Portland Oregon's Saturday Market

Check out the link to Portland’s Saturday Market!  Lots of things to do and great places to eat!  Go enjoy the FUN!

My bag is packed and I am ready to go!  So, Ciao!  But before I leave I would like to introduce you to Signora Penny Johnson.  (Can you tell I am taking Italia?)….

During my absence,  Penny Johnson will be taking over my duties and tending to our guests.  Penny comes highly recommended and has done an excellent job for the Fulton House Bed and Breakfast previously.

“In February 24, 2010 -at Dallas School District/High School –Penny Johnson, Catering and Culinary Arts teacher at Dallas High School was honored by her school district with the Distinguished Educator Award.  She was nominated by a student who says she is their families favorite teacher and he is the 3rd brother to go through her program.

Here is what Ricky had to say about Mrs. Johnson:

Penny is welcoming with open arms. She works hard to get to know the students. She has tried to connect not just with us as students ,but on a personal level as well. Penny’s personality really makes the class fun. She is funny. Sometimes in the chaos of her job, she gets us laughing at how she handles all of the stress. I encourage you to honor this deserving teacher who has poured her heart and soul into her job and the kids that take her classes. She inspired us to be better people and love life!

Here is what her students had to say about her:

*She loves us!
      *Helps us out on stuff, more than just catering.
      *She does so much; events, catering, class etc.
      *She has an outstanding personality.
      *There is really just too much to put into words.
      *She is a really nice teacher. Thank you for teaching me.
      *I have known her since I was a freshman and she always pushes me to do my best.
      *She treats us like workers.”

I know that all you will love Penny just like her students did at Dallas High School.  Penny plus her husband, Dave will begin their Interim Inn-keeping duties on August 28 and continue until Wendy’s return.  Please help me welcome, Penny & Dave to our wonderful City of Portland and to the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast.

As for our Fulton House Blog –watch for my blog posting from Italy as well as Mauritius where I am heading after my stay in Italy.

Arrivederci!

Buena Vista Ferry

Today, I completed my first 2011 MAC Annual Wine Ride  touring Oregon wine country and treating myself to a fabulous made-to-order gourmet brunch — without guilt!

Starting at the Eola Hills Winery in Rickreall, Oregon I wandered along 36.8 miles of scenic Polk County Wine Country, through the town of Independence and across the Willamette River on the historic Buena Vista ferry and then made a loop back to the winery.  As I approached the ferry crossing,  I spotted an osprey nests up on the platforms and along the route was up close and personal with two turkey buzzards feasting on a dead rabbit just a few feet from me as I crossed the dead carcass in the road.  This was just an incredible day in Oregon to be cycling.

For additional information about cycling in Oregon read this article from the NY Times.

Click here for the 2011_MAC_Wine_Ride_Map.

After my ride, I returned to the Eola Hills Winery for the reward of a fabulous  brunch prepared by Eola Hills Winery’s master chefs that include stuffed crepes, eggs Benedict, waffles, omelets, sauteed oysters, and more, along with a choice of wine or champagne.

Check out their wonderful Menu for July 24th:
Fresh Pan Fried Oysters from Willapa Bay
Washington
Roast Beef Sliders with Onions and Cheese
Fruit Supreme w/
Fresh Fruit, Yogurt and Granola
FOUR styles of Eggs Benedict; Ultimate,
Traditional, Seafood and Veggie
Stick to your Ribs Biscuits and
Gravy
Breakfast Ham
an Omelet Bar with about 20 toppings to choose
from
Belgian & Hazelnut Waffles along with Crepes
Country Fried
Potatoes
Stir Fried Veggies
Spring Mix Salad with Apples and
Strawberries
Platter of Watermelon
Cold Cucumber
Soup
homemade desserts and much more.

And don’t forget to belly up to the wine tasting bar to sample their wine selections and take home a bottle of their outstanding wines.    I particularly like their 2009 Pinot Gris and their Pacific Blanc a Oregon White Wine after a hot day biking the latter that I am sipping now as a draft this post.

