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Cocktail Bars

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No matter the season, there is a cocktail that will perfectly complement the weather. For me, summertime screams for an Aperol Spritz and winter makes me crave an Old Fashioned. No matter what the time of year, Portland has some positively incredible cocktail bars to fix you whatever you desire (and introduce you to some new delights)! Here are our favorite cocktail bars around the city!

Blank Slate

7201 NE Glisan St Suite C, Portland, OR 97213

Open Tuesday-Thursday 4 pm-10 pm, Friday and Saturday 4 pm – 11 pm.

Check out their latest offerings Here.

Deadshot

2133 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Open Wednesday – Saturday 4 pm – 12 am

Check them out Here.

Hey Love

920 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214

Open Tuesday – Friday 3 pm- 1 am, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am – 1 am.

Check them out Here.

Teardrop

1015 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209

Open Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday 4 pm – 12 am. Friday and Saturday 4 pm – 2 am

Read more Here.

Vault & Vintage

Vault at 226 NW 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 and it’s sister spot Vintage Cocktail Lounge at 7907 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215

Vault Weds- Sat 4 – 11 and Vintage Tues- Sun 4 – 11

Check them out Here and Here.

Wonderly

4727 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR 97213

Open Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 5 pm – 10 Saturday & Sunday 5 pm – 11

Check them out Here.

Do you have a favorite spot to grab a cocktail in Portland? Let us know in the comments so wee can check it out!

For our other Portland’s Best lists click Here.

Game Shops

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Fall is just around the corner and what is cozier than gathering around the table with friends and family for a board game night? The hobby of board gaming has been around for ages, but has had an even bigger resurgence in the last decade. Luckily, Portland has some amazing game shops where you can buy, rent, or play different board games and find your new favorites! Here are our favorite Portland area game shops.

Cloud Cap Games

1226 SE Lexington St, Portland, OR 97202

Open Daily 11 am- 7pm

Check them out Here

Guardian Games

345 SE Taylor St, Portland, OR 97214

Monday-Saturday 10 am- 10 pm

Sunday 12 pm- 7 pm

Check them out Here.

The Portland Game Store

 922 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

Sunday, Monday, Thursday 11 am- 7 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday 11 am- 9 pm

Friday, Saturday 11 am – 10 pm

Check them out Here.

Rainy Day Games

18105 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy, Aloha, OR 97003

Monday-Friday 11 am- 8 pm

Saturday 10 am – 7 pm

Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm

Check them out Here.

Red Castle Games

7160 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206

Daily 11 am – 8 pm

Check them out Here.

Make sure to stop by one or all of these great game shops the next time you want to pick something up for family night, a fun gift, or just to stop in and make some new friends at the table! Did we miss your favorite Portland area game shop? Let us know in the comments! And for other great spots to shop in Portland, check out our other lists Here.

Lolo Pass

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This week’s Hot Spot is the perfect rooftop bar to wrap up your summer fun – Lolo Pass! While Lolo Pass is essentially a hip Euro-style hostel, they also have a very cool rooftop space for you to sip, snack, and take in the city views.

We headed over to Lolo Pass this week on a hot sunny day to see how it stacks up. The answer? Excellent! We started with some drinks – the Brut Rose and the Gemini SZN. Brut Rose is always a favorite for summertime sipping, but as far as I’m concerned, the Gemini SZN truly stole the show. Basically an Aperol spritz but with the lovely addition of Combier Pamplemousse, I could drink these all day long.

After finishing our first round of beverages, we ordered some tasty snacks. The fried artichokes were very crispy and served with lemon and a nice aioli. The term ‘fries’ on the menu was rather misleading, as what actually came out was so much more. They were like fluffy fried potato cubes, with shaved Parmesan, fried capers, and an anchovy aioli for dipping. ‘Fries’ did not come close to doing them justice. Next, we tried the Toast. Again, a simple word that falls short of the deliciousness we received. This Toast came with a generous spread of creamy goat cheese, topped with a rainbow of tangy beets, a few kale chips and a dusting of some mysterious and magical green powder. I don’t even really like beets. These beets changed my mind.

We will definitely be heading back up to that lovely and casual rooftop spot at Lolo Pass. We can’t wait to see all of the great things they do and try everything else on both of their menus! You can check out Lolo Pass Here.

Where should we try out next? Let us know in the comments!

Deadshot

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Our Hot Spot of the week this week is outstanding SE cocktail spot Deadshot! We had been hearing about this one for ages, in particular from one of our favorite cocktail-loving friends, so it was time for a pop in. Long story short, it was awesome.

We headed in for happy hour and grabbed a spot on the patio. Like many Portland establishments, they have an extended outdoor dining plaza currently, and we sure do hope those stick around! We started off with the happy hour cocktail of the day, an Americano, in part because Campari is delicious and in part because it was going to take a LOT more time to make our decisions. Deadshot is dangerous, as basically every single thing on both the food and cocktail menus sounds amazing.

