When I was pregnant with my oldest, I was encouraged by several new Moms to join a PEPS group. It’s a support group for Seattle-area parents. I joined and my group bonded so strongly that we still see each other regularly 3 years later. They are the people I share my parenting highs and lows with first and they have continued to support me through the birth of my second child.
Last year, we decided that we needed a Moms weekend and we drove to Central Washington and had a blast! So this year for our Moms weekend, we decided to cross the border and head to Portland, Oregon. Most of us had been there before and we knew it’s a laid-back city with lots of good food and quirky fun. It’s a 3 hour drive from the Seattle area, which is a comfortable distance away from our families.
Most of the women in my group took Friday off from work and they were able to head to Portland in time for lunch. They ate at Pok Pok Thai restaurant and then checked into the Sentinel Hotel. We picked this hotel because one of the Moms in our group is 8 months pregnant and not only was it centrally located in Portland, but they also featured a restaurant and a Starbucks (in case we didn’t leave the property.)

Getting pedicures while sipping wine and eating cupcakes was a highlight of our trip!

They had a extensive wine list and even offered mimosas!

The birthday cupcakes were secretly ordered during the day and the staff at Comma presented them while we sang Happy Birthday!
They had a lazy morning of sleeping in and then headed to breakfast. I joined them on Saturday at 1pm. They were just finishing up their naps (a MUST for a Moms weekend getaway) and we decided to do some shopping. Nordstrom was just a few blocks away, so we did some shoe shopping. Then, we headed a few more blocks to Nordstrom Rack where we did more shoe shopping! I was so impressed with myself that I didn’t head directly to the children’s department and actually shopped for myself. This hasn’t happened in years!
We had 3:30pm reservations at Comma for pedicures. This place is seriously amazing. Not only were were able to get wine and mimosas, but they offered chair massages and delivered cupcakes to us while we got our pedicures! The staff were so friendly and we were able to truly relax. In fact, they had some large chairs available for napping while waiting for everyone to finish up. Next time I’m in Portland, I’m definitely making an appointment here!

I found my room at Sentinel Hotel to be decorated beautifully!
At this point, I needed to pump. Thankfully, my room at Sentinel was ready so we headed back to the hotel, just half a block down the street. I was really impressed with how spacious the room was. And I loved the whole vibe of the hotel and it was perfect for our Moms weekend.
After I finished, I met everyone at Starbucks downstairs. It was supposed to be a Starbucks Reserve that offered wine and nibbles, but they told us they no longer were doing that. That was a bummer. But, we got some caffeine and headed to Powell’s Books, just a few blocks away.

Every time I visit Portland, I always stop at Powell’s Books to check out their travel-themed children’s books.

The Lebanese food at Zaatar was so flavorful and easy to share!
We tried to go to Mediterranean Exploration, but it was a 2 hour wait (they didn’t accept reservations.) We were too hungry to wait, so we tried a few other places, but they also had long wait times. I forgot that Portland restaurants don’t usually accept restaurants. I think it’s part of their hipster vibe. We ended up at Hamlet, a bar that specializes in pork products and cocktails. Our drinks were amazing and the small plates was surprisingly good. My favorite item was their butter. It tasted homemade with a bit of salt. The staff wasn’t the friendliest, but the snacks and drinks were great.

Blue Star donuts in Portland offers unique flavor combinations for a variety of palettes.

We waited 45 minutes in line, something we never would have attempted with our 3-year-olds!

This was the sole biscuit baker and one of the hardest working employees anywhere!

Here is the McIsley in all its glory!

The biscuit with jam looked so yummy and comforting!

Enjoying girl time at the Comma was definitely a favorite for us!
6 Ways to Create Your Ultimate Moms Weekend
- Pick a hotel that offers late checkout. That way you can take your time getting ready in the morning and can just relax in bed.
- Do an activity you love. For us, we all enjoy shopping. And we love it even more with the freedom of not having strollers or lugging around snacks for kids.
- Make an appointment at a salon or spa. Getting massages and nails done at Comma was definitely a highlight of our trip.
- Try new food. My friends and I are so used to mealtimes with 3-year-olds that it was so relaxing to be able to sit back and truly enjoy tasting an array of foods many of us hadn’t tried before.
- Bring earplugs. Sleep is a priority, so wear earplugs to ensure you won’t get woken up by loud neighbors or garbage trucks.
- Plan your next getaway. To ensure that it actually happens again, start talking about when/where your next weekend will be while you are relaxed and remember how important it is to recharge.
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