Get Your Groupon: Salishan Resort, Gleneden Beach OR

Remember when “impulse buy” meant you actually had to walk into a store? Now, thanks to sites like Groupon, enticing retail-therapy offers get dumped into your email box daily. Call me a sucker, but an e-coupon for a $129 one-night stay at Salishan popped up and I bit. The next day I had a vague sense of buyers remorse, as I thought, “Hmmm … Salishan – isn’t that some kind of corporate retreat/spa/golf kind of place?” But too late. I had clicked.

So, in late February, a friend and I headed out to the Land of Salishan, coupon in hand. Not really knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised that the resort was not nearly as slick as I anticipated. It's more like where Mid-Century-Modern meets macramé. There’s the discreet '60s entrance, and room décor dominated by '70s earth tones. As described on their website, Salishan is “entirely unique from today’s minimalist urban design.” I’ll say!

Since it was the off-season, and a wet and windy winter storm raged, no nature walks to the beach this time. We did, however, partake of the dry sauna and the pool.

Another highlight was dinner in The Attic bar. Not so much the food (which was mediocre at best) but the entertainment. That evening, the Beth Willis Rock Duo performed and they fit right into the Salishan groove. They covered classic rock hits from the '60s to the '90s, and their playlist felt dated in the same comfortable way as the resort. I confess – it was fun to bob my head along to familiar tunes from back in the day. Plus, that Beth can really belt it!

Now, is Salishan the hippest place to stay on the Oregon Coast? Probably not. (And I’m not sure where that place is – and it’s probably not available through Groupon.) But in the end, I did come to appreciate it, mainly because the original owners seemed on the forefront of the “eco lodge” movement. (And for 1965, that was pretty far ahead of its time.)

Plus, this '60s/'70s throwback resort does manage to reflect the quirky, low-key, natural beauty of the Oregon Coast.

Salishan Spa & Golf Resort‎
U.S. 101
Gleneden Beach, OR 97388
salishan.com‎

Donut Destination: Sandy OR

Silly me. When I first moved to the Pacific Northwest, I used to blow right through Sandy on my way up to Mt. Hood. That is until one trip my ski buddy asked, “Do you mind if we stop at Joe’s Donuts?” I could tell by her polite-yet-firm tone that this was a rhetorical question, and that stopping at Joe’s was definitely on the agenda.

Since that day, it’s rare that I drive through Sandy without hitting this scruffy red-and-white checkerboard shop. On winter weekend mornings, there’s often a line of skiers and snowboarders out the door. However, the line moves quickly, and you can be back on your way in about 15 minutes.

Ok, so what is it about these goodies that make people hell-bent on hitting the slopes actually pull over? I’m not quite sure, but I’ll offer this: Joe’s Donuts has taken straightforward favorites like maple bars, old-fashioneds, and apple fritters to the next level. Their versions of these classics do seem lighter and more flavorful. Even the icing is tastier. All this adds up to a superior donut-eating experience. The folks at Joe's sum it up best on their website, where they refer to themselves as a “nationally acclaimed donut paradise.”

Funny, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to put the word “donut” and “paradise” in the same sentence. But in this case, it seems to work.

Joe's Donuts
39230 Pioneer Blvd
Sandy, OR 97055
(503) 668-7215

For the People - City State Diner: Portland OR

During the winter, venturing out often means venturing in ...to warm, inviting places that serve food. Don’t get me wrong — I like a good snow cave as much as the next person. But when the chill is on, it’s tough to beat a cozy local place with character where you can get a bite to eat.

So last Saturday morning, after dropping the car off at Les Schwab on Sandy Boulevard for some tire maintenance, I went in search of food. Lucky for me, I came upon City State Diner on NE 28th and was immediately taken by its clever indie name, it’s cool retro vibe and its no-nonsense breakfast menu. The staff was a collection of Portland hipsters — but friendly, service-oriented hipsters that actually acted like they cared.

In true diner fashion, I stuck to the basics and ordered a scrambled egg, a pancake and a cup of decaf. Besides being tasty, it was a pretty good deal — the bill came to a whopping $5.25.

And yet another reason to visit ...



City State Diner
126 NE 28th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232

The Press Club, a Great Hang: Portland OR

It’s true that all who wander are not lost, but in my case, they’re probably hungry. Which is why it’s so great to wander around Portland, because the chance of stumbling upon some charming place with tasty, affordable food is pretty darn high.

Take last Sunday afternoon – I was in Southeast Portland and came across The Press Club, a bar café complete with a menu loaded with sweet and savory crepes named after famous authors, plus a wall of cool magazines. I enjoyed a Raymond Carver salmon and spinach crepe, along with some sparkling water, while perusing the Sunday New York Times. It was a good 90 minutes, and I could have easily stayed longer.

Overall, this place is a really nice combination of cozy, contemporary and continental. It's remindful of cafés in Europe, and almost made me feel like writing “wish you were here” postcards to friends.

