We noticed that the Portland Chinese Garden had free admission for the first week of the new year, so we rode the MAX train downtown to Chinatown. (While on the train we were graced with the presence of a perfect "Portlandia"-style young woman, who inspired my new favorite light rail game: Hipster or Homeless Person?)
Alton on one of the exquisite paths in the garden.
Andy across the pond from our quartet, snapping pictures.
Alton and I spent plenty of time gazing down at the fishies below.
Alton peeps out at you between the stonework.
Giving an impish little grin on the train ride home.
A chilly Sunday saw us heading to a local farm to buy some honey...
and tromp in the mud in boots, of course...
...on our way to a local vineyard.
High up on a hilltop, mist hung heavily in the trees above vines taking their winter's rest.
The winery had recently renovated their patio area, to include an overhang with cushy patio chairs and multiple roaring gas fireplaces. It might not be an efficient way to heat the outdoors, but at least it was warm!
Afterward, we headed home to cook and carbo-load. I made a batch of homemade pretzels while a roast simmered away in the slow cooker, and my cousin Seth came over for an old-school Sunday dinner to share with us.
On weeknights, the Oregon Culinary Institute has two dinner seatings, where patrons are waited on by students in the restaurant management program and dine on food and pastries prepared by the chefs-in-training.
It was Alton's first visit to this NW Portland spot, and he and his pristine white sweater performed admirably. (Although his favorite part was probably drinking water from this grown-up glass.)
He enjoyed some smokey lentil soup and chicken, then come dessert time was ready to dive into a rich, fudgy chocolate cake.
We braved cold in the early a.m. to visit the Portland Japanese Garden (my first time there), adjacent to the International Rose Garden in Washington Park (also sleeping for the winter). We were treated to an amazing hillside landscape, full of meandering paths, frozen creeks and ponds, streamlined architecture, and pretty much everything else that would beg visitors to stroll slowly through the place with craned necks and wide eyes, and probably drop immediately on the first available bench to meditate.
Three chilly willies crossing a bridge.
A perfectly-raked sand garden.
We kept warm by climbing!
Alton had a really fun time with Nonna and Papa while they were in town, and asked for many days following where they were and when they were coming back!
