Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland – Travel Portland's Staff Blog

As we near the end of the year, I thought I’d share a recent bit of news coverage: an Associated Press article that mentions our Twisitor Center, one of the most popular Portland-related travel stories of 2009.

This particular article, though, is bittersweet: Vice President of Communications & P.R. Deborah Wakefield – who is quoted in the piece, and whose efforts have raised Portland’s profile around the globe – has announced that she is leaving Travel Portland on Dec. 31 for a job with CityPass.

Like any good reporter, Deborah (pictured here) never wants to be the story. But since joining Travel Portland some 16 years ago, Deborah’s expertise, credibility, professionalism and hard work have brought Portland’s stories to the world – and brought visitors from around the world to Portland. We’ll miss her, and we wish her all the best.

Balsamic barrels in Italy by Rnout via Flikr

I thought I was a foodie, but apparently, I know nothing about balsamic vinegar. I found this out recently when I visited Cooper Mountain Vineyards.

This winery not only produces delicious biodynamic wine. (They were the first winery in Oregon to be certified organic.) They also make highly concentrated, aged balsamic vinegar in the true Italian style. This stuff isn’t made for salad dressing. It takes such careful aging — at least six years – and with most of the liquid evaporated over time, it ends up being concentrated almost into syrup. A tiny bottle costs $60. I’ve heard it’s absolutely sublime drizzled over a little Parmesano Reggiano, risotto, strawberries or even on vanilla ice cream! (more…)

Calling all fedoras, fancy dresses and sport coats. Feb. 21-28, 2010, the Portland Jazz Festival returns to get music lovers, culture vultures, movers and shakers up and out of their regular winter routine.

Want to be one of the cool kids? Click below to make a reservation at a participating Jazz Festival hotel:

Need more convincing? This year’s lineup features legendary artists such as John Coltrane collaborator Pharoah Sanders; the Mingus Big Band, which pays homage to the jazz great for which they are named; contemporary trumpeter Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy; and Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza, who will give us a taste of southern hemisphere summertime. In contrast, several emerging artists from the cooler climes of Norway will make their North American debuts during the festival.

The Portland Jazz Festival offers a wide variety of big concert halls as well as intimate gatherings held at hotel bars and lounges in downtown Portland. Whether your preference is a big stage production at the Newmark Theatre or a hotel lounge with a table pulled close to the band as they freestyle the night away, the Portland Jazz Festival has you covered.

Surely, now you’re ready to buy your concert tickets. One final “selling point” — the festival also includes scads of free shows.

TheIntertwine.org — a handy online guide to Portland’s regional network of parks, trails and natural areas — highlights a wide range of visitor-friendly outdoor experiences. Here’s an excerpt of one such experience, submitted by our friend Sylke Neal-Finnegan of  the Washington County Visitors Association. Enjoy.

Photo: Rick Schafer

Exploring the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

Located in the serene suburbs on the outskirts of Sherwood, the Refuge is aptly named for the river that flows through it, providing habitat to more than 250 species of birds, mammals and insects. Once in the Refuge, I feel far removed from human civilization, and the atmosphere is eerily peaceful. With three distinct habitats along a one-mile paved walking trail, the Refuge is a great spot for wildlife and bird watching.

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Like many Portlanders, I’m often proud of what my city has accomplished and what it stands for, especially in terms of sustainability. That’s why I can’t let the city’s recent Climate Action Plan go unheralded on the Portland Spoke.

Released in early November, the Climate Action Plan is an aggressive road map to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city while expanding programs like efficient energy use, public transportation and bike lanes throughout Portland. (more…)

My favorite Portland band, Richmond Fontaine, got a nice write-up in The New Yorker, which calls them “one of the finest proponents of what is sometimes called alt-country but is more properly described as woozy roots music.” 

Put another way: Their live shows are, as my friend AJ says, “transcendent.”

Semantics aside, the band will celebrate the release of its newest record, We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River, on Dec. 11 (tonight) at Dante’s.

Can’t make the show? Check out the video above. Or, for another view into singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin‘s spare, gritty storytelling style, pick up his acclaimed novels, The Motel Life and Northline. (A third, Lean on Pete, is expected this spring.)

Pop (er, country-rock) quiz: Who is the rootsy Portland musician depicted in Alexander Rokoff’s large-scale portrait (below) that hangs in the lobby of Mayor Adams’ office at City Hall?

Hint: This singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist plays a regular gig at the Laurelthirst Pub.

Holiday tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square

It’s official.  The holiday shopping season has started in downtown Portland. The tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square is lit and Portland’s living room is decked out to greet one and all. 

This year, our office is buzzing about the new PDX Pop-Up Shops.  These are temporary shops, provided at no cost to local artists and designers. This blog post provides a little background. The four pop-up shops are Flurry, Workroom 719, Egg Press and By Oregon.  One of my coworkers came in the other day with some amazing clothes (at amazing prices) from the 719 shop. This is a great opportunity to buy directly from designers right in downtown. And, if you’re a savvy shopper, you already know that all shopping in Oregon is tax-free.

Here are a couple more insider tips: (more…)