McMinnville, Oregon: We really should be getting home. Tomorrow (Saturday) night friends are coming over for dinner and staying to watch the Duck v Cougar game (ESPN, 7:30p pacific) and I suppose we should be there. But we didn't go home. We decided to linger one more day and visit one more restaurant on our list.
Since this RV park is next to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, we noticed a stream of Model T Ford cars lined-up in the parking lot... so we stopped by to investigate. The owners were queued up behind the cars, waiting their turn at a lunch buffet, so we could not ask questions - we assumed it was a club or rally. Many of the cars were Canadian-owned and we saw several RV's in our campground with car trailers... so it was starting to add up.
The cars were beautifully restored! Many were made in 1914 and there were several varieties - open-top, enclosed, two-seaters, four-seaters, pick-ups - everything. Imagine having to hand-crank your engine!We did not tour through the air museum (home of the Spruce Goose), as we have visited several times previously. The complex now features a Wings & Waves Water Park - with a 747 on the roof!
Our destination for our pre-luncheon stroll was the pretty little town of Carlton. Carlton is another town that has been revitalized by the wine industry and tourism.
Republic of Jam: This Ain't Your Grandma's JamWe have also dined previously in Carlton, so today decided to try a new place, Barrel 4orty7even. Since there is a huge bank vault in the corner, we are going to assume the building used to be a bank. Now it is chic and hipsterish and they serve good sandwiches, salads and a limited entrees.
Maybe the jam sold across the street "ain't your Grandma's jam", but this was definitely like my Grandma's fried chicken. Crunchy! There are several interesting lunch spots in teeny Carlton, including the town's only food cart, Henry's Diner:
We also visited the bricks-and-mortar version of the bake shop we patronized yesterday at the McMinnville Farmers Market, Carlton Bakery. We bought a baguette for our dinner party tomorrow.
Oh, goodness. Is that tomorrow? We'd better get home.After a rest at the motorhome, we drove up to Red Ridge Farms to purchase more Oregon olive oil (I know, it's like we grow every dang thing in Oregon.) The drive up to the farm is so pretty, but with all the forest fires east of Portland, it was really difficult to see to Mt. Hood through all the smoke. The grapes are nearly ready to harvest. Picking will most-likely begin within a week and the vineyards are like bee hives with fork lifts driving around like mad and everything within miles is being hosed off. Traffic signs have been posted to warn tourists: Harvesting Equipment on Roads! (Watch Out, you City Slickers, we are busy making wine - it's not all glamour and pretty girls pouring sips for you in our tasting rooms - this is a lot of WORK!)
Red Ridge FarmsThis property houses a garden shop, nursery, olive grove and mill, gift shop and a small vineyard, Durant Vinyard.
Gift Shop and olive oil tasting room
Friendly frog in the gardens at Red Ridge FarmsWe took the long way home to see the pretty hills of Oregon wine country - bursting with fruit.
And don't forget about hazelnuts (growing on filbert trees!).
We arrived back to the bus, with our little purchase safe and sound:
Yes, that's a gallon of olive oil. Don't judge.
Statue in downtown McMinnvilleOur dinner reservations this evening were at the highly anticipated Thistle. Nose to Tail. Farm to Fork. Local Girl does Good. We arrived early to have a drink in the bar, prepared by Patrick... whom we learned about from our Nick's Italian Cafe waiter, John.
McMinnville is a very small town.
Manhattan & a French 75Thistle seems to cover three joined store fronts and they do not seem to have air conditioning. Oh, goodness, I was so hot - and My Poor Driver was wearing a jacket.
DT had oysters farmed in Netarts Bay, Oregon, and we tried several options on the menu. Sadly, it grew too dark to photograph most dishes, but please enjoy this radicchio and beet salad! We liked the concept of the local-only restaurant and loved their wine list. We loved the mis-matched silver flea market cutlery, and that my Manhattan came in an antique coupe. We did not like that the menu was written on a wall-mounted chalk board (French-style) and it was difficult for my old eyes to read the list, thus had to hover under the board to take it all in - unfortunate for the people seated at the table directly under the menu board. Egads, - get a printer already or move the menu to a more user-friendly spot. (We heard the owner suggesting people take a photo of the menu with their phone to read at their table.)Service was fantastic and proper. Our food was very, very good. Our cocktails were perfect. I would definitely go back... on a cooler day... before it grew too dark to read the menu.
Until my next update, I remain, your "we really must get home tomorrow before kick-off" correspondent.
RV PARK: Olde Stone Village RV Park - There is nothing olde or stony at this RV park. You are not going to suddenly think you are in England, and one side of the park is a mobile home park (looks pretty nice) with new models for sale - another sure sign you are not in Merry Olde England. The public buildings are faux-Tudor though! It is a very nice park, with long wide paved pull-through and back-in full-service sites - each with a designated parking spot (oh, I just love that in a campground!). Laundry, showers, free cable and wifi, heated seasonal pool (it was open during our stay in mid-September), clubhouse, gazebo, sports court and playground. Pet breed restrictions. We paid $31 with our Good Sam discount.