Ahhhhh, Portland

I love Portland. I have a technology training in Vancouver all day Friday & Saturday. Thinkin' about staying in the Vancouver Shilo ..... hmmmm, nah. Not when I can stay in Downtown Portland mere blocks from some awesome yarn shops and Powells (center of the none universe of bookstores).

I've stayed in a handful of really nice Portland hotels. Tonight, I am staying at the Benson. It makes the other 5 star hotels in town look like the Y. The lobby alone, amazing. Anyway, on the drive down I called one of my favorite Portland Yarn Shops, Knit/Purl. Not only are the open to 9 on Thursdays, but the girl on the phone told me to bring my knitting because they knit and sip champagne. Did you hear that? Champagne. Yes, I did say Champange. Real Champange. Bubbly, Yummy Champange.

So after I checked into the Fabulous Benson Hotel, I meandered down to Knit/Purl. This friendly group was already knitting away when I got there. I had to just browse the yarn for a minute when the owner asked me if I would like some Champagne while I shopped. Yes I did say Champagne. Ok, just to be polite.



I bought a little yarn for a current felted purse (I know that you are shocked) that I am working on and then settled into a chair with my Champange (yes, Champagne) to start knitting. And them my eyes fell on this amazing looking chocolate cake on the table. The story behind the cake that 2 of the regular knitters are students at the Culinary Institute & they bring dessert every week. The other knitters told me that I should have been here on truffle night. The truffles didn't last long. And these amazing dessert makers weren't even knitting tonight, they were off somewhere else studying for finals. But they didn't want to let the group down, so the cake arrived anyway.

So my fellow Tacoma knitters. Next time you get a wild hair on a Thursday and want to do something TOTALLY impulsive, call me. It's only a 2 hour drive to Portland (we'd be back in Tacoma by 11pm) and trust me Champagne, Dessert & Knitting well worth it because it doesn't get any better than that!