Saturday, February 18
I caught my 8:10am flight out of LAX after getting up at the gawdawful time of 4:30am to get ready and catch the Van Nuys Flyaway bus to LAX. It’s a great alternative to asking a friend to get their ass up at an inhuman hour to drive you, or pay for parking at LAX (and also much cheaper than taxis or town cars). You pay about $14 round-trip for the bus and $4 a day for parking. The bus rolled up Terminal 3 at LAX after a 30 minute ride. I had plenty of time before my flight. For flights to the Pacific Northwest, I prefer Alaska Airlines (www.alaskaair.com) because they tend to offer the best options on flights and competitive prices. They also have very good customer service (though I have had a few run-ins over the years, but they seem to be the exception).
We had a sardine can flight...not one open seat. I was worried that they might start bumping people since they had so many people listed as “unassigned” at the gate...but it all seemed to work out. I managed to move up towards the front of the plane when I checked in online the day before and got an aisle seat around row 10.
The flight was generally uneventful. I did order a Bloody Mary and a cheese/fruit plate since I had only a cereal bar for breakfast. We landed in Portland around 10am (a little early) and I texted Phil to let him know I would be at the curb shortly.
We drove back to Phil’s place to drop my bags and get an introduction to his two new cats-he added two to the “herd” when his cat Auric passed away last year leaving his pal Smokey all alone. Smoke is the elder statesman now (he’s around 13ish) to Ghost and Jack (father and son, respectively) who are kittens in comparison (they’re 3 and 1). They are all very cute, and the young ones are quite active! Jack wasn’t sure what to think of me, but over the visit he warmed up. The other two were always “pet me, pet me!”
After getting acquainted with the new kitties and doing a little unpacking, we headed over to the MAX station (Portland’s light rail) to head downtown to go to the art museum and get some lunch. Phil walked me around some of the South Park Block to get a feel for the area, walked through the farmer’s market to see what they had, then headed over to The Portland Art Museum, or PAM (www.portlandartmuseum.org). They usually sponsor a food cart or two on Saturdays. We decided to check it out and see what was parked there – turned out it was Korean-Mexican fusion truck…..which I had had earlier in the week (Kogi BBQ), so I opted to not partake and we could get lunch somewhere else.
First though, we hit the museum and checked out the exhibits. They had a Rothko exhibit. We wound up walking through it backwards (starting with his more recent works back to his oldest). I must admit, I don’t get his work. It’s just a couple of colors on canvas. And while I find some of them pretty…they just don’t strike a chord in me. His early worsk, however, I found more interesting. They tended to border on French Impressionism. Those I liked. Speaking of Impressionism, we did find the gallery that had the Impressionists, including my favorite, Monet. We also checked out the Asian art and some American art. We ended with the Contemporary…which I got even less than Rothko. I found very few pieces that interested me. Below is one example of what I consider absurdity-by which I mean…they paid for this? Honestly??
After the museum we hunted for some lunch. Nothing much struck my fancy until Phil suggested a French bistro downtown, Brasserie Montmartre (www.brasserieportland.com). The menu was appealing, so in we went. The décor is standard brasserie fare, and was warm and inviting. I ordered the Steaks Frites and a glass of Bordeaux. I also wanted to order some fries cooked in duck fat as an appetizer, but the server suggested upgrading the fries that came with my lunch…so I opted for the upgrade. And let me tell you…that was a worthwhile upgrade. If you haven’t had French fries deep fried in duck fat…do it! They were absolutely delicious. I could have eaten another plate of them…but I didn’t. The Steak was also very delicious and properly cooked (medium rare). I enjoy a good flatiron steak! I gladly recommend this Brasserie if you visit Portland.
After lunch we walked over to the mall to go shopping at the Made in Oregon store (www.madeinoregon.com). They sell…well…stuff made in Oregon! We went mostly because I wanted to pick up some of the truffles made by the Brigittine Monks that call Oregon home (they should offer absolution after eating one…they are sinful!). I picked up a few other things to bring home with me too.
