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Sandes of Time B&B, a historic home located in the Milwaukie suburb of SE Portland (built from 1904 to 1907), has been fully restored and renovated to include four guest rooms/suites.

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With 13 fireplaces throughout the B&B that can be heated to a comfortable level in each room, owners Al and Terry Sande have created a very cozy, relaxing environment for guests.

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Both guest rooms and common areas are tastefully decorated with period antiques and furnishings, lighting, and a touch of love by Terry. I was impressed by how each piece of furniture seems to accommodate its space so well.

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The basement is outfitted with a bar, cozy tables, and in the back, a large movie room with lounge chairs, blankets, and a 120″ projection screen.

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Breakfasts are filling and on my stay included homemade waffles with berry compote, yogurt parfaits, omelettes, and all the fixings.

The grounds are landscaped and the entry porch has an inviting swing for relaxing after a day touring Mt. Hood Territory.

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Sandes of Time B&B is located at 16022 SE River Road in the Milwaukie suburb of SW Portland.

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Allium Bistro

I arrived at Allium Bistro as their busy happy hour was winding down, just in time to order several Netarts Bay oysters from Washington. There’s a great variety of happy hour appetizers, small plates, and drinks on offer Mondays from 4:00 pm to closing, Tuesdays through Sundays, 4:00 to 6:30 pm, and nightly from 8:30 pm to closing.

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Allium is an intimate neighborhood restaurant. Chefs Pascal Chureau and Ian Ragsdale offer local, sustainably-conscious epicurean plates featuring New American and European cuisines, getting their daily ingredients straight from local farmers and purveyors.

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Allium takes its inspiration from the small, bustling village bistros of France. Both chefs share a great love and awe of Pacific Northwest ingredients, their passion to create delicious and unpretentious food.

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[Carlton Farms pork chop, chanterelles, fennel, pear butter, toasted pecans, farro, arugula]

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[Broccolini and cauliflower with pepitas and brown butter]

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[Fall risotto: Heirloom squash, shallots, garlic, toasted walnuts, Grana Padano]

Broccolini and cauliflower with pepitas and brown butter ($6) makes for a hearty autumn side dish, and combines nicely with a Fall risotto ($18), featuring Heirloom squash, shallots, garlic, toasted walnuts, and Grana Padano.

There’s a good selection of Oregon, California, Italian, and French wines by the glass and bottle, classic and craft cocktails, beer, and cider. On the current draft beer list: Double Mountain IPA, Ecliptic HefePils, Two Kilts Scottish, Omission Pale Ale, and Fearless Loki Red. You can sample four 12 oz. beers for $4.

While small plates range from roasted foraged mushrooms to shrimp and grits, entrées include burgers, sirloin steak, salads, pasta, and seafood.

This is a sweet little bistro where locals all seem to know one another. Allium Bistro is located at 1914 Willamette Falls Drive in West Linn.

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Breakside Brewery

Breakside Brewery started as a classic brew house in NE Portland back in 2009. With a full kitchen and basement pub, it grew over time and two years ago, a second location was opened in Milwaukie’s industrial area.

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This production location is open seven days a week (3 to 8 pm weekdays, noon to 8 pm weekends) for a pint or growler filling.

Last year, over 100 different beers were produced between the two locations, their core brands consisting of two IPAs and a Pilsner.

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[Barrel aging room]

Everything from Traditional French and Belgian saisons to stouts created with miso and Shiitake mushrooms make it to their 24 on-site taps.

Breakside IPA’s a recent Gold Medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival, while the Wanderlust IPA took bronze in the Strong Pale Ale category.

I chatted with Senior Brewer Sam Barber, who had this to say about the beers they produce: “The emphasis is on aroma, while keeping the bitterness on track”.

The Woodlawn Pale Ale that I sampled has a hoppy finish, using Simcoe hops that impart a resin-like flavour to the beer. I did enjoy the gold medal-winning IPA, and the Bira Minestra, an experimental blonde ale brewed with fresh Oregon basil, sungold tomatoes, and tart pluots, inspired by a dessert at Portland’s Park Kitchen. A dry finish after the sour tomato notes, but a brilliant experimental beer.

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The newest seasonal in the collection is Toro Red, a rich amber ale perfect for our wetter season(s). It’s not too bitter, and has hints of spice and smoke.

If you’re dining out in Portland, a few restaurants to check out that serve Breakside’s beers include Tasty n Sons, Le Pigeon, and Smallwares. Breakside Taproom and Brewery is located at 5821 SE International Way in Milwaukie. The Restaurant and Pub Brewery is located in Portland at 820 Northeast Dekum Street.

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Timberline Lodge

Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge was built 75 years ago, during the heart of the Great Depression.

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Through President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), iconic Timberline Lodge created jobs for hundreds of Oregonian labourers, craftsmen, and artisans.

Labourers were paid 90 cents an hour and were transported each day to the construction site.

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The lodge took 15 months to complete, and on September 28, 1937, President Roosevelt and the First Lady were greeted by 1,200 staff and workers to dedicate the monumental achievement.

Skiway to Timberline

The original Skiway aerial tram opened in 1951, with a ride averaging 20-30 minutes to the top.

The lodge was shut down in 1955 due to mismanagement and unpaid bills. That same year, Richard L. Kohnstamm convinced the U.S. Forest Service to give Timberline a second chance. He won the battle and the following May, Kohnstamm became the new operator for the lodge and ski area.

The lodge reopened in July. For the first time in its history, Timberline would become financially stable. Timberline Lodge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

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Sadly, on the day of my visit, I encountered never-ending fog and even a wet snow shower upon arriving at the well-loved outdoor destination, so no obligatory Mt. Hood shots on this trip.

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One of the most highly-visited tourist attractions in Oregon, this is a must-see architectural wonder that includes 70 guest rooms. The fogged-in effect does give the hotel that ominous quality. It’s no wonder that aerial and exterior shots of the lodge were used in the 1980 film The Shining.

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[Bottom photo: Ram’s Head Bar]

Executive Chef Jason Stoller Smith oversees the menu at the Cascade Dining Room, serving dishes with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. A great way to take in the atmosphere is to tuck into a $19.50 lunch buffet that includes a colourful range of salads, soup, meats, seafood (the cedar-planked Coho salmon was heavenly!), and dessert bar.

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Timberline Lodge is located about 90 minutes East of Portland.

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Wildwood Recreation Site

Nestled in a bend of the spectacular Wild and Scenic Salmon River, Wildwood Recreation Site encompasses 550 acres of beautiful land forested with old-growth Douglas fir, Western hemlock, and Western red cedar.

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The area is perfect for bird watching, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnics, and wildlife viewing. I spent some time here on my way back from Timberline Lodge in Mt. Hood.

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The Salmon River, part of Wildwood’s Recreational site, is recognized as a National Wild and Scenic River, one of 160 rivers that are named as such, providing a healthy home for salmon and steelhead fish in its pristine waters.

My lodging and dinner at Allium Bistro were courtesy of Mt. Hood Territory. A special thanks to Breakside Brewery, Villa Catalana Cellars, for hosting my tours. A huge shout out to Roam Mobility, whose unlimited talk, text, and data plan in the US kept me going through business phone calls, emails, texts, and GPS in some of the remote parts of Oregon, all via my iPhone 5s! Roam offers US roaming packages from $3.95 per day. Check their website for all plans, pricing, products, and SIM card info.

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