I got the Blues, shall we dance? 6/30-7/4/17

The Waterfront Blues Festival, in its 30th year this year showcases amazing regional blues musicians and a few national blues headliners.  It is always held over the 4th of July weekend and ends with a spectacular fireworks display over the Willamette River.  The organization, management and setting of the festival is unmatched by any festival we've ever attended and it is also a fund raising event for the Oregon Foodbank charitable organization as well.  A win/win all around.

Before our trek to the festival, we had to stock some basic picnic food items and something to sit on. We scored two pop up outdoor chairs at Fred Meyer for $7 bucks each, and schlepped them back to our flat,  We packed up a cooler, our spiffy new chairs and headed out to the Portland Streetcar for the festival.

The 2017 festival was 5 days long. The weather was a little warmer than we had anticipated during the day, but the evenings were spectacular.  It is a beautiful venue. It did not have any significant headliners this year as in years past but we heard some phenomenal musicians and vocalists.  The talent always blows my mind.  There are two main stages that are run like Swiss clocks, the sound is always spot on.  There is a small more intimate stage and a larger back stage with a football field sized dance floor.  The addition of the dance floor was a new element since our last festival.  Little did we know that dance floor would provide us with so much entertainment without ever stepping foot on it.

When we were not at the main stages, we frequently found ourselves at the Front Porch stage with the dance floor.  From the first day we were fascinated by all the dancers.  All shapes, sizes and skill levels were represented.  We watched several men and ladies change into their "dancing shoes" before they took the floor.  They twirled, stepped and boogied their hearts out for all 5 days. Some were smooth and debonair as they led their partners, making all the right moves. Others were unbridled, almost convulsive and yet the ladies said YES to the courageous men who asked them to dance. Most of the couples switched partners after every song, both respectfully saying "Thank you for the dance" at the end of their groove.  It was a lovely microcosm of humankind. I think I see dance lessons in our future.

Back to the Emerald City

We left Portland on a gray, rainy day.  It was the only one we experienced the whole time we were there.  The rain did not stop us from trying one more of Portland’s well known breakfast diners, Byways Café.  My biscuits and gravy and Mike’s omelet were more than worth the walk there and back in the misty rain.

3 or so hours later we arrived at our old stomping grounds in Seattle.  It feels both comfortable and strange to be back.  The city looks pretty much the same, but with more traffic and silhouettes of cranes reaching into the sky.   The city seems vibrant and booming which is great to see.  We are looking forward to revisiting some of our old restaurant favorites (Top Pot Donuts, Red Mill Burgers and Salumi) as well as finding some new ones while here. 

We unpacked and settled into our new digs for August in Belltown.  Our little one bedroom loft condo is well-located only 2 blocks from the Space Needle.  It has a very cool rooftop deck with deck chairs, an umbrella and 2 gas grills.  We missed grilling, so we will take advantage while here.  Belltown is a little gritty by Seattle standards, not a tourist destination, but more of a “pass-through” while traversing between the landmarks of Pike Place Market and the Space Needle.  

View from rooftop deck.

On our second night, we walked to a free music concert at the Mosaic Park at the foot of the Space Needle.  Despite the drizzle earlier in the day, there was a generous audience turnout and 3 great bands. 

4T Trail

Trail, tram, trolley and train are the 4 T's in the trail.  I would imagine if you asked a local they would have no idea about this trail.  It was something I found online while searching for outdoorsy things to do.  I thought it was a cool way to see the city, maybe some areas we had not seen yet, get in a reasonable hike and get a free tram ride back down the hill with a great view of the Willamette River and the city.  It was all that and actually a little more.  We happened to do the loop on the same day there was a farmer’s market at the OHSU campus so we snagged a phenomenal tasting nectarine as a snack just after the hike.

The 4-Trail can be started at any point along the loop.  The four-mile hiking trail and the combined rides take between three and four hours to complete.  The trail is very well marked and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Trail marker with 4-T symbol 

View from tram car on the ride down, 1/4 of the 4-T trail

4-T Trail map

You remember Virginia is for lovers?  This is Portland's tourism and travel slogan.  Just kidding.

That evening we met up with a former colleague of mine and her husband who live in Portland.  She smartly suggested the Portland City Grill happy hour.  40 floors up in a bank building, we were treated one last incredible view of the city, the river and the still snow-capped mountains.  It was a great ending to a very lovely Portland summer day. 

