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Moving

The Mobile Jason has found a new home at jasonzangari.com

City of Brotherly Love

My time here in Philly has come to end. Though I have been hundreds of
times, I still amazed it's beauty.

Today's weather was perfect. We took a walk from our hotel to the
museums, it was so beutiful. I am sad to be heading back to Baltimore.
Especially since I would much rather be watching the Flyers here
instead of my house.

Atlantic City

It has been awhile since I have been mobile. This is a just an
overnight trip. We are trying pack a trip to AC and Philly in a 24
hour period. We have survived the AC part and have just checked into
our Philly hotel. Next up is dinner. Stay tuned.......

Time Machine

I am not sure why Amazon is not marketing their new time machine. I sure hear a lot about the Kindle, but they managed to make my order got back to New Years Eve 1969. 

Gunpowder Falls

Gunpowder Falls, originally uploaded by Fluffhead29.

This more of a test then a post. I am trying a new way of posting on
the go.

I spent yesterday morning hiking at Gunpowder Falls State Park. A
Thursday morning was great time to go there was hardly anyone there. I
hiked for about 1.5 miles before I realized I had not brought any
water with me, and my bad ankle started to swell. So next time I am
wrapping my ankle and bringing a ton of water.

Belvedere Square

Today during my lunch break I ventured to Belvedere Square a mini
stripmall/upscale market. I had to get some film developed at TechLab
(which is great and highly recommended) I stopped in to get something
to eat at Ceriello. Ceriello is a fantastic Italian specialty shop
inside the square.

I got a Abruzzo panini which is a whole host of Italian meats. I think it included Mortadella, Salami, and my favorite the hot Cappi.  It also had a nice touch of provolone and roasted red peppers. What made it memorable was the balsamic vinegar. 

It was a beautiful day to sit outside and eat to the roots of my Southern Italian heritage. 

Opening Day

Ah no two words are sweeter then opening day. Today was a gloomy
and rainy day, but it was the beginning of baseball season. It was a
good day.

4 Star Hotel Baltimore

Is this the best hotel in Baltimore? Actually it is my hospital room
for my sleep study. I get to spend the night with sensors and tubes
stuck to me. The fun never really stops.

Home Sweet Home

I was on the go today for Easter. Amy and I traveled to Lancaster Pa today the ancestral home of the Zangari family.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner of ham, and college basketball. I watched
in horror as my brackets went down in flames with Georgetown's loss. I guess there is always next year.

Fogo de Chao

Ah Fogo de Chao, one of the most decedent restaurants in the world.  All you can eat prime cut steak, chicken, pork, and lamb. Baltimore is lucky to play host to one of the US locations of this Brazilian restaurant. 

This was my second trip to Fogo de Chao, and it has not lost its charm yet. The meat is excellent, well seasoned and the perfect temperature.  The sides mashed potatoes, polenta, and fried bananas are not quite up to par with the meat, but I hope no one is heading to Fogo for the sides.  

My favorite cut has to be the house speciality top sirloin. There is just a hint of garlic that makes it mouth watering. The Filet Mignon is also very tasty.  This time around I tried the beef ribs which were surprisingly tender.  My only complaint to the dining experience was that the pork tenderloin did not make the rounds often enough. 

Dining at Fogo de Chao is a remarkable experience, but be prepared to pay for it. We went at lunch and it ran us about $80 including tip. If you are going for dinner you could easily double the price. If you are a fan of steak, this is a can't miss stop in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.

Oregon Summary

Here is a quick summary from the trip to Oregon. 

Day 2

Columbia River  Gorge

This is a must do if you heading to Oregon.  You can complete the Gorge and still make it back to Portland for dinner.  The views are spectacular and you do not have to be a outdoorsy type to enjoy. 

Day 3 

Portland

I was amazed at the amount of things to do in Portland. There were way to many activities to pack into one day. 

The Oregon Zoo

This was a great time. I had not been to a zoo and years. This is large by East Coast standards, and the animal habitats are nicely done. We had a beautiful day to enjoy walking around.  For the photographers, there are great shots to be had. Though we were there in midday day, and there was not a lot of shade.  I would recommend the zoo, it was a nice change of pace for jam packed vacation.  On a side note if you take public transportation you get a discount on admission. 

The Japanese Gardens

First let me say that I am sure that the Japanese Gardens, are beautiful in the spring, and summer. However, they were quite disappointing in February. This should not be shocking, but they still charge full price to get in about $8. Would I recommend it, probably when it is in season but not during the winter. 

Pioneer Square

Pioneer Square is the center of downtown Portland.  There is quite a bit to do in the general vicinity.  There is a nice mall if you are in the mood to do some shopping. There is also a large stand alone Nordstrom Rack if you are looking for some bargains. It is worth a trip to check out the stores and restaurants. 

Day 4 The Coast

The trip to the coast is more time consuming then the Columbia River. If you are short on time I recommend staying the general Portland vicinity because you will find more then enough to do there. If you are feeling intrepid however and went to venture to the coast read on.

