Field Trip Friday: Umami Cafe

If you couldn't make it to my last Field Trip Friday, I thought you might like to see a few photos of the Portland Japanese Garden and the Umami Cafe. The trip was inspired by an article in Architectural Digest featuring the 50 most beautiful coffee houses in America. Not sure how a tea house made it on the list, but if they're good enough for Architectural Digest, they're good enough for a field trip!

As is to be expected in Portland in spring time, the rain was plopping down on our day, but we threw our umbrellas and hoods up and soldiered through like good Oregonians. (Please excuse the quickie blurry photo!)

I'm not going to bore you with "my slide show from my vacation" but here are a few highlights from that amazing garden. Technically there are seven gardens and I can't remember which one we walked through!

Naturally we had to take a rest from time to time and a little frivolity would break out:

A couple of shots of the glass walled cafe designed by a famous Japanese architect whose name has escaped me. My apologies, sir!

I don't normally take photos of the ceiling, but this one is amazing!

My pretty, minimalist tea service with bite-sized chocolate and vanilla shortbread. Oh, so elegant.

Amazing, drool-worthy stuff in the gift shop:

And one last photo: the most perfect flower I've ever seen:

Get to the Portland Japanese Garden and Umami Cafe for your own field trip if you can. It's not an inexpensive little jaunt, but stunningly beautiful and worth every penny!

Have you been to the Japanese Garden? Leave me a comment or a photo of your own. I'd love to hear from you. :-D

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