More Holiday Events from Forkfly!

December 17, 2010

Yesterday we looked at some Forkfly merchants who are hosting events and specials for the holidays. Today we have even more great things to do in Portland, from holiday displays and parties to cookie classes and an awesome giveaway. Have a great weekend everyone!

The Benson Hotel Gingerbread Display and New Year’s Eve Party

Every year the Benson Hotel has their resident Chief Baker and Architect erect a gingerbread masterpiece. It will be on display in the festive Benson Hotel lobby this season. Take a look at the YouTube video of the unveiling of the gingerbread village. The Benson worked with the Make a Wish foundation for the unveiling and they will be selling Make a Wish stars all month, so stop by to see the display and support a great charity.

The Benson is also hosting an event this season: Copacabana, a Latin Masquerade Gala, will take place on New Year’s Eve. There will be a Brazilian buffet, drinks, dancing, masks, and a balloon drop at midnight. You can buy a package to stay the night or just go for the party: check out this and other holiday special packages here.

Holiday Cookie Classes at In Good Taste

This weekend, Saturday December 18 and Sunday December 19 at 1 pm, In Good Taste hosts two cooking-making workshops. Seats are limited, so call and sign up now. Here is the info page for this cooking class. Looks like both classes will fill up, which means they will meet the maximum cooking capacity of 14 kinds of cookies and 3 dozen cookies to each participant! Learn to make (and come away with) sugar cookies, gingerbread, peanut butter fudge and more. The cookies make great gifts, and the experience would be fun for a couple or parents and kids. Or give this class as a gift to a foodie friend. And remember that In Good Taste is your retail destination for high-end kitchen products as you craft your holiday meals.

Shop Adorn 12 Days of Schwag

Keep on top of the Shop Adorn blog for a chance to win a giveaway now through Christmas! The theme of the giveaway is “keepin’ it local,” and all the prize packages tie in to some great local business. As you know, we at Forkfly have the same priority of encouraging independent and local business, so a high-five to Shop Adorn. So far they have selected winners to receive a massage from Blossom Clinic, an Amalfi’s Restaurant gift card, and a portrait photography session. Today’s giveaway is a barre3 package. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment or retweet Shop Adorn’s blog post, so there’s nothing to lose, just a great holiday treat to gain.

Holiday Events from Forkfly!

December 16, 2010

Our Forkfly merchants are all over the opportunity to host events, dinners and provide special accommodations during the holidays. Today we have event suggestions from our merchants to keep you in the holiday spirit and help you get the most out of what Portland has to offer this time of year.

Holiday Suite at Mark Spencer

The Mark Spencer Hotel offers a special Holiday Suite package that you can recommend to guests (I’m picturing a holiday-sweater-wearing aunt loving this.) The blurb about this special on the website mentions cookies, eggnog, wrapping paper (genius! Of course an out-of-town visitor would need access to wrapping paper!), and seasonal music. The other amenities include continental breakfast, wifi, afternoon tea and cookies and a wine reception. There’s no price listed (the website wants you to “name your price”). This sounds like a real treat — much more festive than your average hotel stay.

Wilfs Winter Wonderland and Holiday Shows

Wilfs is decked out for the holidays and ready to share the spirit of the season with you. Seriously, take a look at the many pictures they’ve posted of their Winter Wonderland. Wilfs always hosts live jazz, so naturally they have some holiday performances lined up. Tomorrow and Friday you can see Kate Davis’ Holiday Show at 6 pm. Take a look at the event calender to see what other shows you might want to catch. And as their website reminds me, Wilfs is a great place to grab dinner before a Blazers game, and you can leave your car near Wilfs and take the MAX to the Rose Garden to avoid parking headaches.

Oregon Zoo’s Zoolights

Zoolights at the Oregon Zoo is an annual event where lighted displays all over the zoo feature animated creatures. “Displays include swinging monkeys, leaping frogs, flying bats, [and] diving penguins,” according to the website. This is a great time to take the Zoo Train around the zoo grounds, as many of the displays are best seen from the train. Zoo Lights is also a time for music and performances, and the zoo hosts performances every night through December 23. Take a look at the performance schedule, and peruse the website for more information on times and ticket prices.

Acadia Bistro Chrismas Eve Reveillon Dinner

Acadia Bistro has a special 3-course dinner for Christmas Eve. I imagine this would be great for a couple spending the holidays with just each other — no cooking at home, a delicious Southern meal and specialty cocktail, and the feeling of celebration that comes with eating a nice meal out. This is not an especially vegetarian-friendly option, but that’s what we expect from authentic Southern cooking. The meal has a $30 set price. Take a look at the menu here.  They also have a special dinner on New Year’s Eve for a more hefty $50/person and with a more extensive menu.

