October 16, 2015. Day trip to McMinnville, a new home possibility?

LOCATION:  House-sitting in Portland, Oregon

WEATHER:  Another fantastic sunny day. Highs in 70s

George did yard work, including mowing and blowing.  Why do guys seem to love leaf blowers?

After calls with our daughters, we hit the road, going west toward the Williamette Valley.  We stopped in a very friendly winery and tasted some great wines. They credited the cost of the tasting, $10, toward our wine purchases.  I wish all wineries would do that.  They also gave us a snack pack, as I had a coupon for that.  :-)

McMinnville was our destination.  There is a McMenamins hotel there, right downtown, for our passports.  

We had lunch at their rooftop bar.  

McMenamins owns several hotels that they have renovated, yet kept an old-style feeling.  In order to redeem our prize, we had to do a scavenger artwork hunt.  Several of the McMenamins places do this.  The clue today was "He has more than wine on his mind".  We roamed the hotel halls, full of paintings and posters, and found it.....

We strolled through the downtown.  We think this might be a town where we could settle in, if we decide to of so.  Some of its advantages are...

About 35 miles west of Portland, with easy access to light rail from SW suburb
About another 50 miles to the coast
Nice size...35k population
Seems prosperous 
Lovely downtown full of cute shops and restaurants.  Spanish, Italian, Costa Rican, French, and lots    of wine bars and tasting rooms.  Even a downtown small grocery.
Very "walkable"
Lots of posters announcing plays, concerts, art walks
Brewpubs
In the heart of wine country
Small private college there

We even talked to a realtor!

We followed our noses to a brewpub that was brewing today...you could smell the malt.  It was a "Cheers" kind of pub.  Cozy and very friendly.  

Back downtown, local businesses, like the local newspaper, had decorated for Halloween...

We stopped back at the McMenamins Hotel, to get our last passport stamp at their cellar bar that opens at 5;00, then redeemed our prizes of stemless wine glasses and a t-shirt.  

Then back to Portland.  

DINNER:  George grilled some chicken thighs.  I served them on a bed of spaghetti sauce (leftover from another night), with added garlic and onions.  Served over leftover seasoned rice.  Another gourmet meal at an inexpensive price.