DECONSTRUCTING LOS ANGELES

CHOOSING YOUR SLICE: It took me several visits to warm up to Los Angeles. There was the sprawl and the endless traffic. Also, it always seemed such an impossible assignment to try and capture this massive and intensely complex city during the time span of a single weekend’s visit. By contrast and with some planning, Manhattan and the Chicago Loop are so much more manageable for a few days. Oh, and for me, there also was the question of why I would choose to surround myself with a population who, on average, are fitter, more well-tanned and better looking than most of us mere mortals in less screen-tested locales.

In the end, it was a 7-week work assignment a few years back that flipped a switch for me. Getting to live like a local, albeit out of a hotel room, for a few weeks allowed me to make a few important discoveries about Southern California. Most importantly, I simply needed to break down L.A. into manageable slices. In doing so with each opportunity to visit, I would be much more likely to really explore and enjoy a particular slice of America’s second city. Plus, there would be the correspondingly obvious need to return for more slices. I also discovered that, while Angelenos may be on the whole fitter than other regions’ denizens, they also have an obsession for burger joints, hot dog stands and food trucks, which made me feel less – well – lacking in self-control. What follows is a recent weekend visit’s order from the very tasty and extensive menu that is Los Angeles.

BREAKING IT DOWN: Weighing in at 3.7 million with a MSA population of nearly 13 million, the City of Angels is bigger and more populous than several states. It is its own world-scale economy with powerful sectors in entertainment, publishing, shipping, manufacturing, finance, healthcare and education. It’s also a potent and exotic mix of different races, backgrounds and cultures. One of the most interesting discoveries of Los Angeles for me was realizing that, while Hollywood may be the city’s signature industry projecting its images across the globe – and it’s a vitally important one – L.A. is much more than Hollywood – economically, geographically and culturally. Something I really like about Los Angeles as an East Coaster is that it represents the modern face of immigration in the United States. I think that’s a good thing, by the way. Just as New York, Boston, Baltimore and other Eastern ports of call welcomed – or at least admitted – immigrants from Europe and parts of Asia in the 19^th Century, Los Angeles is the face of 20^th and 21^st centuries’ immigration. The city is home to the largest number of any number of fill-in-blank-Americans, including Mexican, Vietnamese, Korean, Iranian, Salvadoran and others. The result is that L.A. today is a fascinating place to visit and experience a unique Southern California culture that is comprised of a great mix of languages, music, food and art. Way back in 2007, I ran my last full marathon – so far – in L.A., and the musical entertainment along the route included a Korean rap singer, which pretty much more than paid for the pain and suffering I endured on that particularly steamy March day.

In breaking it down, the choices and options admittedly are dizzying. Beaches, mountains or museums? Tracking the stars or getting a dose of the city’s unique cultural cocktail? High-end browsing in Beverly Hills or upscale consignment on Melrose Avenue? And, which neighborhood: Downtown, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Pasadena, Century City, Venice, South Central, the Westside, San Fernando Valley? You really can’t go wrong. In the end, it’s all good, so don’t worry. There will be another slice.

FIRST UP: DOWNTOWN AND LOS FELIZ: A conference brought me to town on my most recent visit. The conference was in Hollywood, but I decided to stay downtown. This is the historic center of the city that is defined today by the confluence of L.A.’s infamous freeways and, until recently, it was considered a moribund, dead-after-dark destination. Not anymore. Today, downtown is pulsing with a combination of old standby neighborhoods like the Garment District and Little Tokyo, a clutch of new hotels, restaurants and bars, and premier entertainment centers like the Staples Center – home of the Lakers and Clippers (NBA), Kings (NHL) and Sparks (WNBA) – part of L.A. Live, a large, multi-use entertainment, dining and lodging complex.

A number of trendy and/or luxurious hotel outposts have opened in recent years, including the Ritz Carlton Los Angeles and the Standard. I went with an old-school choice that nevertheless was totally up-to-date. The Westin Bonaventure Los Angeles is one of those, oh-so-70s cylindrical tower hotels that has managed to stand the test of the time with some very recent updates and renovations. A law school pal joined me for the weekend, so we splurged and upgraded to a suite, which gave us two pie-wedge-shaped rooms with a western view that included the Hollywood sign. It should come as no surprise that the hotel gym was expansive and packed every morning. Located just off the 110 Freeway, the Westin also is just two blocks from a Metro station. Yes, it's true; Los Angeles has a mass transit system. Granted, it does not get you to all the destinations you might seek, but it is well used and delivered me between the Westin and the conference hotel for about $2 and within 15 minutes, far less time and money than a cab ride would involve. Also, the subway stations and trains were clean and well patrolled. I really felt in on a real local secret: I rode the subway in L.A.!

Back above ground, one of the trends of the moment in trend-setting Los Angeles that was on full display downtown during my recent visit is the prohibition- or speakeasy-themed bar. There are several choices but, with a recommendation from relatives, my friend and I cleaned up after drinks in the Westin’s bar and headed to Edison, a bar lounge and restaurant getting high marks for its inventive, artisanal cocktails and featuring a clandestinely appropriate side alley entrance in a former facility of Southern California Edison. But, it was not to be. My bad in that I wore a recently acquired shirt from an earlier trip to Berlin, which was maybe cool but collarless, so I was denied admission. At first, I was annoyed, but then I realized I had just checked off a quintessential L.A. experience: not making it past the velvet rope.

We recovered quickly and had dinner at the street-level terrace restaurant of the nearby Standard, a sleek hotel housed in a former office building. My burger and fries was simple in design, but deliciously L.A. in its indulgent execution. My friend and I walked back to our hotel on a pleasantly warm evening with the streets still full of residents and visitors, and began planning for our first, full weekend day.

The next morning, I headed out for a run to work off some of the prior evening’s indulgences. Los Angeles is a perfect running city from a climatological perspective, but it can be a challenging place to find a pedestrian-friendly route. Not so downtown – at least on the weekend. I left the Westin and headed north on Figueroa Street for a short loop through the still-quiet streets that featured some famous landmarks, old and new. First up was the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the striking home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Designed by Frank Gehry, the Disney Concert Hall is all waves of stainless steel. Even if you’re not attending a concert, there is an outdoor garden with the Lillian Disney Fountain where visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch or just take a quiet break from the hectic city beyond. Continuing north, I looped past the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which serves more than 4 million parishioners. The cathedral, which opened in 2002, is a beautiful and striking example of modern Gothic. It’s also one of the largest churches constructed worldwide in more than a century. Around the corner from the Cathedral is the iconic City Hall, familiar to many from its many appearances in movies and television shows. I then turned south, passing the Museum of Contemporary Art, which features a collection of American and European art created since 1940. I finished up my run with a final loop south through the Garment District, which with the right guide, can be a fruitful destination for well-priced jewelry and clothing.

