Mingling PNW

Two more days of mingling in the pacific northwest!  What a delightful Monday and Tuesday pairing.

Monday, I thought it might be a good idea to get some work done, so I made the short trip to Ava's in Beaverton.  Ava's is remarkable because it is open 24 hours, which is especially rare in Portland.  I, however, was there for your standard sort of timeframe, including lunch.  I had a yummy mozzarella sandwich with pesto and veggies and a cup of jasmine pearls tea.  Check it out!

and that pickle was better than it looks

After a few hours at Ava's it was time to say hello to my good pal Jubal!  At Hopworks!  Neither of them disappointed.  Jubal still gives some of the best hugs, makes me laugh, gives lots of mischievous looks, and has a badical accent.  Hopworks still has really good food and beer.  I had a burger with blue cheese and some fries plus a pint of a beer whose name I can't remember.  All was delicious, AND that checks one more restaurant off my list of places to visit!

Post-dinner, Kyle and I went to the waterfront and walked the Eastbank Esplanade across the river to downtown and Backspace, where I looked at locally made art and got a delicious Tao of Tea black mango iced tea.

sunsety, bridgy, Portland

When we got back to the apartment, we watched a well-made, interesting, not-too-depressing documentary: Beer Wars.  It tells the classic tale of the struggle of the little guy (small-scale local or regional brewers) versus the big guy(s).  Plus beer history and wacky beer personalities!

On Tuesday, Kyle and I took the MAX downtown to go have lunch at Bunk, a sandwich shop that I have been wanting to try for over a year since I read about it in the NYT.

MAXin' and relaxin' 

(You can see in my eyes how I feel about public transit - excited yet terrified.)

So, Bunk may be one of the most awesome places in the known universe.  I mean, look at it!

makin' sandwiches

   

the menu and the people who are about to have an incredible sandwich

See the line wrapping around the front?

I fell in love with Bunk before I even saw my food.  The atmosphere really spoke to my heart and soul and thoughts about what a really good sandwich joint should feel like.  Big chalkboard, black and white tile floor, hustle and bustle, kinda hole-in-the-wall-y and confident.  I ordered a smothered pork shoulder with green tomatoes sandwich, apple coleslaw and a birch beer.  

omg

It was so fantastic that I don't even know what to say, other than the obvious, "I need a teleportation device."

                   

That was a lot of delicious. 

After lunch, I got some great news from Vermont.  My lovely roommates-to-be found the perfect apartment for us, which they describe as "the best apartment in Burlington."  I am so excited!!  

Kyle and I finished off Tuesday by meeting up with Miles, Rachel, Harrison and Shannon to play D&D.  They all decided that it was about time that I see what this whole thing is about.  I was overwhelmed by the everything, but I think I got it pretty well, and I got a really big stamp on my nerd passport.