“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great
Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your
head.
You have feet in your
shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And
you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll
decide where to go.”
Deciding where to go...it's not as easy as Dr. Seuss makes it sound
This is often a problem when traveling…for me anyway. I’m a Type A personality. Anal-retentive. A bit of a freak planner.
Sometimes too much so.
Planning every second of every trip is something I used to
do, and something on which I have had to work as I age. And I’ve done pretty well, if I do say so
myself!
I no longer make plan after plan and appointment after
appointment. Mostly because I have had
some of my best travel experiences through unplanned stops based on the
recommendations of others.
This is my
newest way to travel: less planning and
more spontaneity.
Though it is much harder than it sounds--for me--this plan
of action paid off on my recent adventure in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. I’m calling these unexpected treats off-the-beaten-path, hidden gems. And they were great surprises!
McMinnville was the
first surprise. Okay, so this isn’t
off-the-beaten-path or hidden, but having McMinnville as the home base for the
majority of the trip was such a splendid turn of events. My husband and I stayed just blocks from the
adorable downtown area in the cutest historic rental (check vrbo.com for
options), making navigating the region quite easy.
Our first treat came in the form of amazing restaurants in the
historic city center, most on or near Third Street. Spanish-inspired dishes awaited us at LaRambla, a quaint, tapas-style
establishment. To say the food was
amazing was an understatement. Our table
of four shared lamb nachos, the fondue special, mussels in wine sauce, and fried
empanadas, all paired with a great bottle of Domaine Serene Pinot Noir. Though we were completely stuffed after the
meal, we did share a glass of port-style, local wine from the extensive wine
list which featured many Oregon options, as well as other wines from around the
country and world.
Nick’s Italian Cafe
was the next Third Street surprise. It
was another highly recommended spot by the locals, so we knew we couldn’t
miss. More delicious culinary options
awaited our small group. The crab
lasagna was absolutely amazing, so amazing that it was featured in Saveur
Magazine, along with Nick, owner of the establishment for all 39 years it has
been in operation. Another amazing wine
list where we enjoyed a Willamette Valley wine (and Oregon beer) helped make
the meal complete. After, we moved
to the back of the restaurant where the locals hangout. Eventually, my husband started visiting with a
friendly patron, who just happened to be a wine maker there for a
cocktail. Then our group was joined by
Nick himself, conducting his evening check on his business. A hidden gem for sure!
Downtown McMinnville was filled with shops and eateries of
all kinds, but we found a great jewel in R Stuart & Co for wine. Honestly, our group
of four stopped there because it was open, and we weren’t yet ready for
dinner. However, these breaks often turn
into the best experiences, and this was the case here. We sat at a table looking out on bustling Third
Street while we sipped on the three different lines of wines R Stuart produces in
McMinnville. The Love, Oregon brand had beautiful labels on the outside of the bottle with great wines on the
inside. My favorite was the Love, Oregon
rosè, perhaps the prettiest bottle of wine I have seen for some time. However, the R Stuart reserve pinot noirs
were simply splendid examples of what the grape can do in the Willamette Valley.
Moving away from the lively town, we headed to more local-favorite
wineries. One such spot was White Rose Estate. Nestled in the rolling vineyard hills was
this picturesque destination. A small
producer of pinot noir, it could be easily missed…but it shouldn’t! The tasting room was a unique find in, and of,
itself. After stepping inside, I felt I had entered a treehouse, suspended in mid-air.
The steep, enclosed roof added to the ambiance. There were no windows, but there was also no need.
The amazing pinot noirs deserved all the attention here. Another special aspect was the out-of-house
bathroom—no, not an outhouse, just out-of-house. It added to the whimsical feel of being in another
place and time, a place and time with fabulous Willamette Valley wines!
Not necessarily unknown or concealed, Sokol Blosser made my list for a special reason. Yes, the wines here were amazing; yes, the
service was top notch; yes, the surroundings were splendid; and, yes, the
establishment was quite historic. All of
these were motives for visiting, but there was another, lesser-known purpose as
well: tasty food enjoyed in the outdoor
areas. Sokol Blosser has an in-house
chef who creates great specials. The customary
cheese and charcuterie board pleased with every bite, but the chef’s house-made
hummus and pita bread made a lunch with an amazing view. These specials change daily, so multiple
trips would be wise to enjoy all Sokol Blosser has to offer.
Further south in the Willamette was another hidden gem—Left Coast Cellars. One late afternoon, my hubby and
I were looking for a quick bite to eat.
Left Coast was another recommendation from natives, the highest honor in
my book. We parked and admired the
breathtaking grounds. Inside, we ordered
a house-made sandwich to share as a late lunch.
We noticed a gray-haired gentleman working in the kitchen as we started
our tasting. We sipped on two different
sparkling options, moved onto white wines, and ended with several excellent
pinot noirs. Our light fare arrived, and
we enjoyed the food with the wines.
Soon, the gray-haired gentleman came out after noticing our Wyoming
license plate. This man working in the
kitchen just happened to be a former resident of our neighbor state, Colorado...and the owner of the entire organic Left Coast Cellars property! We had quite the visit about his background and
the farm. This was the last stop of our
week-long stay, and that it was such an exceptional surprise seemed only
fitting for our whole trip, a trip where the unplanned destinations seemed
meant to be.
“So…
be your name Buxbaum or
Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van
Allen O’Shae,
you’re off to great
places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is
waiting.
So…get on your way!”
Dr. Seuss may have said it best about traveling through life—there
are so many places to go. But many of these great places shouldn’t be
found by planning every step of the way.
Many of these treasures will only be found by going off the usual path,
being spontaneous, and listening to others.
Don’t by Type A, don’t be anal-retentive, don’t be…the old
me. Learn to go with the flow and enjoy
the twists and turns life throws your way.
The best laid plans can be good now and then, but the hidden gems of
travel just might be some of the greatest memories of a destination.