Our last stop in downtown was the video gaming hub, Ground Kontrol, to play some of the video games from our generation (that would be the early 80s). I suck at the games, but it was fun to wax nostalgic and play Centipede, Star Wars and some pinball. They serve alcohol there too (a dangerous combo….40-something geeks playing games and getting blitzed)!
After blowing about $5, we caught the MAX back to Phil’s neck of the woods to relax and unwind. As the evening wore on, hunger set in (or maybe it was just the desire to eat more of the local cuisine). We headed out to Gustav’s Pub (http://gustavs.net), a pub serving up Germanic style fare and beers. I had been a few times before, but I do enjoy the food. We had to wait a while as it was a Saturday night. Phil and I shared the cheese fondue with smoked bier sausage and bread cubes. MMmmmm very tasty and addicting. For my main course, I had the roasted duck: half a duck with apple cider jus and sides of braised cabbage (bleech!) and spätzle. The duck was incredibly moist, and the apple cider jus gave it an edge. I washed it all down with a lighter lager, I think it was the Spaten Pils. I only got a half liter, maybe a full stein the next time. It was all a good way to end my first day in Portland.
Sunday, February 19
On Sunday morning we headed out for breakfast at the local Biscuits Café (www.biscuitscafe.com), a local chain for breakfast eateries. While I enjoy a good breakfast, I am NOT an egg person – which means I generally have limited options at restaurants. Everything is always so egg-centric. Or pancakes. And while I enjoy pancakes, I just wasn’t feeling like starting my day with a bunch of carbs. Thankfully, they offered up plenty of protein, and I opted for the chicken apple sausages, which comes with hash browns, toast and eggs….or as I did, you can substitute out for something else. I added fruit. It was very delicious and filling. They also offer lunch options during the day, but I always think of this place as a breakfast diner.
Later in the morning we headed out to Mt. Tabor Park (in the southeast part of town to get out and get some fresh air and a little exercise. http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=275&action=ViewPark)
The Park is an old cinder cone left over from when the area was full of volcanic activity. It’s worn away over the years, but it still has a decent peak which gives you excellent views of the greater Portland area. There are trails that wind around the hillside, leading up to the park at the peak. We took the straight shot up the side (which probably was a mistake as it’s rather steep). I was able to get some great pictures of the city (through the trees though).
After spending about an hour or so there, it was getting to be lunchtime, so we tooled around the neighborhood, then I tracked down a place where I heard food carts congregate on the eastside. Turns out, there is a dedicated parking lot where about a dozen or so carts are “permanently” parked. In Portland, they refer to these areas as “Pods”, whereas in L.A., we tend to refer to them as “Roundups”. The place is called Cartlandia (www.cartlandia.com), and it sits on the Springwater bike trail at SE 82nd St. Since this was Sunday, only about half were open and active. We milled about, checking menus and options, but settled on the Philly Cheesesteak cart since we were both kind of jonzin’ for some cheesesteak.
The cheesesteak comes in many options, and you have your choice of a 6” sandwich, or a footlong. Both Phil and I settled on the footlong (I had thought the smaller one, but then, how often do I get a Philly Cheesesteak?!). I added some Tim’s Chips to the mix. There are several options available on the sandwich, or you can build your own. I decided to build my own and keep it simple: meat, cheese, bun. I don’t like rabbit food on my sandwiches, generally. The cheese I chose was Tillamook Cheddar (very local). The meat was seasoned perfectly, and the cheese was sharp, but not overpowering. It’s one of the best cheesesteaks I’ve had outside of Philadelphia! This guy knows his stuff! I’d like to go back the next time I am in Portland, and highly recommend anyone (visiting or local) to check out this Pod of carts out in the eastend. Next visit, I think I will focus on the ones downtown too.
After an active afternoon, we went back to Phil’s to chill out and watch some movies. After all, vacation is about relaxing! [I asked Phil for comment and edits on this posting, and he was a little put out that I didn’t mention that we watched the movie Igor. So for the sake of friendship, I am mentioning it here-it was a cute and entertaining-and even funny-movie.]
