Portland, fresh and simple.

A long weekend usually means camping or a quick road trip and, given the Pacific Northwest's weather this spring, we opted for the latter. So, we celebrated Queen Victoria's Birthday by spending time and money in our favourite American city: Portland.

The last time Jeff and I went to Portland it was a rushed and unplanned trip that left us wanting more from that city that we felt so at home in. Especially food wise. In Vancouver we're spoiled. We live in the a great area with tons of top-rated, inexpensive restaurants. I'm also spoiled because Jeff is a great cook and makes everything with fresh ingredients.

The thing we always seemed to miss when we go to the States is a good meal. I think it's because we were opting for the pub-style restaurants with stupid memorabilia on the walls. This time we opted for Urban-Spooning all of our meals. This time we had the best food we've ever eaten in the States.



The first evening we went to Lucca in Northeast Portland. With 91% and $$ on Urban Spoon Portland, this Italian restaurant was the best experience of the weekend. It was inexpensive, fresh, simple and delicious. The atmosphere was classy but far from pretentious. Jeff had the best gnocchi I have ever tasted and expect to taste. Although the restaurant was a bit a of drive from the city centre, it was more than worth it.



For breakfast we drove a little bit away from the city centre again. This time to Hands on Cafe in the Oregon College of Art & Craft. The cafe has a 93% rating and just $ on Urban Spoon. Once again, the ingredients were fresh and simple. I had salmon and poached eggs and Jeff had a southwest-style omlette. There were just four options for brunch and apparently the menu changes daily. I appreciate a simple menu with a few amazing dishes over pages of nothing appetizing. We also got free cakes!



When we were walking around the Nob Hill area, we stopped in for a scoop at Mio Gelato. We didn't Urban-Spoon it before we went in, but we did "like" it after we left. I had mascarpone cheese. It was just like frozen cheesecake, but better because it's mascarpone and it's gelato.



I'm sure there are a ton of places to eat in the Pearl District, just like there are a ton of places to shop and ton of places to take model photos (yep, he thinks he's a model).But, we were in the mood for Mexican and at this point we were on a budget.



Urban Spoon found us Cha!Cha!Cha! a local chain of taquerias in the Portland area. The Pearl District location has 95% and $ and a great happy hour special. A couple margaritas, a plethora of tacos and some fresh pico ge gallo left us happily full and with a enough money for more margaritas.



We actually went to Kenny and Zukes twice. Once for a smoked meat sandwich in the evening and once for a bagel with lox in the morning. The food is great and reasonably priced, the location was perfect for us and I especially liked the deli atmosphere. We happened upon this place but Urban Spoon does have it at 86% and $.

The best things in Port Townsend are free

This one sleepy afternoon when Jeff and I were visiting Victoria, Jeff happened to remember another sleepy port town in the area, Port Townsend. After he went on and on about fond memories of staying the city with his father we decided that, from one sleepy town to the next, we would make our way south and visit Port Townsend.




So from Vancouver, B.C. we drove about six hours and took one $10 ferry to stay in a hundered-year-old hotel on the main drag of the quiet tourist destination.



While the actual city didn't have much going one while we were there in October, we did find a couple places that we ended up frequenting during our two days in the town. The first was the UnderTown. It's an underground cafe along Water street that served delicious cappuccinos, reasonably-priced glasses of wine and the most amazing, fresh waffles with yogurt and cream. The cafe also offered live music and featured local artists (which we learned that there are quite a few of).




The other amazing place we frequented was Fort Worden. While the fort was originally built to protect the Puget Sound, it's been left as a museum. Which sounds boring. And I'm sure it was, that's why we didn't pay to get in. Instead we walked along the beach until we came upon an old battery that's just a bunch of concrete tunnels and rooms that have been left to nature. But nature is slow, so in the meantime the public has the enjoyment of all sorts of free fun.











There were at least a million more pictures but I'm sure no one needs/wants to see my model face. We spent hours at the place and even went back. There was a group of kids playing hide and seek throughout the battery and a number of families enjoying the windy day among the concrete.



