My Uncle Chris was in town this past weekend, therefore affording us the opportunity to explore the city in ways we don’t normally.  Chris is very fond of views, so we went to every spot we hadn’t taken him before, like the rooftop restaurant Rocket on East Burnside where we enjoyed some tantalizing cocktails.  Mine was The High Ball, a perfect combination of bourbon, tea concentrate, and tamarind syrup, topped with a delicious cherry! 

As Portlanders will be able to surmise from the photos, we also went for a short hike in Forest Park to show Chris the very cool ruins of a stone house built by the WPA in the 1930’s.  It always looks so beautiful!  We also made a stop at the Mount Calvary cemetery for the stunning Mt Saint Helen and Mt Hood vistas.  Though they didn’t photograph as nicely as they looked in person, sigh.

Surprisingly, we had never taken him to Washington Park, so that was our next stop.  It was a perfect day to be out among the myriad roses, and while not in their full glory, they were still quite impressive.  After the Rose Garden, we visited the Holocaust Memorial – a very sad place that reminds me of the importance of kindness and forgiveness.  Hating people for having beliefs different than my own can lead me down a very dark path.  

After all that hiking, walking, and driving, we took a bit of a siesta at The Matador in Northwest, an uber-velvety place with stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon (hello decadence) and the best margarita I’ve ever had.  Wouldn’t you know, it had tamarind juice in it?  I think I am becoming a little predictable! 

After more decadent dining that evening at The Berlin Inn and a good night of sleep, we spent Sunday looking at real estate.  Our most interesting stop was at The Benson, where we got to see our fair city from the 24th floor.  I wish I hadn’t been a ninny and forgotten to take photos.  It was really quite nice to see my home from a new angle, and one so flattering as well.  Portland, you look mahvelous!  Thanks for being such a great place to live.