Sitting on the Dock of the…Willamette Portland OR

A good friend with loads of creativity and vision held a birthday party down on a nameless dock by the Willamette River, somewhere near NE 18th and Front. No one knew who “owned” this dock, so our party basically assumed squatters rights for the afternoon.

It was a striking backdrop for a fete: the arching Fremont Bridge against an early autumn blue sky, complete with rustic (and rusty) freighters rolling by, escorted by rough-and-ready tugboats – just as cute and sturdy as we remembered them from the childrens’ books of our youth.

K&M Tasting Room: Good Wine, Good People Carlton OR

If you’re seeking a wine tasting experience that's the polar opposite of, say, Napa Valley on the weekend – i.e. impersonal corporate wineries with about as much charm as the inside of a Home Depot, overpriced tastings and gobs of people jockeying for position at the wine bar – then the K&M Tasting Room is the spot for you.

K&M Winery Rose, ready and waiting

K&M stands for Ken and Mauro, the two men behind the food-friendly wines showcased at their modest-but-stylish tasting room. It’s a calm and welcoming space, defined by spare furnishings and large windows that look out onto Carlton’s charming historical Main Street.

If this all sounds dreamy, well, that’s because it is. And I’m always impressed when people seem to be living their dream, because it means they had the wherewithal to make it happen. Inspired by close friends who owned a small vineyard, Ken and Mauro worked, planned and saved for many years to purchase their own. In one of life’s more serendipitous moments, Ken jumped on craigslist and the perfect piece of property popped up. They jumped on it, and the rest is history.

Ken with a few of his bottles

I figure if I’m that charmed by the K&M tasting room and story, then I will be equally charmed by the K&M vineyard. I have yet to visit it, but will be able to several times a year once I join K&M's wine club – which the retelling of this tale has just motivated me to do.

And now, I can hardly wait for my first vineyard event.

K&M Tasting Room

143 E. Main Street

Carlton, OR  97111 

Somewhere Far, But Not. Horsethief State Park, Dallesport WA

Not too long ago, a friend emailed asking if I wanted to go “somewhere far, but not.” I was charmed by her poetically phrased request. Plus, I was still recovering from a head cold and she had a sore foot. So an afternoon of low-impact sightseeing seemed like just the cure for what ailed us.

Horsethief Lake

I suggested Hwy. 14 – on which I seem to have a perpetual summer crush.  It’s a scenic, gently rolling two-lane road with good views of the Columbia River.  

In fact, according to certain guidebooks, Hwy. 14 is also visually more representative of how Lewis and Clark might have seen things, as opposed to Hwy. 84, its busy big sister on the Oregon side of the river. (A nice thought – except that Lewis and Clark were in dug-out canoes, not humming along in a Honda CRV at 60 MPH. But I digress…) 

Regardless, Hwy. 14 seemed to fit the bill of “somewhere far, but not.”

Looming basalt buttes at Horsethief Lake State Park

So we hit the road and headed east for about 90 miles. It never ceases to amaze me how driving east from Portland for just over an hour puts you into a totally different environment: warm, dry breezes; clear, cloudless skies; and high desert vistas. The cool, damp, densely forested feel of Portland seemed worlds away.

We clambered out of the car at Horsethief Lake State Park in Dallesport, WA – a happy accident, since we were attracted by the park’s Wild West name and knew nothing about the place itself. 

Pictographs (look closely) at Horsethief Lake State Park

Turns out we were thrilled to discover this gem of a park, with its striking views of black basalt buttes, a lake perfect for a quick dunk on a hot summer afternoon, plus several impressive Native American pictographs, which can be viewed from a very accessible path.

All this for an easy, scenic drive less than 100 miles from Portland.

Indeed, we had found our “somewhere far, but not” spot.  

Horsethief Lake State Park
Dallesport, WA

Triple Header: Burrasca, Vino & Crema CoffeePortland OR

I love when I can get my all my culinary cravings met on one city block.

