Spring Break

After twenty long weeks of working in the dietetic internship I have finally been awarded a little bit of a break. I was fortunate to spend my week-long hiatus in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying a balance of adventure and relaxation.

What better place to visit other than Washington State, where my fiancé currently lives and works? We had a grand old time romping around the state during my week off, and made priceless memories together. As a Registered Dietitian in training, my love for food runs deep, and we had the opportunity to eat some fabulous meals together. Note that my usually-mostly-healthy diet takes a vacation when I do.

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Portland

Duck Confit Spring Rolls with ginger wasabi sauce

Veritable Quandary will be closing their doors in September, and we were fortunate enough to experience their menu. They print their menus daily and serve whatever fresh ingredients they can get their hands on. I cannot imagine why this restaurant will be closing, but I am thankful we had the chance to experience it before it's gone.

Although Portland is not in Washington we decided to take a short trip to the city. We explored the art museum and the massive, iconic bookstore called Powell's Books. Most notable was our delicious dinner at a restaurant near the water that has been open since 1971. ​

Hanger steak with Sriracha whipped sweet potatoes, roasted red peppers, Shiitake mushrooms, and grilled watercress with miso vinaigrette

Iced Mango

We also could not resist visiting Voodoo Doughnut, despite the mile long line trailing down the sidewalk. They have basically any kind of doughnut you could ever imagine in a satirical setting.

Kayaking

We also took a day trip to Friday Harbor, which required the assistance of a few ferries, where we participated in a kayaking trip. The goal was to set out in search of whales, but sadly it was a very windy day and we were unable to go very far out into the ocean. Although we didn't see any whales, we learned a lot about the other wildlife and vegetation of the area.

​SIDE NOTE:

I also had this insanely delicious Pacific Northwest Pasta, with clams, shrimp, sweet onions and blistered tomatoes in a white wine and garlic sauce.

It was so good that it is worth mentioning.

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Hiking the Cascades

The grand finale of our trip was our exhibition through the Cascades. Over the course of 7.5 hours we were able to hike a total 4,000 feet in elevation, covering roughly 15 miles round trip! We may not have seen any whales, but we did happen upon a black bear as we were driving up to the trail head. ​​It was amazing to experience the weather change associated with such high altitudes.

 The bottom of the trail felt more like summer than spring, but at the top we were hiking through football field lengths of snow. No picture could do justice to the beauty of the mountains, nor recreate the overwhelming feeling of how incredibly small we are on our planet.

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There is no better remedy than being surrounded by pure, unadulterated nature. I have learned a lot within the last twenty weeks of this internship, but it felt good to get away and clear the cobwebs. This was the perfect segue into my final rotation, and I am feeling mentally prepared for a strong finish.

On to the next!