The drive from San Francisco through the oaks and mountain to the Oregon countryside was rather beautiful. Mt. Shasta is magnetic, majestic. After a long day of driving (10:30 to 9:00 or so, with many stops), I reached Salem, OR.
I don't know much about Salem, but it's where my sister has been living for over half a year with her fiance, Patrick. I didn't get a chance to visit them on the way down, so I made Oregon's capital city my final destination of the road trip adventure. I believe that names are important and its strange that this city shares a moniker with the Salem of colonial Massachusetts, famous for witch hunting trails. The town, to me, had a darker feel than most--imagine that it's Halloween in the film Hocus Pocus...but all year long. Now, I don't mean this in a bad way. In fact, I thought Salem was pretty cool, especially the downtown shops and restaurants. Willamette University brings an East Coast feel into the town, a strange brew when mixed with the state employees, rural farming folks, and quirky townies. I also noticed that the people in Salem tend to have darker features, and darker, curlier hair. Just sayin'. It's interesting.
Hanging out with my Sister and my future Big Brother in Law (big BIL) was a blast. We got to explore the downtown, watch some live music at Boon's Treasury, a Mcmenamin's spot, and hang out at a place called Brown's Town. But more importantly, we did our best to hibernate in their cozy apartment, and eat delicious meals from chef Patrick. (Ever had Egg Nog French Toast? Try it. Tis the season). Here's an arugula pizza:
All in all, a five star review.
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