Dim Sum, Japanese Gardens, and Screen Door

Writing the title of this post reminded me of the What Doesn't Belong? game. Screen Door is the correct answer.

My mom and I had quite the Sunday. We started the day at Fubonn, where I needed to go to pick up a Miracle gadget (see here) for a friend and get some ingredients for a curry. My mom was in awe of the place, and we spent a lot of time going up and down the isles looking at all the fascinating foodstuffs like bottled shrimp, sauces galore, enormous bags of dried mushrooms, and more noodle options than you would believe. I wish I had taken pictures.

After we had finished up shopping, we headed to Legin for some dim sum. I don't know what made us decide to have dim sum. I think we were discussing what we wanted to do on Sunday, and after choosing Fubonn and the Japanese Gardens as our activities, something Asian to eat just seemed right? We feasted on shrimp dumplings, Shaomai, shrimp and spinach dumplings, sticky rice, green beans, pork buns, Congee - a porridge, and for dessert, sesame balls. Delish!

With our tummies full to the brim, we headed into Washington Park to visit the Japanese Garden. I put the pictures at the beginning of the post because they're so pretty!

I haven't yet mentioned that Sunday was not a nice day. When we left Fubonn, it was raining sideways. Thank goodness the rain mostly stopped during our Japanese Garden visit, but it was still grey and cold out. It was perfect weather to curl up on the couch with wine, a blanket, and a movie, so that is exactly what we did. We watched Everything Must Go. We had both heard it was good, and Will Ferrell is in it, so it must be good. And it was good. But it's not a comedy. It is actually really depressing. You've been warned.

After the movie, we walked down the street to maybe my favorite restaurant in Portland, Screen Door. I had the fried chicken, my mom had the Screen Door plate - a combination of her choice of three sides - and she picked a beet salad, a roasted root vegetable dish, and cranberry beans.

Usually my mom and I are really sad when we say goodbye because we don't know when we will see each other again. This time it isn't quite so sad because my parents will be back in 2 weeks for the Portland Marathon. We already have our meals planned out, and this time I get to see my Dad's reaction to some restaurants he has never tried. I can't wait!

Bon appetit!