Portland in December

[plantluvver]

I live in Portland, and I am a member of the Chinese Garden. I can take you there as a guest. It closes at 5 PM. It is located at NW 3rd and NW Everett. All of the buses in Portland are free in the central part of the city, which is called fareless square.

I am not sure what else to say. Except bring your rain gear! Winters are mainly overcast, and drizzly.
Here is a link to the garden. If you are interested in other public gardens, I can take you to visit some.

http://www.portlandchinesegarden.org/

I strongly recommend that if you have a day to play around, that you visit the Columbia River Gorge. There are many waterfalls in the gorge.

Powell's books is interesting. It seems as if the store has gradually swallowed up all of the adjoining office buildings, which are now connected, with odd level changes between the rooms. I beleive that is is open until 11PM on every night.

http://www.powells.com/info/citytour.html

Have fun,
Mary

[elk]

What part of New England?
I'm originally from MA and my DH is from Maine...I lived in NH, etc etc
In some ways, Oregon reminds us both of New England....probably Vermont...;-) If you get a chance to get out of the city...go west and you will see magnificent landscapes....

One more restaurant to add...for Middle Eastern is AL AMIR's.

ANyway. Powell's is not to be missed. It is the largest bookstore west of the Mississippi and it's an INDEPENDENT locally owned store too...They keep thier used books WITH the new so price shopping is a cinch!
Inside Powell's is a coffe shop, the Anne Hughes, that serves excellent coffee adn you can actually bring your books in there and read...I think it might even be the firs bookstore to have done that, mix coffee and books..it certainly was the first one I ever experienced 20 years ago....

NW23rd street and it's offshoots have gotten terribly chic...used to just be terminally hip and very funky...but the street is still lively, the food is good, the shopping is fun.

The Portland Art Museum isn;t far from your hotel. We have a great Asian collection, photography collection, and a few modern gems. Worth a visit.

If you rent a bike..or want to take a walk, do the East Side esplanade...a bike path that runs along the Willamette River...its a great way to see a part of the city.

please excuse the typos...late hour, sick girl...BAD BAD typist...

[Haudlady]

It's almost time! I'm getting excited - I love to travel, but don't get to do it very often.

I'm looking for some more help, if you don't mind! I know, you have all given me such good advice already, but I'm looking for (more) help with lunch. It turns out that my classes will all be at the Oregon Convention Center, not at the Hotel... and now it looks like the lunch venues you recommended are too far away for me to make it! I'm disappointed - I've never tried Bento, and I really wanted to go to Tom's. (Hey! Maybe it will be easier for me to go to Stumptown, though, since it looks like it is between the hotel and convention center!)

So - can anyone give me some good lunch options near the Convention Center? THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Plantluvr: Thanks for the offer to go to the Chinese Garden, but I don't think I'll make it. The class schedule is too restrictive!

Elk: I live in Central NH. I wish I would have time to get out of the city, but I'm guessing (again - that darn schedule) I won't. Oh well - am supposed to be working!!!