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Board Games

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Social distancing doesn’t have to be boring, and it also doesn’t have to involve only screen time! Board games are a fantastic way to while away a few enjoyable hours with your family or friends and can be done in person with your household or over the internet. Board gaming has become a pretty prominent hobby in recent years, so go ahead and pitch your battered copy of Monopoly and pick up one of these (much more interesting) gems.

Family Fun

Dixit

A beautifully illustrated guessing game, similar to Apples to Apples but with surreal dream-like imagery.

Kingdomino

Draft domino-style tiles of different landscapes to build the most well-planned and valuable kingdom.

The Grimm Forest

Compete to build 3 houses of straw, wood, or brick with the help of your favorite fairy tale friends. Get it here.

Gizmos

Build gizmos and gadgets using energy marbles and building schematics. Layer the effects to be the science fair winner!

Good for Two

Code Names Duet

Try and get your partner to guess a variety of cards with a single word for a clue. Be careful to avoid the assassins!

Multiuniversum

Who can use the scientific tools at their disposal to close the most portals before aliens from a slew of weird dimensions take over the planet?!?!

7 Wonders Duel

Build the best civilization by carefully developing your science, military, culture, and commerce.

Cooperative Games

Unlock! Adventures

Basically an escape room in a box, you have an hour to solve a bunch of fun puzzles within different narrative themes. Rated 1-3 padlocks for difficulty.

Mysterium

Mysterium is like Clue, if Clue had psychics who were receiving surreal dream image communications from the ghost of the muder victim.

Forbidden Island

Try to reclaim the sacred treasures from a beautiful and mysterious island before the whole thing sinks into the ocean with you along for the ride.

Over the Interweb

Jackbox

Jackbox has a ton of different party packs with different styles of games. You all connect to one party room and then use your own mobile device to participate. Check it out here.

Just One

Help the guesser figure out a secret word by writing just one related word for them to see. Don’t be too obvious though, as any overlaps are erased!

Tabletopia

Play hundreds of different board games with friends using this very cool tabletop board game simulator on Steam. Check it out here.

There are so so so many amazing board games out there right now, and these are just a few. We definitely recommend that you support your local game store or the developers of these games directly when purchasing. A few of my favorite Portland game shops that are doing curbside pick-up right now are Guardian Games and Rainy Day Games, and you can order many of these great games from Powell’s as well!

Did we miss your favorite board game? Let us know in the comments!

Cooking

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We are still stuck inside and with dine-in restaurants being closed for the foreseeable future in Oregon, now is the perfect time to pick up a cooking hobby! I am a total foodie, and while I prefer to have other people cook for me, I can also whip up a pretty tasty meal. Below are some of my favorite recipes for cooking, baking, drinking, or throwing yourself a mini dinner party! You could even have your friends cook the same meal and do a virtual dinner party via Zoom, Skype, or Google!!

Easy Meals

I’m a mom of a toddler, so easy is basically my go to these days. These recipes taste delicious, are quick, and don’t involve too much prep work!

  1. Salmon Bowls
  2. Super simple grilled salmon, tossed with healthy veggies with a Mediterranean flair. Easy and super healthy too!

Recipe

  1. Shrimp Tacos
  2. Grilled shrimp topped with simple fresh ingredients for a great punch.

Recipe

  1. Chicken and Dirty Rice
  2. Super flavorful one-pot meal with chicken thighs and andouille sausage.

Recipe

Slow Roasts

Sometimes you just need to let things simmer. I love my Dutch oven and firmly believe that everything just tastes better after it has cooked for 3 hours. These are my top slow-cooked choices!

  1. Pork Green Chile Verde
  2. Slightly spicy, super meaty, crazy tender pork, just the way a good green chili should be. Pro tip – shred up the pork after its cooked, it’s even more tender that way.

Recipe

  1. BBQ Pot Roast
  2. This pot roast came out so much better than I anticipated. It is amazing on its own or fantastic on sandwiches!

Recipe

  1. Braised Short Ribs
  2. Wolfgang Puck knows how to cook, so you can bet that this will be one of the best meals you have ever had.

