Portland
After weeks and months of long hours in the office and a very hot summer in Kansas City, we enjoyed a week in Portland and the Oregon coast. Not only was it nice to see a new part of the country, we also appreciated their weather--60s and 70s with even cooler temperatures in the evenings and on the beach!
We checked into room 316 (our anniversary date!) of the Ace Hotel, then set out to explore, walking to dinner at Lincoln Restaurant. Although we'd never met, our server seemed to know our tastes and we appreciated all of her recommendations--including a foie gras and rainer cherry 'parfait' and watermelon salad.
Sunday morning we borrowed bikes from the hotel lobby and spent a few hours exploring the northeast neighborhoods before our brunch reservation at Beast. The experience was amazing--Beast is a very small restaurant which hosts about 20 people at 2 community tables. We had a great view of the open kitchen where the chefs prepare the menu which varies daily. We enjoyed talking with other foodies seated near us, each of whom shared their thoughts on the best things to see and taste while in PDX.
We returned the bikes, then set out on foot to see the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and do a little shopping. We also enjoyed a samplings of ice creams (Sea salt with caramel ribbons, coffee and bourbon, NW wild harvest berries and crisp feuillietine flakes with woodblock's ocamare chocolate and cherry wood smoked sea salt ice cream) at Salt and Straw to tide us over before dinner at Le Pigeon.
On Monday we explored the Halprin Fountains, Tanner Springs, Powell's Books, and Voodoo Doughnuts but the highlight of the day was a sunset kayak tour on the Willamette River.
Tuesday morning we rented a car and drove to the Columbia River Gorge where we enjoyed several hikes in Beacon Rock State Park, lunch from the 'Four and Twenty Blackbirds' food truck and stops at several produce stands with views of snow covered Mt. Hood. Back in the City, we dined at Clyde Commons located in our hotel.
After fueling up on breakfast at Kenny and Zukes Deli and coffees from Stumptown, we left Portland for the second part of our trip--Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast where our KC neighbors were renting a beach house. Soon after our arrival we strolled into the quaint 'town' of Cannon Beach for a lunch of seafood and chowder. The next few days were spent walking on the beach, discovering sea life exposed by the negative tide, roasting marshmallows around the on-beach bon fire, watching the Olympics, playing pool and laughing a lot!
On Thursday Scott, Monica, Mike and I took a day trip to The Willamette Valley--wine country--for tastings at Erath, Argyle and Torii Mor as well as lunch at The Dundee Bistro.
Sadly, our fun had to come to an end so the following Saturday, after one last early morning walk on the beach, we headed back to the City, boarded a plane and returned home to KC.
We checked into room 316 (our anniversary date!) of the Ace Hotel, then set out to explore, walking to dinner at Lincoln Restaurant. Although we'd never met, our server seemed to know our tastes and we appreciated all of her recommendations--including a foie gras and rainer cherry 'parfait' and watermelon salad.
Sunday morning we borrowed bikes from the hotel lobby and spent a few hours exploring the northeast neighborhoods before our brunch reservation at Beast. The experience was amazing--Beast is a very small restaurant which hosts about 20 people at 2 community tables. We had a great view of the open kitchen where the chefs prepare the menu which varies daily. We enjoyed talking with other foodies seated near us, each of whom shared their thoughts on the best things to see and taste while in PDX.
On Monday we explored the Halprin Fountains, Tanner Springs, Powell's Books, and Voodoo Doughnuts but the highlight of the day was a sunset kayak tour on the Willamette River.
Tuesday morning we rented a car and drove to the Columbia River Gorge where we enjoyed several hikes in Beacon Rock State Park, lunch from the 'Four and Twenty Blackbirds' food truck and stops at several produce stands with views of snow covered Mt. Hood. Back in the City, we dined at Clyde Commons located in our hotel.
On Thursday Scott, Monica, Mike and I took a day trip to The Willamette Valley--wine country--for tastings at Erath, Argyle and Torii Mor as well as lunch at The Dundee Bistro.
Sadly, our fun had to come to an end so the following Saturday, after one last early morning walk on the beach, we headed back to the City, boarded a plane and returned home to KC.
posted by mike + heidi pollmann at 12:39 PM
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