Quiche at Palio

If you haven't been to Palio in Ladds Addition, you should get your butt there ASAP. It has one of the most charming locations in the entire city, facing the park that sits in the middle of Ladd's circle. They have great pastries, coffee drinks, and a good food menu. I got this yummy quiche for under $5, and was not disappointed.

Ole Ole Burritos

I think my favorite thing about this place is that they put guacamole on almost every burrito. I am a guac fan, and a ton of Mexican places either include it only on the veggie options or charge extra for this. $5 here, at Ole Ole on 28th Ave. and East Burnside will get you a huge burrito with your choice of meat (even tongue... hmmmm)...including guacamole. Or not, if you aren't as big a fan as I am.

PSU Farmers' Market

PSU Farmers' Market has some great options in the $5 and under category. I got the breakfast burrito from Enchanted Sun (menu shown), a standard $5 one. Danielle got daal (vegan, gluten free) for $5 as well.

Really that's just the beginning of all the fun you can have on Saturdays from around 9am to 2pm, March through December. Lots of awesome produce, snacks, goodies as well.

Whole Foods Salad

This was $2.80. To be honest, I couldn't find the bigger boxes so if I had had a bigger box, I probably would have spent more but STILL. A delicious salad with chick peas, candied walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and balsamic vinaigrette. And it was pretty filling! Of course, I got cash back at the register, so my total was not exactly under $5. But the food was...

Assembled and purchased at the Laurelhurst Whole Foods Market on E. Burnside and 28th Ave.

Vegan Corn Dog Night at Hungry Tiger Too!

Wednesdays mean Vegan Corn Dogs and PBR (if you're so inclined...and want to stay under $5). This is one of the few meals under $5 that includes a beverage. Hungry Tiger Too! is a punky little bar at se 12th Ave. and Ash, right next to my favorite coffee shop, Three Friends. It has tons of yummy vegan options, as well as carnivorous bar food. So! for $3.50, you can get two vegan corn dogs ($1.25 each) and a PBR ($1). Pretty good. You can even have 2 beers! or 3 corn dogs. I usually forgo the PBR and get a Double Mountain IRA instead. But then, I'm a snob.

A fresh and self-serving start

So I can remember when I have them, I'm going to post my favorite Portland meals $5 and under. Consider yourself warned. And if you happen to read this, and know of some others, let a girl know.

Might also try to track what I'm spending on meals compared to cooking at home. Whooooo knows.

Photo of the day

Mimosa is to Buck's Fizz as ________ is to _________

(I'll think of something clever later)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Please excuse our dust. Not that anyone is reading this blog anyway. But I've been having so many amazing meals around the world lately, I'm thinking of writing about those. So go ahead, and unfavorite this blog cause its going to be a wild and boring ride.

Oxford!

This is the street we live on. We'll actually manage to post a picture of our house at some point.This is Walton Rd, the cute street I walk home on every day. It takes 3 Taylor Swifts and half a Kelly Clarkson to get home (around 15 min :) ) This street has lots of nice cafes and pubs.
Our darling barbs we had to leave behind, but she's in good hands with the mom. I hear she's even allowed on the furniture now :)The cat who senses our cat-absence and has been trying to tempt Peg. This window leads out into our garden (which we will also eventually photograph and publish.)

Back from the blog graveyard! We are in Oxford!! And I'm exhausted :) But I've found my favorite cider, so all is well with the world. Magners. They used to have it in this one pub in Toronto, and then it went away. But its everywhere here!

We arrived here almost 2 weeks ago, and have been scramblingly busy ever since. The first few days we outfitted our adorable green house on Observatory Street. (They switched us from the pink one, but never mind...this one has a washing machine!)

I've now completed 21 of 30 hours of training for Peer Support (basically a peer counseling service for MBAs.) Since last Wednesday, I've been doing tons of stuff in the business school from hearing about exam regulations (if its even a second late you are automatically docked a significant percentage! ah the pleasures of an ancient university), to today, which was a day of conversations on social innovations. I'm thrilled with my choice of school. Really, social innovation permeates everything they do here from finance to marketing to operations. Not to say there aren't a lot of traditional business folk as well, but there is something special about all of it. Classes start in a week but I feel like I've already done enough!! No one hold me to that though because I know there is way way more to come, this is just the prologue.

We have had a chance to explore a little and really the weather has been quite splendid so far. It is a beautiful ancient city. I got to go on an open top bus tour last week with the school so reacquainted with many of the tourist attractions. Yesterday we participated in the "Oxford Pursuit" which is basically a scavenger hunt. I still don't know which animal is pictured above the fireplace in the library at Queen's College, but I suppose I'll complete my MBA without this knowledge.

Anyway, I'll leave it there for now, but suffice to say that hopefully I'll have more time to share this great experience on the blog (whether anyone reads it or not :) )