Discover Portland: Leisure Public House

January 6, 2011

One of my friends was just commenting on how much she adores the St. Johns area and would love to move there.  She is in love with the area’s small pretty shops, quaint diners, and friendly atmosphere. I myself have never been, but after stumbling across the Leisure Public House in the St. Johns neighborhood I will most definitely be taking a trip to the North.

Leisure Public House is one part bar, one part pub, and is 100% the kind of place I would love to hang out at. They have a full bar, an absolutely gorgeous outdoor seating area, and a menu that is anything but ordinary–instead of a hamburger and fries, why not try their chevre salad with fresh goat cheese, or one of their gourmet pressed sandwiches?

They definitely succeed in the fun area as well. You can play some ping pong, something called bocce ball or just play some tunes on their jukebox. Then on Mondays you can show off your talents during open mic night. Tuesday try your luck at trivia night to win some cool prizes. Then wind down on Sundays with Sunday movie night–last week they showed one of my faves, Big Fish.

I really love the story of how Leisure came to be as well. Owners, Travis and Nicole, had a passion for pubs and a love of their neighborhood, and they both wanted to create a place where people could come hang out and get to know each other in a comfortable, fun setting.  You can really tell when you look at this place that they put a great deal of thought and hard work into designing it. Travis actually built  Leisure’s patio, tables, benches, planter boxes and bocce ball court, all himself!

I can’t wait to visit Leisure Public House located at 8002 N. Lombard St. Find them online here.

Discover Portland: Brow Betty

January 5, 2011

With hundreds of spa/salon options available in Portland, it is easy for consumers to be overwhelmed by choices and for salon owners to get lost in the crowd.  Brow Betty, a premiere eyebrow and waxing bar, hopes that their fun, no stress atmosphere and to the point slogan “Perfect Eyebrows in the Bat of an Eye…No Lie!”, will make them stand out from the sea of businesses for years to come.

Even though they offer other types of waxing and products, brows are of course their passion and forte. Unlike some salons where waxing is more of a secondary side business, Brow Betty does eyebrows all day every day, and they won’t let you leave until they have found the perfect arch for your face.

Surrounded by cotton candy pink walls and 50′s style wooden mirrors you just can’t help but feel upbeat and ready for beautification. The estheticians are all waxing veterans, and are all as cute as a button.  Besides eyebrows, the team also does all other types of facial waxing, body waxing and tinting.

They will also give you some great tips and tricks on how to keep your newly plucked/waxed areas looking great all the time. As someone who took off half her eyebrow last time I tried waxing it myself, I would very much appreciate that kind of advice.  You should also check out the shops highly entertaining blog here–where I found out about something called vagazzling, and yes it is what it sounds like.

Brow Betty is located at The Pointe at Bridgeport, 7114 Hazel Fern Road in Tigard.

Trendy Tuesday: A Hip Airport Hotel With a Focus on Style & Green Practices

January 4, 2011

The Marriott, Holiday Inn, Motel 6, these are the standard sleeping options that are normally nearby an airport when you visit any U.S. city.  You can expect a hard bed, minimal design, Denny’s style food, and an overall lack of comfort and entertainment. And then there is Aloft Portland Airport Hotel, basically the opposite of everything I just described.

Aloft is located at 9920 NE Cascades Parkway, and is just minutes from baggage claim at Portland International Airport. Stylish, fun, and green minded to boot, Aloft is a clear display of Portland pride and the creator’s love for the North West. This bold new airport lodging sports a loft inspired design with earth tones and geometric shapes, as well as a green building plan and an enforced eco program.

The hotel itself has a gorgeous gym, an impressive bar, a 24/7 open pantry packed full of healthy and indulgent snacks, a beautiful pool, and complimentary hotel-wide internet access. Once inside your room it gets even better, and each room has an ultra-comfortable signature bed, an over-sized showerhead, custom amenities by Bliss® Spa, and a fun, art-deco design. And you don’t have to be afraid to bring the kids along for the stay. Aloft offers for the kids a child-size air mattress and kid’s bedding, kid-friendly food options, games galore, and their splash pool.

And even though there is plenty to see and do right within the walls of the hotel, the establishment urges visitors to get out and enjoy our fantastic city, boasting about our “urban energy, cool culture, edgy art galleries, unique boutiques, and tons of outdoor activities.”  You might expect rates to be high at a place like this, but they start out as low as $99 and have a lot of great offers you can take advantage of.

This is a fun, innovative and stylish airport lodging that is like nothing I have ever experienced before.  It is a welcome addition to our fare city!