In the evening, even though I still felt a little full from the sandwich, we went out to dinner. This time it was going to be a seafood night, and we headed over to McGrath’s Fish House (www.mcgrathsfishhouse.com), a Pacific Northwest chain. It’s another place I’ve been to before, but I always enjoy as I do love their salmon preparations. We didn’t order an appetizer this night since we had such a huge lunch. I was tempted by the salmon that was stuffed with crab and artichoke, with a white wine sauce. Salmon – good, crab – good, sauce – yummmm. Altogether it was a very decadent dining experience. Made me wish we had a place down here that offered this dish (well, maybe someone does, but I haven’t found it yet).
Monday, February 20
On Monday morning, I opted for a little lighter meal for breakfast and we visited a local bagel shop where I got an “everything” bagel with cream cheese and some lox. It was just enough to fill me up for the start of the day. We were heading out on road trip. Phil and I decided to search for the monks who make the truffles we love. Their monastery is located east of Salem, so it was going to be a full day trip.
Our first stop was Silver Falls State Park (http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php). Phil thought I might enjoy the beauty and serenity of the falls. The park includes a total of 10 falls, but we went to the South Falls as Phil thought I would find it most interesting. You can hike along the trails to the others (it’s a 5 hour trek from the South Falls to the North ones, with the others along the way.
Phil was right-they are very beautiful, and quite serene. I could picture myself just sitting there all day admiring the falls and listening to the water. We hiked down the path from the top to get full views of the falls, and even walk behind them. It was stunning. I had never been behind any falls before, so it was interesting to get that perspective, albeit a rather wet one. I think in summertime it would be much better from a cooling standpoint, but we were bundled up enough to brace ourselves from the cold and it’s more of a mist behind the falls (and I had an umbrella to shield me from most of it). I was able to get some really interesting photos, or at least what I thought was interesting.
We milled about for a while, enjoying the scenery and the sound the falls make, but it was getting time to hit the road again. We headed out of the park and out towards Salem. Rural Oregon is quite beautiful. I’ve mostly spent my time in the northern part of the state, and along the coast. It was nice to see more of the central/north-central part of the state. It was not disappointing. Bucolic would be an apt description of much of what we drove through.
We rolled into Salem around lunchtime (and Salem also happens to be the capital, but we didn’t go to see it). I used my Urbanspoon on my iPhone to find some recommendations downtown for a place to eat. Given that it was a holiday, some places were closed, or not very busy. The one recommendation I came up with that seemed like a good idea was Bentley’s Grill (www.bentleysgrill.com). It was kind of a ghost town, but I chalk that up to the holiday.
Phil and I shared an appetizer of Mac & Cheese, with prosciutto mixed in. It was quite decadent. For my entrée I was torn between a few items, but based on the recommendation of our server, I went for the butternut squash and gorgonzola raviolis in a parmesan cream sauce. Mmmmmm…it was definitely the right choice. I hadn’t had butternut raviolis in ages, and this combo put it over the top! I would eat a plate of those every day. I didn’t embarrass Phil by licking the plate…but I wanted to! I’m going to have to see if anyone around L.A. makes anything similar, or recommend that they do. More please!
After a very filling and satisfying lunch, we went on our merry way in search of the Monks. Their monastery is on the outskirts of Amity, OR (a small town, but quaint), out on a dirt road in the farmlands. We almost missed the turn as what the GPS said was a turn looked like a farm, but the banking of the road hid the dirt road. About a half mile down is the paved driveway leading to the monastery. If they want seclusion, they have it.
This order of Monks, the Brigittine Monks (www.brigittine.org), is a contemplative order, apparently silent during the day. They are the only order left in the world, though there are orders of Brigittine nuns around the world. And in order to be self-sufficient, they produce these chocolate truffles and fudge. They really are incredibly delicious. Each box contains six truffles (rather sizable too), and runs $12.95 a box. Believe me, they are well worth it. You can order directly from them online, but they are sold in stores throughout Oregon and are available elsewhere too.
