Mixed Berry Pitaya Smoothie Bowl

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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When I started making smoothie bowls and was looking for inspiration, I kept seeing pictures of bright purple smoothies. I wanted to make ones with the same color, but then I realized that everyone was using dragonfruit, a.k.a. pitaya.

D.C. often feels like the subtropics, but it’s actually just a city on a swamp. We don’t have dragonfruit, except for once in a while when Whole Foods or a specialty market gets a shipment.

I became so desperate for the fruit that I looked into buying pitaya online. I realized that you could get it frozen, but I wasn’t willing to shell out the cash.

Then, a couple weeks ago, I found a belated birthday present in the frozen section of Whole Foods: frozen pitaya packs. It almost seemed too good to be true. I felt like I would pay any amount for them, maybe similar to how you’d feel if you were bartering for a new kidney. Luckily, it wasn’t too expensive.

Now, I’m on a pitaya smoothie bowl roll. I’ve made two in the past couple weeks, but I think that the one I made today takes first prize. It has a lot of my favorite things: chia seeds, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds for texture, toasted almonds, some berries and bananas. I even kept the whole thing vegan by using coconut yogurt, although, truth-be-told, I can’t stand the stuff plain.

But anyway, I digress. If you want to make a smoothie bowl with a vibrant purple hue, check the frozen foods aisle at Whole Foods or a specialty grocery store. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have a bounty of pitaya at your fingertips, use that.

I’ve been on a Crosby, Stills & Nash kick lately. Here’s one of my favorites.

Mixed Berry Pitaya Smoothie Bowl (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 pitaya smoothie pack (I used this brand)
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 a banana
1 container plain coconut yogurt
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, fresh blueberries and blackberries, sliced toasted almonds for topping

Directions

Blend the pitaya smoothie pack with the bluberries, banana, coconut yogurt and unsweetened almond milk in a blender on high until smooth. Top with the chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, fresh blueberries and blackberries and sliced toasted almonds. Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Smoothie Bowls, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Caramelized Peach Pancakes

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I’ll never forget these pancakes, partly because I cut off part of my thumb trying to make them.

Before I go any further, I’ll stop because I realize there are some among us who are queasy and don’t like the grisly details, myself included. Let’s just say that it involved a mandoline peeler and a momentarily lapse of judgment.

ANYWAY. Now that we’re past that, onward and outward.

These pancakes are delicious. They tasted that much sweeter after making I made them with a maimed hand. I’ve read horrors stories about chefs who continue to cook through the extremes, burned hands and broken fingers be damned. I’m not going to say that I rank among these chefs, but I guess, in a way, I am.

Because by making these pancakes, I realized that anything is possible. I wanted to eat them so badly that I didn’t stop making them, even when I knew that I should. I don’t know how I did it, in retrospect. But I have the picture to prove it.

I used an old pancake recipe and combined it with one I saw for caramelized peaches. Mascarpone was on sale at the grocery store so I bought some and put a dollop on top. The cool cream pairs well with the sweet peaches, and adding a little maple syrup at the end doesn’t hurt.

Here’s a song to get you through life’s little crises, whether it’s a botched peeling job or something more serious.

Caramelized Peach Pancakes (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk
2 eggs
2 tbsp canola oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 peach, sliced
mascarpone cheese and maple syrup for serving

Directions

Whisk together milk, eggs and canola oil in a medium bowl, then whisk in the butter.

Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in another medium bowl. Whisk in egg mixture until combined.

Grease a skillet with butter. Pour a couple tablespoons of batter onto the skillet and place a few peach slices on top. Cook until little bubbles appear on the surface of the cake. Flip pancakes with a spatula and cook until undersides are golden, about 1 minute more. Lower heat if pancakes brown too quickly. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese and maple syrup.

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Asian Melon Mango Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I was at a breakfast crossroads this morning. I had an Asian melon that I bought at Eastern Market on Sunday, some bananas, and berries and chia seeds for an overnight oatmeal that I forgot to make last night. So I decided to improvise and ended up making this bowl.

This is my most delicious smoothie bowl to date. The Asian melon, banana, mango and coconut yogurt give the bowl a tropical flavor. The berries add some sweetness and the chia seeds and toasted coconut add texture. On a day like today, when it’s supposed to be at least 90 degrees F in D.C., I’m thankful for the refreshment.