Because my friend had never visited L.A., I was psyched to have the chance to serve as a tour guide for a city in which I have never lived. One of my favorite neighborhoods to show off is Los Feliz-Griffith Park. Los Feliz, located north of downtown and just off the Golden State Freeway (I-5), was hot a few years ago. And, while the trendsetters may have moved on, it remains a very desirable and close-in residential area with great restaurants and local shops along its two main drags, Vermont and Hillhurst avenues. And, then there is the park, one of the largest urban greenspaces in the country. One of my all-time favorite things to do in Los Angeles is to drink in the views from the fabulously Deco Griffith Observatory. You can’t just visit once either; there are the daytime views of downtown, Century City, the Hollywood Hills, including the sign, and the San Gabriel Mountains. In fact, in clear weather, the daytime views can stretch as far as Catalina Island. But you have to return to enjoy the brilliance of peering out over Los Angeles at night, carpeted in lights as far as one can see. I just don’t think I could visit L.A. and not make a stop here.

After making our nighttime visit to the Observatory, my friend and I had a great meal at Vermont Kitchen and Bar, which serves a well-executed and reasonably priced menu that includes flatbreads, several fish and meat choices and, on this visit, a delicious goat cheese ravioli in truffle oil. Other good dining options include Trattoria Farfella, a pasta place on Hillhurst, or the House of Pies Coffee Shop back over on Vermont. If you still have room, there’s also a branch of Pinkberry, the now-exported L.A. frozen yogurt sensation, near the intersection of Vermont and Sunset Boulevard.

GETTING OUT OF TOWN: Perhaps it’s counter-intuitive, but I have found that planning one day out of L.A. – even on a brief weekend visit – can help you manage your time and visitor fatigue in the city. There are lots of choices. You can stay relatively close in and check out Malibu (technically, you’re still within Los Angeles city limits) with its beaches and the Getty Center, or maybe head to the beaches of neighboring Orange County. You can head inland for a quick fix of desert rat-pack lifestyle in Palm Springs, or you can travel by car or train to San Diego to sample all that city’s many charms, including kid friendly destinations like the world-famous San Diego Zoo or, our son’s personal favorite, LEGOLAND in neighboring Carlsbad.

For this trip’s escape, we chose to head north to Santa Barbara, self-described as the American Riviera and a favorite getaway for Hollywood A-listers. The two-hour drive up Highway 101 takes you mostly along the spectacular Pacific Ocean coastline. Our first stop of the day for a late breakfast was in Montecito, a wealthy seaside village just to the south of Santa Barbara whose homeowners include Oprah. The village has a shopping strip just off the 101 that includes several good dining options, upscale clothing stores and a number of art galleries. Later in the day, we would return to Montecito to enjoy drinks and the lovely ocean view from the terrace at the Four Seasons Santa Barbara, a posh and well-maintained resort oozing old California style and charm.

In between, we headed to downtown Santa Barbara, a popular destination for shopping, walking and dining. State Street, which runs directly from the oceanfront beaches, is the main drag, but shopping opportunities are present on the adjoining streets, as well. Although today it’s lined with mostly chain stores, including branches of Macy’s and Nordstrom, State Street also offers some good restaurants, bars and art galleries, as well as the small but well-curated Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Just outside downtown is Old Mission Santa Barbara, one of the most important members of California’s historic chain of missions built by Spanish explorers in the 18^th Century, and which just celebrated its 225^th anniversary. It’s well worth the time to explore the mission and learn more about the role of missions in exploring and colonizing California. One other Santa Barbara must-do for which we unfortunately ran out of time is jumping into the delicious debate over which is the best taco joint in the city. Julia Child once tipped her hand to La Super Rica, but there are several other competitors that have helped make Santa Barbara a taco destination.

BACK IN TOWN, GO WEST: The freeway traffic on the drive back into Los Angeles from Santa Barbara, even on a non-rush hour, weekend day, was a grind, so we bailed when we got to the San Diego Freeway (I-405) and exited onto Sunset Boulevard for a more leisurely trip back downtown. This brings me to an important travel trip I learned while on the ground for 7 weeks. Despite the presence of a Metro system, you’re going to need a car in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, L.A.’s freeways are old and overcrowded, day and night, every day. It’s therefore easier and far less frustrating if you can plan your route using local, surface streets. This also makes spur-of-the-moment stops easier. Once off the 405, we found ourselves in the wealthy Westside neighborhoods surrounding the beautiful campus of the University of California, Los Angeles. Continuing east on Sunset, we passed through Beverly Hills, with its manicured luxury, and West Hollywood, a key center of Gay life in Los Angeles, before ditching the car at Melrose Avenue, a street of trendy and alternative shopping stretching between LaBrea and Fairfax avenues. Although it may have lost some of its edgy appeal with the inevitable arrival of Starbucks and clothing chains, Melrose Avenue still has some only-in-L.A. local shops, including some excellent consignment stores. And, believe me, what people to take to consignment stores in L.A. is not what you might find back home at your local used clothing store. On this visit, however, we focused our retail energy at Fred Segal, the local trendsetter for women’s and men’s clothing. It’s the kind of a place where you can spend $150 on a casual men’s shirt to wear with jeans, but also pick up retro, hip sunglasses for 10 bucks.

The next day, we left downtown and again headed west, stopping for lunch and some additional retail therapy on Robertson Boulevard. Beverly Hills has Rodeo Drive, but I prefer nearby Robertson Boulevard, which is adjacent to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Given the fact that I mostly am looking and not dropping large amounts of cash when visiting such centers of high-end retail, Robertson Blvd. offers lots of great stores with a lot less attitude. Among its offerings, there’s a really cool Chanel concept store, a well-stocked Ted Baker branch where I liked basically everything, an outpost of London’s Allsaints Spitalfields, and one of my favorite Los Angeles stores, Kitson. It’s actually three stores along the boulevard, one each for kids, men and women. Kitson is not a department store, but it does offer a fairly extensive and well-chosen selection of clothing, accessories and gifts.

