"FUN HOME" PORTLAND CENTER STAGE

It's another beautiful day in Portland - 85 degrees with a Fall breeze.  Today I went to the Thursday matinee at Portland Center Stage to see the musical play "Fun Home" and it was a rewarding experience.  I chose a front row seat so sitting there makes me feel like I'm part of the story.  The singers, actors, and orchestra were all exceptional so I high recommend it.  It will be in Portland until October 22nd.


The nice thing about a noon matinee is that there's time for a leisurely lunch afterwards.  Today I walked to Jake's Crawfish where I had my usual - liver with bacon and onions.  Yes, I know that most of you reading this will say "uggghh" but I truly love this and it's a dish I no longer cook at home.

After lunch at Jake's it was only a two block walk to Blue Star Donuts so I yielded to temptation to get a couple of Meyer Lemon donuts.  Most people love VooDoo donuts but Blue Star is a gourmet version of a donut and they are quite addictive even though they cost more than twice as those from VooDoo.

Using the MAX and streetcar for transportation made this a perfect way to spend a beautiful Portland afternoon.

LUCE, Portland & TRIANGLE THEATER

Allison and I have season tickets to the Triangle Theater so we always love having an early dinner and then going to see the latest play.

Last night we started at Luce on Burnside.  

luceportland.com

We love it for two reasons; first it's close to the theater and secondly, their food reminds us small cafes in Italy where everything is cooked fresh and the pasta is "king".  We shared a plate full of antipasti and Allison ordered the tagliatelle with beef and pork ragu and I had my usual which is spaghetti with garlic and hot pepper oil with fresh clams.  If you're in Portland, please check them out = the food is exceptional !

The play was "Hand to God" which was nominated for 5 Tony Awards in 2015.  It is advertised as a Dark Comedy and we both agree that it wasn't out favorite production.  The good thing about live theater is that we are exposed to different ideas and we always leave with lots to discuss.

Feeding HUMMINGBIRDS

 We have a large colony of hummingbirds around the condo so when I did some shopping at the Portland's Saturday Market, I found a vendor who makes and sells custom hummingbird feeders.  This one is glass with red ladybugs on the bowl and beads and metal work.  There are several shops where you can buy feeders, bird houses and bird seed feeders and they are all creative and unusual.  (Take the red or blue MAX to the Skidmore train station because parking is near impossible.  Voodoo Donut is also within close walking distance).

Roger has been "down and out" with gout that has lasted for ten days (it's finally starting to get better) so I thought he'd enjoy watching the birds while he's sitting with his foot on a stool with an ice pack (poor baby.......).  

It has been a joy watching the birds come for food.  There are several who finally worked up the courage to get a drink and I see more sitting in a nearby tree, just watching.  This is only the third day so we're looking forward to eventually being able to get some photographs when they realize that we won't harm them.

Old Town Pizza - Downtown Portland

Pizza is a rare event in our house because Roger is on a very restricted diet.  Basically, he eats extremely healthy (and I don't) so last night was my opportunity to indulge.  If you're anywhere near Davis and 2nd Avenue in Portland, this is a "must stop".  They have hand crafted beer on tap and their pizza is delicious.

There's even some history in the building that was built in the late 1800s with tunnels underneath that once went out to the river to load cargo during low tide.  If you go on an Old Town Tour, you'll learn that such places are "haunted" and that sailors were known to be Shanghaied unto a cargo vessel.  The story they tell is that the men who got stinky drunk would be carried through the tunnels to the ship and when they woke up they found themselves on a cargo ship for six months.  Most of the tunnels are now sealed off but you can still see one in the basement of Old Town Pizza.

MARCO'S CAFE in Multnomah Village

Today , on my way to Costco, I stopped at my favorite lunch diner in Multnomah Village for lunch before I completed my shopping.  

Pictured here is a half bacon/lettuce/tomato/avocado/Swiss cheese sandwich on toasted hazelnut bread.  The onion rings are made fresh and all of their food is wonderful.  They give many choices for sides such as fries, cold slaw, & potato salad.  Their salads are creative, huge and delicious!

www.marcoscafe.com/history

Multnomah is a small village a few miles from downtown Portland.  Their downtown area has some lovely shops; a custom linen shop that offers hand woven table linens, a cute shop with gift items, a small book store, wine tasting, a small art gallery, lots of cafes and other interesting shops.  My absolute favorite is a clothing and shoe store "SWITCH" so my next trip to the village will be for shopping ..............

MOTHER'S Restaurant in Portland Oregon

If you travel to Portland you MUST have a meal at "Mother's" on Oak and 2nd Avenue.  My favorite is brunch so today I started with the best bloody Mary, ever, and followed with a half order of eggs Benedict.  Singles can sit at the bar and, frankly, that's where it's the most fun.  (Dear Roger has gout so I had to leave him home with an ice pack, the TV remote, water and snacks). The red and blue MAX trains will take you within one block of the restaurant (take the Oak station to leave the train).

