September 4: Lan Su Chinese Garden; Art in the Pearl Festival; Davis Street Tavern

Lan Su Teahouse



Lan Su Calligraphy



Lan Su with High Rises

 Today didn’t go as planned. It was to be a day to hit Ikea and Safeway and maybe get the oil changed. Fortunately we noticed that the Lan Su Chinese Garden  was “near” Ikea so we decided to stop there on the way. As it turned out it is not too near Ikea, but in downtown Portland. Considered to be the most authentic Chinese Garden outside of China, it melds art, architecture, design and nature. Less than a city block in size, it is hard to believe its location in Chinatown while you are in it, unless you cast your eyes upward to a high-rise visible in the background.




Scholar's Room


After leaving the Garden, we wandered toward the Pearl District of Portland thinking about lunch and came across the 15th Annual Art in the Pearl Festival held every Labor Day Weekend. Over 100 artists show and sell their work. Very high quality, innovative, and elegant offerings. Come with money in your pocket!

The Festival was extensive enough that we broke in the middle to have lunch at the Davis Street Tavern. We started with oysters on the half shell with pickled shallot and rainbow trout roe in the mignonette sauce. Pat’s duck confit salad had baby spinach, frisee, picholine olives, pistachios and a light sherry vinaigrette. Peter’s milk braised pork hash was made with Yukon gold potatoes and fennel, topped with poached eggs and green chile hollandaise – now there is some serious eating! The service was as good as the food. Thumbs up to the Tavern!