Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland – Travel Portland's Staff Blog

What is Tet? Tet is celebrated in Vietnam and also known as the Lunar New Year.   

Happy Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year falls between the end of January and early February; this year it’s on Feb. 3 and marks the beginning of the Year of the Cat (Vietnam) or Year of the Rabbit (China). Tet is like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fourth of July, Mother’s and Father’s days, and your birthday all rolled into one fabulous holiday. It’s a holiday for family gatherings and to ăn Tết, literally meaning “Tet eating” — food is an important part of the celebration, symbolizing good fortune in the new year.

One festival that my two boys look forward to around this time of year is Tet in Portland. Everyone loves a lion dance and li xi (red money envelopes). According to tradition, if you feed the lion with your li xi it will bring good luck all year. While feeding the lion, the boys like to pretend that their arms are being bitten off and think it’s cute. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Oregon Convention Center with food vendors, music, cultural performances and the Miss Ao Dai Pageant. (more…)

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?

See The Oregonian’s review of “A Christmas Story.”

Here it is, November already! And that sets me to thinking about holiday gatherings, about homemade cranberry sauce and Hood River’s own Tofurky … and about finding a few special gifts for a few special people.

Thankfully, it’s also time for our pop-up shops to sprout downtown. Alongside Portland Saturday Market, these collectives of local artists, artisans and fashion designers help holiday shoppers find carefully crafted gifts for everyone on our list. Here’s a look at this year’s crop, which opened on Tuesday:

• A favorite indie emporium, Crafty Wonderland, showcases the work of more than 80 local artists in jewelry, clothing, art and housewares. Have some fun with their wacky holiday photo booth! (802 S.W. 10th) (more…)

In case you haven’t heard, we’re pretty creative in Portland. Whether it’s functional, pretty or both, we like to make it ourselves. That DIY ethic means that shopping for gifts is a special treat here.

Crafty Wonderland’s regular group sales have been wildly popular for years, but now you don’t have to wait. Crafty Wonderland is opening a pop-up shop in downtown Portland during the holiday season! From mid-November (opening date is still TBA) through the end of December, you’ll be able to find locally crafted jewelry, art, clothes and more for yourself or that special someone.

The pop-up shop will be located at 802 S.W. 10th Ave., next to Finnegan’s Toys and across from the Multnomah County Central Library. It will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays (although hours may change). When I hear more confirmed info, I’ll update this post. Shoppers … are you ready?

Holiday tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square

It’s official.  The holiday shopping season has started in downtown Portland. The tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square is lit and Portland’s living room is decked out to greet one and all. 

This year, our office is buzzing about the new PDX Pop-Up Shops.  These are temporary shops, provided at no cost to local artists and designers. This blog post provides a little background. The four pop-up shops are Flurry, Workroom 719, Egg Press and By Oregon.  One of my coworkers came in the other day with some amazing clothes (at amazing prices) from the 719 shop. This is a great opportunity to buy directly from designers right in downtown. And, if you’re a savvy shopper, you already know that all shopping in Oregon is tax-free.

Here are a couple more insider tips: (more…)

I can’t believe that the holidays are fast approaching, but it is indeed November (mid-November, in fact!). It’s always such a special time of year when the city is literally aglow from all of the lights. One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to explore the city and see as many lights as possible. In that spirit, I’ve created a guide of some of the places throughout Portland where you can see the city blink, twinkle and sparkle and get in the holiday spirit. Happy exploring! Check out the guide.

Photo courtesy of the Heathman Restaurant, © John Valls

I have a soft spot for the winter holidays — the lights, the food, the good cheer. But my favorite part is just spending time with family and friends, sharing laughs and stories around the table. Greater Portland’s tea rooms are the perfect places to do this. In these beautiful spaces, surrounded by festive décor, you can sit and linger over a pot of tea and delicious bite-sized treats. Read on for a few highlights and check out this Go See Portland guide for a more complete list.

For a very special experience, make a reservation in the Heathman Hotel’s Tea Court. Quite possibly the most elegant tea, the Heathman’s is a holiday tradition. Tables are set with pressed linens and china beneath a giant Christmas tree, and guests are presented with an impressive three-tiered display of delectable treats prepared by the restaurant’s pastry chef. There’s no better place to toast the holidays with a glass of champagne, either. (more…)

Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in Newberg (photo by Chris Hughes)

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so you might well be wondering what wine to pair with your turkey dinner.

I brought a bottle of Erath Pinot Noir to my family dinner last Thanksgiving and it — along with my signature orange-ginger cranberry sauce — went over famously. This article claims that there’s a scientific reason that Pinot Noir pairs well with turkey — and offers some great Oregon Pinot recommendations, too.

Speaking of wine and Thanksgiving, the holiday weekend is one of the best times to visit the Willamette Valley wine country. From Friday through Sunday, more than 160 wineries will be open to the public, including many small operations that aren’t normally accessible. The whole winemaking community gets into the holiday spirit, with special offerings like deals on new releases, barrel-tasting opportunities, gourmet nibbles – even live music at some wineries.

Wine tasting in the Willamette Valley is always a friendly, intimate experience, and the Thanksgiving weekend is no exception — you’re likely to meet the vinters themselves pouring in the tasting rooms.

So, grab the relatives (or escape them) and settle into the season with a leisurely weekend in wine country. It goes great with turkey!

Okay, I know it’s starting to look like I’m never in Portland.  I love our special city, but what can I say? I’m restless, and I love to travel.  I’m a small-town girl at heart, so I I try to get out of the daily grind whenever I can.  Plus, I’m a foodie, so if I hear about an amazing pastry place miles outside of the city, you can bet I’ll go and try it for myself.

Which is kind of how I ended up in Sherwood.  It all started because of a pastry.  A scone, to be exact.  The Lavender Tea House in this Washington County town is famous for them. (more…)