Coffee with a Side of (Local) Celebrity

Riding high is a challenge when it's just a trip to the grocery store. Especially in a Mini. But in the last year those trips have been so much more fun since Chili became our preferred mode of transport. And to celebrate his first year we took him in for a little fluff'n'buff session at the dealership.

A kind office person offered us some of the free coffee that was languishing in a hot pot nearby, but indicated with subtle body language and facial expressions (Grabbing your throat and making gagging noises is subtle, right?) that we might consider other options. When we inquired about where to find some coffee nearby, he pointed across the parking lot and through some overhanging trees to an older home on the next block.

Following his finger, we found Fehrenbacher Hof, a coffee shop charmingly crammed into a few downstairs rooms of an older home in Goose Hollow. Owned by the family of former Portland mayor and publican Bud Clark, it has a small patio with tables out front and a wide front porch that would be comfy vantage point on a rainy, warm day.

Decorated with antiques, I'm pretty sure it's also the former location of the (locally) famous antique shop owned by Sigrid Clark, Bud's late wife, who was a violinist with the Oregon Symphony and a colorful character in her own right. It's rumored to have killer breakfast sandwiches, particularly a Reuben made with the same corned beef and sauce that is the staple of Bud's Goose Hollow Inn.

Heading back to the dealership, we found that Chili had emerged from his spa treatment all shiny and pleased with himself. Now we just need to decide on where his next road trip will be.

Details: Fehrenbacher Hof, 1225 SW 19th Ave. Phone 503-223-4493.