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The Gardens of Mien Ruys - a book review

I don't know how I missed her, but I was totally unfamiliar with Mien Ruys. A beautiful new book The Gardens of Mien Ruys details her life and work. Born in the Netherlands in 1904, she was the daughter of Bonne Ruys, who founded Moerheim Nursery in 1888. She grew up in a liberal atmosphere and encouraged to learn and study. She found great comfort in the natural world around her and learned all the plants in her father's nursery at a young age. After leaving school at the age of 19, she knew that she wanted to work in the garden center. The Moerheim Nursery, in addition to selling plants, had an on-site design studio where they published a detailed catalog and sold landscape design plans to customers. It was in the design studio where Ruys first began to work and she was soon encouraged to venture beyond her country and study abroad. Her father's connections helped her secure a traineeship with Wallace & Sons Nursery in Tunbridge Wells in England. There, she met Gertr...
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Portland - a foodie's paradise

Portland, Oregon - Food Trucks
A block of food trucks in downtown Portland

If there is one thing I like better than gardens, it is food! I love to eat and unlike Michael, who prefers to eat at the same places and have the same dishes over and over again, I enjoy trying new places. 

 The restaurant choices in Portland are mind boggling. You can find any cuisine you desire.

Rebecca and McKenzie kept telling me about the food trucks in downtown Portland. I expected a food truck here and there but not an entire block of them! One after another and every type food imaginable. It was quite an experience.

Portland, Oregon - Food Trucks  

Portland, Oregon - Food Trucks  

Portland, Oregon - Food Trucks
I loved the name of this one - EuroTrash - and I had a huge hamburger here.
The Loving Hut (Portland, Oregon)
One of my favorite places was a little vegan restaurant called The Loving Hut. I love Chinese food and this stuff was amazing. It was better than real chicken and beef!
   
Yum!

 
This was an appetizer at the Multnomah Falls Lodge restaurant. It is Ceviche. I've seen chefs making this many times on TV shows but had never tried it before.

Voodoo Donuts - a very popular Portland stop. The line was very long so we didn't eat there. Maybe next time.

Another great restaurant was Proper Eats, located in the St. Johns area where our friends are moving. We had an amazing breakfast here. I had the Tempeh Scramble (above), made of seasoned tempeh, roasted potatoes, black beans, salsa and guacamole wrapped in a tortilla.
 
Proper Eats is located in the back of a small grocery store. They had an amazing selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.


Market at Proper Eats (Portland, Oegon)  
 
And here we are - myself, Rebecca, McKenzie (second from right) and the Lopez family.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. scottweberpdxJuly 12, 2013 at 11:26 AM

    Ha! So glad you weren't at a loss as to where to eat!

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  2. outlawgardenerJuly 12, 2013 at 12:38 PM

    One word: YUM!

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  3. David OliverJuly 12, 2013 at 12:41 PM

    It all looks good and interesting and fun. I could hang out there for several days eating and looking and be happy as anyone could be.

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  4. JenJuly 12, 2013 at 1:51 PM

    if you have the chance to come back to the durham chapel hill area, I'll point you to lots of great places to eat! How was the ceviche, you didn't say whether you liked it?

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  5. Lisa at GreenbowJuly 12, 2013 at 6:12 PM

    Never a dull meal there I see. All of those food trucks remind me of carnivals here. Gosh, this post made me hungry.

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  6. AlisonJuly 12, 2013 at 6:21 PM

    Oh Yes! We ate at the food trucks in one part of town when we were in Portland a couple of months ago. Best meal I had all weekend, I think.

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  7. rebeccaJuly 13, 2013 at 1:59 PM

    We had such a good time there with you Phillip.

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  8. LostRosesJuly 13, 2013 at 9:21 PM

    It all looks colorful and yummy, but I probably would have had a cheeseburger!

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  9. CarolJuly 14, 2013 at 4:58 AM

    How fun! I think I read on FB that next years fling is in Portland. You have a head start since you toured many places there already.

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  10. Phillip OliverJuly 14, 2013 at 6:34 AM

    Carol, it is. I didn't know that until a few weeks before I went out there. I hope to be able to attend. Are you going?

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  11. walk2writeJuly 15, 2013 at 7:14 AM

    Eating out, especially with friends who know the good places, is one of the best parts of a vacation. The only trouble is that I usually end up a few pounds heavier than when I left home.

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