If you’re vegan, feel free to swap in some dairy-free yogurt. Otherwise, I’d definitely recommend going with the Siggi’s coconut yogurt that I used. It makes the smoothie thick and creamy and creates a base for everything you put on top.

Here’s a song to jam out to while you make this bowl.

Asian Melon Mango Coconut Smoothie Bowl (from me, to you)

Ingredients

half a banana, frozen
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 Asian melon, seeds removed and flesh scooped out
1 Siggi’s coconut yogurt
1 cup almond milk
raspberries, fresh banana slices, blackberries, chia seeds, toasted coconut flakes for topping

Directions

Blend the banana, Asian melon, mango, coconut yogurt and almond milk in a blender on high until smooth. Pour into a bowl and smooth a little with the back of a spoon. Top with raspberries, fresh banana slices, blackberries, chia seeds and toasted coconut flakes. Enjoy!

Posted in Gluten-Free, Smoothie Bowls, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peach Crumble Shake

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Let me tell you about the best milkshake I’ve ever had. But before we go any further, I have to warn you: it’s vegan.

If you’re still reading, congratulations. You’re about to get the recipe for the best milkshake I’ve ever had, which means that you can drink said milkshake.

This peach crumble shake is not messing around, people. I am the biggest proponent of full-dairy drinks (see: ice cream diet), but this shake could be made from clouds for all I care. It’s sweet, tangy, refreshing and delicious. If I could choose a flavor for my life, this would be it.

Anyway, before I get even more carried away, a couple things about this shake: One, it has rolled oats. That might seem weird to some of you but trust me, it works to the shake’s advantage. It’s creamy and smooth and the oats give it a little texture.

Two, you should probably double the recipe. I poured it into a mason jar to serve, and I ended up going and scrounging out the rest from the blender with a spoon, a straw…pretty much anything that would do the job.

So yeah. Make this shake, ASAP. Your life will be all the better for it.

In the meantime, here’s a song to listen to.

Peach Crumble Shake (slightly adapted from The First Mess)

Ingredients

2 ripe peaches, pitted, sliced and frozen
¼ cup rolled oats
1 pitted Medjool date
1 tablespoon chia seeds
big squeeze of fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

Directions

Blend all the ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Top with sliced peach, chia seeds, a dash of cinnamon, rolled oats and some bee pollen (if you have it).

Posted in Dessert, Drinks, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heirloom Tomato Galette

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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When I was little, I got a really nice nightgown as a holiday present. “Where’s it from?” I asked my mom. “Tar-jay,” she said. I immediately pictured a fancy French boutique, but then I realized that she was talking about Target.

The whole Target/tar-jay anecdote reminds me of galettes, albeit tangentially. When you tell someone you’re making a galette, they’re a thousand times more impressed than when you say you’re making a pizza. A rose by any other name, or something like that.

Which brings me to this heirloom tomato galette. No matter what you call it, it’s delicious. I would recommend getting the good heirloom tomatoes from the farmers’ market (if you have one nearby), or spending a little more on the best looking ones at the grocery store. Quality is key here.

The kale basil pesto came into play because I wanted to use up extra kale, and also because I think that basil smells better than almost anything else.

You could use mozzarella for the galette, but I would go with the ricotta cheese. It’s soft, light and not too salty, and it pairs well with the kale and basil. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top and garnish with some extra basil leaves, and you’re in business.

Another thing about this galette: The dough is pretty easy to make. Maybe it’s because I finally surrendered to using the dough hook on my kitchen aid mixer rather than doing it all by hand. Either way, the dough doesn’t require a lot of leg work or fridge time. It’s good for people like me, whose patience is extremely limited.

Here is a good song to get you on your way.

Heirloom Tomato Galette (adapted from Tasting Table)

Ingredients

for the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1½ sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
¾ cup ice-cold water

for the kale basil pesto:
1/4 cup olive oil or more, depending on how thin you want the pesto
1 cup kale leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the galette:
1/2 cup ricotta
kale basil pesto
1½ pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 egg, beaten
flaky sea salt, for garnish
basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form. Add the water and continue to knead until a dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the kale basil pesto: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse on high until smooth. Add more olive oil if the mixture is too thick.