We rounded out the final day of this visit by going as far west as possible. Santa Monica is a beautiful, affluent beachside city surrounded on three sides by Los Angeles. In addition to being a beach resort destination in its own right, there are plenty of places to shop and dine in Santa Monica if you’re staying in other parts of the city. We were there to take a stroll on its famed pier, jutting into the Pacific, and watch the scene on a brilliant September afternoon. The pier includes amusement rides for the kids, street performers, tacky souvenir joints and a several places to have a drink or grab a bite to eat. The people watching was excellent and the scene of surfers and beachgoers against a backdrop of mountains and ocean was spectacular on the day of our visit. Although there was more to see, including taking a walk on the beach, my friend and I were due back downtown to meet my cousins for dinner. So, we made the drive back to our hotel and talked about what we might see or do when we next returned to Los Angeles. And, I know I will. Much like New York, London or Paris, Los Angeles is a world-class city that warrants repeat visits to further explore its many charms and diversions. You just have to break it down and accept the fact that you will always run out of time before you exhaust your list of “to-dos.”

A QUICK FIX OF MUNICH

DIFFERING IMAGES: My image of Munich evolved constantly during a brief visit earlier this year. The Bavarian capital both confirmed and contradicted preconceptions, which makes it a great destination. Reading descriptions in travel books, Munich is generally described as beautiful and prosperous and much more conservative when compared to Berlin and Hamburg, Germany’s two other big cities. Beautiful and prosperous are immediately apparent upon arrival. This city of about 1.5 million is spectacularly situated in southern Germany near the Alps and is a center of publishing and finance, as well as the headquarters of such famous brands as BMW and Allianz. Because Munich was once the seat of government for the independent Republic of Bavaria, it has palaces and museums on par with any other European capital. Arriving after a 5-hour drive from the rollicking, anything goes capital – that would be Berlin – I was prepared for Munich to be more buttoned down. And, in certain ways, it was. Our hotel, the K & K Hotel am Harras, was located in a quiet neighborhood where most shops had closed by 7:00 p.m. on the day we arrived. Finding dinner that first night required a subway trip into the center of the city. The good news is that Munich has an extensive and safe metro system (U-bahn) and, within minutes, we were dining in a pub on a traditional Bavarian meal of pork and potato dumplings. Oh, yes, and beer; although we sampled a great variety of very drinkable German wines during our stay, so non-beer drinkers needn’t worry.

My first image of Munich changed two days later on a hot July morning as my spouse and our son and I were walking towards the Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus (City Hall), a beautiful, imposing example of Gothic revival architecture. As we got nearer, the music got louder. We rounded a corner into the city’s main square to face a large stage with jumbo speakers blasting out Sister Sledge’s “We are Family.” Before the stage was a large crowd numbering in the thousands that included lots of shirtless men wearing lederhosen, the otherwise very traditional Bavarian men’s garment of leather shorts with suspenders. As it turned out, we had traveled to the city during Christopher Street Day München, the city’s annual gay pride festival. As much fun as the parade looked to be, we adjusted our sightseeing plans to avoid its route in order to see as much as possible during our only full day in the city because Munich is a great walking city and many of its attractions are concentrated in the historic center along the banks of the River Isar.

So, we moved away from the crowds onto the narrow pedestrianized streets radiating off Marienplatz and my impression of Munich changed yet again. I headed to Maximilian Strasse, Munich’s Fifth Avenue. As I walked this posh shopping street, I noted the striking contrast between the “minimally clad” crowd partying a short distance away in Marienplatz and the large groups of women shoppers before me in chadours, hijabs and other articles of Islamic clothing waiting their turn to gain entrance from doormen into the likes of Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo. Clearly, Munich is both a party destination beyond Oktoberfest and a major retail stop for shoppers from all over.

Munich also is a city in which you could spend a weekend visiting one impressive museum after another. My spouse and our son spent the better part of the day at the famous Deutsches Museum, arguably the world’s largest museum of science and technology. Just beyond the medieval core lies the Museum District, home to the Alte Pinakothek (Old Gallery), the Neue Pinakothek (New Gallery) and the Pinakothek der Moderne (Museum of Modern Art). Together, these galleries showcase centuries of art from Germany and well beyond. The city also has several beautiful parks when you need a break outside. The site of the 1972 Olympics today is a multi-purpose playground for residents and visitors, while the city’s Englischer Garten is one of the largest urban city parks in the world. Closer in and smaller is the lovely Hofgarten, a park in the Italian Renaissance style near the Residenz, the former royal palace of Bavarian monarchy.

OUT AND ABOUT: After making my way across the River Isar to the looming and impressive Bavarian State Parliament, I decided to join in the Pride activities after all. So, I headed to Müllerstrasse, a prime location of gay friendly stores, bars and restaurants. I picked up souvenirs in the form of two new shirts at Seba’s, an of-the-moment men’s store. Down the street, I stopped into a shoe store and left with a new pair of Munich sneakers. I asked about the name and the salesperson told me that the shoes actually are made by a Spanish company that was founded and named after the Munich Olympics.

As a major transportation hub, Munich is a great base for exploring this part of Germany and neighboring Austria. There are lots of options, too, from lakeside resorts to winter sports in the Alps, including Garmisch, situated near the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak. Less than 20 miles outside Munich lies the commuter suburb of Dachau with its scenic, historic core. Of course, Dachau is forever infamous as the site of one of the most notorious Nazi death camps. Traveling with a 10-year-old, we left for another visit to Munich that important but undoubtedly sobering experience.

Instead, for our day out of Munich, we boarded a train for the two-hour trip to visit the fairy tale-inspiring palace of Mad King Ludwig. Having seen the iconic images of Neuschwanstein many times, I still was amazed to be staring up at this enormous castle built on a rock. The visit involves a very strenuous and uphill hike that takes about 30 minutes. The reward is well worth the effort. In addition to the castle itself with several rooms open to visitors, the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside make for an outstanding mental postcard of Bavaria.

Beautiful, scenic, historic, fun, hip, prosperous, green. Munich is all of these and more. My final impression was of a great, world-class city worthy of more exploration. I will hope to return soon.

BERLIN: YOU NEED TO GO

PURE GERMANY: Our Pee Wee Herman, “there’s no basement in the Alamo” moment in Berlin came this summer on the final day of our first trip to the German capital. We had spent the morning visiting Charlottenburg Palace, a spectacular former residence of Prussian royalty located on the western edge of the city, and then made our way to the Bundestag, or Parliament building, near the River Spree and the new Hauptbahnhof (central train station). Our plan was to visit the top of the building.

