Oregon

It rains all the way through Washington, but dries up just as we reach Portland. We arrive at the Westin, get settled a bit and then walk around and look at shops. We get drinks at Ringler's Annex, where I have a good Vieux Carre, strong on the bitters. Then we get ready and have dinner at the Davis Street Tavern. DST is good, but we both get beef dishes and the meat quality isn't as high as it could be. Then we walk across downtown to the Central, which is a speakeasy/cocktail culture type of place. The Central is in what must be the college/post-college part of Portland, because the kids are out and rambunctious in that part of town, but it is the kind of place that doesn't let people in until they have a table for them, so we are insulated from the mess outside. We get lucky and it doesn't rain at all. I sleep deeply.

In the morning we have a very good brunch at a deli (Kenny & Zuke's) on the edge of the Pearl District. I have cholla French toast and Jaime has an omelet with big thick bits of pastrami in it. Then we drive out to the Willamette Valley under partly-sunny skies and taste wines at three different wineries. It is a great day, if a little cold.

We have dinner at Clyde Commons, where we have eaten before. It is very good. I have game hen with spatzle in a dijon sauce. Jaime has a whole roasted trout. We go to a classic-arcade-game bar in Old Town/China Town. It just begins to rain as we are walking home.