Portland Holiday Overnight Getaway

I've hardly gotten out for any Pacific Northwest adventuring recently, but this past weekend I dashed down to Portland from Seattle for a long overdue overnight to see family and friends.

I'm always drawn to Portland around the holidays.  Partly I'm nostalgic for childhood holiday season memories like visiting Santa on the top floor of Meier & Frank downtown or watching for the red nose on the White Stag sign as we crossed the Willamette River. Meier & Frank is long gone, but the huge neon sign is still there (although the words have changed).

When I arrived, the city was still slick and frosted in lingering snow from earlier in the week, but by midday things were warming up fast. After visiting with friends for a birthday and then meeting up with my brother and wife for lunch at the Grand Central Bakery in Multnomah Village (excellent sandwiches), I headed downtown for a few hours.

Compared to downtown Seattle, downtown Portland is more compact, walkable, and charming. Seattle grew quickly in the 1890s as a gold rush town (gateway to the Klondike) in a haphazard fashion, while Portland was settled more sedately by New Englanders. It shows in how each city is planned (or not) and laid out.

 As usual, I made a beeline for Powell's Books on Burnside, perched at the edge of gentrified Pearl District. I could spend hours browsing this treasure of a huge bookstore, and came away with several books/ Christmas gifts for family and friends.

Overall I spent a couple hours wandering and shopping, and popped down to Pioneer Courthouse Square to see the Christmas tree (see top photo). While Portland has excellent transit in the form of streetcars, MAX light rail, and buses, I usually find street parking south of Burnside and up around 10th and 12th (forget about the Pearl).

Early evening was dancing and R&B at the Blue Diamond, east across the Willamette River on Sandy Boulevard. What I loved about this unpretentious bar was the great music, friendly atmosphere (a birthday boy was offering everyone free cupcakes and Voodoo Doughnuts), and a decidedly un-hipster vibe.

Instead of hitting up friends or family for a place to stay, this trip I was treated to an overnight at McMenamins Kennedy School in north Portland's Alberta Arts District. Okay, I will try to be balanced here - we weren't impressed with the  comfort and quality of the room for the cost ($260/night), the alarm clock beside the bed randomly waking us up at 4 am, and that the cozy Dentention Bar was closed. We caught an okay movie in the theater, but alas missed out on the highlight of staying here, the saltwater soaking pool.

To be fair, they did give a discount when these issues were declared.

Before heading back north, breakfast was a delicious and interesting breakfast burrito at The Big Egg Breakfast Shop on Alberta. (sorry no photo). This cozy, cute little breakfast place was the perfect spot before the slog drive back north.

Even though I was born in Seattle and have lived there most of my adult life, Portland will always have a piece of my heart—especially during the holiday season.

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.

When You Go

This post is just a teensy snapshot of what an overnight in Portland can be like. While I drove from Seattle (a little less than 3 hours via Interstate 5) this trip, the trip via Amtrak train is a wonderful way to travel. What do you like to do and see in Portland?



Perfectly Portland: In and Around Downtown by Bicycle

Of course the day starts with a stop at an organic juice bar. It's Portland.

On a recent sunny but cold Saturday, my well-situated friend Matt and I enjoy an easy breezy bicycle ride through P-Town.  Bundled up against the early winter chill and the East Wind, we coast from Goose Hollow down to the Willamette River.

But first there's that stop at Kure Juice Bar on Taylor a couple blocks up from the river. They whip up a cleansing concoction of veggies and fruit to get me revved for the ride.

After a tumble onto the street when my shoelaces get wrapped up in my pedal (good thing the street was empty), I pick myself up and we cycle onto the Waterfront Park - Eastbank Esplanade Loop Trail along the river.

Today we're headed clockwise and cross the river on the historic Steel Bridge over to the Eastbank Esplanade. This lovely trail is scenic and spacious, perfect for whatever means of nonmotorized transportation you wish.

Steel Bridge across the Willamette River

After cruising about a mile or so along the eastbank, we cross over the Hawthorne Bridge (I think!) and cut south along the river for our next stop. Portland's bridges have excellent, wide bicycle lanes.

Our next stop is the Little River Cafe along the RiverPlace Esplanade for a proper breakfast.  My breakfast wrap stuffed with freshly sauteed veggies, eggs, and a little cheese is excellent and large enough to split.

Then we continue south down to catch the Portland Aerial Tram up to the gorgeous OHSU (Oregon Health & Science University) facility on Marquam Hill above the South Waterfront District. When I was a kid this was just industrial land along the river, but Portland has grown up quite nicely, thank you.

We roll our bicycles onto the spacious tram that departs every 5 minutes or so and enjoy the short ride uphill. The view along the way is just as awesome as from the top.

 

 Mt. Hood is out in all her freshly white-clad glory today, looming large but graceful on the eastern horizon. Love that mountain.