The woman who works in the shop was very informative about the Monks and the confections they create. Apparently they at one time made carrot cake and fruitcake, but found that chocolate keeps longer and more popular. We tasted all the different fudges they make, and some of the truffles. I walked out of there with some of their holiday fudge, and a bunch of boxes of truffles (cherry, raspberry – the best in my opinion, hazelnut, mint and butter rum). The hazelnut, mint and butter rum flavors are only made around the holiday and are sold until they are gone-so I lucked out that they had some stock in the store still! I had to have Phil ship back some of my stuff since I knew I’d never get all that chocolate in my carry-on. I think I will be sending some of these out for the holiday next year.
We probably spent about an hour there talking with the lady in the shop, and even stopped in the chapel to check it out. The Monks were nowhere to be seen. We arrived there just after they had gone into prayer, and never saw them leave the chapel.
The trip back through the countryside was pretty, though neither Phil nor I thought about the potential traffic. It wasn’t until we got out on the main road that we realized we were going to hit some. Thankfully, the jam we did hit only lasted for several miles until we got through one particular town and then thinned out, so it wasn’t really as bad as L.A. traffic jams can be. We got back to the house around dark and lounged around for a while.
Since it was my last night, I wanted to go to the same restaurant we had gone to the year before – Café Nell (www.cafenell.com). [The locals also refer to this place as The Nelly – it does tend to attract a large gay following.] When we had gone the prior February for Phil’s birthday, we happened to go on Valentine’s Day…so it was wall-to-wall people and we wound up eating in the bar. That was fine by me, as I can enjoy good food in a bar as well as in a dining room. This go-round we had the place to ourselves! We got there around 7pm, and there were maybe two or three people in the bar, and the bartender showed us to the dining room…and we had our pick of tables! This is a popular place, so I have to chalk it up to the holiday, and the fact that it was a Monday evening. But it did mean we had a lot of attention.
We started out with the cheese plate, which comes out on a marble tile. They are all local cheeses. They paired them up with grapes, green apples and strawberries. I like to mix and match and see what flavors I get. They gave us bleu cheese, cheddar and manchego varieties. All were tasty, but lacked an accompaniment of honey. For my main course, I went with a risotto dish they have. It’s a standard risotto made with red wine, but they use gruyere cheese instead of parmesan, and add in some granny smith apples. You can add chicken or shrimp too – but I asked if they would add bacon, and they were happy to oblige. It was yet another decadent dish, a very generous serving, and I couldn’t finish but half of it. It was so rich. But it gave me some ideas for my own risotto at home.
That concluded my tour through Portland, as I had to get on a plane in the morning. Boo hoo hoo. I enjoyed it and have some more ideas for my next trip up that way.
Tuesday, February 21
Sadly, I had to leave Portland and catch my Alaska flight back to LAX. No upgrades this time either, and I didn’t get to move forward either-unless I wanted a middle seat. I like Portland’s airport as it’s far more modern and inviting than LAX. Actually ALL of the airports in the PNW are more inviting and modern. It’s sad – LAX it a major world gateway, yet it’s stuck in the 1960s. Literally. If you don’t believe me, next time you go through LAX, check out the throwback mosaic tiles in the tunnels from the gates to baggage claim – in all the terminals (except the international). [These tunnels have not changed since they were a backdrop of the opening scenes of The Graduate!]
My flight was on time, and we found out we were flying in a new plane! Alaska had taken possession of a new 737 the week before. It had the new Sky interior that had been developed for the 787. It definitely seems roomier, more leg room, better lighting. The one mar on the return trip was the fact that one row in front of me were two screaming toddlers, and there were more a row behind me. Ugh! The ones in front wouldn’t shut up the entire flight, were constantly contradictory to their parents, and were hard to placate. The ones behind, thankfully, were complete angels-a nice change. I had to have a cocktail to endure. I also ordered some lunch. They offered up a chicken sandwich on ciabatta bread, with parmesan shavings, basil leaves, and Caesar dressing. It was actually rather tasty for airline food.
When we landed in L.A., I had to shed a little tear as my vacation trip was now at a conclusion. I’ll miss Portland and will have to plan to go back sometime soon.
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