Damn that’s good pi A little bit more than a triple-threat in Portland 2004

I needed a vacation, but like so many don’t have time or money to take it. As a consolation prize to myself, I planned a long weekend in Portland, Oregon, before a Tuesday business meeting there with a group of northwestern customers. To my great surprise, those three days felt like a week away and left me revitalized.

My home away from home for this getaway was 800 East Burnside, a hipster’s paradise just over the river from downtown. The site combines the Jupiter Hotel, a cleverly renovated motel, with a new restaurant and lounge called Doug Fir which evokes 50s modernism, 70s chic and Lynch’s Twin Peaks to stunning effect.

The decor throughout is witty and distinctive. Simple scandinavian style has been paired with tongue-in-cheek accents in the Jupiter’s hotel rooms to provide pleasant surroundings on a budget (rooms start at just $79 a night). Doug Fir’s restaurant and lounge are a glory of brown textures: wood that still tells of its origins, dark faux fur on the walls, gold-tinted mirrors, curvy leatherette booths, all set off with silver accents.

The hotel rooms are a complete departure from standard hotel fare - no iron, coffeemaker, desk or bad artwork - but provided you have no allergy to that certain Ikean look, should serve all your needs just fine. Note that early-risers and light-sleepers should request rooms on the wings away from the lounge and its patio which is cheerfully active until 3am on weekend nights in fine weather. I can attest that the earplugs available at the check-in desk work well.

Though there is parking for guests, a car isn’t really necessary since Portland’s reliable public transit can take you right to the doorstep. The #20 bus, which connects downtown with the MAX light rail running from the airport, runs along Burnside and allows the Jupiter to serve as your base of operations for exploring both the lively downtown, home to Powell’s Books, and the charms of Washington Park, with its gardens, trails, zoo and the beautiful and moving Holocaust Memorial, to the west.

Despite being newly opened, the restaurant has already found solid footing with stellar service and menu items destined to become classics. Standouts are the two soups, tomato and mushroom ($3 a cup, $5 a bowl), the mashed potatoes, and Joe’s Special, a simple yet perfectly seasoned spinach & egg scramble with either ground beef or veggie sausage ($12).

To my great disappointment the restaurant had not yet begun offering the planned Monday night special, Drunken Buck (“Tender elk roast simmered all day in red wine, berries and herbs”), which sounded so good I was prepared to reacquaint myself with red meat. The silver lining for this cloud in my skies is that I'll just have to visit again.

Downstairs from the restaurant and bar is the well-designed lounge featuring great nationally recognized acts in an intimate 300 capacity setting. Playing at Doug Fir in October: Mark Lanegan, Rachel Yamagata, Sleater-Kinney, Helmet, and Supreme Beings of Leisure.

Doug Fir isn’t just a night spot, however; they’re open 21 hours a day, 7 days a week, and its all good. Much of this review was composed on a Monday afternoon relaxing in a quiet corner of the bar area, enjoying classic r&b tunes and the free wireless for hotel guests and eating a piece of warm marionberry pie so good it almost brought tears to my eyes.

Happening club, high-quality restaurant, hip motel, all at a reasonable price: lucky Portland has a new treasure that adds up to a bit more than the sum of its parts.

800 E Burnside, Portland, Oregon 97214
Jupiter Hotel (www.jupiterhotel.com, 503.230.9200)
Doug Fir (www.dougfirlounge.com, 503.231.wood)

Round-trip airfare from about $260 these days. (Fly from Oakland to save enough money to pay for an extra night at the Jupiter.)

Lunch Today? 2004

Two pieces of warm marionberry pie, a couple cups of decaf coffee and, for dessert, a Manhattan.

Man, I love vacation.

Big walk 2004

I slept in again today (as a result of staying up until after the bar closed and the crowd on the patio quieted down) and then set out for adventure. Despite forecasts of rain (accurate) I decided to go hike around Washington Park. I looked around the fascinating light rail station there - hundreds of feet underground - then had a cup of split pea soup at the Zoo cafe. I skipped the Zoo, the exhibit on chocolate (From Tree To Truffle) with its tasting, and the Oregon Mycological Society mushroom show and instead headed out along a trail intended to hike through the bamboo & ginko areas of the Hoyt Arboretum. Unfortunately, I didn't have a map, took a wrong turn and went in the absolute wrong direction. A kindly fellow gave me a lift back up the hill to the arboretum's vistor center and just in time too because the sky opened up and it absolutely poured rain for 5 or 10 minutes.

