Spring Skiing in the Northwest: Get out there!

By now most people have hung up their skis or boards for the season. But not everyone. Lift lines are mostly nonexistent, there’s still tons of snow in the Cascades, and often (well, sometimes) the sun is shining.

Throw those skis on top of your rig, stuff your pack with sunscreen and a light parka, and be sure to bring your rain gear just in case. Then head on up to the mountains.

With the big dump of snow that fell in the central Cascades last week, plan to be surprised at the lingering snow banks on the side of the road. Last weekend I headed up to Snocrummie (Snoqualmie) due east of Seattle, while my friends Andy and Mark went to Crystal Mountain about 90 miles southeast of Seattle. My friend Matt headed up to Mt. Hood southeast of Portland. My friend Greg was up at Mt. Baker. And Alex went to Whistler in B.C. north of Vancouver. Lots of choices, at least through April.

With longer days and mostly warmer temps, spring skiing is a little more chill than chilly midwinter. The days get warmer instead of colder as the afternoon draws to a close. Or just ski the morning and get home in time for an afternoon barbeque or gardening. But on those sunny, warm days, relax on the deck outside the lodge and maybe grab a hamburger off the outdoor grill.

Morning can start off cold and you need your full winter parka, hat, and gloves. Last weekend at Snoqualmie I was bundled up and chilled on my first lift ride up. The snow was fresh and soft. By noon I’d shed the parka and hat and did a face plant when I came fast out of shady grove and got stopped by some sticky, slushy snow. Call it Cascade concrete, peanut butter, or overcooked corn.

Sometimes you hit it just right and have one of those epic days. Years ago a friend and I were skiing up at Blackcomb the first weekend in June when most everyone else had long since moved on to their sailboats or tennis courts. For several days prior, it snowed a couple feet in an unusual late spring storm. When we got to the top of the mountain, we had the place almost to ourselves. And then the lower mountain lift malfunctioned for a while and no one else was coming up. Can you say skier’s nirvana? All that untracked fresh snow, most of the other skiers down below. Matt and I sliced our figure 8 signatures all over Seventh Heaven. I still smile when I think about it.

Then there was the time Claudia and I cut classes at UW and skied in shorts and bikini tops up at Alpental on a warm early May day. A little risky, but we were only 19. You’re only a teenager once, right? Enjoy all that late season snow—it’ll be months again before the snow flies.

When You Go
Check out the links to all the ski areas I listed above, plus Mount Bachelor here. Bring strong sunscreen with zinc oxide. Have fun.

Big John’s PFI: Seattle’s Not-So-Secret Food Find

Here at Pacific Northwest Seasons, I’ve written avidly about why we should eat local food, fresh with the season (see my Eating with the Seasons post). After all, our farmers’ markets feature fresh and beautiful local food year-round.

So allow me to contradict myself.

Ever since I discovered PFI’s (Pacific Food Imports) retail store in an old brick warehouse just south of downtown Seattle in the late 1980s, I can’t get enough of this place. Every few months I head to this cornucopia of mostly imported foods to stock up on olive oil from Italy or Spain, Colombian estate chocolate, Spanish aged sherry vinegar, hand-harvested fleur de sel de Guérande from France, Italian pastas of all shapes and sizes, sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese, crispy butter cookies from Holland, and much more.

You can get much of this stuff at some of the higher end grocery store chains like Whole Foods and Metropolitan Market, or at DeLaurenti’s in Pike Place Market. But you’ll pay more (except perhaps at Trader Joe’s). And you’ll miss out on the treasure-hunt feeling you get while wandering around the aisles and nooks in this anti-chain store, discovering exotic and fascinating products.

Finding your way to PFI can be a challenge since it’s not right on the street and the sign is easy to miss. When you do arrive, look for the red-white-green awning (think Italian flag) over the entrance at the bottom level of an unassuming, two-story brick building. This is not your usual shopping area—it’s an old Seattle industrial district sandwiched between railroad tracks and I-5 to the east. Walk up the stairs, pass through the short entryway lined with framed black and white photos, and enter a foodie’s fantasyland.