PDX Weekend Happenings: December 11-12

December 10, 2010

This weekend, Portland is busy with local holiday sales. Our list of weekend events leaves you with no excuse for last-minute Christmas shopping at Fred Meyer. Support students at PNCA and receive one-of-a-kind pieces of art; visit New Deal Distillery to stock up on artisan foods for your holiday meal or buy local specialties to send to far-away friends; stop by Crafty Wonderland for a plethora of gift choices from Portland crafters. And take a break from shopping to attend a 90′s dance party at Holocene on Saturday night.

Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) Holiday Art Sale

What: PNCA students will be peddling their prints, paintings, sculptures, clothing and other pieces of art during an open-house art sale on campus today and tomorrow. The above holiday cards were made by my friend Cassandra, a student at PNCA, who will be there with her talented classmates to provide you with beautiful and unique holiday gifts!

Event Details: This event is free and open to the public.

When: Today, Friday December 10, and tomorrow, Saturday December 11, from 11am to 8pm.

Where: At the main PNCA campus, 1241 NW Johnson in Portland, at Swigert Commons.

New Deal’s 2nd Annual Season’s Eatings

What: New Deal Distillery is a micro-distillery — you may have had their tasty New Deal Vodka. They’re hosting a food drive/artisan food market on Saturday. New Deal is all about local, high-quality sustainable ingredients, and they’ll be featuring the best of local products, from free-range meats to locally made chocolate, pies, jams and more. These products will be available to purchase from vendors at the market.

Event Details: Bring one non-perishable food item for donation to get in.

When: Saturday, December 11, noon to 6pm.

Where: New Deal Distillery, 1311 SE 9th Ave in Portland.

Crafty Wonderland’s Super Colossal Holiday Sale

What: Crafty Wonderland regularly hosts bazaars for local crafters to sell their wares. In time for holiday gift-giving, Crafty Wonderland presents their biggest event of the year. More than 200 vendors will give you the opportunity to find a unique gift for everyone on your list while supporting local artists and keeping your money in the community.

Event Details: This event is free and all-ages. The sale is more than… well, more than just a sale: take a look at the other activities going on here.

When: Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12 from 11am to 5pm

Where: The Oregon Convention Center (see? It’s going to be big!) at 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Hall C.

SNAP! 90s Dance Party at Holocene

What: SNAP! is a monthly dance party at Holocene that usually happens at the end of the month, but it’s been moved up to avoid intersecting with the holidays. Take a break from shopping to dance it off with old-school 90s tunes.

Event Details: Free before 11 pm — $3 cover thereafter. 21 and older.

When: Saturday, December 11 beginning at 9 pm.

Where: Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison in Portland.

PDX Weekend Happenings: December 4-5

December 3, 2010

This weekend we’ve got the whole city covered, with events ranging from St. Johns in deep North Portland to the West Side and over to Southeast and Northeast. This week’s list makes a counter-clockwise trip around our fair city, encountering a Christmas tree lighting, a seasonal ale festival, a dinner in the dark and a holiday craft bazaar. Happy December, everyone!

North Portland: St. Johns Winter Fest

What: The St. Johns Winter Fest is a huge Dickens-themed celebration. The central event is the Christmas tree lighting at St. Johns Main Street Plaza, where Mayor Sam Adams will do the honors. There will also be a farmer’s market, Moonstruck Chocolate samples and prizes, a fire pit and movies, a Dickens character look-alike contest and so much more.

Event Details: I believe the event is free; I have not found a ticket price listed anywhere. Find more information on the plethora of planned activities here.

When: Sunday, December 5 from 10 am to 10 pm.

Where: In and around St. Johns Main Street Plaza, on the corner of N. Lombard and N. Philadelphia.

West Side: Portland Holiday Ale Festive in Pioneer Square

What: The Portland Holiday Ale Festival takes place in Pioneer Square under a heated tent. The event features food, merchandise and of course beer tasting. More than 50 winter ales will be featured, all crafted specifically for this event — you won’t find these brews at the Plaid!

Event Details: Tickets are $20 in advance (you can buy them here) and that price gets you a mug and 10 beer tickets; additional beer tickets are $1. Admission is $25 at the door, and free re-admission is allowed the following day as long as you have your wristband and your mug. This event is 21 and over.

