DELIRIOUS TO DILIGENT

I have been suffering from bouts of vertigo the past few days, which is why I called this post delirious.  I guess I feel somewhat that way!  I decided as I lay around in bed waiting to feel better, I may as well make good use of my time.  So I have decided to lay out all of the passport stamps that I need to get and as I get them I can go into my post and edit them as COMPLETE!

So here goes: (something rather than nothing I think).

Experiences that I need to complete.  For each 4 I will receive a $20 gift card to McMenamins.  I already have received two of the $20 gift cards that I may use for my upcoming August trip.

EXPERIENCES TO COMPLETE:

~ Attend a brewfest (ooh, that is a harsh one! :)

~ Relax with a spa treatment (maybe in August)

~ Attend a Specialty Dinner (may be a ways off for me)

~ Play golf at Edgefield or Gearhart (this will be with my husband).

~ Tour the Edgefiled Winery (August)

~ Try a Wine Flight (August)

~ Tour the Distillery at Edgefiled or Cornelius (one of the two, most likely Edgefield in August)

~ Try a Distillery Flight (ooh, may need to wait on this one, wine, beer and hard liquor do not mix well with me).

~ Make Merry at McMenamins on my birthday (March 24th) (Maybe I will train it to Centralia for lunch and a brew, that should count).

~ Buy a Growler Fill (may do that on my birthday or possibly before then)

~ Sample the Beer at a Limited Edition Beer Tasting (Just missed one at Kennedy School!!)

~ Ride a bike to a pub (take selfie wearing my helmet and show my server (Hey, maybe I can rent one of the new Pronto bikes in Seattle and bike over to Queen Ann where there is a pub!)

~ Have a pint with my pup - what if I don't have a pup?  Can I borrow someone else's for this? :)

~ Attend a Friends and Family Night

That there does it for the Experiences to be completed.  Next up is PUBS & LODGING;

  

HAWTHORNE BLVD.:

Bagdad Theatre, 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland.,

Back Stage Bar, inside Bagdad Theatre, how handy!

Bagdad Pub, also part of Bagdad Theatre, 3 stamps at one location! 

Greater Trumps, 1520 SE 37th Ave., Portland 

Barley Mill Pub, 1629 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

All of the above are all within fairly close vicinity of each other.  I just may be able to incorporate these into my August trip.  I just need to check out the public transportation between Alberta District

and Hawthorne District.  YAHOO!!!  For getting these stamps I will receive a basket of tots or fries.

On this note I must interject a funny story regarding an email exchange between myself and one of the McMenamin brothers.  The passport program had not gotten started yet.  He was telling me about the various rewards that would be offered.  He did not mention anything about all the other wonderful prizes, especially $20 gift cards!  So at the time I was under the impression that if I got a Passport book all I would  be rewarded with would be tots or fries.  I was like, oh, wow, why bother.  I guess he was just giving me an example of something you would get and did not realize how paltry the prize sounded :(

NEXT UP:  DOWNTOWN PORTLAND/NW PORTLAND:

Market Street Pub, 1526 SW 10th,  downtown Portland

Rams Head, 2282 NW Hoyt St., NW Portland

Blue Moon Tavern & Grill, 432 NW 21st, NW Portland

Tavern & Pool, 1716 NW 23rd, NW Portland

Mission Theatre,  1624 NW Glisan, NW Portland

Crystal Hotel & Ballroom, 303 SW 12th, downtown Portland

The good news for all of the above McMenamins is that I can explore each and every one of them when I get off the train in August.  I will most likely hit all the NW ones in one shot and maybe have lunch at one of them.  Then I will head downtown by foot or possibly streetcar if it goes downtown. I will go to Market Street Pub as well as Crystal Ballroom.  

If I take care of those on my first day, I will only have to go to The Chapel Pub around the Alberta area.  

I have much more to document here and will do so later.  There is lots of territory to cover and I need to pace myself both on paper and on foot.  

Just like this bunny, I will be hopping along the Cosmic Tripster T Trail!

IN HOT PURSUIT OF PASSPORT STAMPS

So I have some concrete plans for an August adventure to seek out some more Passport stamps!  I am hoping before then I will at least make it to Spar Cafe in Olympia, WA to complete my four stamps and receive a McMenamin's T-shirt! 

On August 26th I am going to board Amtrak bound for Portland,, OR.  From the train station I am in close proximity to a few McMenamin qualified places to get my stamps.  For sure I will hit the Crystal Hotel & Ballroom, Zeus Cafe, Al's Den, Lola's Room, as well as Ringler's Annex and Pub.  For all of this running around, I shall receive a Crystal Surprise.  Oh boy, I wonder what kind of a surprise I will get?  

Because I am a big fan of the Alberta District in Portland, I have reserved a B&B type place in that area through Airbnb for a couple of nights.  This will be a bit of a home base although not exactly.  I have already received all of the stamps possible from The Kennedy School, which is very nearby.  However, I spaced out the last time I was there recently and did not go to The Chapel Pub, which is right around that area.  So I will get my start on North/Northeast Portland and have three more stamps to go after that.  

Because I am a public transportation kind of Cosmic Tripster Wannabe, I will be a little bit limited on getting to as many places on this trip as I would like to.  

Like I said, I will spend two nights in the Alberta District at the B&B.  Staying true to my given name, The Budget Queen, I did get a really nice deal through Airbnb.  I had a credit of $25 given to me by my sister that was available to redeem with spending at least $100. I got two nights including all the taxes and fees (those add up) for $124.  That is only $62 per night and a light breakfast is even included, as well as available snacks and drinks.

While in the Alberta District I timed it so that I can partake in Last Thursday, a collection of Artisans, bicycles, music and characters.  Probably like an eclectic art walk.   Just my kind of attraction!

On Friday, August 28th I will bus it over to Troutdale to get a healthy dose of Edgefield.  The crazy thing is I have been to Edgefield many, many times.  Of course when I went there before the Passport was not in existence.  Oh, well, just means I have to go there again and endure the charm, the beautiful soaking pool, all the fun bars, the movie theatre, the spa, etc.  I will be more than happy to endure this, in fact I shall relish in it. 

I am doing something this time around that I have never done before - getting a women's hostel room.  It looks pretty decent on the website and it is only $30 a night before tax.  I plan to take in as much as I can while I am at Edgefield, including going to each of the bars, visiting the Winery and having a Wine Tasting, having a couple of meals in the Black Rabbit Restaurant & Bar.  It is my personal opinion that the Black Rabbit Restaurant has some of the best food of all of the McMenamins that I have been to.  It is so fresh and flavorful and beautiful presentation too. I may splurge on a spa treatment, depending on my budget at the time. 

There are ten total stamps to get at Edgefield.  The first four merit a prize of Administrator's choice and once all ten are achieved, there bill be another prize to be had.  This reminds me a little of a scavenger hunt! 

I will complete my Edgefield part of the Passport book on this trip.  I have barely scratched the surface so far although I will say it is more about the journey than the destination.  Of course reaching the destination will be quite an achievement with rich rewards. 

Until my next blog...