What you’ll notice first are the colorful shelves and aisles stuffed with jars, bottles, and packages of all shapes and sizes. Or maybe your eyes will land on the long, lit display case to your right full of big wedges and chunks of foreign and domestic cheeses. Grab a cart or a big white bucket to collect your stash and walk around over the uneven cement floors. Maybe today English won’t be the language spoken by most of your fellow customers.

Give yourself some time to explore before grabbing things off the shelves. Need some hard-to-find slabs of Syrian dried apricot paste? No problem! Small burlap bags of artisan sea salt from Bali? Got it. Vivid orange-red jars of chile pepper-eggplant ajvar puree from Bulgaria? Just down the aisle. South African red chile sauce? Tucked between the jars of Indian ghee and Moroccan preserved lemons. I have no idea how to use many of these items, but they offer exciting possibilities.

On a recent visit to PFI, I find myself in the checkout line behind a man with an overflowing grocery cart. “Planning a party?” I ask him. “No.” he replies. “I run a restaurant up in Mount Vernon. I come down here every month to stock up on items I can’t get anywhere else.” For you non-locals, Mount Vernon is about 60 miles north of Seattle. A bit of a trek for groceries

My friend Julie, one of the most innovative and capable cooks I know, shows up behind me in line with a bucket of goodies. “What did you get?” I ask. She pulls out a dark green, slender bottle of avocado oil first. “This is expensive, but it’s a lovely bright green and a perfect garnish to drizzle on pizza or finish dishes.” She also has several cartons of chopped plum tomatoes from Italy that come in handy for her sauces. She wants some good parmesano-reggiano but is daunted by the one pound minimum on cheeses. I ask Louise, a longtime employee behind the counter, if they have any smaller chunks tucked somewhere. “Yea, we have about a two-third pound piece,” she says. Julie and I split it.

Sometimes my favorite products disappear from the shelves. I’ve learned over the years to be patient—sometimes they just as suddenly reappear. My favorite Italian olive
oil, a certified-organic, buttery oil from the Ionian Coast, vanished from the shelves for about 5 years until I just found it there again a few months ago.

This family-run business has been operating for over 40 years. I’ve never seen Big John, who is in his eighties now, but the second-generation is running the business now. Let’s hope the next generation keeps it going at least another 40 years.

When You Go
You won’t find any advertisements for PFI. They get plenty of regular customers via word-of-mouth. Click here for directions. It’s on Sixth Avenue South due east of Qwest Field, Seattle’s NFL football stadium, and just north and east of Safeco Field where the Mariners play. Time your trip carefully. Avoid going right before or after a Seahawks or Mariner’s game or you’ll learn how truly awful Seattle traffic can be. PFI’s hours are somewhat limited: they’re not open evenings, only open until about 3 pm on Saturdays, and closed Sundays.

Carkeek Park’s Snowdrops: Signs of Spring

Last weekend while walking along the Piper’s Creek Trail, I happened to glance left as I crossed the small bridge just north of the orchard. Voila! Strewn among the brown, downed leaves from last fall were masses of slender green shoots and sweet, lily-like flowers.

They’re late, but the snowdrops in north Seattle’s Carkeek Park are in full bloom this week. [February 2014 update, the snowdrops are in full bloom as of February 13 this year!] But hurry, they’ve peaked and likely won’t be so abundant and vivid by next week. With our numerous snowfalls and cold snaps this past winter, the snowdrops (Galanthus nivalus) that usually come up in February are a March treat this year.

This “secret garden” of hundreds, perhaps thousands of delicate little white flowers grows just north of the old orchard above Piper’s Creek. These are remnant bulbs that were probably planted when the site was an old farmstead over 100 years ago (although I’m not sure bulbs survive that long). Since then, the plants have multiplied and spread into several patches growing along and above the small stream that flows into Piper’s Creek next to Piper’s Orchard.

Tread carefully if you decide to get a closer look. Park naturalists want you to stay on the main trails to prevent erosion. Welcome to spring!

When You Go
Click here for a map of Carkeek Park.To get to Carkeek from I-5,
get off on Northgate Way (Exit 173) and head west. Northgate Way becomes NW 105th Street and crosses Aurora Boulevard (SR 99). Turn right on Greenwood Avenue N to NW 110th Street and turn left. Continue about six blocks,the street becomes NW Carkeek Park Road and descends to the main park entrance. Park on the left at the bottom of the hill, before the road splits. Head up (away from Puget Sound) past the water treatment plant and look for the snowdrops on the left just before you get to the orchard.