Recipe

Dinner Party Ideas

It is almost my birthday, and because we are still social distancing, I plan to have a little dinner party for myself. Here are 3 multi-course meals that I have made before that turned out phenomenally! You could always practice some of these recipes and then have a celebration with friends when we can finally see each other again!

  1. Traditional NW Meal
  2. 4 course meal with pretty simple recipes to help ease you into hosting a full blown party (for yourself or your family)

  1. Mexican Inspired Meal
  2. 4 course meal with some of my favorite Mexican flavors. This is one that is simple to pull off but is sure to impress!
  1. Citrus and Seafood Meal
  2. This one is easily my favorite, but it does require some cooking skills to pull off the protiens. This can be done as the full 7 course meal, or you can take out one salad and one entree to make it 5 courses.

Baking

Maybe cooking isn’t really your thing and you would rather whip up something sweet? Here are some of my favorite things to make when I feel like spoiling myself.

  1. Lemon and Raspberry Macarons
  2. These aren’t exactly easy to make, but they are delicious and I have total faith in your baking skills.

Recipe

  1. Key Lime Cheesecake
  2. Key lime pie, and cheesecake are easily my 2 favorite desserts, so why not mash them up? Also DO NOT use regular lime juice, you will do this dessert a serious disservice.

Recipe

  1. Amaretto Apple Crisp
  2. This is so so so good, I think I have made it 6 times. Pro tip – add some Amaretti cookies to the crisp to really make the amaretto flavor shine!

Recipe

Cocktails

Lastly, if you really don’t actually want to spend a bunch of time cooking in the kitchen, we have you covered with some of our favorite drinks! If you don’t want to go and buy special things to make drinks, we also have you covered. THIS WEBSITE will send you recipes that match what you already have at home…it’s a game changer.

French 75

Literally what your dreams are made of.

  • 1.5 oz gin
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 1/4 C sparkling wine
  • Shake gin, lemon, and simple syrup over ice for 30 seconds, top with sparkling wine.

White Peach Sangria

It’s the perfect no fuss sunny day beverage.

  • 1 bottle pinot gris
  • 1/2 cup Peach Vodka
  • 1/2 cup Peach Schnapps
  • 1 cup soda water
  • 3 sliced peaches
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • combine all ingredients and serve over ice. If you want it to be more boozy, soak the fruit overnight in the peach vodka.

Perfect Margarita

Honestly, this one is hard to beat.

  • 2 oz white tequila
  • 1 oz cointreau
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • 1/2 oz agave syrup
  • combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain and serve over fresh ice with a lime wedge.

Hopefully this will all keep you busy for at least a week while we put together another list of great things for you to do! If you missed the last couple weeks we did: Netflix Binges, Books to Read, and Running Playlists.

As always please stay safe and healthy and know that if there is anything we can do for you, we are definitely still here to help!

Paint Palette

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Color is such an important part of personalizing a home. But it’s also key in making your home a space others can see themselves moving into. We know you probably have lots of extra time on your hands, so here are our 4 tips to whip your home into shape!

*Not a fan of videos? Keep scrolling for the written version!*

Today we are going to be talking with you all about the power of paint and how it can make a huge impact in the home selling process for a very small investment.  We are all stuck in our homes for now, so if you have any plans for selling in the future, why not take this extra time to spruce things up?  Or, maybe you are just bored of your house colors in which case, this will provide a nice refresh!

We want our homes to feel like us, so often times we tailor them to suit our own tastes. Things like cozy furniture, bright and textured rugs, wall art and the right light fixtures can really reflect a style and personality. Sometimes we even go a little risky and do accent walls. Things like painting our children’s bedrooms to mimic night sky. or We will add a little DIY wallpaper. While these are all AMAZING ways to customize spaces, when it comes to preparing your home for resale, these colorful wall colors can really start to restrict your buyer pool. If you’ve never tried selling a home with bright orange walls, then you probably don’t even know the power a simple color change can make. We want to do everything we can to sell your home as quickly as possible. 

The good news is that a fresh coat of paint can change everything.  Here are our top 4 tips! 

Tip 1: Your Door

 First things first, let’s consider your front door. It’s a smaller project and might offer you a little more creativity. You have probably seen black, gray and white doors, but this is actually where we want to see a pop of color.  If you have a lighter palette of colors on your home, try a rich navy blue or vibrant red.  If you have a dark color palette, like a grey or navy, try a bright color like sunny yellow or a lively teal.  You want to wow people before they even get inside. 

