We left Hood River at 8:30 am and drove through the dazzling and dramatic Columbia River Gorge. Our first stop was a Portland tradition -- Voodoo Doughnut Too -- you can't miss the pink box building! Their slogans are “The Magic is in the Hole”, and “Good Things Come in Pink Boxes”.
Pennie ordered the Arnold Palmer (a cake doughnut covered with lemon and tea powder), and a Bacon-Maple Bar (a traditional maple bar topped with strips of fried bacon -- mmmm, yummmm!). I ordered their signature Voodoo Doughnut (a gingerbread shaped-man with a pretzel stick stabbed through its abdomen and red jelly "blood" filling) and a Memphis Mafia (a fritter topped with chocolate chips, banana, and peanut butter -- Elvis would be proud). We washed down these hand-made gourmet gut-busters with Miss P’s favorite morning brew, Stumptown Coffee. (Please note, this was a birthday celebration, not a health food fest :*)
For more info…
http://voodoodoughnut.com/
Now fully jacked-up on sugar and caffeine, we sped west across the Burnside Bridge into downtown Portland. My world-renown parking karma was fully operational as we found a parking space near the front door of that unmatched tower of tomes, Powell’s City of Books. For the uninitiated, Powell’s is a book lover's paradise, the largest used and new bookstore in the world. Occupying an entire city block, Powell’s stocks more than a million new and used books. Nine color-coded rooms house over 3,500 different sections, offering something for every interest, including an incredible selection of out-of-print and hard-to-find titles. Did I mention Pennie is a book lover?
Pennie was armed with a Powell’s Gift Card and a look in her eye that told me she was seriously intent on using it. We agreed to meet an hour later in the WiFi-equipped coffee shop to make her online seat reservations for her Tuesday flight to San Diego.
Sixty minutes later she approached with a bag full of books and contented smile -- she was a happy girl. We fired up my Mac and she secured her online seat reservation with Southwest.
For more info…
http://www.powells.com/
Our next destination was the Japanese Garden in Washington Park. We arrived in the 95° midday heat and immediately realized the hour-long guided tour was more than Pennie’s ankle could handle. (She's getting better, but still not completely "road ready." Instead, we took the scenic drive further into the park and stopped briefly at the Hoyt Arboretum, and the Portland Zoo.
It was time to pull out all the stops and reward the birthday girl with her ultimate Portland fantasy – a trip to The Alphabet District on NW 23rd Ave. It is block-for-block, the premier shopping street in all of Portland, with a number of excellent, independent, top-notch boutiques, as well as a few chain stores at the southern end of the row like Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma, Kitchen Kaboodle, Urban Outfitters, and Cost Plus.
After a light lunch at Rose’s Restaurant and Bakery, a New York-style deli that has been a fixture in Portland since 1956, Pennie was ready to explore this shopping wonderland. As I struggled to keep up with her, it was clear she was a woman on a mission. She entered store after store, examining works of art, sculpture, unique clothing, unusual house wares and home furnishings. She finished her reconnaissance of several blocks of 23rd Ave, stating she’d have to return with Kristi, her friend of 40 years, and her professional shopping partner.
For more info…
http://www.viamagazine.com/weekenders/portland04.asp
We drove a few blocks and checked into our hotel. Here’s a description…
The Inn at Northrup Station, in the heart of the 'Trendy-third' fashion zone also known as Nob Hill, is the place to stay on any trip to Portland. The fabulous interior decor includes modern-retro furnishings with an energetic color palate. Private decks, granite counters, marble bathrooms all contribute to the ambiance of this edgy, new hotel. Suites are large, spacious and comfortable offering all the amenities that guests have come to expect. The stylish Inn at Northrup Station pays tribute to San Francisco's world-renowned boutique hotels with a distinctively Northwest Portland flavor.
Check out the very cool colors and retro décor (we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto)…
http://www.northrupstation.com/
Needless to say, The Inn at Northrup Station met the birthday girl’s style requirements.
We relaxed for an hour or two, and then walked a couple of blocks up a tree-lined 21st Ave to our dinner destination. Serratto is a “lively and elegant neighborhood restaurant serving authentic and innovative dishes from Italy, France and the greater Mediterranean region.”
Pennie ordered a Rosé as we reviewed the menu offerings. We both chose the beet, pear and chèvre on a salad of baby greens with dijon-tarragon vinaigrette and crispy fried garlic. For our entrées, Pennie ordered the grilled prawn skewers served with basil pesto fregula sarda, roasted peppers, arugula, pine nuts and fried capers, while I selected the slow simmered veal bolognese with cavatelli pasta and grated grana padano. The service, ambiance and especially the food all combined for an outstanding dining experience.
For more info…
http://www.serratto.com/
After dinner we continued our stroll south on 21st Ave to Cinema 21, an art movie theatre showing the new documentary Every Little Step. Scott Simon of NPR wrote…
“More than 30 years ago, Michael Bennett recorded over 12 hours of conversations with Broadway hopefuls. Those conversations eventually became the musical 'A Chorus Line'. Bennett's show took the stage in 1975 and became one of the longest-running musicals in history.
The new documentary 'Every Little Step' traces the origins of A Chorus Line, while also following the lengthy audition process for the show's 2006 revival on Broadway.
Every Little Step uses the tapes of Bennett's original conversations with dancers to delve into the show's history. The tapes and interviews in Every Little Step offer audiences a new glimpse into the development of the musical. Viewers take pleasure in watching modern actors and actresses audition for a show about auditioning, following several of them throughout the casting process.”
Simply put, we loved this film and highly recommend it.
For more info…
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090513/REVIEWS/905139995/1023
On Tuesday morning, we enjoyed the continental breakfast provided by Northrup Station, then drove to PDX for Pennie’s flight to San Diego. She’ll be enjoying a week-long visit with family and friends, and I’ll be writing this account while attempting to contain three little kittens determined to tumble, tussle, rumble and wrestle about 22 hours a day.
Happy Birthday, Pennie!
Love,
Tom
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