We started our day with lunch in McMinnville. It is a charming little town, with a quaint main street and lots of interesting shops and restaurants. We ate at a the Red Fox Bakery where we had very nice sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, and strolled through the old Hotel Oregon, now a McMenamin's property. They've done a nice job of restoring the place; it was busy with lunch patrons. After ice cream at Serendipity, we hit the road in earnest.
Larry and Emily wanted to go to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, the home of the Spruce Goose, so we dropped them off there, where they spent the next few hours in the company of planes, engineering feats, and space exploration. Jeff and I headed off for a less technical pursuit.
First, we stopped in at Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey. Jeff found a mention online of the fruitcakes they bake there, so we had to check it out. They are situated on 114 acres of forested land, and bake fruitcake and datenut cake (both saturated with copious amounts of brandy!) and produce creamed honey. They also have a book bindery and calligraphy center. There is a guest house where individuals can come to stay and contemplate life, nature, and God in a peaceful atmosphere. The Abbey was built in the '70's, so it's not an old historic structure, but rather contemporary with lots of windows letting light and natural views take center stage.
Next, it was time to get serious about vineyards. Since we left Larry and Emily at the museum, we limited our wine tour to vineyards in that vicinity. And there were plenty! We hit seven or so, and, although we never had a drop to drink, we saw some breathtaking views. Set in the rolling Dundee hills, this is some of the most beautiful scenery around.
En route to a vineyard, we came across a sign that mentioned olive oil tasting. Of course, we had to check it out, and discovered Red Ridge Farm. They grow herbs, flowers, and olive trees, and have a press on site for producing olive oil. We may not have tasted any wine, but we did taste the olive oil. And, yes, there are definite differences. This would be another pretty setting for a wedding one day (with two daughters, I'm collecting ideas), and they do have a facility for receptions and other events on the grounds.
With just a little time to spare before heading to pick up Larry and Emily from the museum, we made a quick visit to the Old Schoolhouse Antique Mall. I'm afraid I lack that "antiquing" gene so prevalent in my mother, but Jeff has it in spades. He explored a bit, but didn't cover the entire three floors and outbuilding full of furniture, porcelain, and glass. Alas, they needed to close, and we needed to pick up the rest of the family.
All in all, a lovely day, in which we each got to do exactly what pleased us within the space of a few square miles!
No comments:
Post a Comment