Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

The Lasagna was one of many hand-crafted soapbox racers at this year's derby.

After years of wanting to go, I finally made it to the Portland Adult Soapbox Derby — and what a great time it was. I knew it would be quirky, cool and fun — and it was just that — but the  creativity and talent on display exceeded my expectations.

This event is held each August at Mt. Tabor Park, where brave (and probably slightly crazy) teams create their own handmade soapbox racers to hurtle down this extinct volcano in the middle of Portland.

I’ve added pictures of a few of the racers to our Flickr photo pool. (more…)

City of Hood River and Mount Hood. Photo by Peter Marbach.

Like most people, I’ve got a list. Driving through Hood River on our move west nearly a decade ago, windsurfing on the Columbia was added to the list. Fast-forward eight years, substitute the newest craze of stand-up paddling (SUP) for windsurfing, and I’ve now checked “Getting on the Columbia in Hood River” off my list.

I wasn’t sure how hard SUP would be — my only real knowledge of it was seeing Hollywood fit gals Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson in the gossip mags cruising on long boards with paddles in Hawaii. And, with no photo to prove it, I am pretty sure I looked just like them on the water (minus the fit and Hawaii parts). At least that’s how I picture it. (more…)

September is my favorite month in Portland.  The weather’s warm, the streets are busy and activities are in full swing.  Here are a few of the things I’m looking forward to experiencing:

See

Robert Crumb, Illustrated Book of Genesis: It took five years and 200 drawings for artist Robert Crumb to illustrate the 50 chapters of Genesis.  Portland Art Museum’s exhibit runs through Sept. 19.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night: A collaboration between the Artists Repertory Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company, this American classic stars William Hurt.  The show has been extended through the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

PICA’s Time Based Art: Ten days of performances and parties kick off with a collaboration between the Oregon Symphony and Rufus Wainright.

Shop

Compassion Coupons: From now through September, customers can print coupons for discounts at downtown shops and restaurants and New Avenues for Youth will benefit.  For every redeemed coupon, New Avenues receives $5 to help fund their outreach programs.

Fashion’s Night Out: On Sept. 10, Downtown Portland retailers throw open their doors for fashion shows, exclusive appearances, samples and giveaways.  Director Park is the headquarters for this event, which includes free evening parking at SmartPark’s 10th and Yamhill garage.

Art in the Pearl/Pearl Sidewalk Sale: The Pearl’s the place to be on Labor Day weekend, when artists take over the Park Blocks and vendors take over the sidewalks.  Bring your credit cards and good walking shoes for this three-day event.

Savor

Tasty n Sons: From the legendary folks at Toro Bravo, this restaurant in North Portland packs them in for brunch.  Starting Sept. 9, they’ll bring ‘em in for dinner, too.  A warm-weather bonus?  The roll up garage-style door at the front of the restaurant.

Pinot: “An American Brasserie” featuring beer, wine (yes, there is more than just Pinot Noir on the menu) and eats from the Pacific Northwest.  This newly opened downtown restaurant opens early and closes late.

Hair of the Dog: This legendary brewing company has finally opened a public brewpub.  Their website hasn’t been updated, but the Oregonian wrote a preview in April.

I sat in the audience of High Art at the Portland Art Museum last night watching Pendulum dancers/aerial artists blow my mind. Seeing this type of movement up close with live music in the Masonic ballroom was such a great Portland experience.

How do they do it? How did he just lift up that woman while upside down? How does she climb up a sash and make it look so easy? Is she really just hanging there by her arms and two strips of ribbon?

Those thoughts — and maybe some others — were going through my head as one of my favorite paintings, Klimt’s “The Kiss,” was being interpreted to the music “Kissing.”

Go see this event!

There's Rosie checking out the king-sized bed at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Portland. Umm ... it was the only time she got on that wonderful bed.

When it comes to my pug, I make no bones about my devotion to her. Simply put: I love that little ankle-biter.

So when I got the chance to spoil Rosie with a night at the Hotel Monaco recently, I leaped at the chance. Little did I know that Trip Advisor would later name the Hotel Monaco – a Kimpton property in downtown Portland – as the second most pet-friendly hotel in the U.S.

After staying, however, I can assure you it is a well-deserved honor. (more…)

The entrance to the temporary park.

As part of the inaugural PDX Bridge Festival, the 100-year-old Hawthorne Bridge was converted into a park — complete with grass, trees and picnic tables — for last Sunday’s Brunch on the Bridge.

In addition to the novelty of seeing the beloved bridge’s center deck covered with grass (and the whole bridge closed to cars), the event embodied Portland’s friendliness and sense of community. Food — purchased from on-site food carts or the nearby Portland Farmers Market or brought from home — was shared, dogs were petted and everyone enjoyed an unusual, but pleasantly familiar, day in the park.

I loved these ladies' style. Why not get dressed up for a picnic?

Check out this amazing time-lapse video of the entire event, from set-up through break-down.

Mike Houck, an urban naturalist with the Audubon Society of Portland, stands before Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, located just minutes from downtown. Photo: humanemetropolis.org

The Oregonian recently ran an inspiring profile of our friend Mike Houck, describing the urban naturalist’s role in shaping (ahem) Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

Without giving too much away, let’s just say the article shows how Portland’s DIY culture isn’t necessarily a recent phenomenon.

Or, to put it another way: Any creation story involving “a hammer, a ladder and a fifth of Jim Beam” is a tale worth telling. And the result is worth visiting, whether you’re looking to stretch your legs or stir your soul. Oaks Bottom is, hands-down, one of my favorite spots in the city.

Our Portland Farmers Market salads

Recently, my co-worker, Karen, and I created a lunch that came almost entirely from the Portland Farmers Market at Shemanski Park. It’s only a block from the Travel Portland offices and we go there all the time, but we’d never created an entire meal from there … so off we went. 

And what a lunch we had! We created a salad of mixed greens, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and Ba-a-arely Blue Cheese from Dee Creek Farm. To go with our lovely bounty, we purchased a link of Arles salami from Olympic Provisions and a peach, arugula and feta hand pie from Little Pots & Pans Co. for dessert. 

(more…)

Hells Canyon photo by jotor, via Flickr.

Yet again I am blown away by the beauty of Oregon. Just got back from a mini-vacation driving across Oregon and Idaho to go to a family wedding. On the way back we went to Hells Canyon.

This place should be right up there with all the must-see sights of the USA. The deepest river canyon in the country, it is remote and breathtakingly beautiful. Hells Canyon Adventures has jet boats that take you over the rapids, into the canyon and by petroglyphs, a homestead cabin and the dam.

The road from Hells Canyon to Joseph, Oregon, washed out in June so we had to revise our route and are saving that trip for another day.

But I was in Hell and I was smiling — love those rapids, love that jet boat.