Tip 2: Keep it Uniform

Secondly, When it comes to interior walls, the trend here is to keep everything flowing with a neutral color. The idea is to create a blank canvas to help people envision themselves living there. You also want to think of it like flooring… We want it to be uniform throughout the home. Choose a neutral that you love.  You don’t have to carry that color through the whole home, just make sure that every room is in the same color family. You can do slightly lighter versions of the color in the bedrooms and hallway, and slightly darker version in your dining room or family room.  Exceptions to this are your smaller, tighter spaces like bathrooms without natural light. Those will benefit from whiter brighter paint that helps bounce light around and make the room appear wider and taller.

Tip 3: Keep it Neutral

Now that we know the look we’re going for, let’s talk color. The biggest trends right now are any and all whites, soft grays, and taupe. These might not seem like exciting choices, but they are all incredible popular. And that’s probably because they are so versatile and suit a variety of house styles from modern to traditional. Here you can see the colors that Sherwin Williams sells the most of, notice a trend?  If you hate the idea of painting everything white and grey, go for a greyed out version of your favorite color. Blue-greys will still look neutral but offer a bit more color and personality. 

Tip 4: Know your finishes

Lastly, another thing about paint is that not all textures are created equal. Usually when you go to Home Depot, Lowes or your favorite local home improvement store, you will be able to select a finish. Keep in mind the location of the room that you’re painting. Since kitchen’s are such a busy part of a home, go with a satin or semi-gloss finish.  Bathrooms should be in a semi-gloss or gloss, and all the other rooms should be in an eggshell finish.  

We have seen it many times, beautiful homes go on the market with crazy colors. Prospective buyers just can’t see past them.  Having a realtor that understands the current trends is more important than ever.  We can’t currently come to you, but, if you need some help picking out colors, we are happy to do a video chat and give you some tips. Just reach out to us!

Books

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I love books. Whether I am curled up reading before bed, listening to an audiobook while working on a jigsaw puzzle, or reading books aloud with my partner, I adore exploring different perspectives and narratives through the written word. Here are my suggestions for the assorted activities above!

Books to read aloud with your partner

Watership Down

Yes, it’s about rabbits. But it’s also an amazing adventure story that has plenty of allegory and social commentary to sink your teeth into. Plus it’s really fun to come up with voices for all of the different characters and to decide who in your friend/family circles are most like each of the rabbits.

Into the Beautiful North

A young woman goes on a quest to bring the men back to her small town in Mexico after watching The Magnificent Seven. A fun and light feeling read that has some really important perspectives on issues of the US/Mexico border.

The Count of Monte Cristo

An epic tale of love, obsession, murder, and revenge. One that you will not be able to put down and will mourn once you have finished the last page.

Jim the Boy

A sweet and quaint coming-of-age Americana story about a boy growing up in North Carolina during the Great Depression. This and the sequel The Blue Star, somehow find a way to be heartfelt and poignant while avoiding going too far into kitschy, and while delving into issues of race, gender, and class.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

A timeless classic, the Hitchhiker’s Guide will keep you giggling (and stammering your way through pronunciations) together plus give you some quite handy advice. Don’t Panic!!!

Audiobooks

A Tale for the Time Being

A great story that bounces back and forth between a teenage girl in Japan and a novelist in Hawaii who finds the girls diary washed up after a tsunami. Read by the author, it examines the relationship between writer and reader, past and present, fact and fiction, quantum physics, history, and myth.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

A fun murder mystery that replays the death of a woman from the angle of everyone in the house. The premise is delightfully unique and will keep you guessing until the end.

The Cuckoo’s Calling

A totally addicting series of detective fiction by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Once I started the series, I couldn’t stop, and found myself looking for any excuse to continue. I can’t wait for the next one to come out!

Exit West

Magical realism about a couple and the journey of their relationship in a country that is devolving into a civil war. Read by the author, it has a feeling of timelessness and authenticity.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway

The first book I listened to of Ruth Ware’s, this one is an enjoyable suspense novel, about a woman who tries to pretend to be someone she’s not in order to collect on an inheritance. The narrator, Imogen Church, does a great job of making you feel the emotions of the protagonist.

