Vacation: Portland, Oregon
March 8 - 11, 2008
Day One – March 8, 2008
6:00 a.m. EST - It's so early. Lady Awesome and I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and if that wasn't bad enough, we went to bed at 1:00 a.m. Emily and Tony (Chicago) were in town last night so we got some brewskis* with them. So yeah. Lady Awesome and I are tired. Also, it doesn't help that the people who work at Hartsfield Jackson Airport are buttholes. Frontier Airline's ticket lady said, "The guy in front of you scared the shit out of me." That's not a good sign. It's windy as hell outside with a 100% chances of flurries, so let's all cross our fingers and toes that Lady Awesome and I make it safely to Portland to see the bears.
You know, because there are bears in Portland.
* Cool slang for beers
8:00 a.m. MT - We're in Denver (layover). I got a few minutes of sleep on the first leg of the flight. Lady Awesome got a little more. I feel like a zombie who eats egg and cheese biscuit sandwiches instead of brains. I just realized that I only eat at McDonald's when I'm inside an Airport.
Frontier Airlines is A-OK. Each plane features a different wildlife animal on the tail that "flies" with you. They also charge you $8 for a pay-per-view movie and will inevitably have a jerk lady who sits behind you who asks, "Can you not recline your seat all the way? I'm trying to use a laptop."
10:30 a.m. PT, from here on - We're in Portland waiting for Light Max (rail car) to move. How do I put this? There are no black people in Portland. It's very strange. The PDX Airport is empty, too. And spacious! The old man at the information desk was as nice and warm as the weather outside. Now go, train, go!
1:30 p.m. - Our hotel room is the greatest. It has a resident dog in the lobby and the coolest color/texture combinations. Green fabrics. Brown velvet. Yellow stripes. Brown circles. It sounds gaudy, but it works. The hotel also hosts a free happy hour, so we're looking forward to that.
We met up with Ted and Cat (Lady Awesome's sister) and immediately ate lunch at Henry's 12th Street Tavern. I drank Moe & Jake's Wheat Ale microbrew thing. Delicious. Gorgonzola cheese fries. Dungeness crab cakes. It was all so good that I'm ready for a nap. We also visited Powell's Book Store, the largest independent book store in the country, thank you. I'm too tired to tell you that I bought four books. I mean, I'm so tired that I couldn't possibly tell you that I picked up a pint of Canadian Mist along the way. Damn it! But really, I am too tired to say goodn--
4:46 p.m. - Mandatory nap napped. I still feel out of it, so I'm not sure what good it did me. I slept in five minute increments with groggy consequences. Anyway, I gottta go freshen up and drink free drinks. A dog is yipping in the room next to us, so it'll be good to get out and drink free drinks.
10:10 p.m. - Much has been done my friend, who is me. The free happy hour was packed, but fine. The hotel set up easels and canvases so you can drunkenly paint a picture. Cat gladly accepted the challenge. The concierge helped us pick out some great vineyards to visit. I also requested a pet goldfish (no shit) for our room. I'm looking at him now. I named him Rocky, because he picks up pebbles with his mouth and then drops them against the side of the fishbowl. I think he's trying to make a prison break.
We ate dinner at Masu Sushi Downtown. It was the best sushi that I've ever eaten. Absolutely perfect. From the cucumber in the water to the shiso leaf palate cleanser. I wish I had more sushi right now.
Back in the room, we are. Cat and I are drinking. Lady Awesome is about ready to fall asleep for the millionth time.