An Engagement Celebration

Valentine’s Day was close to perfect, save for a minor hiccup that happened sometime between the end of a good work day and DFJ asking me to marry him. Yes, you read that right… we are engaged!

The proposal did not go quite the way he planned it to…

Nervous/Scared DFJ + Impatient Me = Heartbreaking Argument

So, we went on a walk to get some air and I ranted about the possibility of a breakup and gave DFJ a lecture on how no one is ever ready for anything and how jumping into the unknown is just a part of life… all the while crying and looking like a mess. We somehow ended up at our special bridge, which is the bridge that we ran to the first day we met at running club and the same bridge that we have trotted on so many times after that. When we got to the bridge, he stopped me from walking and made me look at the new moon. He asked me to smile the way the moon was smiling and I remember looking up at it but unable to smile because my heart was breaking.

Everything that happened after that was a blur… I was a jumble of emotions and shivering cold. DFJ asked me to marry him and my initial response was, “Are you joking?”… I really thought he was but then he fumbled through his shoe pocket, pulled out a Hope Trollbead (which kind of looks like a ring) for my charm bracelet, knelt down and said some very nice things about exploring the world together (and if you’ve been reading this blog you know we have hiked, camped, rafted, kayaked, and cross-country skied all over the Northwest). I still couldn’t believe what I was hearing but I said yes! Of course, yes! And heck, yes! He then told me that we would pick out the engagement ring the next day. At that point, what just happened did not sink in right away… my brain was numb with cold and I was upset-confused-happy at the same time.

We ran home to fight off the cold while I clutched on the Hope bead for dear life. The whole time we were laughing and talking about what just happened, like little kids who just got away from doing something naughty.

As soon as we got back into our warm haven, champagne was popped open and some beers were consumed while we made a fancy dinner to celebrate the next chapter in our relationship.

We looked at rings the next day at a local jeweler and found a style that I liked. But we waited to see what Portland had in store since we were going there for the weekend. I am glad that we waited because we found the perfect ring at a charming jewelry shop downtown. The husband-wife owners, David and Ronnie, of Malka Diamonds and Jewelry were very nice and helpful. We had the best time learning about diamonds and shopping for something that holds so much significance. I love my ring and can’t stop staring at it and imagining the good things that are yet to come!

 

The whole weekend was a sweet celebration of everything that just happened. During this time, the fact that we are now engaged slowly sunk in. I feel like I am in love with my DFJ all over again!   

We stayed at an Airbnb close to the Alberta neighborhood and got a nice feel of what it’s like to actually live in Portland. Our lovely hostess, Michelle, owns The Peoples Yoga and I got the chance to go to a great class at the Killingsworth studio (one of the perks for staying at her house).    

Here’s a rundown of the restaurants we went to:

Yakuza (NE 30^th Ave and Killingsworth) – Amazing Kobe burgers and very good sushi! I love the dim, sexy, cozy interior, and the picnic bench style tables.  

Aviary (Alberta) – Fancy-schmancy… we only ordered one dish, a drink, and a dessert because everything is muy expensive… but everything we had was pretty darn good!  

Extracto Coffee Roasters (Killingsworth) – Great neighborhood coffee shop with delicious coffee and yummy treats from local bakeries around Portland.

Cha’ba Thai (Alberta) – I had one of the best curries in this restaurant. We ordered a beef and squash curry… the beef was perfectly tender and the curry was so well-flavored! I also loved the colorful plates!   

Sizzle Pie (Industrial District) – Great pizza by the slice in downtown Portland. It was the perfect spot to grab a bite right before we went to DFJ’s rock concert (Coheed and Cambria and Between the Buried and Me).

McMenamin’s Kennedy School (NE 33^rd Ave) – Think: Old elementary school converted into a community center/hotel with a theater, a brewery, bars, a restaurant, a gym, a soaking pool, and function rooms. Pretty awesome!!! We had some good beers and a grilled cheese sandwich after the concert at The Boiler Room Bar.

TheWaffle Window (Alberta) – Super cute waffle shop on Alberta with delicious waffles!

 

 

Wolf and Bear’s (Mississippi Ave) – A food truck tucked in an alley somewhere on historic Mississippi Avenue. They make really delicious falafels with local and organic ingredients!

 

 

El Inka (48 NE Division, Gresham) – An unpretentious Peruvian restaurant in a small strip mall with great food. Everything we ate reminded me of the food that my mom cooked when I was growing up. Simple, homey, and delicious!

 

We had a wonderful time and are looking forward to so many more to come!

Cheers to us!