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Sweet Place in Gresham In August of 2022, we had a yummy brunch at a colorful breakfast & lunch place! Our little bistro was located in a town just outside of Portland. Bamboo and Tigers We stepped inside and grinned right away. The bamboo was festive-tropical. The tiger and chickens greeted with enthusiasm! Well... I was enthused. I glanced through the bamboo opening, towards the bar across the room. I believe that bear on the wall, was waving to us also! Brunch With Family Since 2018, Don and I have been visiting our daughter and son-in-law in the Portland area. Portland does brunch well! They have introduced us to some incredible places. In more recent years, we've had the fun of brunching with this little gal. Sweet Betty's had a lot of decor to entertain Charlie! Although she was plenty interested in just staring at Pop Pop! Cozy Booth We took a cushy booth not far from a pair of dangling dandelion puff-lights. One-year-old Charlie was content to sit in her highchair and enjoy the cheery decor. She peered through the bamboo now and then to check on new diners as they arrived. Luckily Charlie was not a bit interested in our baby bottles, when our coffee arrived. Coffee and Cream I'm so glad Don and I both take cream with our coffee. If we'd ordered black coffees like the 2 younger adults, we would have all missed out on the fun containers that held the cream! I love a little silliness with my coffee! Cheers! Charlie didn't have a coffee mug, but she joined us in a toast. This photo is a reminder that I shouldn't need caffeine or a Bloody Mary to enjoy myself at brunch. Charlie was toasting with a tippy cup of water! Consuelo's Scramble There were lots of options on the breakfast menu. I narrowed it down to the 8 scrambles and omelets... then I picked Consuelo's Scramble. My brunch plate was mighty tasty! The scramble with onion, cheese, spinach, mushroom and tomato, was a tangy delight! The nicely seasoned potatoes were hot and crispy. I loved my flat biscuit on top! I could only eat half, which meant I got to enjoy it all over again, later! Shopping? From my chair, I kept turning to peek through the gift shop window. There was a lot of curious merchandise. I've never seen such a large, toy army man. My little brother had the tiny version of this "toy" back when he was fairly tiny. That was way back before I'd ever seen a flag with rainbow stripes. Messages When we finished and got ready to depart, I took a quick look at all the messages on nearby walls. The words on one wall read, "The Good news is, you went a long way. The bad news is, you went the wrong way." I didn't recognize the face on the next wall. I looked it up and learned it belonged to a rapper, J Cole... (Thanks Wikipedia) Near the kitchen I took in more messages. The Fist Pride Flag offered one a powerful message. The illuminated menu board made me chuckle. It told me that we could have ordered a Mimosa Bucket for $22. Or CBD Ice Tea for $8. Add vodka for $11! And More! Much of the decor at Sweet Betty's was fun and whimsical. Some of the messages were more thought provoking. All in all, the atmosphere had a positive vibe and the food was pure comfort food. No CBD or booze needed. I'm slow writing this up, but it makes me a little wistful, when I look back on our brunch outing. At the time we didn't know this would be our last Portland area brunch with this little gang. Kind of sad... but not really. Now this sweet fam in Texas. 2.5 hours away, instead of 1,000 miles away!
Yay for that!
