buildings stretching the blocks.  I didn't think it had been that long since I'd visited the area, but I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road ahead of me.  I found Vita easily and secured both a booth and a Bloody Mary.  McKenzie soon arrived and we set to devouring the menu and trying to make a selection.  I opted for the day's special - "The Leaning Tower of Huevos."  As Vita is a very veggie-centric restaurant, I had several options in terms of making my meal vegan, vegetarian, or thoughtful meat-eater.  I went with cage-free eggs and opted for a side of fresh fruit rather than bacon.

The meal was great.  McKenzie commented on how she loves that Bloody Marys are basically a meal in a glass (or a mason jar in this case), so make that the meals were great.

When we were stuffed to the point of pain, we set off on a short walk to explore some nearby shops.  We found a Mexican shrine store and a branch of the fabric store Bolt.  Holy dreamland.  Bolt's fabrics, though pricey, are gorgeous and so-charming.  I'm going to really hone my sewing skills before spending too much money there.  Our last stop was the awesome Townshend's Teahouse, where we chatted with a knowledgeable cashier man and selected some hot brews for the road.  McKenzie went with a womanly choice and I selected something like smelled like a lemony kitchen solution (which is actually a good thing, to me).  I also picked up some loose detox and peppermint teas to whip up at home and hopefully heal my ailing husband.

We parted ways and I drove off aimlessly.  I soon decided to try out the Japanese Gardens at Washington Park, which were having their annual free admission day.  The park was packed, with the zoo parking lot completely full.  I got lucky and found a spot fairly near the Japanese Gardens on my first drive through.

I hiked up the hill and followed switch backs to the Gardens' gate.  Though crowded, it was nice to stroll leisurely through knolls of nearly-blooming trees and over tiny wooden bridges.

Back at my car I discovered a pretty flower bud taking off its jacket.  Seems like a better sign than anything to do with a groundhog.