Spotted at Reed Canyon on Dec. 19: mallards, wood ducks, geese, a blue heron and, um, other wildlife.
Took our dog and eight-month-old son on a mid-December walk around Reed Canyon, a lovely watershed located in the heart of the beautiful Reed College campus in Southeast Portland, just a short drive from downtown.
Skibowl, America's largest night skiing area. Photo courtesy of Mt. Hood Territory
An elegant toast at midnight following a multi-course feast in one of Portland’s finest restaurants, a festive show, or a day in the snow — how will you celebrate New Year’s Eve this year?
Personally, I always try to “do it all,” so I’ll be taking in Pink Martini’s annual gift to Portland in the form of one of their two New Year’s Eve shows at the glamorous Schnitzer Concert Hall. Then, I’ll toast the new year when the clock strikes twelve with a glass of bubbly at one of my favorite bars. With a whole weekend to celebrate, I’ll head to Mount Hood for a day of snowshoeing the peaceful trails with a pack of close friends.
If snow and ice are your favorite elements of winter fun, check out the fireworks shows on New Year’s Eve at Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows, and the huge night skiing area at Skibowl (pictured). The Resort at the Mountain has an awesome all-inclusive ski package available that weekend (meals, massages, lift tickets and a shuttle to the slopes!), as well as a New Year’s Eve champagne celebration.
Back in Portland, foodies need look no further than restaurants like the Heathman, Metrovino and Fenouil for lavish multi-course dinners to indugle in before those resolutions kick in.
I will be the first to admit that I love seeing “A Christmas Carol” each December. I also will admit that finally sitting down between all the hustle and bustle of the holidays has found my tired eyes “resting” during the show some years. This year, however, it’s time to laugh out loud at the holidays with not one, but two, doses of holiday cheer from Portland Center Stage.
In the Ellen Bye Studio, PCS once again takes a satirical look at the life of a department store elf with the return of David Sedaris’ “Santaland Diaries.” And, on the main stage, the theater throws tradition to the wind to bring Red Ryder BB guns, Ralphie and the infamous frozen flagpole vs. tongue challenge to life with a performance of the 1983 cult holiday classic, “A Christmas Story.”
This begs the question, what gift request from your childhood prompted a “you’ll shoot your eye out”-type response from your parents?
Grammy-nominated bassist Esperanza Spalding will perform at the Portland Jazz Festival.
The Portland Jazz Festival isn’t until February (Feb. 18-27, 2011, to be exact), but you can buy tickets and book hotel rooms NOW. And if you book one of the hotels supporting the festival, you can get an outrageous 50% discount on the best ticket package.
This year’s theme highlights Jewish and African Americans playing jazz together, with both a historic perspective and the inclusion of contemporary Israeli musicians. You’ll be able to go to a klezmer brunch or a gospel brunch — or, hopefully, to both! I’m hoping to see the Jewish community at the gospel events and the African American community at the synagogue for some klezmer music.
Stay tuned for more blog posts about the Jazz Festival.
The Portland area has played host to a number of television and movie shoots — most notably Twilight in 2008 and the past few seasons of Leverage. In both cases, Portland serves as the stand-in for other places like Forks, Washington, and Boston.
However, there’s no mistaking where IFC’s new comedy show is filmed, or based. “Portlandia” — named after our large copper statue — promises a tongue-in-cheek look at a few of the things that make Portland so great. I’m sure bikes, dogs and beer won’t remain unscathed. Enjoy the preview and tune in on Jan. 21 for the premiere.
One of my favorite things about Portland is all the public art. The sculptures, murals and installations can turn a pleasant walk through downtown into a treasure hunt. When the Transit Mall was renovated in 2009, I was blown away by the great new pieces (mixed with plenty of classics, like the statue made famous in the “Expose yourself to art” poster).
So I was thrilled to get to work on a new guide to public art in the central city, which Travel Portland produced in partnership with the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
Free copies are available at the Visitor Information Center in Pioneer Courthouse Square, or you can download the PDF. The guide includes a map to more than 100 artworks, including all 36 pieces on the Transit Mall.
Check it out, and take yourself on a treasure hunt through the streets of Portland!
This year’s event, expected to draw 17,500 beer lovers, will include more than 50 bold (and colorfully named) winter ales. Among the varieties I’m eager to sample: BridgePort’s Old Knucklehead (a big stretch, I concede) and Hopworks’ Kentucky Christmas.
