Travel Tips & Adventures

Besides our visit to the Sea Lion Caves (see the September 15 blog), we stopped for lunch and a little sightseeing in Florence, Oregon. On the coast just a few miles south of the Sea Lion Caves, Florence just happened to have a Mo’s Restaurant, a regional chain with a waterside restaurant. We were hungry and headed to Mo’s.

Eating at Mo’s

There are branches of the chain in many towns and the advertising, including giant billboards, really pays off. The restaurant was extremely busy. We waited briefly and were seated way near the back. The wait staff moves briskly and so do the prep people, who were industriously sprinkling toppings on some entrees when I passed by.

"Greeter" at Mo's

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How many food products have you actually seen produced? Most people will say – none!

You eat and you drink every day, but with the exception of the FREE BEER tour at one of those national breweries, most people would rather eat and drink than know how it was made!!!! (more…)

Every once in a while, you might have the opportunity to savor a really fine, skillfully prepared, exquisitely tasteful meal. I had that incredible experience at a hotel restaurant named Zin in Vancouver, British Columbia.With an advertised “$2 Bites” and some coupons handed to us for wine sampling, we ventured into Zin, not knowing what we’d discover. What we encountered was incredible.

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We were staying in the downtown area on Robson Street – the center of commerce…

Downtown

In our downtown hotel location on Robson Street, there are shops (like Guess, Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger) with upscale names and glamorous window displays. The prices were glamorous, too, except for a modest Chinese Restaurant, Hon’s Wun-Tun House, which whipped out our food very quickly for takeout. The menu was enormous and we had a hard time choosing, but the prices were generally under the $10 (Canadian) price range for each entrée.

In contrast, we spent considerably more – $40-plus with tip – at O’Doul’s (Listel Hotel) for a corned beef hash and Eggs Benedict breakfast.

Sculpture on Robson Street

A sculpture, appearing to be a whimsical orange twisted wire, was in front of O’Doul’s. We saw other interesting art around Vancouver. (more…)

Vancouver, a major city in British Columbia with a population of over 2 million, has an amazingly diverse group of neighborhoods. We never saw any rundown homes, but we did see many panhandlers, especially in downtown areas. (more…)

Wander into the funky, eccentric, artfully scattered and humorous décor of Cranky Sue’s in Cannon Beach and you’ll find some chuckles and great food.

Why is Sue cranky? After all, she has a successful restaurant in its third year and is going national with her clam chowder, Caesar dressing and crab cakes. (more…)

If Cannon Beach is like Scottsdale without water, then Seaside, Oregon is like an upscale Coney Island with all of its family amusements.

Lewis and Clark statue at "Prom" turnaround

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Think of Scottsdale on the ocean, less heat and no malls — You’ve got Cannon Beach on Oregon’s Pacific Coast.

An upscale beach community, Cannon Beach was the second resort town on Oregon’s coast. (Seaside was the first.) Art galleries, boutique shops, unique toy stores, candy makers and specialty restaurants abound.

Shops on Hemlock Street

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We all have to eat. That’s a basic need, but we don’t always eat the best food. In Eugene, Oregon, anyone who eats at Adam’s Sustainable Table in the downtown area can truly say they have had a choice of some of the best food available.

Cozy, inviting Adam's Sustainable Table

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Soapy Smith's Restaurant - Fairbanks, Alaska

To step into Soapy Smith’s Restaurant in Fairbanks , Alaska is to step back in time, yet it is a modern, up-to-date restaurant with good food and good service. (more…)