Business-trip in Vancouver

Business-trip to Vancouver, Washington

I guess it is every employee's dream to be able to work for a multi-national firm that has the finances to send them for a overseas assignment, sometimes. With the globalization of the Singapore economy, it is probably inevitable that we are required to go for business-trips.
Already in our minds, we envision a really nice place that we can go sightseeing, shopping, whatever we can think of, after our office hours. Once we get there, then a whole new mentality strikes us. There really is nothing to do here after work. And we miss our family and friends. And we cannot handle the food. And how slowly time passes. And how much we miss our home sweet home. No choice-lah, we are here already. So we'd better buck up and start making sure that life here is bearable.
So, the intention of this write-up is to chronicle the stuff I did here in Vancouver, Washington so that I can at the least help someone else (if not myself) feel it's not such a bad trip after all.

Where to stay?

One of the better places to stay is the Homewood Suites Hotel at 701 SE Columbia Shores Blvd. I'd recommend this place more than the other few that I've visited, i.e. Residence Inn near Vancouver Mall, and the Phoenix Inn at Mill Plain Rd. This hotel is fairly new, somebody told me it's built in 1997. Excellent view of the Columbia River (right by the Beaches restaurant). If the weather is right, you can actually go for a run along the river from the hotel to the I-5 bridge (takes about 20 minutes round-trip). Restaurants along the way: Beaches, McMenamins, Who-Song & Larry's, Charthouse.
One good thing is that if you sign up for the Hilton HHonors (yep, 2 H's for HHonors), you can receive Mileage Plus miles. Breakfast is served from 6-9 on weekdays, 7-10 week-ends, and they even have Happy Hour Mon-Thur 5-7pm (you can have dinner here if you're already sick of going out to eat, happens after about 14 days). There's a gym that has 2 bike machines, 1 treadmill, 1 stairclimber and 1 weight machine. Outside is a mini-basketball court, a jacuzzi, and a small swimming pool.

What to eat?

On the average, one puts on about 1kg (or 2lbs) for every month you're here. That is if you're not exercising. The gym is highly recommended, not becos' of the facilities but becos' if you don't go there, you're definitely gonna add some bulk...the food portion here is really, really big. OK, let's list the food you can get here:
Chinese food:

Legin - probably the best known Chinese place in town. Serves dimsum for lunch 10-3pm. Pretty authentic Chinese food and everybody speaks Cantonese. From I-205 (to Portland), exit at Division St and once you reach the T-junction, turn right. The restaurant is at the junction of 82nd Ave and Division. Alternatively, you can drive all the south along Division St.
Good Taste - interesting name for a restaurant, but this is probably the best place to eat roast duck, and roast pork. It's in Chinatown, so you can follow the same directions to the other restaurants along the same street such as House of Louie, Seven Stars, etc. Take I-5 South and exit to the Portland City Center. Turn right at 4th Ave and you should be able to the "gateway" to Chinatown. To exit, go to 3rd Ave and turn left at Alder St. There should be signs to direct you back to I-5 or to I-84 and I-205.
Sam Ho - pretty similar to Legin, although not as classy. Prices are slightly cheaper. From I-205, exit at Sandy and turn right. When you see the pink building (can't miss it), turn right again to Sandy. Go all the way and Sam Ho is on your left.
Thien Hong - another Chinese restaurant on Sandy. This one is on your right using the same directions to Sandy.
Brand Buffet (Chinese/American) - as the name says, this is a all-you-can-eat restaurant, and pretty cheap, too. For about US$10, you can eat to your heart's content. Mainly "americanized" Chinese food, but lots of variety including soft drink, ice-cream, and dessert. Located near Tony Roma's opposite Vancouver Mall.

Vietnamese food:

Le's - one of my favourite places for lunch. Only one complaint, the ventilation is pretty bad so don't go there in your favourite outfit 'cos it'll end up smelling like what you ordered. Highly recommended menu is the 5-spice chicken with sauteed vegetables plus soyabean drink. Another good one is the grilled pork, otherwise known as "char-siu". Take Highway 14 to Camas Industrial Loop, and turn right at the Fort James Mill. The restaurant is at 208 NE 4th, which you can pretty much see if you look to your left at the traffic lights (no left turn, though).
Saigon - interestingly enough, this place has one of the most authentic Chinese food I've tasted over here, i.e., very similar to Singapore-style cooking. A must-try is the egg-foo yong with shrimp. You'll need to drive to the Target loop, but go straight all the way (pass the car showrooms) until you reach the traffic light. Then go straight again and turn right after about 20m pass the lights to a row of shops. Saigon is one of those shops.
Pho Hung - the first word is pronounced "fur". This is one of the better places to eat the famous beef soup noodles. Turn to Sandy and then left on 82nd (after the Grotto). Then turn right when you see the 76 gas-station. Pho Hung is on your left about 200m after the junction.
Pho Van, Mi Van - both noodle shops are on 82nd. Don't have the exact address, but you should be able to see them as you travel along 82nd. Good beef noodle soups.