That’s what happened the other day when I had a hankering for good Italian food, but wasn’t up for the whole sit-down restaurant experience. So I Googled PDX food carts and up popped Burrasca, whose specialty is Florentine fare. It had several rave reviews online, so off I went.

Special of the Day

Located at SE 28th and Ankeny, Burrasca is nestled in a little corner of the world that I know well. Vino, one of my favorite wine haunts is right next door, and Crema Coffee and Bakery café is just up the street – but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Back to Burrasca…

When I arrived, several self-declared Burrasca fans were already hovering around the food cart, eagerly awaiting their dishes. The group insisted I get the tagliatelle with beef ragu, so I heeded their advice. While placing my order, I slightly mispronounced the pasta, and chef/owner Paolo Calamai cheerfully corrected me: “Italians pronounce every syllable: “ta-GLI-a-TEL-lee”. So, I got a mini Italian lesson, too.

Tagliatelle with Beef Ragu

I couldn’t resist having my pasta with a glass of wine, so I took my plate of tagliatelle and headed for Vino, which welcomes Burrasca patrons. Being a Burrasca fan himself, Bruce at Vino suggested a red that perfectly complemented my meal. The pasta was delicious, and the wine made it that much better.

It only seemed right and proper to top off my lunch at Crema – just a stone's throw from Burrasca and Vino – where I scored a sidewalk café table, and enjoyed a cappuccino while basking in the midday sun.

And although I lucked into a sunny day, weather does not have to be a factor with this convenient trio of places. Burrasca has an outdoor covered area, while both Vino and Crema offer indoor and outdoor seating, which means all three locales can be enjoyed rain or shine.

Burrasca
113 SE 28th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214

Vino
137 SE 28th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214

Crema Coffee and Bakery
2728 SE Ankeny St.
Portland, OR 97214

Food for Thought #3

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

Buddha

A Bus with a View: San Francisco CA

The view from the Golden Gate Transit stop

Blogging about San Francisco is kind of like writing about the Beatles. 

Much has already been said.

However, during a recent visit, I did enjoy a “new” experience – I took Golden Gate Transit across the world-famous bridge. A friend dropped me off at a scenic stop just south of the toll booths. From there, I took a plush, north-bound bus (the #4 to be exact) loaded with well-heeled commuters to the Manzanita Park and Ride in Marin, where another friend came to retrieve me.

I must say, it was quite an efficient way to cross the bridge at rush hour – and not a bad way to enjoy the spectacular view.

http://goldengatetransit.org/services/documents/ggb_tollplaza.pdf

A More Perfect Doughnut: Pips Portland OR

Pip's Owner Nate Snell (right) and employee on a busy morning

Much has already been written about Pip's Original Doughnuts, a small shop on NE Fremont in Portland, Oregon. They've garnered quite a bit of press, and for good reason. 

Pip's has carved out a delicious niche making exquisite little doughnuts. There’s been some talk about whether these little rounds of perfectly fried dough should actually be called beignets. It really doesn’t matter to me what they're called. What does matter is that they rock. But for sake of discussion, I’ll describe them as an elevated take on the traditional doughnut.

Believe me – I’ve torn into more than one bear claw in my day and scarfed my fair share of maple bars. But given the opportunity to enjoy these daintier, more refined doughnuts, I’m all over it. I believe that has a lot to do with their subtly combined flavors. 

Clockwise from top: Meyer Lemon Pear, Nutella, Cinnamon/Sugar, and Honey and Sea Salt doughnuts

I ordered a sampling of four: Meyer Lemon Pear, Nutella, Cinnamon/Sugar, and Honey and Sea Salt. They were all delicious, but, for me, the standout flavor was Honey and Sea Salt – possibly the best fried-dough-thing I’ve ever had (and that includes the beignets at Café Du Monde in New Orleans). I’m no food critic, but the high-quality honey combined with the just-salty-enough sea salt is sublime. 

Pip's definitely qualifies as a Portland foodie destination, and it’s great place to take out-of-towners that like sweets. Plus, the owner was friendly! No hipster attitude here – just awesome doughnuts.

Pip's Original Doughnuts
4759 NE Fremont #C
Portland, OR  97213