Worship in Pacific City

When I was here in May, I visited the Nestucca Valley Presbyterian Church and found it a very welcoming congregation. Thus, I went back today. They had a visiting pastor who did an excellent job and gave a very thought provoking sermon which I enjoyed. It will be my "home church" in Pacific City.

Art in Pacific City & Riverhouse Review

Randall Koch (husband of Lainie who works at the Concierge desk at the Cottages) opened a new one man show at the Row Boat Gallery last night, and we stopped by on the way to dinner. His theme is "Encountering Life in Inanimate Objects". His are is quite compelling, and we enjoyed his talk about his influences.

Susan, Sam & I had dinner at the Riverhouse Restaurant after the exhibit. I had not been there since 2008 as they were closed at Christmas in 2009, and the restaurant had a fire in 2010 and was remodeling that year when Irene & I were here.

Riverhouse is a quaint little restaurant located in the second story of a building on the Nestarts River. There are only 11 tables and windows on both sides for a view of either the river or town. Everything is fresh and to order, and the staff beyond friendly!

Sam ordered The Works, a loaded burger. Susan had their crab sandwich, and I ordered one of their seafood specialties, the Coquille St. Jacques, scallops and mushrooms in a lightly spiced cream sauce with Parmesan cheese which is baked. The scallops were every bit as good as I remembered, and Susan loved the crab sandwich. Of course, it is hard for a good restaurant to screw up a burger. Both Susan & Sam had potato salad for sides. Susan said it was on the mild side and very good.

Another great restaurant to explore when you visit The Best Little Beach Town!

A Bit of Shopping

Susan & Sam enjoyed the Grateful Bread, and we visited the Village Merchant afterward. Next door to the Merchant is a very unique store containing treasures that will make you smile, the Dapper Frog. It is an art store with unique art glass, paintings, sculpture and much more and certainly worth a stop!

Back to Pacific City!

My permanent week at the Cottages began yesterday. I arrived mid-afternoon before my unit was ready which was fine. I had time to visit Deja Vu and see the girls and drop in at the front desk at the Inn at Cape Kiwanda to say hi to those friends as well.

My sister Susan and her hubby Sam arrived as I was finishing unpacking the truck. We attended the reception at the Concierge desk. I left early to prepare my nearly world famous :) seafood stew. Susan thought it was great, and Sam (the meat & potatoes kind of guy) said it was OK which I thought was a high compliment.

Shortly it will be off to the Grateful Bread for a Hang Town Fry. Stay tuned for new adventures at The Best Little Beach Town in Oregon!

Saturday, May 28, 2011 (Postscript)

Throughout the week I was on the coast enjoying seafood, I was concerned that I would come home and weigh myself and discover I'd gained ten pounds!

I was pleasantly pleased this morning to discover I had actually lost two pounds! A modest breakfast and lunch with a bit of exercise added to the mix was the key!

So, one can tour Pacific City and the central Oregon coast, enjoy all the coastal seafood and not have to worry about taking off added pounds when returning home if one is simply sensible about what is consumed!

Friday, May 27, 2011

It was a bitter sweet day as I had to leave Cape Kiwanda and return home. However, I had to have one last seafood fix before departing. The Pelican Pub & Brewery had two breakfast specials, a bay shrimp frittata and smoked salmon Benedict. I elected to go for the Benedict. King salmon cured in Kiwanda cream ale brine and slowly smoked over hickory wood chips sounded too good to pass up. I must confess to not having eggs Benedict with anything other than Canadian bacon; so, this was a new experience.

I was not disappointed. The salmon had a delicate flavor that married well with the hollandaise sauce. It was a filling feast that kept me through the four and one-half hour drive home.

I am looking forward to August and my return to Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda. Until then, travel safely and eat well!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Today was blustery again with frequent storm showers, but it is Oregon and May storms are not unusual. We know how to deal with it. The rain did stop long enough this afternoon for a walk on the beach. I took the opportunity to explore the tidal pools that are on the beach just outside the condo. I had been there before, but did not really know what I was looking for and felt disappointed. As luck would have it, I met a young family from New Mexico that was vacationing here. The husband was raised in Pacific City and knew his tidal pools! He was kind enough to show me the various types of life in the pools, and it was quite thrilling to see ochre starfish, blue mussels, barnacles, and anemones. I did not take my camera due to the weather conditions. Next time, I will bring both my pocket digital camera as well as the SLR digital!

After returning to the condo from the tidal pool lesson, I wanted to learn more. I drove into town and stopped by the Village Merchant, a rather eclectic store that carries everything from clothing to books, lotions, soaps, and many decorative items. I always like to visit at least once while here to see what is new. I was not disappointed and found a National Audubon Society Field Guide to Seashore Creatures. Now I'm equipped for my next visit in August.

The big foodie event of the week was the introduction of the Pelican Pub & Brewery's summer ales - Winema Wit, Surfer's Summer Ale, and Ankle-Buster Ale. I absolutely was not going to miss that event! The Wit is fermented with Belgian yeast and seasoned with orange peel, coriander and cardamom. The flavors mix well for a snappy, refreshing and fruity-spicy character. It pairs well with seafood as I discovered. Surfer's is a much lighter beer but still full bodied with a rounded malt aspect finishing smooth and clean. It is a wise choice for a light summer lunch or soup and salad dinner. Ankle-Buster is the darkest of the three with color much like an IPA. With an herbal hop character and Belgian yeast aromas, and a toasty and caramel-like flavor yet a clean dry finish it is an excellent choice for a burger or steak.

The meal specials change every Thursday. I started with a side Caesar salad. I was drawn to the Mediterranean style grilled tuna. The yellowfin was grilled medium rare and served over a bed of Winema Wit couscous and sauteed spinach, topped with Mediterranean style salsa with tomato, cucumber, kalamata olives, fresh oregano, lemon juice, and garlic. I chose a 20 ounce Wit to accompany the meal. The kalamata olives added a rich, oily, salty flavor to the tuna, and the whole meal was a delight to the palate.

Hopefully, the summer ales will still be available if you decide to have your own adventure in Pacific City!