June 9-15 roadtrip- ideal time of year before schools are out and places, roads and hotels WILL get jammed. Good weather too.
Stopped in fave town Winters for a coffee at the only pure coffee shop in town(forgot name-some guys name. I reckon it is the only pure coffee shop in town, so you'll find it.) It's in the wood building that has a deck across from the gazebo and main town park.
Dunsmuir, old times railroad town. Quaint, cute Victorians, and Shasta as the playground in nature. Great spot for a weekend or vacation home. Pizza at Pizza Factory on Main Street. So-so but a locals spot so nice to eavesdrop on the gossip and see two kids no older than 12 ( one chubby one with thick spectacles. So Stand By Me) have lunch together in front of the baseball game. $7.75 for a mini pizza. Enjoyed it at the rest area overlooking the river at the Oregon border.
Ashville: Shakespeare tourist theatre town, but not overdone. Would make for a nice place to stay for a night. Good restaurants, Smithfields looked FAB.
Jacksonville OR nice preserved old western town. Twee shops etc. expensive B&Bs so best to stay in Medford 6 miles closer to I-5
Hotel: Homewood Suites in Medford. $129 on Booking.com. Great place- clean comfy and decent breakfast included. Nice staff. Top floor nice views.
Eat: elements on Main Street. Tapas. Well, their idea of it but even if not authentic Spanish, it was tasty and reasonably priced. Good wine list. Ribs and faves bean dishes, glass of wine $30 with tip.
Seattle
Olympic Spa in Lakewood. GREAT place to spend a ladies evening if soaking, sauna, hot rooms, and lounging in a robe. $35 for unfettered soaking in diff pools. I house restaurant healthy good food. No alcohol. Pork sizzle plate $13
Lunch. Ballard. Oaxaca Cart. Fab western neighborhood. Good Mexican food, space and hood. Asada tacos $7 for three. Unlimited salsa bar.
Dinner: Pairseattle north of university district on 55th. Super nice neighborhood bistro. Lots if plates to share and menu changes. Lamb, leek and potato gratin, chicken, lobster risotto, pot de creme, etc. 5 people $32 each.
Fremont: Uneedaburger. Bravo! Burger joint, fab.
Dinner: near symphony. Name: Pizza, asparagus, two wines each, and some other dish. Vast open space, must've been a bank or large lobby of office building. $100 for two.
Lake City. Toyoda Japanese. Superb tiny family run place. Spinach salad with a sesame topping, fried tofu, pork Katsu, seared tune with onions amazing. Rolls, croquette, all good. For 5 of us $131.
Cle elum. off I90 Bakerty at top end of town. Lovely old brick building, old biddies working there. Homemade unrefined donuts and baked goods. Brill. Donuts and latte $4
Madras. Mi Casa. Mexican restaurant where long distance buses between Tijuana, michoacan, and Phoenix stop! 24 hrs from there to Tijuana. For Mexicans by Mexicans. Great food. My two carnitas tacos were $3!!! Glad I stopped as down home as it was.
One road very well taking the extra 20 minutes to drive is Canyon Road from Ellenburg to Yakima. Hugs the river at the bottom of the canyon. Gorgeous.
Route to Klamath Falls from Seattle was uplifting. Snow capped mountains, alpine to high desert and driving past endless number of volcanoes: hood, ranier, Baxter, St. Helens, and others I don't know the names of. Town if Shanklin looked cool and old west. Tiny.
Stopped in fave town Winters for a coffee at the only pure coffee shop in town(forgot name-some guys name. I reckon it is the only pure coffee shop in town, so you'll find it.) It's in the wood building that has a deck across from the gazebo and main town park.
Dunsmuir, old times railroad town. Quaint, cute Victorians, and Shasta as the playground in nature. Great spot for a weekend or vacation home. Pizza at Pizza Factory on Main Street. So-so but a locals spot so nice to eavesdrop on the gossip and see two kids no older than 12 ( one chubby one with thick spectacles. So Stand By Me) have lunch together in front of the baseball game. $7.75 for a mini pizza. Enjoyed it at the rest area overlooking the river at the Oregon border.
