justducky

PDX is a very comfortable airport. There are plenty of places to eat, and the stores charge the same prices at the airport as they do at their other locations. For great coffee, skip Starbucks and give The Coffee People a try.

The best part about PDX? Free wireless internet.

The pizza is delicious, and reminiscent of some of the best in NYC, like Lombardi’s and Totonno’s. Be prepared to wait, though, and don’t even think about asking for extra cheese. To keep the pizza from getting weighed down or soggy, the kitchen has strict rules about how many toppings you can order.

If you’re a pizza lover, it’s worth the ‘tude… and the wait.

The tomato soup en croute was truly memorable, but everything else at Bistro Jeanty was a disappointment. The service was lousy, and our entrees were mediocre at best. Did we show up on a bad night? That’s possible, but when you’re a “destination” sort of place, you just have to try harder.

We’re locals, but my husband and I stay downtown once or twice a month. We’ve tried every four star property in Portland, and Fifth Avenue Suites is our favorite by far. It’s what I’d call whimsical luxury; it’s neither stuffy nor ridiculously trendy. The beds are comfortable, the service is excellent, and we seem to get a free upgrade to a king suite every time we book a standard room. Love those Aveda toiletries! There’s free wine tasting in the lobby every night, which seems to be standard at all Kimpton properties.

The restaurant in the lobby, The Red Star Tavern, isn’t the most exciting restaurant in Portland, but it’s good food in a fun setting.

The Venetian is worth a brief visit, but I wouldn’t stay there again. The rooms may be large, but they lack the luxurious feel you’ll find at Bellagio for the same price.

The building is interesting and the service is friendly, but unless you really expect to find a ghost at Old Town Pizza, it’s not worth a special trip. There’s much better pizza in Portland at Nostrana, Apizza Scholls, and Hot Lips.

It may look like Stonehenge, but those stones are old refrigerators. And why not? It may not be as awe-inspiring as the original, but the kitsch value alone is worth a detour if you’re in Santa Fe.

Torrance isn’t a bad place, per se, but I found it sort of depressing. It’s full of strip malls, and the real estate is expensive because of proximity to the beach cities. It may be close to the beach cities, but with the exception of a small strip of beach on the Palos Verdes peninsula, Torrance is all inland. If you’re considering a vacation in the South Bay, go to Redondo or Hermosa instead.

An odd little town. There’s not much there, and be prepared for the olfactory overload of thousands of horses that all seem to defecate simultaneously the moment you open your car door.

A depressing little city in the middle of nowhere, full of chain restaurants, cheap motels, and gloomy people. I want those two days of my life back.