That’s a really good question, the what should you buy for people back home thing. I’ll tell you what, you know what’s great for that? The Portland Farmers Market. Seriously. I got some Jalapeño Jelly there last time I was there, and you’re not going to tell me that it isn’t art!

It really is a great place to pick up an unusual gift. Plus, it’s not a bad place for lunch if you’re out and about. Do your shopping downtown at Nordstrom or wherever, and then just walk up the park blocks for something really fresh to eat. It’s like a great buffet. Get a juicy pear at this stand and then some cheese at that other stand, and then a scone at this other stand. Go there hungry is my point.

It’s also pretty cool that they have 4 locations throughout the week downtown, the Pearl District, Portland State University and on the East bank, no matter where you are in Portland, a farmer’s market is not far.

Have fun,

Zach

P.S. Jalapeño jelly. I’m just saying…

Happy Tuesday everyone! It’s sunny out there in Portland today - I hope you are all enjoying it. Just a quick post - Portland’s very own Hotel deLuxe got mentioned in the Daily Candy about a week or so ago. Here’s a link to the article which talks about what to eat and where to stay in Portland. They even mentioned our own Driftwood Room.

cherio!

Lance

In Portland, you have to have a rainy day list. Even in the summer. Otherwise, you can find yourself all too frequently frustrated when your outdoor plans get soaked. Just a piece of advice after years of living here.

Number one on your list, until Sept. 16, should be the Rembrandt exhibition at the Portland Art Museum. I happened to inherit a ticket from a friend who couldn’t go, and I’m very much a Romantic Period girl, so the show was really spectacular.

These sort of things can easily get away from us. We plan to go, we plan to go, we plan to go, and then we see that whatever it is has left. Don’t let it happen to you. Heck, you could even go on a sunny day.

Ciao,

Emily

Another item to file under “Why I Love Portland”. So, it’s a normal Friday night (the 27th) and I’m in the car with my parents after eating dinner at ¡Oba! in the Pearl (great tapas). As we pass Pioneer Courthouse Square on our way home what do I see but hundreds of people watching Grease (Randal Kleiser, 1978) — outdoors!

I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know a thing about Flicks on the Bricks. So in case there is anyone else out there out of the loop, they’re free movies in Pioneer Square every Friday in the summer. Here’s the rest of the schedule:

August 10: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (G) (Mel Stuart, 1971)
August 17: Stand by Me (R) (Rob Reiner, 1986)
August 31: Batman (PG-13) (Tim Burton, 1989)

And if there are any other free movies out there I’m ignorant about, for God’s sake someone tell me…!

Later,
Lance

Well, even though I’ve been told by my colleagues that I’m talking way too much about beer, I just want to say a thing or two about the 2007 Brew Fest (which was of course awesome!).

First off, I went on Saturday and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many people there. I didn’t realize so many people read our blog…Lines could be a bit long, so you just had to get a full beer for your wait in the next line.

Second, I give my best of the fest to Mad River’s Steelhead Double IPA. (I would say Green Flash’s West Coast IPA, but that was my winner last year.) There were a lot of IPAs. Next year I’m going to try stuff that doesn’t even sound good.

till Brew Fest 2008!

Zach

I know the boys were excited about their brewers’ thing, but of all the summer events at the waterfront, I prefer the Bite of Oregon. So, just in case you were looking for something to do, and eat, August 10-12…

Early afternoons tend to be best, I find. Restaurants have not yet run out of the favored dishes, vintners still have bottles of their best on hand and the weather tends to be nice. A quick visit to their site http://www.biteoforegon.com/ reveals these highlights:

• An Iron Chef Oregon competition! (*ha*, I’ve got to see that!)
• Many, many, many…restaurants, including North 45 (I’ve been planning to get over there…)
• Wine from all over Oregon (point me to Erath Vineyards, please)
• One Hit Wonders & Guilty Pleasures on the Main Stage (I’m not sure about this. It’s apparently a group of women singers doing, well, one-hit wonder songs. Better visit the wine tent first.)

Alright, enough daydreaming,

Emily

Sometimes we get our best info from our guests. Had to get this up here. A gentleman just told me that for anyone who wants to ride up to OHSU on the Portland Aerial Tram, you can now do it on Sundays. It used to be closed that day. But for the summer until September 16 it’s running seven days a week. Sundays it goes from 1 to 5 p.m.

And as this particular guest told me, don’t forget to take your camera (he forgot). It’s really got to be one of the best views of Mt. Hood in the city.

See ya,

Zach