The Press Club
2621 SE Clinton St
Portland, OR 97202

Vino Local: Portland OR

I guess I’m on a bit of a wine kick. (Truth be told, I’m always on a bit of a wine kick, and thankfully, so are most of my friends.) So on Fridays after work, we find it fun to pop into tastings around town.

Bruce, with trusty assistant Kate, prepares pours

One of my favorite places to taste is at Vino, owned by Bruce Bauer
(brother of local food writer/blogger Kathleen Bauer of Good Stuff NW). For many years, Vino was in Sellwood, but then Bruce relocated to that groovy little pocket near SE 28th and Burnside (also home to Ken’s Artisan Pizza, Crema, and the Grill Cheese Grill, just to name a few).

Besides the location, I like Vino's tastings because they’re festive. They often feel like a good party that you didn’t have to throw, not to mention clean up afterwards. Plus, Bruce has kind of a democratic approach to wine, and organizes things in a way that many can enjoy. Tastings are $10 for the first five wines. You also have the option to pay a bit more for “bonus pours” of the higher-end stuff. He supplies quality bread to nibble, and doesn't mind if you bring your own spread to nosh.

As much as I like the Friday festivities, I also like visiting Vino on Saturday afternoons, which tend to be more low-key. You can still taste, and you can also chat with Bruce, who will go deeper with you on what you’re drinking.

And although patio season is a ways off, I do want to mention Bruce’s outdoor area, which is a mighty fine place to sip wine on a warm Friday afternoon.

Vino
137 SE 28th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214

A Christmas Moment at Food Front: Portland OR

I hate to admit it, but due to some brutal work deadlines that fall right around Christmas every year, combined with the usual stresses of the season, I head into December with a deep sense of foreboding. Instead of mistletoe hanging over my head – there’s a dark cloud of anxiety and dread.

But every year, it never fails that when I need it most, I have what I fondly refer to as my “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!” moment. That’s when something genuinely non-commercial and authentic slices through my bah-humbuggery, like a sharp knife through a Honey Baked Ham, and I feel the yuletide glow.

This year, a co-worker (who was slaving away on the same deadline as me) suggested I take a break and check out the employee-made gingerbread houses on display at the Food Front grocery store near our office. As a card-carrying member of the Food Front co-op, I felt it was my duty to go see them, and indeed, it was worth the visit. Each department had built their own little house, and each was cute as a button and had it’s own personality.

And seeing them lined up in a neat little row on that dry, sunny, December afternoon brought a much-needed smile to my face. Once again, my “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!” moment had arrived.

Food Front

2375 NW Thurman St. 

Portland, Oregon 97210

Limo-ing to Wine Country: Newberg OR

God bless my friend Peggy. She’s a planner, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have much of a social life if not for her. Recently she hustled a small group of us to take a limo to wine country. I know what you’re thinking ... limos ... bachelorette parties ... prom night ...

Our limo driver standing by

Yes, you’re right. Limos are cheesy. But they’re kind of fun in a cheesy sort of way, and they sure beat mini vans. In fact, being inside one felt more like being on a plane. You know, you’re not in control of your mode of transportation, and your supposed to be comfortable, but you’re really not. (Which, by the way, is no reflection on our driver). And anyway, we were attempting to be “responsible adults” by not drinking and driving.

So, off we limo-ed. To add to the cheese factor, one of the gang brought along their Hall and Oates Greatest Hits CD to play on the way. Now I really was going to the prom.

Just so you know, I’m not even going to attempt to review the wines. (Would you really trust someone’s taste in wine that was singing along with a Hall and Oates CD?)

Our first stop was Carlton Cellars, which has lovely grounds and some tasty, affordable wines. Lots of Pinot Noir as you would expect. I’m not a huge Pinot fan (I know – I’m living in the wrong state) but it was fun to try them.

Penner-Ash tasting room

Then we hit Penner-Ash, Adelshiem and Bergstrom, in that order. Penner-Ash has a casual-yet-chic contemporary tasting room with lots of light, which made for a pleasing experience.

As for Adelshiem, I found it a tad overpriced, starting with the $15 tasting and the $78 Pinots. But then again, we were the riff-raff in the limo belting out 70s pop tunes, so maybe it just wasn’t a good fit.

Bergstrom - the view

Bergstrom was a group favorite. It was a pretty setting, and the wine seemed within reach. The staff was friendly, too, and even helped us play with a wine aroma chart. We all tried really hard to identify underlying scents like “wet leaves” and “diesel”, with varying degrees of success.

After four wineries, our wino – uh – I mean limo time was running low, so we headed back to Portland. We all agreed that despite the cheese factor, it did feel good to slump down in a limousine like bratty rock stars and leave the driving to someone else.

Carlton Cellars
30 West Monroe Street
Carlton, Oregon 97111
carltoncellars.com

Penner-Ash
15771 NE Ribbon Ridge Road
Newberg, OR 97132
pennerash.com

Adelsheim
16800 NE Calkins Ln
Newberg, OR 97132
adelsheim.com

Bergstrom Wines
18215 NE Calkins Lane
Newberg, OR 97132
bergstromwines.com

Interstate Limo
interstatelimo.com