So we did the Art Walk last night. We started up at the East End studio of Elizabeth Fraser and wandered down toward Rabelais Books, stopping at four or five places along the way. If you’re going to come out in June and want to see as much art as possible, I’d recommend sticking to the downtown arts district near Monument Square. However, if you want a lovely evening walk with some art and a few tasty bites to eat, Munjoy Hill is the place to be.
After checking out Elizabeth’s awesome collection of daily 5″ paintings, we headed across the street to Hilltop Coffee Shop for some of the least expensive, yet best, coffee available in Portland. Two small lattes and a bottled drink (our friend Jen was with us) for $6 is pretty rare these days. They had a few small nibbles laid out as well, and the girls gave these very positive reviews. The atmosphere was a cozy local coffee house. We would have stayed and hung out if there weren’t more walking to be done.
Wandering down Congress St., we stopped into a few shops and studios, and made our way into Home Grown Herbs and Tea, also on Congress Street. Unfortunately, we still had our Hilltop cups half full, so we did not order any of the array of herbal teas she had on offer. we did try some of the appetizers that were laid out. The grape leaves, stuffed with something we couldn’t quite figure out (I say there was some fennel in it, but that was definitely not all) were quite tasty. We’ll have to head back to this one next time we fancy some tea.
Finally, we turned down India St. on our way to Rabelais. First, however, we came upon Duckfat. Being a little peckish by then, we simply had to stop for some Belgian fries. Though I’ve read wonderful reviews of Duckfat’s potato delights, Amber and I had not yet found ourselves in that area at meal time. Sad, given that we’ve lived here nearly two years now. We remedied the situation with a large order of fries to go and a couple of dipping sauces for the side. The curry mayo was the favorite. We will, without a doubt, be going back to see what comes off the panini press at this delightful little sandwich and fry shop. And yes, the fries were worth every single calorie. I will gladly spin an extra few miles on my bike this weekend to burn them off. Jen assured us that their milkshakes are equally fabulous. More research is needed…and I’ll be the first to volunteer.
We’re already looking forward to June 5 for the next Art Walk. The Monument Square area is not without its own delightful eateries, and I’m sure I’ll have some more food notes to share the next day. I’m just sorry we waited so long to check out First Friday. Portland is a great little city, and if you’ve only ever explored the Old Port area, the Art Walk may be the perfect excuse for you to branch out a little and see what else she has to offer. You won’t be disappointed.