The Eola Hills Winery is approximately 58 minutes from the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast in Portland, Oregon.  Bring your bikes and enjoy a day of cycling Oregon.

Lazuli Bunting -- photo by Jim Cruce

“Festival of Birds” is an event sponsored by the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the City of Portland and Portland Audubon for a Celebration of Migratory Birds.

“A welcome sign of spring, Portland’s migratory birds are arriving in the northwest from their tropical wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. The Festival invites families and bird lovers to enjoy a day outdoors and learn about birds through a variety of fun activities such as: Guided bird walks, Live music and stories, Nature photography field trips, Kids’ games and art activities, Live birds from Portland Audubon, and Exhibits about the birds of Portland.

Oaks Bottom and other natural areas in Portland are important to migrating birds for nesting, wintering, resting and re-fueling. Come and see birds hailing from as far away as Argentina in Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, the City of Portland’s first designated Migratory Bird Park.

This is a free festival for the whole family to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day. No registration is required.

• Attend the Early-Bird Bird Walk at 7:30 a.m. Registration required: Call 503-823-2525 or go to www.portlandparks.org and click on recreation tab, choose class #345264.

• Guided Bird Walks on the ½ hour from 9 am – 2 pm.  Compare this year’s sightings with bird appearances in earlier years.
• Family Activities, make bird feeders for your mother’s garden, run as fast as birds fly in Bird Olympics, create bird pictures using forms from NW Native American art, send a bird postcard to schools along the Pacific Flyway, or choose from a myriad of other activities.
• Storytelling and Live Music by local storytellers and musicians. Come hear songs and stories about migratory birds in the Portland area.
• Education Birds from Audubon Society of Portland’s Wildlife Care Center.  See up close a Peregrine Falcon, Great Horned Owl, Northern Spotted Owl, American Kestrel, Turkey Vulture and Common Raven.
• Our Partners. Visit with local partners of the Migratory Bird Treaty Program and learn about other locations to visit and enjoy birds.
• Look for our Nature Store booth.”

Pack a lunch, bring your bikes and enjoy birding!

Geocach Fulton House B & B

Look for the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast’s geocaching site.

Welcome to Geocaching

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

Look for the clues about the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast’s history from the book “Weird Oregon”, Your Travel Guide to Oregon’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Al Eufrasio & Jeff Davis.

Could the Fulton House be Nancy Bogg’s Floating Bordello?  Legend has it that she was a shrewd business woman and after years of being raiding in downtown by Portland Police she place her bordello on a barge in the Willamette River and eluded raids by docking on the opposite side of the river when police planned raids in downtown Portland. She was also known to welcome  police trying to board her scow with a shower of steaming hot water from a fire hose, fed by her boiler.

The Fulton House Bed & Breakfast was originally located on the Willamette River and rolled to its current site on logs with the help of  draft horses.  And it was a former bordello.   The Fulton House’s was owned  by the Weber Tannery Company which was the largest tannery on the Northwest Coast in 1894. The Weber Tannery Company was located on what currently is the site of Marine Powers Park in South Portland across from River View Cemetery.

To this day when digging in the back yard of the Fulton House,  you will find pieces of history such as pieces of leather, harnesses and an occasional trolley token of  the Virginia Street Trolley.

Get involved in geocaching and preserve a bit of Portland history by sharing your new find with family members and friends.

Happy Trails,

The Fulton House Bed & Breakfast Staff

This gorgeous route starts from the Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles and travels along this majestic road and the HCRH State Trail. The ride goes all the way to the Senator Mark O. Hatfield West Trailhead near Hood River then returns to the start. This route with world-class scenery is a combination of historic highway that is open to motor vehicles and the quiet HCRH State Trail that is open only to hikers and cyclists.

