Little Kids, Big City
Every parent deserves a break now and then. Right?
Gub and I are having one of those spells, which happen now and then, when she seems unable to stand me and Daddy can do no wrong. The last time this happened I was exhausted and decided I needed 24 hours to recuperate sans child and husband, while they enjoyed a Daddy-daughter weekend at home. I hopped on a train to Portland for a day and night of R&R alone. I am booking my next trip now.
By Lilium Pierson | February 4, 2008
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Even the promise of a walk through the city's seedy underbelly delivers more charm than menace in this city.
On the new Underground Portland walking tour, guide David Schargel takes visitors to Portland's Chinatown, down to the waterfront and through the streets and alleys where bar dwellers were once kidnapped onto sea voyages, and brothels sheltered sailors and gamblers.
Today, the same streets are home to meth addicts, late-night revelers and transients, Schargel tells his crowd of about dozen on a recent afternoon.
By Julie Davidow | August 17, 2006
Short Trips
PORTLAND, Ore. -- OK, when I was in elementary school I don't remember ever having a television in my classroom. I vaguely remember chalkboards, nagging teachers and very high ceilings in the aging Tacoma building -- but no TV.
Just for authenticity sake, the McMenamin brothers decided not to put televisions in their historic Kennedy School classroom lodgings in Portland. The intrusion, they figured, would ruin the experience they were after.
By Jeff Larsen | March 23, 2006
PORTLAND — Krista Arias, 34, whips up gourmet riffs on French crepes from a kitchen inside a streamlined trailer behind La Palabra, a "philosophy" cafe where locals meet to sip mint-laced hot chocolate and read Aristotle.
At Every Day Wine, Beth Boston, 35, tells customers "the list is on the wall," referring to her inventory of 400 bottles for sale, any of which she will pour by the glass. And because she brings her dog to work and therefore can't serve food, she invites patrons to bring their own.
By Carol Pucci | March 10, 2005
Gas prices keeping you close to home this vacation season? Through Labor Day, Northwest Weekend is offering weekly ideas for close-to-Seattle getaways you can get to and back on 10 gallons or less of gas. And just to make it more "real world," our tips are fine-tuned to whether you own a big SUV or a gas-sipping hybrid electric.
July 15, 2004
Here they sat, at the base of Double Falls, she lulled into a snooze by the song of crashing water, he mesmerized at its play across the rocks.
"This might be one of the nicest places on Earth," Robert MacLachlan said with a smile at the approach of others.
"As soon as I got here, I felt so tranquil," his wife, Elissa, said. "I feel so relaxed. All I've wanted to do is take a nap."
"It's therapeutic," Robert added.
By Greg Johnston | May 27, 2004
When inspiration struck last winter to train for the STP, my cycling equipment consisted of a helmet and a bare-bones hybrid bike left over from grad school. Here's a breakdown of what it cost to make my rookie voyage to Portland:
New bike: $326.40 —
This is far below what most new road bikes cost, especially those with automatic gear switches on the handlebars. But I saved hundreds by opting for a 24-speed Fuji League, a model with manual gear-shifts, and found it to be comfortable and reliable.
By Jake Batsell | February 19, 2004
Short Trips
Unfortunately, trying to schedule my first-ever Amtrak train trip was a bit of a logistical nightmare. But in the end, train travel turned out to be just as pleasant and entertaining as train riders have described it to me over the years.
My goal was to travel by train from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., and to Portland in relatively leisurely fashion in three days. Most importantly, as a novice I wanted to get in touch with the basics of train travel, especially with the busy holiday travel season here.
By Jeff Larsen | December 4, 2003
The Annapurna Center for Self Healing, 538 Adams St., Port Townsend, offers therapeutic yoga as well as massage, reflexology and other treatments for health conditions. Accommodation and breakfast cost $80 and yoga classes cost $15. For more information: 800-868-2662 or www.theannapurna.com
April 17, 2003
