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Old 12-11-2012, 04:46 PM   #21
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If you are looking for somewhere to stay on the Oregon coast check out the Heceta Head Lighthouse. It's a pretty unique place to stay, and they have a fabulous seven-course breakfast. You won't be staying in the actual lighthouse (instead, the Head Keeper's House has been turned into a B&B) but it's one of the neatest experiences I've had.

Plus, it gives me an opportunity to head into Florence for dinner at the Waterfront Depot, or Newport for lunch at Rogue (I generally go for the brewery by the aquarium, rather than the restaurant at the more touristy downtown).
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Old 12-11-2012, 05:21 PM   #22
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If you are looking for somewhere to stay on the Oregon coast check out the Heceta Head Lighthouse. It's a pretty unique place to stay, and they have a fabulous seven-course breakfast. You won't be staying in the actual lighthouse (instead, the Head Keeper's House has been turned into a B&B) but it's one of the neatest experiences I've had.

Plus, it gives me an opportunity to head into Florence for dinner at the Waterfront Depot, or Newport for lunch at Rogue (I generally go for the brewery by the aquarium, rather than the restaurant at the more touristy downtown).
Wow! You've just been lurking and waiting for this one thread to make your first post. What incredible good fortune that you have been lurking here, reading thread after thread, and now you can help with all your local knowledge! What a great coincidence!

Ha
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Old 12-11-2012, 05:42 PM   #23
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Pretty much! I get a lot of valuable insight from all of the discussions, but I'm not necessarily comfortable offering advice, since I am pretty far from putting my plan into action. Alternatively, on some of the less serious threads, you or one of the other regulars often beat me to what I would have said -- and generally more eloquently, at that!

So it really needs to be in my wheel-house to get me out of my shell. Many of these recommendations are close-to-local for me, so it finally got me to respond. Only a year or so since I joined. =)

To bring this back to the original topic, I've think that if I were making a loop of it (taking the coast one way, coming back the I-5 the other), I prefer heading north on the coast and south on the interstate. Some of the coastal routes have you on the edge of a cliff over the ocean; heading North, you get a full lane of traffic between yourself and the watery deep. Heading south on the same road... makes me a little nervous at times.
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Old 12-11-2012, 05:50 PM   #24
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I prefer heading north on the coast and south on the interstate. Some of the coastal routes have you on the edge of a cliff over the ocean; heading North, you get a full lane of traffic between yourself and the watery deep. Heading south on the same road... makes me a little nervous at times.
DW could not possibly agree more. A very good point!
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Old 12-11-2012, 05:54 PM   #25
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+1 on going north on Coastal Hwy 1, per previous poster.

In this year RV trip, I drove north on Hwy 1 from Bodega Bay up to Fort Bragg. This section of Hwy 1 is full of small boutique hotels and B&B's. However, we had the RV, and also a week stay at a timeshare cabin in Point Arena, hence did not shop for a place to stay. We then drove south on Freeway 101.

In an RV trip 2 years ago, we circled the Olympic Peninsula, then drove south on 101 down to Coos Bay. The section between Coos Bay and Eureka which goes through the Redwood National Park, we drove through 30 years ago, and I will have to do that again.

One section that I have never done is Hwy 1 from Eureka down to Fort Bragg. This section goes through the area called "the Lost Coast", and something that I thought of touring in this year's earlier trip, but ran out of time as my wife had to be back in town.

So many places, so little time...
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Old 12-11-2012, 07:17 PM   #26
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Even if you don't, they do a really fantastic Cioppino.
OMG don't get me started!! I might have to fly to Seattle just to eat there again (several times!).
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Old 12-11-2012, 07:22 PM   #27
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I like Sonoma valley more than Napa.

The old growth redwood forests in the various segments of Redwood National Park as well as along Avenue of the Giants are simply amazing, one of my favorite places on the planet. Make sure you fill up on gas before you head north from Fort Bragg. There's not much gas available before Eureka, and what is available costs a fortune. Make sure you see Carson Mansion in Eureka before you leave town. It's an amazing Victorian house.

Although even June might be too early, Crater Lake is stunning. (It gets a huge amount of snow.) If you go north on the coast, and back south on I-5, Crater Lake NP is worth a detour from I-5 if it's accessible.

In addition to the previously mentioned Japanese garden in Portland, the very different Chinese garden in downtown Portland is also worthwhile. Also the rose garden near the Japanese garden. Multnomah Falls is a short drive east of Portland and is quite impressive. It should have plenty of water in May or June. Powell's takes up an entire city block in Portland and is one of the best independent bookstores in the country.

Olympic National Park is one of my favorites. There are at least 3 very different portions of the park. The temperate rainforests (Hoh & Quinault) on the west side are very nice and the two are somewhat different. The walks are easy because they're essentially flat.

The separate beach section of the park is very pretty and makes for a nice walk at low tide. These are very wild undeveloped beaches.

Great views and hikes from Hurricane Ridge in the northern part of the park.

Port Townsend is a pretty little town with many Victorian homes.

4 different islands in the San Juan group in Puget Sound have regular ferry service. Lopez Island is very bucolic. If you have good weather, there are nice views from Mt. Constitution on the eastern side of Orcas Island. The Gulf Islands are in British Columbia and are also nice. Saltspring Island is the most accessible.
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Old 12-11-2012, 07:23 PM   #28
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I first had Cioppino in 1980 in the Space Needle restaurant, in our honeymoon trip.

