On the road again: Portland, day 4
The meetings ended early enough today that I was able to head downtown for an afternoon snack of amazing ice cream at Salt and Straw. I don't love every flavor these fine folks make, but I love the vast majority of them, and I applaud their inventiveness. For example, today I tried the pumpkin and chevre ice cream, which was the happy child of an insanely rich cheesecake and perfect pumpkin ice cream.
I'm so glad this ice cream place is nowhere near me.
After a lot of work, dinner provided a welcome break. Tonight's meal was at Le Pigeon, which frequent readers will recall is one of my favorite places in the whole world. I was able to sit at the bar beside the tiny kitchen, so I had the chance to chat occasionally with gifted chef and great guy Gabriel Rucker. Gabe is one of the folks who noticed in my novel Slanted Jack that the title character bears a great resemblance to Harry Harrison's wonderful Stainless Steel Rat. As I've explained, that was an intentional homage to a set of books that I greatly enjoyed many years ago--as did Gabe.
The meal tonight was, as usual, exceptional. Rucker's complex combinations frequently leave you shaking your head in wonder at all the ingredients he manages to get to play together in incredible, delicious harmony. I cannot recommend this restaurant too highly.
Tomorrow morning, I must arise way before the butt-crack of dawn to check out and head to the airport. Oh, boy!
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2 comments:
Interesting comment about the title character of "Slanted Jack". In Margaret Weis's books of the "Star of the Guardians" trilogy. one of my favorite characters, XJ-27, is the flight computer of a ship piloted by Mendaharin Tusca. XJ can be moody and sarcastic at times, but always has Tusca's back. No wonder I loved Lobo right off the bat. :)
That does make sense. I'm glad you like Lobo. He is a great character to get to write.
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