Valley | Where Sasha Went

Trappist Abbey – Carlton, Oregon

November 8, 2017

Oddly since I have moved out of the city and closer to the mountains I am now further away from hiking trails. A situation I did not see coming when my husband and I were looking to leave the city. Turns out for hiking we moved in the wrong direction, again oddly since we are situated up against the Costal Mountain Range now.
Between prepping for my hiking trip in Ireland, getting a puppy and just generally wanting to be outdoors more and more I have been on a desperate search for trails. The one I have found so far is a trail on the property of the Trappist Abbey just outside Carlton, Oregon.

The abbey sits among some of the more beautiful bits of the Yamhill Valley wine growers region. The trail itself winds up past the monastery into the hills, leaving the lower trees which makes way for a section of oak dotted farm land and then back up into the heavily wooded areas of the end of the trail.
The hike is free, but they do ask you to be as quiet as possible when walking past the buildings as most of the monks that live on property have taken a vow of silence.

My main mistake on this hike was thinking that it would be dry. It hadn’t been raining for a couple weeks but I should have known with the amount of water we got this year the ground water wasn’t drying up anytime soon.
It was muddy, really really muddy. It was also mid poison oak bloom. So the entire hike was mostly me trying to keep a very excited 40lbs puppy from taking off into the giant fields of poison oak while having a poor footing on a three inch deep mud trial.
Poor planning.

We traversed the mud as far as possible but when the choice was ankle deep mud or shrubs I chose to turn around. From what I can tell though the trail goes quite a bit further than we managed and I plan to go back as soon as my new boots are properly broken in.

I would highly suggest the trail for anyone but in particular someone looking for some stillness. It is dead quiet on the trail partly because of the location and party because of the rules they ask you to follow when on the trail.
When visiting the abbey please be respectful of their rules. They are kind enough to offer the trail up the public but don’t have to do so as it does inevitably cause disruption to their monastic life. You will likely pass a monk or two on the trail, but as many have take a vow of silence remember to be respectful and don’t be offended if they don’t engage in conversation with you. Dogs are allowed but should be leashed the whole time, and as always pick up after them! They also ask you to not bring any electronics with you, which I didn’t realize until after I left. This includes cameras, clearly I managed to break that rule. Whoops! Now I know, next time I will comply.

The Block House Café – Dayton, Oregon

October 25, 2017

I have an affinity to hamburgers. I didn’t eat red meat for about 20 years and when I went back to eating it I did so with gusto. I LOVE HAMBURGERS. I can’t say that I am terribly picky either, I like fancy gourmet burgers, I like burgers with crazy toping, and I like flat greasy diner burgers from little hole in the wall places.

The Block House Café in Dayton, Oregon has a nice mix of all these traits and come out clean with a burger to suit all type of burger consumers (in my opinion anyway). But most importantly they offer a mini burger that is more suited to my stomach size.

As an added bonus the restaurant resides in the building of the former First Baptist Church of Dayton Oregon. It was built by a family who opened one of the first brick companies in the area and is one of the oldest standing brick buildings in the valley. It has been beautifully restored into a small dining facility with high ceilings, bright windows and a relaxed atmosphere. The wait staff was incredibly nice, and the menu aside from the hamburgers list boasts a large selection of sandwiches and a brunch menu to die for. They also have cinnamon roll pancakes, which are truly incredible. They are located on 301 Main Street in Dayton, open only for breakfast and lunch closing at three everyday.

After we ate we walked around the town, which is mostly just three shop lined streets that flank the main square park. It is a very small town. But it does have a surprising list of places to eat, none of which I have been to yet. One of which, Archie’s is a 1950s themed ice cream shop decorated to resemble the Archie comics I am so very fond of. Had I not been stuffed and it been a slightly warmer day I would have pounced on the chance to go in. Next time. There is always next time.

Evergreen Aviation Museam – McMinville, Oregon

October 11, 2017

The Evergreen Aviation Museum is the second aviation museum my husband and I have been to. The first being the Palm Spring Flight Museum which I have not yet managed to write up even though it was two years ago that we visited. I will get there, eventually.

The Evergreen Aviation Museum is in McMinville Oregon. It is famous for currently housing the Hughes H-4 Hercules also know as Howard Hughes’ The Spruce Goose. The wooden plane built in 1947 famously only took one flight, which was mostly a 70foot hover above the Cabrillo Beach channel in California. After a not so successful test flight the plane was housed at Aero Club of Southern California next to the Queen Mary as a tourist attraction (both of which I visited as a kid) until 1993 when the plans for Port Disney were abandoned at which time the plane was bought and moved to Oregon.