Riding the Washington State Ferries: Bainbridge Island Afternoon

When people ask me to suggest outings for Seattle visitors, my first response is “Go ride a ferry!” Being surrounded by stunning panoramic views, inhaling the fresh salty sea breeze, maybe spotting porpoises (or even orca whales if you’re really lucky)—a ferry trip across Puget Sound always feels like an adventure. But it’s not just for out-of-towners.

Recently the Society of American Travel Writers listed the Anacortes ferry that threads through the San Juan Islands as one of the most exciting and scenic ferry rides in the world. Closer to Seattle, you can take the Bainbridge Island ferry, spend a few hours exploring, have lunch or dinner on the island, and return to see the city lights twinkling above Elliott Bay.

A few weekends ago I call my sister who lives on Bainbridge and announce I’m coming over for lunch. “I’m going to walk on the ferry, so meet me at the terminal.” Then I catch the 1:20 ferry from Colman Dock, Seattle’s ferry terminal on Elliott Bay just below downtown.

As usual, I head to the ferry’s top deck for the best views. It’s a gorgeous, sunny late winter day. Mount Rainier is out on the southeast horizon, ruggedly handsome in a fresh coat of snow. With blue skies above, the wind-dappled surface of Puget Sound stretches sapphire blue from shore to shore. As the ferry churns steadily across, the deep rumbling of the engines reverberates—chugachugachugachugachuga.

After the 35-minute crossing, my sister calls me when she sees my ferry coming in to Eagle Harbor. Lunch today is at Café Nola, a popular bistro just a few blocks from the ferry terminal in what used to be downtown Winslow. My sister and I both get the daily special—grilled wild Alaska salmon on a bed of roasted seasonal veggies. Hmmm. My niece Willa goes for the childrens’ spaghetti with tomato sauce. The food is good, and the service is much quicker and friendlier than when I was here last summer.

We stroll a half a block up the street to stop in the wonderful Eagle Harbor Books, where my sister works. She introduces me to several of her co-workers, and my niece introduces me to Nikki, the owner’s cute dog who patiently sits behind the counter. I could spend hours browsing here. With an especially literate population, Bainbridge is home to several well-known authors (and a few other celebrities).

For dessert we head to Mora’s for freshly made ice cream, shakes, and frozen yogurt. While standing in line, I see beautiful fat raspberries and blueberries waiting to be piled onto my yogurt, so I order extra berries. I carefully grab a berry in each spoonful of frosty, flavorful vanilla yogurt. Willa goes for a huge chocolate milkshake (that she can’t finish). My sister opts for a light pink grapefruit sorbet. If I lived on the island I’d be at Mora’s a lot. Good thing I don’t.

Heading back toward the ferry, I insist we cruise through the Blackbird Bakery just to look at the confections. I’ve been here on other visits for hot cocoa and chewy cookies.

I dash to catch the 4:35 ferry, which is full of tourists returning and islanders heading to Seattle for Saturday night. Today was a fairly short trip—about 3.5 hours over and back. For those who commute daily across the Sound on a ferry, it’s just a way to work. But I always get a little rush of excitement each time the boat pulls away from the dock.
When You Go
If you’re taking the Bainbridge Island ferry, Sundays are good because there’s free street parking downtown Seattle. Driving a car on the ferry triples to quadruples your fare. A route map of all Washington State Ferries shows you all the options.

Seattle Teahouses: Tea in Coffee Central

What comes to mind when you think of Seattle in the winter? Maybe rain, gray skies, and coffee?

For years tea drinkers in the Northwest have had to suffer many indignities. Like going to an outdoor concert on a chilly evening and finding the only hot drink available is coffee, without even a Lipton’s tea bag in sight. Or asking about the tea selection in a nice restaurant after dinner and always getting the standard reply: black, peppermint, and chamomile (yawn). And the many coffee houses that don’t provide lemon slices to go with tea; I kvetch, “Would you serve coffee without offering cream and sugar?”

But the city that spawned Starbucks has a growing new teahouse scene. Even a former Tully’s coffee shop on Queen Anne Hill was recently replaced by the Teacup.