Make the galette: Preheat the oven to 375º. Roll out the dough into an 18-inch circle, ⅙-inch thick. Transfer the dough over to a sheet of parchment paper and spread the kale pesto to form a thin layer on the dough, leaving a two-inch outer border clear. Put dollops of the ricotta on top of the kale, and then arrange the tomato slices over the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Fold the outer ½-inch of dough over itself to form an even lip around the galette, then begin to fold the dough over the tomatoes, forming a series of pleats. Brush the outside crust liberally with the beaten egg.

Bake until the galette is golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool completely, then garnish with flaky sea salt and basil leaves. Enjoy!

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Peach Jalapeño Grilled Cheese

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Some nights call for comfort food, and nothing says comfort like grilled cheese.

I grew up eating the kind with American cheese, but nowadays, I like to try new combos. This peach/arugula/jalapeño/goat cheese version is at the top of my list.

I had the idea for the sandwich a few weeks ago when I was browsing the jam section at the grocery store. I saw a peach jalapeño variety, and immediately I knew that it belonged on a grilled cheese sandwich.

I almost chose mozzarella for the cheese, but I’m so happy that I didn’t. Goat cheese and this peach jalapeño jam are like Bert and Ernie, croissants and chocolate, Jackie O and JFK, and other famous couples throughout history: they’re made for each other.

The jam is slightly sweet and spicy, the arugula adds a little tang, the peaches are slightly caramelized and the cheese is creamy and soft. I’m tearing up a little just writing about it.

ANYWAY. Make this sandwich immediately. It takes almost no time, and the reward will far exceed any effort you put in.

Here’s a song to get you started.

Peach Jalapeño Grilled Cheese (from me, to you) 

Ingredients

2 slices of bread (I used multigrain)
goat cheese
peach jalapeño preserves
a handful of arugula
1 peach, sliced thin
olive oil for the pan

Directions

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Meanwhile, assemble the sandwich. I have a very methodical way when it comes to sandwiches: I always put the cheese on first. Then I added preserves to each slice. Layer the peaches and arugula on one slice, and then top it with the other slice with cheese and preserves. Smush it down a little (for lack of a better word).

Carefully place the sandwich in the skillet and press down on the top with a spatula. Don’t press too hard; you don’t want the toppings to spill out.

Toast both sides of the sandwich until golden brown, flipping once. Enjoy while hot.

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Muesli with Raspberries and Apples

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I realized that I forgot to tell you about this muesli.

I made it the morning after I got back from Portland, and all I can say is, whoa. It’s a game-changer. I got the recipe from the cookbook that I bought there, La Tartine Gourmande.

I’ve always seen recipes for muesli but I never made it. It seemed like something you would make if you lived in the mountains in Switzerland and wore lederhosen. Unfortunately, neither is true for me.

Luckily, I discovered that anyone can make muesli and enjoy it. It’s better than oatmeal during the summer because you don’t have to boil milk or water to make it.

Feel free to get creative with toppings. I followed Beatrice’s directions and went with the raspberry/apple/nut combo, which I highly recommend. But I’m seeing a blackberry/almond version in my future, especially as we near the end of blackberry season in D.C.

I’ve been listening to a lot of country music lately, partly because that’s usually what’s playing at the bakery. I randomly heard this song the other day, and I’ve been listening to The Judds almost nonstop ever since.

Muesli with Raspberries and Apples (slightly tweaked from La Tartine Gourmande)

Ingredients

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
2 cups apple juice
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tbsp blond cane sugar
6 tbsp slivered almonds
1 large apple–I used pink lady
lemon juice to taste
plain yogurt to taste–I used nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp shelled unsalted green pistachios, chopped
maple syrup or honey for serving

Directions

Make the oats the night before. In a bowl, pour the apple juice over the oats to cover. Let the oats sit overnight, covered, in the fridge.

The next day, combine the raspberries and sugar in a small pot. Place over medium heat and cook until the raspberries become soft, about 4 minutes; remove from the heat and let cool.

Toast the almonds in a frying pan for 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly brown and fragrant; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Grate the apple and squeeze the lemon juice on top to prevent discoloration.

Divide the oats among 4 bowls. Add the apple, raspberry puree, yogurt, pistachios, and almonds to each bowl. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Enjoy!

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Summer Salad with Stone Fruit and Blackberries

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Someone asked me what I’ve been cooking lately and I realized that I’ve only been making salads. It’s weird, partly because I used to hate salads and partly because I realized that my diet consists of ice cream and arugula. But I guess there are worse problems to have.

