I recently went on a solo trip to Portland, Oregon to meet up with a friend but I had essentially a whole morning and afternoon to kill in the city. I've never really taken it upon myself to explore Portland, I've gone on day trips and have stayed in hotels downtown but haven't visited the city with a list of "must-sees" or "to-dos" so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to make and tackle a travel list. A few friends and coworkers supplied me with recommendations when it came to food/drinks and shopping. I also did some of my own research of places and at the end of the day, I had quite a hefty list of places in the Portland and surrounding area to check out.

Although it rained on the day I visited Portland, I took shelter in several of the beautiful boutique shops filled with curated goods, corner coffee shops and eateries around. I have to say I have a new appreciation and perspective regarding Portland after visiting some of the places on my list.

Here are some of my trip highlights:

Heart Coffee Roasters - great atmosphere, friendly staff, sleek product packaging, amazing lattes.