So we slept an astonishing 10 hours(we were bone tired) and eventually headed out to use our TriMet phone apps to access the transit system. It's pretty cool actually. The Portland system involves buying and franking a ticket, but you don't give it to anyone. You just have to be prepared to show it if an inspector comes on board ( or pay a stiff fine). To use the phone app, you buy a ticket online and then activate it yourself before you board. If the inspector comes, you have to show an active ticket on your phone. Worked pretty well.
Our destination was the Pearl District, formerly an industrial neighborhood, now filled with shops, galleries, eateries, and the venerable Powells's Books - an independent new and used bookstore that takes up a whole block and is still alive and kicking. Breakfast stop was at Isabel, a mexican cafe followed by a pilgrimage to the temple to sensible shoes - the Keen Garage. We had a great time playing with features like the crank it yourself pulley shelves and the shoebox chute.
Had a long, but uneventful trip to Portland, OR and arrived at about 4:00 PST. It seems the locals refer to the city with the airport symbol, PDX or anyway that's what a lot of the blog posts and sites like Time Out call it. The hotel is a little more design conscious than most of its ilk. Lovely room and elegant common spaces. The downside though is there are lots of smooth elegant surfaces, but nowhere to put stuff and one of the lounges is filled with beautiful chairs so low they'd need to get a crane to get me up again. No art without suffering I guess.
Last night we entered "Vietnamese restaurant" into Google maps and found Luc Lac a great local spot with $2 small plates. We got to try 5 dishes and the whole meal with wine was $32 for two people and really delicious (we thought of you, Chris). Got to eat a new food - betel leaves- which always pleases me. These were betel leaf wrapped rolls in a tasty sauce. They don't look like much, but the flavor was very complex with sweet, spicy, sour, and umami all in one bite. Good find.
Today we're off to try out the phone app metro pass system they have here. Buy the ticket on your phone and just show it on and bus, light rail, or street car. Pretty cool for a couple of 61year olds. First stop the Pearl District- home of Powell's Books and many other interesting shops and eateries.
Today was more laid back. Linda and I had another round of massage, hot tub, and sauna while Max finished her vacation book. Hopefully we recharged our batteries sufficiently for the next round of "real life". We had gorgeous late-day sky views both here and at our dinner spot (Swallow East - closed on our last attempt). The restaurant had a small plates menu that was kind of like East End tapas. Nice feel and right on the marina. Tomorrow we head back to the City and hope to miss the Hamptons traffic madness. We shall see.
Many of you know that it's usually my job to take the travelogue pictures while Linda prefers to concentrate on her art. Here are a few of her shots out here in Montauk
Thursday we visited the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill. The building is made to look like a potato barn. From a distance the walls look like weathered boards, but close up you can see that it's actually textured concrete. It's a lovely space with an interesting collection. I particularly liked the exhibit centered on ideas of home. We experienced the April vacation effect once again though as about a third of the museum was closed for installation of new exhibits. In fact they gave us free admission passes so we could come back to see them once open.
On the way back we had a very good tacos lunch at Mercado and then meandered around East Hampton to window shop (window-shopping only in $450 T-shirt land). We met up with one seriously pampered pup waiting outside Citarellas
Today we had a visit from Max's friend Barbara Agatstein who was able to report on how retirement is going and offer some good tips to those of us who have yet to reach that happy juncture. Barbara is a South Fork resident now and had a number of thoughts about locations for lunch. Unfortunately, as one restauranteur put it, "Everyone's busy trying to line up staff and get the place ready for opening next week". Max is unfortunately experiencing our typical vacation karma which requires that all events and locations of interest be closed just before we arrive or open just after our departure. So after wandering from one establishment to another - several noted as open on Yelp (Yelpers beware) - we finally found ourselves back at Bliss which offers a reliably tasty, if not elegant lunch. Along the way, we noted some local "art" (see photos). The rest of the day was spent lounging, reading, and napping to further our goal to de-stress. Cocktail hour has now begun. Will check in again tomorrow.
Tuesday was really gray,rainy,cold. Our original plan was to visit the Parrish Art Museum, but it turns out that all museums, artistic, historical, or otherwise were closed. So we were forced to hone our homebody skills (already an area of excellence for the three of us). Marg and Chris were still here for the morning so we played a rousing game of Tripoley (a game complicated enough that each player was issued her own copy of the rules). We ran out of poker chips so had to substitute pasta (concerns for its viability as food later in the day were later determined to be unfounded).
We managed to get ourselves up and out for a tasty lunch at Bliss in town after which M&C headed back north and our threesome retuned to our apartment for reading and Scrabble followed by consumption of our pasta winnings of the morning.
Today the whole gang went off to Gurneys Seawater Spa. We didn't exactly fit their target demographic, but we had a great time and the staff was lovely. Everyone had a massage and explored the Roman pool, sauna, steam room, saltwater swimming pool, exercise room, and various lounging spots. Took a break mid-day to have lunch at Tillies on the premises while watching the waves roll in. My beet salad was excellent (photo). After all that soaking, massaging, swimming and stretching, we headed home to rest up. Dinner was leftovers from Harvest the night before (and there's still some left!) We finished off the evening with an old fashioned game night. Attached are two photos of women of a certain age trying to collectively learn a new cards game (Apples to Apples) and Bananagram. Not always a smooth process, but we had fun.
Today we met up with Chris and Margaret who came down to meet us in Montauk. It was a stunning day so we took a ride out to the Montauk Lighthouse. Marg and I explored the museum and took n the views from the bluff while Chris, Max, and Linda hiked around the Point. Then back to the Manor for a dip in the pool (the Greenport gals) and lounging (the City girls). Had a delcious (but surprisingly un-photogenic) dinner at Harvest (thanks for the tip, Nanette). We don't usually watch tv on vacation, but had to make an exception for Good Wife. Tomorrow the serious decompression begins with a spa day at Gurney's Seawater Spa.