When it had settled back to a very light rain, I checked the map (much more carefully this time) and took the Oak Trail to get me to the trail to the Japanese Garden. It was an absolutely beautiful hike. Fresh air, gorgeous light & colors, the sound of the rain through the leaves. Truly wonderful.

Alas, I arrived 15 minutes too late to get into the gardens, but I was able to walk down the hill and enjoy a cup of hot cider in the Rose Garden. From there I walked further down towards town and happened on the Holocaust Memorial. I am so glad I did.

The Portland Holocaust Memorial is incredibly powerful. I took a lot of pictures and will write more about it when I can illustrate my comments. Suffice to say, if you will be in Portland, do try to bear witness. Never to forget and never to let it happen again is the only thing we can do.

After leaving the memorial, I walked on down through a couple blocks of town and found myself on West Burnside. My hotel being on East Burnside this was fortuitous and I was shortly able to catch a bus straight back to my home away from home.

Since the Tango Fest people were all checking out today, I was able to get moved to a quieter room. I feel silly for forgetting to take a picture of the other room. This one is a bit bigger, but it doesn't have as cool a shower curtain (that one said "It's All About Me" over & over on it). It does have cool round green rugs on the floor and a fuzzy green bolster on the bed.

Now I just need to freshen up and go over to the restaurant for dinner. Having only eaten a Luna bar, a small bowl of soup, a cup of cider and 5 small pieces of candy today, I'm ravenous!

Node 608, Urban Grind in the Pearl 2004

Recommended:

Getting lost in Powell's Books for hours

More slow urban strolling

Urban Grind in the Pearl neighborhood at 14th & Kearney

Their turkey, pepper jack cheese and spinach pesto sandwich.

The incongruity of lunch at 6pm.

Rambling conversations with Urban Grinders (one of whom recommends I check out the Thai restaurant near Indian Oven near Haight & Fillmore and the sushi place at 2nd & Geary in San Francisco)

Reading a book on a big soft leather sofa.

Licorice/Peppermint tea.

Node 587, Powell's Books 2004

Recommended:

Portland's public transit system

Jupiter Hotel (provided you don't mind a lively environment and late hours)

Doug Fir's Mushroom soup and their talented staff

sleeping until noon

walking around downtown Portland

the nice people at Powell's Technical Books

free wifi all over the dang place

the technique of ensuring excellent weather by hauling a big heavy wool coat around with you all day

people watching in downtown Portland (many cuties, many piercings & tattoos, many many young people)

not having any particular plans

Across the Mighty Mississip 2004

Today I walked over the Mississippi river on the historic Eads Bridge, lunched in Laclede's Landing, visited the 1904 World's Fair (via a museum exhibit), flew across the country and finally made it back to home sweet home.

*whew* It's been a long time.

Now if I just didn't have to get up and go to work in the morning... ugh...

Cleveland 2004

This town is clearly not gonna get a fair shake from me. I'm doing one of those "fly in, stay at the hotel by the airport (which is always gonna have a nasty view in any city), spend all day at a conference, fly home" trips.

The room is nice though. Mercifully fairly soundproof windows since it's
- at the airport
- above an enormous parking lot
- next to a freeway
- which is next to active traintracks
- which are next to 3 industrial facilities

I'll put up pictures of the slag heaps, smokestacks and mysterious pond of what appears to be liquid later.

Now I've finished updating my presentations and it's a little after 9pm my time, but that means after midnight local time and the alarm needs to go off at, ugh, 3:30am my time.

Fortunately the flight wasn't too uncomfortable, the bed looks decent, and I am feeling loads better.

Yes, Mum and krokbunny, I have been drinking lots of water, washing my hands, drinking juice, eating enough and taking it easy. I have a wholesome breakfast coming in the morning and I will either eat a good lunch or, if it's like prime rib 'n' beets day or some shit at the conference, will sneak off and eat a couple of nice healthy Luna bars.