Once our thirst had been quenched, we moved on to the slightly higher proof Tom and Artemis. This one was a super delicious blend of Old Tom gin, Genepy (an herbal, Alpine liqueur) lime, and absinthe served over a king cube. It was very spirit forward, but also crisp, bright, and drinkable. We also decided to get some tasty snacks and started with the Cha Gio from the happy hour menu. The description of these as ‘crispy pork and shrimp spring rolls did not prepare us for how delicious they were. We honestly considered immediately ordering a second portion. They were crispy, but also tender, and positively juicy inside. The dipping sauce was a great balance of spicy and sweet and the pickled carrots and daikon on the side was a fresh and tangy complement.

Instead, we decided to try out more things from the menu. We went with the Crying Tiger, which was a nicely grilled bone-in slab of short rib, and the Dragon Dumplings. The dumplings were recommended by our server and were outstanding. Ground pork and shrimp stuffed into some nicely toothsome dumplings were tossed in a delicious sauce with grilled long beans and crunchy peanuts. The bowl was nearly clean when it returned to the kitchen. Along with this round of food, we also tested out the Heart of Cyn, a tamarind take on a Whiskey sour that had us puckering but pleased.

We are definitely excited to head back to Deadshot and try out everything else on the menus. Their cocktails are creative and the food is wonderful and we just want more! If you haven’t been yet, check them out Here. If you want to check out our other Hot Spots, you can find them Here. Where should we go next? Let us know in the comments!

Hiking Trails

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One of the best things about the Pacific Northwest is its access to nature, particularly in the form of hiking trails! Now that we are in the middle of summer, it is the perfect time to get out and explore some of our favorite spots. Hiking is one of our favorite activities and whether you want some beautiful vistas, waterfalls, or a good workout, we have you covered! In no particular order, here are some of our favorite hiking trails near Portland.

Waterfall Hikes

Silver Falls State Park

Located an hour south of Portland, this state park has something no matter the type of hike you are looking for. With a variety of trails and loops, you can see just one waterfall with a very short walk, 7 waterfalls with the fairly easy 5 mile hike. Or for the full experience you can do the moderate 10 falls trail which is 8 miles.

Columbia Gorge Old Highway

There are so many waterfalls and hikes along the old highway in the Columbia River Gorge. The most famous is Multnomah Falls, which is the tallest waterfall in Oregon. You can do the short paved hike up to the bridge, or the 2.4 mile hike up to the top. There is a ton of elevation gain on this one, so prepare for a workout. There is also a 2.1 Mile hike for Latourell Falls, a .3 mile hike to Bridal Veil Falls, and a quick walk to Starvation creek. Many others are still closed due to the fires in 2017. You can check for updates HERE

View Hikes

Angel’s Rest

Located about 45 minutes from Portland This 4.8 mile roundtrip hike will take you up to top of the hill for some gorgeous views of the gorge. This is a moderately difficult hike due to the elevation gain and switchbacks, but the views are worth it.

Timberline Trail

If you want views of the mountain, you can’t beat being on the mountain. The bonus of this hike is that it starts in a chair lift! From there there are a large variety of hikes with varying difficulty. You can simply do a quick hike around the wildflower fields, or do a 4 day hike around the entire mountain.

In Town Hikes

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

For a beautiful mossy meander that is right in SW Portland, Tryon Creek is hard to beat. There are several different loops throughout the park, meaning that you can really build your own distance and trajectory. There are also many benches dotted about to sit and contemplate the beauty that surrounds you.

Forest Park

Forest Park is a classic for a reason. There are SO MANY different trails and beautiful areas to visit in the park, so whether you are looking for a flat and mellow stroll or a challenging trail run, you will be able to find it here. Just make sure to have a map handy so you don’t get lost in this huge wilderness area!

Washington Workout Hikes

Hamilton Mountain

This hike really has it all: a beautiful waterfall, gorgeous forest scape, and a stunning view of the Gorge from the top. But to do the whole thing you are looking at around 7-8 miles all told, though the elevation gain is a relatively moderate 2,100 ft. Luckily, the trail is mostly shaded on the way up to keep you from sweating it out too badly.

Dog Mountain

Dog Mountain is just as famous for it’s wildflower fields as it is for being a really solid workout option. At 6.5 miles and elevation gain of 2,800 ft, you will be feeling this one the next day. About a 1/2 mile or so in you will be presented with an option, ‘Difficult or More Difficult’. I personally recommend climbing the steeper route and descending on the more gentle grade to get a good loop in.

Do you have some amazing hiking trails that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments so we can go check them out!

Oma’s Hideaway

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Our Hot Spot this week is incredible Southeast Asian restaurant Oma’s Hideaway! Originally introduced as a take-out concept, this sister restaurant to already much-talked-about Gado Gado puts a fun and playful spin on food inspired by the chef’s grandmother’s cooking. We were so impressed by the attention to detail and creative flavor combinations! I would definitely encourage you to check out this SE Division powerhouse before it’s too tough to get a seat.