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Saloon Dining in Oregon Here's another throwback post! Don and I found the Baldwin Saloon 2 years ago, while traveling in Oregon. On the Road In August 2022, Don and I made the pretty drive from Spokane to Portland. We'd been driving along the Columbia River, admiring the water and bluffs, when we arrived in The Dalles. The Dalles? I knew nothing about The Dalles, but the small city looked pretty when we drove through on a sunny summer day. "What's with that name?" I kept wondering. The word dalles was evidently used by fur traders to describe the rapids in a river, between high rock walls. After our drive, that suddenly made sense! I tucked that knowledge away and focused on finding a place for lunch. Built 1876 On the edge of town, not far from the Columbia River, we found the Baldwin Saloon. The long, narrow structure was built by the Baldwin brothers, (James & John) in 1876. Exterior A plaque near the door told us it was one of the oldest commercial buildings in The Dalles. It looked like it had been recently spiffed up. The freshly painted facade, (facing First Street and the river) showed cast iron pilasters. I assume those were tall doors, between the decorated columns. New Entrance The new side entrance looked attractive with potted plant arrangements on either side to the door. We headed inside and found the place still hopping at 1:30 pm. Mahogany Bar We were seated at a small table near the back of the saloon. Over my right shoulder I had a good view of the 18-ft mahogany bar. There was a lot to amuse me as we waited for our food. The guests seated at the bar were entertaining. They all seemed to know each other. The lovely ladies (in gold frames) had me chuckling. I counted 9 scantily clad women nearby. There were lots of ladies on those blue walls! And lots interesting guests sitting on blue velvet chairs. Don and I were definitely the oldest people in the crowd. And possibly the only guests who weren't local. Many folks greeted each other, like this was a regular meet up spot on Fridays. RR Tracks and River Behind my chair there were rows of booths and more curious decor. The dark walls were covered in framed art and antiques were displayed on a platform near the ceiling. The tables in the front had a view First Street and railroad tracks. The river was just beyond. When the Baldwin Brothers first opened their saloon, they catered to rail men and sailors. Good to place to put a saloon... near tracks and river! Art and Brick Besides partially nude women, there were lovely landscape paintings. Reminders of how Oregon looked, back in wilder days. The brickwork behind those paintings was pretty wild also! Should have snapped a close up. 1876 and 2022 During our visit 2 years ago. I remember studying all the art and fixtures and wondering what the "decor" looked like, when the brothers opened their saloon 140 years ago. How did this place look, when a nearby mortuary used the building for coffin storage? And what did this space look like in 1962, when Bonney Saddle Shop started up an operation making custom saddles? Food & Flower Don and I finally turned our focus to food. I of course had to get one photo to show just how large and lovely the painting was, above Don! We enjoyed our soup and salad, with a sweet sunflower decorating our table. Bonus points for that! Caesar Don ordered the Caesar Salad with Chicken. I ordered Onion Soup, served in an iron crock. I liked the sturdy china. It reminded me of dining in old hotels and lodges. Neither meal was exactly memorable, but it was just the light bite we needed on our travels. Wondered Before we heading out, I studied a few more pieces of art that stood out (to me) from the others. What was that proper lady with the tea cup thinking? Or was she a Madam? There was a brothel on the property at some point. And what's the story of the 4 children in the etching? They didn't exactly fit into the Saloon Theme, but I liked them. Patio Before getting back in the car. I stopped and took a peek at the patio, off the back of the building. I remember telling Don, "We need to come back to this place!" I was intrigued with The Baldwin Saloon, as well as The Dalles.
But it's 2024 now and I just did a Google search. I was sad to hear that the Martins, who bought the saloon biz in 2020, closed the Baldwin Saloon not long after our visit. That is too sad. Good Name I love a cafe in the woods. I especially love a cafe with a friendly name. Who was Beckie? Minutes from Crater Lake Don and I passed Beckie's when we left Crater Lake Lodge, last June. We didn't have time to stop, but I took a photo and hoped we could someday return. A Week Later We did! A week later! We had our granddaughter and her parents with us. We were headed on a road trip from Portland to Austin, Texas. Breakfast at Beckie's was the perfect stop at the beginning of our 10-day trip. Since 1926! Beckie's is on the Register of National Historic Places. It sits right on the road, across from Union Creek Resort. Union Creek Resort Union Creek Lodge was built in 1922, but it had to be rebuilt after a fire in the 1930's. You can still stay in the lodge, where famous guests like Herbert Hoover and Jack London once spent a night. Waiting for a Table Beckie's probably served some famous guests, back in the day. We weren't famous