I had read that the view from the Sir Norman Foster-designed glass dome atop the official seat of government in the Bundesrepublik Deutschland was awesome. What I failed to learn beforehand was that – these days – one must request an admission time, typically two or three days in advance, so we were denied admission. Although disappointed we would not experience a new signature tourist experience of modern Berlin, given the fact that I work in Washington, D.C., with its myriad security measures, I found it surprising that we could have – had we planned better – visited the official seat of government of the largest member of the European Union with an e-mail request and our passports. Though we would not see the interior of the Bundestag on this trip, in every other respect, Berlin did not disappoint and it more than exceeded our expectations.

THE BIG, COMPLICATED CITY: Berlin is continental Europe’s largest city with more than four million residents. It’s a remarkably connected place in 2011, given that the city was divided for four decades after World War II and following its punishing defeat as the seat of Nazi power. Today, it seems (to me) utterly connected and reunited. It also appears to be a city that is obviously aware of, but not inordinately burdened by, its painful divisions and inglorious past. Berlin is a rollicking capital that does not deny its history – it marks it in unflinching ways – but it also presents the modern face of Germany and all that this rich, fascinating country offers. In the 20 years or so since Berlin resumed its position as the seat of government from Bonn, a slew of new construction that includes ministries and embassies has followed. The result is that Berlin today is an interesting, appealing and, as yet, unfinished mix of 21^st century glass and steel commercial structures alongside modern versions of stately government offices and buildings from earlier periods that either have been restored to their former glory or stand by shabbily but with potential.

It’s also a young city full of 20- and 30-somethings sitting around cafes with laptops or smartphones and – apparently – recovering from some late night revelry. Berlin was described in a recent article about the city’s entrepreneurship potential in the New York Times as a “dilettante party capital.” My spouse and I spent four days in Berlin in July with our 10-year-old son, so I can’t really speak to the level or quality of partying, but I did observe that Berlin seems to be a city in which you can easily scratch an itch, whatever it may be.

SETTLING IN TO OUR ‘HOOD: Thanks to the navigation in our rented BMW, we arrived from Thuringia state in central Germany to our destination in the heart of Berlin with ease following a three hour drive. Our home for four days was a two-bedroom apartment in the Prenzlauer Berg district, in the former East, which we rented through Brilliant Apartments, one of several apartment rental companies that operate in Berlin. Using an apartment rental service offered a great, lower cost alternative to a hotel with several key advantages: more room, a kitchen with a balcony overlooking a lovely courtyard, a fabulous location in a hip neighborhood of mostly young couples and families – straight and gay - with great shopping and dining. The nearest U-Bahn (Berlin’s Metro) station was just blocks away. An added plus was the ground floor Café Krone, which serves great coffee along with buttery and delicious chocolate croissants. And, thanks to Sandra, the wonderfully helpful manager of Brilliant Apartments, we were able to park our rental car for the duration of our visit at a nearby garage for just €26.

RAINY DAY, NO PROBLEM: Having spent four rainy days in Germany already, we awoke our first morning in Berlin to yet another day of rain. No worries. As we quickly learned, there is plenty to see and do in Berlin, both indoors and outdoors. After a late morning breakfast in our apartment, we dashed to the U-Bahn station at Eberswalder Strasse and made our way to the Potsdamer Platz. What once was a no-man’s land in divided Berlin today is a major commercial center of the city, and home to the Sony Center, a towering complex of hotels, shopping, dining and residences. Thanks to one of our son’s obsessions, we headed straight to one of the complex’s key attractions, the Lego Discovery Center. We spent the morning checking out all the amazing creations made from those tiny little bricks (e.g., the Bundestag in Legos, complete with a glass dome). Kids also get a chance to put their imagination to use and spend time creating their own Lego masterpieces. Our son enjoyed pitting his newly constructed race car against those of other junior designers.

Next up was the multi-level shopping center across the street, where we went to pick up adapters for my MacBook and our son’s DS player, and to grab lunch, where I had my first taste of wienershnitzel. Actually, it was the turkey version, the name of which sounded even funnier (to me): putenschnitzel.

As we headed outside, the rain had ended and the skies finally began to brighten, so we decided to walk towards the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s most iconic symbol. Newly refurbished, the Brandenburg Gate was built as a memorial to the military prowess of the Prussian army. Today, it’s a major tourist destination much like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, straddling a strategic location near the Bundestag to the north, the entrance to the enormous Tiergarten to the west, the Central Park of Berlin, and the Unter den Linden to the east, one of the most elegant boulevards in Europe. We also paused to respectfully walk through the plaza of more than 2700 concrete slabs that comprise the Berlin Holocaust Memorial or, as it is more descriptively named, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It’s a place where the laughter and chatter of nearby streets fades as people quietly reflect on this somber and gray place that makes the point of its existence beautifully and effectively.

ART AND HISTORY: From the Brandenburg Gate, we walked east along the Under den Linden, checking out the new embassies of the United States, Russia and France, then on to the Berliner Dom, the city’s main Protestant cathedral, before arriving at Museum Island – literally – an island in River Spree, ever inch of which is filled with the State Museums of Berlin, including the Bode Museum of Art, the New and Old National Galleries, a museum of Egyptian antiquities and, at our son’s choosing, our pick for the day. The Pergamon Museum houses a vast collection of classic antiquities from Greek and Roman civilizations, as well as collections of Near East and Islamic art. According to its website, the monumental reconstruction of archaeological building ensembles - such as the namesake Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus and the Ishtar Gate including the Processional Way of Babylon and the Mshatta Façade - has made the Pergamon world-famous.

We left the Pergamon and headed across the Spree to the reconstructed New Synagogue with its gleaming gold dome, an important symbol of the resiliency of Berlin’s Jewish community. After clearing the airport-like security, we walked to the top of the synagogue’s dome, which offers its own fine views of Berlin. The original building was set ablaze during the anti-Semitic orgy of Krystallnacht in 1938, and would have been destroyed, but for a fire brigade commander who would not sit idly by. Later, the ruined structure sat abandoned and overgrown in East Berlin, only to be restored to its former glory after reunification.

From the New Synagogue, we made our way back to our apartment in Prenzlauer Berg, scoping out the evening’s dining options on Oderberger Strasse, our home street for a few days. We settled on a café near our apartment building that served Thai, Chinese and Malaysian cuisine at outside tables with the temporary accessory of a flat-screen TV broadcasting the Women’s World Cup soccer match between France and Germany. Germany won that night and we saw no reason not to join in the home country celebrating.