Omas Hideaway

We started with some cocktails, one boozy and one zero proof. We are always big fans of restaurants that take their non-alcoholic drinks seriously, rather than just phoning it in. Oma’s has several options of zero proof drinks that have complex and delightful flavor profiles. This time we went with the Inspector Gadget, which felt like summertime in a glass. On the boozy side, we tried out the Any Fool Can Make Something Complicated. It was delicious and bittersweet, and we thoroughly enjoyed it (and the name).

My favorite problem to have when trying out a new restaurant is when EVERY. SINGLE. THING on the menu sounds amazing. It makes me wish that I could be like the cow and have three more stomachs. Luckily, only having one means that I will just have to keep coming back! This time we decided to start with the Corn Fritters, the Roti Canai, and the Duck Salad.

The Corn Fritters were sweet, fluffy, and crunchy, served with a rich, sweet peanut sauce over the top. A very nice starting snack to go along with those first cocktails. The Roti Canai totally blew our minds. I tend to think of roti as a somewhat dense flatbread, primarily to be used as a vessel to get sauce to your mouth. This roti was a whole other ballgame. Stretched and folded over and over, it was almost like a rounded fried croissant, incredibly flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. The curry dipping sauce was wonderful as well, but I feel like I could eat nothing but that roti every damn day and be happy. The duck salad was another game-changer. We both agreed that it might have been the best salad we have ever eaten. It had spice and crunch, sweetness and freshness, and some phenomenally tender duck on top. So much yum!

Next, we tried out the Duck, Foie, and Pork Sausage as well as the Spot Prawns . The sausage was lovely, with braised greens a warm broth, and a rich hoison-aise for dipping. Now, I have to give you a warning about the Spot Prawns. This is NOT a first date food! Your hands will get messy extricating the delectable shrimp morsels from the shells and you will definitely be licking your fingers. The sauce is so outstanding that you might slurp it from the bowl or at least order a whole second roti to slather it on. Either way, your belly will be happily bursting by the end and you will want nothing more than some very stretchy pants and a comfy couch to stretch out on.

Definitely head over to Oma’s Hideaway and try out their incredible food. Then, let us know in the comments what we need to order next time! Check out Oma’s Hideaway current menu Here.

Portland’s Best Shaved Ice

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This summer started off with some extreme heat, and now that it’s settled, we are still looking for ways to keep our cool. What’s better than a frosty treat on a hot summer day? Quite simply nothing. This week, we sought out Portland’s Best Shaved Ice! For some of us, shaved ice reminds us of our childhood at the local fair, and for others, it’s a memory of family outings that ended in a sweet treat. However you like your shaved ice, all of these shops will bring you right back to the joy you felt as a kid.

Wailua Shave Ice Portland

1022 W. Burnside St. Unit O
Portland OR. 97209

Open Mon – Tue 12pm- 5pm,
Wed 12pm – 7 pm, Fri – Sun 12 pm – 7 pm
Menu Here

Manoa Shave Ice

333 S State St Suite B, Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Open Tue – Sun 12 pm- 8 pm
Menu Here

Snow Bunny Coffee

1415 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Open Mon – Fri 6 am – 6 pm & Sat – Sun 7 am – 5 pm

Ohana Dessert and shave Ice

6320 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97213
&
10608 SE Main St. Milwaukie, OR 97222
Open 7 days 11 am – 9 pm
Menu Here

Next time you find yourself wandering around town looking for a sweet treat to cool off, check out one of Portland’s Best Shaved Ice shops. If you’re not quite ready to go down memory lane with shaved ice, check out some of our other Portland favorites Here. Let us know if we’ve missed your favorite, and we will check them out too!

Corollary

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Hot spot of the week this week is the maker of our new favorite local sparkling wines – Corollary! If you know us, then you know that we LOVE champagne. We even run a Meetup group based around the stuff. So when we heard that there is a local winery that does all bubbly, we got pretty excited, and had to head to their tasting room to try it all!

First of all, their outdoor tasting room was so cozy. We were there on a bit of a chilly, drizzly Spring day, but the sheepskin seat covers and fluffy throw blankets kept us totally comfortable. There were delicious home-baked crackers by Jeanne’s mom that were the perfect nibble between bubbles. And of course, our gracious hosts who talked us through the processes they use and the farmers they work with.

We got to taste through all of the 5 different sparklings they have currently available. And while they were all quite different from one another, they all had their own wow-factor. I more or less immediately joined the wine club. The combination of the integrity with which Jeanne and Dan approach the wine-making and the total deliciousness of the wines themselves proved an irresistible combination. I cannot wait to return for my next pick-up from them!

If you’re interested in knowing more about Corollary visit them Here.