After the race we had planned to go directly to lunch.  Well….we were a soapy, sudsy mess and there was no way that was going to work.  So we went home, had showers, did some mega laundry that included all our shoes, and then hit the town.  We went to check out the food truck scene at 10th and Alder.  It was pretty much an entire square city block lined with food trucks.  All my dreams had come true!  It was so hard to pick.  After much deliberation I got an amazing gyro and a Josh and I got a fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade.  It was divine.  Rusty had a fancy grilled cheese, the boys got pizza, and Halle had a bowl of chicken alfredo that could have fed about 10 people.  🙂

The plan was to head to Salt and Straw for ice cream, but our stomachs were already bursting.  So we decided to go walk around the famous rose gardens for a bit while we digested lunch.  It was pretty  hot, but the gardens were beautiful.  Poor Halle sniffed one variety of rose and immediately started sneezing.  The next morning her nose was stuffy, her throat scratchy, and her eyes were super puffy.  It lasted for about 2 more days.  That was a very weird allergic reaction!

Now off to Salt and Straw.  This place gets some serious hype.  And I thought there was no way it could possibly live up to its reputation. The line was loooong and hot.  Kimberlie, Bob and I stood in line and Rusty took the kids over to a near by toy store.  We were all so thirsty!  My family hadn’t been in the heat for a month and our bodies were in shock. When we finally got inside there were some little cups next to a tap.  We drank like we’d just spent a week in the desert.

Salt and Straw is known for their crazy flavors like Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper and Honey Lavender.  We taste tested things like Salted Caramel Corn on the Cob and Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache.  It was very hard to pick but I finally settled on Pear and Blue Cheese and Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Freckles.  I know that Pear and Blue Cheese sound like a gross ice cream and I almost didn’t even take a taste test but one lick and I was sold!  Delicious.  Rusty got Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Zucchini Bread.  Halle got Chocolate Gooey Brownie and both the boys got Vanilla.  Yes, amid all those crazy wonderful flavors, they choose vanilla. But it was a super amped up very amazing vanilla.  I haven’t stopped dreaming about this ice cream.