What a beautiful city! I really like Portland, Oregon. This chic city is filled with historic buildings and streets lined with trees and sculpture.....and espresso shops about every 10 feet. The great bus and MAX system gets you to and from the airport in about 40 minuets for $2.00. How can you beat that!
We got here in the morning and checked in to the uber chic hotel The Nines. This Virtuoso hotel is in the heart of everything in Portland. From Macy's to Nordstoms, the the Pioneer Center with its designer shops. Check in at this hotel is on the 8th floor of one of the most historic buildings in Oregon's capitol city. But the inside is anything but historic. The ultra trendy decor is also highlighted by sculptures everywhere. There must be a lot of dot come industry in the area as money seemed no object at the Nines. These kids are some of the most well dressed people I have seen in recent months.
I guess the young and hip have found downtown Portland as we were the oldest people around . In one place we saw a line of young families and young people standing in a long line in front of a store called Voodoo Doughnuts. We wondered what they put in those doughnuts to warrant a 45 minute wait with children?
Outside the hotel, it is much the same. The hip and the young are all over the place from the trendy Pearl district to the center of downtown. They are a sharp contrast to the overabundance of homeless that seem to be everywhere too. In some cities, you find the homeless under bridges and in subway entrances. Not in Portland. They are in parks, under streetlights, beside buildings and any warm place they can find.
Portland may be a beautiful city....but it does have its underbelly. What I don't understand is why they would stay here and not hitch a ride south to California or somewhere warm. The weather here is not always the best.
Portland is covered in cloud most of the year as Pacific weather fronts move in from the northwest. But the city makes up for it in great restaurants and shopping. Sunday afternoon looked much like Manhattan with shoppers and young families in the parks and cruising the weekend flea markets that are everywhere.
I wanted a good birthday meal, and everyone recommended this great Peruvian restaurant in "the Pearl" called Andina. Well as I cook Peruvian food at home from my years of living in Lima. When I looked at their menu on the Internet...it looked like stuff that I used to eat daily...and now cook for friends and family when they come over for dinner. I am sure that I don't make it as gourmet as the Peruvian chef at Andina....but it was close enough to home cooking, that I didn't want to go there for my birthday.
There are so many restaurants to choose from here..all with great Oregon wine lists. So we decided to eat at Urban Cowboy, in the Nines Hotel. Steaks here start at $60 for a 6 0z fillet....and a Kobe Beef sirloin between 6 and 8oz was available for a mere $80. Those prices were without accompaniments or tax....all a la carte. I settled for some lovely foie gras home made in Oregon. Everything in this restaurant is locally grown and seasonal. Maybe that is why it costs more. In any case the chef's complimentary appetizer was a almond butter and jelly slider with a thin slice of foie gras in the middle. I have to say I would not have ordered my main dish had I known this was coming.
I have often said that these chef's complimentary appetizers are given to people as an experiment. Well this one fell way short. The almond butter and strong berry jelly completely overshadowed the foie gras which was pasty and with not much flavor any way. Oh well....my lovely Pinot Noir was a winner.
So much for my birthday dinner. When back in the room there was a present from the hotel of some delightful chocolates and a plate of special fruits and nuts. Very nice touch Nines. Thank you.
The stay in Portland was far too short. We walked and walked and walked. People were wonderfully friendly, helpful and nice (maybe because we looked so much older than they were)
On all the trains and buses, a recorded message tells you to make sure you are nice to seniors (super citizens)and give up your seat if needed. In any case.....we really enjoyed this city filled with youth and great spirit. There is so much to see and do and it was truly wonderful to see people enjoying the downtown areas of a large city.
So Portland and Oregon....thank you for a fun birthday weekend. I will be back...to be sure.
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