Hippest Spot in… Portland, Oregon?

by Sarah Gilbert on

My husband and I are going out for a cocktail tonight. We
rarely go anywhere without the kids and I’m have a desperate need to, not just go to a hot spot, but go to the HIPPEST
spot available. I need numero uno, folks.

So help me out. Those of you who are still single and hip. Those
of you who aspire to be. Where is the absolute best, top, trendier-than-thou hipper-than-hip place to sip a cocktail in
Portland, Oregon? I’m considering the following:

Opinions?
Other ideas? Let me know!

Plenty Magazine

by Adrienne Wilson on

It’s official now – I’ve been
diagnosed with a case of the Green Holy Ghost.  And who knew catching an eco-spirit could be so much fun?
It all started yesterday when I arrived first thing in the morn for the grand opening of a new Wild Oats market here in Tampa. I was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and
determined to be one of the first 200 to nab one of the grand opening goodie bags. After they slapped all eagerly
waiting persons with the kind of green wrist bands you’d get at a nightclub and introduced all the VIP’s including the
mayor we were let loose, running rampant  inside the natural marketplace. In their clever little marketing scheme
you could only pick up your bag at the register after you perused aisles and aisles of healthy fare. Nobody was bold
enough to go to the cashier without one item at the very least, so the smart ones plucked up little energy bars, got in
and got out. Adrienne, on the other hand ended up spending $45 bucks when my goal was to spend half.

Needless to say I was hoping there would be a 5-gallon trial size of ethanol
nestled somewhere inside, but there wasn’t. On the contrary, I did find some delicious energy bars, chocolate soy milk,
coupons and a recent issue of Plenty Magazine. Plenty? Hmm… Never heard of it
before. After just spending a few minutes looking through the glossy mag dedicated to several eco-related topics
including travel, I decided it was a fair trade off for the ethanol I had initially expected. Plenty appears to have
lots to talk about if you’re interested in finding very green events, spa destinations or food happenings for your next
vacation. Check out the online blog for frequent updates or find a magazine
in your area.

And I promise you it won’t even cost you $45.

Travel Innovators at T&L

by Erik Olsen on

Here’s one for travel buffs who are eager to know more about the folks behind the world of travel and tourism. I
didn’t think I’d find this very interesting when I first stumbled upon it over at Travel and Leisure, but I spent some time with it and
think it’s rather cool. The list here of those who are "changing the way you travel in the 21st century"
lists 35 innovators, a wide range of people who’s ideas are having amajor impact on the world of travel.

It’s an impressive group, from the guy who had the brilliant idea that it would be good to provide people with more legroom on airplane flights, to how
we’re going to all be checking email
at 35,00 feet, to a scientist who
developed a non-addictive sleeping pill, and the guys who pioneered building luxury
hotels in unorthodox destinations (about which we’ve blogged several times), it
really is a fascinating look at folks who, in some small (or large) way, affect each of us as we travel.

Red Corner: Czech Beer

by Neil Woodburn on

There is almost nothing in life Czechs love more than their beer. Sure, they’ve got great tennis and hockey players and some fine authors, but when it comes right down to it, the Czechs are far more passionate about the beer their country brews, than anything else that comes out of the Czech Republic. In fact, one of the first things Czechs will tell you about their country is that pilsner-style beer was first developed there.

Choosing a beer while visiting the Czech Republic is like choosing a wine in France-so many choices, so little time. Thankfully The Prague Post has printed a handy cheat sheet detailing local types of beers (pilsners, porters, dark lagers, etc) and recommendations for each of these categories. So, if you’re a fan of porters, for example, The Prague Post recommends you try Pardubické next time you visit the Czech Republic.

Read the list wisely and you won’t end up doing what friends of mine did on their first visit to Prague when they accidentally picked up a case of beer with the phrase bez alkohol printed on the label. It took them four or five beers each before realizing their error: bez means without.

Searching for Key Lime

by Neil Woodburn on

There are places in this world where a tourist is practically obligated to ingest an item of
food or drink for which certain destinations are famous.  When I tended bar in Dublin, Irish coffee was the
obligatory order of most tourists—despite the fact that this is a decidedly American invention which is rarely
consumed by the Irish. 

The American equivalent, at least in the Florida Keys, is key lime pie.  This yummy slice of creamy,
tart-flavored heaven originated in the Keys and is still ravishingly consumed here despite very few limes actually
grown in the region anymore. 

Charles Passy of The New York Times pulled down a real plumb of an assignment when he set off on the
“key lime pie trail” in search of the Keys’ very
best slice.  Along the way he discovers key lime shakes, shampoo, cookies, and martinis.  He also learns
that no two slices of pie are the same—every baker has their own, unique twists and specialties. And it sounds
like Passy tried them all.  Tough life, Charles!