Playing in Portland

Farmer Jeff, our Mom and I all flew up for a wonderful weekend in Portland. Farmer Jeff’s bro, Greg, lives in Portland and we decided to pay him a visit before things got too crazy on the farm to get away. I didn’t realize how much I thought about the farm until I had a dream last night in which the fans were blowing on the vineyards and I was afraid that our tomatoes would freeze! Heavens! I don’t worry about it during the day, but I guess I do at night!

We arrived on Saturday night and took no time in finding a great old restaurant, Jake’s Famous Crawfish, for dinner. On our way out the door of our downtown hotel we almost literally walked smack dab into 2 people. I took one look at them and yelled, “STOP…We know you from Florence, Italy!” Honestly, you could not have planned this. One year ago on Saturday night we were walking to have dinner in Florence, Italy and found ourselves walking with a young couple in search of the same restaurant. We started talking and found out they were a couple from Houston on their honeymoon! We chatted as we approached the restaurant and then were seated at our respective tables. It just so happened that we finished dinner at the same time so we walked back together towards the city center. We hit it off so well that we agreed to show them around Florence the next day and then go to our favorite restaurant there, Da Ruggiero. (To the left is a picture of Mike taken in Florence and yes, he IS sticking his hand into a bronze boars mouth!)

You can only imagine our shock at running into the very same couple in Portland! They were here to …celebrate their first anniversary! I have tried to email the man but had my email come back to me, so I begged him to please write us because we were meant to be in touch. He has written to us already with a promise to come and visit us in Sonoma County. We are just supposed to be in one another’s life!

Okay, off to dinner we go. We walked 12 windy blocks, past Powell’s, the best and biggest bookstore I have ever been in, and had a fab meal. We ate WAY too much, the recurring theme of the trip, and had a great time. We started with the fried calamari, mussels puttanesca and their famous crab and shrimp cake with a light ginger mayo sauce. I then ordered grilled Alaskan Salmon…basically because it is the only salmon I will have until next year. (Ban on Salmon on the west coast this year) Sigh…Farmer Jeff ordered the Jake’s famous smothered crawfish over rice. It arrived in a small cauldron and was enough to feed him that night and brother Greg AND his roommate the next day! Mom got sautéed rainbow trout and brother G ordered razor clams. We were all very satisfied and FULL and passed on dessert that night. TOO Full!!!

The next morning we were off to another meal, breakfast. We ate at a great new Jewish-style deli, Kenny & Zuke's. It was incredible. Farmer Jeff got eggs scrambled with onions, lox and topped with sour cream. I got potato pancakes and a side of noodle kugel. The kugel was perfect, the pancakes were a bit thick for me, but still good. Brother G ordered a bagel and Mum got the Challah French toast.

From there we went to …MECCA. I have found a new yarn store. To the tune of, “I left my heart in San Francisco”, I could sing the song, I left my cash… at the yarn store. What a very cool place. My dear sweetheart could not imagine that I could EVER "need" more yarn. Silly boy! The true test, of whether or not I must have it, usually is indicated by the urge to put it in my mouth ...it looks THAT good! (Romi, you know what I mean!!!) The name of this wonderful store is Knit Purl. They have a tradition of Thursday night champagne, nibbles and knitting. Doesn't that just sound FAB?!!!

Part 2 of the trip: a visit to Mt. Hood, the amazing Chocolate/Pepper/Salt/Flower store, the Japanese Garden and more flowers.

I leave you with one of my favorite pictures I have ever taken. Enjoy!