RX FOR EAST COAST WINTER : PDX

When my sister Polly booked her tickets in December to visit us last week, little did she know her family was about to experience the snowiest winter in Boston history (over 110 inches to date). House-weary and stir-crazy, they touched down a week ago to find 70 degree weather and a prescription waiting; we had everything they needed for their winter-beaten souls — family, frolics and feasting.

Polly grabbed as much as her family as she could for her Portland trip (her husband was away on business, her oldest son Ben in Jamaica on a service trip, and her golden retriever wasn’t up for the plane ride), and seeing that the Meyer family are some of our favorite people on earth, we couldn’t be more excited to show them why we love this city so much.

Here’s our prescription for what feels like an interminably long Boston winter: live like a Portlander.

First up.

Walk around exploring.  Portland is a city of amazing neighborhoods and a bustling, vibrant downtown, and it’s always enjoyable to experience them with a friend by your side.

This week there was lots to catching up to do with the cousins, so even a short stroll to Powell’s Books provided ample opportunity to chat.

One of many walks to the park allowed us to catch up on hugs and hear about new friends and discuss favorite old movies.

Strolling around downtown reminded us how much fun it is to hold hands and hit the farmers’ market to see what delicacies awaited us.

My sister, now living in beautiful Concord and a good hour plus from Boston, couldn’t believe how easy it was to make it into and around our city center. Parking was inexpensive and ample. People were smiling and strangers said hello. Sometimes Portland just feels charmed that way — making it easy to forget that not everyone is so lucky to enjoy both small town and big city living simultaneously.

 Eat as much delicious food as you can in a week. 

If nothing else, we Klines love our good grubs, and so if that includes Miss Kate’s Southern Kitchen’s Biscuit with Fried Chicken, Bacon, Fried Egg and Bacon Gravy, so be it. Being able to enjoy it on an available picnic table on Mississippi added to its charms.

We hit food carts, cafes, and restaurants, taking some of our favorite foods with us wherever we went.

Doesn’t this Green Bowl from Blossoming Lotus look like the healthiest, most delicious picnic food ever?

That dish enabled us to justify some of our later sins — like Salt and Straw.

Coming from New England,the Meyers know good ice cream but the flavor combinations at S & S really bowled them over.

Almond Brittle and Salted Ganache? Cinammon Snickerdoodle? Vanilla Coconut with Petunia’s Salted Caramel Bars? Yes. Yes. And Yes.And what would a family reunion be without burgers and fries? Their Goat Cheese Burger and Truffle Fries never fail to make new converts. Micah Camden, we salute you.

And this week proved it’s also fun to let just the grownups stuff their faces and let the kids just hang out with pizza or burritos and hang out in the backyard.

So while we gorged on this one day at Pok Pok…

and this another night at Bollywood…

… the kids had pizza, burritos, and lots of time just hanging out at home and in the yard. The game of Life, Kuub, Charades and Family were in heavy rotation.

Everyone was happy.

On our last night, I asked each person what they most remembered about our week together and their answers surprised me.

I thought it would be our trips out. There were so many car rides to somewhere beautiful; with good friends, distractions are many.

Hugs were on-demand, and seeing that we’re all inveterate game players, there were word association games and logic puzzles and funny stores to be told.

And the sights are always so beautiful once you get there. In Oregon, there are an embarassment of riches.

Cannon Beach is beautiful rain or shine (or a mix of both).

The views of the Columbia Gorge are magnificent, and this is a great place to see them.

And we had to show them the second-highest waterfall in the country. They were stunned by how lush it was — and so easy to visit with free parking just at the base.

Listening to their answers, I thought too someone might mention the afternoon at Jump Sky High. Or the picnic and rides at Oaks Amusement Park.

But no. These places all came up eventually, but not initially.

As enjoyable as all the outings and far-flung places we visited were, it turns out that what made the most indelible memories for the kids was located a whole lot closer. Apparently, what the kids most cherished was the time spent in the street in front of my house.

Which brings me to my final part of the prescription.

Spend as much time as possible outside. No electronics allowed.

Here in Portland you can live on a street with hundred-plus year old houses and trees and very little street traffic, yet live just 3 blocks from the most-trafficked branch library (or so I’ve heard) in the country, and just 5 blocks from both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

And because Portlanders in general are a pretty considerate lot, the rare car that does pass by knows to keep an eye out for rampant street games. Free range play is encouraged and watched over by neighbors.

Every day, rain or shine, the kids played touch football, basketball and tag outside for hours on end; they’d refuel, hit the bathroom, then head back. On one particular day, we ate lunch downtown, the kids played the Game of Life on my big front porch when the rain drizzled for 45 minutes and then spent five and a half hours in the street in front of my house.

How can it possibly be better than that?

So thank you, Meyers, for giving up valuable Spring Break time to spend with us.

Polly, I have never met a better mother (other than my own Mom) nor a more loving and compassionate friend. Thank you for everything.

Cooper, Griffin and Christian, you are all amazing gentleman and a hell of a lot of fun. We miss you insanely.

We may have suffered broken windows…and cracked custards…

… and getting soaked on occasion with more than a few scrapes and bruises, but guess what? I wouldn’t trade those for the world.

Come back soon — even if that snow pack isn’t driving you to distraction or make you feel the need for afternoon naps. We’ll be waiting right here for you — with hugs and hamburgers.