My solo trip to Portland, Oregon

The idea behind this trip is that a friend of mine from Pennsic that lives in Portland had inadvertently invited me to a show he was doing along with another friend from Pennsic. So I decided I was going to surprise them. Now, I gave a slight clue as I marked the event in the FB event as “going”. Let’s just say that sometimes you have to just book a flight and a hotel and go some place you have never been before.

Wednesday, April 23rd 2025

So Wednesdays are generally busy for me anyway. This was doubled down with a flight across the country (luckily the good direction). So working part of the day then going to the “nerd lunch” we do every two weeks. This week was at Fiesta Charra. I nice small chain Mexican restaurant. Normally I don’t mention where I go before trip, but I thought people might find it funny that I was going to load up on a bunch of mexican food then spend the rest of the day on planes. Thankfully, it didn’t work out in a “bad way”. I didn’t stink anyone out the whole flight (the hotel room was another story). I did have a moment where I was wondering “what the hell did I eat?” completely forgetting about the mexican food previously in the day.

At any rate, after the lunch with nerds it was a quick stop at the ATM, stop at home to grab bags and say bye to the boyz, and head to the Airport

From there it was Lansing to Detroit (DTW), a very tight 45 minutes from one flight to the next and onto Portland (PDX). Once landed, it was off to Hotel Vance-Portland.

Not much happening after getting to the hotel other than jumping in bed and trying to get to sleep as fast as I could. heheh

Thursday, April 24th 2025

The day started way early for Portland and a little late for me normally. I started the day getting coffee from In J Coffee trying to get that small independent coffee shop find. It was ok but not sure they got there shit together yet. Headed back to work from the hotel. I stopped working at one point to get brunch at hotel bar called Beastro which I thought was somewhat clever. I don’t remember what I got for sure and there are no pictures, but I am fairly sure that I got the Kalua Pig Sandwich. (Note: The food items are important because it is half the reason I write this thing. I went back to the room and continued to work. Weirdly my day ended 3 hours earlier than normal, go figure. Because of this, I had a bunch of time before my dinner reservation at 6PM west coast time. So what do you with extra time if you are me? Museums of course!

Portland Art Museum – Started here and even though it is not very big, it had some really cool shit. They was a psychedelic 60’s art display going on with a lot going on. Grabbed quite a few pics of that. (Not going to wreck this blog full of art pics. But I will add a few).

There are also a couple other pieces I would like to feature as well. First, I have to post the highlight of the museum, their Claude Monet Waterlilies (detail), 1914-1915

Next, one of my personal favorites…

Finally, because I saw it among some Baroque work which I am a fan of.

Evidence that trans people existed as far back as the 1700’s. Lawyered!! Let them be! Let them exist!

I could post art all day but this isn’t an art appreciation blog. So after this museum, I crossed the street to the Oregon Historical Museum. No pictures from there as it was unfortunately not very impressive and a bit confusing. The people at the front counter gave horrible directions and sent me to the offices instead of the museum. I almost missed and entire floor because they said there wasn’t anything on the first floor. Just kind of a waste.

So after that I was walking back to the hotel, taking a different direction so that I could see a little more of the town. Found Caffe Umbria right near my hotel which is like the coffee shop I want to spend all my time in. Good coffee, great espresso, and they even serve alcohol in an artsy kind of way. It was here I saw some really cool bottles and now there is a Gin I want to try at some point. It was unfortunate that I found out it was a chain later. But not the worst chain of coffee shops that I have been too. Particularly for west coast coffee shops.

Now, as stated earlier, I had reservations for dinner that I had made earlier in the week so I knew I would have at least one fancy meal. The reservation was at Higgins Restaurant. Things didn’t start so well as I got seated and the Hostess did not inform the waiter that I was by myself. So I ended up sitting with drink by myself waiting to be served for almost 20 minutes. I flagged down the waiter and he was apologizing profusely. It was all good as I know how these things happen. Also, I was seated in the very front of the restaurant in the lower side near an old door no longer used. Which would be a great view if it weren’t for the very very faint hint of urine smell likely from the local homeless staff. I have had worse so I figured I would just deal with it. Once the food came and I got tipsy from the wine, I wouldn’t even notice.