The Spruce Goose which is quite impressive, however is not the only impressive thing about the museum. The museum as a whole is two large hangars and a theater which screens a variety of flight themed movies. One hanger includes the Spruce Goose as well as other planes starting with models from the very first attempts at human flight up through modern day military and private jets. My personal favorite was this gorgeous antique prop plane. I had visions of boarding with perfectly coiffed victory rolls and a ridiculously expensive mink jacket.

I think my husbands favorite was the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” which I have to admit was pretty impressive. The Blackbird is incredibly advanced and modern looking especially considering it was a stealth spy plane that was flown in the 1960s.

The Blackbird was housed in the second hanger across the parking lot along with the the space flight displays. Which included model replicas of the moon lander, Russian space crafts and model sections of the ISS.

They also had this Russian re-entry pod on display which still has the scorch marks from when it entered back into the earth atmosphere. The space display was my favorite overall, it had displays that covered the beginnings of man’s dreams to travel off planet, information about the Russian and American space race as well as the extensive collection of artifacts, information and models.

For anyone who is interested in vintage planes, modern, military or space travel I would highly suggest the trip down to McMinnville, it is a great way to spend the day especially in Oregon in the winter. It gives you a great way to get out of the house and walk around without getting soaked to the bone.
Addition Information:

It is located in McMinnville Oregon, a short drive south of Portland.
500 Northeast Captain Michael King Smith Way McMinnville, OR 97128
Tickets are 19-27 dollars depending on the age of the visitor, which is well worth it as you can make a whole day of the visit.
They also have an extensive array of special events, so make sure to check the calendar and plan accordingly.

Jackson Bottom Wetlands – Hillsboro, Oregon

September 27, 2017

One of my favorite local walking areas is the Fernhill Wetlands but since brining the pups home we don’t go there as much. It and the Jackson Bottom Wetlands are nature and bird preserves so dogs are prohibited.
However from time to time, we find our selves without the dog for a short period of time and wanting to get outside the Jackson Bottom Wetlands proves to be the perfect place for a walk.

The area is quite large and there are a good number of trails. Some of them were still flooded when we last went so not all the areas were open, but I think it took us about an hour to walk them all (again all that were actually open that day). It was spring, everything was in bloom and it was one of the first warm days of the year. The trails are very well maintained, well marked and despite the time of year very quiet. We only ran into a couple bird watchers.

Unlike the Fernhill Wetlands there is a very comprehensive interpretive center that holds community events and classes. They have in the past even had sunrise yoga classes outdoors on the observation decks, I would love to make it down for these. Fingers crossed I can get my act together soon!

To Visit:

Address: 2600 SW Hillsboro Hwy. Hillsboro, OR 97123
Open Hours: 10-4
Cost: Free but with a suggested donation of 2$ per person.

Silverton, Oregon

August 30, 2017

Oregon like most rural states is littered with small charming towns. Not terribly well know, to either tourists or locals in nearby cities. I grew up in small towns though, so even while I lived the majority of the last 15 years in Portland I would often seek small towns for weekend retreats.

I have managed to make it to just about every one of them within a two hour radius of Portland and now that I live in one of them I spend even more time wandering around country roads discovering new areas to spend my time.

A few months ago, when Oregon was still in the grips of an ice age, or what most people would call an average winter (I complained a lot this year about our third snow to my coworkers in Minneapolis and got no sympathy), out of desperation for change a friend took me on a surprise adventure in Silverton.

Silverton is situated just north of Salem along Silver Creek, which is fed from the 10 waterfalls in the Silver Falls State Park the largest in Oregon. The town like any has had it’s controversies and triumphs the later more famously known is the story of Bobbie the Wonder Dog who after being separated from his owner in Indiana found his way back home to Oregon six months later.

Now a days the town is fairly quiet though with the uptick in Portland residents the small surrounding towns are enjoying some extra tourism. The town which had been fairly quiet when I was younger is now filled with antique stores, cafe’s and jewelry shops.

We spent the better part of the day between the antique stores and the book store. I always love seeing small independent book stores and try my best to help support them. This one in particular was a used book store as well and I managed to find a few items to add to my collection of out of print books.

After checking out the book store we headed down to the waterfront walk, and were pleasantly surprised by the local food coop, a small nursery in an old gas station and a jewelry store that had an impressive collection. I bought myself a pair of earnings, but what I really wanted was everything in the store.

