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.

Forkfly Daily Deal: Acadia Bistro

November 23, 2010

$10 Off Any Purchase of $50 or More!

During these cold winter months here in Oregon, most of us crave the warmth and long for a trip down South.  You might not be able to physically afford the trip to escape the cold, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t at least enjoy a taste of the South right here in Portland.  Acadia Bistro, located at 1303 NE Fremont St., specializes in traditional New Orleans cuisine that will keep you warm all winter long.

Acadia’s menu changes frequently, which is very refreshing in my opinion, and so you never know what delights you have in store for you each time you visit.  Their Fall sample menu includes Southern favorites like hushpuppies, crawfish, Louisiana barbecue shrimp, okra, chicken sausage gumbo, fried cat fish, and jambalaya.  They also have an impressive wine and cocktail list, with cool names like Pantorium, Problem Solver, and Abominable Rodeo.  They even have a Secret Drink Menu for those who are brave enough to ask for it.  Show up on a Monday and you can celebrate Acadia’s version of Mardi Gras.  Get entrees for $9.95, and a three course dinner for only $17.95.

The biggest event of the year for this New Orleans Bistro is their annual Reveillon Dinner on Christmas eve.  Their chef prepares a three course menu with a cocktail of choice for $30.  Take a look at this year’s menu!

Reveillon Dinner 2010

-House made Huckleberry Bounce or Eggnog Donohue

-Selection of biscuits and scones

Choice of First Course:

-Pheasant confit salmis (pheasant confit in pastry!)

-Spiced Seckle pear and pecan salad with Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese

Choice of Entrée:

-Black strap molasses house cured country ham with cider braised red cabbage and roast turnips

-Blackened Drumfish with a blue crab & almond menuire and fingerling potato hash

Dessert :

-Spiced fig cake with brown sugar ice cream

Tables fill up fast for this event so reserve your table soon! And be sure to save some money by accessing their Forkfly deal here.

Forkfly Daily Deal: The London Grill

November 15, 2010

$50 food credit for birthdays with parties of 8 or more

$5 off any lunch or $10 off any dinner entree

Buy one appetizer, get one free from the dinner menu!

The London Grill, located inside the classy Benson Hotel, is an elegant dinner destination made even more attractive by these amazing Forkfly deals. Have you ever had an upscale tableside service experience? This is the kind of restaurant where the sharply dressed servers bring a tray to your table and prepare fresh Cesar Salad, Bananas Foster, Steak Diane and other delicacies right in front of you. I remember attending a restaurant like this for the first time as a kid, and being appalled to see that sardine paste went into my Cesar salad — but I ate it anyway, and it was fresh and delicious, and more exciting for having seen it prepared in front of me by a skilled chef.

The London Grill is a must-go any time of the year for an elegant night out, but right now is an especially great time to check it out, because of our Forkfly deals and because of their Thanksgiving special. The London Grill Traditional Thanksgiving Feast takes place from 1pm till 8pm on Thursday the 25th. The enticing menu includes appetizers, sides like garlic mashed potatoes, numerous entree options (turkey, gosling, salmon, ribs, filet mignon and more!), and a selection of pies for desert. The Thanksgiving menu has a set price for the four courses. Alternately, get your London Grill Thanksgiving meal to go with this carry-out menu.

The London Grill is an excellent place to host parties, and they have three private rooms available to accommodate parties up to 26 people. Fewer guests than that is okay too: invite at least 8 people to your birthday party at the Grill and receive $50 toward your food bill with Forkfly!  The restaurant also serves breakfast and lunch — get $5 off any lunch entree with Forkfly. And go ahead and have a glass of wine with that lunch: the wine cellar boasts over 6000 bottles. The restaurant is located inside the Benson Hotel at 309 SW Broadway St in Portland.  Whether you take them up on the Thanksgiving menu or stop by for lunch or dinner to use your Forkfly coupons, the London Grill experience will impress and satisfy you.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

Trendy Tuesday: Wine Bars

November 9, 2010

Last night the city got dark at about 5:45 pm. It was the first of many dark, wet winter days to come. When this time of year rolls around in Portland, our version of hibernation often calls for getting well acquainted with the dive bar down the street. This year, let go of your dingy watering hole and explore the trendy alternative to the ubiquitous Portland bar, the wine bar. Surely classy joints like Wine Unwind and Pour Wine Bar and Bistro will take the edge off the Seasonal Depressive Disorder the city collectively suffers from.

Wine Unwind, located in the Pearl, emphasizes comfort and an inviting atmosphere, defying the vague notion some people have of wine as elitist. This shop has a lot more going for it than just its extensive selection of European, California and Northwest wines. Every Friday the shops hosts a tasting of their favorite selections of the week, followed by live music (the website describes it as “more like a private concert”). They also host unique movie-watching experiences, where foreign films are paired with a wine from the country of the movie’s origin.

