We were there for a couple of hours and bought some new story books for Our Little Princesses. We could have stayed longer and bought more books, but the reality of carrying books back in our luggage kept my usually voracious appetite for books in check.
When we left Powell's, we went in search of The Nuvrei Patisserie which is known for its macarons. When we got there, they were already out of macarons. I was very disappointed. So instead of macarons, we walked around a while and chose Noodles and Things for a late lunch. We shared an order of pot stickers and an order of lettuce wraps. The food was delicious.
The Pearl District of Portland is an amazing mix of old and new. It represents urban renewal at its best. This was once an industrial district but now is a beautiful mix of living spaces, tourist spaces, shopping, dining, and cultural experiences. It is full of upscale shopping and hidden spaces. My second favorite stop, after Powell's Books, was Penzey's Spices, an entire shop of spices, herbs, and seasonings from around the world. I would love to live in an area like the Pearl District.
Next we had to find our car which was harder than it should have been. In the future, we should definitely make note of where we park our rental car. We had to go back to Powell's to get our bearings. By then it was 4 o'clock and we were committed to getting out of downtown Portland before rush hour. The traffic there is crazy. We saw on the news this week that Portland has the eighth worst traffic congestion in the nation. I would agree that it's pretty bad.
We did accomplish our mission and made it out of Portland before the gridlock set in. Tomorrow, we'll drive the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway.