Before leaving Berlin, we also managed to fit in visits to the world-famous Berlin Zoo and the Schwules Museum, which is the world’s only museum dedicated to the history of GLBT people. And, we had a final meal along the Kurfurstendamm, a posh, elegant boulevard in the former West lined with the likes of Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Berlin’s most famous retail emporium, the Kafthaus des Westens, which is abbreviated by everyone to KaDeWe.

We left Berlin wishing we had more time, but the BMW navigation was re-programmed for our next exciting stop: Munich and Bavaria.

CENTRAL GERMANY: A FIRST VISIT TO THE HEART OF EUROPE

My family and I are en route home from Munich via Philadelphia, having just spent 10 days in Germany, traveling from the center of the country, north to Berlin, and finally to Munich and Bavaria in the south. The question in my mind is why it took me so long to plan a trip to this fascinating, complex and generally amazing country. It’s not as if I was ignorant of Germany’s well-known charms and attractions; I learned of many over the years through articles and tales from friends. Somehow, though, Germany never quite made it to the top of my travel list, despite having circled the country with trips to Belgium, the Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands. Maybe, but I can’t be sure, it was because I subconsciously held some of my father’s views as a former U.S. Army soldier in Brussels at the end of World Word II.

In the end, it was the family reunion of my spouse, Raymond, which finally brought me to the Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Our initial destination and the site of the reunion events would be the tiny town of Uder in the state of Thuringia, a verdant and rolling land of beech and pine forests that once was part of the DDR, the Communist half of a formerly divided Germany. Today, it lies at the geographic center of this powerful visitor destination of more than 80 million. Since even before re-unification, the few members of Raymond’s large and extended family in Uder had maintained relationships with their American relatives. When it came time to plan the bi-annual event for 2011, his German relatives offered to host and the American side of the family leapt at the chance to spend some time in part of the ancestral homeland. Meanwhile, I leapt at the chance to tag along and visit his extended family, and to use the event as a jumping off point to see some of Germany’s main highlights.

ON THE ROAD: Like millions of travelers to Germany, we arrived at the Frankfurt am Main International Airport, Europe’s busiest. Also like many arrivals, we did not venture into this city of 660,000 to explore. Instead, after being talked into upgrading our rental car to a BMW with navigation (o.k., so it didn’t take much of a sell), we started our two-hour drive north towards Uder. But, this is not to suggest that Frankfurt lacks for reasons to linger. Its reputation as one of Europe’s most important centers of banking, finance and publishing is well known, but “Mainhattan” also tempts visitors with several top-notch museums, including the Museum for Modern Art, shopping, dining and nightlife, all within several attractive neighborhoods along the River Main.

But we had a full German agenda, so we headed north from the airport and onto the autobahn where I learned my first lesson of the trip, which is that lollygagging along in the left lane on German motorways can be hazardous to your health. The posted speed “suggestion” of 130 kmh was widely ignored by an endless parade of (mostly black) BMWs, Mercedes and Audis rocketing along at well north of 100 mph. And, German drivers do NOT appreciate having to slow down for your pokey self because you plan to take a left in Peoria.

The second lesson I learned is that Germans graciously welcome one’s butchered attempts to speak German. And, with very few exceptions, locals can deftly switch to English to keep things moving and on time, another German trait I came to greatly appreciate.

Shortly after 8 a.m., we made our first stop for breakfast in the ancient and picturesque university city of Marburg. The city and university date to the 13^th Century and the town center is a hilly and twisted warren of stairs and half-timbered buildings. On the early morning of our stop, the streets were full of university students groggily in search of their first caffeine and frühstück, the German breakfast. Despite locals’ linguistic dexterity, we still were too sleep-deprived to manage any multi-lingual communication beyond pointing, but we managed to secure a “Coca Cola Light” and rhubarb Danish before getting back on the road. Less than two hours later, our navigation voice, which Raymond had managed to switch from German to English featuring a lovely British accent, delivered us to the home of his German cousins.

Over the next three days, our German hosts treated us to a wonderful event that combined family time and sightseeing along with great food and company. They also went out of their way to showcase this region’s perhaps less well-known attractions. Uder is adjacent to Heilingenstadt, an immaculate and pleasant spa town of about 18,000 at the edge of the Eichsfeld, a beautiful, hilly and pastoral region of forests, manicured fields of corn and wheat, tidy small towns and some interesting history, ancient and recent. We visited the medieval Hülfensberg Church, which is perched atop a hill overlooking rolling valleys in every direction, and which features a cross that dates to the 11th century. Nearby, we spent a sunny afternoon at the Grenzmuseum, where visitors can stand at the former border that divided East and West Germany. On this beautiful afternoon, it was sobering to consider, looking out over abandoned guard towers and a verdant strip of green, how many people had died while trying to escape this narrow band of wall, mines and fences during the 40 years that divided this nation and its people.

The next day, I accompanied my sister- and brother-in–law and their daughter to the central train station (hauptbahnhof) in Göttingen, from where our niece was headed to Frankfurt to meet friends for a night of revelry in celebration of her birthday. After seeing her off, we set out to explore the pedestrianized central square of one of Germany’s most important university cities. Established in 1737 by King George II of England, who also ruled Hannover State, the University of Göttingen, also known as Georg- August University, long has been considered one of Germany’s top universities. It boasts a record number of 44 Nobel laureates and its alumni include the “Iron Chancellor,” Otto von Bismarck, the Brothers Grimm and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. In fact, as the story goes, an agreement during World War II between the Allied and Axis powers spared the bombing of both Göttingen and Heidelberg, home to one of Germany’s other top schools, while a similar sparing was accorded Cambridge and Oxford. On this gloomy and cool June day, we walked past the famous statue of the Goose Girl in front the Rathaus (Town Hall), who serves an integral role in the university’s graduation tradition, which involves planting a kiss on her to symbolize another important rite of passage. The central core boasts a number of shops and restaurants and it’s a very pleasant place to spend a morning or afternoon while visiting the region.

After a final reunion event that lasted well into the early morning hours, we said goodbye to our German, American and Polish family members the next morning and made our way out of Uder and towards our next stop in this first exploration of Germany. Next up, the rollicking capital of Berlin.

24 HOURS IN WASHINGTON

THE NATION'S CAPITAL: I work in Washington, D.C., commuting in every day from my home in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. From a glass half full perspective, that means I get the best of two, very different cities. From a glass half empty perspective, that means I spend up to 4 hours each day just getting from place to place. What that also means is that I rarely get to enjoy the nation’s capital outside the office, save an occasional celebratory lunch with colleagues. To remedy this, my spouse and I took the occasion of Valentine’s weekend to spend 24 hours in the city we know so well, but which we rarely get to enjoy. So, we set out for a quick slice of all that makes Washington such a world-class visitor destination.