You Gotta Try This!: Sugar Mamas’ Hearty Breakfasts & Delicious Baked Goods

December 23, 2010

Growing up I was extremely lucky to have adoptive grandparents who lived right next door to us and would have my family over for Sunday breakfast on a consistent basis.  They loved filling their house with children who adored them, and we loved being spoiled by them!  My grandmother would make biscuits and sausage gravy, cinnamon rolls, and hashbrowns.  My own mother was more of a bran muffin and granola for breakfast type of person, so getting such a huge breakfast like the one my grandmother would make was a special treat for us.  I haven’t had the pleasure of eating breakfast at Sugar Mamas’ Cafe yet, but I imagine the experience is just as delicious and heart warming as mine growing up.

Sugar Mamas’ Cafe, located at 579 SW 13th Ave & SW Alder, is the creation of two adorable sisters, Michelle and Zelda, who love cooking and the joy that their food brings to their customers. Known for their big breakfasts, Sugar Mamas doesn’t scrimp on size or taste, so bring your appetite.  Breakfast is served all day long with yummy options like the Power Cakes Mama’s Cakes with dried cranberries, coconut, banana & REAL maple syrup; their authentic corned beef hash; biscuits and gravy just like how my grandmother made them; and even a meatloaf breakfast served with hashbrowns and eggs.

But Sugar Mamas isn’t just about breakfast, they also serve lunch and scrumptious baked goods. For lunch try their meatloaf sandwich, tomato soup made from scratch, or a tasty grilled sandwich.  For anytime of day, you must try a German Chocolate Brownie, their famous Carmel Pecan Sticky Buns, and their homemade Snickerdoodles just in time for Christmas!

Sugar Mamas is open Mon-Fri 7am to 3pm and Sat-Sun 8am to 1pm. Want to get them delivered to your home or office? Portland Pedal Power has got you covered, just order here and they will deliver it to you by bike!

Discover Portland: Distillery Row

December 22, 2010

Portlanders love to buy their clothes from local designers, are loyal to their favorite neighborhood cafe, and boast about having some of the best wineries in the NW, so why not take it one step further gang and try out some fantastic locally made liquor too!

I am so excited to have discovered Distillery Row.  Situated in SE Portland, Distillery Row is a handful of small distilleries who make handcrafted, locally distilled spirits available for the first time since prohibition. How great is that! There are 5 distilleries on Distillery Row–Deco Distilling, House Spirits, Integrity Spirits, New Deal Distillery, Stone Barn Brandyworks–and they make everything from vodkas and gins, rums and whiskeys, to more specialized spirits such as absinthe, aquavit, and flavored liqueurs.

Deco Distilling, located at 1311 SE 9th Avenue, makes one of my favorite rums of all time the Deco Ginger Rum. It is great with some Cola, Sprite, or some warm cider. All of their rums are made from natural ingredients. The ginger flavored rum in particular has no added sugar, which I love because then you can mix it to your desired taste.

House Spirits, located at 2025 SE 7th Avenue, makes everything from vodka, gin, whiskey and aquavit.  Sporadically House Spirits also releases a small batch of limited-edition spirit in their Apothecary Line available only in their tasting room. Their goal is to pour into every creation the taste and flavor of the Northwest. “We have great respect for our distilling elders and incorporate old world philosophy into our products for the savvy new world palate.”

Integrity Spirits, located at 909 SE Yamhill Street, sells vodka, gin and a specialty absinthe. Their concoctions are more of an art form than a drink, which makes since why their labels are designed with as much care, love and attention as their spirits. I am extremely enticed by their Hazelnut Vodka and 12 Bridges Gin.  The 12 Bridges Gin is aptly named for the number of bridges in Portland, and for the 12 botanicals in its recipe, like Hungarian Juniper Berries, cucumber and peppery ginger.

New Deal Distillery, located at 1311 SE 9th Avenue, is all about vodka. They carry four different styles of vodka, including the award winning Hot Monkey Pepper-Flavored Vodka and the one I am dying to try the Basil-Flavored Vodka. They also make a special brand of organic liqueurs called LOFT Organic Liqueurs. These are made from as-local-as-possible organic fruits and botanicals available.With flavors as diverse as Lavender Cello, Spicy Ginger Cello, and Lemongrass Cello.

Stone Barn Brandyworks, located at 3315 SE 19th, Suite B, produces yummy craft distilled, regional fruit brandies and spirits. Check out just a few of their amazing sounding drinks, like their pear and apple brandy, coffee and quince liqueurs, and an unoaked rye whiskey. I first tried one of their liqueurs at the fabulous Gilt Club and it was absolutely delicious!

