Otto's Sausage Kitchen | Portland, OR

Tucked away in what is affectionately known as the Woodstock District, Otto's Sausage Kitchen has been serving the greater Portland area for over 80 years. And in that time, three generations have seen its popularity grow from a modest meat market founded by Otto and Selma Eichentopf in 1922 to its national reputation today.

Now owned and operated by Otto's grandson, Jerry, and his wife Gretchen, not much has changed, meaning that tradition and family values still rule the roost. And you can see it in the way each customer is treated as if he/she were family, and you can taste it in their meats and sausages, which include bockwurst, cajun andouille, chicken and pork sausage, pepperoni sticks, old-fashioned wieners, and pastrami. All are still made from Otto's original recipes and cured in the original smoke rooms that were built into the second floor of the market. So, there's certainly no mistaking that when you stop in for a visit, you'll be treated to the good stuff which Otto's Sausage Kitchen is known: "family, fun, friends, and grilling."

Oxbow Public Market | Napa, CA

We first heard about the Oxbow Public Market from my father, who learned about it himself after reading an article in the Ticket section of the Sacramento Bee. As he relayed it back to us, the hope behind this unique attraction is to bring together a group of artisans and purveyors who share an appreciation for supporting sustainable resources to provide high quality, socially conscious products for all to enjoy. This intrigued us enough to take a day-cation, drive out to the heart of downtown Napa, and check it out. Unfortunately, for us, the idea hadn't quite taken shape as much of the building was still relatively vacant. But that was three years ago, and how the times have changed!

Today, the Oxbow Public Market is home to five restaurants, two retail stores, fourteen specialty food and wine shops, and hundreds of people who gather here each and every week to explore and experience. On this latest visit, we sampled oysters on a half shell from five different farming regions at Hog Island Oyster Company, savored deliciously decadent ice cream from Three Twins Organic Ice Cream, and sipped full-bodied coffee from Ritual Coffee Roasters. There was so much to do and so much more to see with live music to entertain the soul and merchant mini-events to educate the mind. So, the next time you're driving through the Napa Valley region, don't pass the Oxbow Public Market. We certainly had a great time, and I'm sure you will too.