Beaverton, OR: BG's Food Cartel

Food cart pods were hip and happening before the pandemic, but the allure of being able to socialize outdoors has only grown.

BG's Food Cartel near City Hall in Beaverton has been good for that, with space for dogs and humans.

(The humans do get more space, but it is still nice that the dogs have a spot.)

There is plenty of table space, and even a fire pit, which I first saw in use on a recent chilly day.

But what really counts is the food.

One thing I appreciate is the wide selection. Maybe one of you wants pizza, and the other wants pad Thai. That is not a problem.

I will note that I have never seen every single cart open at once, but with the variety there is some repetition. If Amazing Gyro is closed, you could still get a gyro at Aybla Grill. I think only Wolf's Head Smokehouse makes a brisket burrito, but you could still get a burrito at Mexico Lindo or smoked meat at Raining BBQ.

I'm just saying there are options.

Food is generally made fresh, but I have not had long waits. Some of the carts use pagers but many simply call you by name when your order is ready.

They have also recently added axe throwing, if the food and camaraderie is not enough.

https://celticaxethrowers.com/bg-food-cartel/
 

Accessibility: I have seen many scooters, canes, and strollers navigating successfully, with wide pathways and adequate spacing. The Speakeasy Bar does have steps, but there is also a ramp. I can imaging that ordering from some of the booths may be difficult, depending on the window setup, but the cart staff have generally been helpful and accommodating.

COVID: Not just outdoors, but also with pretty good spacing, which is good because you need to take your mask off to eat.

BG's Food Cartel should have something for everyone.

https://bgfoodcartel.com/

I have previously been frustrated with the site not having a full list of available carts. I believe I understand that better now. On my last visit, two good and popular carts -- one with excellent samosas and one known for empanadas -- vanished; they had just been there!

Nonetheless, I am still obsessive and thrive on completeness, so here is a up-to-date list as of 3/20/2022, with links when I could find them. Remember, many of these carts are affiliated with a brick and mortar location, or at least another cart, somewhere.

So, if you enter on Rose Biggi and start immediately to your left, it goes...

Mexico Lindo (https://www.cocinamexicolindofood.com/index.html)

L'Auberge Philly Cheesesteak

Mockingbird (https://www.themockingbirdpdx.com/)

Pizzaforte (https://www.pizzafortepdx.com/)

Aybla Grill (https://ayblagrill.com/)

FreshFish Poke (https://www.facebook.com/FreshFish-Poke-622545031409887/)

Pre Tea Beaverton Bubble Tea

Kracked Crab

Fry Bar (https://www.instagram.com/frybarpdx/)

Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches (https://www.smaaken.com/)

Oh My Crêpe 

Raining BBQ (https://rainingbbqgrill.com/)

Avenue St. Charles (https://www.avenuesaintcharles.com/)

Thai Bloom (https://www.thaibloom.com/)

Frying Scotsman (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057255536361)
Amazing Gyro (https://www.facebook.com/amazinggyro/)
Le Bistro Montage (https://www.facebook.com/MontageAlaCart/)

Magokoro Ramen

Speakeasy Bar
Chinese Lucky Dragon (https://www.facebook.com/chineseluckydragon/)

Kickin' Chicken Wings

Idea Sushi

Palenaka's Hawaii's Favorites (https://www.facebook.com/palenakashf/)

E-San Thai (http://www.esanthai.com/)

Asian Legend

Wolf's Head Smokehouse (https://wolfsheadbbq.com/)

Cemitas Poblanas (https://www.facebook.com/cemitasP/)

 

I don't actually know where the axe throwing entrance is.

 

Finally, gone but not forgotten...

Hyderabad Hub (https://www.facebook.com/hyderabadhubportland/)

Abuela Chona (https://www.abuelachona.com/)

Vancouver WA -- Old Apple Tree Park

The first thing  you may notice is that the park is in a state of transition.

