Thursday, July 10, 2014

Portland... You're Doing So Much Right!

Our annual wine-trip weekend with Zach took us to Portland and this City of Roses has so much to offer...




We were blessed with some of their finest weather for our 4th of July visit.

I simply could not get enough of the beautiful hydrangeas everywhere we walked.





Taking off out of Sky Harbor Airport amidst a dust storm is intriguing. The airport shut down for about an hour pre-flight which was good (and safe.) Thankfully we were in the terminal and not sitting on the tarmac for this little delay. Though I keep reminding myself to book alternate air, we flew USAirways to Portland. Bah.

Portland International Airport (www.pdx.com) is extremely navigable and though we arrived past midnight, a very friendly National Car Rental agent was waiting for us with a smile. Go with National if you can (www.nationalcar.com.) They were extremely accommodating and our vehicle behaved superbly all weekend long.

It's about a 20 minute drive into downtown Portland where our B & B was located. We stayed at the Heron Haus and it was beyond lovely. Screened sun-room, cozy nooks for reading, lovely patio, gorgeous bedrooms, and dynamite breakfasts.

The Heron Haus (www.heronhaus.com) is located in the northwest area of downtown Portland in a grand old home near restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, and public transportation. She is gorgeous.



Friday, July 4th had us up and ready for our downtown walking tour of Portland. There is a lot of quirkiness here in Portland - a gentle, green, hippie vibe you might say. We encountered uber-friendly folks and some downright snobs. That may be the way of our world you know, but I lean towards the friendly. 

First stop to Cacao (www.cacaodrinkchocolate.com) on 13th Avenue in Portland. As most know, I love my hot cocoa. This was my all-time second-best favorite ever cup of hot cocoa. It ranks second only to the love I got in Amsterdam from a Starbucks of all places. Must be the chocolate! This place had a very fine selection of hand-crafted chocolate bars, some local to Portland. Groovy flavors like sourdough bread with olive oil, and foie gras dark chocolate and spiced cinnamon-pepper chocolate. We purchased a few bars to go with my drink and were on our way.

For a spot of coffee we stepped into World Cup Coffee (www.worldcupcoffee.com) located in the immensely popular Powell's City of Books (www.powells.com.) Zach ranked this coffee as one of the best espressos he has ever had. They ship my friends - order some!! A little remodeling action is going on here, but that did not sway us from touring every floor and peeking into the ever widening city of books that never... seem... to... end. We came away with a few great deals and loads of ideas to order from their website when we got home. One can only carry so many books onto the airplane! 

Our next stop was just up the street to Deschutes Brewing Company. What a lovely piece of property on the corner with great people-watching views and some sassy service. Our waiter was a stitch, talking about her "mood" drinking and describing the integrity of the company itself. We enjoyed quite a few samples here and were feeling pretty darn good about ourselves after imbibing. Hey... we were out walking people!

And so we continued on our way through the streets of Portland. There are interesting things to see everywhere you wander...






Our next stop was a top-rated (by the Brew Dogs from Travel Channel) neighborhood bar called the Belmont Station Bottle Shop (www.belmont-station.com.) On the other side of the river (an enchanting bus ride with some of Portland's finest characters) this cozy little spot is part liquor store, part taproom. Their claim is over 1200 bottles of beer to choose from and that may be a teeny-tiny exaggeration, but there was a whole lot of beer. We tried some local stuff  - a few bottles, and a few beers from the tap. Nothing quite as good as Deschutes, but some interesting samples. 




Though the pic shows a Deschutes sign, these were the tap handles at Belmont Station! Our next stop was to be another highly recommended location at the Horse Brass Pub, but alas... they were closing early and not serving food. Famished (and de-hydrated) we cabbed (www.radiocab.net) to Hair of the Dog Brewing Company (www.hairofthedog.com.) Great lunch here with fresh charcuterie, delicious sammies, ice-cold beer and a refreshing marionberry soda for me. 

Portland'ers (so I've heard) love their bridges. So... we headed out over the Morrison Street Bridge back into downtown Portland in search of a few more places on our list. Underwhelmed at both Rogue Ales & Spirits (surly service, and lackluster brews) and the Teardrop Cocktail Lounge (great service, fascinating menu, and disappointing cocktails) we headed to dinner at Andina (www.andinarestaurant.com.) OH my land.... we arrived about 30 minutes early, and they squeezed us in (thank you Andina!!) Terrific cocktails, impeccable service, and truly amazing Peruvian food. We shared incredibly plump fresh shrimp, tenderly prepared grilled beef hearts, lightly crisped cheese, and amazing home-style bread with dipping sauces for appies. Between the four of us we shared two entrees - one a superior lamb shank with garlic and olive oil steamed rice, and a delectable duo of duck... crispy and grilled with a side of cilantro and olive oil rice. I highlight the rice because I am not a huge fan of rice, but these rices were delicioso!! I would not hesitate to stop in here again and dine with them. The owner came by for a visit and explained a few things about Peruvian cooking and you should have seen her enthusiasm. Wonderful.