I highly recommend you make a visit to Distillery Row.  I just hope Santa is reading this and makes a special delivery to my house this year!

Trendy Tuesday: Local Designs & Unique Handmade Pieces at Frock

December 21, 2010

Mix some vintage styles with some Burning Man inspired fashion and you have Frock–a unique boutique that sells independent designs and small runs of rare, one-of-a-kind pieces, and handmade items. As local as it gets, Frock is committed to the local, living economy with a product mix consisting of 90% locally designed and produced items supplemented with 10% regional, independent, and other goods.

It doesn’t matter your age or sex because Frock has something cool for everyone. They have a plethora of items and it was really hard for me to choose my favorites, but here they are!  For women, I would recommend the Stumptown Tee, Peacock Tank Top, Red Floral Applique Tunic, a belt buckle by Namaste, the bike earrings by Handmade Julz, and the What’s Your Poison necklace.

For kids, I love the Octopus Onesie, the Hotdog Hi Five Tee, and the Cat Eye Sunglasses. How cute are these little models by the way!

For the men out there, check out the Cock Tee, Oregon Undies, Lucha Mask Socks and The Hole In One Sweater Cap.

Frock is located at 1439 NE Alberta St. in Portland, Oregon.  Enjoy your holiday shopping (hint, hint) !

Forkfly Holiday Special: There’s Still Time to Find that Christmas Tree!

December 13, 2010

If you haven’t gotten your Christmas tree yet, much less put it up and decorated it, you’re not alone. It’s hard to find time to decorate when the holidays entail so many other time-consuming events and chores. Forkfly makes it easy for you to find the perfect tree with our list of Portland-area tree lots. We found two benefit tree sales, a cut-your-own tree farm where finding your tree can be a family event, and a small independent lot. Our selections range from close-in and further out NE and SE Portland, to far-out West Portland, and to Milwaukie, south of Portland.

L’Arche Nehalem’s 21st Annual Benefit Tree Sale

When you buy a locally grown, fresh cut tree from this fundraiser sale, all proceeds go to L’Arche Nahalem, a group home for individuals with disabilities in Portland. The organization provides a home for people with developmental disabilities and their caregivers, modeling a live-in caregiving community. Read more about L’Arche here.

The benefit sale has two tree lots in Portland: the Hollywood lot at NE 44th Ave and NE Hancock and the Montavilla lot at SE 82nd and Burnside. Find maps and hours for each location here. Both lots have a great selection of trees large and small, and you will drive away with tree in hand (on car, rather) and a priceless sense of holiday goodwill! The sale goes on at both lots until December 19.

American Legion Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser

If you’re located further south, the American Legion Auxiliary in Milwaukie, Oregon is selling trees through December 19 to raise money for a variety of veteran’s programs, including Christmas care boxes for Deployed Veterans in Afghanistan and Iraq. They have relatively inexpensive trees: the only info site I found lists $10-$20 price tags. Take a look here for hours and find the American Legion Auxiliary at 2146 SE Monroe St., Milwaukie, Oregon.

Zurburgg Farms U-Cut Christmas Trees

Start a new tradition by taking your family out to this NW Christmas tree farm, where they’ll hand you a saw and you will choose (or let the kids choose) and cut your own tree! This is not the quick-and-dirty way to find your tree, but if you can find the time, I think it sounds really fun and very festive. Zurburgg Farms is located at 16875 NW Germantown Road in Portland (pretty far out Portland), and online here. They are open from 8 am to 5 pm daily, and they don’t have an end date posted for Christmas tree sales.

Red Shed Christmas Trees


Located at NE 18th Ave and E Burnside, Red Shed has been family owned and operated since 1992. If you live in close-in Portland, their location makes it a no-brainer to stop here for a great selection of sizes and types of Christmas trees. They also have the most comprehensive price list of any of our recommended lots. Red Shed is open until Christmas Eve, from 10 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am to 8 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

Get out there and find your perfect tree so you have a place to put the presents you’ll be rushing to buy these next couple of weeks. Stay tuned to the Forkfly blog for more holiday tips this week, includng gift recommendations from our favorite merchants.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown.

