Post-gluttony greetings, everyone. I trust your holiday was spent grazing from dish to platter like mine was. I tried a port I just loved. It’s called Porto Kopke. You have to try the Colheita.

What I wanted to mention here, aside from how perfect the right port goes with crisp apple and a nice hard cheese, is a book. And no, it’s not Harry Potter. Though there is some spooky stuff in this one.

Called Fugitives and Refugees, it’s by local member of the literati, Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, Choke, etc. But this one is non-fiction, and a sort of manual on Portland (it’s part of Crown Journeys’ series in which famous writers write about their home city).

So if you’re visiting Portland, or even if you live here, and you wish you had a cooler tour guide than Mr. Frommer, pick up Fugitives and Refugees for an interesting trip through town.

Cheerio,
Emily

When I meet people who are ho-hum about art, and you meet more people like that less than you’d expect, I talk to them about the Portland Christmas ships.

Why, you ask. Well, look at it this way. We could live quite happy, complete lives without ever seeing a bunch of boats dressed up in holiday lights. But we do it anyway. Even though it’s totally unnecessary. It’s art. How can you not love that?

The Portland parade is the longest-running in the country. So, if you’re in town between Dec. 7 and Dec. 20, ask about it. The routes and locations change, but there’s always a good seat somewhere. A restaurant on the water perhaps. Try McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina. It’ll make a good floor show.

Till later,
Emily

We were once a proud and happy basketball town. Yes, it’s easier when you’re champions. Or even winning. But in recent years our players have received more attention for being in court than on the court. It’s been a pretty sad turn of events.

Now, I’m not a huge fan, not really even back in the 80s during the “glory years.” But I liked that they were from my city. If you hadn’t noticed, Portland can get forgotten sometimes tucked between Seattle and San Francisco.

The upside is people who follow these things tell me this is a turnaround year for the Blazers. So if you’re visiting, or if you once called yourself a Blazer fan, it sounds like this is your year to come on back. I’ve even heard the food is better at the Rose Garden. That’s a good start.

See you there,
Emily

Ok so we’ve finally gotten this whole web 2.0 thing down…at least until next week. Check out our cool new buttons below the posts. A tech guy from the hotel installed them for us. He calls them chicklets. Call them whatever you’d like I suppose; you say tom-a-toes, I say tom-ah-toes.

What’s so cool about the buttons/chicklets/tom-a-toes/tom-ah-toes? Well, if you like our stuff you can share it through social media sites by just clicking on them. No pressure though.

Have fun and enjoy! Feel free to get carried away…

Cheers,
Emily

People ask if Portland is more a wine town or a beer town. It’s a good question. I love wine. If you read this blog, you know that. And there are a lot of excellent wine bars in Portland (actually that’s a good future post idea…), and great wineries around Portland.

But something about the fact that in Portland you can have a beer festival, in the winter, and outside, that’s it’s still packed… That’s a kind of heartiness that wine drinkers, even the most dedicated of us, can’t boast. We like comfort. That’s why we drink wine.

Beer drinkers are different – at least Portland beer drinkers. You can see what I mean at the Holiday Ale Festival (11 a.m. Thursday, November 29 to 6 p.m. Sunday). Yeah, I’ll probably go. Why not?

Till later,
Emily

While we’re on the subject of food, here’s a savory deal for you gourmand-type travelers. Hotel deLuxe is now offering what I think is one of our most creative — nay most delicious! — overnight specials yet.

Called “Here’s Cooking With You Kid,” you receive food and wine magazines (for research), a bottle of Oregon wine (for inspiration), reservations and a $50.00 gift certificate to a concierge-recommended restaurant (for eating). Best of all, the offer also includes a cooking class at Sur La Table (or a $65 gift gift certificate to Sur La Table)!

Now, I can’t promise you’d be a holiday hero if you gave your beloved this gift, but — actually, yes I can. You would be. A holiday hero.

See you here,
Emily

Thanksgiving is bearing down on us like a rafter of turkeys. (OK, so I had to look up what a group of turkeys was called, but now you know. …) And this year I’m thinking I’m going to get someone else to do the work.

So, I’ve put together this list of excellent no-cooking, no-cleanup replacements. Just in case, like me, you want to have your drumstick and eat it, too.

1. Huber’s — This downtown Portland landmark is famous for its turkey. And don’t miss the Spanish coffee. Just don’t wear anything flammable.
2. Three Degrees — At this riverside restaurant you get a view of the Willamette and a special Thanksgiving Day menu.

But best of all might be Hotel deLuxe’s own Gracie’s. Great food, and you’re just an elevator ride away from a nap.

Bon apetit,
Emily

You might not have thought of visiting the zoo in the winter, but then you’d miss one of the real highlights of the holiday season in Portland — ZooLights (Nov. 24-Dec. 30).

I’ve been taking my nieces and nephews there for I don’t know how long. Just imagine the Oregon Zoo turned into a winter wonderland of more than half a million lights. It’s really something to see.

There are a couple hundred light displays depicting all kinds of animals, from monkeys swinging in the trees to diving penguins. And this is in addition to the real animals like polar bears, leopards and elephants.

So, hop on the lighted zoo train and head up for a bit of wonderment. There’s even choral and ensemble music to help put you in the holiday spirit.

See you there,
Emily

All you cinephiles out there, this is the last call for this year’s Hotel deLuxe Sunday night movie series. The final installment for 2007 will be shown on Nov. 18. Titled Inside Iraq: The Untold Stories, it follows Portlander Mike Shiley on his tour in Iraq not regularly seen in the media.

Incredibly, Shiley is not a journalist, or even really a filmmaker. He actually made a fake press pass at Kinko’s, got himself to Iraq, was embedded with an army tank gunner and then worked a deal with ABC News. He even ended up winning a combat medal! I might have opted for a beach on Bora Bora, but there you have it…

It’s been a great series and thanks to everyone who’s come. Hotel deLuxe will resume screenings after the holidays, so check back. In the meantime, come out on the 18th. And remember to call ahead (503.219.2093) to get a seat.

See you there,
Emily

I know I already did a post about this, but I just wanted to remind everyone about the Mercy Corps concert series, which is approaching its last weekend. If you haven’t been, it’s time to move things around on your calendar, get a new outfit if you must, and go.

For those that may have missed the original post, here’s the skinny. Hotel deLuxe is co-sponsoring Voices for Silent Disasters, a series of shows that began on Oct. 9 and runs through Nov. 17.

The series, proceeds for which benefit Mercy Corps and their work in Uganda, has included a literal who’s who of Portland performers from Art Alexakis and Thomas Lauderdale to Stephanie Schneiderman and 3 Leg Torso.

The finale weekend is more of the same with Storm Large, Pepe and the Bottle Blondes and Dirty Martini, to name just a few. Good music, good cause, good gravy get yourself tickets!

See you there,
Emily