Four Favorites
Kuan Yin Teahouse in Wallingford paved the way for the new crop of teahouses. Kuan Yin opened almost 20 years ago and still serves pots of exotic teas from around the world in a quasi-Asian/funky old hippie setting. When it was the only teahouse in north Seattle, I used to hang out there to write in my journal while nursing a pot of Wu Wei or World Peace, two floral herbal tea blends. Kuan Yin is still going strong and now offers tea tastings and other special tea-focused events. When I stopped by there last week it was packed. Didn’t used to be…hmmm. I see a trend growing.

The unofficial tea of my writing group is Evening in Missoula from the Teacup. Now in a larger space on a busy corner atop Queen Anne Hill, the Teacup is a sunny, soothing spot to sit and sip. Like many of the teahouses, they sell interesting teapots and other accoutrements along with a selection of high-quality teas from around the world.

My favorite spot to relax over tea in Ballard now is Miro near the north end of historic Ballard Avenue just a block south of Market Street. A couple friends and I usually meet there on Sunday mornings to catch up over tea.

Miro offers close to 200 varieties of mostly organically grown, fair trade teas. Their selection ranges from blacks, botanicals, chai, greens, whites, oolongs, and roiboos teas, with names like Super Monkey, Midnight Blue, and Margaret’s Hope, the first autumn flush of Darjeeling. Several pots of teas for tasting are always lined up near the back counter. And their food and confections are wonderful, not just an afterthought to the exquisite teas. Sometimes I indulge in a handcrafted chocolate truffle made by Cocoa Chai Chocolates, from Seattle artisan chocolatier Ivy Chan. My friends Shari and Maya go for their buttery, sweet lemon drop crepe. Miro's apple/provolone/greens sandwich is so good I’ve tried to recreate it at home with middling success.

Although I don’t often get to the historic Panama Hotel teahouse in Seattle’s International District, I love going there for a fragrant pot of Japanese genmaicha green. This quiet, charming oasis just south of downtown is a long, narrow space lined with exposed brick walls. Besides fine teas, hot cocoas, and coffee, at the counter they also sell locally made cookies, pastries, and manju, a traditional Japanese steamed cake. Good, authentic manju is hard to find in the U.S., and the barista tells me only one Japanese woman in Seattle makes this style.

This restored space lies above the only intact Japanese bathhouse from the first wave of Japanese-born immigrants to the Northwest. Historical black and white photographs line the walls with images of the neighborhood before World War II. Everything changed during the war for the Japanese-American families and merchants here on the West Coast, when they were shipped off to internment camps.

A Few More Good Spots
For years Queen Mary’s, a cozy outpost tucked into a charming brick building just north of University Village, has been offering proper English tea. I don’t get over to that part of town often anymore, but a while back I indulged on afternoon tea with a girlfriend. I felt like I was in an exclusive Victorian English parlor, surrounded by rich Liberty print curtains and crimson walls. Besides the fine black tea, the services comes with tasty little sandwiches, cakes, and scones.

I recently stopped by VitaL-Leaf Tea at the north end of the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. VitaL-Leaf serves tea gong fu style, allowing patrons to taste before they purchase. Chinese-born owners Winny and her husband Ben tell me their cousin started VitaL-Leaf in San Francisco, and they decided to bring the show north to Seattle. I have some lovely jasmine pearl tea at home now. You can also buy Yixing clay teapot sets there.

I've heard from a couple sources that Remedy Tea on 15th Avenue on Capitol Hill is worth a stop. And of course you should go visit Zendog Studio Teahouse for gong fu tea in northern Ballard, as I wrote about on February 15 here on Pacific Northwest Seasons.

Go drink tea!

Fresh in Ballard: GreenGo Food

[Note! GreenGo closed the end of August. Dylan, Heidi, and their son Cypress have packed up and moved to Mexico, where they'll run an organic farm. We'll miss them and their wonderful food but wish them luck on their new venture!] I’m passionate about good food but not so much fancy, fussy gourmet fare. Give me clean, honest, fresh ingredients produced by people who care about a quality product—artisans, really. All the better if the food is grown locally, without pesticides, in a sustainable manner that nourishes the land for future generations. Many upscale restaurants around Seattle and Portland now offer wonderful meals made with food from local producers. But where can you grab food like this on the run without overstretching the budget?

