Seattle to Portland Train

So here are some of the pics from the Yarn Crawl, I don't really have any group shots but that's because my cousin and I aren't real good crowd people, and have antisocial tendencies.

Union Station



Organizer Lady



Water barrel with Fremont Bridge in back on the walk to Dublin Bay.



Dublin Bay is a really cute store with some great yarns but as it was one of the closest stores to the station a whole bunch of people went there and it was too crowded to really be able to appreciate the selection. I did however their pastries and toffee, I suspect the former came from one of my favorite places St. Honore.

We were headed for the next place when we came across this building



it's home to one of the best pizza places, Hot Lips. I decided to be a little adventurous and try the Ham, Pear, & White Cheddar with a pesto bread-stick & their apple/lemon soda.



I have to say I think the flavor combination on the pizza worked really well, the ham was a kind of salty sweet and the fresh clean sweetness of the pear blended real well with it. The pesto bread-stick was totally awesome, and the soda was not what you'd normally expect it wasn't as sweet, but I think I liked it.

While we were eating in the restaurant we got a couple of cute little visitors, and they were not at all shy about coming right up to your chair.



We even met-up with some of the PDX knitters while we were there.



We also had a taste off between Cupcake Jones the chocolate & red velvet & Saint Cupcake peanut butter cookie.




I know, I know your supposed to use the same flavor but Saint Cupcake was out of Red Velvet if I remember right & I didn't miss it. I have to say though that I personally prefer Saint Cupcake, because the large cupcakes from Jones are filled and with the icing on top it just was too sweet for me, also the SC cupcake was moister.

We hit some other places that day but the best was Sock Dreams, where I got some most excellently off the wall socks.



Oh, yeah and I got yarn too, but only from Happy Knits and I actually bought yarn with a specific project in mind, usually I just get it because it's super pretty and can't pass it up or if I have a vague idea of what I want to use it for. Anyway here's a pic of my crawl booty.

Introducing Happy Knits!

Last night my cousin A, her husband R, their gorgeous little girl S, and I all went to the grand opening for then new yarn store on Hawthorne called Happy Knits.

But first, the food carts. In SE on Hawthorne two blocks down from Yarn Garden and four blocks down from Happy Knits there is a corner with several food carts. It really doesn't look like anything from the street, but you will not be disappointed for going inside.



R stopped at Potato Champion for some fries and was very generous with sharing them, while we waited for dinner. Potato Champion is known for being open late and their poutine, which if you've not had it is fries with gravy and fresh cheese curd on top of them. That being said, the fries with only a little salt on them were awesome! They were perfectly cooked with a crispy outside and a nice soft center.



Now dinner we got from Whiffies Fried Pies, A and I went with the BBQ brisket with mozzarella, and R got the chicken pot pie. Ok, so they hand you this hot, foil wrapped, little thing that looks very much like one of those hostess fruit pies. Luckly, shape is pretty much the only thing they have in common, the crust is flaky and buttery, the brisket was very tender and they used a sweet BBQ sauce with just a little heat, and the melted cheese makes it just perfect. R said the pot pie one was good as well, and I have to admit it smelled tasty.



For dessert I tried the Nutella and banana crepe from Perierra Creperie, and A got a Marrion berry pie from Whiffies (I've had them before and they are delicious).



I'd not been to a creperie before, and I thought it was really cool to watch them make it. The crepe it's self was extremely thin and crispy, and the Nutella and bananas worked really well together, net time I'll have to try one of the savory ones.

After we'd eaten it was time to head up the street to Happy Knits for the opening. The store is really spacious with high ceilings, and a almost bookstore like layout.



They also have a, well a common room for lack of a better word with a giant table, a sitting area in front of a gas fireplace, and a window & access into the classroom & children's playroom.





I think I'm going to call them a working yarn store, I didn't see one skein of the novelty variety anywhere, but they had plenty of felting, sock, and worsted yarns. I saw quite a big selection of yarns from Malbrigo and Cascade, and way more other stuff that I can't remember right now.