Love: Portland's Little Bird and Seattle's Book Bindery - the restaurant highlights from my trip to Portland and Seattle. Little Bird is a gorgeous jewel box of a bistro, with great details (I love the antlers over the kitchen, and the unexpected blue wall color) and even better classics like marrow bones and coq au vin.
The Book Bindery is former Per Se sous chef Shaun McCrain's showcase. An old friend of mine, Jill Kinney (Shaun's partner), runs the front of the house. I really liked the space that co-owner Patric Gabre-Kidan created - it's unconventionally elegant: peacock wallpaper, books, candles, a model ship, oil paintings, a rustic wood ceiling. And the food? Sublime. To start, Heirloom Potatoes with House Smoked Sturgen, Horseradish Panna Cotta and Meyer Lemon. In the middle, Shaun sent us his Hand Made Smoked Cavatelli with Foraged Mushrooms, Pickled Onions and Foie Gras Emulsion. It was an effort not to lick the traces of the emulsion from the bowl. And then my main course was Caramelized Sea Scallops accompanied by warm citrus and sunchokes. The desserts lived up the rest - especially the Frozen Butterscotch Parfait which was so enticing we forgot to take a picture.
Like: The way that Hitchcock, a jewelry store in the Seattle neighborhood of Madrona, changes its windows and entire interior design every few months. It might be horse models, or a Preppy Handbook tennis club, or a 1960s space theme - anything goes. Whenever I visit my sister, I always look forward to seeing what Hitchock is up to.
Discovery: Taking the Amtrak Cascades from Portland to Seattle, instead of driving as we'd always done before. It was slower, to be sure, but relaxing and super scenic.
Obsession: Seattle is Geek Central right now, with a Star Wars exhibit at the Pacifc Science Center and a Battlestar Galactica exhibit at the Experience Music Project.
Complaint: "Jeld Wen Field", the Portland Timbers' new stadium's name. We went to the Timbers' opening match Thursday night. The stadium itself is beautiful, and the Portland supporters (the Timbers Army) are hardcore. I just wish another local company had stepped up for naming rights. Specifically, I fantasize about the idea of "Pendleton Field". Pendleton Woolen Mills could have created a special Timbers plaid and then sold scarves and blankets for the game. #missedopportunity
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