Just south of Market Street in downtown Ballard, a postage stamp-sized brick building sits alone next to a parking lot, dwarfed by sprouting condo developments. Formerly Patty Pan Grill, this spot recently reopened as GreenGo Food. (Don’t worry, Patty Pan is still at the farmers' markets.) Last week I notice a new sign on the building and walk in to see what’s up.

An attractive, wholesome-looking young couple is busy in the open kitchen behind the counter. “Welcome!” says Heidi, her rosy cheeks flushed as she looks up from tossing veggies on the open grill. A cute little boy asks me if I want to sign my name on the green post with a magic marker. (That’s Cypress, Heidi’s son.) Heidi and Dylan Stockman tell me they’ve been serving up savory food at a few farmers’ markets around Seattle and met while cooking at the late, great Union Bay Café.

“Our concept is sort of like a taco truck without wheels,” says Heidi. She mentions Skillet Street Food as an inspiration. Skillet Street’s trailer moves to a different neighborhood around Seattle throughout the week, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal, and local fare. "Our motto is fast food with a conscience." They've developed relationships with local producers and are committed to serving and supporting local agriculture.

My first take-out meal from GreenGo is their daily special—a lamb pho filled with slivered vegetables and rice noodles, served with a split side of coleslaw and herbed grilled potatoes. Dylan tells me the lamb comes from a small regional farm. While I wait, he serves up the fragrant pho in a compostable container while Heidi grills the sliced small potatoes and dishes up the crispy slaw. All for less than $8. When I get home and take my first spoonful of the pho, I’m astonished at how complex and excellent the rich broth tastes. Really. It’s sweet and spicy, with hints of lemongrass and fresh lamb. My meal is healthful, inexpensive, and very satisfying.

Last night I swung by GreenGo and had the daily sandwich special – a grilled turkey breast sandwich served on artisan Tallgrass Bakery bread, with Greenbank Farms sharp white cheddar, caramelized red onions, and sliced dill pickle and a side of vinaigrette-laced coleslaw. When I tell Heidi I’m watching my saturated fat intake, she obliges and switches to olive oil instead of butter on my bread for grilling. “Want some tea while you’re waiting?” offers Dylan. He pours me a small cup of Enumclaw oolong. Yes, tea grown in Enumclaw by Rockridge Orchards, just 40 miles or so south of Seattle in the Cascade foothills. Spiked with honey and fresh lime juice, the tea is marvelous. I’m bummed to hear they’re almost out of this season’s supply.

Of course the warm sandwich is great. I’m not sure exactly what else is added to the onions, but their savory sweetness perfectly balances with the sharp cheese. And I’m intrigued by the curl of the crispy green cabbage slaw. How do they do that? Another good meal, again less than $10. Actually it was less than $7 but I threw in a decent tip.

Yea, it’s a tough time to start a business, but with such good food for such reasonable prices, I think GreenGo Food is the perfect recipe for a recession-proof business. Head on over to Ballard if you live in Seattle, or make a special trip there if you’re just visiting. You can take your meal to go, or sit at GreenGo Food’s cozy counter and chow down. When it warms up, enjoy your fare at one of their sidewalk tables. And hey, if you try their cheeseburger made from Skagit River Ranch beef, post your review as a comment below! (I haven’t tried it yet.)

When You Go
Here's a link to their menu. GreenGo Food is open 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. so you can grab dinner on your way home from work.

Seattle Teahouses: Zen Dog Studio—Serenity and Superb Tea

For the past few years every time I drive past the Zen Dog Studio gallery and teahouse in northwest Seattle, I tell myself I should stop and check it out. One afternoon recently, while feeling especially stressed out by an insanely busy work schedule, I finally decide to pull over and go have tea.

I’m so glad I did.

What I thought would be a quick 10-minute stop turned into 90 minutes of great tea and relaxing conversation.

This is not a teahouse where you park with your laptop, poaching free wifi while sipping tea at a corner table. Instead it’s a Cantonese-style gong fu tea tasting experience shared with the proprietor.