I have been making it at home, whenever I have a craving for it, about once or twice a year. There are several recipes on the Web, and as long as one gets Dungeness crab, and some other shell fish like big shrimp and clams, and good firm fish, it's really simple.
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Old 12-11-2012, 07:38 PM   #29
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Although even June might be too early, Crater Lake is stunning. (It gets a huge amount of snow.) If you go north on the coast, and back south on I-5, Crater Lake NP is worth a detour from I-5 if it's accessible.

In addition to the previously mentioned Japanese garden in Portland, the very different Chinese garden in downtown Portland ...
Last time I went there, they told me Crater Lake is rarely open before July.

And for gardens, Weyerhaeuser's HQ south of Seattle has a fantastic bonsai garden open to the public.
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Old 12-11-2012, 07:40 PM   #30
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I first had Cioppino in 1980 in the Space Needle restaurant, in our honeymoon trip.

I have been making it at home, whenever I have a craving for it, about once or twice a year. There are several recipes on the Web, and as long as one gets Dungeness crab, and some other shell fish like big shrimp and clams, and good firm fish, it's really simple.
We make it at home too. I make my own fish stock from red snapper trimmings. We now make it with straight Dungeness crab - forget the other seafood, LOL! Through some miracle, we have an excellent supply of Dungeness crab here in south Texas.
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Old 12-11-2012, 08:02 PM   #31
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We now make it with straight Dungeness crab - forget the other seafood, LOL!


Dungeness crab may be the virtuoso violinist main ingredient, but one does not have an orchestra Cioppino unless there are other accompanying instruments shellfish.

Must have clam, and shrimp at the minimum. The only thing I may leave out due to lack of availability is nice firm fish, but would compensate with scallop, and squid.
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Old 12-11-2012, 08:09 PM   #32
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Last time I went there, they told me Crater Lake is rarely open before July.

And for gardens, Weyerhaeuser's HQ south of Seattle has a fantastic bonsai garden open to the public.
Weyerhaeuser also has a superb rhododendron garden, and May is probably an ideal time to visit.
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Old 12-11-2012, 08:31 PM   #33
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And for gardens, Weyerhaeuser's HQ south of Seattle has a fantastic bonsai garden open to the public.
+1 on this. I really loved visiting down there.

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Old 12-11-2012, 08:39 PM   #34
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Dungeness crab may be the virtuoso violinist main ingredient, but one does not have an orchestra Cioppino unless there are other accompanying instruments shellfish.

Must have clam, and shrimp at the minimum. The only thing I may leave out due to lack of availability is nice firm fish, but would compensate with scallop, and squid.
Since it is an Italian dish, it seems unlikely that Dungeness crab is a must have.

When I lived on the Pacific, we would wade in the bay at big minus tides, with a washtub tied to our belts, a gasoline lantern in L hand, and a short pole with chicken wire stretched across the hoop. See a crab and up he comes into the washtub. I made one pole with a trident fixed to the other end. Flatfish gets the trident, crab gets the hoop.

If I am going to pay for it in a fish market, its going into a crab louis, or creamed crab. No sense losing that delicate flavor in a fishy tomato soup.

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Old 12-11-2012, 08:59 PM   #35
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Since it is an Italian dish, it seems unlikely that Dungeness crab is a must have...
Sorry sir, but if you go to Italy and order Cioppino, people would not know what it is!

Cioppino's origin was San Francisco, and it was created by Italian-American fishermen. As it is one of my favorite dishes, I have done some research into this.

As to eating steamed Dungeness crab by itself, sure I do that too. But just because one enjoys beefsteak does not mean he will rule out beef dishes such as beef bourguignon, oui?
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Old 12-11-2012, 09:01 PM   #36
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Since it is an Italian dish, it seems unlikely that Dungeness crab is a must have.

Ha
I believe Cioppino is an Portugese-Italian-American invention originating in San Francisco, therefore perhaps Dungeness crab is required.

Oh, I see NW-Bound already beat me with that response.

And I second that Dungeness crab definitely stands up to a spicy fishy tomato base.
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Old 12-11-2012, 09:12 PM   #37
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Is there a secret to eating Cioppino in a restaurant? It tastes wonderful but awfully messy the way I attacked it once. Can you order it in some easy to eat preparation?

Sorry for the stupid question, no eye rolling please.

P.S. I was born in SF.
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Old 12-11-2012, 09:18 PM   #38
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I believe Cioppino is an Portugese-Italian-American invention originating in San Francisco, therefore perhaps Dungeness crab is required.

Oh, I see NW-Bound already beat me with that response.

And I second that Dungeness crab definitely stands up to a spicy fishy tomato base.
Well, live and learn I guess. Or at least I hope I both live, and learn. I guess you can tell that I am not exactly a big time cook.

Ha
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Old 12-11-2012, 09:18 PM   #39
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All this talk brings on a craving of Cioppino in me. It is now my quest to make it this coming weekend.

And I made a mistake of looking up an image on the Web. This makes my mouth water even more!

PS. When I had it last in a Seattle's restaurant, the dish was not made right!

They brought me a tiny bowl, while at home I would serve myself a more generous portion, with BIG chunks of crab, and BIG shrimp. Well, big everything!

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Old 12-12-2012, 07:32 AM   #40
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Is there a secret to eating Cioppino in a restaurant? It tastes wonderful but awfully messy the way I attacked it once. Can you order it in some easy to eat preparation?

Sorry for the stupid question, no eye rolling please.

P.S. I was born in SF.
Honestly - I don't think there is a non-messy way to eat it. I think it's supposed to be messy. What we do at home is shell the crab before adding it to the soup .

And another Cioppino essential is SF sourdough bread to mop up all the fab broth. We can't get real SF sourdough here, but the HEB Central Market frozen ciabatta is darn close! Mmmmmmmmm! My mouth is watering! I think I have one quart of my fish stock left in the freezer........
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