After lunch, at window of Skamania Lodge looking out from the Washington side of "The Gorge", Columbia River. From left to right is me, Al, Teresa, Cammie & Tiffany.
The next group are shots at Pheasant Valley Winery tasting room in Hood River up the river on the Oregon side of the Gorge.
Teresa & Allyson at window of hotel room back in Portland, the "morning after" looking out on a sunny Sunday on the Willamette Riverfront in downtown Portland.
The scarce few. Camera's were forgotten and disposables didn't turn out! In brief it was a cozy, but dynamic group.
A little drizzle in the car from Portland to Skamania and Hood River. Sunny for the drive back to Portland past Mulnomah Falls. Time to watch the UCLA game in the hotel getting ready for dinner.
Fantastic dinner... we had a featured round table on the 2nd floor over the entry with full windows outside to the Pearle district. The table had a lazy suzanne (sp?) which had Allyson's favorite bottle of champagne chilling upon arrival - a treat from Tania in Vancouver. Thank you! It was a beautiful spanish cava (Siqueiros xxx?) with tiny, tiny bubbles. A white feather boa draped over the center chair waited for Allyson with a white visor labeled in team colors "BRUIN BRIDE". The rest of the chairs were each draped with a hot pink boa - her personal doo-wop girls. Allyson's plate and another bottle of wine a treat from Janelle in Tucson. Thank you! Indulging dinners, pate and clam appetisers presented by our french waiter we were convinced had an accent from Russia.
Afterwards boa tails swung around our necks, we huddled together and walked a "few blocks" in the chilly night air to Andina, a saucy Peruvian restaurant for exotic drinks, dessert and live accustic music. Last stop of the night across the river to the funky Doug Fir motel lounge for a couple rounds. 1st round complementary of a couple of the musicians from Andina we coincidentally followed there! From our chats with them on travel and flamenco dancing... the rest of the night is a blur. Something about a guy declaring we were the most beautiful women ever... shortly after was thrown out by 4 bouncers! We were lost on a "Alice in Wonderland" trip of some sort in the bathroom of solid mirrors. Topped by a cabby home who loved to make the car rock and swirve. That is all I can say.
We did manage to get up the next morning for coffee before Tiffany and Cammie had to hop on their plane. The rest of us met up with a couple of other old Portland friends of Allysons at brunch. Those pictures I will post asap - they are the only survivers of the portable camera.
All in all, mission accomplished! The "Bruin Bride" finished her weekend missing one letter... now the "Ruin Bride". Yikes!
Thanks to all who called and text Allyson to properly harrass her that weekend! I'm sorry we don't have more incriminating photos to share. We will have to share with you more in person at the wedding!
Note we will keep you posted when the mosaic is complete! I might be MIA until the wedding... when it rains, it pours and it's hard-core crunch time for the next few weeks both in and outside of work for me. *pamela
