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April 16, 2008
I think I will be an Oregon cheerleader
The challenge: two couples, less than a week, and convincing them that we were not out of our minds to move to Oregon.
I think it was a success, and I think I should get a job as a private tour guide, because I know the history of the areas (mostly from growing up here, somewhat from all the reading I've done) and I love Oregon in a way I can't explain.
With Dean and Michele, the first day was cloudy and a little drizzly, which they enjoyed because they had just spent the previous few days in Arizona, where the sun tries to kill you.
We went to Por Que No for lunch (they liked it & we sat outside) and then wandered around downtown until we felt like a beer. After the beer, we went to Montage to grab food (liked it again) and finally to Pix for sweet things (mmmmm. But the first time I've not finished Pix's dessert, just because I was sickly full). I think I managed to get in four bridges this day, hopefully impressing them that I know the bridges' names, hehe.
We got up the next morning and drove to the coast. Mo's for lunch (we have to!) and then off to wander the beach there and watch the harbor seals watching us. Michele was collecting "things to make a necklace" for a friend of hers. It turned into a clear, gorgeous day.
We headed to Boiler Bay, where we could see some grey whales migrating (yay!) and look at the kelp beds swaying far down below.
We took the Otter Crest Loop so we could be terrified by the drop offs (o wait, that's just me) and pull over to admire the cliffsides and oceanviews. Ahhhhh.
Devil's Punchbowl (it was high tide by then, so we just looked down) showed us a bald eagle and one surfer who didn't get to surf much due to the calmness of the day. Dean admired the daring of Oregon squirrels running along the punchbowl and then we continued on to Seal Rock.
After finding many crabs, some shells, a huge strand of kelp and lots of sunshine, we went into Newport to grab a beer at Rogue Brewery. It wasn't a good stop this time - the bar area was full and too smoky, so we sat it the restaurant where they proceeded to tell Dean "No" to anything he ordered. It got so bad that the last time the waiter came back, Brian said "look, do you have potatoes?" hehe. It's too bad, that's a favorite place of ours and it definitely didn't impress anyone this time.
We rounded that up with the obligitory sea lions, and headed to Kyllo's for dinner before heading home.
Friday, Brian needed to get some work done, so we left him and went to Multnomah Falls after getting doughnuts at Voodoo. It was a flawlessly beautiful day to drive the Gorge, but I probably should have told Dean and Michele to not wear shorts - it's cool in the mists. We were going to hike to the top of the falls, but I learned a very important lesson that day: Never hike up mountains for the first time in spring with two Iron People (both Dean and Michele compete in IronMan). I made it a little more than halfway up (they were very patient, but I felt bad holding them back) before sending them on to the top. I sat on a rock and talked to my aunt and looked out over the Columbia River, truly beautiful as always.
We went to Bonneville Dam again, and then over the Bridge of the Gods to get to the Washington side of the Gorge (not worth it at that point, you don't get the beautiful views of the Gorge the way you do East of there).
After a leisurely lunch on our back patio, Michele and I drove to the airport to get Jess and Steve while Dean and Brian went to the Kennedy school to secure a table for all of us. The Kennedy School was fun - we sat outside and drank beer and ate a good meal. We headed back to Brian and my house for a fire, and lots of conversation over more drinks (I gave up at 1 a.m.).
Brian took Dean and Michele downtown - they were taking a pilates class that morning in the Pearl and then catching the train to Seattle. I think we convinced them to visit again so we can do farther flung things in Oregon - Eastern Oregon, and Mt Hood and Crater Lake and the myriad of other things that make my heart sing when I am here.
When he got back, we headed over to Voodoo again (yes, I am on a diet this week) and then we were off to Cannon Beach.
What a beautiful day - by the time we made it back to Portland, it was 84 degrees. The four of us ate at Cannon Beach's Mo's, and then wandered down 101 to look at the views. We headed back to Portland and drove through all the districts we could think of to show them a taste of Portland, and then went back to the house to freshen up.
Dinner was at Rogue on 13th and Flanders because they were in the mood for a cheeseburger, and I had mentioned the Kobe burger there. It was good but wow, is that dining area warm when it's hot out, I will have to remember that. Their kids were not pleased to hear how beautiful it was by us while we were drinking beer because it was snowing and nasty in Madison.
Steve wasn't feeling the best after all the sun we got that day, so we headed back to the house. We ended up playing Wii tennis, golf, bowling, etc. until it was time for bed.
Their plane took off at noon exactly, so after we dropped them off, Brian and I took a two hour walk through Laurelhurst park and the SE neighborhoods (Belmont, towards Burnside, Hawthorn, it was a nice long walk).
So that's why I've been quiet (and since that walk I've been to Seattle and back too!)
Posted by Heather at April 16, 2008 12:35 PM