THE DISTRICT: Although I have lived or worked in Washington for more than 10 years, I never fail to appreciate that the District – as locals call it – is a compelling and alluring mix of history, tradition, monuments, power and physical beauty. If you’ve never visited this city, you might miss that fact, given the penchant of many in today’s “media” to shorthand our current, caustic and rollicking political environment under the presumed pejorative of “Washington.” Washington may be the home of some elected official with whom you disagree. But, it’s so much more than a venue for politics. It’s a real, thriving, dynamic and struggling city full of incredibly diverse, talented and (mostly) hard-working citizens.

Though this wasn’t always the case, today it’s also among the world’s most sophisticated capitals. Overall, it’s an uber-educated and international metropolis of more than 5 million, yet it retains much of its formerly predominant Southern look and feel. I challenge any traveler not to be smitten by such an entrée of history and tradition that comes with several appealing sides, including a now-dynamic and diverse dining scene, awesome museums (many of which are free), a stuffed cultural and sports calendar, an expanding menu of cool-to-comfortable-to luxury hotel options, and an easy-to-use (but often overburdened) public transit system, the Metro.

BEYOND THE MONUMENTS AND THE MALL: Our 24 hours in Washington began with check-in at the Madison Hotel, a smart and stylish member of the Loews hotel chain located about 5 blocks from the White House. Other stylish lodging options nearby include the Jefferson and the Hotel Sofitel. Our room was a nice mix of tradition and sleek styling with a street view, although the location would prove less desirable the next morning. For some reason, the restaurant was closed, so we had a drink in the lobby bar. The Hendricks gin martini was fine but $17 seemed a bit steep, even for Washington. The last time I paid nearly 20 bucks for a cocktail, it came with a view from the lobby on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental in New York overlooking Central Park at Columbus Circle. Our view in the bar at the Madison was of Colonial print reproductions on the wall. But, we had dinner plans so it was time to get going.

Dinner was at the recently opened Washington outpost of P.J. Clarke’s, a New York tradition of steaks and seafood. The food and service were great and the setting was a mix of old-school New York and expense account lobbyist. Nearby alternatives include other steak or seafood chains like The Palm or McCormick and Schmicks; local favorites such as Georgia Brown’s with its Low Country comfort food offerings; or the many casual-to-fancy choices of Dupont Circle, Washington’s official gayborhood, just to the north.

We awoke Sunday morning to the sound of organized labor. Turns out, the Madison is the current object of union protests. I was conflicted. On the one hand, I support fighting for your rights. On the other hand, did it have to be under our window as we tried to (a) sleep; and (b) enjoy a quiet, romantic break. After I crossed the picket line, as the protestors chided me, for my morning run through the otherwise quiet streets of the District, we checked out and made our way to brunch.

Brunch was at Taberna del Alabadero, a slice of Madrid at the corner of 18th and I streets. The service is gracious and old world. During our visit, we enjoyed a brunch buffet featuring a menu from La Rioja region of España. The paella with lamb was a delicious alternative to the more traditional seafood-focused version that originates on the coast at Valencia. The crisp, white Spanish wine was a good call by our waiter, as were the empanadas filled with Almond crème.

After brunch, we considered a visit to either Hillwood, the museum-estate and former home of Marjorie Meriwether Post, or the Phillips Collection, a wonderful and manageable modern art museum just off Dupont Circle. Duty called back home, so we made our way out of Washington. One of my favorite ways to leave the city is to head out Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue, past the Vice President’s Mansion at the Naval Observatory, before turning onto Wisconsin Avenue at the Washington National Cathedral and continuing out to the Capital Beltway and home.

Sure, Washington can be a frustrating, expensive and sometimes disappointing city. But, it’s like no place else and it does belong to every American. The good news is that you will have to work hard at not having a good time when you visit your nation’s capital.

MY RULES: Washington is well-served by three airports, the incredibly convenient Reagan National Airport, just across the Potomac in Virginia and accessible via Metro; Dulles Airport, where most international flights land; and the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, which serves both Baltimore and Washington and also is a Southwest Airlines hub.

As to my second rule, diversity and openness are almost something residents of Washington take for granted. There are pockets and problems, but I could get married (again) in the District if I wanted to, and people of every race, religion, orientation and - yes - political persuasion keep busy every day making this a fascinating place in which to live or work or visit.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRIP

I am behind with my blog entries from the road. For now, this is about a different kind of journey.

Dear Senator Ferguson:

I am writing as a resident of District 46 to thank you for your leadership in sponsoring SB 116, the Maryland Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act. It is an important step forward for Maryland and I am hopeful it will soon become the law of our state.

To underscore how important this legislation is, I would like to add a personal perspective. All too often in this continuing and contentious debate over same sex marriage, gay Americans are reduced to ridiculous caricatures of predatory individuals with dubious morals seeking to force some sort of dangerous agenda on an unwilling majority. We, in fact, have no agenda and do not want to impact anyone else's marriages or families or lives. We are simply fighting for equal treatment for our relationships and families and lives. And, your effort has the potential to have real, permanent and positive impact on Marylanders.

I grew up in the much less tolerant state of Florida, the son of devout Catholics; my father was a tough Irish cop from Providence, Rhode Island. My parents loved me, but I had plenty of negative messages growing up that reinforced my own self-view that being gay was a terrible character flaw. It was not until I turned 40 that I came to accept that I could never change my orientation, it is not a character flaw, and self-hatred was a huge waste of time.

So, I stopped. Today, I accept that I am an imperfect, but hard-working, law-abiding, tax-paying citizen of the State of Maryland. I am an accomplished and respected lawyer serving the U.S. Government in Washington D.C. and a member of the Maryland Bar. My partner, who grew up on a farm in the Great Plains, is a licensed Maryland physician who specializes in community psychiatry. What that means is that he spends his days helping chronically mental ill Marylanders who mostly have no money. At home, we are busy with the demands of raising a nearly 10-year-old son. He is a happy, healthy 4th grader doing well in school who loves his dog, pet lizard, and who is obsessed with Legos. We're hard at work - just like every other parent - trying to raise an educated, respectful and productive citizen of this state and country. So, our "agenda" is to be good professionals, good parents and good citizens. We just want our family to be treated the same under the law as every other family.