Lunch for Under $15: Laughing Planet Cafe

December 10, 2010

I’ve been to Laughing Planet before. When I lived in Southeast I would go to SE Belmont and invariably get the Spanky’s Bowl, a mashed potato-corn-broccoli medley for $6.25. During today’s visit to the Laughing Planet on NW 9th, I had to try the vegetarian chili. I went for the highly embellished version of the veggie chili cup, the Nacho Mama plate with chips, cheese, jalapenos, and sour cream for $4.95 (+$.95 for the sour cream).

It arrived promptly and piping hot, with generous amounts of all the extras. The chili has beans, zucchini and carrots, and it’s flavorful without being spicy. If your tastes run to less artery-clogging meals than mine do, Laughing Planet has a great selection of bean and veggie based bowls and burritos from under $5 to $7. Next time I’m going to get the Southwestern Green Chili burrito with black beans, mild green chilis, corn, jack cheese and rice for $5.50.

My cheesy chili was great, but my favorite part of today’s meal at Laughing Planet was my apple-ginger juice ($3.50). The fresh-squeezed juice arrived at my table right after I ordered, but it was so spicy and flavorful that I had to save it for after my meal. I’m crazy for ginger, and this drink was perfect for me, but it has a really strong kick that may not please everyone. Carrot juice is also available, by itself and in combination with apple, beet or ginger juices. Laughing Planet also offers smoothies for $4 — a great price for a sweetener- and additive-free nutritious drink.

I spent $9.50 on my chili plate and my juice. Had I had room for dessert, I would have gotten the apple-cranberry pie that tempted me at the register. I didn’t see the price for a slice of pie, but I imagine if I had tacked that on, my meal would still have been under $15.

The NW 9th Ave Laughing Planet location is inside the Ecotrust Building. The Ecotrust building, as the name suggests, is like a sustainable co-op housing green-minded businesses. Laughing Planet shares the space with Patagonia and other businesses. Read about the Ecotrust Building and its LEED Gold design and “ecoroof”  here.

The interior is modern and open, with exposed brick walls and the counter wrapped around part of the food prep area. There’s an outside seating area for use in better weather. The walls are adorned with Frank Zappa posters and paintings and R. Crumb cartoons. Laughing Planet is a wonderful spot to get a nutritious, locally sourced and easy lunch for a really reasonable price.

You Gotta Try This!: A Japanese Pub in Portland

December 8, 2010

Maybe I don’t go out enough, but I had never heard of Japanese Pubs before running across Yakuza.  In Japan they call them an izakaya, which is a type of Japanese drinking establishment that also serves food to accompany the drinks.  There are a good amount of sushi restaurants in Portland, but what intrigued me about Yakuza is the fact that they call themselves a Japanese pub and that they apparently won Portland Monthly Magazine’s “Best Burger of 2009.” Tell me that doesn’t peak your interest!

Yakuza of course has some seriously tasty house rolls and sashimi, like their Sashimi Trio, which includes, tuna, yellowtail, and salmon, and their Pear Jalapeno roll, which is a mix of yellowtail, pear, avocado and jalapeno. But you will also find some unique dishes you might not expect at a Japanese establishment, like chilled crab, kobe tartar and of course their award winning Yakuza burger.

Just as enticing as the food is Yakuza’s unique cocktail creations and their huge selection of sake.  Try a Beet Martini, the Wasabi, or a Carrot Cosmo, or one of 15 different sakes, like the Momokawa Organic Nigori Sake, which is rich and creamy and has hints of coconut.

Located in the Concordia Neighborhood at 5411 NE 30th Ave, Yakuza is truly a unique Portland gem.  To make reservations book online here.

Trendy Tuesday: The Urban Cowgirl

December 7, 2010

Uma Thurman in “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” brought a home-on-the-prairie-meets-casual-New-York-chique style to her character.  The cowgirl hat mixed with her rawhide jacket and striped cotton shirt was the perfect combination of new and old style.  Based on the current collections available at Free People, many designers apparently agree.

Slip dresses, fur vests, long flowing skirts and denim jackets line the walls of  the clothing boutique Free People, located at 817 NW 23rd Ave.  It is a look they call “Easy Rider” and the clothing really embodies the freedom and edginess connected with that name.  Some of my favorite pieces available right now are The Easy Rider Dress, Levis Denim Vest, and the Chiffon & Lace Slip.

But it is Free People’s gorgeous western inspired jewelry and accessory collection appropriately titled “the Old West” that really turns any outfit into a cowgirl masterpiece.  The collection contains a lot of leather, fringe, jade, copper and feather pieces, like the ones shown below.

For these and other great styles head on down to Free People’s shop in Portland, or find them online here.

Older Posts »
Share