Blooming with Helga, Part 1

Recently I enjoyed a little adventure that took me to another town, and a bit out of my comfort zone. I hinted about it last week here on the blog, and for those of you who follow me on Twitter, I blurted it outright: "Holy Feck! I'm am off to meet the F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S @HelgaVonTrollop and I'm beside myself with excitement." 

A BIG, BIG thanks to these lovely sponsors, Karina Dresses and Tooth Soap for making this adventure possible. Without their support and the assistance of travel agent extraordinaire, Christy Jourdan of  The Vacationistas, I would NOT have had the opportunity to make this dream come true.

Blooming with Helga is brought to you by the bright smiles of all-natural Tooth Soap

Let me back up a little: several months ago, I got word from one of my all-time favorite bloggers that she was coming to the States, and would I want to meet her?  After a few false starts, I finally did, not in San Francisco as originally planned, but in Portland, Oregon. For those of you who are in a hurry, here is the short version-
The Short Version:
I recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, where I met the fabulous Helga Von Trollop and made some new friends.  My life will never be the same.
The following is part one of the Not-So-Short Version:
Last week, I caught a bus from Seattle, Washington and headed to Portland, Oregon, and checked into the Jupiter Hotel in downtown Portland. I unpacked, and strolled the bustling avenue of East Burnside. Beguiling eateries, and tantalizing shops beckoned me. I ate delicious artisanal pizza from Sizzle Pie, and slurped down several well priced and hand-crafted beers, and I waited like a giddy schoolgirl. Ok, a buzzed and giddy school girl.  I returned to the Jupiter, and paced around my rather cute and cozy hotel room.
Late night, I answerd a knock on my door, and upon opening, I heard the musical lilt and saw the beautiful face of the utterly mesmerizing Helga Von Trollop. Helga, for the sad souls who do not know, is a fashion blogger, hailing from New Zealand. Her eponymous style blog, Helga Von Trollop has a zealous + devoted following, me among them. Bold,  vintage infused, with a touch of bawdy, Helga rocks an original style the hugs her curves + takes no prisoners.  Helga also just so happens to be over 40 years of age, but that doesn't really describe her- Helga's style fits no category other than FABULOUS.
Helga and her charming sidekick, G, have been touring the States this summer.  They made Portland one of their stops so they could meet some Portland blogger buddies, and lucky for me: ME!  The knock of the door was the knock of that opportunity- I answered the knock and saw with my own eyes the salt-of-the-earth-goddess that is Helga. I met, face to face, Helga-Fecking-Von-Trollop, looking a whole foot shorter than I imagined her, but twice a beautiful.

A Coffee Pick-Me-Up:  G and Helga outside Portland's Grendel's Coffee House

We made plans for the next day, and met in the morning for coffee. That's when I met the equally charming G, Helga's partner of 20 years.  Both were adorably dressed, G in an smart vintage navy military jacket, a cardinal red T-shirt, and a great pair of bright green Converse kicks. Helga was sporting her new Karina dress, a gift from me + my sponsors, the nice folks at Karina Dresses. She looked effortlessly elegant in the hot pink print, and had bloomed madly with her pink floral head scarf,  vintage tapestry rose pendant, big brass hoop earrings, and a wicked wicker handbag. There IS form to her function: Helga wearing a cute but comfy pair of tan leather Hush Puppies sandals, proves that you can be stylish, and immensely practical. We were going to be on our feet all day, and Helga was ready for it!
Next up: the blogger meet-up. Tune in tomorrow and join in on the fun!