PDX: Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai

Pip's will give you a dozen free doughnuts on your birthday.

Until recently there was a Beaverton location. I intended to visit it on my birthday and try those doughnuts.

There was something else that I wanted to do in NE Portland, so I wasn't going that far only for free doughnuts. There are worse things than traveling for free food.

I had been wanting to try Pip's before that.

When the Portland-based show Grimm premiered in 2011, the debut episode featured a box of Voodoo Doughnuts, but if you followed cast members, when they talked about doughnuts it was always Blue Star, until the Dirty Wu.

Episode 17 of season 1, "Love Sick" had Sergeant Wu, as portrayed by Reggie Lee, falling victim to a spell intended for someone else, getting help, and then coming down with a weird form of pica. This resulted in him eating couch cushion and carpeting, as well as some other things.

The episode aired April 13th, 2012. The newly opened Pip's put some cinnamon-sugar, honey, and Nutella on a doughnut and called it the "Dirty Wu", and that got the Grimm cast's attention. That doughnut is now called the Reggie Lee.

I shared mine, but you will notice is that these are small doughnuts. Maybe not small enough for one person to eat the whole dozen, but small enough to try a few flavors.

That being said, my favorite is the standard. Fried dough with cinnamon and sugar is a great combination. The scent reminds you as soon as you walk in.

Everyone was very friendly. That shows a good energy because the place was hopping and I was not the only birthday in line. They have an enter/exit flow to keep things moving smoothly.

I did not try the chai, but if you are into that they have flights where you can try multiple flavors.

They really were delightful.

COVID: Again, the place was hopping and you will spend some time in line, though there can be options for pre-ordering. It is easy enough to stay masked inside and then eat outside, or transport the doughnuts home.

Accessibility: The spaces seem wide enough for navigation, but remember that there can be many people. Also -- as their site indicates -- there may be allergens. 

 

https://www.pipsoriginalonline.com/

West Hills History: Willamette Stone Heritage Site and Young House

I am treating these two together because there isn't really a lot about either one of them.

They have a lot of history, but there is not an extended tour or anything. They can both be pretty quick stops, not even four miles apart.

The Willamette Stone is the Point of Beginning of the Willamette Meridian, established in 1851.

That places it about three years after the Oregon Territory was organized and eight years before Oregon became a state. 

As the "Point of Beginning", all land surveys and property descriptions for both Oregon and Washington are referenced from it. 

It is a little bit off the beaten path. While it is a short walk, it is a steep one, and mossy enough that it could be quite slick in rain.

There is a marker and some signage, as well as benches named for the survey team members.

There are also lots and lots of trees.

The John Quincy Adams Young House is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Washington County.

Young was a son of Elam Young -- another familiar name in these parts -- and an owner at one time of the mill for which Cedar Mill is named.

https://cedarmillnews.com/legacy/archive/709/JQA_Young.html 

While last year's event was canceled, when the Cedar Mill Cider Festival is held, it is held on this property.

I cannot rule out that at some point the interior of the house may be viewable, it is not at this time.

For now the exterior can be viewed, and it connects to a nice walking trail, the Sue Conger boardwalk and overlook,  connecting to the Johnson Creek Loop. 

COVID: Both locations are fully outside, and were not heavily visited.

Accessibility: The trail for the marker is pretty steep, and there are some steps. I would exercise caution.

For the house, parking is in the lot for the church next door, so then you are going over grass and it may not be ideal.

The adjacent trail does seem pretty accessible, though there may be some steep grades if you continue.

The trail to the marker is closest to a cemetery; people may not pass it that often.

The Young house is on Cornell, which is pretty well-traveled. It would still be very easy to just drive by without noticing or thinking.

Life is more interesting when you both notice and think.

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=180

https://www.thprd.org/facilities/historic/john-quincy-adams-young-house

Woodburn: Jesse H. Settlemier House

We have been viewing a few historic houses lately, most recently touring the Jesse H. Settlemier house in Woodburn.

Settlemier was Woodburn's founder, and the Victorian home was built in 1891, with the family taking residence in early 1892.

It was purchased by the French Prairie Historical Society in 1972, eighty years later. 

I believe it has more bathrooms than any of the other houses we have seen.

(There is also one for visitor use downstairs.) 

While private tours can be booked and there are some event options, the house is only open for self-guided tours on the first Sunday of each month, from 1 to 4 PM.

(For those interested in rentals, there is almost three acres and a gazebo on the grounds.) 

The limited touring schedule may allow some things to be done a little differently, like the offering of refreshments.

It was also decked out seasonally, with old-fashioned Valentine cards and red ribbons everywhere.

There was a lot to see, including a wonderful sampling of clothing.

The displays were good, and there was clearly a wealth of more that could be displayed.

While the tour was self-guided, society members were happy to offer information.

There was plenty to see, and the $5 admission is very reasonable, especially considering that there are snacks.

COVID: It is obviously indoors and best to mask. Social distancing is pretty possible.

Accessibility: There are steps to enter and stairs to the second floor. An elderly visitor was a little nervous on the stairs and then needed to rest. Similar situations are common with older homes, but sometimes a ramp has been added so even in a wheelchair you can still see the first floor. I did not see anything like that.  

This is an interesting and affordable tour, and not too long a trip from either the Metro or the Salem areas.

https://www.thesettlemierhouse.com/