While the actual town of Port Townsend was on the quiet side, we did learn that it's a bit of an artists' haven. We also learned how much fun it is to run around old military grounds. I'm not itching to go back anytime soon, but if I did go back, I'd head straight to Fort Worden.



*Some photos by Jeff Groat, some by me.

A Hot Damn in Haridwar

I spent just one night in Haridwar but I could tell the city was different than the others I had visited along the sacred Ganga. It was a city for Indian tourists not their Western counterparts.

I loved Varanasi but after visiting Haridwar I learned that I loved it because the city had been tailored to western needs. Sure, Varanasi is one of the holiest spots along the Ganga and it's swarming with Hindu pilgrims, but the big city is also a haven for international travellers and it can be seen in the restaurants, the oodles of internet cafes and the inexpensive accommodation. Haridwar on the other hand, wasn't nearly as affordable as Varanasi nor was it as easy to find to a place to grab Chinese food.




I didn't have much time in Haridwar so I spent the afternoon walking up and down the ghats looking at everything for sale. It was a Hot Damn of a day so I sat myself under a tree and people watched for a bit, too.










Bathing in the Ganges is popular all along it's banks. Haridwar is an especially popular spot because it's one of the seven holiest places to Hindus. I don't get the throwing garbage everywhere thing, but at this point, whatever.



This kid swore the cow wasn't girlfriend. I didn't believe it for a minute.



Because Haridwar was my last stop before home, I decided on a little henna. If I have any advice for anyone going to India, make sure you agree on a price before you commit to something. This was the only time I didn't confirm a price and they totally took advantage of me. The henna should have cost about $4 CAD but they tried to make me pay $12. Fortunately, Indian men do not respond well to crying and I got them down to about $6.

I read five books in Rishikesh

Is it okay to say I didn't really like Rishikesh? I heard so many great things about and I love the Beatles' White Album, but once I was there I wasn't really having it. I think I'd give it another chance, though. When I got to the city, I was a bit homesick and McLeod-Ganj-sick and I'm sure I took it out on poor old Rishikesh.



I think the reason I heard so many great things about Rishikesh was because I heard things from people who attended ashrams. I didn't have enough time to spend a full week doing yoga, meditating and reading but I wish I had. I found walking around the city to be rather boring and would have liked the relaxation of an ashram.



I found myself just walking around a lot trying to avoid the monkeys. Don't let this little guy fool you, the macaques in Rishikesh were aggressive and not afraid of people. But, there were still cute from a distance, well the baby ones at least.

Other than walk around, I spend most of my time reading (five whole books in four days) or eating the most amazing grilled yak cheese sandwiches from the restaurant at the Bhandari Swiss Cottage (great place to stay).

Someone's in the kitchen with Lhamo

Thanks to Lonely Planet, I decided to take a Tibetan cooking class during my stay in McLeod Ganj. I spent three wonderful mornings with Lhamo, a local Tibetan and learned how to make momos (dumplings), soup and bread.



The classes were great. Lhamo's a pro.



The momos were the best. We made veggie momos, spinach and cheese momos and brown-sugar sesame-seed momos.



We made the momo dough and rolled the momo dough.



Then we steamed the momos. Then we ate the momos. We ate them with a mixture of cabbage, soy sauce and ketchup. I asked if ketchup was authentic Tibetan food. Lhamo said in Tibet they would use fresh tomatoes, but he liked ketchup.



Day two: Soup!



First we made small momos then put them in a homemade soup broth.



Day three: bread!



This little pocket is full of veggies, spices and oil. We made the dough from scratch and knotted it and put in the oven.



Bread number two involved twisting.



And oily hands.



We steamed the twisted dough and veggie mixture and baked the knotted loaf. Everything was amazing.

I held off from posting and recipes so you'll have to visit Lhamo yourself when you're in the area. The classes were 300 Rs each or about $6 CAD. Not too shabby for a deliciously home-cooked meal that you had a part in making.