I will give great presentations and have a jolly time. Then will return to my hotel room and sleep (the sleep of the just) until it's time to fly home Saturday morning.

So very busy. 2004

I've been quiet here since I've been crazy busy at work. I come home wanting something amusing to escape to and so I've been surfing the web, chatting with friends and watching DVDs. Not a huge amount of creative output in the evenings since I've been doing so much writing during the days. Admittedly, it is less fun to write & proof read documentation than posts about wonderful weird things seen on the web, but at least my writing muscles are getting worked out.

Not so much my physical muscles. Mental exhaustion can fool me into indolence when what I really need is to move around. The diet I'm on also leaves me with a little less energy, I suspect. Overcoming that pull away from activity is difficult. Today, though, I'll get a good bit of walking in. I have taken the day off to relax and see the geisha exhibit at the Asian Art Museum before it closes later this month.

Earlier this year I'd talked about taking a vacation, maybe up to visit my aunt & grandmother in Alaska, but then my company decided that one of the other product managers and I should put new versions of our products out twice a year instead of once and that made work fairly insane. I think we'll get good at it - already it's forcing us to be more efficient, but it is still a little crazy-making. On the bright side, I'm getting asked to present more at conferences, so that's giving me a little travel.

I'll be in Portland middle of next month and will get to take a 3-day weekend before the conference to play tourist. I'll be staying at the Jupiter Hotel and doing a lot of walking around downtown, visiting museums and parks, and, of course, hanging out at Powell's Books.

Now it's time to be a tourist in my own city. Off to ride the trolley to the museum!

Portland? Portland! 2004

Next month work is sending me to Portland, Oregon for a meeting with some customers. The meeting is on a Tuesday, but since I've been wanting to visit Portland for a long time, I'm going to go up that Friday evening and hang out all weekend and take that Monday off.

Who lives in Portland and wants to show me the sights?

Thoughts from a hotel room 2004

The conference is over. I had a nice single malt scotch (Glenmorangie) in the hotel bar with some co-workers to celebrate packing up the equipment and shipping it back to California. We walked out and they headed off to their respective dinner plans. I wandered over to the sushi counter and had a piece of hamachi nigiri. Then I drifted into the mall beside the hall. Silent mind, window shopping. Found a few shirts, paid for them, walked slowly, but purposefully, back to the hotel, to my room.

Now I'm on the web, drifting from weblog to weblog. Looking in on my friends as though I were idly flipping through a photo album.

Music is playing on my iPod; Jump Little Children's "Cathedrals":

In the cathedrals of New York and Rome
There is a feeling that you should just go home
And spend a lifetime
Finding out just where that is

I am thinking of a friend who's working hard to make a positive change in his life - stuck in the present, eyes on the prize - and wishing for an easier path for him. Then again, any time I've spent on rough roads has helped me grow into who I am now. I wouldn't trade that away and perhaps he wouldn't either. If I was rich, though, I'd send him away for a vacation for a few days; constant suckiness isn't required for your life to be changed for the better.

Big Annual Work Conference, part 1 2004

San Francisco Airport, waiting for the flight

The advantage of taking an 11am flight is that you don't have to get up any earlier than usual. In fact, I got to sleep in half an hour longer, which makes a big difference to me. Every minute of snooze time in the morning counts for a nightowl.

Yesterday started with a bit of excitement. It was decided at the last minute that it would really be much better if I could help present a 3 hour seminar on my product instead of having one of the trainers do the whole thing. This is probably true since the poor trainers have to know all the programs fairly well and these are not shallow products. For a seminar, particularly one covering some brand new features in the next release, I'll definitely be able to cover things in more depth and field off-the-cuff questions better. So, in general, good for the customers and fun for me, but it did mean a bit of a last-minute scramble to re-work the presentation to split it.

I did smart things this week which made it easy to take the changes in stride. Tuesday night I worked late with my friend Beth and finished up my (expected) presentations. Then we went for a lovely dinner at Luna Park. As is my wont, we ate at the bar where the food and drinks were excellent and the company delightful. A very civilized place. So, a fun mid-week treat that put me in a cheerfully detached mood yesterday. When I got home after hustling a bit all day to get ready for the trip, I opened the fridge and suddenly remembered I'd wisely cooked a casserole on Monday night and so had a dinner ready to heat & eat. Since I'd done almost all my packing on Sunday, the evening was relaxed and I slept well and enough.

