Hello, Portland! Unbelievably after about a year of imagining this trip to Vida Vegan Con, the time is here at last! In preparation David and I watched every episode of Portlandia. For local color, who needs Rick Steves and Samantha Brown when you have Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein?
As we were sitting in the airport about to head this way, we happened to run into a friend of ours who was heading to Europe. When she heard where we were going, her face lit up. She said, “Have you heard of Voodoo Doughnuts?” Oh, yes. We have.
Raised yeast doughnuts like glazed donuts, bismarcks, and cream filled long johns have always been favorites of mine. However, after going vegan I discovered that vegan raised yeast doughnuts are hard to find. In fact, the last one that I had was about three years ago at Ronald’s Donuts in Las Vegas. It’s been a while!
So on our first morning in Oregon, we trekked to Voodoo Doughnuts in downtown Portland. From a block away, the experience began, as I could smell the scent of freshly baked doughnuts wafting in the air. It was a cold, drizzly day (as it’s forecasted to be the whole time we’re here), and there was a small line formed inside. There are two rotating displays of doughnuts, and the top tier is devoted to vegan doughnuts.
We were overwhelmed with choices as we got closer and closer to the front of the line. So when our turn arrived, we ordered a dozen of a variety of vegan doughnuts. Generously, they put fifteen doughnuts in the box instead of twelve! (We’re going to need to make some friends here fast.) Luckily, they included quite a few cake doughnuts, which hold no appeal for me, and so I should be able to keep my sugary indulgences to a minimum.
We sat down on a bench inside of Voodoo Doughnuts since it was raining on the outdoor seating area. I opted for a cream filled doughnut with Boston cream inside, while David feasted on a glazed. The doughnuts were so light and airy and tasted like they’d come right out of the oven, they were so fresh.
So begins a sweet start to what is sure to be an incredible week!
“Oh, what do you like reading? Fiction, non-fiction, science fiction?”
But when it comes to clothing, shoes, and accessories, the need for label reading doesn’t wane. When I’m inspecting a pullover and searching for the little sewn-in tag to find out if it’s made from bunny’s fur, goat’s hair, or sheep’s wool, I wonder if other shoppers are wondering why I’m going all Sherlock Holmes on the sweaters.
So when my husband and I were in Los Angeles a few weeks ago, I visited 
I picked up a pair of black 
When we lived in Los Angeles, our apartment was only about fifteen minutes away from Pasadena, and it was a place I visited often to pick up things in Old Town or get groceries at their two-level Whole Foods (with an escalator and everything). When I needed new shoes, Alternative Outfitters was the first place that I looked for something reasonably priced, comfortable, and attractive.
Since it’s a showroom rather than a typical store, they have all of their items out on display, and then you ask for your particular size to be plucked from the warehouse. After you make your selection, you move into the warehouse area to pay for your purchases at their work desk.