We have chosen to make our professional and personal home in Maryland because of all this state has to offer. But, we would like for everyone to be able to take the same step in Maryland that we took in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2009, when we were married on the campus of my alma mater, Boston University. In Massachusetts, marriage equality is nearly 6 years old. And, when we arrived at the City of Boston Clerk's office to apply for our marriage license, the only reaction we encountered was the same response as every other couple (all straight) in line: "Use blue ink, $50 cash only." I was really happy to be treated as indifferently as every other marriage license applicant that day.

Thank you again for your support of fairness and equality.

Finally, I thought you might like to see a video clip of an impressive University of Iowa student speaking about the experience of being raised by two women, just before the Iowa House took a disappointing step backward from equality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQQK2Vuf9Q

Sincerely,

LOGGING HAPPY MILES IN AND AROUND PORTLAND

BOSTON, OREGON? It could have been so. As the story goes, the naming of Oregon’s largest city involved a bet between Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, two New Englanders who helped settle the area in the 1840s. Each wanted to name the new settlement near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers after his respective hometown: Boston in the case of Mr. Lovejoy, and Portland, Maine in the case of Mr. Pettygrove. As is obvious, Mr. Pettygrove won the best-of-three coin toss.

Although it shares a waterside setting and high quality of life with both its actual and potential namesakes, Portland today is an appealing and incomparable city and certainly not one in need of reference. It’s also frequently compared to its larger Pacific Northwest sister, Seattle, but Portland is its own distinct place: a vibrant, verdant, athletic, intellectual, hard-working, locally sourced and funky-yet-hip-yet-sophisticated metropolis of 2 million (MSA-wise). For me, it is one of my all-time favorite destinations and my affection only grows with each visit. Whether you experience plenty of sun or some of Portland’s famous “liquid sunshine” during your visit, you no doubt will go home a fan of this great, livable city.

SMITTEN: My excitement on arrival in Portland was hard to contain during that first visit. I arrived on a flight from Atlanta and, as we made our descent, the view of Mount Hood looming to the east and the forested city below made for love at first sight. I had come to town that trip to mostly check out the place and run a race at Nike world headquarters in nearby Beaverton. And, when I discovered that Portland is home to the world’s largest independent bookstore, Powell’s, well it really was over after that. I have returned many times over the years. In 2008, I concluded a cross country road trip in Portland just in time to enjoy Portland Pride, one of the largest on the West Coast. Last month, I returned to Portland to run a half marathon in the city’s well- organized and -attended Portland Marathon Festival weekend. During our most recent visit, my spouse and I also ventured out of Portland into Oregon’s wine country and the Columbia River Gorge. And, we checked out one of Portland’s newest revitalized(ing) neighborhoods.

FIRST, THE TRIP IN: For reasons that seem less clear now, we traveled to Portland from our home in Baltimore via Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport. I love Seattle very much, but I wouldn’t recommend flying into SeaTac for a visit to Portland unless your travels involve time in both cities and/or you can save a huge amount over landing at PDX, Portland’s very user-friendly, international airport. For one thing, PDX is easily connected to downtown by the city’s efficient light rail system, TriMet, which means that you don’t really need a rental car unless you plan to travel outside the city, a West Coast rarity (NOTE: much larger Seattle recently caught up to Portland in this regard and it is now possible to travel between downtown Seattle and SeaTac Airport via light rail).

But, there we were, on the south side of Seattle with a rental car. We decided not to try and squeeze in a lunch stop in Seattle with its many diversions and fairly serious traffic. Instead, we headed south toward our ultimate destination and made our lunch stop in Olympia, Washington’s surprisingly funky-yet-pleasing state capital at the southern end of Puget Sound. The drive from SeaTac to Olympia takes about 30 minutes and we parked the car and checked out the small but interesting strip of stores and restaurants in downtown Olympia, just in time for lunch. Right on the water, we found the Oyster House, an Olympia seafood tradition since the 1930s. After a tasty meal of oysters and fish, we made our way up the hill from downtown to the state capitol complex, a beautifully landscaped set of buildings with towering evergreens (Washington is the Evergreen State, after all) that also includes the state supreme court. The capitol building itself is impressive in its own right but a real treat was its well-stocked gift store on the ground floor run by a very friendly manager with whom we chatted while picking up some Washington-themed Christmas ornaments. Ornaments are our new fridge magnets. At this stop, we picked up some beautifully decorated glass bulbs featuring the art of Pacific Northwest Native Americans and a replica of one of the the ferries that comprise the state’s watery highway system across Puget Sound.

THE GORGE: Fueled up and having checked off another state capital, we made our way south, crossing over the Columbia River into Oregon. Instead of heading to our hotel in downtown Portland, we decided to take advantage of what proved to be the last sunny day for much of our visit and headed east into the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, a spectacularly beautiful recreational area straddling both sides of the Columbia in Oregon and Washington. Our first stop was the Vista House. Built between 1916 and 1918 as a memorial to those who had first traveled to Oregon, Vista House was an early version of a rest area along the old highway that connected Portland with eastern Oregon, but with what a view. Perched high above the river on Crown Point, the octagonal building, which reopened in 2006 after a major renovation, offers panoramic, 360-degree views up and down the Gorge. It’s well worth the detour off busy I-84 to catch the spectacular views.

A bit further east is one of my must-do Portland stops, Multnomah Falls, Oregon’s largest waterfall featuring a total drop of 620 feet. There is an arched bridge over the first of the falls’ two cascading sections. It’s such a beautiful spot to feel the spray of the water and look back out over the Gorge. It’s a very popular venue for local wedding photo shoots and you will know why after you visit.

DOWNTOWN DONE RIGHT: Few American cities in my view can claim as much success in maintaining a thriving, living central business district as can Portland. The combination of smart urban planning going back several decades, the natural assets of a riverside setting and Mount Hood looming in the distance, easy light rail and bus access to other neighborhoods, residential housing, and a thriving retail and dining scene makes downtown a perfect headquarters for a visit. After driving into the city from the Gorge, we checked into our hotel for the race weekend, the Hotel Monaco Portland. A Kimpton Hotels property, the Monaco upgraded us to a suite that made for a great place to chill when not in the lobby visiting Timmy, the hotel’s friendly Labrador host, or sampling free wine from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The hotel was perfectly situated near the start and finish of the half marathon. We also were right around the corner from Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland’s official living room, a red-bricked square of fountains and terraced seating that hosts a number of events throughout the year, including the annual lighting of the city’s Christmas tree.