enough to jump the line. We had to wait a while for table. While we waited, I entertained Charlie with some sticks. Charlie entertained some other waiting guests, with her jumping skills. Lots of Wood When our table was ready, we stepped into the cozy interior and admired the shiny wood walls and ceiling. I loved the wooden stools. They didn't look exactly comfy, but they amused me! Like giant wooden checkers, balancing on carved poles! Dining Booths We were shown to a table in a larger room, but I begged (politely) to be seated in one of the little nooks in the front room. The curvy table legs looked like horns! The red curtains and cushions made the space cozy, like Grandma's Cottage. Or was it Aunt Beckie's house? Who was Beckie? Ed Beckleheiemer The name Beckie was actually the nickname of Ed Becklehimer, who ran the restaurant and gas station, until the late 1960's. I'm guessing that's him, standing on the porch. After Mr. Beckie died, his wife Cecil took over. She evidently had fiery red hair and a glass eye. It's a little hard to tell, but that could be her, next to Ed. When she took over the biz, guests began calling her Beckie. She was known for her huckleberry pies. Time to Eat We were hungry by the time we sat in our cozy booth. We studied the menu and enjoyed coffee in cute mugs. While waiting on our orders, I chatted with Charlie and tried to understand her pacifier language. She and her Paci have been best buds for 2.5 years! We chatted a bit about pancakes (her order) and maybe even about pacifiers. I told her we had a "Paci Bed" waiting for her in Texas. (I had a good-by paci plan) Mouth Ready When Beckie's Hotcakes arrived, Charlie promptly removed the paci. Suddenly Charlie let out a squeal and announced clearly in non-paci-launguage, "OH PANCAKES! THANK YOU!!" Don's Omelet Don's expression is not as over the top as his granddaughter's. But he was happy with his ham and cheese omelet. He had extra good words for the thick, sweet ham. My soft, moist biscuit was served in a sea of sausage gravy! Pretty epic! If only we'd had room for some huckleberry pie! Next Time Sadly we didn't all finish our plates. We had no cooler for taking leftovers with us. We headed for the cars, full and happy. I glanced across the street at the old stone water fountain and the cabins under the tall pines. I don't know when we'll be out this way again, but we'll have to stay a night at Union Creek Resort! Then we can try the dinner menu and even enjoy a beverage besides coffee! And of course, some pie!
On the Road in 2019 A few years ago, Don and I stopped for lunch at an old train station. I love a good building! It was in October, 2019. We were on a trip from Portland to Sacramento. McMenamins Chain We usually go for Mom and Pop places when we travel. We avoid chain restaurants, but we're always up for a McMenamins owned hotel or restaurant experience. They rescue old properties! Southern Pacific Depot This is how the town of Roseburg and its train station looked, about 100 years ago. The original was built in 1872. The current building was completed in 1912. These photos were displayed on the wall, inside the restaurant. That's another reason I like McMenamins owned businesses. They spotlight history. I like being reminded of the day, when train travel was popular! I always have lots of questions, when we dine in old restaurants/buildings. It's often hard to get answers from young staff. In McMenamins owned properties, you can count on lots of shared history on the walls. Lighting You can also count on lots of curious light fixtures. We've experienced 9 of these festive properties, in Oregon and Washington. There's always a fun mix of interesting architecture, whimsical art and refurbished antiques. Walls and Ceiling In this photo, you can sort of see the original 16-foot vaulted ceiling. The tongue-and-groove fir wainscoting, is also original. Besides old photographs, I spotted lots of intriguing, train themed artwork on the walls. Love a Good Bathroom I love a decorated bathroom. Thumbs up to this painted designs. I appreciated the preserved (I assume) stalls and tile. I hate it when historic features are removed. It helped me picture the traveling ladies from a century ago, stopping in to powder their noses! Food Some of those traveling ladies, kept an eye on Don while he ate his lunch. The menu was just basic pub food, but we were both satisfied. Don was happy with the curry flavor, in his tuna sandwich. I was happy he shared his fries! My Aztec Salad had crispy greens and bright-fresh avocado and corn chips. Just the right amount! It's been over 3.5 years since Don and I enjoyed our sandwich and salad, in the depot. Back in the October of 2019, we didn't know a pandemic was coming in 2020. We didn't know we'd have a grandchild born in Oregon, in 2021. One More Stop at the Depot! Little did we know that we would stop on another road trip in 2023. This time we were traveling with our daughter and son-in-law and their 2 year old Charlie! She approved of the crayons! We had a great little lunch, tucked into a cozy corner, near the old wood-burning stove. Charlie and Don toasted, like they did at pretty much every meal on our drive to Texas! Now this sweet girl and her parents live 2.5 hours from us! Not sure if we'll ever pass through Roseburg again. I'm glad we made this recent stop!
