See ya, Portland!

On our way to the airport after another great trip. Loaded for bear with two full boxes of wine and beer. We are going to eat at the airport either at Laurelwood or Rogue, then home.

Wishing for an uneventful trip home. See you soon!

The Gorge and Beyond...

Wednesday was Columbia River Gorge, Bonneville Dam, Fruit Loop and Mt. Hood Day. You guessed it, we didn't get to Mt. Hood. But we did have an awesome time.

We started along the Columbia River Gorge, and stopped at a few waterfalls - see Multnohma Falls in the picture. Note the little bridge. No, I didn't go on the bridge, as evidenced by the other picture of me looking incredibly tense.

It was then on to Bonneville Dam...well actually the fish hatchery. Pretty cool! There were HUGE salmon in the tanks, as well as trout, and Herman the Sturgeon who was ginormous.

After the fish hatchery, we stopped in at Full Sail for a drink and swag, and then went to see a guy at Wyeast that Chris knows from the AHA Conference. He was really great, we had a beer with him at his office, and got a bunch of swag there too.

We then just stopped at one place on the Fruit Loop. Bought some pears, we'll see if they are good tomorrow when we are home. OK, here is the deal. We do not do well with drive, stop, wander, drive, stop, wander, lather, rinse, repeat. So while the Fruit Loop might be awesome for some, that kind of vacation ain't good for us. So we hopped back in the car, and headed back to Portland.

Drank a Pliny (did I mention we got 6 more), packed, went to a later dinner, and passed out. Today we head for home...

Post Script...Beervana

We went to Henry's 12th Street Tavern. They have over 100 beers on tap, and focus on mostly local awesome beers. We were able to use the Kincaid's Gift Certificate that N&J gave us for Christmas - THANK YOU!!

Here is the rundown on the beer we had:

Chris #1: Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale
Patty #1: Walking Man Homo Erectus Imperial IPA
Chris #2: Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
Patty #2: Rodenbach Sour

I am going to go either throw up because I'm so full, or pass out. Probably I'll pass out either way.

Moo.

Did I mention we stopped and said hi to these nice cows? It's good luck, you know.

Wait, you say? What about the four Pliny?

So on the way home from Pacific City, Chris started calling liquor stores to see if they had any Pliny. We called "Cork" and they were open until 7:00 and they had some. So we plugged it into the GPS and started speeding. The GPS set our arrival at 6:53.

I dropped Chris off on the corner at 6:56, and he ran in and was told that there was a limit of three per customer. Seriously. I told you this was the best beer ever.

After haggling with the guy we ended up with four. Chris didn't know if I was going to come in, so he wouldn't let me get the three that were due me since he "begged" the guy to sell him four. I think it's bunk, but whatever. One of us has to be the nice one in this marriage. Tomorrow we will seek out another six at the other Cork location. And maybe a few more on Thursday - I'm just saying it's an option.

Ah well. It's now 8:00, and we are trying to decide what to do for dinner. I'm drinking diet coke out of a champagne glass and eating the Tillamook cheese curds (they squeek!). If you ask me? That would be enough of a great end to a great day.

Tomorrow - off to the Columbia River Gorge, Bonneville Dam, and the Fruit Loop, and maybe Mt. Hood. You can see our track record for fitting it all in. I'm looking to score some pears to ship home!

No crab, four Pliny

Well, we didn't make it all the way down to Newport. We left the hotel and spent almost an hour driving around trying to get to a liquor store that had Pliny. Many of the streets were closed due to construction and when we got there, it wasn't open until 11:00. GOD DAMMIT. We then stopped to get a bagel for breakfast and we were on our way to Cannon Beach.

Let me just say this - if you ever pick a spot to retire, or vacation, and you want to see the ocean, Cannon Beach is fabulous. It was absolutely beautiful. We walked down the beach - me in my bare feet trying to not get a pants full of water - and walked up to Haystack Rock (see it in the background of our picture). It was a good setting for another signature self portrait.

