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: New Vintage Beauty Lounge

December 9, 2010

There’s something about Mississippi Ave in North Portland. It’s reminiscent of both SE Hawthorne and NE Alberta as a hub for the young and in-the-know Portland population. Although it’s become popular to rag on Alberta and especially Hawthorne for becoming generic, expensive and overcrowded, Mississippi has maintained its integrity as a legitimately hip destination. The establishments that pop up there cannot be accused of selling out — places like New Vintage Beauty Lounge, which is a truly unique salon.

New Vintage Beauty Lounge is a brand new salon located in my favorite stretch of Mississippi at N. Mississippi and Failing. It’s close to Fresh Pot, Bridge City Comics, and Amnesia Brewing. So the location is superb, but what makes New Vintage special?

For one thing, it’s pretty: they have an eclectic aesthetic with lots of hard wood, hunting-lodge decorations, and contrasting wall patterns. Like the name says, the design is both new and vintage, modern and old-school. There’s a makeup display counter with high-quality cosmetics (they do makeup application as well as hair and waxing. They’re a “Full Service Salon and Cosmetic Boutique”). Like other Portland salons, you can enjoy a drink during your time at New Vintage — they offer wine and beer.

New Vintage is brand new. They opened about a month ago in mid-November. Their website lacks very much content as of yet, but they already have a number of positive reviews on Yelp. Many of the reviews are from regulars of hair stylists who are now working at New Vintage. I find that a great indication of the quality of stylists. New Vintage hired well-established stylists with experience and loyal customers. Being brand new also makes the salon eager to please, and I bet you can expect VIP treatment from this beautiful and original establishment.

Make an appointment, get in there and make New Vintage yours before word gets out all over town about this promising new salon! New Vintage Beauty Lounge is located at 3864 N Mississippi Ave and online here. They’re also active on Facebook. And even if you’re on Mississippi browsing comic books or getting a drink at Amnesia, stop in to see their decor, cosmetics display and meet the great stylists.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown.

Discover Portland: Hall of Records

December 6, 2010

From native, life-long Portlanders to those transplants who have only been here six months, everyone living here knows what makes Portland a unique and special place. We are a community of people who love where we live and can talk to you forever about why it’s so great. Hall of Records, a vinyl shop/cafe/bar, recognizes the tendency of Portlanders to feel pride and loyalty for their favorite independent local shop or bar. On their blog, the Hall of Records owners write, “Justin and I really wanted to create something unique that Portland could be proud of. The kind of place where you take your out of town guests and in a sense show off something that is as unique as Portland.”

Hall of Records certainly offers a unique experience by bringing together elements that aren’t usually found within one establishment. As the name of the shop suggests, they sell vinyl records — always a good plan in our city of music buffs and collectors. Listening stations are available to preview any of their very reasonably priced collection of 1,200 records.

They also have a cafe offering coffee, hearty snacks and sandwiches. Skillfully chosen wine and beer lists round out the menu. Hall of Records offers music, coffee, beer, and plenty of food options for both the carnivore and the vegetarian.What more can a Portlander ask for?

In addition to the obvious awesomeness of Hall of Record’s mash-up business plan and merchandise, they’ve got even more going for them as a Portland-specific attraction. Every night at 8 pm DJs rock the Hall of Records — and  Open Table Fridays allow budding DJs (and anyone who want to give it a spin) to play for 30 minute sets. We all have a karaoke/open-mic-loving extroverted friend, and a chance like this  has great appeal for those among us who like to perform.

Hall of Records is a locally and independently owned business and the owners frequently interact with their customers on Facebook, on their blog and in the store. The most recent blog post tells of a last-minute wedding reception where owners Katie and Justin prepared the food and DJed for the impromptu party. Independent ownership allows for this kind of flexibility, and Portlanders love a shop that values community and interaction. This is a city of regulars, and Hall of Records is in great shape to accrue a horde of devoted patrons.

Hall of Records is located at 3342 SE Belmont (love Belmont!  Another point in its favor!). They were recently written up in Portland Monthly — but it’s time to stop reading about Hall of Records and go check it out yourself.

Get the Rock Star Treatment at Bishops Barbershop

October 12, 2010

Getting your hair cut is much more about the experience than the actual cut itself these days.  Salons and barbershops have stepped up their game and are giving their clients some perks that you can’t find at a place like Supercuts or from the corner barbershop your grandpa has been going to all his life.  Alcohol, fashion, free concert tickets, and art work are just some of what you can expect from these high-end shops.

Bishops Barbershops, located all across Portland, are known for their edgy cuts, styles, and their love of rock n’ roll.  Tattoos aren’t a requirement to work there, but it sure doesn’t hurt.  All genres of rock music are played at some point during the day  in the shops, and if you are 21 and over you can enjoy a nice cold Miller High Life while you are waiting.  They also support the local music scene with free concert ticket giveaways.  But the best part about Bishops is the great conversations you have with the hairstylists, and the juicy gossip you usually overhear.

