Sigh...so long PDX.

Such a sad morning - always is when we leave Portland.  But you know, after 10 days, it's good to also get home to routine, better eating and less drinking (god help me), and to get back to sleeping in your own bed.

We had an absolutely wonderful time with Brett and Lynette - they are such great travel partners, and I feel lucky for that.  It's not everyone who can put up with Chris for 10 days - am I right?!?   😃

I'm guessing we'll be back in October, as is our style - I get itchy around our anniversary and wanting to go there.  And drink more wine...and eat more great food...and see new sights.

Love you PDX!!  XOXO

Saturday / Last Day

Saturday was our last day and the awards for the conference.   We started at Loyal Legion for a bump before the awards.  Eh.  It was OK.

Chris and Brett didn't enter anything, but there were 4 of our friends that won medals - including Brett and Lynette's friend that won Mead Maker of the year!!

When your hubs doesn't have anything entered, the awards ceremony is much much more relaxed, and a bit boring.  Lynette and I ducked out and had a snack to escape the awards for a little bit...which did I mention?  Are a little boring.

Until people you know win.  It's super fun and exciting and fabulous and wonderful.  I was glad for all of them!

After the awards we needed to clean out all the groceries we bough so we had about a dozen people over for drinks and snacks.  The best part?  They were all gone by 9pm.  YAY!

Friday / NHC

Friday was a day for prepping to come home.

The guys went to the NHC Mead talk where their good friends were on the panel, and Lynette and I ran to do errands.  I ran back to Queen Bee to get bags (3!!) and then we went to buy some wine shipper boxes to get our beer and whiskey home.

My three bags are amazing.  There is even one with a bird on it.

We then spent the afternoon at 10 Barrel.  Solid beers and a great lunch.  We met some other friends there, and after eating way too much (are you sensing a theme??), Lynette and I walked to get a cold brew coffee.  Man.  Those are amazing.  I mean it might be the 1/2 cup of simple syrup, or the 1/2 cup of cream I add, but whatever.  It's my new favorite.

After 10 Barrel, Lynette and I made a steadfast pact to NOT attend Club Night, but the guys went.  We stayed home and laid on the couch, packed a little, and watched about 4 episodes of CSI.

WINNING.

You don't win friends with salad.

Said Lisa Simpson.  I didn't care, I got it anyway.

And it was amazing.  Podnah's Pit BBQ is always a fave.  It's an obscene amount of food.  And then, once again, we were all ill.  But it was worth it.

Cold Brew and Distilleries!

Brett and Chris judged this morning - yay.  The conference has started.  🙄

So Lynette and I headed out for our day of adventure!

First stop - Tasty & Son.  I had a cold press coffee.  Um, yeah.  I could get used to those.  Holy hell.  We also split the Dutch Baby and the Chilaquiles.  NUM NUM NUM.

We then headed to two distilleries - Bull Run and Aria.  Bull Run was super good!  Aria was good but Bull Run was the winner of the two for sure.  We then stumbled around for lunch and ended up at a pasta place - it hit the spot!  After that - we were cooked.  And came home. 

Dinner at Toro Bravo

So on the advice of Steve at Brick House, we hit Toro Bravo for "the best burger in Portland."

Chris said it was good - I couldn't taste anything with my cold.  BLEH.

However, it seemed good.  Really good.

God damn cold

Well Wednesday was a lazy day. 

I had coffee with my contact at Nike to stay in touch, and then came home.  I now have a bad cold that I've been fighting off for two weeks.  So Brett and Lynette headed out to lunch with a family member, and I took two naps.

Having a cold sucks.  You can't sleep and all you want to do is sleep, and you just cough and blow your nose like a fiend.  I hate it.

It could be worse.  I know.

But it sucks.