Wayfinder, Ex Novo, Inter Urban, and Prost

Well what a night.

Snacks in the blazing sun at Wayfinder - tasty beer and delish apps:

Then after we ate we didn't want to talk to Lynette:

Then beers at Ex Novo:

Then the most fantastic dinner at Inter Urban.  Got my oyster fix, and the boar burger and the smoked trout BLT were to die for.  There were drinks for the nephew and PLINY THE ELDER ON TAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Then we went to Prost where this shit happened.  I'm not sure what to say.  Use your imaginations...

Saturday in the Gardens

We got up a little later today, sleeping and sweating off the wine consumption from Friday.

We had lunch at Pine State Biscuits - so so so so good.  Biscuits and fried chicken and gravy and bacon and cheese  and a fried egg.  I think we were all so excited and freakin' hungry we just all ate it and no on took a picture.

We then headed over to the Portland Japanese Gardens.  It was so beautiful.  Lots of shade and moss gardens, little walking paths to hidden pools and benches to sit and reflect.  Simply beautiful.  It was a nice leisurely walk for an hour in such a peaceful place.

THEN!  And I really have no idea why we haven't done this before...we hit the International Test Rose Garden.  It's free and you just wander around all of these amazingly beautiful roses, all different colors and varieties.   It was so wonderful - we just wandered around and Charlie and Chris took lots of pictures with real cameras, I took a bunch with my phone on the "pro" setting.  A couple turned out kinda cool!  It was again just lovely to wander around in the sun.

And now it's time for beer.

This is what happens after 30 tastings.

Wine makes your teeth blue.

Winery Day #1

What an amazingly beautiful day.   We were able to take Brett, Lynette, and Charlie to some of our absolutely favorite wineries and our lunch spot in the Willamette Valley. 

It was so lovely to share it with all of them...and make them spend ridiculous amounts of money supporting our fave wineries.  😃

We started at Brick House with our most amazing host Steve Guy.  OH.  MY.  GOD.  Outstanding.  As always. Eight wines, some that we have at home (and now we have more of!!), and he opened up the most beautiful 2011 Evelyn's Pinot Noir for us.  We generally make sure this is our first winery of the day - because the wines are beautiful, the vineyard is beautiful, and over the years we've made a great friend in Steve who's hospitality knows no bounds.

Our next stop was Beaux Freres - where I think I might have maxed out my credit card, but whatever.  We've been going to Beaux Freres for about...maybe 5 or 6 years?  And they recently were bought in part by a French winery, but I think that has only helped them to refine a few things.  

Their pinots are superb, and we had such a fun time - Jillian was our server and she was so funny and put up with some of our shenanigans.   As only we can have shenanigans.  We also learned that drinking this much wine makes your teeth blue.

After Beaux Freres we headed to visit Matzinger Davies.   Last year when Chris and I were at Brick House, we got to meet Anna when she was dropping off some of her Rose for Steve.  He gave us a bottle and then arranged for use to visit Anna while here this time!  (See?  Love Steve.)

Anna was simply fabulous.  She makes her wine out of Rex Hill (A to Z Pinot), and in addition to 5 barrel tastings, we got to taste six of her wines.   The Sauvignon Blanc was outstanding, as were the pinots.  Hell, all of it was good!  She was so funny and kind and a hell of a great person to spend part of our afternoon with.

I think I joined her wine club.  I can't really be sure?  But my credit card still worked!!!  YAY!!!

Next - lunch at Red Hills Market, super quick stop at Purple Hands (palate fatigue and shit-faced-ness had really set in at that point), and then an appointment at Argyle (meh...I think we are done there).

What an gorgeous day with gorgeous friends/family and gorgeous wines and gorgeous hosts.  XO

PDX - Day 1!!

Day 1 PDX!  

First, what an amazing view of Mount Adams (foreground) and Mount Rainier (background) as we were making our descent!  Brett and Lynette got the Mount Hood side of the plane and she took this beauty.

We then started at Culmination for lunch and beers, then headed over to Ecliptic for...more beers.

After grocery shopping and settling into our VRBO with another couple of beers, we headed to Pok Pok, this really cool Thai place with amazing sticky wings.  Yum.

Fighting the urge to just pass out, we met up with the nephew for a quick drink (he ate and drank, we all tried to stay awake) before heading home and THEN passing out.

Today = wine day #1.  CAN.  NOT.  WAIT.

Mount Adams and Mount Rainier

Mount Hood

PDX here we come!!!

It's here - the 2018 National Homebrew Conference and our 10 day pilgrimage to PDX.

On the docket:

• 2 days of winery tours - one with the nephew!!
• NHC

And the rest I guess we fill in with...something.   Beer maybe?  Hmmm...not sure.

Waiting to board...pre-gaming with a good beer since all Delta has is Sam Adams.   Thanks again Sun Country for being assholes.