Weekend Fun

I mentioned earlier that our friend Ed was in town for a few days to do a couple of comedy shows. J was excited because he had a drinking buddy for the weekend and a very willing concert partner. I was excited, because Ed cooked us french toast and indulged with me in cupcakes and cookies after every meal. Thursday night, we went to see Ed's opening act for a friend, Wyatt Cenac, who was doing a stand-up show at Reed College. Any of you Daily Show fans might recognize Wyatt, who is a writer and a news correspondent.

After the show, we attempted to take them out for an evening in Portland, but ended up first at a bar that was closing up for the evening (at 10:30 on a Thursday night) and a gay bar in Old Town. Clearly, J and I are not as familiar with the downtown night scene as we are with our own neighborhood -- I certainly hope he doesn't hold this against Portland. Next time, we'll do a much better job of hitting the hot spots.

Since we stayed out until 2am, sleeping in was on the menu for Friday morning. Pine State Biscuits was also on the agenda, so we rolled on over to the east side and waited in line (in the rain) for a delicious breakfast/lunch. This is Ed's selection, a biscuit with fried chicken, egg, and cheese. I had a special menu item, which consisted of a biscuit, fried chicken, bacon, cheese, and apple butter. It was amazing. I had a hard time deciding between the special and the Reggie (bacon, fried chicken, cheese, and homemade sausage gravy). The sausage gravy smelled so good that I'm pretty sure we'll have to go back very soon so I can give it a try. After Pine State, J and Ed took a long walk around town while I passed out for a couple of hours in a food coma.

Even though Ed had been to Portland a couple of times before, he'd never really ventured outside of the city limits. So, he packed up his suitcase, threw it in the trunk of our car, and we headed out to Multnomah Falls for the afternoon before dropping him off at the airport on Saturday. It was a beautiful day in Portland, sunny, but still a little cool. The falls were spectacular and the moss was electric green because of all the rain that we got on Friday. I probably should have worn one more layer, but I always forget how it's usually 10 degrees colder than at home in the city. We didn't hike up to the top, because none of us were really dressed appropriately for the temperature. Also, we had delicious sandwiches waiting in the car (and I was starving)!

It felt great to have a guest in town again. It's one of the things that I truly miss about D.C. -- we always seemed to have visitors. I can't wait for the next couple of months when we'll get to have lots of friends and family visiting, which will make Portland really start to feel like home.

** Thanks, Ed, for taking a bunch of great photos this weekend!

Lazy Blogger

Yeah, I totally spaced out on my blogging duties for the past few days. It certainly wasn't because I lacked material. We were incredibly busy this weekend (in a good way). This activity was due in part to the fact that I couldn't think of enough excuses to get me out of cleaning the apartment, and also, it was a holiday weekend with an abundance of beautiful weather.

Saturday morning I was feeling antsy and having a hard time figuring out what to do. Jesse suggested a bike ride, which at first sounded horrible, but once I was out in the cool breeze I couldn't get enough. Our initial destination was a bakery on Division Street, but about a mile into the ride, I decided that I wanted to make an afternoon of our excursion. We never made it to that Division Street bakery, but found something just as good -- if not better. The bike route headed down to Sellwood and by the time we arrived, I was ready for lunch. So, we stopped at the Grand Central Bakery for snacks. With two sack lunches in hand, Jesse and I made our way to the waterfront park and splayed out in the grass. It was great. My chicken salad sandwich (with fresh tarragon and asparagus) was outstanding. Jesse's turkey, cheese, and sweet chutney sandwich was also top-notch. Feeling refreshed and re-energized, we turned back for home with a slight detour in the Clinton/Division neighborhood. On the way, we met up (fortuitously) with our friends Anna and Brian (and their son) on an afternoon stroll. After walking them to their car, we continued with our bike ride to 62nd Avenue. In case you're wondering, our round trip ride on Saturday clocked in right around 21 miles. It was tiring, but surprisingly, I was not very sore.

Sunday was all about cleaning. I don't want to talk about it anymore. However, the apartment looks really spiffy and ready for the oncoming wave of guests in June.

As a treat for cleaning all day on Sunday, I decided that we needed a special outing on Monday. We decided to take a loop around Mount Hood (about 160 miles round trip). It was mostly a drive to see what's out there, since we've never really been any further east than 122nd Avenue in Portland. Our trip yesterday was stunning and surprising. Surprises? Well, people were skiing. Skiing in May? Absurd! Mount Hood is incredible, however, I learned that I probably will never feel comfortable driving there before the end of May.

These two photos were taken near the top of Mt. Hood at Timberline Lodge. The lodge was built by hand by WPA workers between 1936-37 and is a National Historic Landmark. Look familiar? The exterior was also used to film the movie, The Shining. I really enjoyed walking around and ogling the interior spaces outfitted with timbers, giant iron gates, and hand made furniture and textiles (also planned and executed by WPA workers). I know I'm a giant dork, but the huge snow piles still make me gasp. OMG! The snow is still up to the roof in May. Unbelievable.

