Bridge of the Gods
After renting our car, we drove straight from PDX to Bridge of the Gods, a bridge that connects Oregon and Washington over the Columbia River. The drive is along I-84, and the road, especially in the way there, is extremely rough. Head achingly so. However, the gorgeous views en route more than made up for that.
Scenery along I-84
Scenery
I had read about the bridge in Wild, and many on travel websites advise going here for the beautiful views of the Columbia River. When I first heard of the bridge, I thought it was a pedestrian-exclusive bridge. I looked it up and it appeared to be a working road bridge, and so I confirmed that pedestrians could, in fact, walk across it, which the Port of Cascade Locks' website said. Walking across costs $0.50 each way, which is collected at the same toll booth. When we parked and closer examined the bridge, we realized we were in for a much more
exhilarating experience
. There is no sidewalk, allocated pedestrian walkway, or even a lane. Pedestrians walk right alongside the moving cars from side to another. Adding to this already daunting proposition was how windy it was. The walk across was in every was stunning and beautiful as it was terrifying. Once the bridge begins to cross over water, the paved road stops, and is replaced by a metal-structure-road, and one can see all the way down to the water.
View from the bridge
Ground below us
After a dizzying walk to Washington and back, we drove to a local restaurant and had lunch. Nothing to write home about, but it held us over until dinner. From there we were off to our Airbnb!
Airbnb
Portland Art Museum
After a much needed rest at our comfy Pearl District Airbnb, we had several hours to spend before our dinner reservation. On Thursdays and Fridays, the Portland Art Museum is open until eight. We saw an Ai Weiwei exhibit was being shown on there, and we decided to go, having enjoyed is exhibition at Alcatraz. We arrived at the museum, which is comprised of several buildings, and parked quickly. It's worth mentioning how parking in Portland works: park in either free spots or "pay to park" zones. Then, if paying, go to the nearest green kiosk, pay for however much time you need (the maximum amount varies by location) and place the slip on the curbside window, not the dash.
Portland Art Museum
Portland Art Museum
Portland Art Museum
Ai Weiwei Exhibit
Golden Zodiac Heads
Lobby
For what it's worth, this exhibit is on display until September 13th. The museum was founded in 1892, and is one of the oldest in the country, so there are lots of contemporary pieces as well as old ones. We wandered the Asian galleries, before heading upstairs to the European ones. The galleries aren't clearly marked, so be sure to pick up a map or ask a docent before wandering away. From the museum we were off to Ava Gene's for dinner!
Ava Gene's
Our reservation was originally for 5:30, but we changed last minute to 8:30, which suited us much better. We arrived at the restaurant right on time, and settled in for what would be one of the best meals of my life. The menu changes daily, and seasonal dishes reflect that. We decided to order two appetizers, two vegetables, and share two entrees. First served was the garlic bread.
Garlic bread
The bread was so light and airy, as well as crispy. The butter coated my lips, and the whole experience was sublime. If that was my last bite of food on this planet, I would be a-ok!
Buratta with cherries, pistachios, and olives
Next came the buratta, which was creamy and perfectly punctuated with the cherries and olives. The dish came together in an explosion of sweet, savory, sour, and creamy.
Beet and carrot salad, AKA "the symphony"
Now, this might not look like much, but oh my gosh, this salad of beets, carrots, seeds, and mint was otherworldly. Without a doubt the best vegetable dish I've ever had, and up there with the top dishes of anything I've ever had. With every second a new flavor danced across my palate, and another played in the background. It was a symphony. What made it even more distinctive is that each flavor was not melded together, per se, but I could discern different ingredients as I tasted the salad. I could go on all day about it, but I'll stop there.
Mizuna salad with local flowers
This salad, while overdressed and predictable, had a spicy ness and nuttiness that kept my palate fresh and ready for the next dish.
Tagliatelle with pork and lamb ragu with greens
After such spectacular appetizers, almost nothing could measure up. The pasta was well seasoned and perfectly cooked, but it didn't quite bring me the joy the earlier dishes did. It was delicious nonetheless.
Ribeye with fava beans, porcini, and parmigiano
I love love love seasonal fare, and this dish could have been made for me. The fava and porcini accentuated the flavor of the steak, and my only complaint would be that a lot of fat was left on the steak.
Cannolo with orange and pistachios
For dessert, I split a Stumptown gelato with another person at the table, (not pictured), and took a taste of the cannolo the third person in our party ordered. It was simple and sweet. ^ The gelato was creamy and was the perfect end to such a fantastic meal.
I really shouldn't write trip reports hungry (not a @:-)), and as I write this at 12:28 am the next day, I can still taste all that delicious food. If you are in Portland, you must go to Ava Gene's and pray they have the beet salad.
Bottom line
Visit Portland!