Last year this conference was local (San Jose), people didn't know me yet and so didn't stop me in the halls with questions, and I didn't have as many different presentations, but it still completely exhausted me. Adding a trip across the country to a city where it's rainy, windy and almost freezing means I need all the help I can muster to get through this thing.

The universe is being good to me this morning, though. My commute to the airport (muni & BART) was easy and now I'm at the gate sitting across from a cute indie boy with his feet curled under him on his chair, black & white low-top Chucks, burgundy velour jacket over what appears to be some obscure band t-shirt, tousled hair and a nice mouth. Boston weather may be too nasty to actually go anywhere, but I'm already enjoying the scenery on this trip.

***

Later, in Boston

The flight wasn't bad, though it was much longer than I'd imagined it would be. Still, I had a window seat, a pleasant seatmate, and the toddler only had screaming fits at the very beginning and end of the flight, so could be worse. Also the gentleman seated in front of me had an interesting tattoo on his scalp which was just showing through his hair which was at that highly pettable length. I refrained from petting strangers and just admired the design on his head to pass the time.

Getting to the hotel was super easy. I took the shuttle from the luggage area - marvelling at the utter chaos of cars, taxis, shuttles and big buses stopping mid-street for passengers to race around the other vehicles to board - to the subway station and rode the train in. One easy transfer and a stop about a block from my hotel made it a piece of cake. Then again, I'm an experienced public transit user.

Now I'm in my room on one of the higher floors, unpacking, chilling out and planning to head to bed fairly soon so I start the conference well rested.

Body square 2004

from the Vigeland sculpture park in Oslo, Norway

 

(Found on the web. Shared on Flickr on this date.)

Being There: Go North 2003

My second column in the SF Bay Guardian is now online for your reading pleasure.

WHAT BETTER TIME than the holidays to abdicate all responsibility and leave town? Family members, the social whirl, and shopping are all tiring. Save your sanity by giving yourself a present this year and taking time off solo. You don't even have to go very far to feel a world away, since some of the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere is conveniently located just minutes north of San Francisco.

Here's the plan...

Dinah at Yosemite 2002

 

Shirt reads "My library has something to offend everybody".

I left work early today and drove north. 2001

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge my stereo was playing Abbey Road "Step on the gas and wipe that tear away. One sweet dream came true today..."

In Marin I got stuck in traffic and kept sliding along beside a red convertible with 3 cute girls in it. They were listening to the soundtrack to Dazed & Confused "Slow ride...take it easy..."

After an hour of stop & go, the traffic eased up and then it was pure driving pleasure all the way out to Bodega Bay & up the coast. I even enjoyed, actually enjoyed, driving the Jenner grade. Did I mention that the Volkswagen Turbo Beetle is a fantastic car?

An odd thing happened in Petaluma. I'd stopped to use the bathroom at my favorite pit stop - the Shell station on Washington Street - and bought some popcorn & a ginger brew from the cute Indian guy working the counter. As I was driving through Petaluma, I stopped at a light and was eating my popcorn and licking my fingers. Something made me look to my left and there, in the adjacent car, were a bunch of teenagers including a girl with pink hair and a video camera...filming me. I immediately reached over into my purse, grabbed my pencam and took a picture of them. Ha! I really wish I had a copy of that video.

Breathing the Road I've Travelled 2000

Last week I drove 281 miles. That's almost as much pollution as I'd make running one of those stupid leaf blowers for an hour. I want to drive less this week, but I am going to visit my mother and then Sunday I fly to Pennsylvania for business, so this will not be an environmentally friendly transport fortnight, I fear.

Saturday, King's College, London 1985

Woke up late this morning: 6:30am (went to bed around 9:30 or 10pm. I could make a habit of this... (Although I think I would revert once back in California: the night life in Santa Cruz is more appealing [What the hell was I thinking?])

