ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Among the many sea stacks that are found along the Pacific Coast, Cannon Beach is famed as much for iconic Haystack Rock as for its art galleries, boutique shops and restaurants. It's natural to think that Cannon Beach has the tallest stack along Oregon's coast, maybe because of the town's unverifiable claim ("third largest intertidal monolith in the world"), but the one... Continue Reading →
The day was perfect for exploring at Cape Kiwanda. From the rocky shore, it's natural to look out to sea.
Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose has found a home in the most unlikely of places in McMinnville, Oregon, housed in the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, having made its way from southern California. Originally built as a World War II transport aircraft, made entirely of wood, it retains the record of having the longest wingspan (almost... Continue Reading →
I'll say it right off. Ataula is the best tapas restaurant my wife and I have ever been to. Not only was the food consistently sublime but the wait staff was above reproach and the tab less than we expected to pay for such quality. Ataula is somewhat hidden away on a quiet side street of Portland's... Continue Reading →
After a long day's drive in blistering heat into and out of Mount Rainier National Park and Mount St Helens Volcanic National Monument and checking into our motel, my wife and I were ready for a margarita and an ice cold beer. (Mis)guided by Quality Inn's confusingly formatted list of recommended local restaurants in Gresham, we... Continue Reading →
Along the Grove of the Patriarchs in Mount Rainier National Park, there is a fallen old growth Douglas Fir that is easily hundreds of years old. To me, its most remarkable characteristic is a fantastic burl that looks very much like a bubbling mud pool.
Our good friends in the Seattle area have been doing some interesting restaurant exploring, mainly small places that are under the radar and unlikely to be on any big-time publication or travel site lists of best places to eat in Seattle. They've gotten inspiration from Yelp friends who've done their fair share of looking for those hole-in-the-wall gems... Continue Reading →
Could the lure of The Oinkster's house-cured pastrami, house-made ketchup, chipotle sauce and garlic aioli, hand-cut Kennebec fries that are double-fried, indications that Chef Andre Guerrero is serious about food, be enough to give me satisfaction that I could find the ideal pastrami sandwich? It's been a long, dry spell since I've had a great... Continue Reading →
The Mainland corporation that owns Shanghai No. 1 Seafood Village reportedly spent big bucks on possibly the fanciest Chinese restaurant ever to open in the LA basin. Chefs would be brought in directly from Shanghai, the ambience would appeal to the fussiest diners and menu to match. The debut was such a big deal that... Continue Reading →
I've been grocery shopping at the Alhambra Ralphs countless times when I've visited my wife's family in the San Gabriel Valley. (As a sign of the times, this Ralphs has officially closed and construction has begun on another 99 Ranch Market in the Valley.) Across the street is Dog Haus, which I'd never patronized. Maybe... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 