After Timberline Lodge, we continued around the west side of Mt. Hood and made our way back home. We stopped off to cross the Bridge of the Gods into Washington and checked out a potential destination, the Walking Man Brewery. There doesn't seem to be much to do in Stevenson, WA other than walk around the 4-block downtown and sip some brews next to the Columbia River. That's ok though, the Bonneville Dam (also a National Historic Landmark) is just down the road and a totally awesome way to spend the afternoon. Two NHL's in a day? My total geek fantasy trip.

Wow, I totally sound like a lame travel website, but really, the Bonneville Dam might have been the highlight of my whole day. I was almost giddy at the raw power harnessed by the Columbia River, not to mention the underground viewing area to watch live salmon swim upstream on the engineered fish ladder. Seriously, I saw fish that were at least 2-feet long and nearly flipped my shit (along with the surrounding 5-year-olds) when a gigantic steelhead whisked into the viewing area. It was amazing and I can't wait to go back when the salmon are spawning. I might have to take a sedative before I get there though, so I won't jump up and down and scream at the sight.

On our way home we decided to take one more detour (which proved to be our undoing). The sandwiches ran out at the dam, but I couldn't resist the prospect of experiencing one of the most spectacular vantage points in all of the Portland area at Larch Mountain. Unfortunately, the access road to the picnic area was closed at the 10-mile-marker due to snow. SNOW! We would have had to hike four miles (up hill both ways heh) in snow in order to see five of the most outstanding peaks in the cascades including, Mt. Hood, Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, and on a clear day (it was spectacularly clear) Mt. Rainier. I guess that will just have to wait until next time.

We hopped back in the car and headed home totally exhausted. It was an awesome trip and I can't wait to explore the area further when we have guests in town. I've already reserved a couple of books on the Oregon Trail at the library so we can scout out a few of the existing portions of the trails left in the area. I can't wait to trade Jesse for a buffalo hide to survive the long, cold Oregon winter.

A Three Hour Tour

Saturday was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was shining and the air was crisp. Jesse suggested that we ride our bikes out to the farmers market, but I was having a little trouble motivating myself to shed the pj's that early in the morning. So, we both had a hearty breakfast and made plans to bike up to the St. Johns neighborhood of Portland. The initial plan involved stopping for an afternoon snack once we got there and then on our way home hitting a new brewery for an afternoon pint.

We rode our bikes on the west side of the Willamette River along the old industrial area that I've never seen before. Further south, there are tons of abandoned warehouses with funky old signs and a rusted out railroad track that leads to nowhere. As you ride north though, the area is still pretty vibrant, with lumber storage, a glassworks, and tons of oil and gas storage sites. The hill leading up to the St. Johns Bridge is a pretty steep climb, but we took our time and stopped for a picturesque view of the bridge. It is really quite breathtaking.


St. Johns is pretty far north of downtown and until 1915 was an independent city. I got that feeling about five seconds after we crossed the bridge. Immediately, we heard the sound of a high school band and old car horns honking. We picked the perfect day to experience St. Johns, just in time for the 47th Annual St. Johns Day Parade and Carnival.

It was quite an experience. A lot of people refer to the neighborhood as charming for it's small-town feel. I'm not sure if charming is the first thing that came to mind. It seems like nice quiet neighborhood -- I can certainly see why some people really love it there -- but it's just not for me. We hastened our exit shortly after having a pretty sub-par pastry from the local bakery, and saw that our lunch destination, The Big Kahuna BBQ, had become a drive-through burrito joint. Knowing that after first half of our bike ride we both would need some grub, I was ready to high-tail it out of St. Johns to more familiar territory.

The ride down the east side of the river was really beautiful. The area between St. Johns and the University of Portland is lined with lovely old trees and has a really nice feel. We coasted down the road and enjoyed the afternoon. Final stop? Amensia Brewing on Mississippi Avenue. I had a delicious veggie burger and Jesse enjoyed a giant spicy bratwurst with sauerkraut. We ate our afternoon meal in their outdoor seating area that reminds me a lot of a biergarten. My only complaint? Well, except for the seasonal brew (Belgian-style) and a lonely porter, every beer on their menu is a pale ale. Dude, Portland, I get it! You love your hops, but cut a woman a break! Porter in the summertime is not very refreshing. Branch out just a little? Please?

I'm so glad the weather is improving and we are able to explore the city a bit more by bike. I'm looking forward to our next neighborhood adventure.

Multnomah Falls: Take Three

A view from the top.

I'm not going to lie, I was pretty convinced there would be some other natural force that would prevent us from getting to the top of Multnomah Falls yesterday. However, this time around we weren't impeded by snow and ice, or gale force winds. It was a beautiful day. Perfect for a hike. Graham and I would slow down to check out the cute pooches on our way up to the top (and young ladies would slow down to check out Graham in a similar fashion). Luckily, we had Jesse keeping us focused by leading the charge at break-neck speed. At some points, I felt that I was running up the hill rather than hiking. I don't think they were doing it on purpose, but my stride is a lot smaller, meaning that I had to go double-time to keep up.

