The best advice I can give you in preparation for the upcoming celebration of our nation’s 232nd birthday is to remove yourself from the hysteria that is the waterfront. Remember, many of those folks discovered the beer tent much earlier in the day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the blues festival as much as the next person. I just prefer to enjoy explosives from a safe distance. Like a table at the Portland City Grill. So there’s my Portland insider’s secret. Now it’s out in the open.

Call this instant and get a table facing the river. Believe me, once you’ve enjoyed the fireworks alongside a plate of shellfish risotto and a nice glass of pinot grigio, you’ll wonder why anyone ever opts for the sweaty mass of humanity down below. Yeah, America.

Enjoy,
Emily