Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

They say there’s no such thing as a second chance to make a first impression, but you can experience a do-over of sorts by celebrating the Chinese New Year at Lan Su Chinese Garden (Feb. 10-24).

According to the Chinese zodiac, this is the year of the snake, a time when wise and intuitive people will flourish. And what better way to get off on the right foot than taking in some of the martial arts demonstrations, feng shui talks, or music and dance performances in the garden? And on weekend days, lion and dragon dances will delight parents and children alike — if you can brave those noisy beasts, there’s no reason to fear a little snake.

Taking up an entire city block, Lan Su is an authentic Chinese experience unto itself, but never more so than during this annual, two-week celebration. The festivities conclude with the magical Chinese New Year Lantern Viewings (Feb. 22-24). These three evening gatherings infuse visitors with hope for a prosperous year ahead, as hundreds of floating lanterns fill the garden’s stunning lake, which also reflects the night sky. If you’re as wise as a snake, you’ll get your tickets soon!

From boxes of sweets on Valentine’s Day to bag of treats at Halloween, chocolate is invariably linked to big events. But as beloved as its rich flavor is, there ought to be a celebration of the great goodie itself. Thankfully, ChocolateFest (Jan. 18-20), the Northwest’s celebration of all things mouthwatering, dark and creamy, pours it on every year.

This cocoa celebration fills the Oregon Convention Center with three days of activities and tastings, featuring more than 50 chocolatiers sharing treats like artisan truffles from Moonstruck Chocolate Company, old fashioned candies made by Willamette Valley Confectionary, and gooey, baked delights from Cupcake Jones. To sip with the sweets, you can try local wines from Noble Estate Vineyard, Hip Chicks Do Wine and many more. The fest kicks off with an adults-only premiere party, and includes presentations and samples galore all weekend long.

Foodies who prefer a mix of flavors should check out FoodWorx (Jan. 15), a new culinary conference at the Gerding Theater. Emceed by OPB’s Allison Frost, who hosts the popular program “Think Out Loud,” the conference takes a look at the future of food, bringing in a dozen expert speakers from the arenas of gourmet cuisine, beverage, travel and hospitality. Where better than America’s leading food city to explore the delicious possibilities?

Photo by Kara Howland, via Flickr

It’s an annual tradition: When the (Gregorian) calendar turns to a new year, Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden celebrates with Great Eight Free Days (Jan. 5-12, 2013).

From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each of these eight days, you can visit the lovely urban oasis at no cost (general admission is regularly $9.50). Explore the pathways, buildings and bridges, then duck into the authentic, two-story teahouse for warm drinks and snacks. And don’t miss the display of Chinese New Year gifts, laid out in anticipation of the beginning of the Year of the Snake on Feb. 10.

Curated by NASA, this exhibit explains the science behind the out-of-this world eyepiece that orbits Earth, beaming down photos that have helped us better understand the cosmos and our place in it. Visit the Washington County Museum’s new home in the Hillsboro Civic Center to take in color photographs showcasing Hubble’s most stunning discoveries, as well as a model of the telescope itself. (more…)

Update: As of Jan. 5, there are no longer restricted viewing hours for Lily — she’s integrated with the herd and can be seen during general zoo hours.

Portland got an early holiday gift this year with the Nov. 30 birth of a baby elephant at the Oregon Zoo. Dubbed Lily by popular vote, she was 300 pounds at birth, but still looks tiny compared to her mom, Rose-Tu.

Just how cute is a baby elephant? See for yourself! The public can visit Lily and Rose-Tu from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. daily (hours subject to change; check www.oregonzoo.org before you go).

Don’t miss your chance to see her while she’s still “little.”

Fireworks at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, courtesy of MtHoodTerritory.com

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter — especially when you take a peek at the peak of Mount Hood on Portland’s horizon. Just a 90-minute drive from the downtown, the mountain sits right in the city’s backyard and makes for a heck of a winter playground. In fact, there are a number of different ways to enjoy Mount Hood’s wonderland of snow.

For skiing and snowboarding, Mount Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and Timberline can’t be beat. Meadows, with 11 lifts, 85 runs and a three-mile stretch of uninterrupted downhill, has a trail for every level of skier. Ski Bowl, with the largest night ski area in the country, keeps snow-hungry riders shushing for hours. And Timberline, a national historic landmark, is as popular for its relaxing lodge as for its runs. (more…)

Portland is full of bright ideas to embrace the shorter days of winter: hundreds of thousands of lights in our neighborhoods, our waters, and plenty of spots in between. Here are some of the stars in the city’s constellation of holiday light displays:

The first twinkles come as the Winter Wonderland at the Portland International Raceway (Nov. 22-Dec. 25) kicks off the season with the largest holiday light show west of the Mississippi.

Next, the Oregon Zoo switches on Zoolights (Nov. 23-Dec. 31). This family favorite features carolers, rides on the beloved zoo train, and all sorts of animals (actual and animatronic) — all illuminated with 1.5 million LED lights. (more…)

Photo by Noel Zia Lee via Flickr

The stretch of days from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve can be a roller coaster of activity, but the holidays don’t have to be so hectic. Ditch the Thunder Mountain mentality and enjoy a ride on Portland’s Holiday Express (weekends, Nov. 30-Dec. 16), a leisurely way to ease into the season.

Departing from the Oaks Station, adjacent to Oaks Park in Sellwood,  this family-friendly train ride cruises between the Willamette River and Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, with Santa taking the helm and his elves spreading their cheer all along the way. This seasonal adventure comes courtesy of the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, whose brand-new Oregon Rail Heritage Center in the Eastside Industrial district is now accessible via Portland Streetcar. (more…)

Here’s a chronological look at the season’s most festive musical offerings in and around Portland. See our Holiday Dance and Theater Guide, too.

“Wintersong”
Portland Symphonic Choir
Dec. 1-2
St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1716 N.W. Davis St.

One of Portland’s oldest choral institutions sings seasonal songs.

Bach for the Holidays and Wassail Party
Trinity Choir and Portland Baroque Orchestra
Dec. 1-2
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 N.W. 19th Ave.

The acclaimed singers and soloists from Portland Baroque Orchestra perform two of J.S. Bach’s finest choral orchestral works, his “Cantata #140” and “Magnificat.”

Northwest Community Gospel Choir

“Gospel Christmas”
Oregon Symphony and Northwest Community Gospel Choir
Dec. 7-9
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway

Charles Floyd conducts the 14th annual gospel holiday celebration. (more…)

Sure, there’s no place like home for the holidays, but there’s no place quite like Hood River, either. This pretty little burg is an hour’s drive over(-looking) the Columbia River and through the Mt. Hood National Forest woods from Portland — and still holds dear to holiday traditions of years gone by.

Hood River Holidays (Nov. 30 – Dec. 24) gives visitors plenty of reasons to stop, stroll and shop the city’s quaint stores and boutiques, as well as kick back within its restaurants and pubs for a bit of holiday revelry.

Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 30, with a holiday parade, live music, kids’ activities and the hristmas-tree lighting all heralding the arrival of Santa.

The month-long celebration fills every inch of town with holiday spirit, from boat parades featuring festively lit watercraft, to rides on Mount Hood Railroad’s Polar Express, which transports believers in the Christmas Spirit straight to the North Pole. New events are being added to the festival all the time, so be sure to check the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce website before you pack your sleigh.