EAST COAST IN THE WEST COAST

VACATION SLIDESHOW!  
So I have just returned from the PNW (Pacific Northwest).  If it were 1968 - I'd invite you over for scotch and ginger ale, Miller High Life and Yahtzee and flick on the ol' slide projector and take you frame by frame while we smoked the shit out of a few dozen packs of Chesterfields.   Followed by a key party.  But it's 2012 - damnit.

I was visiting my fine friends - the Diaz Family.  This clan is a classic family with twins girls, a celebrated cat (think Warhol, Bob Evans, Brando, Baryshnikov, Billy Ocean all wrapped into one...), a doting (albeit hands-on-hips cranky) dad and a mom with an innate sense of cool (albeit she's a cranky, rapid finger wagger...sometimes).

Jet lagged and hungry!

After being picked up at SeaTac - the first place we headed was a renowned hole in the food truck wall that serves up fine Mexican delights.  Don't be afraid of roadside dining.  Shut the voice in your head of your childhood mother screaming warnings of e.coli and dysentery.  It's one of the best pleasures to eat something homemade and street side.  Modern day peddlers and the fare is fine.  If in doubt - check yelp...it's proven to be invaluable and addicting.

For this feast session - we downed soft tacos (a variety for 50 cents a piece and some horchata!  It's like drinking a bowl of milk leftover from some heavy duty Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Only much better!

THE CITY OF ROSES
Portland - oh Portland.  Where have you been all my life?  Where facial hair and goth children still roam free.  Where the dining and drinks are cool, within reach and available to all without making a months ahead reservation.

Hotel deLuxe...good martinis and good front desk action.

Rotating images of 1940's superstars.  I believe that is Ann Jillian and Martin Sheen.

Who am I?  Pavarotti's ghost with that luxurious entrance?

Self portrait

LODGING
Hotel DeLuxe.  Old school by design.  Friendly.  Shampoo came in a mini-spray bottle.  A bit small but didn't need anything larger.  A great find although next time might stay at Ace...http://www.acehotel.com/portland.

COFFEE

Seattle may lay claim to birthing Starbucks and it's step-sister rival Seattle's Best (which really shouldn't boast so affirmatively...)

It's not illegal.  It's coffee.

Portland's rich coffee scene - as seemingly everything else in that city - is played out in fine, shabby chic fashion.  Barista boats an uber-french press process that is called a vacuum pot. It looks like Willie Nelson smoked a bong and what was left was rich, dark coffee.  We had the traditional french press coffee since we were too in need of a quick pick me up to be dazzled by the fancy pants shenanigans.

In addition - Stumptown is THE ultimate Portland coffee house.  I read a newspaper and drank away a slight jetlagged-cocktail fueled haze on Sunday morning at the Stumptown near the Ace Hotel but I'm getting way too ahead of myself!

Sanka?

Stay tuned...there are drinks and appetizers ahead, mate.