After a quick nap following a long travel day from the East Coast, we walked a few blocks from our hotel to the Nines, a luxury Starwood property that is housed on the top floors of what was once the headquarters of Portland’s formerly landmark Meier and Frank department store (the bottom floors today are a branch of Macy’s, which phased out the Meier and Frank name several years ago ). The Nines has several dining options, including Urban Farmer, a restaurant that has the easy task of living by farm-to-table principles in a land as bountiful as Oregon. The atrium setting and cow print booths with canned produce in glass mason jars makes for a stylish yet old-fashioned look that works. From the perfectly dry martini made with locally distilled Aviation gin to my sirloin steak from the Basque Ranch in eastern Oregon, the meal was delicious and satisfying and local.

The next morning, I did a quick run along the river to get loosened up for my race, after which we met a local friend for lunch. At her suggestion, we went to Portland’s oldest restaurant. Dating to 1879, Huber’s menu is unusually but deliciously focused on turkey. Apparently, when it was more of a saloon than a restaurant during its early days, the barmen would offer turkey legs to thirsty patrons in an effort to keep temperance-minded local officials at bay. It also worked for me and the turkey and brie melt I ordered was quite tasty.

After lunch, we picked up my race packet and headed to Powell’s, where we spent two hours and never left the first two rooms. It’s hard to describe the scope and range of book subjects and titles at the sprawling complex that is Powell’s; it’s also quite unique for selling used and new copies of the same title alongside each other. As one example of its vastness, I went in search of books on Croatian history, having traveled to the Dalmatian Coast earlier in the year, and was not surprised – but impressed nevertheless – to find an entire shelf of books on a country that has existed officially only since 1991. For my final pre-race meal, we dined at the Red Star Tavern in the Monaco, which had great service and an eclectic menu of such dishes as oven roasted bone marrow, grilled octopus and organic beets with smoked tofu and white wine risotto.

IT’S RAINING? GREAT DAY FOR A RUN! Race morning arrived dark and chilly and wet. For a brief moment, I considered going back to bed and just telling people back home that I ran the Portland Half Marathon. But, I wanted the medal (that I will never wear, as it turns out) and other goodies that awaited me at the finish line. So, I asked the front desk for a trash bag to serve as my temporary rain coat, cut holes in it for my arms and made my way to the start line a few blocks away. Local runners were chatty and cheerful as we took cover under downtown office buildings during particularly strong bands of rain. They seemed not at all bothered by the weather. It occurred to me that I needed to embrace the experience completely or I’d be both wet and miserable instead of just wet. So, for the next two-plus hours, I ran 13.1 miles in the rain through the streets of Portland. As a runner of several races in several places over the years, I was struck by how many people were out cheering us on. What’s a little wet weather, they all seemed to be saying. The plus side of the rain: I finished neither overheated nor dehydrated. After a soak in the tub and a nap, my spouse and I were ready to continue our explorations.

WINE COUNTRY AND A SECOND STATE CAPITAL: As if on cue, by the time the valet brought the rental car around, the skies had cleared and the sun was beginning to peak through. We headed south out of Portland and into the increasingly famous, but still not overrun, Oregon Wine Country. As you leave the suburban stretches of the city, the rolling countryside of the Willamette River Valley, with the coastal range mountains to the west, comes into view. In Yamhill County, we searched for the home of one of my favorite Oregon wines, Adelsheim Vineyards. After getting slightly but happily lost among hazelnut orchards and rows of wine grapes, we found Adelsheim on the outskirts of Newburg. Their Pinot Gris is a favorite of mine. We also sampled their non-oak Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for which they also are well known, and shipped home a perfect souvenir: a case of their whites and reds. Because I was feeling worn out from my morning’s activities, we skipped any additional wine tasting stops, but did continue our drive south through the beautiful countryside before arriving in Salem, Oregon’s state capital.

Although it is the state’s third largest city, Salem feels more like a big college town than a city. It’s a pleasant place along the Willamette River and, of course, the center of political life in Oregon. On the Sunday afternoon we visited, downtown was relatively quiet but certainly not dead. Our first stop was the beautiful and unique Art Deco state capitol building. As I learned, the building opened in 1938, which explains its architectural style, and is the third state house in Salem. The two prior capitol buildings were destroyed by fire. Unlike most state house domes, the Oregon capitol building has a flat dome roof, atop of which stands a gold statue of the Oregon pioneer. Across the street is the lovely campus of Willamette University, which dates to 1842, making it the oldest university in the West.

BACK IN TOWN: After chatting with friendly locals at the nearby Starbucks, we made our back into Portland. In addition to downtown, Portland is a city of many great neighborhoods with their own distinct appeal. On prior visits, I have had fun exploring the shops and restaurants and other attractions of the Northwest District along N.W. 21st and N.W. 23rd avenues, and the Belmont and Hawthorne neighborhoods in Southeast Portland. Another must-see Portland stop is the great, urban green space of Washington Park, which houses the city’s famous International Rose Test and Japanese gardens among its many attractions.

On this visit, we decided to spend our final evening checking out the newly resurgent Mississippi neighborhood in North Portland. Named for the street that runs north and south through an area not far from the Rose Garden, home of the NBA Portland Trailblazers, this formerly down-on-its-luck neighborhood has lured artists and others who followed back with its cheap rents and ideal location on a hill overlooking downtown. Today, Mississippi has new residential housing alongside some funky and cool shops and restaurants, including a great gift store named Gumbo and SheBop, which describes itself as a female-friendly sex toy boutique. SheBop was closed so I can’t report, but I did bring home some navy and tan saddle oxfords from a great consignment store. After checking out several restaurant menus along the avenue, we ended up stuffing ourselves on a pizza made with chicken, ricotta, bacon and pine nuts on a garlic olive base at Mississippi Pizza. In addition to the pizza, Mississippi is a live music venue with a back room bar, so we enjoyed a performance by an all women’s band as we ate our pizza and washed it down with, what else, Oregon wine.

Monday morning arrived and we said goodbye – for now – to Portland and made our way back to SeaTac and home. As you cross the Columbia River bridge from Portland into neighboring Vancouver, Washington, a sign thanks you for visiting Oregon. No, thank YOU, Portland and Oregon. I can’t wait until my next visit.

THE RULES: I have not been speaking to my rules in recent posts. As it turns out, Portland probably would comply with both. First, it’s easily accessible by most major airlines, including our BWI-hub favorite Southwest. Second, although Oregon law is not at the leading edge of equality, Portland is a town that has an openly gay mayor and - more broadly - seems a place where GLBT residents don’t need their own neighborhood because they are integrated - and generally welcome - throughout the city.