kennied

We took a day trip along the Gorge and spent most of the day in Hood River. What a great place! A small-town feel and a downtown that has retained it’s character and hasn’t sold out to the big box stores. It is a dream destination for outdoor peeps who like to hike, bike, kayak, windsurf, etc. etc.
Dinner at Celilo was as good as any big city has to offer, and the latte at Doppio hadn’t been rivaled since I was in Europe!

This is a very cool place with a modern design and lots of light. The windows going out to the patio open all the way and create a large open space that is very inviting.
We had lattes in the morning that were served in large ceramic cups just like in Italy. Yes, there was latte art and they looked cool, but the taste is what made the difference. Excellent espresso (from a local roaster as we found out) and the milk foamed just right. The scones were toasted and the orange cranberry was incredible.
We went back for gelato in the afternoon and it was just like in Italy! The espresso gelato and papaya sorbet were our favorites.
The owner also told us that they were adding beer and wine soon which will make for a great downtown hangout in the summer evenings. I had to return to Boston, but my Portland friends will be back I am sure!

Finally made it out to Portland to visit friends that I had been promising I would come out for years now…and it was a great city. All of the ammenities and culture of a big city, but somehow it has retained it’s character and green identity. Here are some of my favorite things about PDX:
++ There are more breweries per capita than any city in America brewing some amazing beers that will go head to head with any European beers
++Amazing coffee shops serving some of the best Lattes I have ever had. Especially the small, neighborhood shops scattered throughout the city (putting Starbick’s to shame!)
++A very bike-friendly city with lots of bike lanes and other riders which means drivers are more conscious of cyclists (unlike most other American cities)
++Nature at it’s best within an hours drive. We took a drive up the gorge to do some hikes and spent the night in Hood River which was a very cool little town (see my other entry). Incredible scenery in the gorge!!