Terrie Murray -- Interview with an Oregon Contributing Editor
© Sue Barton
This is the fourth in a series of monthly articles featuring
the Contributing Editors on Suite101.com who hale from the Beaver State, Oregon.
Sue Barton: Terrie, Tell about Portland: What's your favorite restaurant, place to visit, thing to do?
Terrie Murray: I love Portland. It has all the cultural ammenities of a big city, with a small-town feel and a strong emphasis on neighborhoods.
My favorite restaurant? That's tough, because I have several favorites depending on my mood. For Mexican food, Mayas Taqueria downtown is wonderful. For spicy food, Salvadore Molly's in the Multnomah area is fantastic. For a good steak, the Portland Steak and Chop House can't be beat. But if I had to pick one overall favorite, it would probably be The Genoa. They're expensive, the kind of place you go once every five years for a special occasion, but I've never been disappointed.
My favorite thing to do? That varies too! Like all book addicts, I love to spend rainy days browsing at Powells Bookstore. Some days when my writing isn't going well, I put myself on a MAX train and spend the day at the Oregon Zoo, all by myself, usually spending most of my time with the otters and the lorikeets. I'm within walking distance of the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens, so I go there regularly to see what's blooming and to birdwatch.
My husband and I also enjoy spending long days birdwatching at Sauvie Island, and we traditionally have a picnic there either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, when the snow geese are there for the winter.
In the fall, we sometimes combine birdwatching trips to the mid-Willamette Valley with wine tasting in the same area. Oregon has produced some great wines in the past couple of decades.
SB: If you wanted to send somebody from out-of-state a gift that is the essence of the Portland area, what would it be and why?
Terrie Murray has been the Contributing Editor for Backyard Birdwatching Almanac since December of 2000. She writes to us from Northwest Oregon. She lives in and enjoys Portland the most populous city in Oregon with 20% of Oregon's population. It serves as the county seat for Multnomah County.
In order to introduce you to Terrie, her topic and the Portland area, I asked her the questions I thought you would. Here then is our conversation:
Sue Barton: Terrie, Tell about Portland: What's your favorite restaurant, place to visit, thing to do?
Terrie Murray: I love Portland. It has all the cultural ammenities of a big city, with a small-town feel and a strong emphasis on neighborhoods.
My favorite restaurant? That's tough, because I have several favorites depending on my mood. For Mexican food, Mayas Taqueria downtown is wonderful. For spicy food, Salvadore Molly's in the Multnomah area is fantastic. For a good steak, the Portland Steak and Chop House can't be beat. But if I had to pick one overall favorite, it would probably be The Genoa. They're expensive, the kind of place you go once every five years for a special occasion, but I've never been disappointed.
My favorite thing to do? That varies too! Like all book addicts, I love to spend rainy days browsing at Powells Bookstore. Some days when my writing isn't going well, I put myself on a MAX train and spend the day at the Oregon Zoo, all by myself, usually spending most of my time with the otters and the lorikeets. I'm within walking distance of the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens, so I go there regularly to see what's blooming and to birdwatch.
My husband and I also enjoy spending long days birdwatching at Sauvie Island, and we traditionally have a picnic there either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, when the snow geese are there for the winter.
In the fall, we sometimes combine birdwatching trips to the mid-Willamette Valley with wine tasting in the same area. Oregon has produced some great wines in the past couple of decades.
SB: If you wanted to send somebody from out-of-state a gift that is the essence of the Portland area, what would it be and why?
The copyright of the article Terrie Murray -- Interview with an Oregon Contributing Editor in Oregon is owned by Sue Barton. Permission to republish Terrie Murray -- Interview with an Oregon Contributing Editor in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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