After Cannon Beach was Tillamook - yep, you got it, the cheese factory was visited! Um, this you can skip if you come here. We stood in a line and got 6 cheese cubes as tasters, then you could buy all of their cheese at their store. We got curds, which were great, and then got an ice cream cone. I will say that it was some of the best ice cream I've ever had - I guess when you are actually INSIDE the plant it works out that way.

After Tillamook, we did the Three Capes Scenic tour - apparently there are lighthouses. After seeing the first one, I never did see another one. And it was all windy and shit, and since we didn't have a great map, someone in the car was getting a little freaked out. Hmmm...I'll give you a hint, it wasn't me. After an argument about the GPS versus the stupid map in the Oregon Coast guide, we realized we were going the right way to get to Pacific City and Pelican Pub.

Pelican Pub. What should I say? First, and I mean this literally. Not the literally people use for hyperbole, but LIT-ER-AL-LY. It took longer for the waitress to take or order than the time between when we ordered and the food came out. The food was remarkably UN-remarkable. Chris said the beer was solid. All I know is that I was accosted by so many bad smells I wanted to hurl. I think the Pacific Ocean just smells bad. Or at least it does in Pacific City. At that point it was 4:15 and we decided to just head back to Portland.

So. No crab.

OK, let's focus on the positive...

OK, I'm going to get over the sore throat and focus on what a great day we have ahead of us today!

We are driving down the coast, stopping at 4 or 5 towns to walk around on the beach, see the site, look at lighthouses, and eat at Pelican Brewpub in Pacific City. We are going all the way down to Newport, and we'll stop at Rogue, and I'm going to eat crab if it kills me. I didn't do that when we were in Delaware two years ago, so by God I'm doing it on this coast.

I'm psyched to use the new camera lens when we are at the lighthouses and at the beach. We'll post the pictures and you can be the judge.

Well, we're off in a few minutes, and the first stop is at The Cork, a liquor store where we are going to buy all of the Pliny the Elder they have. I spied about eight bottles in their back room. C&J - we're coming over Friday or Saturday with it!!

Remember what a wise man once said...you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.

Really?

Woke up this morning with a sore throat. Getting a cold. GOD DAMMIT.

In Vino Veritas

Today we drove down to the Willamette Valley for wine tastings. Chris set the tone for our day as we were walking into Sokol Blosser at 10:00 am by saying, "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning." I knew there was a reason I love him.

We used our new 50mm lens today - check out the pictures! The one of the grapes I especially like, but our signature self portrait doesn't really work - hence the big faces. But I LOVE this lens.

I've have also decided that this wine club thing is THE way to go. At Sokol Blosser, our tasting was free, and we had about 9 wines, and there were probably normally 5 that were on the tasting menu. The whites were awesome, so we bought a bunch to bring home. And I was toasted by 10:30 am. You stay classy, Patty.

At Argyle later in the day, I said we were in the wine club and asked how it worked and he said, "You just pick out whatever you want." That was it. Word to the wise - just say you are in the wine club and get free shit. We went to five different wineries, and needless to say, I passed out on the way back to the hotel at 2:30. Chris is quite a trooper for driving.

We are off tonight to an Italian restaurant (Piazza Italia) that we went to last year with K & M. If it is as good as last year, it will be fabulous.

ARGH is right.

Just heard on the news that there was a pirate festival in Portland yesterday. COME ON. Imaging the blogging if we'd attended that.

Struck out!

While we were at the Green Dragon, our awesome waitress Jill from Madison was nice enough to give us suggestions for brewpubs and brew bars. One was right across the street - Cascade Brewing Company who had a bar just for barrel aged sour beers, and they were brand new! So new, in fact, they aren't open yet. DRAG. We were so excited! I don't know when they open but I might just call them today and see if we can't get it.

Took the bus back to the Pearl, then walked over to Rogue for a couple of beers. Finished the night at Whole Foods so we could get some breakfast for this morning.

