Portland, you are in for a wild ride. Those who’ve seen Cabaret before already know what’s in store, although trust me you will want to see this version. But if you’ve never seen this Broadway behemoth, well, you just haven’t lived.

The Portland version of the Kit Kat Klub opened on Sept. 25 and runs through Oct. 21 (extended to Nov. 4th, must mean tickets are selling out!) at the Portland Center Stage right nearby in the Pearl District smack in the middle of great Portland restaurants and shopping. And mere minutes from Hotel deLuxe. You can be brushing your teeth in your room at 7:15 and watching Sally Bowles kick up her heels at 7:30.

This has to be among the most-seen musicals of all time, and this production is sure to be one of the theater highlights this fall. Two reasons why you need to see this particular performance, 1- it’s at the new Gerding Theater at the Portland Armory, which if you haven’t been -you must go. 2- Sally Bowles will be played by none other than Portland’s Storm Large, who most will remember from Rock Star Supernova, but if you are a true Portlander you would know from her performances at Dante’s in her band Storm Large and the Balls.

To lift the title from a song in Act I, I think a night at Cabaret would be “Perfectly Marvelous”.

Ta ta,

Emily

While I’m thinking about it, here some ideas for an after-show drink. I include three places for three different moods, just in case:

Hip urban lounge:

Saucebox. This happening spot is downtown. It actually reminds me of an L.A.-type establishment. Great food. But they’re really known for their cocktails, especially the fruity seasonal ones.

Intimate and romantic:

M Bar. I’m not sure you can get more intimate than this spot in N.W. — it only has room for 25 people. They change their wine and cocktail offerings regularly to keep things interesting.

Relaxed neighborhood watering hole:

The New Old Lompoc. This one is not far from Hotel deLuxe and is really the picture of a locals hangout. They brew their own beer and have a great patio for decompressing after a long night.

That should get you started…

salud!

Emily

Don’t Forget! Vote for the Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe for Portland’s Best Hotel Bar 2007. Thanks!

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is coming up on Sunday, September 23. If you haven’t done the walk/run before, you’ve no doubt heard of it. It’s a classy event, for a great cause. (Sadly, too many of us have intersected breast cancer at some point in our lives.)

If you end up being one of the 50,000 runners or walkers, or even if you just want to contribute the old-fashioned way, I just learned that there will be a big After Party in the Pearl.

The walk/run goes from 11-4. So, when you’re done, why not treat yourself to Pepe and the Bottle Blondes (a lot of fun!), other live music, speakers and even, apparently, a fashion show? Not to mention, many of the stores and members of the Pearl District Business Association will be donating a portion of Sunday’s sales to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation – so IF you need an excuse to got shopping on Sunday, know that it will be going to a good cause.

Till later,

Emily

As you may know, we devote an entire floor at Hotel deLuxe to guests traveling with pets. (They even get their own menu!) If you ask me, that floor should have Hollywood shots of Benji, Toto and Trigger… I’ll work on that.

But I understand that even though Hotel deLuxe is very accommodating of your canine companions, that’s not necessarily true of most Portland restaurants and shops. What to do? Well, one solution is to consult portlandpooch.com.

This hound-happy site identifies all kinds businesses devoted to your dog, from vets to doggy daycare to area dog parks to, yes, dog-friendly restaurants. So give Rex a good brushing and hit the town.

By the way, the closest bets (to Hotel deLuxe) are Crackerjacks and The Dragonfly Coffee house on NW Thurman and the Portland Brewing Taproom on NW 31^st.

Bon appetit!

Emily

Don’t Forget! Vote for the Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe for Portland’s Best Hotel Bar 2007. Thanks!

OK, I’ve got some art for you, Em. Let’s see if you can guess. It’s organic, really interactive and bigger than a football field. Nothing? You actually step inside this art. And it can be so confusing it’s easy to get yourself turned around.

Ha! It’s the not-so-little thing we like to call The Pumpkin Patch Maize! Out on Sauvie Island. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to it. Or them. There are actually two versions, one normal one that opens on Sept. 1, and then a haunted one that goes the last three weeks of October. You want goosebumps? There you go.

If you’re coming to Portland, especially if you’re with your family, The Pumpkin Patch is only about 20 mins or so from downtown on Sauvie Island. But you’ll feel like you’re in a different world. All farmland, water and wildlife areas. And awesome mazes.

Good luck!

Zach

Don’t Forget! Vote for the Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe for Portland’s Best Hotel Bar 2007. Thanks!

