Summertime BeerFest in Oregeon

Written by: Tina-Maria Garcia; Portland, Oregon

Summertime is the best time of the year in Portland. The skies stay mostly blue and the temps remain comfortable in the upper 70’s and 80’s. This makes for perfect conditions to enjoy the many outdoor festivities that Portland has to offer and this coming weekend just happens to be my favorite Portland event of the summer, Brewfest!

July 26-29^th is the 25^th annual Oregon Brewer’s Festival. This is one of the biggest beer festivals in the nation with approximately 80,000 people expected to attend this year. The festival takes place downtown on the waterfront. There will be over 80 craft beers from around the US on tap. The festival kicks off with a Brewers Brunch and Parade on Thursday. The taps will be flowing Thursday- Sunday. Gates open at noon! In order to partake in the beer tasting you must purchase a $6 souvenir mug. You purchase beer with tokens, and it is $1 for one token. 

There will be live music, food and other beer related entertainment such as home brewing demonstrations. As the tents get crowded the random cheering begins. Raise your glass as the cheers roll through the tent or start a cheer of your own. That’s my favorite part, besides the beer! Every year I always have so much fun hanging out with friends and family, enjoying the sunshine and strategizing which beer to try next. Sometimes we race to get to certain beers because the popular ones go fast. My personal favorite are the fruit ones, they are perfect for summer time. We also add a little competition to the day by comparing pours to see who gets the “pour of the day”.

The Oregon Brewer’s Festival is one heck of a good time!

If you head down to the Brewer’s Festival, make sure to re-arrange transportation.

Visit http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/index.php for a complete list of featured beer and other festival information.

Happy 4th in the Pacific North(west)

4^th of July is here! It’s a day to celebrate our country, our culture, and our family and friends. It’s a time for BBQ’s, watermelon and outdoor summer sun. It’s an evening where the city of Portland comes alive with fireworks!

The two biggest shows occur downtown at the Waterfront Blues Festival and across the river in Vancouver at Fort Vancouver. At the Portland Blues Festival you can spend all day at the waterfront listening to music and have prime seating for what is considered to be the largest fireworks show in Oregon.  The fireworks show at Fort Vancouver claims to be the biggest firework show west of the Mississippi. This is a big event so get there early to claim a spot, the gates open at noon.

There are a few other organized fireworks shows around the city but in Portland one only needs to step outside their front door to see fireworks. Many Oregonians travel to Washington to purchase real fireworks that are illegal here in Oregon. These aren’t your standard at home fireworks, they are the real deal! The big fireworks make for an amazing display around PDX. Fireworks are just randomly being set off for a few hours after dark. You can sit almost anywhere and feel like you have a private show. I can hear fireworks going off right now as I’m writing this! 

While fireworks can create an amazing and exciting show, the noise can send pets into a panic. Please be sure to take care of your pets on the 4^th of July no matter where you are!

Happy 4^th of July! Be safe!

Adventure on Mississippi

Written by: Tina-Maria Garcia; Portland, Oregon

I heart Mississippi. It is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Portland. I’ll never forget the day I discovered Mississippi Ave, it happened to be the same day as the Cirque du Cycling event. There were beer gardens, people in costumes and lots of bikes. We watched the bike races from the beer garden and after some time passed, we decided to walk up and down the avenue. This is when I realized how much Mississippi has to offer. 

I love walking up and down Mississippi because I enjoy checking out the unique shops in the area. You can find salvaged material at the Rebuilding Center and Sunlan Lighting always has windows full of light bulbs. At the CD game Exchange you can find tons of cds, dvds, and records. There is something there for everyone from thrift shops to a nursery to a pet shop with treats for your dog. While the shopping is always intriguing and fun, but I’ll be honest, I’m usually heading down there to eat! 

 I typically like to grab a burger at Little Big Burger or a burrito from Laughing Planet. You can get tacos at Por Que No or check out what’s new at the food carts. I’ve also wanted to try a mac and cheese dish at the new Mac! Mac and Cheesery. If beer is your thing then stop in the Amnesia Brewery. They have a great outdoor space for enjoying beer on a nice day. If you have a taste for German beer head up the avenue to Prost where all the beir is imported from Germany. You can even order a “das boot”! 

There is one must have when I go to Mississippi, even with the weather is cold, and that is Ruby Jewel ice cream. I love their ice cream and waffle cones. In fact I already have a whole blog dedicated to them!

There is so much to check out on Mississippi. I highly recommend it as a day trip or a way to pass the afternoon.  Unfortunately, this year the Cirque du Cycling event has been cancelled but you can check out the Mississippi Street Festival on July 14^th.

Roses are Red as Portland Entertains You

Rides, princesses and parades are how Portland kicks off the summer season. All the action is captured at the Rose Festival over a course of three weeks. The festival began over 100 years ago as a way to “put Portland on the map” and to this day is the biggest event in Portland. In 2011 the Rose Festival was awarded “Best Festival in the World” by the International Festivals and Events Association.

The excitement began this past Memorial Day weekend with the City Fair. This year the City Fair features carnival rides, an animal exhibit and a food fair! This year’s featured ride is the Mega Drop which drops from 131 feet in the sky. I am personally hoping to get a ride on the big Ferris-wheel! Take note, the fair is only open on the weekends. 

Once you’ve rode all the rides and eaten all the carnival food you can take to the streets and claim you seat for one of the three parades. The first parade is the Portland General Electric Starlight Parade. This parade takes place at night with floats that light up the night sky. Then there is the Fred Meyer Junior Parade that takes place in NE Portland and features high school bands and youth groups from around the city. The third parade is the Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade featuring incredible floral covered floats and the Rose Festival Court. The Rose Festival Court is a group of 15 princesses selected from Portland high schools for their academic achievements and community outreach efforts. 

The Rose Festival concludes with Rose Cup Races, three days of racing at the Portland International Raceway. The races features over 400 amateur drivers in varied classes of race cars and is considered to be the oldest amateur racing event west of the Mississippi.

There are a lot of fun and exciting events to attend and I didn’t even mention half of the events that take place during the Rose Festival. There’s a running event, boat races, and Fleet week. It’s a jammed packed 3 weeks that catapults Portland into the summer season. Just remember you are in Portland, so don’t forget your umbrella!

For more information and a schedule of events visit http://www.rosefestival.org

Art: Now Walk it Out

I find myself once again looking forward to another beautiful weekend! I’m looking forward to spending my weekend out shopping in the sunshine! I plan to accomplish this by attending one of my favorite events, the Mt. Tabor Art Walk.

The Mt. Tabor Art Walk takes place in the southeast neighborhood of Mt. Tabor.

Did you know Mt. Tabor used to be a volcano?

The people that live in Mt. Tabor open their homes once a year for an art sale. Some of the homeowners are artists themselves and others choose to feature an artist in their home. Many of the homeowners do a great job displaying the art, creating a boutique like atmosphere. 

You get a map, choose your path, and walk through the scenic neighborhood shopping all the great art work that is out. You can print a map from the website or you can pick up a map from one of the businesses mentioned on the website. I’ve missed this event two years in row and I’m so excited to be able to attend this year and the sunny weather couldn’t be more perfect for a stroll through the neighborhood. I remember the first time I went, it was so much fun and so inspiring to be able to walk from house to house viewing different forms of art. This year features art ranging from jewelry to photography to pottery and sculptures. It’s really neat how the community comes together to support art in this neighborhood sale.

So take advantage of the nice weather and admire works of art with a stroll through the neighborhood at the Seventh Annual Mt. Tabor Art Walk!