The Oregon coast is stunning. The trip is worth it for the drive alone.  The drive to Tillamook is about an hour and half. The drive takes you through more mountains, and some nice scenic views. When you get to Tillamook it worth a trip to the Cheese factory. Though it is very cheesy(I am really really sorry for the pun, but it is the most apt description) The food is great, and there is free cheese. I had a cheeseburger and a milkshake that were out of this world. 

The must do thing on the coast however is to hop on Highway 101 and just drive. The Pacific Coast Highway is by far the best drive in the United States.   A word of caution if you are driving North most of the scenic overlooks are on the West side, you have to cross traffic, so keep and eye out.  

That is a short summary of what see and do in Oregon if you only have a few days there.  I will hopefully post soon, quick summary of places to eat. 

 

Columbia River Gorge Photo's

I have posted the first of the photos I took in Oregon you can see them on flickr.

iPhone Posting

The beauty of all the posts from Oregon, was that they were done on my iPhone.  The downside is that there are probably many typo's and formatting issues. So please excuse them, because I will take them any day over having to take my laptop with me on vacation. 

Day 4- The Coast- Highway 101

The Pacific Coast Highway otherwise known as Highway 101 is supposed
to be one of the most scenic drives in the U.S. However I was not
prepared for how beautiful is was actually going to be.

We drove about 40 miles from Tillamook to Canon Beach. I wish the
picture would do it justice but it cannot.

At one point(pictured) we came to a scenic overlook. From our vantage
point we could see the mountains, the Pacific and the dense fog we had
just driven through.

Amy enjoying her burger

Portland Day 4-Tillamook

The Tillamook Cheese factory is the Chocolate World of Oregon. Minus
the the chocolate world ride. We did get to see people in white hats
making cheese.

If you ever have a chance to have it the sharp cheddar is excellant. I
had a cheesburger in the cafe with tater tots,it was pretty tasty.

Portland Day 4-The Coast

Since we have in Oregon we have explored Portland, the Columbia River,
and Mt. Hood. Today we journeyed to the Pacific coast.

The coast is about 2 hours from Portland. Our first stop was the Cape
Meares lighthouse. We went for a brief hike in the forest which was
primordial. It looked like it was taken straight from Jurassic Park.

Our next stop was the Tillamook Cheese factory, which I think was
Amy's whole reason for the trip.

Oregon Day 3

Yesterday was exhausting. After breakfast we trecked straight up an
enormous hill. Amy claimed it was a short walk to the park, but it
really wasn't.

After what seemed like hours we reached the Japanese gardens. The
garden was nice but not worth the $8 price of admission. The garden
was in the process of being prepared for spring. I am sure the park is
great, just not in Febuary.

After the Gardens we headed to the Zoo. The was great it was a
beautiful day and all the animals a were out. I took a ton of photos
that I will post when we get back.

We then took the MAC downtown. The MAC is Portland's light rail
system. We headed to Pioneer Place, which is a mall(yes a mall)

More to come about our dinner at mothers bistro.

More Happy Hour

Amy enjoying her pom-cosmo

Happy Hour

Happy hour at Mother's Bistro

Day 3 Breakfast

Day three started with breakfast at the Byways cafe. Amy choose to go
with an enormous corn beef hash. I just had some gigantic pancakes.

It is a gorgeous day here, about 60 and sunny. We have vigorous day of
walking ahead of us.

Portland Day 2 Pt 2-The Dalles

This entry is dedicated to all those who spent their elementary
schools days playing Oregon Trail.

Those of you who were lucky enough to make it to Oregon would be
greeted with the message congratulations you have made it to The
Dalles. Today twenty years later I finally made it.

I got here witout dying from dysentery, or from indians. Though I did
choose to ford the Green River which was a huge mistake.

Portland Day 2 Pt 1

What a day! We have just arrived back at the hotel, and I am
exhausted. We had a very full day exploring the area east of Portland.

The day started with a drive along the Columbia River Gorge. The views
were spectacular. The highway is lined with beautiful waterfalls. The
most famous of these is the Multnomah Falls(pictured below).

I photographed so many waterfalls today I lost count. The view of the
gorge and the waterfalls is well worth the whole trip to Portland.

Portland

We have finally arrived in Portland. We are staying at the Hotel de
Luxe, which seems very nice. Our rooms were not ready so we decided to
venture out into the city.

The hotel is located near the Pearl District, we decided to check it
out. I was starving, and was craving good street food. We found a taco
stand, that had asada tacos for $1.25 a piece. Amy got a chile
relleno, that looked so tasty.

We are back at the hotel now, but our room is not ready yet. I just
want to crash for a little bit.

MT. Hood

As we got closer to Portland Mt. Hood appeared out of our plane window.

Rainy Chicago

My Posture For the Last Hour

Chicago

Ah an actual post. I am on the road, actually on a plane to be exact.
I am enroute to Portland, OR. I am now in what has become an
excruciating long layover in Chicago.