I woke from my slumber cold and stiff. I had asked Mindy to rub my shoulder a number of times through the night. Despite taking an anti-inflammatory, it still ached after the long flight and a good night’s sleep. Mindy reported being cold, too, and chilled down to the bone. Glenn’s basement while comfortable was a bit chillier than we’re used to living in back home.
I quickly dressed in my running clothes to head upstairs in order to carry-on with my exercise routine. As usual, I rounded up the supplies to make coffee before getting started. I noticed a few variations at my disposal; Starbucks, Folgers, and Fratello. I opted for the Folgers.
I turned on the television to accompany my exercise routine. The big news out here today is the brutal artic cold front ushering in sub-zero temperatures and gusting winds. Judging by the weather forecast, this is not too common in these parts. I noticed too that the conditions up on Mt Hood were reported to be unbearable and Timberline, one of the two ski resorts we were planning to visit over the weekend, was contemplating closing for the day due to extreme cold and high winds. They were reporting temperatures as cold as minus 38 after factoring in the wind chill. That my friends would NOT be conducive to skiing!
Because of the varying terrain, (mountains and valleys) the temperatures varied wildly, so it was difficult to determine what it would be like in Vancouver today. Only until I went out for a run would I learn just how cold and how windy it was.
I bundled for a run around 9:00am and took to the familiar path I take during most visits. I was looking forward to the scenic view. I noticed quickly that it was a little chillier and windier than I had thought. And once I got closer to the waterfront the biting winds were much more prevalent. The river, you see, sits in a gorge and the wind howls through at an unbelievable clip. Couple that with the artic chill and it is without question wintry! And while it was cold, I was dressed for it. It was clear that skiing would be out of the question should anyone have the idea of doing it today.
After a run, I returned to Tommy making our breakfast. Glenn woke a little later.
After breakfast and showers we decided that skiing would be best accomplished on Sunday versus Saturday given the extreme weather conditions in the mountains. Today we would spend the afternoon exploring downtown Portland and such. We selected Pioneer Square as our focal point since it’s pretty much in the center of the downtown. On our way we visited West Hills which is a large hill on the western edge of downtown Portland that serves as home to many affluent Portlanders. It also holds such gems as Forest Park (the largest metro park in the country, the Portland Zoo, and a few smaller botanical parks. At its crest is the aptly named, Council Crest that overlooks downtown Portland and offers breath taking views of all the surrounding mountains. We ventured the peak taking in all of the cool architecture on the way up. At the peak the first thing we noticed was just how cold and windy it was. I mean it was frigin’ COLD! The sky was clear, however, and provided spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. We could see Mt Adams, Mt St. Helens, and Mt Hood. All were sporting white caps! But because it was so cold, we didn’t stay long.
Our next stop was Pioneer Square. Again, the weather was bitter enough to alter/control our plans. No sooner than were we parked, we were practically running for the Pioneer Square mall. Realistically, the mall offers nothing unique or anything one couldn’t see at home, but what it did offer was a welcome reprieve from the bitter cold wind. We all immediately turned to Starbucks and ordered some piping hot Venti’s. We shopped the mall for about an hour. After shopping, we headed back to our car which was parked at a 90 minute meter. Our next stop took us by the Comedy Club where we toyed with making reservations for the 8:00pm show. After some discussion, we opted instead to head back to Vancouver for the evening.
Back in Vancouver, before heading to Glenn’s, we stopped at Safeway to pick-up some more beer and a couple other miscellaneous items. Back at Glenn’s we spent a little time together fooling around then put in the What The Bleep DVD. We watched that through its entirety then readied for a night about town. We chose to take in the Kennedy School.
The Kennedy School is an old elementary school located in NE Portland that’s been converted to a hotel, restaurant, and pub. The school originally opened its doors in 1914 and served the Portland area residents for 60 some years until it was closed. It sat dormant for a handful of years until McMenamin’s, a local brewer and restraunteer, came in and claimed the property. Also, it looks as if they completed a renovation but left the structure in its historical condition. It’s a novel venue left largely the way it was originally designed. The class rooms serve as hotel rooms, the gymnasium serves as a stage for live entertainment, and the assembly hall serves as a restaurant. The only apparent addition is the heated outdoor swimming pool located in the courtyard. The halls are filled with lots of beautiful art work: a mixture of paintings, photography, and sculpture all in some form paying tribute to the school’s past. All in all it’s a very interesting experience. Sadly, though, the place was so crowded and the wait for a table at the restaurant was over an hour long. After walking the halls we opted to head for another dinner venue.
Our travels took us once again back to Vancouver. There we opted for the McMenamin’s on the Columbia. And for the record, each McMenamin’s 50+ pubs are completely different from each other. In fact, the only menu items that are identical are the beer selections. The theme, décor, and food offering is varied.
We got a table right-away. By now it was almost 9:45pm and all of us were tired. I ordered a Reuben; Mindy, Salmon; Tommy, wings; and Glenn had Hummus. Everybody seemed happy with their food. Once back home we threw in
The 40 Year Old Virgin. I fell asleep, Glenn and Tommy partook until the end.
