December 2020 Check-In's

Click each of the above play buttons to view each video.

Click the above play button to view the video.

Click the above play button to view the video.

Click each of the above play buttons to view each video.

Christmas Lights
1719 SE 162nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98683
Sunday, December 6, 2020

Rose & Thorn Restaurant
Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Monday, December 7, 2020

Three Electric Cars plugged in at the Ilani Garage! There are actually 16 EV chargers at Illani. However, all 4 of the Tesla Chargers on Level 3 of the garage are still not working. But no big deal. I have an account with ChargePoint and can charge at any ChargePoint charger of which there are about a dozen at Ilani, and they are all free!

Dinner In The Tent At
Black Angus, Downtown Vancouver, Washington
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

We had a coupon for Black Angus so came here for dinner again. I think we were the only ones there as we arrived early, around 5pm. However, by the time we finished dinner, all the tables in the tent were occupied. These is less than a dozen tables in the room and they are well spread apart. Black Angus is selling all their bottles of wine for half price every day until further notice. I purchased a bottle of DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon which was excellent.

Live Music, Dancing, and Indoor Dining
at Line & Lure Restaurant at Ilani Indian Casino
Ridgefield, Washington
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

We would be picking Randy up at the Portland airport later in the evening so we had some time to kill between finishing dinner and going to the airport. Barbara had some clothes that she wanted to exchange at the boutique shop at the Illani Casino so we headed up to there. When I got there I found that all the Tesla Destination Chargers had been repaired and were working again!

Vancouver Waterfront
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Since it was still too early to pick up Randy at the airport, we decided to go for a walk at the waterfront. We were shocked when we got there as the parking lot was packed with cars! I knew all the restaurants at the Vancouver Waterfront were closed due to Covid-19 and thus could not figure out why there were so many cars there. I then saw the below decorated antique firetruck. Then I realized that the Christmas Boat Parade must be going by the Vancouver Waterfront this evening. We then drove along the river toward our condo and saw that cars were parked at every possible spot along the river with people spread out along the river. We saw some of the Christmas Boat Parade boats going by on the river. We then went into the parking lot of the Beaches and McMenamins On The Columbia restaurants and saw their parking lots were packed also. Their outdoor patios are open for dining and McMenamins also had a large tent for dining in their parking lot.

It had hardly rained all week but as we started heading to the airport it started to pour very hard.

Micahel Jordan Steakhouse
at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Tuesday, December 8, 2020

We went with Randy to the Michael Jordan Steakhouse at the Ilani Casnio. This was Randy's first time at the Ilani Casino. I totally forgot to take any photos this evening until we got to desert, but what a desert! Randy and I had a bit of it but we did not have enough room to eat much of it. We took the rest of it home.

First Night of Chanukah
Virtual Gathering With Our Children
Thursday, December 10, 2020

We had an early dinner with Randy at Black Angus Steakhouse. We sat closer to the heating vent in the tent and it was actually a bit too warm! After that we headed home and did a virtual celebration of Chanukah using Google Meeting.

Live Music, Dancing, and Indoor Dining
at Line & Lure Restaurant at Ilani Indian Casino
Ridgeview, Washington
Friday, December 11, 2020

Flight To Washington, DC
Friday, December 11, 2020

While we were eating dinner at the Line & Lure Restaurant I got a news alert on my phone from OAN that there was going to be a "March For Trump" in Washington, DC, the next day, Saturday, December 12, 2020. I don't know why we didn't hear about it earlier. We figured this might be our last chance to show our support for President Trump while he is still in office. I was pretty doubtful that we'd be able to catch a plane to Washington, DC, to get there in time. I did a search for flights to Washington, DC, and could only find one flight that would get there in the morning. There were several flights departing in the morning, but none of them would get there before 3 PM, after the event was over. Thus, we'd have to take this one evening flight on Delta that I found or we would not be able to attend at all.

I quickly purchased tickets for Barbara and myself on Delta and even purchased flight insurance to reimburse the cost of the flight if we missed the plane. We rushed home to pick up a couple of items and then headed to the airport. We just barely made the flight with just 15 minutes to spare. I still can't believe that we were actually able to make the flight in time!

Layover In Atlanta, Georgia, For Two Hours
Saturday, December 12, 2020

Taking The Washington, DC, Metro to Federal Triangle
Saturday, December 12, 2020

March For Trump
Organized By Women For America First
Saturday, December 12, 2020

Grand Hyatt Hotel
Saturday, December 12, 2020

After the rally we headed to the hotel that we had booked, the Grand Hyatt Hotel. We had dinner in the hotel about 5pm. After we got back to our room around 6pm, not having slept for more than 24 hours, I instantly fell asleep.