Thai food:

Bangkok Palace - pretty near the HP South Campus, so it's one of the more popular places eat during lunch, or a quick bite before going home. The Pad-Thai is not too bad, the portion is medium (just nice for us). The satay and the fired tofu are good appetizers to start with. Tom-yam soupis also good. Go to 164th, and turn left to McGillivray. You should see the Bangkok Palace banner to your left before you reach the traffic lights.
Thai Place Cuisine (Thai) - one good thing about this place, the Pad Say Ewe...reminds me of "char-koay-teow". The portion here is big, so it's best to have just 2 dishes for 3 persons. Go straight on 164th all the way past Mill Plain until you see the Arco gas station to your left. Turn left into the shops near Arco.

Japanese food:

Moshi - the nearest Japanese place I know. I like the combination dinners especially since they serve it with salad (with a special dressing), miso soup and rice. Salmon teriyaki is highly recommended. Location near Tony Roma's.
Hokkaido - this one is on Sandy (directions same as Sam Ho). Not much info on this, since I have only been to this place once or twice (it's in Portland). The only good thing about this is that there is no sales tax in Oregon.

American food:

Tony Roma's - the best ribs in America, or so they claimed. This place serves one of the best tasting barbecued ribs I've tasted. Try the Carolina Honey ribs, or the original baby-back. No need for silverware, you pretty much eat with your fingers. Location is by Vancouver Mall, can't miss it.
Red Lobster - famous for seafood, obviously the lobster. Also near Vancouver Mall.
TGI Friday's - this place is kinda funny. Seems like everybody is dressed up as if going for a party or something. Excellent selection of cocktails, and the steak here must be one of the best (and biggest) I've tasted...talking about the Jack Daniels' steaks (12oz). Very crowded on Fridays' though. The first restaurant as you turn into the Target, Winco Foods loop. It's the opposite of Vancouver Mall (turn left instead of right to the Mall if you're coming via I-205).
Newport Bay - a seafood restaurant. Pretty nice selection of seafood at the Target loop.
McGrath's Fish House - the seafood is OK. What I don't understand is the long wait for a table, close to an hour. They'd give you a pager so that you'd know when your number is being called. Location is at Mill Plain.
Beaches - good food, good ambience and very near Homewood Suites. Problem is, the wait is long especially during week-ends. So,if you wanna go, do it during the weekdays. I like the Manila clams, and the seafood fettucine.
McMenamins - a burger joint. Certainly a better place to go if you want burgers. Directly opposite Beaches.
Olive Garden - good only if you like pasta with lots of cheese. Frankly, I don't like the place since pasta is not exactly tops on my food list. Located opposite Tony Roma's. Also, a pretty long wait.
Places to avoid - Charthouse (expensive, and weird stuff), Shari's (very bad steak)

Mexican food: I don't really enjoy eating Mexican stuff but I guess WhoSong and Larry's is one of the better places for this cuisine. It's located at the Columbia Shores Drive, just under the I-5 bridge.

Where to shop?

Groceries:

Safeway - there are 2 at Mill Plain. One is at Mill Plain between I-205 and 164th. The other one between I-5 and I-205. Apply for a Safeway card (sign up on the spot, and you can collect 125 miles on your Mileage Plus for every $250 spent in Safeway).
Albertson's - the closest one to HP South Campus. It's on 164th, turn left on McGillivray.
Winco Foods - open 24 hours. So this is a place to go if you need soemthing in the middle of the night. Or the nearest place to go after your dinner at some place near the Vancouver Mall (after your big dinner).

Outlet stores:

Woodburn - probably one of the better ones with Polo, Timberland, etc. Located 45 minutes from Homewood Suites, driving on I-5. Turn at the Woodburn exit.
Troutdale - another one at the Columbia River Gorge.
Lincoln City - this one's pretty far, I think 2 hours away. But if you go there, you can also drive near the coastal area. Must be the biggest outlet store compared to the other 2.