Day 1 finished a great day, even with the rain.

Off to the vineyards today - SO EXCITED!!

Ferrets? Yes, ferrets.

After Bridgeton we went back to the hotel and took a much needed nap. And what a coincidence, the movie "Dodgeball," was on, starring Steve the pirate! See...it is the circle of life Simba. So Hakuna Matata and all that shit.

Now we are Green Dragon after a bus ride that involved a couple and their two ferrets. I mean honestly, I love this town! Don't get me wrong, ferrets are the spawn of Satan, but where else would that seem like no big deal?

So we got off the bus and I kept thinking, we are probably going to get killed in this neighborhood. We walked over to the Green Dragon and it is in what used to be some weird Quonset hut. But now we are inside and it is really grungy cool. I am drinking a Russian River Blind Pig and quite frankly I could get killed and it would be a fitting tribute to my life. They also have some beer here that is apparently made with hemp. Again...how can you not love this place.

I think we are going to a place called Roots next, I can't really be sure since Chris is in charge today. He just said that whatever he looked at on his phone said it was closed permanently...riiiigggghhhtttt...let's go there. I am practicing letting go...hakuna matata, hakuna matata, hakuna matata. See? Circle if life.

ARGH, MATEYS!!!

How could ye be forgettin? The day upon us is National Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Avast and blimey, the grog in this here place brings a tear to me eye.

Don't be forgettin to talk like a pirate today or I'll make ye walk the plank!

(The preceding blog post was for CK in book club and for the rest of our book club.)

Not even noon, and I'm full and buzzed.

We had a wonderful breakfast with aunt, uncle, cousin, and cousin's hubby. The restaurant was called Meriwether and grow much of the food on their menu at a farm they run. Great food and it was so great to see everyone happy and healthy. Best line of the breakfast? While talking about how long we have been married, Uncle says, "How old are you?" And when I said 39, he said, "Oh my God you're 39??" He had the most disgusted look on his face and said, "You're old you know." Um...yeah. Now even more painfully aware of it. Thanks man.

Chris and I are now at Laurelwood sharing a sampler. I have to figure out how to get these guys to open in Minneapolis. They are on par, or a little better than Town Hall. The Free Range Red and the Workhorse IPA are outstanding. We are going to hand here for a bit and watch the Vikings game (quote from Chris, "they are sucking it right now."), then head (stumble) to Bridgeport.

The funny thing I am learning about Portland is that rain doesn't necessarily mean rain, it might mean misting or blue skies with clouds. So we are talking what we can get and today is right now sunny and patches of blue sky.

More to come. Maybe something funny will happen on our way to Bridgeport. :)

Ah...the Pacific Northwest...

We have arrived! In the pouring rain. Flight was uneventful, just like I like it. The most upsetting thing that happened was they they had "The A Team" on as the movie. And one other thing that bothered me...when did the quality of airline peanuts go from OK to really sucky? Chris got two little bags for me, and they had about 12 nuts a piece in them and they were TERRIBLE. Thanks Delta.

Last night we threw on our rain coats and went out in the rain to a place to the Red Star Tavern. Oh dear...I am not supposed to drink when I take my drugs for flying, but there was a Laurelwood Free Range Red on tap! An Organic beer at that!! How could I refuse. And it was tasty...so tasty. So were the pork sliders, and mac & cheese we had. You know, my drugs are supposed to make me not remember anything, but somehow I can always remember the food and beer.

We got back to the room and I fell asleep with my fingers on my phone keyboard trying to write this. Chris had to come and take it out of my hands. You stay classy, Patty.

Today we are heading to brunch with my cousin, aunt, and uncle, then a pub crawl...in the rain. But we are in the Pacific Northwest for a reason - alcohol. And there is no way a little bit of rain will get in the way. As my mom says, we'll just run between the raindrops, and try not to stumble and spill out beer.