Love the Look! I was just giddy, when I spotted this delightful entrance to T Paul's Supper Club, on our Oregon trip. I loved the rounded canopy, with neon sailboats! I loved the retro sound of Supper Club! It made me think of dressing up for dinner in the 1950's. But in 2023, the word club also sounds exclusive and less welcoming. That's why I was happy to see the words on the window. "Eracism... Liberty and Justice For All" Cheers to that! Tiki Bar Don and I happened to be staying at the Hotel Elliott, right across the street. We ended up having a mini dining adventure at T Paul's. If we'd only known there would be a Tiki option on our road trip, we would have packed the proper shirts! Snappy Hour We didn't check into the Elliott until 5 pm. We got settled and I told Don I'd dash across the street to see about dinner options. I left our hotel, with its own sweet, rounded entrance and headed across to the glowing door. Actually the door was to the T Paul's lounge, Bar 300. I took note of the words on the glass, "Snappy Hour from 4 to 6" My watch said 5:35! A Quick Look I stepped inside and immediately noticed the table for 2 on the left! I laughed to picture us sitting there, looking like we were ready to hand out Mai Tais. To the right of the door was a cute modern table, beneath some artsy light fixtures. The window offered a good view of our hotel. The Restaurant There was a large dining area off to the right, with curious decor hanging from the high ceiling. I looked above the diners and drinkers and tried to figure out some of the decorated features. Giant Umbrellas... curious fans... Were those fluffy Christmas trees? Who knows? I didn't have time to look around. I dashed back to fetch Don. I told him Snappy Hour ended in 15 minutes. Cheers! That's pretty embarrassing to admit how quickly we move, when there are bargains awaiting. We chose a cozy seat near the bar and ordered drinks right away. Don didn't even get a happy hour drink, but mine was some Mule-Something-or-Other with cranberries and lime. It was the Bartender's Choice of the Day Snappy Hour Drink. Food Options At 5 minutes of 6, we placed an order for food from the Snappy Hour menu. (It's clear that I like to say Snappy Hour) Our server was delightful and didn't roll her eyes at our cheap strategies. It was actually a pretty fun mix of food. The Snappy Hour Nachos were generous and just spicy enough. Don is holding an order of dumplings. They had a bit of crispiness, which made them good for dipping! I'm holding the Bourbon Prawn Cocktail, with some fabulous house made crostini on top. The sauce was decadent! When the prawns were gone, I spooned out the remaining sauce with the crispy bread! Looking Down Our hotel room awaited us across the street, but I of course took a trip to the Ladies Room, as an excuse to explore. I walked through the main dining room and up some stairs to take in the view. I liked this artwork, behind the desk. Underwater light fixtures? Bubbles? Jewels? Seagrass? Loft Seating The stairs took me to an elevated dining area. The colorful walls had a few guitars decorating them. There were city images decorating the wall, that made me feel like I was looking out windows. That would be the ultimate dining adventure, to sip and feast, while gazing out over Venice and Paris... at the same time! Lots in the Hall On the way back to the restrooms, I found lots of wall art. Much was related to Marilyn Monroe. I'm sure there are stories about all of the art choices. Quotes & Signs There are probably stories behind all the quotes too. There were a lot of them. Inside the Ladies Room I read the bold question, "Who Runs The World?" I should have asked Don to check the Mens room to see if they had the same question, with a different answer. More Than Alcohol As we finished up, I snapped a quick picture of the wall across from me. One more little quote. Alcohol You Later. Kind of clever. When our server asked if we'd like another drink, we opted for something sweeter to take with us. She described their house-made cookies and we suddenly left with a hefty bag of jumbo cookies. Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal! They were huge and amazing! Tiki Pose Before we headed across the street, I took a photo of Don at the Tiki Bar table. A man offered to take a photo of both of us. He posed and thanked him. I love that photo of Don, looking so at home in that little hut. That photo reminded me of something. It bugged me. I finally found it on my phone. A photo from a trip to Santa Rosa, CA, 5 years ago. I love matching up photos! Pause to Peek So we headed out the door, beneath the glowing sailboats. I had to stop and study the pretty looking building, lit up at night. What a nice and simple and tasty evening we'd had. Breakfast View In the morning we ate breakfast at the hotel, looking out the window at T Paul's. It didn't look nearly as festive in daylight, but there was no car clutter and I could more easily see the doric columns all lined up. Interesting. I looked over and wondered more about the building and the business, What was this building originally? Who thought up the creative interior? How many locals choose the tiki table? I'm guessing just tourists!
I'm glad we have our tiki photo to remember our evening! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
April 2024
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