Bishops isn’t the cheapest place to go for a haircut that is a given, but it is well worth shelling a few more bucks out to actually enjoy going to the hair salon.  I for one hate going to a place where I am going to be forced to listen to soft rock and get my hair cut by a gal whose idea of style is emulating 90210 characters.  Plus, you can get $5 off a cut at all Bishops locations through our Forkfly app!

Drink of the Week: Pitch Black IPA

October 11, 2010

With summer quickly slipping out of my grasp, my choice of beers is also starting to change along with the weather.  In the summertime I want a good Hefeweizen or Pale Ale to cool me off, but during the colder season I crave dark beers like a Porter or Stout to fill me up and keep me warm.  Henry’s 12th St Tavern in The Pearl District has over 100 different beers on tap, so I made this restaurant my first stop in my quest to find a good dark beer to kick off the beginning of Fall.

My choice of drink at Henry’s was the Widmer W’10 Pitch Black IPA.  With a name like that, I had to try it.  The beer was almost black in color, and I was excited to see what flavors erupted from this ominous concoction.  The Pitch Black has a taste of pepper, a hint of coffee, and a malty bitterness that warms your tummy and shocks your taste buds.  It was the 2009 Gold Medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival, and was made right here in Portland.  It is a powerful beer, so you probably shouldn’t drink too many at one time, but it was a great way to start off my reintroduction to dark beer.

If you are interested in making your own beer, check out my blog from last week here.  Also, this site has some great beer recipes, and if you plan on visiting Henry’s 12th St. Tavern take your phone with you because they have some great deals on food on the Forkfly app!

You Gotta Try This!: Your own Beer & Wine Making Kit

October 4, 2010

If I really sat down and thought about it, I would probably die from shock at the amount of money I spend on beer and wine every month.  If I made my own product at home, not only would I save some money in the long run on prepackaged beer and wine, but I would be the envy of all of my friends every time I walked into a party with my own beer creation in hand.  But I am no chemist by all means, so how does one go about making their own beer or wine?  The answer is buy your own kit!

Bader Beer & Wine Supply in Vancouver, WA sell beer and wine making starter kits, as well as brewing equipment and ingredients.  So now you have everything you need to make your drink of choice, but you still don’t know what the heck you are doing, so why not take a class and find out?  Bader’s also offers beginning beer and wine making classes for as low as $20.  By the time you are done with the class you should be be able to offer your friends a nice glass of Grenache or an ice cold Porter next time they come over.  The hardest part about the beer and wine making process is waiting a week or more for it to be ready for consumption.

PDX Weekend Happenings: September 24-26

September 24, 2010

So in an attempt to do my part to “Keep Portland Weird,” I am focusing on those events this weekend that are strange, bizarre, and down right WEIRD. Keep it up Portland because it is events like these that make this the most interesting city to live in in the entire country!

Portland’s 2010 Thrill the World Dance: Michael Jackson’s Thriller Practice

What: The first of seven practices to prepare you for the world-wide “Thrill the World” dance party on October 23.  Last year Portland had 175 dancers in Pioneer Courthouse Square, and this year they want even more, but you have to practice the dance first in order to participate.

When: Friday, September 24, 6-8pm

Where: Fremont United Methodist Church, 2620 NE Fremont

Upright Brewery’s Punk Rock Bottle Release Party

What: A release party to celebrate their newest beer created in the style of 70′s and 80′s British Punk Rockers who fought the law to death and glory in the clash of the lower class leftists with limited career opportunities (their words not mine).

Event Details: Special beers on tap, bottles & t-shirts available for purchase, and a DJ spinning classic punk records.

When: Friday, September 24; 4:30-9pm

Where: 240 N. Broadway @ Leftbank Project Suite 2

The Juggling and Vaudeville Extravaganza

What: The best jugglers and variety acts from around the world come together in a single evening of live entertainment.

Event Details: Tickets cost $8-$16

When: Saturday, September 25; 7pm

Where: Benson High School Auditorium, 546 NE 12th Ave

Portland’s Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day

What: Perhaps one of the most interesting events I have ever heard of in Portland.  You have the unique opportunity to meet pretend time-travelers or pretend to be a time-traveler yourself.  The travelers will dress up as people from any age throughout history (or the future) and wander around Portland finding clues, talking to pedestrians and perhaps drinking beer (?).

When: Saturday, September 25

Where: No clue on the time because the details of the event were apparently written by a time traveler who doesn’t speak English very well.  Good Luck!

What Makes Vancouver’s Cinetopia the Best Movie Watching Experience in Oregon?

