Another Overdue West Coast Vacation Post:
I have to blog these stories and pics to make room in the queue for more West Coast and Upper East Coast and International Travel vacations coming up...I may become an official jet-setter this year!

PORTLAND for one please - Feb 21, 2007

Took the Amtrak from Seattle to Portland. Very scenic. Ports. Mountains. Pacific Ocean. Train noises. I pulled into Union Station (is every train station named that?) and walked south to W Burnside Street.

This is me on the train. I was experimenting with my camera. Ironic considering these posted pics are last pics that camera ever took. Boo hoo :(





I settled into my hotel, Park Lane Suites, on King Ave. Just so we're clear, when I say 'settled' you know that means I ditched my stuff and left immediately right? K. I headed to what is called Northwest District on foot to meet up with Kaitlyn, my friend Tone's girlfriend, that I am also friends with. We met at Swagat Indian Cuisine where I devoured the following:

Whoever can accurately guess everything on the plate will receive one kiss on the cheek and some shoulder shakes from me.








This sculpture is one of the coolest I have ever seen. The only thing that would make it better is if it were some Hippos. Duh.


Kaitlyn and I on the Portland Streetcar!!! The guy who took this went a little crazy with the zoom feature. Sorry about that. Streetcar = free fun.




That was THE LAST picture my camera took. It made some sad little noises and then never worked again. I have yet to get a new one. It broke over a year ago! I am a slacker blogger for sure.

Anyways, we had dinner at Pastini's which was across the Willamette River and then I tried to get a piercing but we were five minutes late and the place was closed. Kaitlyn dropped me off at Crystal Ballroom where I rocked out to The Shins for the second night in a row (and third time in two days). Heather, the chick I sold my extra ticket to, gave me a ride back to my hotel because it was raining. She told me about her son named Espn (pronounced Espen). I'm not joking. Her husband is a sports fanatic and they named their child accordingly. Normally they would be subject to far more ridicule and scrutiny from me but, alas, they are Shins fans and we don't dis each other.

Slept, woke up, breakfast at a bagel shop and the Red Line to PDX. Short flight to Vegas and that is another blog post pending...

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!!!
Beer Shot Anyone?

So so so so so so dope.


















Kyle T is cool.

Translation...sans pictures (sigh)

Costa Rica Vacation

First of all, I have to thank my totally awesome crazy ass boyfriend for the idea and execution of this vacation. It was perfect, everything was perfect!

Feb 14th: We landed in San Jose and took the winding, cliff side roads to Manual Antonio. We stopped briefly in Jaco to get lunch at Taco Bar and to rent a surf board...Taco Bar is the shit. Once in Manual Antonio, we immediately checked in to the very gay friendly Hotel Del Mar and couldn't resist a dip in the Pacific before the most amazing and romantic Valentine's Day evening in the history of the world at La Mariposa. I will sum it up like this: hilariously poignant valentine card, the most fantasmigorical views I've ever seen, pink red and white fireworks BELOW us (yes, that is how high up we were), five course meal with champagne and wine and great chats. PS - my dinner date was really cute.

Day 2 - Manuel Antonio Beach ALL DAY. Surfing, exploring cliffs, the freshest ceviche and calamari ever, happy hour and sunset at El Avion featuring my new favourite beer, BAVARIA LIGHT. El Avion was so cool. Check it out, seriously. Then, more drinks at a beach side bar where I was force fed a black olive because 'someone' thought I would be too drunk to taste it. WRONG.

Day 3 - Zip line tour through the rainforest's canopy = so much fun! I got running starts to go faster, hung upside down and was called Sarita all day. Loved it. Made some new friends from New York and Toronto. What's up Jen?! Midday, we headed to Playa Hermosa...which, not surprisingly, was also beautiful and awesome. We checked in to Villas de Arenas, traded the surf board, saw some sights and had a delicious Argentinian Steakhouse dinner (I had fish).

Day 4 - early morning surfing and swimming & KICK ASS breakfast next door: Pineapple smoothie, fantastic coffee, juevos rancheros, french toast and gallo pinto...so yum. To digest, we did some off roading in the rental car to an alleged river mouth surf spot. Didn't exactly find it. Then, more surfing and body boarding in Jaco, more brews for happy hour and more Taco Bar :) Back to Playa Hermosa and the hotel for ping pong and an early bed time...

Last day :( - more surfing, more food, more fun...you get it...now GO!

Vacation tidbits I didn't mention but don't want to forget:

A hippo ate my belly button
Mike was my longboard
Caveman imitation on Valentine's
strategically placed athletic tape
dancing in the airport gift shop
crazy color coordinated gringa