Subsequently I did something I don’t normally do which is go for the full drink service. This means a cocktail start, wine with dinner and finishing with a desert wine. Needless to say, I was a little lit by the time I left. I started with at pretty nice Gin and Tonic. Not sure what gin they used but at least is wasn’t Bombay Sapphire (yuk!). I ordered the recommend appetizer which was awesome on all levels. I believe it is not on their current online menu but similar to the Oregon Bay shrimp, young lettuces, radishes and croutons with a yogurt scallion dressing

While working through this, I added in the wine.

I had asked the waiter what he recommended with the meal and he thought for a moment and recommended the ‘Mas de Gourgonnier Organic Red Blend 2022 Provence, France’. This was a fantastic pairing with the meal that I got which was the Magret, confit & sausage of Liberty duck with with ginger rhubarb compote, cheddar polenta cake and braised greens. This is was a truly spectacular serving for duck. I was very thankful I was able to experience it before the booze kicked in.

I finished the meal with a desert wine. I went with the Dow’s LBV Port 2018. Generally a Tawny guy but this was pretty good. Hard to be too judgy as the Gin and Wine was starting to kick in. heheh

Once dinner was completed, it was time to head off to the main event. I grabbed a Lyft and headed to T.C. O’Leary’s for some Traditional Irish music at 8PM. So when I got there, they had already started even though they were to start at 8PM and it was only a few minutes after 8. Needless to say, I walked in and sat down to the bar to which blew my friends mind! (Achievement Unlocked!)

Stayed through the performances and hung out with some friends! Now understand that this, for me, could have gone in many directions. I was surprising people that I only see maybe once a year. They are of an entirely different generation and we don’t really know each other for real outside Pennsic and what you can see through a FB portal. But I couldn’t have asked for a better response and a better night. Just very awesome!

From there it was back to hotel for some rest. But this weekend isn’t quite over!

Friday, April 25th 2025

Begrudgingly got up for work from hotel. Headed down and picked up breakfast and coffee from Caffe Umbria. Was messaging Kevin about meeting up for lunch. Some communication got mixed up from the night before (not like booze could have been a factor). But finally got things sorted and met Kevin for Lunch at Sebastiano’s. On recommendation I got the Sebastiano – Muffuletta. Now that’s a damn good sandwich. We stayed and chatted for awhile and Kevin recommended the SpringWater trail to head back. A bit longer walk that would have taken without a bottle of water. I was hoping there would be a place to stop and get a bottle of water along the way. But there really wasn’t anything till I got pretty much to the end before the bridge to cross over. Prior to the bridge I found a “watering hole” that goes by the name, Mt. Hood Brewing Co. After getting some water in me, I sat down for a couple really good Amber beers. Once I was “re-hydrated” I continued my walk back to the hotel. I didn’t get a good shot of the bridge I was crossing, just some panorama’s and shots of other bridges.

While crossing the bridge I saw a really cool and unique boat

I Was going to make it the rest of the way to the hotel but realized that it was getting late (for me) and I needed to get some dinner. It wasn’t too long after this realization that I saw a steakhouse and decided to stop. I stopped at Morton’s Steakhouse. Since I live in a bubble (it seems) I didn’t know this was a chain steak house. Seemed to be my luck on this trip. So many unique places I could have gone to and keep ending up in chain places. Oh well. The food was good and the service was even better.

Wasn’t going to go too crazy. Got a little Surf and Turf (Filet Mignon & Lobster Tail) with some Smoked Gouda & Bacon Au Gratin Potatoes. As for the wine, I went with the Bordeaux (La Devine Du Clos Cantenac, Saint-Emilion Gran Cru) which was pretty good particularly going with a Steak and Lobster situation. You can’t ask for much more from the “by the glass” menu. The Potatoes I basically saved and boxed up. I was pretty sure I was going to get snacky later due to all the walking and chowing down on a lot of meat. I finished up with a Port that they had sitting up on the shelf. Pretty sure it was a Graham’s 30 year. Which I was familiar with the 20 and as expected, it wasn’t much of a deviation from the 20.

Made it back to the hotel and watch some TV. Sure as expected, after a couple hours I hit them potatoes. Then it was more tv till went to sleep.

Saturday, April 26th 2025

Had to get up kind of early for the flight. Checked out and headed to the airport. The trip home was a little longer and different than the ride in. This time it was SeaTac Airport (SEA) with barely 45 minutes between flights but since I was flying coach I still had time to stop at McDonald’s next to my gate and grab some food. Then it was off to good ole DTW a short little layover and then home.