This is pretty logical. The tree died some time ago (it was old). While it certainly had better protection than the Pow-Wow Tree in Gladstone, it still eventually went the way of all the Earth. Currently it is hard to get a picture that doesn't contain any construction materials.

But those materials are there for a reason.

Already a part of the Fort Vancouver site, and adjacent to the Waterfront Renaissance Trail and Historic Discovery Loop,they are now working on the Confluence Land Bridge, updating the path that was already receiving heavy use, honoring the confluence of water with Indigenous culture and history, and adding art to support that.

https://www.confluenceproject.org/news-post/confluence-land-bridge-to-get-upgrade/

It is all leading to something.

Accessibility: Currently not great. You have to park across the street, the path is a little rough, with some barriers in the way. That should improve as the project nears completion, but there may also be times when more is closed off.

COVID: It is still outside and easy to avoid people, like much of what we have visited over the past two years. I will keep reporting on that, because the virus has not ended.

https://www.cityofvancouver.us/parksrecculture/page/old-apple-tree-park

Oregon City: Pioneer Church and Rose Farm

The same day we went to Baker Cabin, we also visited the Pioneer Church (which shares the Baker Cabin property)

 and the Rose Farm (which does not).

By so doing, we had visited the site of every Oregon City location on Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail.

https://www.mthoodterritory.com/heritage-trail

In a way, it feels like we haven't. We have ridden the Municipal Elevator and toured the exhibits of the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and the Museum of the Oregon Territory. For the historic houses, we have been outside them, but not in them.

In non-pandemic times, going inside is an option for some, but not all. Is this complete? Or not until we have been inside?

I treated Baker Cabin separately because there was so much interesting information there that it needed its own post. That cannot be said about the other two, at least not yet. That is for different reasons.

The Rose Farm is a museum, and they apparently do have exhibits and events sometimes, but not now. That may require revisiting.

The Pioneer Church is used for weddings. In some ways that makes it better, because there is convenient parking and a ramp has been added.

For historical interest, though, there is one sign.

It is probably a charming place for a wedding, but not that different from the one near Oaks Park, or other similar locations.

Accessibility: For the Pioneer Church, mostly yes. I do not know if the 2nd story Rose Farm has an elevator, but there does not seem to be any parking, which could be an issue for getting there at all. We parked on a street on the other side of the power station. There is one narrow driveway and possibly parking on dirt. 

COVID: We once again found it very possible to avoid people while wandering outside of closed places. Getting inside might be another matter.

https://www.facebook.com/PioneerChurchatBakerCabin/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rose-Farm-Museum/1652181771732626

Oregon City: Baker Cabin

The Baker Cabin is one of the sites on Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory Heritage Trail.

It shares the site with the Pioneer Church, but that will be treated next week, along with the Rose Farm.

I feel like it must be treated separately, because there is simply so much history there, and such good presentation of it. For example, that grape arbor in the foreground, is very old, dating back to the 1800s.

This lilac tree may not seem vigorous, but once you consider that it was planted from a cutting brought from Maine in 1842, its endurance becomes pretty impressive.

This well is a testament to the available water, and as it appears to have been found by dowsing, many dowsing demonstrations have been done for school children.

The cabin, unique for its cantilever design and exterior staircase, is joined by a shed containing a wagon formerly used as a stage between Sandy and Portland, and other historic equipment.

In addition, it is the site of this rock used by local tribes for grinding nuts and grains. (The local supplies of basalt drove some of the local commerce.)

Even though it appears to have been a while since the last field trip, and we had no guide, I was able to pick up all of this information because of the excellent signage, including sheets of text pasted up in the cabin windows.

We had no idea the site would be so interesting, and were glad we went.

Accessibility: Pretty terrible. I got there by walking over uneven ground. The gravel pathways might not be ideal for many users in normal times, but even the driveway that would get you to them is currently closed off.

COVID: However, the lack of accessibility does make it easy to keep distance, and it is outside. We felt no risks there.

https://bakercabin.org/