This salad came about because I saw a recipe for a “summer abundance salad” on one of my favorite food blogs. Then, the saleswoman at the farmers’ market talked me into buying two cartons of blackberries (“it’s the end of blackberry season!”) and there were some good looking nectarines yesterday. The peaches didn’t look as good, though, so I ended up using plums.

I think my biggest problem with salads is that sometimes they can be boring, but this one isn’t. You can dig out all the good stuff, i.e. everything that sits on top of the arugula, and somehow there are still plenty of basil chickpeas, toasted almonds and blackberries to be had.

Also, let’s talk about the dressing…whoa. That’s all I can say. I had my doubts about adding fig butter, but trust me, it’s so worth it. The fig flavor in the dressing complements the stone fruit, berries and feta. It’s a win-win situation.

I downloaded a bunch of music in one sitting last night while I was half-awake. Here’s a song I’ve been jamming out to this morning.

Summer Salad with Stone Fruit and Blackberries (slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest)

Ingredients

for the salad:
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 1/2 cups cooked white quinoa
1 plum, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 nectarine, thinly sliced
2 ears corn, kernels removed from the cob and roasted in the oven
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
6-9 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, sliced
large handful of microgreens and or arugula
1/2 cup mixed toasted nuts + seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, cashews, almonds, etc)

for the spicy honey balsamic vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 rounded tablespoon fig preserves (optional)
1-2 chipotle chili peppers in adobo, chopped
kosher salt + pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roast the corn kernels until slightly charred. At the end of the roasting time, add a sheet pan to the oven with the seeds and nuts and roast them until they’re slightly brown.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chickpeas and pesto. Let sit at least 15 minutes minutes to marinate.Prepare your grains as directed on the package.

To make the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

In a large salad bowl, toss together the quinoa, cherries, berries, nectarine, corn, tomatoes and feta. Stir in the pesto marinated chickpeas and toss the salad with about half the vinaigrette.

To serve, top the salad with sliced avocado, toasted nuts and seeds and fresh greens. Serve with the remaining vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppyseed Quinoa Pancakes

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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When I was in Portland, I went to one of the biggest bookstores I’ve ever seen: Powell’s. It almost gave me anxiety, because it didn’t look like there was an end. There were shelves upon shelves of books organized into sections and multiple floors. The space stretched across at least one city block (maybe more).

I managed to escape eventually, and when I did, I had two new books: Traveling Mercies by one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, and La Tartine Gourmande, the first cookbook by one of my favorite food bloggers, Beatrice Peltre.

I started reading Beatrice’s blog after I moved back from France, and her recipes always reminded me of the food that I ate there. I hadn’t checked her blog in months when I stumbled on this cookbook, but I guess that’s what fate is all about.

I’ve been cooking from Beatrice’s cookbook all week. I made these gluten-free lemon poppyseed quinoa pancakes on Monday, my first day back to work. It’s never a good feeling to have to come back after vacation but these pancakes made it a little easier.

Similar to Beatrice’s blog, I hadn’t listened to Simon & Garfunkel in a while. Then, all of a sudden, I started hearing their songs everywhere this week. Here’s one of my favorites (that guitar…)

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppyseed Quinoa Pancakes (slightly adapted from La Tartine Gourmande)

Ingredients

1/3 cup white rice flour or sweet rice flour
1/3 cup quinoa flour
1/3 cup quinoa flakes
2 tablespoons blond cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 pinches sea salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Finely grated zest of 1 organic lemon
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup almond milk (or any milk you prefer)
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more to cook the pancakes

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flours, quinoa flakes, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, a pinch of sea salt, poppy seeds, and the lemon zest.

In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the buttermilk. Beat in the 1 tbsp of canola oil. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

In a third bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until soft peaks form. Fold the whites into the batter.

In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter in the pan and repeat for as many pancakes as the pan can hold. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip the pancakes and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden.

Sprinkle the pancakes with remaining lemon zest and serve with warm maple syrup. Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten-Free, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seattle and Portland

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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My last night in Portland, I decided to go to a restaurant called Coquine. I’d read a lot about it, so even though it was completely out of the way and cost way too much money to get there in a cab, I went.