Today we go on a boat trip down the Thames. I will probably go directly to the V&A afterwards. Then after a satisfyingly long day there, I will come back to my room & change for the play tonight.

Tomorrow I move to Oakley House. I may go to some place of research in the morning (although church will probably close everything, so perhaps, on second thought, postcards & laundry should be my morning tasks). Afternoon time I will probably spend at the National Portrait Gallery & perhaps some at the National Gallery or at the Museum of London.

Friday, King's College, London 1985

Went to Mme. Tussaud's. Much improved. London St. in Chamber of Horrors esp. good.

Sarah & Shelley & I were the [sic] going to go to the Nat'l Gallery, but we ran into (?) & Mary on the way and took a sightseeing bus tour instead. I should have gone to the Gallery I think. Oh well. I didn't want to be a spoilsport, but tomorrow I'm off on my own again to allieviate the problem of different tastes & priorities.

Sarah & I ate at Hoho's, a Chinese restaurant on King's Road. I do not recommend it; slow [crossed out] poor service & overpriced.

On the way back some Italian guy & his English friend asked us out to the pub. I pleaded jet lag & we escaped. Tomorrow I want to go to the Nat'l Gallery & Portrait Gallery & to the British Museum or the V&A [Victoria & Albert Museum]. I should contact the Society of Genealogists.

I found a map today which shows Grimsthorpe (where Rory wants me to do research), Burghley House, Hucknall, Sutton-in-Ashfield, & Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Should be quite handy. I might end up buying a lot of these maps they show a lot but aren't overspecific at the 1:250,000 scale. London is very expensive. My expected expenses for tomorrow aren't that bad: lunch & dinner (NOT sit down), a phone call or two. Maybe a paper. I'll try to do it all for under £4. We'll see.

Friday, Lincoln's Inn Green, London 1985

Amazing how much you can do when you get up at six. Perhaps I'll change my habits. Went to Barclays & on the tube I overheard some people talking about an earthquake in Mexico. I bought a copy of the Guardian. I think they're underestimating the # of deaths. Horrible. Awful, terrifying sentence for me: "...and ancient cathedrals were also reportedly destroyed." I can't remember what would be in the area, oh God. Teotihuacan.

I saw Sir John Sloane's Museum. Very interesting place. I will have to bring Jinx & Paul there. The Hogarth paintings 'Rake's Progress' and 'The Election' are there.

Friday, King's College, London 1985

There go the horses.

Thursday, King's College, London 1985

Fairly eventful day. Orientation of various sorts, but us 3 Lampreys are still confused (that's me, Mary Ashida & Salley (?)).

Spent too much, of course. Found neat places. We went walking all over with Doug & Cindy (both going to Leeds). London is very expensive. I may have to change plans again.

I have switched tickets with Cindy, so I go to the play on Saturday instead (She Stoops to Conquer). I'm tired. Sore legs from walking. Too many damn postcards to write.

I just read an article about a neo-facist group. Scary stuff. Lots of very racist people in Britain, it seems.

I think I'll leave London on Tuesday.

Mail:
- Letter from Mum

King's College, London 1985

Another smaller group of horsemen just went by at a faster pace.

Thursday, King's College, London 1985

Gave up the fight for sleep. A bunch of British military men (I assume) rode by beneath my 8th story window each leading a horse.

Our coach guide brought us to Chelsea by way of Hammersmith. Very strange.

Thursday, King's College, Chelsea, London 1985

Woke up at 10 of 6 and my body [crossed out] mind was ready to go. So I waited 1/2 an hour and then went to the bathroom. I'm going to try for another hour or so of sleep. I know I'll want it later on.

I'm hungry so I'm eating some of the cheese I bought last night. Dutch Edam at £1.45/lb. Very tasty. A Fry's peppermint cream bar (mint cream in dark chocolate) not large but reasonable size and only 20p & so yummy.

Back to bed.

Thursday, London 1985

Showered. It was very nice. I feel much better and I didn't feel bad before!

A, useful info: passport [#]
ISIC [International Student Identification Card #]

It's time for bed. Not enough of general interest has happened yet for postcard writing, so I will wait until tomorrow evening. Goodnight. (Wow, I'm in London!)