I walk up the steps of this charming craftsman home, pass through a bamboo portal, open the wrought-iron gate, and ring the doorbell. After a minute or so a calm, friendly gray-haired man with a fuzzy flowing beard welcomes me. “Hello! Please come in!” he exclaims. Larry Murphy is a retired architect and now nature photographer who has converted his home into a photography studio-art gallery-frame shop-teahouse. He leads me up a narrow back stairway into the warm, wood-paneled upper studio.

Instantly I feel a serene sense of light and space. Water trickles gently from a stone fountain next to a healthy green bamboo plant. Larry shows me some of his stunning naturescape photographs. Lovely long scrolls of Chinese characters hang on the walls beside the photos, inscribed with passages from the Tao de Ching.

Larry invites me to sit in a corner alcove with a view north to Puget Sound and join him for tea. He sits behind a varnished gnarled wood bench (his "alter to the tea"), and I grab a matching stool in front. Larry suggests we start with a fine silver needle white tea.

While talking about his travels in China, Larry pulls out a bag of tea from the shelf, pours some loose leaves into a lidded teacup (a gaiwan), and starts heating a pot of water on a small burner. Next he sets out two very small handle-less teacups on a wooden tray and pours the almost boiling water into the gaiwan. “I’m offering the first taste to the Buddha,” says Larry as he pours the tea out over a small ceramic Buddha on the tray.

After brewing more tea in the gaiwan and letting it steep for a moment, Larry pours some into the tiny cups. “Do you like this tea?” he asks. The light, crisp tea is smooth and soothing. We talk until we finish the first pot. Larry’s an interesting guy and attentive host. I keep on making noises about having to leave and go work, but he gently urges me “Oh, you must stay and try more tea, relax.” I learn he’s well-connected in the local community of Chinese tea proprietors and artists. I also learn he helped a young boy in China get treatment for leukemia.

Next we try a couple Chinese red teas, including Bi Luo Chun Hong, a complex, winey, and slightly sweet tea that’s only harvested once a year.

“Gong fu is a ritual style of serving tea. It’s about being mindful of the process” Larry tells me. He shows me some little clay Yixing teapots that are traditionally used for gong fu-style tea. “Some say that over the years the pots become so seasoned that you don’t even need to add the tea leaves to brew a cup!” he says, “And you always have a different pot for each kind of tea.”

My heavy sighs of stress gradually diminish by the third pot of tea. I’m almost afraid to buy some to take home, thinking it can’t possibly taste as good without this Buddha man mindfully serving me in his tranquil, well-lit studio. I finally leave after buying one of Larry’s beautiful photos—a waterfall in China—which I’ve placed on my desk as a reminder to relax, breathe deep, and enjoy fine Chinese tea.

When You Go
Zen Dog Studio is on Northwest 85th Street between 24th Avenue Northwest and 15th Avenue North at the northern edge of Ballard in Seattle. Look for the red sandwich board on the sidewalk in front of the house, and park in front on the street. Don’t give up if the front gate looks closed and no one answers the door instantly. Just ring the doorbell and wait a minute. It’s worth it.

Portland Overnight: A Quick Weekend in the City

Anytime of year Portland is a fun city, so don’t put off your weekend in town just because it’s winter. Too many months have passed since my last trip to Portland, so last weekend I dash down for an overnight. What can you do during a quick overnight trip? Plenty.

Saturday Morning
I-5 is smooth sailing when I leave Seattle at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. I know it sounds brutal to some of you, but a morning drive is much faster than the Friday evening “slog” from Seattle to Portland along the I-5 corridor.

I’m meeting some girlfriends for breakfast at Mother’s Bar & Bistro in Old Town in downtown Portland. On a weekend morning, the line for a table can wind halfway down the block. Since I’m late and my friends are already seated, I scoot right in past the clumps of people waiting in the entrance area. With a name like Mother’s, think comfort food. And big portions. “You’ve got to taste this!” says Karen, pushing her plate in my direction. My huge bowl of oatmeal is okay, but Karen’s French toast dipped in corn flakes is what I wish I’d ordered. Sounds odd but it works—sweet, soft, yet crunchy. Becky’s frittata is cheesy and perfectly cooked. I don’t taste Kathy’s eggs Benedict, but I notice she cleans her plate.

Saturday Afternoon
Next I head to Troutdale, gateway to the Columbia River Gorge, to visit my mom. When I step out of the car, a gust of East Wind hits me. As much as I hated how the wind chapped my hands and legs walking home from school, I’m happy to feel its clarifying chill again.