September 16, 2010

I am a huge fan of beer theaters, and I have become so accustomed to being able to drink good beer and eat pizza when I go to the movies that I actually haven’t stepped foot into a normal theater in about a year.  I decided I needed to go check out the Cinetopia in Vancouver, WA, which I have heard great things about, and find out for myself what all the fuss is about.  I have been waiting to go see Machete and now was the perfect opportunity.

I quickly discovered that The Cinetopia experience is much more than a trip to the movies.  Cinetopia is fine dining, luxury seating, a wine extravaganza, and movie watching at its best!  The theater is broken up into several sections: a wine, beer and dining area called the Vinotopia; Grand Auditorium Theaters, which are open to all ages; and Living Room Theaters, which are 21 and over only.  Unfortunately my movie wasn’t playing in one of The Living Room Theaters, so I was unable to bring any alcoholic beverages into the theater, but I did have a nice meal and some good local beer in the Vinotopia before the start of the show.

The Vinotopia is the perfect combination of luxury, comfort and convenience.  You can choose to sit at the wine bar, in the dining area, around the fireplace in comfy couches, or outside in a beautifully laid out garden setting.  The staff is constantly aware of your time constraints and the food is prepared in a timely manner, and if you are cutting it close to show time, the waitress will have your food wrapped up to go so that you can enjoy it in the theater.

The Grand Auditorium where I sat looked just the same as most theater seating, but once you sit in the chairs you immediately feel the difference.  The seats are cushioned, wide and lean back far.  They also all include a pull out tray table on the side for eating convenience.  The sound and picture quality were very impressive, and the whole experience was well worth the higher price tag.  A normal evening adult ticket costs $10.75 in the auditorium and $14.25 to $15.50 for the Living Room Theaters.

The Living Room Theaters are more expensive because they are even more cosy and pampering than the Grand Auditoriums.  The Living Room Theaters have five Living Room seating areas.  Each area has excellent viewing and a secluded “skybox” feeling. The seating areas have thirteen extra wide customized Seating Concepts VIP Ultra Leather seats, each with its own footrest and unlimited leg room.  These theaters also have pre-show restaurant and wine bar table service. In addition, prior to the films showing Friday and Saturday, customers will be provided with live pre-show dinner music from a small overhead performance balcony.  There is also something called The Pillow Pit, which is a large space at the front of the theater full of pillows for you to rest on while enjoying the show.  I would pay the higher price for this kind of entertainment.

It is well worth the drive from Portland to Cinetopia located at 11700 SE 7th St in Vancouver, and for more info check out their website.  I can’t wait to go back and check out the Living Room Theaters!

Portland’s Outdoor Eating Guide: On Deck Sports Bar

August 25, 2010

Inside On Deck Sports Bar & Grill you’ll find over 25 TVs showing all of the current sports action, but if you aren’t a sports enthusiast there are still many reasons to stop by On Deck.  On Deck’s outdoor seating is just as alluring as their inside action, and you’ll find a spacious patio with covered seating and a very pretty view.  Their outdoor seating is actually the largest outdoor deck in Portland’s The Pearl District!

With all this room outside, On Deck is a fantastic spot to host a party or event.   They have a covered tent with an outside grill and complete beverage station, and the entire deck is surrounded by lavender and flowers.  It would actually make a great spot for a bachelorette party or wedding reception or rehearsal!

I personally enjoyed the fact that the building is located upstairs, so instead of the standard street view and loud car sounds that you would normally get sitting outside, you get a great view of the city and a nice peaceful dining experience.  I also really like the fact that dogs are welcome, and so it is fine to stop by and get a bite to eat or a beer while walking the pooch.  On Deck Sports Bar & Grill is located at 910 NW 14th Ave.  Find their fantastic deals on Forkfly, like $3 off any menu item!

Forkfly’s Gluten-Free Friendly Merchants

August 23, 2010

Want to take advantage of Forkfly’s great offers but aren’t sure which restaurants or bars offer gluten free options?  Well here you go!  I have listed all of the Forkfly g-f friendly merchants for you to take advantage of.  Check them all out on Forkfly!  And if you are a Forkfly merchant who has g-f options but you don’t see your name listed, don’t fret just send me a quick note at duutela@forkfly.com and I will make sure to add you.

Brunch Box

Located at  SW 5th Ave & Stark, has gluten free bread!

Echo

Located at 2225 NE MLK Blvd, has gluten free options just ask your server about them.

Henry’s 12th St Tavern:

Located at 10 NW 12th Ave, has a number of gluten free beer options.

Koi Fusion

Located at a multitude of spots around Portland (check their Twitter page for updates),  is in the process of creating gluten free marinades.

P.F. Changs

Located in The Pearl District at 1139 NW Couch St, has a very impressive gluten free menu.

Seres Restaurant

Located in The Pearl District at 1105 NW Lovejoy St, also has a very extensive list of gluten free and organic options.

Theo’s

Located at 121 NW 5th Ave, has a tasty gluten free bun and gluten free chips.

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