We ended our day at a local café next to the river, sharing a table full of crepes and coffee. It was lovely. Good company, and a pleasant outing to distract from the fact that our spring is about two months behind this year and we are all dying of vitamin D deficiency.

Things that shouldn’t be missed:

Books In Time: 210 N Water St, Silverton, OR 97381
Shayla Lynn: Jewelry and Gifts
Silver Creek Coffee House
For a comprehensive overview of the town and a walking tour check out Everything Oregon’s post.

La Rambla – McMinville, Oregon

August 2, 2017

For our anniversary this last year we decided not to do anything big. Instead we spent a weekend in a small town just south of where we live that happens to house one of my all time favorite restaurants in the world.
I discovered La Rambla a number of years ago, right around the time my parents and I were discussing spending Christmas in Barcelona. I had started researching things to do and places to eat in Barcelona and as Google has a tendency to do, it pointed me to a restaurant near me (in Oregon) that was named after one of the attractions we were looking at in Spain. So I had to try it. The rest is history.
La Rambla is a small tapas restaurant in McMinnville Oregon. Frequented by locals and wine enthusiasts alike the restaurant has never been anything but packed regardless of day or time I have visited. The small intimate restaurant offers a wine list that is 7 pages long and a small but comprehensive list of snacks, entrees and desserts. And of course cheese.

As luck would have it (or perhaps my one track mind when it comes to a decent cheese plate) I forgot to take any pictures of our latest visit. Except the one of the cheese menu. Which I took so that I could remember the name of the goat cheese that knocked my socks off (Cana de Cabra in case you were wondering).
For our meal we shared a bottle of wine, a few cheeses, a small flat bread ending the meal with churros and chocolate. We were happily stuffed and also slightly disappointed we didn’t get to try more from their outstanding seasonal menu. I guess that just means we will have to go back. I think I would be pretty okay with that.

Ruddick/Wood Tavern – Newberg, Oregon

July 19, 2017

One of the harder things about leaving the city is that suddenly there aren’t a lot of local places to pop into for a drink or a snack. At least that seems that case in the Portland area. Though given how little I drink leaving the bar scene wasn’t a sacrifice by any means.
Though from time to time a girl needs a local place to sit down with her girlfriend for a good old fashioned gab fest and have a glass of champagne and a plate of fries. Enter the Ruddick/Wood Tavern in Newberg Oregon.

It has all the relaxed PNW charm without any of the traffic or parking challenges of it’s city counterparty. The interior was left mostly salvaged and the walls are adorned with topographical maps of the local hills.

It’s not a large place but it does offer a fair amount of seating options, and while it has always been pretty busy when we go in we have always found a seat. We try to make it on Wednesdays for their “Whiskey Wednesday” specials. The selection is extensive and I have not yet had to order the same drink twice, except for their sparkling rose. But that was on purpose because it is so delicious it is hard not to repeat the glass, bottle <insert serving of choice> over and over again.

Every time we go in we make a pact to order something different off the food menu, I think it has really only worked about half the time. They have an excellent rotating cheese plate that we keep ordering and have never been disappointed. I think we may order it because the menu says “cheese and accoutrements” which halfway through a bottle of champagne becomes too much for us to handle and we probably wind up ordering it because we find it so funny.

The other must order is the fries plate, which comes in a variety of options. We have ordered them all and I don’t think I can say which is my favorite. They are all good and worth a try.

You can find the Ruddick/Wood Tavern at 720 E. First St, Newberg, OR 97132. It is around the corner from the main restaurant Ruddick/Wood which serves lunch and dinner from 11:30am to 9pm.

Fernhill Wetlands – Forest Grove, Oregon

July 5, 2017

There are an inordinate number of places to go walking and hiking in the Pacific North West. It is sort of what we are known for. The problem with this is two fold. First because we are known of our stunning views and gorgeous well-kept our door trails, everyone knows about it, and thus everyone is on them. Second because you can wind up in decision paralysis trying to decide exactly WHICH trail you want to take on while you are out visiting. And truth be told you really cannot go wrong.

If however, you are looking for something very specific it can be harder to locate that trail that is juuuuuuust right.If you happen to be looking for something that is easy, flat and you enjoy bird watching or nature photography this is your trail.

The wetlands are actually a water natural treatment facility first (but don’t worry it doesn’t smell funny) which has been expanded out and carefully landscaped to provide shelter for migratory birds.