Marquam Bridge

Lots of tourists and locals come up here for the view, and some lucky people like my friend Karen ride the tram as part of their daily work commute to OHSU. We chat up several visitors, including some students from Malaysia and a medical resident out from Kentucky.  A spectacular view on a sunny day makes everybody friendly.

Portland Aerial Tram

Riding downhill from OHSU on the winding, tree-lined road is more exciting than the leisurely tram ride up.  I cringe when Matt shoots down hill upright on his bike while he's adjusting his parka.  I'm too chicken and cruise down with a tight grip on my handlebars as I negotiate the blind curves.

Our last stop is back downtown at the Portland Farmer's Market at the South Park Blocks at Portland State University.  I stock up on the last of the season's chanterelle mushrooms and sneak a few cookies from one of the vendors closing up for the day.

After about 4 hours we meander back to Matt's place in Goose Hollow. Compared to Seattle where I live now, bicycling Portland is a dream. Lots of great trails, not too steep (we cheated with the tram), and very bicycle friendly.

Where are your favorite routes to bicycle around Portland?

When You Go 
The Portland Aerial Tram only cost about $4 to ride, payable by credit card. The Portland Farmer's Market at Portland State is open until December 21 for the year, then reopens in March.

 

Northwest Snapshot: Portland Night Walk

Happy New Year!  In 2013, I'll be adding shorter "snapshot" posts about things to do and see around the Pacific Northwest AND strive to post more frequently.  Would love to hear in the comments below what you enjoy and whether you use this blog as a resource. 

The Thing To Do:  An evening stroll along the Willamette River Eastbank Esplanade in Portland.

Choice Time:  Ideally a still night without much wind or rain, any time of the year.  After dinner to walk off some calories.  A date on a nice night...if it's cold, you've got another reason to snuggle. :)

What to Bring:   Good walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a friend (ladies, might not be the best to go alone after dark), camera, and maybe bubbles to blow at passersby.

What to Watch out For:  If you walk down to one of the floating docks, watch out for sleeping Canada geese spread out across the dock.  Also keep your heads up for bicyclists undeterred by the dark.

What You Might Notice:  Relative quiet within a big city.  How the dark river reflects the skyline. The cool lamp posts.  

What are you favorite night walks?

Walk on.

Portland’s Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden: April showers and lots of flowers

When I was a wee little girl, I loved to throw on my rubber boots and run outside during spring rainstorms. This caused my mother more than a little grief when I wandered a bit too far a few times. But I loved the solitude from being enveloped in a steady downpour, which kept most everyone else inside and drowned out any background noise. It was just me and the rain and the voluptuous old rhododendrons scattered around our large, sprawling yard.

So today I have déjà vu all over again as I wander alone with my umbrella through lovely Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in a driving April rain. This beautiful park just south of Reed College in southeast Portland is a lovely place to stroll any time of year—even when it’s not raining. But I highly recommend going on a wet spring day when the flowers are out and dripping with raindrops.

Just in case you didn’t know, west of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest we grow some of the most beautiful, extravagant rhododendrons in the world. And yes, we do have native rhodies here, although they grow in natural woodlands, like on the slopes of Mount Hood below timberline. Crystal Springs Garden features mostly hybrids, along with azaleas and various other understory flowers and native shrubs.

“Are there many rhodies in bloom yet?” I ask at the entrance.

“Yes, there are some in bloom now, but everything is about three weeks late this year, so it will be better in a few weeks,” the attendant tells me.

After paying the paltry entrance fee of only $3 (and $1 for a booklet guide), I meander across a wooden bridge and down a pathway to a coursing stream and waterfall. With natural springs, ponds, and lake, lots of waterfowl hang out in this park.



Beneath some of the rhodies are sweet hellebores, snowdrops, and a few other flowers I can’t identify. (My mother was the botanist in the family, not me.)




Walking in the rain past beds of mature rhododendrons and ponds fed by natural springs, I’m five years old all over again. It’s just me and the rain and the rhodies. And plenty of ducks, swans, and geese.




When You Go
The park is open from April through September from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 'til 6 p.m. the rest of the year. There is no admission fee after 6 p.m. and during the fall and winter. Planning a wedding or a private party? You can reserve and have a catered event at Crystal Springs. Although Crystal Springs is a City of Portland park, it’s maintained by mostly volunteers from the Rhododendron Society.

18 Hours in Downtown Portland

Yea, it was a pretty quick trip.  But my overnight to Portland last weekend was still as fun as usual. What's not to love about this friendly, walkable, charming, and uniquely hip Northwestern city parodied as Portlandia?

It's raining lightly when I pull into downtown a little after 6 p.m. on Friday. That's why we have raincoats, right?