Wine Unwind has a huge selection of vino, which you can order by the glass, by the bottle, purchase to take home, or order online and have shipped to you. They also have a wine club, where you can sign up to have 2, 6 or 12 bottles shipped to you 4 times per year. The wines sent out are carefully selected for quality, matched to the season, and info on vintage and food pairings is included. Oh, and Wine Unwind offers its space for private parties without a reservation cost — you only pay for the drinks and food you and your group consume. That’s one tasty deal.

As for you east-siders, Pour Wine Bar on NE Broadway also offers selection, accessibility and value. Pour focuses more on local products — most of their bottles come from family owned small vineyards. Also, their menu is slightly more extensive than that at Wine Unwind, with a stronger emphasis on food and wine pairings. The owner Robert Voltz worked as a cook in Eugene and continues to plan and execute much of the menu at Pour. The aesthetic at Pour embraces a retro look, built around the look of the space and “a stash of Saarinen chairs left over from a 1952 cruise boat.”

Pour offers a great value on wine — check out their prices here. They do not have a retail store, but they do sell bottles to go, for $5 less than the serving price. Sundays are reserved for parties and events, and the space is available along with help in throwing a theme party or dinner.

Wine Unwind and Pour Wine Bar and Bistro offer great alternatives to your usual routine, with upbeat atmospheres and intelligent recommendations on delicious drinks. Check Forkfly for deals with these trend-setting spots.

Written by Forkfly intern Eleanor R. Brown

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!

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.

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: Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar

August 16, 2010

Southpark Seafood and Wine Bar is located in the heart of downtown Portland. Nestled comfortably on the corner of Salmon and Park, Southpark has made a name for itself over the past 10 years by serving authentic Mediterranean inspired cuisine in a lively urban setting. In addition to their terrific menu, Southpark also offers their patrons an award winning wine list that is matched by few in the Portland-Metropolitan area.

One of the more unique aspects of Southpark is the fabulous atmosphere of their outdoor seating and patio, as they offer all their patrons with the option of  street side tables and seating. Given its close proximity to the Portland Art Museum and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall,  Southpark has an ambiance that flows terrifically with the natural beauty of Portland’s Park blocks. Tables are relatively small, so do not expect to seat large groups of people, but this creates a unique sense of intimacy not found in many other local restaurant’s outdoor areas.

On warm summer nights it is not uncommon to see several waiters tending to many full tables of people. The restaurant’s beautiful surroundings definitely compliment the unique flavor of their dishes and wines.  Southpark’s intimate outdoor dining make it the perfect beginning or end to a night of local arts and culture.  Right now you can get $10 off any two entrees at Southpark when you flash the fly!

Try A Collins/Cooler/or Drop at Paragon & Learn How to Make Your Own!

August 13, 2010

While dining outside at Paragon, located in The Pearl District, I perused over their Happy Hour menu to find myself a new cocktail to try.  My options were a house infused blackberry, blueberry, raspberry or strawberry Collins/Cooler/or Drop.  Now I have drank quite a few cocktails in my life, but by no means am I an expert in mixology, so seeing my options I was immediately curious what the difference is between a Collins, a Cooler and a Drop.  I tried the Blackberry Cooler for fun, and Paragon’s version did not disappoint, but I still went home wondering what the difference was between these cocktails, and so I decided to check it out for myself.

Apparently a Collins is basically “sours” with club soda added. You start off with 2 oz of your base liquor, whatever that may be, add 2 oz or so of sour mix, and top it off with some Club Soda.  The most well known of Collins of course being the Tom Collins, which uses these ingredients:

Tom Collins

2 oz Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
½ oz simple syrup
3 oz chilled Club Soda
Lemon Slice
Maraschino Cherry

Add the first three ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with the lemon slice and the cherry.

A Cooler is defined as any wine or made-wine made of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 5.5%. These drinks may be based on spirits, cider or perry.  The most well known of coolers of course being the Wine Cooler, which I’ve included a recipe for below.

Strawberry White Wine Cooler

2 cups strawberries (about 1 pint), trimmed
1/3 cup sugar
a 750-ml. bottle Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine, chilled

In a bowl gently toss together strawberries and sugar and let stand 10 minutes. In a blender purée strawberry mixture with wine until smooth and pour through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Wine cooler may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled.

A Drop traditionally uses vodka as the base and then often sweet and sour mix is added and usually a splash of sugar, and it is served chilled in a martini glass.  If you think of a Drop, you of course imagine the Lemon Drop.

The Lemon Drop


1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 sugar cube

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