Renowned for its adventurous food scene, Portland is no stranger to culinary trends. We’ve embraced and indulged in everything from cupcakes to bacon (and maybe even some bacon cupcakes). But 2012 belonged to ice cream, specifically the concoctions dreamed up by Salt & Straw.
The innovative ice creamery has reinvented the scoop, turning out rich, original flavors made with super-fresh, local ingredients. Their holiday lineup includes some surprises (Mulled Wine Sorbet, Figgy Pudding), but we’ve yet to meet a Salt & Straw flavor we didn’t love. And there’s no doubt about entries like Peppermint Cocoa and Bourbon Pecan Pie. (more…)
Every year, Santa’s got his list and you’ve got yours. But from gift-gathering to rounding up all your holiday trimmings, your to-do list might not leave much time for fun. Of course the season of hope has a solution: Holidate, which lets you shop and celebrate at the same time.
Downtown Portland’s weekly roundup of special in-store events and merry-making restaurant deals, Holidate runs every Thursday evening in December, 4-7 p.m., ideal for the fresh-from-the-office crowd or suburban working folks who want to enjoy some holiday spirit in the city. (more…)
For the fourth holiday season in a row, Downtown Portland is home to a select handful of pop-up shops. The boutiques all debut today (Nov. 8 ) and will remain open for your gift-giving needs through Dec. 31.
A design from the Emit pop-up shop.
Emit (535 S.W. Sixth Ave.) blends performance fabrics and modern silhouettes to create bold, distinctive women’s apparel and accessories that allow you to feel beautiful and confident in any situation.
Wolf’s Apothecary (902 S.W. Morrison St.) features locally made health and beauty products amid a collection of turn-of-the century and modern home goods.
The Enchanted Alpaca (902 S.W. Morrison St.) offers comfortable, elegant, warm and breathable clothing made of alpaca and natural fibers — plus live alpacas at the store every weekend!
Boys’ Fort (614 S.W. 11th Ave., in the Governor Hotel) showcases custom-built furniture, reclaimed lighting fixtures and men’s bags, wallets and jewelry, as well as bespoke personal fragrances and other trophies of modern-day living.
For more holiday shopping and fun, check out the brand-new DowntownPortland.org.
While Portland is renowned for pioneering craft brews, it should also be known for hoisting mugs of another sort.
The local tea revolution reaches back to 1972, when Stash Tea Company steeped its first bag at its headquarters in an old Portland Victorian home. The company has since moved to suburban Tigard, but will be opening a shop on N. Mississippi Avenue this month.
Steven Smith, one of Stash’s founders, went on to found Tazo Tea (a brand now owned by Starbucks) and currently operates Steven Smith Teamaker, whose blends are available all over the city, including in the company’s tasting room and shop on NW Thurman Street.
Relative newcomers Townsend’s Tea Company opened in 2006, and has become a favorite with its Alberta Street Teahouse, where cups and bags are available for sale. Their new Division Street location opened this past year, and has quickly become a perfect pair with the neighborhood’s hot restaurant scene.
Loose-leaf cafes also pour it on in Portland, serving tea from bubble to bagged. The TeaZone in the Pearl District stocks more than 100 loose-leaf varieties from all over the world, and is a great place to tuck into a cuppa, along with some live music. Tea Chai Té is a cozy tea shop on NW 23rd Avenue that features comfy couches, games, books and a covered balcony. Fifteen different chai blends make it a must-sip. Lastly, but certainly not the least, The Tao of Tea has locations on SE Belmont Street — where they sell and serve organic teas in an old wood, bamboo and hand-painted shop and cafe — and at the Tower of Cosmic Reflections, the authentic and masterfully constructed tea house within Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden. With this many options, Portland surely has your cup of tea.
Bert scans the racks at Lodekka, the double-decker-bus-turned-dress-shop on North Williams.
Spurred by an article in the new Travel Portland magazine, Bert and I spent a recent afternoon on North Williams Avenue, a vibrant district of retailers and restaurants — and one of the newer additions to Portland’s rich tapestry of neighborhoods.
Our first stop was Lodekka, a vintage dress shop that’s housed inside a double-decker bus. The rest of the afternoon was similarly stacked with surprises: In the span of just two blocks, we perused the hand-made handbags at Queen Bee Creations; gawked at the letterpress at Lark Press; shared a dozen happy-hour oysters at EaT (hey, I had earned a few points by then); and enjoyed a fine meal at James Beard Award-nominated Lincoln Restaurant.
On tap for our next visit to North Williams: a stop at BikeBar, the latest venture from Hopworks Urban Brewery.
We’re entering the final weeks of our winter hotel special, which invites visitors to enjoy a different kind of getaway (filled with one-of-a-kind Portland experiences such as Powell’s, Voodoo Doughnut, food carts and tax-free shopping) and a different kind of discount ($72 off your second night).
Based on our math, these savings will go a long ways. So, how would you spend your $72?
Check out our new radio ads, in which the City of Roses — brought to life by Live Wire radio’s Courtenay Hameister — invites Seattleites to come down for a different kind of weekend getaway, and different kind of discount: $72 off a two-night stay.
In these spots, produced by our friends at Sockeye, Courtenay gives our neighbors to the north four great reasons to visit: Powell’s, Pinot noir, food carts and tax-free shopping.
To which I would add one more: attending a taping of Live Wire, the spirited, literate and laugh-out-loud radio show that resumes its live shows Feb. 18 at the Alberta Rose Theater.
So, what’s on your list of can’t-miss Portland experiences?
Cute kid alert: I was digging through my e-mail and came across this photo from my colleague Megan, whose daughters enjoyed a holiday shopping spree in downtown Portland.
When Brian Faherty discovered a set of cast-iron glass molds in 2002, he thought a new craft lighting business would be a fun side project. Lo and behold, Schoolhouse Electric’s hand-blown shades and lighting fixtures inspired by American craftsman and mid-century modern styles took off. Soon Brian was searching for a bigger production facility, and a bigger space to show his wares.
The new Schoolhouse Electric factory and showroom opened its doors this month in the trend-setting Northwest Industrial District. True to Portland form, it is a hive of collaboration. Ristretto Roasters has moved in with a café (featuring James Beard Award winner Kim Boyce’s fine pastries). There are plenty of nooks for sitting and savoring – and people watching – in this expansive 1910 warehouse made cozy in its artful layout. Anna Mara Floral Design adds sweet scents and a colorful bounty to the scene while local fashion celebrity Adam Arnold brings a whimsical touch to slipcovers (and Brian’s outfit, above). Portland design favorite Egg Press is also on site; their partnership with Schoolhouse Electric has led to a whole new line of textiles including bedding and jaunty heraldic throw pillows.
In fact, Schoolhouse Electric’s wares have now expanded to furnish an entire condo, office or bungalow with quality goods from small manufacturers. And the only place to experience it in its entirety is here!
The holiday season is here, and what better way to brighten your spirits than with a Holidate downtown! Every Thursday evening in December, cross things off your to-do list and have some fun with special discounts, free parking at SmartPark garages until midnight (enter between 4-6 p.m.) and live merry music sponsored by Portland Mall Management, Inc.
Renowned for its adventurous food scene, Portland is no stranger to culinary trends. We’ve embraced and indulged in everything from cupcakes to bacon (and maybe even some bacon cupcakes). But 2012 belonged to ice cream, specifically the concoctions dreamed up by Salt & Straw.
