Contrary to popular belief it is still possible to get lost (even if you have an iPhone). Portland, you seriously tested our bearings and put Siri to work. Despite frustrated “aarghs”, wrong turns and the brief 20 minutes when we COULD NOT FIND VANNA, it was hard to stay mad at you and your strange street system because you are just, oh so charming. With every wrong turn came a new discovery – here’s what we found:

if you happen to find yourself in portland (for 24 hours or less)…

eat
Who thought we’d be passing up a glass of Oregon Pinot and fine dining to sit outside alla picnic bench and woof down a Whiffie Pie? I’m pretty sure that while I was living in Toronto I had strict rules against this. Somehow Portland has managed to master the food cart culture and bring charm where no charm has ever been brought before. We hit up the carts at SE 12th and Hawthorne, ordered an array of grub, including but not limited to PB&J poutine (for serious) and sat under the twinkling lights while watching the crowds gather. It was truly romantic in a ‘summer-loving-Grease kind of way.

sleep
If you’ve got a keen eye for design (or simply just appreciate a good night’s sleep) then Hotel Monaco comes highly recommended. Exuberant patterns and colours are splashed across every surface making each twist and turn down the halls an exciting one. The staff is friendly, the rooms are large (with a sitting area to boot) and the hotel is located in a convenient central location. Added bonus: they welcome your fluffy friends too!

sweat
You may know Alex Cole from the popular 80s dance show, Solid Gold - we know him as our Sunday morning yoga instructor (and YoYo Yogi studio owner) who lead us through a Soul Shakin’ 9am class. If there’s one thing you must do while in Portland, it’s this class.

Coffee
Get your java fix with a hot cup of Portland’s famous Stumptown roast. Hit up the flagship location or score a mugful at Lovejoy Bakers and treat yourself to a post yoga pastry or breakfast sandwich too – that’s what we did!

sweet treat
There are really no words to describe Voodoo Doughnuts it’s just simply something you have to see for yourself. For the real experience put in the time and wait (yes, there will be a line at all hours, every day) and grab a maple bacon doughnut at the original location. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip the wait and score yourself this famous Portland treat in a jiffy at their NE Davis St. location.
Good to know: you can grab a famous pink box to go and fly them internationally with you.
Also good to know: your coworkers may be mad if you don’t deliver. Whoops!

Just one more (brief) stop ahead in Seattle, then we are homeward bound!

Andrea and Elizabeth doing dancer's pose.

Proudly driven down from Portland to San Francisco by Andrea Hehr and Elizabeth Brotz, we present the lululemon love van! “It was a reminder of what I'm here to do. The company that we work for continuously amazes me and it was a sweet journey with a dear friend. We covered every discussion under the sun,” said Andrea.

Speaking of sun, you can do sun salutations on the roof of this van with its unique yoga platform.

Other awesome features
- Bio-diesel eco-friendly design
- Microwave
- Sink and fridge
- 40" plasma
- Wi-fi
- Killer sound system

Our sweet wheels are ready to hit up all the yoga classes!

Welcome to the inside of our lululemon van!

Our lovely manifesto.

Wrapped in our manifesto, this van brought upon sudden awe and dropped jaws from onlookers and drivers along the freeway. “You could see the wheels start to spin…them asking themselves…when was the last time I did one thing a day that scared me?” Andrea.

After working for lululemon, we become immune to the boldness of our manifesto because it really becomes part of our everyday life.

Northern California should watch for us as we explore the region in our lululemon love bus - we'll be hitting up all the coolest events and riding in style. Get ready to be inspired.

Climb on up and join us for a sun salutation soon!