To learn more about McMenamin’s Kennedy School go here: http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&id=85
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I woke from my slumber cold and stiff. I had asked Mindy to rub my shoulder a number of times through the night. Despite taking an anti-inflammatory, it still ached after the long flight and a good night’s sleep. Mindy reported being cold, too, and chilled down to the bone. Glenn’s basement while comfortable was a bit chillier than we’re used to living in back home.
I quickly dressed in my running clothes to head upstairs in order to carry-on with my exercise routine. As usual, I rounded up the supplies to make coffee before getting started. I noticed a few variations at my disposal; Starbucks, Folgers, and Fratello. I opted for the Folgers.
I turned on the television to accompany my exercise routine. The big news out here today is the brutal artic cold front ushering in sub-zero temperatures and gusting winds. Judging by the weather forecast, this is not too common in these parts. I noticed too that the conditions up on Mt Hood were reported to be unbearable and Timberline, one of the two ski resorts we were planning to visit over the weekend, was contemplating closing for the day due to extreme cold and high winds. They were reporting temperatures as cold as minus 38 after factoring in the wind chill. That my friends would NOT be conducive to skiing!
Because of the varying terrain, (mountains and valleys) the temperatures varied wildly, so it was difficult to determine what it would be like in Vancouver today. Only until I went out for a run would I learn just how cold and how windy it was.
I bundled for a run around 9:00am and took to the familiar path I take during most visits. I was looking forward to the scenic view. I noticed quickly that it was a little chillier and windier than I had thought. And once I got closer to the waterfront the biting winds were much more prevalent. The river, you see, sits in a gorge and the wind howls through at an unbelievable clip. Couple that with the artic chill and it is without question wintry! And while it was cold, I was dressed for it. It was clear that skiing would be out of the question should anyone have the idea of doing it today.
After a run, I returned to Tommy making our breakfast. Glenn woke a little later.
After breakfast and showers we decided that skiing would be best accomplished on Sunday versus Saturday given the extreme weather conditions in the mountains. Today we would spend the afternoon exploring downtown Portland and such. We selected Pioneer Square as our focal point since it’s pretty much in the center of the downtown. On our way we visited West Hills which is a large hill on the western edge of downtown Portland that serves as home to many affluent Portlanders. It also holds such gems as Forest Park (the largest metro park in the country, the Portland Zoo, and a few smaller botanical parks. At its crest is the aptly named, Council Crest that overlooks downtown Portland and offers breath taking views of all the surrounding mountains. We ventured the peak taking in all of the cool architecture on the way up. At the peak the first thing we noticed was just how cold and windy it was. I mean it was frigin’ COLD! The sky was clear, however, and provided spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. We could see Mt Adams, Mt St. Helens, and Mt Hood. All were sporting white caps! But because it was so cold, we didn’t stay long.
Our next stop was Pioneer Square. Again, the weather was bitter enough to alter/control our plans. No sooner than were we parked, we were practically running for the Pioneer Square mall. Realistically, the mall offers nothing unique or anything one couldn’t see at home, but what it did offer was a welcome reprieve from the bitter cold wind. We all immediately turned to Starbucks and ordered some piping hot Venti’s. We shopped the mall for about an hour. After shopping, we headed back to our car which was parked at a 90 minute meter. Our next stop took us by the Comedy Club where we toyed with making reservations for the 8:00pm show. After some discussion, we opted instead to head back to Vancouver for the evening.
Back in Vancouver, before heading to Glenn’s, we stopped at Safeway to pick-up some more beer and a couple other miscellaneous items. Back at Glenn’s we spent a little time together fooling around then put in the What The Bleep DVD. We watched that through its entirety then readied for a night about town. We chose to take in the Kennedy School.
The Kennedy School is an old elementary school located in NE Portland that’s been converted to a hotel, restaurant, and pub. The school originally opened its doors in 1914 and served the Portland area residents for 60 some years until it was closed. It sat dormant for a handful of years until McMenamin’s, a local brewer and restraunteer, came in and claimed the property. Also, it looks as if they completed a renovation but left the structure in its historical condition. It’s a novel venue left largely the way it was originally designed. The class rooms serve as hotel rooms, the gymnasium serves as a stage for live entertainment, and the assembly hall serves as a restaurant. The only apparent addition is the heated outdoor swimming pool located in the courtyard. The halls are filled with lots of beautiful art work: a mixture of paintings, photography, and sculpture all in some form paying tribute to the school’s past. All in all it’s a very interesting experience. Sadly, though, the place was so crowded and the wait for a table at the restaurant was over an hour long. After walking the halls we opted to head for another dinner venue.
Our travels took us once again back to Vancouver. There we opted for the McMenamin’s on the Columbia. And for the record, each McMenamin’s 50+ pubs are completely different from each other. In fact, the only menu items that are identical are the beer selections. The theme, décor, and food offering is varied.
We got a table right-away. By now it was almost 9:45pm and all of us were tired. I ordered a Reuben; Mindy, Salmon; Tommy, wings; and Glenn had Hummus. Everybody seemed happy with their food. Once back home we threw in The 40 Year Old Virgin. I fell asleep, Glenn and Tommy partook until the end.
To learn more about McMenamin’s Kennedy School go here: http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&id=85
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