I'm staying tonight at the Hotel Monaco, just a couple blocks from the Willamette River  and a block from Pioneer Square in the heart of downtown. Great location. I manage to find a meter spot on the street a couple blocks away,  where I can park until 8 a.m. tomorrow morning and avoid expensive overnight parking garage fees.

As I walk into the vibrantly colored hotel lobby, someone is playing the baby grand piano with a fast-paced flourish. A group is clustered in big chairs by the fireplace with a couple dogs in tow. I feel like I've just walked into someone's stylish, spacious, comfy home.

Hotel Monaco's inviting lobby

Stepping into one of Portland's excellent and trendy restaurants at 7:30 on a Friday night without a reservation is dicey. Instead we head to Jake's Grill several blocks uptown, which has been serving steaks, seafood, and more since 1992. There's a reason they've managed to stay in biz amidst Portland's competitive dining scene: the food is consistently high quality and well prepared.

My wild prawns are huge, sweet, and succulent, and the side of broccoli is steamed to perfection. My sister's Kobe beef potstickers and blackened steelhead salad are equally divine.  While I'm full, she indulges in a lovely berry cobbler a la mode baked in its own little cup. It disappears quickly.

After a nice dinner, I leave my dining companions to go meet a friend for a movie at the Living Room Theaters just a couple blocks away. Think modern, sophisticated, small-scale multiplex with state-of-the art equipment. Want a glass of wine or Scotch with the movie along with your freshly popped and exquisitely spiced popcorn?  A sleek bar/lounge fronts the theaters, where you can go for a drink even if you don't catch a film there.

Later as we're walking back to the hotel to relax and talk, I have to stop and take a sip of pure, sweet Bull Run water at one of downtown Portland's vintage drinking fountains. I loved these when I was a kid, too, when the thought of buying bottled water seemed silly and bizarre.

Downtown Portland's historic "Benson's bubblers" drinking fountains

For breakfast we wander a couple blocks over to Mother's and beat the Saturday morning crowds by getting there around 8:30.  Bill Clinton smiles at us from a framed photograph at the front counter, arms around whom I assume is Mother's chef or owner.  Mother's feels like Grandma's sorta fancy parlor. With my restricted diet right now, the personable waiter accomodates my special order without a blink (two eggs scrambled in olive oil with spinach and mushrooms, very tasty) .  This is Portland(ia) after all.

Dine under the chandeliers at Mother's Bistro and Bar

Walking back to the hotel, we pass some of Portland's historic old buildings, like the Bishop House across the street from Mother's and the Dekum. 

"Hey, I remember that building," says my sister as we stop to take a picture.  "I used to pick up antiwar leaflets in an office there to distribute when I was in high school."

The Dekum



The Bishop's House

Since my time is running out, I scoot uptown to spend an hour browsing at Powell's Books on the edge of the Pearl.  Today I walk out with just two new books, which isn't bad for me. At noon it's time to depart. Just a quick dip into all the exploring, shopping, dining, browsing to be done here in perfectly progressive Portland.

What are you favorite things to do in downtown Portland? 

Bicycling Portlandia: Looping around the Willamette River

"Don’t forget to bring your bicycle!” my friend Matt calls to remind me as I’m leaving Seattle for the drive to Portland.

Got it. Bicycle, helmet, and clothes are already stashed in my car.

Four hours later I’m bicycling through soft spring air along the Willamette River in Portland during the tail end of evening rush hour, grateful to be out of the car and moving my legs. After battling Friday afternoon traffic on I-5, this is the perfect way to end the day (or start the evening).

Portland, Oregon, was once again recently named the most bicycle-friendly city in the U.S.A., but this and other such kudos are no surprise to locals. Portland has been the most progressive city on the Left Coast since the 1970s, when it started converting old railroad beds and tearing up downtown streets for the first MAX light rail line.
Portland also boasts the highest percentage of bicycle commuters in the nation.

But I’m not thinking of all that on my early evening ride. On the first (first!) day of the year when the temperature rises above 70 ° F, I’m just thrilled to be pedaling sans jacket in my bicycle capris and a short-sleeved shirt (and, of course, a helmet).

From the Goose Hollow/Stadium District just above downtown Portland where I’m staying, it’s an easy ride about a dozen blocks down to the river. With the city criss-crossed by street car and light rail lines, vehicle traffic in downtown Portland is considerably lighter than in downtown Seattle and many other big cities.

It feels great to stretch my legs and cruise through the city streets down to the Vera Katz Esplanade. This wide trail loops over a few bridges and along the Willamette River for 1.5 miles in downtown Portland. It’s not a long ride, but getting to the esplanade and back adds distance and exercise. And who says you can’t loop around several times?

I wasn’t paying close attention to Matt’s directions to the trail, so I end up bicycling east across the Morrison Bridge instead of the Hawthorne Bridge. But look at that wide bicycle lane!



