Beautiful Bikeable Portland, Oregon

It’s not just the fact that you can get a snappy 2bd 3ba condo for well under what we paid for our Seattle digs. It’s the vibe that reminds us of what we loved about Seattle when we first got here, a certain funky unpretentiousness. And the moderated landscape that makes biking everywhere doable for those without quads of steel and granny gears.

We’ve just returned from a short visit with the family in our sister city to the south, Portland. We started our day drinking coffee and eating treats at Crema Bakery & Cafe, a sunny, friendly place in the Laurelhurst neighborhood. It’s no match for our favorite Seattle treats, but it was a lovely nonetheless.

Then we took a leisurely guided spin on a bicycle built for one or two, you decide, along the waterfront. We did some serious dawdleing on the front porch while reading The Oregonian. We ate gelato at Staccato Gelato – we’ve been there before and it’s still just as yummy. Thus fortified with dessert, we strolled a leisurely handful of blocks for a supreme Italian dinner in an absolutely adorable restaurant; Il Piatto. They dish up some fine food – and they have a happy hour dinner menu that lets you feast on such things as crepes stuffed with ricotta, pine nuts, spinach and smoked pear for about 10 bucks less than the dinner time prices.

We couldn’t stay – we had to head back to day jobs and chores in Seattle, but we are already thinking that next year, we’d like to book some quality time on that loaner tandem and do some of the Pedalpalooza rides. Seattle’s hills can take the wind out of your biking sails if you happen to stow the ride for a season, but Portland, she doesn’t care when you were last on your bike, she’ll be nice about it. We’re not pulling up stakes and heading south  just yet, but don’t think we didn’t discuss it.