Guns and Roses

The other day we were at Oven and Shaker, yet another cool bar/restaurant in Portland for happy hour.  Mike was conflicted over ordering a cocktail called the Rum Daisy (Flor de Cana 4yr, Dry Light Rum, Grand Marnier, freshly pressed lemon juice, club soda, orange oil).  While it had all the components of a delectable early afternoon libation for a warm sunny day, the name was a bit of an embarrassment for him to utter aloud for other nearby diners to hear.  Mike shared his dilemma with the server who promptly said she would just call it the Rum Manly to assuage his concerns.  We all got a laugh and Mike had the very enjoyable Rum Manly without self-loathing and humiliation.  The delicious wood-fired salami-topped pizza made it a bonus all around.

Later that same week, after meeting up with some local friends for dinner and drinks, we got on the subject of gun ownership and safety, etc.  Our friend invited Mike to go with him to a shooting range and try his skills shooting multiple rifles and pistols.  Mike took him up on this unique offer and spent a few hours learning and shooting at the range.  It was interesting, educational and gave him a view of gun ownership from the perspective of a respected friend not from a right or left wing nut on the television.  Good life experience. 

One more thing capped off the week of the Rum Manly.  Mike was kind enough to invite me to see RUSH while in Portland.  I knew only 2 of the songs they sang but I almost always love live, rockin’ bands so it was actually enjoyable overall.  Women were in the minority of attendees which made it “The best restrooms visit at a rock concert for a woman” of all time.   We got home after midnight, didn't buy the t-shirt.  

We all scream for ice cream, some louder than others

If you eat ice cream in Portland, it must be at the Salt and Straw, period.  If you happen by, they are open and there is not a long line, do not contemplate the time of day.  Ignore the fact that you just had a 2000 calorie lunch or that it will spoil your dinner, just go in and order.  If there is a line, stand in it, same rules above apply.  

Like many things it Portland, it is eccentric, organic, artisinal, sustainable, unique ice cream with flavor combinations that will defy your ice cream paradigms.   Given that, go out of your comfort zone and try goat cheese/marionberry/habanero ice cream or chocolate/blueberry/rice krispie treat (our choices) or one of their other flavors.  We never made it back to try the honey/balsamic/strawberry with cracked pepper which I regret.  I am confident you will find one you like as evidenced by the 100+ people who stand in line each night for a pricey scoop of yummy goodness.

I wish I had a picture to post, but we ate the subject before it was photographed. 

Cronuts, shmonuts

You may have all heard of Voodoo Donuts.  A yeast and sugar emporium that has developed mythical status.  100+ people are regularly standing in line for that coveted pink box filled with a voodoo doll donut (complete with a "pretzel" pin for sticking), maple bacon bar, Tex-Ass Challenge donut (equal to the size of 6 yeast donuts combined) or one of many other cheeky-named favorites. These are not vegan, gluten-free, nut-allergic or paleo friendly and in Portland that is testament to their yummy, guilt-ridden goodness.  You gotta go once for the donut and the spectacle.  We made the pilgrimage on a previous trip to the Rose City.

However, this post is not about the voodoo they do, but instead about a new haute donut entrant in Portland called Blue Star Donuts.  If you are hip, hungry for a designer fried dough circle with a hole and you are also well-funded...make the trip to Blue Star.  They purvey made-from-scratch-daily brioche donuts fried in rice oil with unique combinations of icing and/or ingredients.  We ventured into the bright, clean donut and coffee shop with our Amex card and hoping they would not notice our many degrees of separation from hip.

Understated, white box of yummy goodness.

Blueberry/bourbon/basil glazed, maple bacon and a hard cider apple fritter were our selections. The flavors vary based on their whim and available ingredients.  YUM!!! $8 is pricey for 3 donuts and a short-term sugar rush, but we both agreed it was worth the experience.  Even for a Top Pot lover like myself, the brioche donut was a delicious departure from the norm.  Their hours are listed as "8am - out".  Arrogance or confidence? Probably both.  There are other chef's that have it going on outside the Big Apple.

From top, Blueberry/bourbon/basil, hard cider apple fritter, maple bacon...stop drooling.