Flying Back To Portland, Oregon
Sunday, December 13, 2020

We had to wake up at 5 AM to catch an Uber to Reagan International Airport for our 8 AM flight back to Portland, Oregon.

Brunch on the outdoor heated patio
at the Hudson Bar & Grill at the Heathman Lodge
Vancouver, Washington
Sunday, December 13, 2020

There are 6 EV Chargers at the Heathman Lodge, 4 of them are Tesla Destination Chargers, and they are all free!

Dinner on the Outdoor Patio
at the Hudson Bar & Grill
at the Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, Washington
Monday, December 14, 2020

Salty's Seafood Restaurant
Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, December 15, 2020

View From The Office In Our NorthWynd Condo
Vancouver, Washington
Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Black Bear Diner
Vancouver, Washington
Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Uptown Barrel Room
Vancouver, Washington
Thursday, December 17, 2020

The Uptown Barrel Room has been open for about 4 years. I've driven past it many times but just ignored it as we usually like to eat at places that feature live music. Also, I thought it was a beer tap room or brewery. Most of those places usually just serve bar type food. With the current diet that Barbara is on, I figured they wouldn't have anything that Barbara could eat. However, in this time of the Covid lockdown, I'm always looking for the few places that are still open and offering at least heated outdoor patio dining. I saw a huge tent in front of the Uptown Barrel Room which indicated they were still open and serving. When I looked up their website, I was surprised. The word "Barrel" in their name did not refer to a "beer barrel" but rather to a "wine barrel". Beyond that, I was also surprised that they have a menu that has far more offerings than the reduced menus of everywhere else that we have eaten during the Covid lockdown. See pages from the menu in the photos below and you will see what I mean. They also had a very extensive wine list ranging all the way from inexpensive good wines to the very high priced Opus One. They also have an excellent spirits list featuring some of the Scotch and Bourbon that I like.

When we mentioned to our server our interest in wine and how impressed we were with their wine list, she arranged for the owner, Dwayne, to come over to our table. We talked with Dwayne for quite a while. We told him about our vineyard and future winery in Missouri. He told us some of the history and philosophy of this restaurant. Then he brought out glasses of a red wine to try that he had made himself. It was excellent! I am sure we will be returning to this restaurant many times in the future, especially after the Covid lockdown is over and we can eat inside.

Joe Stoddard Live Music at Line & Lure Restaurant
at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Friday, December 18, 2020

Kevin Selfe Duo Live Music at Line & Lure Restaurant
at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Saturday, December 19, 2020

Furniture Shopping For New Vancouver Home
Sunday, December 20, 2020

Uptown Barrel Room, Vancouver, Washington
Sunday, December 20, 2020

Ice Cream Renaissance, Vancouver, Washington
Sunday, December 20, 2020

McGrath's Fish House, Vancouver, Washington
Tuesday, December 22, 2020

The menu was quite extensive as you can see below and everything we ordered was delicious! The prices are good too. However, it was very very cold! Vancouver Covid restricts dining to outdoor patios only that must have extensive air circulation, even if the outdoor patio is in a tent. Most places with outdoor patio dining have heaters. This place only pumped in the heat from vents that extended from the restaurant. I think it was 46 degrees this evening, so it was quite cold! We will definitely return to this restaurant, but probably not until they either add more heaters or until indoor dining is allowed. Or, maybe on those rare days when the temperature rises above 60 degrees in winter.

Christmas Eve Dinner
at Rose & Thorn Restaurant
at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Thursday, December 24, 2020

Christmas Brunch
At Shelli's New Home in Vancouver, Washington
Friday, December 25, 2020

Christmas Google Meet Virtual Family Gathering
From Our Condo in Vancouver, Washington
Friday, December 25, 2020

Live Music by Avi Haviv
at Line & Lure Seafood Restaurant at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Friday, December 25, 2020

"Music has taken singer-guitarist Avi all over the world. He studied Jazz at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, Funk in the London scene of the late 70's, and Classical guitar with a master in Tel Aviv. He's played Classic Rock on the Australian touring circuit, dazzled audiences in Asia with contemporary hits, and once even played traditional music with a tribe of former headhunters deep in the rainforests of Borneo. This showman's distinctive style and musical mastery combine with an enormous repertoire to deliver the perfect entertainment for virtually any setting. No matter what the venue or occasion, a performance by Avi makes it memorable!"

Live Music by Kevin Selfe Duo
at Line & Lure Seafood Restaurant at Ilani Casino, Ridgefield, Washington
Saturday, December 26, 2020

Click each of the above play buttons to view each video.