I have spent a good amount of time there over this past spring and now into fall. I avoided it over the summer because I don’t like being hot and the entire trail is exposed. I truly love walking around this space, the one mile loop trail provides beautiful views of a very natural Oregon and the birds that live here.

I end up making several loops around the sanctuary a week. Because it is open, well traveled but not overly populated and close to my house it makes for a perfect and safe spot for someone walking alone.
To plan your visit start with the website here. If you want to continue your exploration of the area I suggest trying to Adiri Winery or McMenamins Grande Lodge.
Questions:
Are there any natural walking areas in your home town that you just LOVE?

Oregon Zoo Concerts

March 22, 2017

Confession time: I don’t really love summer. It is my least favorite season. And truth be told, I don’t really love concerts either. As such a person could probably presume that a concert in the summer might be very low on my list of things to do. But I am a complicated person, as we all are, and the Oregon Zoo Summer Concert Series are one of the few events each summer I look forward to.
The Oregon Zoo has been hosting a summer concert series for 37 years now. I have only had the pleasure of attending the last four.

**Patiently watching the sun go away so it would cool down**

There are many reasons why I love these concerts, but I think one of the top reasons is simply the atmosphere. It is a family friendly venue. As such, much like Disneyland, everyone seems to be on their best behavior. People are relaxed, kind, gracious. No one is throwing things, or yelling or bumping into you.

**Intro band doing their thing**

How does it work you ask? First you can check out the upcoming concerts on the Oregon Zoo website. The concerts usually aren’t announced until late spring each year so if you aren’t seeing anything just keep checking.
You can park at the zoo but the roads up to are actually quite difficult to come and go on. Narrow, single lane exit nightmare. Plus if it is a nice day, as a concert goer you will be fighting zoo patrons for parking. My suggestion is to find a park and ride for the MAX (public transportation) and ride to the Washington Park Zoo stop. Easy.

**Fitz and the Tantrums**
Your concert ticket includes a zoo ticket. You are allowed to bring in an empty non glass water bottle, low beach chairs are allowed, or you can just sit on blankets in the grass. Make sure to bring cash or card for food and drinks.

**Laser light show action**

You are allowed to enter the zoo early, set up your spot “in line” once you are inside the zoo and then wander around the zoo or sit and chat while you wait. Once the doors open, you are shuffled into the concert area, where you can set up your space for the night and then continue to wander around. There is always several food carts available for food as well as drink carts for beer and wine.

**Linen is best when the weather is dumb**

This last years show that I attended was by far the best, not only because the food cart choices were fantastic but the band I went to see played a phenomenal show. It was hot, like 102 hot. So I spent the evening sitting in the grass in my linen dress, drinking all the water and eating ice cream. The air eventually cooled and all in all it is a wonderful night.
Questions:
Have you ever been to a concert at the Oregon Zoo? If not what is your favorite local outdoor concert venue?

Ardiri Winery – Cornelius Oregon

February 8, 2017

There are so many wineries in the Portland/Willamette Valley area it can be overwhelming. Since moving out of the city I am now within 5 miles of about 25. I plan to make visits to all of them at some point, but you know what they say about best laid plans…..

I visited Adiri for the first time on the hottest day of the year after spending all morning at an antique sidewalk fair. I was hot, I was tired, I was likely sun stroked. And I wasn’t exactly looking forward to drinking wine but my company wanted to go, so we forged on.

I love Adiri. When we pulled up we were above the valley, overlooking the hills, there was a slight breeze and a shaded covered porch with comfortable deck furniture. The tasting room was small and crowded but my mom just dashed in and grabbed a bottle of rose while the rest of us settled into the shade with cups of complimentary lemon cucumber water.

The wine was chilled to perfection, the staff was so kind, the experience was perfect. While we were sitting and sipping I noticed a bunch of small parties at the other tables, all with different types of snacks celebrating baby showers, weddings, and anniversaries. It was lovely.

A few months later I took one of my best friends to the winery. Armed with a picnic and ready to revisit that amazing rose we headed out into the hills. The day was a bit chilly and gloomy but the covered porch area has warmers and fires going. Even in October it was crowded. They were out of the rose, sold out a month earlier but I was promised they would have more ready by February. We tried to gold which was one of the best whites I have ever had and enjoyed a perfect day looking over the hills and chatting with good company.
I will be going back sometime this month for the rose, and probably another bottle of the Chehalem Gold.
Questions:
Are there any local wineries in your area that you love to visit?