Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Solling Pedersen, 1978, Denmark

Bikes are big in Portland. Like 300-plus miles of bike lanes big. So big that we were dubbed “America’s Best Bike City” by Bicycling Magazine in 2012 — another in a list of accolades that stretches about as far as the aforementioned bike lanes.

Since art imitates life, it makes sense that the Portland Art Museum will feature a stunning array of iconic bicycle designs with “Cyclepedia” (June 8 – Sept. 8), a special exhibition of 40 two-wheelers integral to bike design.

T & C Pocket Bici, c. 1963, Italy

Featuring touring, racing, mountain and even children’s bikes, the display is a comprehensive look at the evolution of bicycles, and is required ogling for riders and design buffs alike. Fittingly, Portland is the only U.S. stop for this European collection.

With accompanying programs like public workshops, lectures, locally made bike displays and even free bike tours in June and July, this exhibit offers an excellent way to get a peek at Portland’s pedal-powered culture.

Heading into its 29th year, Portland’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta (May 3-5) kicks off a summer of celebration in Waterfront Park, downtown’s stretch of green space along the Willamette River that’s home to concerts, festivals and events of all kinds. This three-day fiesta, presented by the Portland Guadalajara Sister City Association, celebrates Mexican-American culture with music, dance, carnival rides, lucha libre wrestling and plenty of authentic food.

Happily, Portland enjoys great Mexican food year-round (and all over town) tucked, folded and wrapped into a variety of burritos. Here are five favorites you can enjoy anytime: (more…)

In Portland, the signs of spring aren’t limited to robins picking at worms and bulbs bursting through soil. You also see tents popping up in parking lots and closed-off streets, as farmers’ markets set up shop.

The city’s biggest and most popular outdoor grocery is already up and running: Operating every Saturday through Dec. 21, the Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University isn’t just a great place to pick up leeks, kale and broccoli — it also sells some of the best prepared goods in town. From Alma Chocolate to salmon from The Smokery, there’s plenty to take home from the market’s more than 150 stands (even if your home is thousands of miles away). If you’re in the mood for take-out, grab some eats from local vendors like Verde Cocina or Pine State Biscuits and enjoy live music as you stroll.

Come May, more market locations bring fruit, berries, melons and veggies to downtown: The Shemanski Park Market runs Wednesdays, May 1 – Oct. 30, while the Pioneer Courthouse Square Market comes to Portland’s Living Room on Mondays, June 17 – Sept. 30.

And the bounty isn’t limited to Portland proper — there are farmers’ markets all around the metro area. In fact, at the height of the season, there’s a market somewhere every day of the week. And that’s a good thing — because, after all, springtime runs seven days per week.

When it comes to microbrews and wine, Portland’s cup has notoriously runneth over, but in recent years, our plate has also been full with daring dishes and high-quality cuisine. Fortunately for foodies, the trend is only building, with several top-notch dining spots opening recently in downtown, along with a new star on one of the country’s most up-and-coming streets for eats.

First up, Lardo, is no stranger to the Portland’s pork-crazed masses, as it has existed as food cart since September 2010 and has another location on the east side of the river. But their new downtown location on Southwest Washington Street brings the shop’s rotating menu of porcine sandwiches to the city center, where working stiffs and visiting tourists alike can stuff their faces with classic Italian eats like porchetta and mortadella, plus a burger topped with pork belly and even a few veg options.

Nearby on Southwest Broadway Street, Imperial, brings diners Pacific Northwest-styled offerings from legendary local chef Vitaly Paley. Located in the stylish Hotel Lucia, the warm, wood-clad restaurant aims to unite diners with the region through their food, using an open kitchen with a grill meant to invoke the campfire warmth that historically lit the Northwest, along with uncomplicated food steeped in historical significance, like wild king salmon in roasted shallot green sauce, or quail with oyster stuffing. Also in the Hotel Lucia, Paley has opened a smaller, casual diner called the Portland Penny Diner, where the specialities include fry-bread sandwiches.

