We did not do the mass tastings this last weekend as Linda and I have an aversion to large crowds of people "tasting wine" at a rapid pace, so we took a nice drive up to the Amity Hills to deliver a painting done by yours truly to Rebecca Pittock Shouldis and Thibaud Mandet for their new house. On the way up HWY99 Linda started to feel a bit peckish so I convinced her that Left Coast Cellars would have food she could eat at the little cafe/tasting room. I was wrong but not unhappy. The winery was having an open house and we got to taste an array of wines, and get enough snacks to carry us through till dinner.
The wines from Left Coast are usually very good and this little tasting was a good pause on the road north. Linda liked the Pinot Gris the most and I kept coming back to the '08 Pinot Noir. Both are very good but I think that the Pinot Noir has a rich and lasting character that will stand for another 10 years. It was a bit chilly so the flavors did not develop as much as in the tasting room but still good. It is funny that wineries seem to be oblivious to what foods they pair with their wines. Cheddar cheese and most other hard cheese does not usually work with tastings nor do salty crackers. Someone should right a book.
We left happy and sated and dropped off the painting with Rebecca and Thibaud, then headed north to shop for furniture at Parker's in Beaverton where we may have found THE coffee table.
Next stop was Modera for an overnight stay at our favorite small hotel. I always love staying there as my friend William Park did all the art!
After we settled in and got our bearings we took the trolly up to 10th and Couch, hopped off and strolled down to 9th for a meal at Eleni's Philoxinia. We were absolutely taken by the first meal we had there and this one was even better! The menu is varied enough that it is never boring. We had the shaved Fennel and cabbage salad and the crispy Kale to split and I had the Black Cod as my main course. We could have been there all night!
For drinks I made it a point not to drink wine with this meal as that is all I ever try, so we settled on domestic and foreigner Gin's. I had an Aviation Martini with a twist and she went for a good old Bombay Sapphire version of the same. Remarkably, the Gin paired very well with the fennel and cabbage salad! I may have to alter my tasting approach.
I must say the meal was one of the most enjoyable we have had in the last few weeks. Everything was perfectly done and perfectly presented, down to the bread and oil.
We strolled back to the hotel by way of Nordstrom and eluded the temptation to buy anything, but we did see a pair of pants that I shall NEVER wear.
Back to the hotel for a nightcap. A Shot of
This morning we had a hardy breakfast at Nel Centro then headed down to the Peal for a little window shopping. As of late, I have begun to vary my taste a bit left of my Lebanon upbringing and have discovered John Fluevog's shoes. This is my third pair so I am officially and addict!
He sent me an email a few months ago telling me about his new store in Portland and as they also have women's shoes, we went for it.
The Fluevog store is really a fun place to shop. The staff is happy and helpful and the product is very fine. We will be back.
We were getting a little hungry before the play so we were trying to think of a place where we could get a quick meal and not fall asleep during the play. We had spotted a small place down Davis across from Gallery 903 that used to house a chocolate store and had been transformed in to a small Mexican restaurant so we decided to take a chance. Los Gorditos was a perfect find. The food is fresh, tasty, and cooked on the spot. Very good!
We went to A Midsummer's Night Dream at PCS
and though I have seen many versions of this play, I thought they did a good job of it. If you get the chance, please see it as you will enjoy it, and if you have the chance, see The Santa-land Diaries!
We ended the day with a quick stop at Sur le Table for a mortar and pestle, and of coarse some pastry knives that I will transform in to paining knives.
Al in all a good weekend and I can recommend Left Coast Cellars , PCS, Eleni's Philoxini
Los Gorditos, and of coarse, John Fluevog's.
The wines from Left Coast are usually very good and this little tasting was a good pause on the road north. Linda liked the Pinot Gris the most and I kept coming back to the '08 Pinot Noir. Both are very good but I think that the Pinot Noir has a rich and lasting character that will stand for another 10 years. It was a bit chilly so the flavors did not develop as much as in the tasting room but still good. It is funny that wineries seem to be oblivious to what foods they pair with their wines. Cheddar cheese and most other hard cheese does not usually work with tastings nor do salty crackers. Someone should right a book. We left happy and sated and dropped off the painting with Rebecca and Thibaud, then headed north to shop for furniture at Parker's in Beaverton where we may have found THE coffee table.
Next stop was Modera for an overnight stay at our favorite small hotel. I always love staying there as my friend William Park did all the art!
After we settled in and got our bearings we took the trolly up to 10th and Couch, hopped off and strolled down to 9th for a meal at Eleni's Philoxinia. We were absolutely taken by the first meal we had there and this one was even better! The menu is varied enough that it is never boring. We had the shaved Fennel and cabbage salad and the crispy Kale to split and I had the Black Cod as my main course. We could have been there all night!
For drinks I made it a point not to drink wine with this meal as that is all I ever try, so we settled on domestic and foreigner Gin's. I had an Aviation Martini with a twist and she went for a good old Bombay Sapphire version of the same. Remarkably, the Gin paired very well with the fennel and cabbage salad! I may have to alter my tasting approach.
I must say the meal was one of the most enjoyable we have had in the last few weeks. Everything was perfectly done and perfectly presented, down to the bread and oil.
We strolled back to the hotel by way of Nordstrom and eluded the temptation to buy anything, but we did see a pair of pants that I shall NEVER wear.Back to the hotel for a nightcap. A Shot of
This morning we had a hardy breakfast at Nel Centro then headed down to the Peal for a little window shopping. As of late, I have begun to vary my taste a bit left of my Lebanon upbringing and have discovered John Fluevog's shoes. This is my third pair so I am officially and addict!
The Fluevog store is really a fun place to shop. The staff is happy and helpful and the product is very fine. We will be back.
We were getting a little hungry before the play so we were trying to think of a place where we could get a quick meal and not fall asleep during the play. We had spotted a small place down Davis across from Gallery 903 that used to house a chocolate store and had been transformed in to a small Mexican restaurant so we decided to take a chance. Los Gorditos was a perfect find. The food is fresh, tasty, and cooked on the spot. Very good!
We went to A Midsummer's Night Dream at PCS
and though I have seen many versions of this play, I thought they did a good job of it. If you get the chance, please see it as you will enjoy it, and if you have the chance, see The Santa-land Diaries!
We ended the day with a quick stop at Sur le Table for a mortar and pestle, and of coarse some pastry knives that I will transform in to paining knives.
Al in all a good weekend and I can recommend Left Coast Cellars , PCS, Eleni's Philoxini
Los Gorditos, and of coarse, John Fluevog's.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave your comments on the project and add any wineries I have not listed.