After making it to the top and catching my breath, we continued on for the rest of the 5 mile loop. The hike was absolutely gorgeous. It rained pretty much all last week, so everything was lush, which made up for the paths being quite muddy. Green moss coated the trees and rocks and the sound of rushing falls felt kind of like a fairy tale. It would have been the perfect setting to take a cheesy nature photo for a poster featuring elves and pixies. I'm pretty sure Little Red Riding Hood walked through this forest to get to her Grandmother's cottage.

We actually saw quite a few animals: a snake, two chipmunks, a giant slug, a few woodpeckers. And a pair of striking bright red bugs. I didn't realize this until I took a close-up shot, but they appear to be mating. Score! Nature in action. I felt a little bad when my flash went off (and the red-eye reduction feature to boot), but they didn't seem to be bothered. Does anyone know know the type of bug?

It was a great afternoon. This morning, though, I woke up with incredibly sore legs. It's like I climbed a mountain or something. I think I'm going to have to walk it off and stretch a little so I'll be in tip top shape for the "Cheers to Belgian Beers" festival this afternoon.

Chili and Mancakes: Ingredients for a Perfect Weekend

We woke up on Saturday morning and prepared ourselves for an epic day of errands. J needed another pair of pants and I wanted to get a new pair of sunglasses (since I've managed to destroy three pair in the past couple of months). And of course, we needed toilet paper etc. As a treat for doing the boring shopping stuff, we took a ride over to Penzeys Spices on 82nd Avenue. Since we got rid of all of our spices before our move from D.C. to Portland, I have slowly been trying to build up a good stash again. Penzeys is one of my favorite companies, but I've always had to use mail order. I was excited to visit an actual store and see the range for myself. Both J and I sniffed so many jars that our noses burned afterward and Jesse swore that his raisin croissant from Ken's (that we picked up as a snack before heading out) tasted strangely like curry. As you can see, we've already broken into the Chili 9000 and the Jerk spice.

J was almost giddy over the idea of making food as soon as possible with our new found gems. Saturday night he took charge of making Jerk chicken wings and I filled in with potato salad and sauteed greens. The meal was delicious and felt very much like a summer picnic (despite the cold rain outside). While J slaved over the chicken wings, I started working on a pot of chili. The Chili 9000 is so much more complex than any chili spice blend that I've ever had. I can't imagine how I ever managed a good batch without it!

This weekend, we also met up with an old friend from D.C. who was in town for a local comedy festival. It was great to see him and hear all about how he's doing in L.A. When Ed called to meet up for brunch on Sunday and said that he wanted to find some good pancakes, we decided on a nearby diner that is known for their "mancakes". These legendary pancakes are said to be so large that it takes a true man to eat just one, let alone a whole stack. If you manage to down a full stack, they'll put your picture on the wall. Naturally, we all agreed that this was a place that could not be missed. Jesse ordered a full stack (with the intention of sharing one with Ed), but could only eat one and a half. Toward the end, he was just picking blueberries from the fluffy flapjacks. After breakfast, we were both ruined for the afternoon and I took a nice, long nap.

It was a great weekend. A refreshing way to recharge and start another week!

Long Weekend Part 1: A Taste of Adventure

As I mentioned earlier, Eric and Lea visited for the long holiday weekend. I was so happy to have them here in our new town. We had a great time just hanging out, exploring Portland, going to a concert, making delicious food, and drinking delicious beer. One of the highlights? Taste testing four grades of maple syrup that Eric brought home from his visit to Vermont this winter. What better way to start a day than with eggs, Ken's Artisan Bakery's Oregon Croissants, and homemade french toast. MMM! That's happiness.

The weekend was packed with lots of adventures, but unfortunately I failed to take very many photos (other than this rad pic). More exciting posts are certain to follow as soon as the weekend photographers share their wonderful shots! Saturday, in particular, was quite a day. We experienced ice, wind of epic proportions, beautiful crisp weather, rainbows, noodle soup, and a concert.

As for now, I need a nap. Big time. I had the misfortune of having some work to finish yesterday that took a lot longer than expected. Unfortunately, I didn't spend much time after lunch doing anything except for writing alone in the bedroom. My meeting this morning went really well, so I'm glad I stayed up late to finish, but now my body is crashing.

Hopefully while I'm napping, a certain stranger will make me very happy by posting her video taken this Saturday on YouTube. She was able to capture Jesse and Eric scaring the ever-loving-crap out of me with their antics on one of our outings. I barely survived the trauma and certainly didn't have the wherewithal to pull out my camera. In case the anticipation is too much to handle, here's a little taste of the conditions at Crown Point in the Columbia Gorge on Saturday:

(This is video footage was taken same day that we visited the gorge...Gusts up to 100 mph.)