Just across the river I take the spiral bicycle off-ramp down to the esplanade along the riverfront. Then I bicycle north, sharing the trail with skaters, roller bladers, walkers, and other bicyclists. To my left, a few motorboats pass by on the river.



Despite traffic on the adjacent highway, it still feels peaceful and relaxed along the trail. Traveling by nonmotorized transportation on a designated trail has a way of dialing down the stress level, even if you’re pushing for a good workout. How often do you hear about bicycle rage versus road rage? I suppose it happens, but I’d bet not much. [Since I originally posted this, a friend sent me a link to a column about bicycle rage in Portland! So I stand corrected, it does happen more than you'd think! But not on bicycle trails so much.]

How many times have you bicycled on a floating trail? On the east side of the river, just north of the Morrison Bridge, the trail drops down for a stretch onto a floating dock, bringing me closer to the river.





At the northern edge of the esplanade, the trail crosses historic Steel Bridge, the world’s only double-layered drawbridge. Railroad tracks sit just about the trail on the lower level, and beyond the bridge I see the Broadway and Fremont Bridges to the north. Portland is, after all, a city of unique and historic bridges.



Along the west side of the river, skirting downtown, I slow down along the trail as it passes through Tom McCall Waterfront Park, where pedestrian traffic is heavier. (Sidebar: A solo Governor McCall approached me and shook my hand when I was a girl because he noticed me wearing a “Keep McCall” campaign button—courtesy of my father. He was a tall, friendly man!)

After wending my way along the waterfront park past interesting sculptures, fountains, and a museum, I double back and head uptown. Even though I’m heading back uphill, it’s not very steep and the going is easy. Try bicycling straight uphill from the waterfront in the middle of downtown Seattle, and you’ll appreciate the mellow grade of Portland’s rise to the base of the West Hills above the city.



So here’s where Portland’s bicycle love can get annoying: When I stop in the Pearl (District) to grab a quick bite to eat, the bicycle racks are full! I have to cruise several blocks to find a spot to lock my bike. At least I can take solace in that I’m burning calories and not gasoline searching for a place to park.

When You Go
Here’s a link to a bicycle map of downtown Portland. Of course there is a much larger network of bicycle trails throughout the city beyond downtown. And if you want some wilder and crazier bicycling, try the Sunday evening Zoobomb in Washington Park.

Portland’s Lan-Su Chinese Garden: Serenity in the City

Can’t we all use a little more serenity in our lives?

In Portland’s Chinatown near the Willamette River, Lan-Su Chinese Garden is a perfect place to unplug and contemplate the nature of beauty, harmony, or maybe even a cup of fine tea.

Historic Chinese artist and scholar Wen Zhengming couldn’t have said it better, about 500 years ago:

“Most cherished in this mundane world is a place without traffic. Truly in the midst of a city there can be mountain and forest.”

Here on the east side of the Pacific Rim, Lan-Su was built by Chinese artisans from Portland’s sister city in China, Suzhou. In fact, the name Lan-Su is derived from Portland and Suzhou. Nifty, huh?

Lan-Su claims to be the most authentic Chinese garden outside China, although to me it seems very similar to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, B.C.

Lan-Su replicates a classic Chinese garden of a wealthy merchant or scholar from about the 16th century. Life was very different back then, of course. There was lots of contemplating going on, along with poetry, games of wit, calligraphy, meditation, storytelling, and lofty discussions.



Chinese gardens are carefully designed to engage all your senses through the use of architecture, specific plants, texture, scents, and sound. As I stroll through the garden on a chilly but clear winter morning, my eyes rest on small details, like how the edge of a roof pierces the sky, tiles with lovely Chinese characters, or the curl of intricately decorated roof tiles.



Pathways lead into courtyards that lead into covered walkways that lead into open rooms and more. Today I don’t have the time to linger as I’d like, but I absorb as much as I can on this quiet morning.



Inside the replicated scholar’s study, glowing hand-painted silk lanterns float above the room. Since there’s no heat in here, it’s actually warmer outside in the sun.

For us tea lovers, though, a real highlight of Lan-Su is the Tower of Cosmic Reflections. As I enter this light, warm two-story teahouse run by the Tao of Tea, I get a whiff of fragrant tea.




“Help yourself to a taste,” says the server. On the front counter is a pot of Taiwanese osmanthus oolong tea beside small tasting cups. This amber tea is slightly floral, smooth, and wonderful.

I can’t stay as long as I’d like today, but this teahouse is a treasure. This garden is a treasure.

Go get serene.

When You Go
Okay, so this is a place to get serene. But there’s also a lot going on at Lan-Su. Classical Chinese music is performed in the teahouse regularly. Tai chi classes are offered. A photography exhibit of images taken at the garden is on display when I visit. Click here for a list of events. Better yet, become a member and get their newsletter.