When: Saturday, December 4 from 11 am to 10 pm and Sunday, December 5 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Where: At Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave in Portland.

Southeast Portland: The Portland Blind Cafe 2

What: Enjoy a gluten-free vegetarian/vegan meal, served by blind people in the pitch dark. Join in discussion about blindness, advocacy and spacial awareness, and enjoy live music in the dark. Experience a new awareness of your senses and build community unity through this moving event.

Event Details: Buy tickets online here. Read more about the event here. Proceeds go in part to support the visually impaired and blind, and in part to PAWS, a seeing-eye-dog training program.

When: Friday, December 3 and Saturday, December 4. Check in at 7 pm, dinner begins at 7:30.

Where: At Tabor Space in Mt. Tabor Presbyterian at 5441 SE Belmont Ave.

Northeast Portland: Laurelhurst Winter Bazaar

What: The Laurelhurst bazaar features local and unique holiday shopping from more than 50 independent artisans and vendors. There will also be a raffle, a silent art auction, activities for kids, food and more!

Event Details: The event is a fundraiser for the Laurelhurst Parent Teacher Association, but I cannot find an admission price. Perhaps some of the vendor’s profits or the food proceeds go to the school.

When: Saturday, December 4 from 9 am to 5 pm.

Where: Laurelhurt School, 840 NE 41st Ave in Portland.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

Green Friday with Portland Pedal Power

November 24, 2010

Join Portland Pedal Power and Seven Planet for Green Friday, a sustainability-oriented event with green merchandise, geocaching, a food drive and more!

Portland Pedal Power, a bike-powered delivery service with connections to restaurants and retail stores, can deliver all manner of food and goods, and their partnerships help their affiliates to be more sustainable and locally minded. This organization is also active in the Portland community and involved with events like their upcoming answer to Black Friday, dubbed Green Friday. In partnership with Seven Planet, which is the first green general store chain in the world, Portland Pedal Power brings you a shopping event that will leave you feeling better about the state of your soul and the world than maxing out your credit card at Nordstrom ever does.

From 10 am until 6 pm, Seven Planet on NW 4th and Couch will headquarter the event, while geocaching activities go on around NW. Seven Planet, which began in Idaho, sells organic, sustainable, locally sourced and fully “green” apparel, groceries, health and household products and more. Their products look great, but as you would expect, this stuff is more expensive than what you would find at Fred Meyer. But their amazing 20% discount on everything in the store during the Green Friday event makes it so worthwhile to do some shopping there. Bring in 5 nonperishable food items to donate for the Oregon Food Bank and receive an additional 10% off your purchases, for maximum savings of 30%!

This event is about more than shopping, though. Through the promotional material one can tell how excited Portland Pedal Power is about Friday’s geocaching activity. Geocaching is a treasure hunt using GPS and social media, so if you follow Portland Pedal Power and Seven Planet on Facebook and Twitter, you can see the clues they will publish throughout the day. Be the first to find two Pedal Power bicycles and win prizes! Find Seven Planet on FB here and Portland Pedal Power here.

Have an excellent Thanksgiving tomorrow, and if you feel like shopping on Friday November 26, make it to Seven Planet where you’ll find great savings on high-quality, sustainable and local products. Seven Planet is located at 412 NW Couch St in Portland and the event takes place from 10am to 6pm.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

PDX Weekend Happenings: November 20-21

November 19, 2010

Welcome to your weekend! I’m sure it’s as glad to see you as you are to see it. Certainly two of our recommended events would love to see you this weekend to support their causes. The Swashbuckler’s Ball is a fundraiser party for the Portland Pirate Festival, an annual event that needs some help to take place this year. The Monaco Cup, where you will be plied with food and beer, benefits the United Way, a community-oriented coalition of charitable organizations. Finally, get your craft on at SCRAP, where they hope to provide some inspiration for homemade, non-consumerist holiday gifts.

The Swashbucklers Ball

What: Don your finest pirate costume and come to this benefit for the Portland Pirate Festival to enjoy Caribbean food, drinks, raffles and pirate-y fun.

Event Details: 21 years of age and older; tickets $14 in advance and $18 at the door; buy tickets online here.

When: Saturday, November 20 from 7pm to midnight.

Where: The Melody Ballroom, at 615 SE Alder in Portland.

SCRAP’s Holiday Bazaar

What: SCRAP is a store in NE Portland that sells donated odds and ends at low prices to promote creativity and reuse of materials. Their Holiday Bazaar is a gathering of crafty-minded people perusing local craft vendors, craft tables, listening to live music, eating food from carts and joining in the “killer” raffle.

