OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
lets you relax under the stars (it’s open until 10
p.m.). Rooms— mostly set in former class
rooms— have hardwood floors, large windows,
comfy armchairs, high ceilings and private
bathrooms. The rates start at $115 nightly
(that includes theater and pool admission), but
you can add value by opting for one of the
hotel packages, themed around dining, ro
mance and, sometimes, upcoming events.
Romance by the River
If there’s one great reason for spending a
night at a hotel in Portland, it’s charming a
date. Curl up in one of the mod rooms at the
contemporary (and LEED-certified) Avalon
Hotel (avalonhotelandspa.com), just a couple
of miles south of downtown in the South Wa
terfront neighborhood along the Willamette
River, and you can easily feel someplace ro
mantic and far from home. This is especially
true if you’ve been pampered with a treatment
at the hotel’s 13,000-square-foot spa. Al
though the Avalon is easy to reach, it’s rela
tively secluded from urban bustle. If you’re ea
ger to stretch your legs, you can access the
Portland Riverwalk. But it’s tempting to stay
on property throughout your visit given the
hotel’s on-site amenities, which include not
just the spa but also an extensive state-of-the-
art fitness center and a terrific riverside restau
rant, Aquariva Italian Kitchen &. W ine Bar.
The 99 rooms, most with private balconies
and views overlooking the river or the South
west hills, are spacious and light-filled— 18
are full suites with separate sitting rooms and
fireplaces. Bathrooms are done with marble
accents, and the cushy trappings include soft
robes, CD -clock radios and plush linens.
Rates this time o f year start around $125, but
you can also book the Everlasting Love Pack
age for $260 per night, which includes a
three-course dinner, chocolates, in-room
sparkling wine, free parking and late checkout
(you can add a 60-minute couples massage
for another $175).
Downtown Epicurean
For barflies and socialites, staying at one of
the many stylish downtown hotels is a w orth
while option—there are about a half dozen I
regularly recommend, including the H eath-
MARCH 18. 2011
►
-I
Green
Thumbs,
Start Your
Engines...
BY LEANN LO CHER
ABOVE: The lobby at Hotel Modera
RIGHT: Pine State Biscuits
man, Nines, Monaco, Governor and deLuxe.
For fans of the city’s vibrant culinary scene,
there’s one somewhat lesser-known option
I’m fond of, the contemporary, artfully de
signed Hotel Modera (hotelrnodera.com),
which is just around the corner from the ex
ceptional Saturday farmers market at PSU
(portlandfarm ersmarket.org/index.php/m ar-
kets/psu). The indie boutique hotel, which
was fashioned out of a stunningly made-over
Days Inn, also contains a fantastic restaurant,
Nel Centro— an excellent choice for happy
hour snacking, a full dinner or brunch the
following morning.
Stay on a Friday night, and you can stroll
over to the farmers market the next morning
and fill your bags with fresh, local edibles while
also filling up on breakfast from the outstand
ing vendors—get there early if you’re hanker
ing for the heart-stopping Reggie Deluxe
(biscuits and gravy topped with fried chicken,
bacon, cheese and an egg) from Pine State Bis
cuits (pinestatebiscuits.com), as this tends to
sell out quickly. I’m also partial to the grilled
sausages from Salumeria di Carlo. And if you’re
staying another night at Modera, you can store
whatever perishables you’ve purchased (goat
cheese from Fraga Farm? O r perhaps fresh
Netarts Bay oysters from Gilson Marine?) in
the mini-fridge—each room has one.
Nel Centro (nelcentro.com), helmed by re
nowned restaurateur David Machado, serves
exemplary contemporary Italian fare with an
emphasis on local ingredients and recipes from
the Italian Riviera. The hotel is also close to
world-class Portland restaurants like Higgins
(higgins.ypguides.net) and Veritable Quanda
ry (veritablequandary.com), as well as being a
good choice if you’re catching a show at nearby
Keller Auditorium (Billy Elliot, The Musical
begins a two-week engagement on April 5) or
the Schnitzer Concert Hall (Sarah Silverman
performs April 7, and Lewis Black the follow
ing night). And it’s not far from downtown
gay nightlife. All in all, this is a great choice for
a glamorous evening on the town, and at rates
starting as low as $99 a night this time o f year,
you’ll still have plenty of money left over to
spend on exceptional dining.
Read more about the frequent travels o f A n
d r ew
C o l l i n s at thecountyhunter.com and
gay travel, about, com.
It’s a new year in the garden and as the
season awakes, so do many o f us gardeners—
or should I say farmers? Urban homesteaders?
Balcony gardeners? Inside herb-growers?
Victory gardeners? There are many names
and target audiences included in this lexicon,
and I find myself shunning the labels like
many of us shun the labels of L, G, B, T or
Q j-o r not. I t’s a loaded topic. But if you sim
ply find it a love to grow something in the
ground (whether it be the ground connected
to the earth or the ground of a pot on your
balcony), there’s a load o f things to try out this
year. This is what I have my eye o n ....
Evergreens— Late winter-early spring,
gardens across Oregon demonstrate the bar
ren sadness of gardeners who forego struc
ture for our spring and summer’s abilities to
produce blooms. I am one o f them. Visit my
garden in July and you’ll find a massive plot
full of foliage and flowers but, right now, the
dirt lies bare and I kick myself, as I am often
wont to do this time of year, for not planting
a base o f evergreens to anchor my garden
yearlong. Small conifers, broad-leafed ever
greens? I have read books and attended talks
on these exact topics and this year is the time
I put my knowledge into action.
Herbs— I’ve been watching my waistline,
and unfortunately, up until recently, watching
it grow. However, I’m reversing that trend and
one of my strategies is with the liberal use of
herbs. Herbs bring flavor to roasted vegeta
bles, dips and meat when you’re cutting back
sugars and fats. W ho wants a poached chicken
breast with no flavor? Herbs have zero calo-
-I
PENS
MUGS
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