Highlights of the 38.5 mile ride include the breathtaking panorama at Rowena Crest, a special visit to the grounds of the historic Mayerdale Estate and a remarkable journey through the restored Mosier Twin Tunnels. The proceeds from this fully supported ride go toward restoring and reconnecting the Historic Columbia River Highway from The Dalles to Troutdale by its 100th Birthday, June 7, 2016.

Come back after a day of biking and enjoy soaking in our luxurious hot tub.  Or sip a glass of wine on the patio either way you will enjoy your stay at the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast.

The acquisition of the Springwater Corridor by the city of Portland in 1990 was a giant leap towards completion of the 40-Mile Loop and closed a last major gap in the loop. The 20-mile-long Corridor begins at SE Ivon Street and extends to the community of Boring. It was originally developed for rail service and was most commonly known as the Portland Traction Company Line. It has a smooth, even grade which makes it ideal for many types of recreation.
True to the initial inspiration for the Loop, many parks and open spaces are linked by this addition. Just as the railroad was the lifeblood of the communities it served, the Springwater Corridor/40-Mile Loop will continue to tie neighborhoods together and encompass many scenic areas, including Johnson Creek, wetlands, buttes, agricultural fields and pastures, residential and industrial neighborhoods. Parks include Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, Oaks Amusement Park, Sellwood Riverfront Park, Johnson Creek Park, Sellwood Park, Tideman Johnson Nature Park, Beggars Tick Marsh, the I-205 bike path, Leach Botanical Garden, Bundy Park, Powell Butte Nature Park and Gresham Main City Park.
The original rail line beyond Boring is currently owned by the State of Oregon. The addition of this link offers a real possibility of a trail that would link downtown Portland directly with the Pacific Crest Trail in Mt. Hood National Forest.

For more information, check out this link to the Springwater Corridor website.

The Fulton House offer free maps for each of the four area of the corridor as well as a indoor locking  sun-porch for your bike storage.  There are also several biking companies near by to rent bikes as well.

It is a weekly one-hour radio variety show that tapes in front of an enthusiastic live audience at the Alberta Rose Theater, airs on Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and is heard nationally and internationally through their podcasts.  It’s the perfect combination of original sketch comedy, illuminating (and entertaining) interviews and stellar music.

Dates at the ALBERTA ROSE THEATER:

Saturday, April 2  This upcoming show includes

WARD CUNNINGHAM – computer programmer and developer of the first WIKI

Composer EVE BEGLARIAN and the THIRD ANGLE ENSEMBLE

Oregon Book Award winning writer EMILY CHENOWETH –  author of Hello Goodbye: a Novel

Musical Guests:
ROCKY VOTOLATO
AGES AND AGES

Friday, April 15th  (Special Broadcast from the Portland Art Museum)

Friday, April 29

Saturday, May 14

Friday, June 3

Guests at the Fulton House Bed & Breakfast having been giving outstanding reviews of the shows which they find have been illuminating and entertaining.  You should really check it out on your next stay here in Portland, Oregon.

Streetcar lines formed the streets and neighborhoods that shaped our cities…

http://www.opb.org/programs/oregonexperience/

The Metropolitan Railway’s historic Fulton Line was the first electric line on the West Side, opening on New Year’s Day 1890 (two months after the Albina trolley).  It was intended to run south to West Linn, but the owners began building an interurban on the other side of the river instead.  When the Fulton run reached Riverview Cemetery in 1891 it (briefly) become the longest electric railway in the state at six miles.  Access to downtown was secured by converting the old Portland Traction Company horsecar line on 2nd Avenue to standard gauge electric operation.  Yet, in 1897 the City & Suburban Ry. began changing the whole Riverview line to narrow gauge, necessitating a transfer to standard gauge cars in South Portland for several years.  When the regauging was finished in 1900 the original private right-of-way to Riverview Cemetery was abandoned.  The Fulton Line was discontinued in 1923 when it merged with North and South Portland.  However, an “F” dash sign continued to be used to signify North and South line cars running south to the former Fulton line terminus.