Bedtime or Beach Reads

Bone Gap

A mystical mystery, a coming-of-age story, a tale that will transport you to the in-between. It’s fun, quirky, and also introspective. Has the same feeling of simultaneous reality and impossibility as your dreams.

Dark Matter

A fun and engrossing ‘sci-fi lite’ story that you will not be able to put down. The only problem with calling this a bed-time read is that it may keep you up turning those pages late into the night to find out what happens.

The Plotters

A delightful South Korean noir about a hitman who breaks the rules, and starts poking around in the underbelly of the underbelly of South Korea’s string-pullers and plotters.

My Sister, The Serial Killer

The title says it all except how darkly fun this story is. Korede wants to believe her sister when she says that she had to kill her boyfriend in self-defense, until it happens again. And again. And again.

The Serpent King

A sweet and sometimes heart-breaking tale of growing up in the Bible Belt. Three misfit friends quickly approaching graduation in their small Tennessee town try to navigate who they are, who they are becoming, and where they will go from here.

Did I miss any of the best books you have read or listened to lately? Post it in the comments so I can read it next!!

Best Netflix Binge

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We are going to switch things up for our Hot Spot of the week! Since we are all social-distancing and self-quarantining we are going to be bringing you different things each week to help keep you entertained. This week we are focusing on Netflix shows! A good Binge-a-thon can be a great way to take your mind off of things and help you relax. Here are our favorite shows that you can currently find on Netflix listed alphabetically.

If you are able to buy gift cards or do takeout to support your local businesses, please do, we really want to see them on the other side of this!

Netflix Originals

Altered Carbon

Set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom.

Black Mirror

An anthology series exploring a twisted, high-tech multiverse where humanity’s greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide.

Cheer

Follows the cheerleaders of Navarro College as they prepare for the biggest moment of their lives.

The Crown

Follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century.

Glow

A look at the personal and professional lives of a group of women who perform for a wrestling organization in Los Angeles during the 1980s.

Love is Blind

Singles who want to be loved for who they are, rather than what they look like, have signed up for a less conventional approach to modern dating.

Ozark

A financial adviser drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss.

Russian Doll

A cynical young woman in New York City keeps dying and returning to the party that’s being thrown in her honor on that same evening. She tries to find a way out of this strange time loop.

Stranger Things

When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief and his friends must confront terrifying supernatural forces in order to get him back.

Unbelievable

Based on the true story of Marie, a teenager who was charged with lying about having been raped, and the two female detectives who followed the path to the truth.

The Witcher

Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

You

A dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by.

If you don’t want to stick to Netflix’s original series, here are some really great ones they have included in their library that originated elsewhere, they are all classics, so if you haven’t seen them yet, get started!

Breaking Bad

A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family’s future.

The Good Place

Four people and their otherworldly frienemy struggle in the afterlife to define what it means to be good.

Mad Men

New York’s most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm’s most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper.

Outlander

An English combat nurse from 1945 is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743.

Peaky Blinders

A gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England; centered on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby.

Schitt$ Creek

When rich video-store magnate Johnny Rose and his family suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to regroup in Schitt’s Creek.

Head over to NETFLIX to watch all of these shows. Did we leave your absolute favorite off of the list? Let us know in the comments so we can get it added. If there is anything else that we can offer during these difficult times, feel free to reach out!

Pizzeria Otto

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We headed out to try some pizza this past week, and in a city that has SO much pizza, we really dug this place! Located in the hip Foster-Powell area this Neapolitan pizzeria does things a bit differently. The crust is soft and very thin. We typically think of thin crust pizzas as being slightly crisp, or perhaps chewy, but you can hardly even call the dough of this pizza a crust. They flash-cook the pizza in an incredibly hot wood-fired oven. This results in a crisp bubbly ring around the edges and a slightly gooey center.

Pizzeria Otto, neopolitan Pizza

We wanted to see what else they had to offer so we also tried a beet salad and one of their lunch paninos. The beet salad was fresh with a bright citrus dressing and a creamy goat cheese. It was everything that you have learned to love and expect from a good beet salad. The panino was surprisingly more like a pita made of pizza dough, but so delicious! They stuff the bread with salami, Italian dressings, Lil Mama’s peppers and tons of arugula.

