At the Kennedy School
December 20, 2009
We also stayed at the Kennedy School in N.E. Portland near the Alberta Arts District. The Kennedy School is one of the McMenamins Hotels and brew pubs. It’s a converted school that has been turned into an idiosyncratic hotel. Each room has a classroom name. There was no drama here – our room was as advertised- handicapped accessible. It was a spacious room, easy to get around in a wheelchair. The bed was a good height to get in and out of. Although it lacked the sleek newness of the Ace Hotel’s accommodations, the room was well thought out and easy to stay in. The cost of the room was very reasonable as well.
The Kennedy School is not just a place to stay: it’s an experience. It has cozy bars (for honors students, delinquents and assorted others), an in-house movie theater, and an almost museum-like environment with whimsical photos, amazing tile work and historical photos of early 20th century students who attended the school. There’s also a nice soaking pool, good pub food and live entertainment.
Just as the Ace Hotel represents Portland’s hip side, with unique furniture and recycled materials, the Kennedy School represents funky Portland.
For more information, visit http://www.Kennedyschool.com and http://www.i-can-travel.com/destinations. Share your experiences at the Kennedy School or other McMenamins Hotels in the Comments section below.
A Few Tourist Attractions
December 15, 2009
Let me begin by saying that most of what is beautiful about Portland exists both inside and outside the city limits. Within the city, the world-famous rose garden in Washington Park stands out most for me. It is handicapped accessible so you can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. As a Pacific Rim city, it’s not surprising that there are also fine Japanese and Chinese gardens. If gardens or zoos aren’t your thing, there are galleries and unique one-off stores to satisfy the most acquisitive of tastes. Speaking of which, if you enjoy sampling beers, Portland is the town for you. Because of the purity of the water in Portland and its environs, micro breweries have sprung up all over. Word to the wise, be careful you can hold your liquor, since your assistive device may become a weapon of destruction!
A walk along the Willamette River Esplanade is paved and quite accessible. It’s 1.5 miles long and extends from the Hawthorne Bridge past the Morrison and Burnside Bridges to the Steel Bridge with extensions into eastside neighborhoods and across the river. It has public art, a biking path, panels about the history of Portland and is nicely illuminated at night. Forest Park, one of the world’s largest city parks, has paved trails and with Mt. Tabor Park, Portland boasts the only volcano within city limits. Fortunately, it’s dormant. For more to do in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com.
Tell us about your own favorite places in Portland in the Comments section below.
Simple Fare
December 10, 2009
Before I begin talking about Portland restaurants, I have one observation to make – that when I die and if I am reborn, I would like to be a Portland dog! I have never been to a restaurant anywhere before that not only allows dogs, but has a menu just for them! That was at the Tin Shed in N.E. Portland, which has inside and outside seating (with heat lamps in the winter). It seems quite popular and we had to wait a long time for seating.
The restaurants I ate at were all handicapped accessible but obviously I wouldn’t go to one that wasn’t! We didn’t tend to go out to fancy places, but the food was fine. I had never had a tofu scramble before and I probably won’t again, but I am not a gourmet so I was happy with most of my meals. My best meal was breakfast– it was biscuits with vegetarian gravy at Gravy, a restaurant in the North Portland’s Mississippi Neighborhood. We were warned to get there early.
The most disappointing meal we ate was at Kenny and Zuke’s, Portland’s version of delicatessen. It wasn’t terrible, but it’s not a threat to any of the great New York delis, that’s for sure.
Since we didn’t have any great meals for carnivores, please send us your suggestions for visitors with disabilities.
Mount Hood
December 8, 2009
Outside the City of Portland, majestic forests and mountains are everywhere. There are stops along the way to admire the waterfalls and other natural features of beauty. I’m a city person and not that adept at describing nature. Just rest assured, that nature is magnificent and worthy of pulling over at a rest stop to observe. These areas are handicapped accessible but tend to be quite steep, so the climb and ascent is not for the faint of heart, but those brave souls who venture forth will be well rewarded.
A trip to Portland would not be complete without a visit to Mt. Hood and the Timberland Lodge. Built during the Depression as a work project, the Timberland Lodge is perhaps best known for serving as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. 
The Lodge is handicapped accessible but is one of those places that were retrofitted so there are some twists and turns to get to the lodge proper. The Lodge itself is quite grand and most places were accessible; but if memory serves me right, I was not able to get to the bar (no, not for more drinks), but the view. We ate in the main dining hall that was handicapped accessible but pricey. Since I am not a food critic, nor could I pretend to be, I thought the food was fine.
I was told that the Lodge had rooms which were handicapped accessible but was unable to view any since they were all occupied. As anyone who has stayed at hotels/motels knows, what passes for handicapped accessible, is often not adequate for your needs. But being adaptable helps, so I would say try the lodge, it is probably worth the effort.
My memories of the Portland area are fond ones. It’s a good city to navigate around, the people are polite and friendly and the scenery surrounding the city is splendid. My only reservation: why does it have to rain so much?
Getting Around
December 2, 2009
If you’ve never been to Portland Oregon and you’re a person with a disability, you’re in for a big treat. Being a born New Yorker, I’m used to impatient people eager to get to their destinations, so little prepared me for the politeness I encountered when I went out on the streets.
Firstly, the traffic does stop when you enter the crosswalk – this is no game of chicken – but rather good manners of the native population. At first, I was hesitant to believe my eyes, but gradually I came to trust the local drivers. This phenomenon was not isolated to Portland alone, but occurred in the other places I visited like the town of Hood River.
It’s easy to get around in Portland. The buses have ramps and power lifts. About half of them are low floor buses that can “”kneel,” lowering the first step closer to the curb for easier boarding. All buses have priority seating and places for mobile devices. Streetcars also have ramps, and for people who are blind or have limited vision, there are textured tiles along the length of the boarding platform that indicate you are near the platform edge. These tiles can be detected with a cane or foot. For more information on public transportation, visit http://trimet.org
If you’re walking, there are buttons at almost every corner to change the lights and help you cross. The curb cuts are OK; it’s impossible to find a city where they’re all in perfect condition.
Do you have any hints of your own about getting around in Portland? If so, please share them in the Comments section below.
