Portland, OR

The guy who sent me all sorts of info said in his email to me, "That there is a great city." He was 100% correct. Since I had been to Seattle a little less than a year ago, I sort of had an idea of what to expect weather wise, but apparently like everyone else this city is having a weird summer. It was gorgeous. Warm and sunny the entire week I was there. From day one I had amazingly great food, wine, shopping and hospitality. I told Ace, "We HAVE to go back!!"

A few notes about Portland that I wanted to blog about so that I never forget.

Smells: The smells of the city are truly unique. One moment I'm walking down a busy city street, pass an alley and a nasty stench of garbage overtakes my sense. The next I'm walking by an Italian bakery where the smell of bread and pastries are so sweet you'd think it was Christmas. Then just a couple short blocks away is one of the many parks right off the river. I stepped onto the bright green grass and all I smelled was fresh earth. The soil had little dimples all over the place from a recent rain shower and the tiny blades of grass shot up as if to get every bit of sunlight the day would emit. I could smell the river... the crazy scents of people as they walked or jogged by me... and the earth. It was rich and woody. The hotels I was in and out of all week smelled different too. Part spa... part dog odor... part expensive perfumes. And then there's the food. Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh the food. For the most part, every restaurant I sampled smelled delicious. I savored all of it.

Sounds: Quiet sound of sneakers as they hit the pavement in the park. Busy power tools in the city. Walking signs dinging when it was safe to cross the street. Car horns when people didn't do something another driver wanted. Elevator bells ringing to let you know your ride had arrived to go Up or Down. The bustle in a restaurant of wait staff hustling back and forth bringing everything to their customers. The mind numbing silence in our training room as 15 people pondered over our Guide to Processing Personnel Actions notebooks. A loud air conditioning unit in my hotel room once the warmth set back in. The sound of the light rail as it gently made its way stop after stop. I savored all of it.



Sights: While this definitely isn't the most important view I have of Portland, it was hard to ignore. Not that I wanted to ignore it... but still. There are homeless people EVERYWHERE. Literally - all over the place. Not just in one concentrated area. They were at the airport, on the light rail, at the mall, outside hotels, inside the RiteAid and sleeping in alleys all around the city. It was the first time where I felt like it was seriously in my face type of homelessness. In addition to that though, there were great things to be seen. I didn't rent a car so I was a little restricted within the confines of public transportation. I made it to a couple different districts/neighborhoods and did some unexpected shopping. Hee hee. Surprisingly, I didn't see many churches. But plenty of places to eat. The architecture is really cool. Vintage and old in most areas, but very modern in the newly renovated spots. I loved the trees... and the plants all over. There were also lots of cobblestone or brick road areas around the city and neat sculptures. Like Seattle, there is TONS and TONS of art. It literally seeps out of any nook and cranny in the area. Abstract, landscapes, sculptures, fountains, photographs, etc. It's all over and so different. I ate it up!

Tastes: Well, I started out at Southpark Grill and ended with a Brewery at the airport. With the exception of Subway and Wednesday night's dinner... every place I ate at was amazing. The staff was great. They spoiled me with wine tastings and treats from the chef. I sampled so much free food... gah. It was good. My taste buds felt like they had been asleep for a long time and the city woke them up politely. Granted, Ace cooks for me at home and his meals are pretty much guaranteed to satisfy. But outside of home, it's hard for me to find good places to eat in the Littleton area. Anyways... the food. Seafood - YUMMO. It was fresh and flavorful. The vegetables AND fruit were local and organic. The ideas and inspiration were endless. In reading my little Fodor's book about Portland, I learned quickly that this city appreciates quality food. I just didn't realize how true that was. I want to go back just to eat. Courtesy of my hotel, The Vintage Plaza, I had complimentary continental breakfast Monday through Friday from their bakery in house - The Pazzio. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO gooooooooooooooooood. I had chocolate croissants that were slathered with milk chocolate. I had Almond croissants that were sprinkled with powdered sugar and roasted almonds. I had a corn meal-blueberry muffin that could have fed a family of four. I had fresh fruit EVERY day. Fresh orange juice EVERY day. An array of hot, herbal teas. But most of all it was the service. They were so kind and generous. Not to be expected for early in the morning... but these gals knew their stuff. It was really nice.

In the end, I felt like too much was left undone. I didn't see the coast. I didn't see the falls. But what I did see, I loved. I can't wait to go back. Ahh.... one day.