The minute the cab dropped me off, I felt like I had come home. The restaurant is on a street corner in the middle of a neighborhood. The sun was setting and if you looked up, there were steep hills with pine trees awash in light. Everything was quiet, but not eerily so. It was peaceful.

I clamored in with my wheeling suitcase, expecting the inside of the restaurant to be noisier. But it wasn’t. Everyone was sitting at simple wooden tables, sipping wine, talking and relaxing. A few turned to look at me with my suitcase, but otherwise, no one gave me a second glance.

I let the hostess take my suitcase and she led me to a seat at the bar. The man on one side of me was a well-known baker in the area, who, even more coincidentally, was from D.C. The man on my other side was a native of San Francisco, the city I aspire to live in one day. Both of them hate D.C. and tried to talk me into moving to Portland.

They made a good case. “The quality of life here is so much better,” the baker said to me. “Why do you live in D.C.?” the younger man asked me. It came out that he had a cat named Barbra Streisand, which only made me trust his opinion more.

Seriously though, I don’t know why I don’t live in Portland or Seattle. The Pacific Northwest is a magical place where the food is delicious, the air is crisp and pure, water isn’t too far away and people are happy. Like, really happy. After years of people barely making eye contact with me in D.C., it was slightly jarring to have people stare at me with a wide smile on their face. It felt even weirder for them to accept the things that I say as normal.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but basically, I’m in love. Maybe I will move back someday, I’m not sure. Until then, I’ll be pining after my two weeks there (pun fully intended).

Here are some highlights that you should check out if you’re ever in both cities:

Seattle

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I came to visit my friend Steph and my brother, but I almost stayed (forever) for the food. Seattle is a food-lover’s dream. From Pike Place Market to the farmers’ markets every weekend (and I’m assuming, week), you can find fresh, beautiful ingredients that are almost nonexistent in other cities.

We stopped at Pike Place my first full day in the city, and my jaw dropped at all the fresh produce and fish. We walked through the market at the pace of toddlers because I kept stopping to gape at everything. Screen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.53.24 PM
The second day, we went to West Seattle to check out the farmers’ market and the shops. I loved every store we went into, but especially this one, Fleurt.
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My last night in Seattle, we went to get pizza at Delancey. I’ve been wanting to go since I read Molly Wizenberg’s blog and books, so getting to finally have dinner there was a dream. The pizza was the best I’ve ever had: tomato sauce, mozzarella and anchovies. Heaven.
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Portland

One of my first stops in Portland was the food trucks on Adler Street, and that should probably be one of your first stops, too. The food is better than some I’ve had in sit-down restaurants, and the wrap I had from Wolf and Bear’s was tear-inducingly good. Screen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.52.01 PM
While the day was young, I made my way to Salt & Straw. It was another dream come true, because I’d read about them years ago and have wanted to try their ice cream ever since. I got carrot cake batter and caramel corn on the cob. Needless to say, I cried.

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Some other food places you should check out in Portland are SuperBite, Pine State Biscuits and Vivienne Kitchen & Pantry. SuperBite opened recently and has amazing small plates. I got a salmon avocado dish with puffed quinoa. Pine State Biscuits has…well, biscuits. But they’re unlike any you’ve ever tried or will try again. Vivienne Kitchen & Pantry is also new, and it’s adorable. The interiors are beautiful and the pastries and breakfast dishes are works of art. They’re also delicious.
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Tea and an almond cardamom cookie at Vivienne

In terms of things to do, I would recommend going on some hikes. I went on one through Washington Park to see the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Garden. Both gardens took my breath away.Screen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.51.17 PMScreen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.51.31 PM
I also went on a hike to the Pittock Mansion, which promises unparalleled views of the city. They didn’t lie, but I almost lost a lung trying to get there. Two hours uphill isn’t really in my workout repertoire, even though I consider myself in good shape. It didn’t help that I was wearing Vans, which offer little support in rustic terrain. Still, I made it, and I have the pictures to prove it. Screen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.50.20 PMScreen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.49.54 PM
My last night in Portland, I rode the Portland Aerial Tram uphill to get a birds-eye view of the city. I saw Mt. Hood in the distance and it took my breath away. Screen Shot 2016-08-14 at 2.54.09 PM
Check out my Instagram for more recommendations and pictures from the trip!

Also, I heard a lot of good music throughout my time in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s a song that I listened to in Seattle and a throwback that I heard in Portland. Both are pretty representative of the vibe in each city.

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