Day 2 p.m. Grand Lodge

The Grand Lodge McMenamins was originally a Masonic retirement home, built in 1922. The Masons know how to treat their people right (and their families) and this building is proof. As opposed to Edgefield, which was a poor farm, the residents here were much better off. It was in use up until 1999 when a new facility was built and the McMenamins brothers worked their magic. (below; a sitting room across from front desk)

Well it was still hot as hell at check in (no joke, still over 100, and that's HOT for western Oregon standards) and we were moving a bit more slowly after our evening at Edgefield. While the gang napped away the heat of the day I did my wandering, camera in one hand, cold beer in another.

Most of the artwork illustrates the formers residents of the Lodge, some of them quite the characters. Here is "Cookie" as the Queen of Hearts. She lived to be over 100 years old. Notice the little chocolate chip cookies in her middle.

You know this old gal must have been famous for her cakes!

Some of the best artwork is in the basement. Home to two of the property's 3 bars, a spa and a soaking pool, the ceiling pipes and maze-like nature allow for plenty of creativity. The heat rather ruined our appetites for dinner so we had milk shakes instead and listened to a bluegrass band.

We were all still feeling the heat but felt bad hanging out in the basement bar all day so we ventured out to the outdoor bar The Yardhouse. We still weren't hungry until the server told us the special was sliced watermelon! How perfect is that!

So as the sun set (and cooled off maybe 5 degrees) we ate our juicy treat and listened to a rather entertaining dual of the wedding bands. There were only 3 weddings going on at the Lodge, two of them outdoors and on either side of the bar. We enjoyed a number of butchered 80's songs before we decided to call it a night and be ready to depart in the morning.

Luckily, the ride home was cooler and much faster than the car-fire laden ride down!

Many more pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_hbic/

McMenamins, here we come!

My family has an unhealthy attraction to the McMenamins hotels. In a few hours my sweetie and I, and another couple are heading to Portland for a long weekend of McMenamins exploration and fun! The properties are just amazing, they make their own beer and wine, food is great but it's the art work that really thrills me...

No surface is left bare. A flaw (fuse box) is turned into a work of art. Each property (the resorts, not the strip mall restaurants) is historic and they have painted the history all over the whole estate.

Our friends have never been to one (gasp!) and my sweetie and I were looking for an excuse to go back to Edgefield (the property where his brother got married) so here we go!

Tonight we stay at Edgefield, the McMenamins flagship. Saturday we stay at the Grand Lodge across town. There are many other awesome properties in town that we're hoping to check out too.

Well enough chatter, I have to pack! I'll be back with some amazing photos and details about the history of each place (and maybe a quart of their delicious Ruby Red ale!)