Event Details: This event is free!

When: Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21 from 10am to 6pm both days.

Where: At SCRAP, 2915 NE MLK Blvd in Portland.

The Monaco Cup

What: A fundraiser for the United Way that pits 6 local chef-and-brewery pairings’ creations against each other.

Event Details: $20 admission includes 6 small plates and beer pairings. Attendees get to vote to determine the winner of the Cup. Buy tickets here.

When: Sunday, November 21, from 3pm to 6pm.

Where: At the Hotel Monaco, Portland’s premier craft beer hotel, located at 506 SW Washington St in Portland.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

PDX Weekend Happenings: November 12-14

November 12, 2010

Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away, and while we still have awhile until we commence the stuffing of our faces, food is definitely on all of our minds.  This week is when you really have to start narrowing down your Thanksgiving plans, and in honor of this preparation all of this weekend’s happenings are focused around food.

Make Your Own Cookbook Straight From Your Garden

What: Portland-based artists, gardeners and cooking enthusiasts Lexa Walsh and Nicole Penoncello want to make you a cookbook. Through their program Your Garden Cookbook, they will assess your garden and then make a custom, handmade cookbook designed to utilize your garden’s bounty to its fullest.  I love this idea and it really makes me hunger for my own garden once again.

Event Details: This workshop is FREE; for more details visit their blog.

When: Saturday, November 13; 12pm-2pm

Where: 2505 SE 11th Ave., No. 106

People’s Food Co-op turns 40

What: People’s Co-op is having a birthday party and everyone is invited. You’ll find natural foods, a cake in the shape of the store and a “People’s Co-op through the Ages” presentation. T-shirts bearing the winning design of a T-shirt contest will also be for sale.

Event Details: This is a FREE event.

When: Saturday, November 13; 5pm-8pm

Where: 3029 SE 21st Ave

Portland Opera’s Hansel and Gretel

What: This is not your kids’ Hansel and Gretel.  This show by Engelbert Humperdinck, the German composer,  features a terrifying chorus of cooks, flying food, and murder.

Event Details: $20+; call for full ticket pricing 800-745-3000 .

When: Saturday, November 13; 7:30pm

Where: Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St

Kenny & Zuke’s Thanksgiving Dinner To Go

What: Who wants to really go through all that effort just for one Thanksgiving dinner?  Wouldn’t you rather be enjoying yourself and spending time with family than slaving over your stove all day?  That’s why at Kenny & Zuke’s delicatessen they want to take care of the entire dinner for you!  They’ll be offering turkey stuffed with wild mushrooms, along with sides like cornbread stuffing, twice-baked truffled potatoes and three different pies. Yummy!

Details: Call 222-3354 or visit www.kennyandzukes.com for full menu. Orders must be placed by 3 pm Monday, Nov. 22

Where: Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen, 1038 SW Stark St.

Indulge your Inner Foodie at In Good Taste

November 8, 2010

In Good Taste is more than a retail store, more than an event experience, and more than a training tool. The establishment’s design embraces versatility and offers multiple angles of approach. Their specialty cooking and wine store shares space with the teaching kitchen and offers professional cookware, knives and cookbooks. The cafe serves house-made food and wine. Individuals or groups can attend cooking classes, and private events are available for hokey-sounding (but probably fun) “corporate team-building” or for parties. Even the cooking school can serve many different purposes: take a date for an active, creative night out, go brush up on your knife skills or learn some recipes to impress your guests at holiday meals, take a non-foodie friend to show that cooking doesn’t have to be boring or tedious.

The cooking-class element of In Good Taste takes advantage of the great produce, wine and other food locally grown and made here in Oregon and the Northwest. For example, The Oregon Bounty Series classes going on this November and December highlight locally available, seasonal meals. Cooking with locally sourced products makes for a fresh flavorful meal, it supports local farmers and agriculture, and minimizes fuel use.

The Farm to Table class and the Holiday Market Thanksgiving class, taking place this Friday and Saturday, use local market finds to put together a classic, gourmet Thanksgiving dinner. Learn how to make butternut squash soup, bread stuffing, apple pie and of course, a perfectly roasted and juicy turkey. On the second of December the Oregon Bounty Series continues with a Local Olive Harvest Class, featuring local Oregon Oil Mill olive oil as the main ingredient in the day’s dishes. Later in December classes will tutor successful, entertaining party-hosting as well as fabulous dish-making.