On Saturday's and Sundays, the craft market is open at River Front and it's only a three block walk from Mother's.  Today I had a mission to get some things for our back balcony to entice birds during the winter.  I found a really cute hand made hummingbird feeder and a hanging vase for flowers.  Now all we need is a bird feeder that will hold suet or seeds.  Hummingbirds are everywhere so we're excited to give them some food and to enjoy watching them.

UMBRELLA MAN at Portland Pioneer Square

It's Sunday so I decided to celebrate the mid 70s degree sunny weather by hopping on the Orange MAX train to Pioneer Square where I changed trains to go to Mother's for brunch.

While I waited I took the opportunity to check out the popular sculpture "Umbrella Man" who has been at the Pioneer Square since the 1980s.  He keeps getting some cosmetic improvements to keep him looking sharp so today he was at his best since he had a recent update.  The sculpture is so realistic, I'm certain that some people think that he's a real person.  His clothing and umbrella look like the "real thing".  I had to wait awhile to get a photo because there's usually a line of tourists who are taking selfies and group photos with him.

A love affair with POWELL'S BOOKS in Portland

When we entertain house guests, their first request is generally "When can we go to Powell's Books?"  You'll have to experience it to understand the magnetic draw it has on residents and visitors, alike.

For me, it's like having the world open at my feet because by reading, I constantly build on my knowledge of cultures, travel, history, politics and social issues.

For those who are visiting in Portland, the easiest way to visit Powell's is by taking the streetcar that goes to the Pearl District.  Take the Couch exit from the streetcar and walk across the street.  Then you'll understand why we all love this unique experience.

MULTNOMAH FALLS BEFORE - AND TODAY

I FOUND THIS PHOTO ON "LIVEONK2" by news reporter, Catherine Van AND WE'RE RELIEVED TO SEE THAT THE FALLS IS STILL "FALLING" AND THE BRIDGE AND LODGE ARE INTACT.  THE FIREFIGHTERS STAYED HERE THE ENTIRE TIME TO ENSURE THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA WOULDN'T BE DAMAGED MORE THAN NECESSARY.  WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

The fire, unfortunately, is still not controlled but we are hoping for the best.

HORSETAIL FALLS Area Completely Burned Out

Yesterday we learned that the area surrounding Horsetail Falls and trails have burned.  The skies in Portland are gray with smoke and the air remains unhealthy to breathe.  

We're feeling a lot of sadness about the loss of trees and vegetation from the beautiful Columbia Gorge. The fire is moving towards Portland with the loss of more than 31,000 acres and several small communities throughout the gorge are being evacuated.  

The senseless fire was started by a 15 year old boy from Vancouver, WA.  He was accompanied by friends who giggled and videotaped the start of the fire and then just slowly walked away.

For up to date information, go to the Oregonian website at:


www.oregonlive.com/news/

Devastating Fires at Multnomah Falls

The photo shown here is from KATU-TV
The one below was posted by Jason Nguyen from KATU News



As I write this, the Multnomah Falls and the Lodge are still in serious danger.  The news reporters tell us that the fire has already burned both above and below the falls.  As of last night about 4,800 acres have been affected and the fire has now jumped over the Columbia River to the Washington side.

Here in downtown Portland, the air is thick with smoke and ash is falling from the smokey air.  It's unhealthy to be outdoors and to add to the problem, the high temperature today will be close to 100 degrees.

What makes this even sadder is that the fire is "man-made" by several teens who decided that it would be great fun to light and throw firecrackers into the forest and down a ravine.  Luckily a woman witnessed their actions and she quickly ran back on the trail to warn other hikers and to notify the fire department.

Wild Salmon with cherry tomatoes & capers

Today I'm sharing a simple recipe for either fresh salmon or steelhead.  Heat olive oil in a pan, season the salmon to your taste and sautée on the top side for about six minutes, then turn it.  The fish should cook at temperatures of your preference - medium rare at 135 to 165 degrees for flaky and well done.

While the fish is cooking, slice an assortment of cherry tomatoes, baby red onions and fresh basil.  Add to the pan and then put in about 1/4 cup of capers. If the pan seems a bit dry, drizzle in some dry sherry or white wine.  Add more seasoning to taste and it's ready to serve when the fish reaches the desired temperature.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes for a delicious and healthy meal.

It's ALL ABOUT PEPPERS at the Portland Farmer's Market

Peppers are everywhere at the Portland Farmer's Market today; hot, sweet, and in between - all are delicious.

The man shown with the round cage is hand turning it over a gas flame.  The cage is about half full of an assortment of fresh peppers (a very hot job, especially today when it's forecast to be 96 degrees).  Once they are roasted, they are sold warm at the pepper stand.

It's worth navigating the huge crowds - so now, our refrigerator is filled with tomatoes, peppers, fresh basil, green beans and corn, all fresh from local farms.

CAFFE MINGO, Portland Birthday Lunch

www.caffemingonw.com

(503) 226-4646

Today Ann and Allison treated me to a special birthday lunch at Caffe Mingo on 21st Avenue in the NW District.  The restaurant has been in business for dinner for many years and, recently, they started serving lunch.  Their specialty is "simple Italian cooking" and the food is delicious and beautifully presented.

It has been awhile since we spent time together so it turned out to be a long and leisurely lunch while we got caught up with all of our news and activities.