Last stop of the evening was the Pope House Bourbon Lounge (www.popehouselounge.com) within walking distance of our inn... thank God. The drinks here were... well... bourbon. A very nice selection, and some very stout mixed cocktails. The sun setting on a lovely patio with a casual vibe and fireworks popping all around us as we celebrated a perfect evening. 

Day two began with coffee sampling at Coffeehouse Northwest (www.sterlingcoffeeroasters.com) and hot cocoa to go - very nice little pit-stop as we continued our search for the best cuppa in Portland. Then out to the Willamette Valley for some extraordinary wine-tasting. This area of Oregon is known for its Pinot Noir and Zach planned our day for us (quite well I might add.) First stop was Alloro Vineyards (www.allorovineyard.com) where we met Abbey and wandered the gorgeous grounds for about 30 minutes prior to opening.






Truth be told, I think we enjoyed the dog and lovely gardens more than the wines. They were drinkable to be sure, but not amazing.

On to an impromptu stop at Ponzi Wines (www.ponzi.com) where a thoroughly knowledgeable staff treated us to some terrific wines. Gorgeous view of the vineyards here and I could have relaxed for a few hours just looking out at the view and enjoying their wines. Since we brought a few home, I'll relax on my own patio and take in the view of my pool instead!!

Our third stop of the day was by far the best with a tasting at Soter Vineyards (www.sotervineyards.com.) We loved the rustic feel of the vineyards on a hillside outside the city of Carlton. 




We heard from our wine expert that this gorgeous piece of property had been a dairy farm in its previous life and when it sold there were many many offers of purchase. Soter Vineyards won, and we're glad they did. Really superb pinots here. Even the view from the restroom was lovely...




Lunch was a true delight at The Horse Radish Wine & Cheese Bar (www.horseradish.com.) We enjoyed a very nice selection of cheeses and salamis, with olives and marcona almonds. The BLT and tomato soup were highlights, as were the macaroon cookies. Yum. Right next door was a little wine bar serving up Honest Chocolates (www.honestchocolates.com) and we dropped in for a bite of their dark chocolate caramels with lavender... YUM. I've decided there should be a chocolate app for my phone. I mean, there's a beer app, a wine app, an everything-and-their-brother-app... Should I create one?? 

Last winery of the day was a disappointment, though so very highly recommended. Do you ever get that feeling that you're being looked down upon for your very presence. Maybe your dress or style or vocabulary? Whatever the case, Winderlea Vineyards was not a hit for us - rude and uninterested with less than palatable wines. Meh.

Another delicious dinner was found at Olympic Provisions (www.olympicprovisions.com.) A wonderful assortment of goodies such as tempura green beans, crunchy ciceronnes, charcuterie, olives, and cheese. Their bar list was quite nice and the best Pimm's Cup I've ever sampled. We had friendly service, with a very Portland'esque vibe - loved this place immensely. 

We woke up on Sunday morning and decided to make a few stops for coffee sampling and purchasing. We visited the minimalistic but very happening Courier Coffee Roasters (www.couriercoffeeroasters.com) where we found Michael Jackson's Thriller playing on the record player. Zach said it was the most "Portland-like" experience of the entire weekend. Second stop for coffee sampling was Barista (www.baristapdx.com) and wow! They had a terrific selection, and loads of personality... great coffee! Last up was Nossa Family Coffee and they had a delightful ambiance, friendly coffee baristas, classes in brewing (oh my!) and really good coffee. Might have been my favorite place aside from Cacao. 

Our next adventure was the Hoyt Arboretum/Vietnam War Memorial and the Oregon Zoo (www.oregonzoo.org.) The entire Forrest Park is a giant green space encompassing the Portland Rose Garden, the Portland Japanese Garden, and a very touching Vietnam War Memorial. Spend some time strolling through the park before or after visiting the zoo. I thought the price of admission for the zoo was very fair at $12 per adult and the grounds were absolutely lovely. Loads of shade trees, meandering pathways, and plenty of wildlife out and about. We saw elephants (and their baby), lions (and their cubs), giraffes, polar bears, lorikeets, and plenty more. This family-friendly space is a must-see if you love zoos like we do.



Our Portland adventure took off from the Portland International Airport where we had a very fine lunch at Gustav's (www.gustavs.net.) This little German eatery had hearty sausages and burgers, crisp fresh salads, and velvety bowls of tomato soup. Yum. Airport food has come a long long way and I appreciate the airports that cater to travelers who must spend precious hours waiting for their flights. 

Thanks so much to our dear Zach for joining us again this year on another wonderful wine excursion. Can't wait to see what you choose next year. Love you!! 

Until next time when I'm sidling up the California Coast on a vacation with Jeff & Wyatt ...
Cheers :)


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