Many of the online reviews of In Good Taste mention its proximity to Sur La Table in the Pearl. While Sur La Table is a national corporation, In Good Taste is an independent, locally owned and managed business. The two stores carry the same kind of gourmet kitchenware and high-quality oils and sauces, but In Good Taste has the advantage of keeping our money in the community. And In Good Tastes’ consideration of local and sustainable products also earns it points.

In Good Taste also caters, and their website features great recipes used by professional chef instructors. This business covers a lot of ground in the world of specialty food, yet keeps it accessible. In Good Taste has an element to suit any eater’s needs. Find them in the Pearl District at 231 NW 11th Ave at Everett, and find their daily deals on Forkfly here!

Weekend Happenings: November 5,6, and 7

November 5, 2010

First, a public service announcement: Daylight Savings happens this weekend. On Sunday the clocks “fall back,” which means an extra hour of sleep, and no more getting up in the dark! Second, this week we have some quintessentially Portland events for you to attend. Nothing screams Portland like a bike rally, pampered pets, coffee tasting and films by Northwest artists.

Be Seen, Be Safe Bike Rally at Pioneer Square TONIGHT!

What: A rally to promote safe commuting during the dark winter months (especially with Daylight Savings taking an hour of our afternoon light). The goal is to fill Pioneer Square with light, so break out your stash of glo-sticks!

Event Details: Winners of the Best Lit Bike Contest will win $75 gift certificates for bike merch. Free flashing lights will be handed out, and Bike Gallery will offer free bike check-ups. The rally ends in an easy-paced bike ride around downtown.

When: Tonight, Friday November 5, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Bike ride beings at 6:30 pm.

Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave in Portland.

The Oregon Humane Society presents Santa Paws

What: The Humane Society presents a photo opportunity for your pet to pose with Santa! Support OHS and receive a fun memento.

Event Details: The cost is $20 for two 5×7 portraits, a holiday card with the photo and a CD with the digital image, and all proceeds go to OHS .

When: Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7, from noon to 3 pm.

Where: At a variety of Fred Meyer locations. See the full list here.

The Second Annual Portland Coffee Fair

What: A fair dedicated to the world’s most popular drink. Sample coffee, learn about brewing techniques (including what you can do at home to improve your morning cup) and specialty coffees, participate in taste-tests to find the best brew.

Event Details: The fair costs $8 for adults and $5 for children under 18. Coffee Fair admission includes admission to the World Forestry Center’s Discovery Museum as well.

When: Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7 from 10 am to 3 pm.

Where: At the World Forestry Center, at 4033 SW Canyon Road in Portland.

The 37th Northwest Film and Video Festival: Shorts II

What: Saturday’s 7 pm Shorts II event is a screening of 10 short films by Northwest creators.

Event Details: The festival goes on until the 13th, with more events on this upcoming Saturday and Sunday and the following weekend. Check the website here for showing and event info. General admission is $9; festival passes and rates for students and museum members can be found on their website.

When: Saturday, November 6 at 7 pm.

Where: The Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum, at 1219 SW Park Ave in Portland.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

You Gotta Try This!: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

November 3, 2010

So Halloween is behind us and it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving and those December holidays. This is the time of year where you get to dress up and attend classy cocktail parties, festive and well-thought-out meals, and sophisticated outings to the theater. One such outing should take you to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, where they have been producing great music and entertaining snazzily-dressed concertgoers for thirty-two years.

The orchestra has some sweetly humble beginnings: it started as a group of musical enthusiasts who played together in various groups. They moved up by steps, first becoming the Vancouver Chamber Orchestra than the Vancouver Community Orchestra, as they created a demand for chamber music in their region. String musicians joined the group to form the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and today this professional organization is highly regarded.


This weekend, the symphony has its last regular season performance of the year, featuring two outstanding pianists, Yukiko Akagi of Japan and Alex Alguacil of Spain, pictured here. They will perform together on the Concerto for Two Pianos at Saturday’s 3 pm performance and Sunday’s 7 pm show. Their piece will be followed by the whole orchestra’s performance of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 and Liszt’s Hungarian Raphsody.

But the really festive concert will take place on December 18. The Big Horn Brass Christmas Show is a “perfect blend of traditional and swinging standards played by sixteen pieces of brass and percussion, and featuring vocalist Valerie Day.”

Another great reason to support this organization is their involvement in the Vancouver community and their dedication to providing opportunities to young musicians. Take advantage of this local treasure and make the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra part of your holiday celebration this year!

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