I’m amazed by the entertainment choices we have in Portland. Really. I can say that even after having lived in L.A. If I wanted to I could find something to do virtually every night. Music, shows, art, lectures, festivals.

One of the things I’m most proud of at Hotel deLuxe is our sponsorship of a number of these events. Hopefully you got to one of the outdoor movies in the Top Down series we offered with the Northwest Film Center, for example.

But don’t miss Jazz in the Pearl on Sept. 15. It’s an evening of music we’re co-sponsoring that features a range of great artists. Soul, big band, blues, R&B, all in one night. And it’s just around the corner from Hotel deLuxe in the Pearl District. Location, location, location…

Groovily yours,

Emily

Don’t Forget! Vote for the Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe for Portland’s Best Hotel Bar 2007. Thanks!

Are you ready for some football! Hey, I love summer, but football season is upon us.

What football, you ask? The mighty Vikings of Portland State, my brother. I can’t believe the season has begun, they are off to a little bit of a rocky start, but they can handle it. Especially with the larger-than-life personality of Jerry Glanville at the helm this year. In case you didn’t know, the Vikings play at PGE Park, which is a great place to see a game and is only a couple of blocks for Portland’s Hotel deLuxe – big plus for me!.

Anyway, everything I’ve read says it should be an exciting year. I guess Coach Glanville can be quite the colorful character, he is a familiar name if you followed pro football in the 80s and early 90s. Always wears black clothes and sunglasses and he used to leave tickets at will call for Elvis every game. That’s the guy and we got him.

Next game is September 15, 6pm at PGE Park – the Vikings take on Sacramento State.

Aren’t you curious to see what’s going to happen? I am.

Later,

Zach

Don’t Forget! Vote for the Driftwood Room at the Hotel deLuxe for Portland’s Best Hotel Bar 2007. Thanks!

I can’t believe September is upon us, quite possibly the best month of the year to be in Portland. Not just because the weather is so great, but also because that is when one of the best events in Portland happens – the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s Time Based Art festival (9/6-9/16). Just follow the marching acronyms: PICA TBA:07.

It’s sort of a hard event to explain as it’s a bit of everything, everywhere. There’s visual art, film, dance, performance, theater, music, installations. Plus other forms of expression that just defy categorization. Artists from all over the world come to town, performing outside and inside at venues all over the city. It’s a regular smörgåsbord of art.

This is event is quickly becoming the premier contemporary art festival in the world and it sends most of Portland into a tailspin for 10 days. There is so much going on they have provided a very helpful TBA Calendar on their site to plan your week.

Here are a couple of highlights:

Haircuts by Children : it’s exactly what it sounds like

Donna Uchizono Company : featuring THE Mikhail Baryshnikov – oh, I know.

Nature Theater of Oklahoma: apparently the performance is 4 hours, but they serve you lunch during it…whole new idea of ‘dinner theater.’

Hand2Mouth Theater : local Portland theater group that incorporates karaoke, comedy and dance – that sounds exhausting!

and don’t forget the Works : TBA’s official after party – happens every night for 10 days.

It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it…

Have fun,

Emily

Happy Tuesday everyone!

So the hotel bar here at Hotel deLuxe, the Driftwood Room, has been nominated for Best Hotel Bar 2007 on CitySearch. I know I’m totally biased, but I really do believe it’s the best hotel bar in Portland.

The other night I had the Relaxing Time, for those of you who loved (or are maybe borderline obsessed with) Lost in Translation, like me, will remember Bill Murray’s frustrating experience shooting a commercial for Suntory whiskey – “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.” Hilarious. The drink at the Driftwood with Suntory whiskey is as excellent as the Oscar winning movie.

Back on topic – if you love our bar like I do, please head on over to CitySearch and vote for the Driftwood Room. Thanks!

Lance

This morning I had a guest ask me about the best place to pick up a gift for friends at home, and I thought I’d share my answer. I told him what I always tell people when I get this question: Get something you couldn’t find at home.

To me, that often means art. (If you’ve been to my house, you know.) And Hotel deLuxe just happens to sit a few blocks from a string of galleries with everything from lithographs to sculpture. The Froelick and Elizabeth Leach are good bets. But look around. The Art Institute is also right in the neighborhood.

The best way to find something is to stroll the Pearl District, and the best time to stroll the Pearl is the First Thursday of each month. Why? Because few things go better with art than free wine.

Happy hunting,

Emily