Ashville: Shakespeare tourist theatre town, but not overdone. Would make for a nice place to stay for a night. Good restaurants, Smithfields looked FAB.
Jacksonville OR nice preserved old western town. Twee shops etc. expensive B&Bs so best to stay in Medford 6 miles closer to I-5
Hotel: Homewood Suites in Medford. $129 on Booking.com. Great place- clean comfy and decent breakfast included. Nice staff. Top floor nice views.
Eat: elements on Main Street. Tapas. Well, their idea of it but even if not authentic Spanish, it was tasty and reasonably priced. Good wine list. Ribs and faves bean dishes, glass of wine $30 with tip.
Day 2
Lunch in Eugene's public market area on 5th. Marche Provisions. Excellent. Charcuterie plate and glass of white, approx $22. Nice outdoor eating patio.
- Dinner Portland in Monte Villa neighborhood, Ya hala, 8005 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97215, Neighborhoods: Southeast Portland, Montavilla. SW but close to Burnside at 79. Lebanese superb. Lamb shank, fish, foule, two wines $55 for 3 adults and 1 kid.
- Morning coffee: Case Study Coffee, 5347 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213, Neighborhoods: Northeast Portland, Rose City Parkgreat space. Lovely scone and coffee. $5
Monte villa is a cool diverse neighborhood, a gem in the making
Seattle
Olympic Spa in Lakewood. GREAT place to spend a ladies evening if soaking, sauna, hot rooms, and lounging in a robe. $35 for unfettered soaking in diff pools. I house restaurant healthy good food. No alcohol. Pork sizzle plate $13
Lunch. Ballard. Oaxaca Cart. Fab western neighborhood. Good Mexican food, space and hood. Asada tacos $7 for three. Unlimited salsa bar.
Dinner: Pairseattle north of university district on 55th. Super nice neighborhood bistro. Lots if plates to share and menu changes. Lamb, leek and potato gratin, chicken, lobster risotto, pot de creme, etc. 5 people $32 each.
Fremont: Uneedaburger. Bravo! Burger joint, fab.
Dinner: near symphony. Name: Pizza, asparagus, two wines each, and some other dish. Vast open space, must've been a bank or large lobby of office building. $100 for two.
Lake City. Toyoda Japanese. Superb tiny family run place. Spinach salad with a sesame topping, fried tofu, pork Katsu, seared tune with onions amazing. Rolls, croquette, all good. For 5 of us $131.
- Javasti- NW 35 TG at 79. Coffee shop
- Grateful Bread- fresh bagels!!! NW 35 ave at 72-ish.
- Mama Melina... Lunch at Y Village, 5101 25th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105
Cle elum. off I90 Bakerty at top end of town. Lovely old brick building, old biddies working there. Homemade unrefined donuts and baked goods. Brill. Donuts and latte $4
Madras. Mi Casa. Mexican restaurant where long distance buses between Tijuana, michoacan, and Phoenix stop! 24 hrs from there to Tijuana. For Mexicans by Mexicans. Great food. My two carnitas tacos were $3!!! Glad I stopped as down home as it was.
One road very well taking the extra 20 minutes to drive is Canyon Road from Ellenburg to Yakima. Hugs the river at the bottom of the canyon. Gorgeous.
Route to Klamath Falls from Seattle was uplifting. Snow capped mountains, alpine to high desert and driving past endless number of volcanoes: hood, ranier, Baxter, St. Helens, and others I don't know the names of. Town if Shanklin looked cool and old west. Tiny.
Rocked up to Klamath at 5:30. Lots of nice stops at the bakery and lunch at Mi Casa. What a gem. I just missed the inbound bus of peeps too; she was prepping for 25 people to spill off the bus. I took a wee side road from ellenburg to Yakima, Canyon Road. 22 miles in the canyon along the river. Gorgeous.
Enjoying a dinner at the Crramery brew Pub and 'Grill'- code for all typical TGI Fridays type of fried food, but managed to find a baked eggplant and tomatoe dish washed down with Crystal Springs IPA sitting at bar watching local lads and lasses do their small town flirting and banter. Nice to eavesdrop and grateful I'm not a blue-collar small town gal!