The food wasn’t the only thing that we liked about this cool new location. The dining room is spacious, minimalist, and they have huge windows which let in tons of natural light. I could easily spend all day in this restaurant because it has a great vibe.

Pizzeria Otto Dining Room

We enjoyed everything that we tried and definitely plan on going back to check it out again. We went for lunch and learned that they offer happy hour pricing from 11am to 5pm. So go and get a personal pizza and a glass of wine for cheap for your next lunch date!

In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, Pizzeria Otto is offering takeout pizzas and salads, just call ahead, order, and support your local businesses through these hard times!

Website, menu, and order number can be found here.

Prix Fixe Menus

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Portland is a city for foodies. That is certainly no exception when it comes to fine dining. While our fine dining is served up a bit differently than you might find in New York or L.A., the food quality is just as high. In fact, we would argue that because you can show up in jeans and a t-shirt, our fine dining is even better. We have personally tried each of these restaurants, so if your favorite isn’t on the list, let us know in case we haven’t been yet! In no particular order here are our top 5 favorite prix fixe menus in the city!

Castagna

Chef Justin Woodward knows good food. He thoughtfully changes his menu with the seasons to make sure the flavors on your plate arrive at their peak freshness. His plating is also a work of art, with bright colors and thoughtful placements, he truly understands how to make the plate sing. This progressive restaurant is sure to leave you wowed.

Langbaan

Chef Earl Ninsom has created something so unique and loved here in Portland that you absolutely must try it. He turns classic Thai dishes into a stunning fine dining experience. With local and fresh ingredients from the Pacific Northwest mixed with traditional Thai flavors, prepare to be amazed by how he can make these ingredients shine.

Roe

Chef John Conlin provided us with the best seafood restaurant in Portland. He uses the freshest seafood you can find from all around the world and creates masterpieces using Japanese and French techniques. Tucked upstairs in a quiet mezzanine, this restaurant truly offers an unexpected experience.

  • 515 SW Broadway #100
  • Website and Sample Menu
  • $68 for the tasting menu or $138 for the chef’s menu.

Nodoguru

Chef Ryan Roadhouse brings us his take on the Japanese Omakase. He approaches each menu with creativity and innovation giving each month a different theme. He has an innate ability to make even the simplest of flavors elegantly elevated.

Farm Spirit

Chefs Aaron Adams and Scott Winegard don’t need to rely on animal products to amaze you. Their entirely plant-based menu is sure to wow, from the stunning platings to the variety of flavors and textures they employ. Prepare to have your mind changed about what vegan can be.

Did we miss your favorite prix fixe menu in Portland? Let us know in the comments so we can be sure to check it out!

Muse

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As everyone knows, we LOVE bubbly. All things sparkling, from Cava to Champagne, Pet Nat to Prosecco. We even run a monthly Champagne Meet-up group to explore and celebrate bubbles all over the city. This last meet-up we went to Muse Winebar and now it is our Hot Spot of the week!

There were many things to love at this hip new wine bar. The lighting and decor gave the feel of a dimly cozy wine cellar, with Edison bulbs and black and white photos dotting the walls. The size was just right as well, intimate but still large enough to accommodate our group of 13.

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/musewinebar/

Another thing we adored about Muse Winebar was the level of service. Kai, one of the owners, was our server for the evening and he was exceptional. He had a high level of knowledge about everything in his collection and was really great about telling us about the different processes and derivations of the sparklings we were tasting. He was very warm and accommodating, and helped everyone to get exactly what they were looking for.

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/musewinebar/

In addition, they had no less than 6 sparklings by the glass (be still, my heart!) AND they do wine flights of 3 or 5 half pours of your choice, so many in our group decided to sample almost every bubble on the list. We also tried several of the food accompaniments: a few cheeses, chocolates, and bread, which were all delicious complements to our flights of wine and lively conversations.

Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/musewinebar/

We are very much looking forward to returning to experience more of the welcoming atmosphere and delicious wine that Muse Winebar has to offer!

Have you tried Muse Winebar yet? What did you love? Let us know in the comments! Plus, check out our previous Hot Spots here!