Up the street in the 130-year-old Ladd Carriage House, one of the few surviving structures from downtown Portland’s days of grand estates, Raven & Rose aims to make history itself, with a wood-fired gastropub downstairs and an upstairs bar (in a former hayloft), which serves drinks that evoke the building’s era. Pairing former Park Kitchen head chef David Padberg with erstwhile Beaker & Flask bartender Dave Shenaut, the venture looks to have all the ingredients for success.

Photo courtesy of Portland Monthly

Out on Southeast Division Street, Ava Gene’s turns what was already a culinary hot zone into a full-fledged gourmet playground. Founded by Stumptown Coffee and Woodsman Tavern owner Duane Sorenson, the New York-style Italian restaurant specializes in hard-to-find pastas (made in-house), and pairs them perfectly with both charcuterie and wine. Add soft lighting and vintage decor, and you’ve instantly got some of the most romantic tables in town—and a prime example of how Portlanders love their food scene.

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.

It’s the most wonderful time for a beer!
It’s the hop-happiest season of all!
There’s a buzz in the air of Pioneer Courthouse Square
when mugs flow with ales…

Photo by Dan Leithauser, via Flickr

That’s enough of that, but prepare to uncork a beer-inspired carol of your own during downtown Portland’s 17th annual Holiday Ale Festival (Nov. 28 – Dec. 2). This celebration of winter suds set beneath the region’s largest decorated Christmas tree features big, bold beers designed to keep revelers warm on cold winter nights — from Terminal Gravity Festivale to Deschutes Jubelale and He’Brew Jewbelation to Great Divide Hibernation. Every beer is made or blended specifically for the festival, so they’re pints you’ll not likely to find anywhere else.

The event also includes delicious, holiday-themed foods, live music and a Sunday brunch with exclusive beers alongside European pastries, cured meats and artisan cheeses. Wear some Santa pants, because you’re going to need a bigger waistline.

Sunday, July 29, 2012 – With the crowd-pleasing Oregon Brewers Festival in full swing just a few blocks away on the waterfront, an underage crowd soaked up a decidedly different kind of liquid refreshment at another summertime staple of downtown: the fountain at Director Park.

(c) 2012 John Valls, Travel Portland

Enjoying all of Oregon’s inspired eats, from Willamette Valley wines to Eastern Oregon beef, can be a challenge. After all, Portland’s rich food scene alone is enough to put hundreds of miles on your tires (not to mention a few inches on your waist). Thankfully, Aug. 10-12, The Bite of Oregon takes the distance out of these sought-after delicacies, packing more than 100 restaurants into downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park for a three-day festival of finger-licking fun.

This year’s restaurant lineup isn’t final yet, but last year featured dishes like seafood chowder from Salty’s, seared ahi tuna from Ruth’s Chris and braised beef cheeks from 23 Hoyt, plus sweets from Voodoo Doughnut and Beaverton Bakery. This year, look for offerings from some favorite local food carts, as well. Servings range in size and cost $2-10.

You can also count on plenty of Oregon craft beer and local wine to wash it down. Eugene’s Ninkasi Brewing will pour their seven-hopped Maiden the Shade summer brew, while Portland’s Cascade Brewing will serve up their sour-styled Raspberry Wheat beer, fermented with fresh, tart fruit. Those who prefer grapes to berries can revel in amazing varietals from all over the state.

Also on the menu: entertainment, in the form of live music, chef demonstrations and cooking competitions. Tickets are $5 for the entire weekend, and are available at the gate or online in advance. Little tummies are a bargain: Kids 12 and under are admitted for free.

Tucked inside the Hotel deLuxe lies one of Portland’s best-kept secrets — even to many locals. Old Hollywood images and décor, intimate lighting and intricate chandeliers create the Driftwood Room’s classy ambiance.

Guests here sip on some of the city’s craftiest cocktails. The refreshed spring menu includes the Driftwood Sazerac — this fresh take on an old favorite features hibiscus tea simple syrup, an ingredient collaboration between the Driftwood’s mixologists and Portland’s Steven Smith Teamaker.