Other interesting places:

Jantzen Beach: located just after the I-5 bridge, it's basically something like a mall that has lots of specialty shops such as Ross Dress for Less, Montgomery Ward, REI (outdoor store), Barnes & Nobles (bookshop) and others. The good thing about it is that it's in Oregon (no sales tax).
GI Joe's: located by Safeway on Mill Plain...can't miss it if you drive along Mill Plain. Lots of outdoor stuff including guns, fishing rods, and even kayaks.
Bed Bath and Beyond: of more interest to the homemaker, I find this place a really interesting shop for bath accessories, kitchenware, decoration, and others. Near Target by Vancouver Mall.
Crafts Warehouse: excellent place for arts and crafts enthusiasts...I actually bought an indoor fountain kit here. If I enough room in my luggage, I would have bought more stuff from this store, especially the photo frames. Near GI Joe's and Safeway.

What to do?

Columbia River Gorge: a scenic drive, this is the one you must go to if you come to Vancouver for business-trip. Take I-205 and exit to I-84. There are directions along the way. Another alternative is using Highway 14. Highlights include the Multnomah Falls, and the Bonneville Dam/Hatchery (where you can see salmon and trout).

Whitewater rafting: you can do this at the Salmon River with AAA Rafting. Cost about $60/person for a 3-hour stint. Brochures are available at the hotel.
Mt St Helens: this is pretty scenic drive. not much hiking unless you're taking the Southern road. The Northern one is the one you want to get to, first. At the Johnston Ridge Observatory, you can watch a movie of the actual explosion which will open up to show the mountain, depending on the visibility that day. Take lots of pictures, and you can have lunch at Hoffstadt Bluffs.
Victoria, BC: very nice place, with an awesome night life on Saturday. There are a few options for ferries to Victoria but I guess the one from Port Angeles is the cheapest via the MV Coho (car) or Victoria Express (passengers only, reservation allowed). Lots of accommodation there, but you'll hafta book early during peak week-ends. Places to visit - the Butchart Gardens, Craigdarroch Castle, Empress Hotel, and the Royal BC Museum (watch an IMAX movie, if you have the time). There are other attractions such as the Crystal Garden, the Butterfly Garden, Miniature World but I guess we were pretty selective (they need admission fee for all these). Look out for the Arts and Crafts Fair if you happen to be there on a Sunday. Alternatively, you can drive to Vancouver BC and then take a ferry to Vancover Island, and then drive to Victoria (takes about 3 days for the entire trip).

Cannon Beach: very nice beach, but not much else to see along the way. Takes a few hours to drive there and back.

Olympic National Park/Forest: this is a 2-day trip, minimum. Highlights will be to Hurricane Ridge where you can take pictures of the snow-capped mountain range, the coastal beaches, Lake Crescent (hike to see Marymere Falls, about 45mins), Sol Duc Hot Springs (we didn't go here, not enough time), and the Hoh Rainforest. If you have the time, this is a good place for rafting (lots of companies along the way) and even scuba-diving (at Hood Canal). We stayed at La Push, an Indian reservation and had our dinner at Three Rivers about 10 minutes before La Push. Since there is a lot of driftwood in the beach, you can actually set up a campfire (very good if the weather is cold). While in Hoh Rainforest, the must-hikes are the Hall of Mosses, and the Spruce trail (2 hours total). If you're lucky, you might even see a Roosevelt elk or two (we saw 4 bull elks in the Spruce trail). One advice, keep the $10/car receipt - it is valid for all the parks.

Anything else?

Tips: remember that there is service charge in the US. So you need to tip your waiter/waitress, about 10-15%. You'll also need to tip your housekeeper at the hotel...maybe $1 for every night you're staying.
Driver's license: if you're staying here for long, i.e. over 30 days, it'll be good to get a Washington driver's license. The DOT is at the road opposite Safeway at Mill Plain (the one between 164th and I-205). Just do the theory on the PC, and then sign up for the driving test. You can use the Hertz rental car. It's better than using your passport for ID purposes (if you wish to drink).
Seat belt: even the person sitting behind need to put on the seat belt.
Golf: one of the things you can do over here, if the weather is nice enough. There is a driving range (Evergreen) at SE 1st St...you drive straight on 164th pass HP North Campus, and turn right at 1st St - can't miss the range.

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most recent update: May 12, 2000
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