Portland
If you were planning on staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Portland Downtown, you'll need to know that it is now the Hotel Fifty, 50 SW Morrison St. (tel. 877/505-7220 or 503/221-0711; www.hotelfifty.com). Trebol, 4835 N. Albina Ave. (tel. 503/517-9347: www.trebolpdx.com), is a hip restaurant that features Oaxacan-style Mexican food that is prepared with sustainable ingredients. This is some of the most creative south-of-the-border food in north Portland. The restaurant also has what might be the city's most extensive tequila list. If you care about green dining, and I don't mean salads, check out Rocket, 1111 E. Burnside St. (tel. 503/236-1110; www.rocketpdx.com), a rooftop restaurant from Leather Storrs of the ever-popular Noble Rot wine bar. Rocket specializes in sustainable cuisine. At Biwa, 215 SE Ninth Ave. (tel. 503/239-8830; www.biwarestaurant.com), a stylish Japanese restaurant, noodles get the hip treatment. Be sure to check out the list of premium sakes. In downtown, Clyde Common, SW 10th and Stark Streets (tel. 503/228-3333; www.clydecommon.com), in the ultra-hip Ace Hotel, is worth checking out, as is adjacent Kenny & Zuke's, 1038 SW Stark St. (tel. 503/222-3354; www.kennyandzukes.com), a very respectable rendition of a classic New York deli. They even make their own corned-beef and pastrami. Be sure to get a reuben.
If you're exploring north Portland and need a great cup of coffee, stop by Albina Press, 4637 N. Albina Ave. (tel. 503/282-5214), where the baristas create some of the most beautiful latte foam art in the city.
As far as I'm concerned, the Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave. (tel. 503/226-2811; www.portlandartmuseum.org), is always worth a visit, but now that it has the recently acquired Van Gogh painting The Ox-Cart on display, the museum is even more of a must-see attraction. Even better, starting in the spring of 2008, children 17 and under can now visit the museum for free.
Hey all you fans of velvet Elvis paintings, be sure not to miss the Velveteria Museum of Velvet Paintings, which is moving to 2448 E. Burnside St. (tel. 503/233-5100; www.velveteria.com),
One if by land and two if by sea. I believe those were the instructions, but if the British had invaded using amphibious vehicles, as Portland Ducks Land & Water Tours (tel. 877/GO-BY-DUCK or 503/319-7240; www.portlandducks.com) does, Paul Revere might have gotten a little confused. Try one of these tours if you want to see Portland both from the streets and from the Willamette River.
Deschutes Brewery,
210 NW 11th Ave. (www.deschutesbrewery.com), which has long been my favorite central Oregon craft brewery, is scheduled to open a big new Pearl District brewpub in May. The long-anticipated Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd. (tel. 503/232-HOPS; www.hopworksbeer.com), was months late in opening, but it is now open, and anyone coming to Portland on a beer pilgrimage should be sure to check it out. The Chapel Pub, 430 N. Killingsworth St. (tel. 503/286-0372; www.mcmenamins.com), yet another fun and fascinating architectural makeover from the local Mcmenamins brew pub empire, is a former mortuary that was built in 1932. So, if you're dying for a beer, this is the place.The Willamette Valley: The Bread (& Wine) Basket of Oregon
New wineries in the area worth searching out include Methven Family Vineyards, 11400 Westland Lane, Dayton (tel. 503/868-7259; www.methvenfamilyvineyards.com), which is located on the north side of the Eola Hills and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm; and Vercingetorix, 8000 NE Parrish Rd., Newberg (tel. 866/538-9895 or 503/538-9895; www.willamettefarms.com), which is located southeast of Newberg off Wilsonville Road and is open to the public Memorial Day to Labor Day on Thursday from 11am to 3pm.
The Oregon Coast
A severe winter storm, packing winds in excess of 100 miles per hour, battered the Oregon coast in December 2007, blowing down countless trees and leaving towns without power for up to a week. Expect to still see signs of storm damage throughout 2008.
In Depoe Bay, along a particularly dramatic stretch of rocky coastline, you'll find the little Whales Rendezvous B&B Ocean Front Suites, 147 NW U.S. 101 (tel. 541/765-3455; www.whalesrendezvous.com), which has only one suite but is spectacularly situated. This is one of the best places on the coast for watching storm waves crashing on the rocks. The suite rents for $245 per night.
The Cascades
Skiers and snowboarders headed to Mount Hood to do a little shredding at Timberline Ski Area (tel. 503/622-0717 or 503/222-2211 for snow report; www.timberlinelodge.com), which now has some new terrain. The Still Creek Basin area is the largest addition of ski slopes at the resort since the 1970s. The addition includes a new high-speed chair lift (the longest here) and eight new runs, including one that is 1.5 miles long and is the ski area's longest run.
Southern Oregon
Ashland's Adventure Center, which for many years was one of the best rafting companies in southern Oregon is no longer in business.
Central Oregon
Dufur, Oregon, out in the north-central part of the state east of Mount Hood probably isn't in your travel plans, but now that the Balch Hotel, 40 S Heimrich St. (tel. 541/467-2277; www.balchhotel.com), has been restored, you might want to consider a stay in this small town not far from the Columbia Gorge wine country. Room rates range from $70 to $125 and some rooms have Mount Hood views.
In the town of Sisters, the new Pleiades at FivePine, 1021 Desperado Trail (tel. 541/549-5900; www.pleiadesatfivepine.com), at the Five Pine Lodge, is now open. Fresh, local, and organic are the catch words at this pretty restaurant set beneath shady ponderosa pine trees. The Three Creeks Brewing Company, also to be located adjacent to the Five Pine Lodge, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008.
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