Troutdale got a facelift about a dozen years ago, and now the main (and only) street through downtown has some stop-worthy shops. I duck into Troutdale General Store to grab a sandwich. The General Store serves up old-fashioned scoops of ice cream, good sandwiches, all the candy you’d care to eat and more. I even find a birthday gift for my nephew while I’m waiting for my tuna on whole wheat. Be sure to grab a latte at the in-store cafe and browse though Celebrate Me Home, a home store stuffed with oversized, elegant lodge-style furniture, cool home accessories, note cards, and fine papers.

Late afternoon I drive back to downtown Portland to check into my room at Ace Hotel on the edge of the Pearl District. I hear that the Ace is the place for hip, creative types. Indeed the clientele is decidedly sub-40 and casually chic. The high-ceiling lobby opens on one side to a Stumptown Coffee shop and on the other to Clyde Common restaurant.

Ace’s look is a blend of contemporary minimalist in an old 1920-era building. The former Clyde Hotel was stripped down and renovated in a spare but comfortable style—long hallways, mostly whitewashed walls, polished wood floors, simple but comfortable furnishing. If you’re not out clubbing all night and want some sleep, ask for earplugs at the front desk. They’ve got plenty. The pillows are also too big for my taste. When I mention it at checkout, the young concierge tells me “Next time pull the pillow out of its case and it’ll smooth down.”

Parking can problematic near the Ace if you don’t want to drop $20 for valet service. I was lucky to find a metered spot on the street a block away late Saturday afternoon and didn’t have to move it on Sunday morning.

But the best thing about the Ace is its location. Can you get any better than being just a block from Powell’s Books? Not in my book. More than one lofty source has called Powell’s the best bookstore in U.S., if not the world. I wander over and browse for a while before dinner, managing to escape with buying only four books.

Saturday Night
Since my hotel is so conveniently located, I walk the 8 blocks to meet some friends for dinner and movies at McMenamin’s Mission Theater in Northwest Portland. (I could have hopped the new street car for half the trip but I wanted the exercise.) For just $3, we get in to a double feature in this former Swedish Evangelical Mission and union hall turned cinema. Matt grabs three seats on the main floor below the balcony, and we line up to order drinks and dinner. The fare here is burgers, sandwiches, and salads. My tasty gyro sandwich is wrapped in a soft, warm pita accompanied by a good green salad. The only downside is the slow service. Larry gets his sandwich and finishes it, then my sandwich arrives and I finish it, and Matt’s burger finally arrives 45 minutes after placing his order.

After the movies we stop by the historic Heathman Hotel’s Marble Bar for drinks. This street-level space is right off the main entrance on Broadway in the heart of downtown. “Can I see a dessert menu?” says Larry, who’s struck with a late evening sweet tooth. His artfully arranged cherry chocolate confection looks exquisite and disappears fast. I sneak a few bites of chocolate.

We make our way back to Ace Hotel and hang out on the comfy sofas in the lobby, talking and sipping drinks from Clyde Commons. When I head to my room after midnight, the restaurant is still buzzing.

Sunday Morning
Sunday morning the city is covered with a thin layer of fresh snow. Thankfully it’s not enough to mess up the roads. My brother and his wife meet me for breakfast next to the hotel at Kenny and Zuke’s Delicatessen (where I coincidentally bump into a friend from Seattle). This classic New York-style Jewish deli is sunny and spacious, with exposed brick walls, friendly service, and fresh, oversized bagels. My poached egg is cooked just right, and the huge schmear of cream cheese served with my bagel could spread a dozen bagels.

After another trip over to Powell’s Books, I stop in Stumptown Coffee and pick up a fresh berry scone for the road. Forget Starbuck’s and their mass-produced baked goods—Stumptown offers truly excellent and freshly baked local pastries, muffins, and scones that are worth the calories. By noon I’m on my way back north to Seattle. Next time I’ll stay another night and leave more time for Powell’s.

When You Go
My single room with a private shower at the Ace Hotel is $135, which is moderately priced for downtown Portland. You can dowload a map of downtown Portland or pick up a freebie map of downtown at Powell's Books on Burnside.