A Quick Get-Away

As you might have noticed, I am somewhat incapable of just letting my arm rest and NOT doing the gardening, cooking or anything else that I shouldn't, so I decided the best thing for my arm might be a vacation.  So, Monday I packed my bags and headed to Union, Oregon.

I am not a "normal" vacationer.  I like the odd, unique, "memorable" places.  I used to travel quite a bit for work, and most cities & chain hotels really look all the same.  I want something unusual.  So, when I found the Historic Union Hotel online, I was thoroughly excited.  They even had an "original" room--presumably as it was in 1920 when the hotel was built--with the shower down the hall one direction and the "auxiliary" down the other--so of COURSE this was for me. (Not to mention the $39/night price tag)

Monday was sunny & nice, which made the three-hour drive quite pleasant.  I stopped for lunch in Baker City, Oregon because we had previously been so impressed with the restaurant in the Geiser Grand when we stayed there, and I was thinking it would be the "culinary high point" of my trip and the only one likely to NOT bother my "no-processed-foods" stomach.  And I was wrong.  The restaurant had obviously changed in the year since I had last eaten there--gone were the "Oregon" specialties featuring hazelnuts or blue cheese or anything else local.  Now it's basically "pub grub" that one would get at any chain restaurant--which I'm sure has probably made them more appealing to the general public & probably is helping them compete with the chain restaurants because that is the type of restaurant most people go to.  Still, as rarely as we go out to eat, it was a serious disappointment and I doubt I'll make the effort to go there again.

Union wasn't much further, and the hotel is right on the main road

--as is everything else--and is totally delightful.  I was a bit concerned about this sign

thinking maybe they'd failed to mention something on their website and wondering if I would make the cut, but it turns out a convention calling themselves "Victorious Women" had just left.  Sounds more fun than "Virtuous Women," but this makes a better sign, don't you think?

Right next to the hotel is the Union City Park:

which is just lovely & quite well used. 

though small.

The staff--which might consist of three people including a spry 71-year-old housekeeper--is delightful.  The entire visit they called me "Miss Toni" which made me feel as if I should be dripping in crinolines and sipping mint juleps.

Being a Monday night, I was actually the only guest, which is a very strange feeling.  It did take some of the problems of going to a bathroom down the hall away as I didn't have to explain myself to anyone staying in a room WITH a private bath. I actually thought the "auxiliary" bathroom was rather fun, and my room was bright & cheery

though my closet could have used a closet rod

I did take a look through several of the other rooms and they were wonderful.  One had a full kitchen, some had sitting rooms--or course all the others had baths--some were just funny, like the "Annie Oakley" room which has been redecorated since they put the picture on the website & now has been nicknamed the "bordello" room. 

There's a huge lounge with sofa & chairs & tables and games and a gas fireplace.  Since my second day was rainy off & on, it was a nice place to hang out and read.  None of the rooms have a television, but there is a television lounge upstairs for those who need a fix.

Union itself is a tremendously small town, though they cover the basics.  This is the hardware/liquor/espresso shop:

And really, what else does one need?

As it turns out, food.  I don't know if it was just because I was the only guest or if it's just "slow season," but the restaurant in the hotel was closed, and I wasn't ABOUT to take my little "no-processed-foods" self to "Gravy Dave's" across the street, so I enjoyed peanut butter & jelly sandwiches on a loaf of Andy's homemade bread most of the trip.  Unfortunately, "shelf-stable" peanut butter has all sorts of additives, so I technically wasn't getting any "cheat free" meals--which is asking for trouble.  When I needed a break, I drove over to La Grande--about 13 miles away--but I didn't come across any restaurants likely to be "legal."  So I stopped and picked up more fruit and some fresh vegetables and hoped my stomach could last.

Being spring in Oregon, it snowed in the mountains

(which were quite close) the second night I was there--and the storm was so fierce that my hosts came to check on me to make sure I was okay.  (Did I mention how great the service is?).  I think they might have turned up the heat, because this thing

which I had thought might be for show started pumping out the heat and steam, which did wonders for my dry skin. 

A fun, quick trip--lots of relaxation, and I DID rest my arm.  My stomach, however, was hurting so much that I decided not to stay a third night. Can you imagine looking FORWARD to being back on a diet???

I have a strange life......:)