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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!

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!

Valentine's Day 2020

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Valentine’s Day 2020 is fast approaching and there are so many amazing things to do to celebrate with your loved ones! You can always go the route of a special dinner out or you could perhaps take your sweetheart dancing. You could go for a walk in one of Portland’s amazing parks or you could sip a delicious cocktail in a sultry speakeasy. Check out the list below for some fun ideas to make your day or evening special!

Where to Dine

Ava Gene’s – Italian eatery serving cocktails & upscale fare, including family-style options, in a chic space.  3377 SE Division St

Blue Hour – Upscale eatery with 16-ft.-long drapes & an outdoor patio serving Mediterranean-New American dishes. 250 NW 13th Ave

Canard – Dishes take their inspiration from all over the world at this stylish venue mixing fresh cocktails. 734 E Burnside St

Davenport – A regularly changing eclectic American menu served against a warm, industrial-hip backdrop. 2215 E Burnside St

Jacqueline – Seasonal, seafood-centric New American fare is offered in an intimate setting with quirky artwork. 2039 SE Clinton St

Urdaneta – Comfortable, chic choice for creative Spanish small plates paired with craft cocktails & wine. 3033 NE Alberta St

Where to Sip

5 and Dime – Playful cocktail menu, draft wines, and yummy bar bites in a Portland-chic neighborhood space. 6535 SE Foster Rd

Box Social – Casually elegant, candlelit bar featuring creative cocktails, nibbles & light bites. 3971 N Williams Ave

Circa 33 – Prohibition-themed cocktail bar with a patio & secret back bar hidden behind a swinging bookshelf. 3348 SE Belmont St

Fireside – Striking gastropub with dual fireplaces serving New American fare, wine & cocktails. 801 NW 23rd Ave

Kask – Cool craft cocktail bar with rustic accents featuring clever, hearty small plates & a nightly punch. 1215 SW Alder St

Wonderly – Classic and creative craft cocktails in a chic, colorful space, featuring a focused but delicious bar menu. 4727 NE Fremont St

Where to be Different

Take your sweetie for a soak at one of Portland’s many soaking pools. Kennedy School, Common Ground, or Knot Springs are all good options.

Challenge your cutie to a puzzle-solving extravaganza at a fun escape room. Both Escapism Portland and Escape Games PDX are top-notch for a brain-bending good time.

Take a hike with your honey within the city limits. Forest Park, Mt. Tabor, or Tryon Creek are all beautiful spots to take in nature and each other’s unique beauty.

Dance the night away with your darling at one of the great dance parties around town. The Goodfoot, Holocene, and Dig-a-Pony all have delightful get-downs going on this weekend.

Does your baby like beer? Take them to Zwicklemania on Saturday for free tastings and brewery tours all over the city!

Where do you plan on celebrating this Valentine’s Day 2020? Let us know in the comments!

Tea House at The Chinese Garden

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The Chinese Garden is one of the true treasures of downtown Portland. The rest of Chinatown is known more for its nightclubs, but this oasis is something you should add to your “must visit” list.

There are events most days, ranging from Tai Chi in the courtyard to artist meetings and craft events. Check out the calendar over on their website to find something fun to coincide with your visit here.

Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou, our sister city in China. It is considered one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China. After you finish walking through all of the pavilions, head over to the tea house for some superb Chinese tea.

There are many types of teas to choose from but I highly recommend doing the full tea ceremony. The ceremony allows you to choose a style of tea and observe the leaves and aroma more fully. You are also able to take in the unfolding of the aroma as you continue to add infusions of water to the leaves.

In addition, there are many lovely snacks to nibble on while you are tasting the teas. They stick to authentic Chinese fare so the snacks really complement the tea quite well. Whether you want something sweet, savory, or a small meal, the tea room has you covered.

We tried the steamed buns which were filled with sautéed seasonal vegetables. The buns were perfectly doughy and they weren’t overfilled. We also had the seasonal vegetable dumplings. They were steamed and topped with a light black bean sauce. Overall we were really happy with the food and can’t wait to visit again.

Have you been to check out the Chinese garden or the tea house yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments!

Karaoke Bars

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Not all karaoke bars are created equal. Luckily, Portland has a wide array of different types of karaoke bars for your every mood. On the tail of our Hot Spot this week, Capitol, I started thinking about all of the great places in Portland to belt out a ballad. Check out the list below for our picks for best karaoke bars in Portland, OR.

Best Dive Bar Karaoke

The Trap

This no-frills, cheap booze SE Portland dive bar has nightly karaoke and video lottery to boot. 3805 SE 52nd Ave

Best Classy Karaoke

Capitol

Elevated neighborhood cocktail spot with craft drinks & vegetarian bites in colorful surrounds. 1440 NE Broadway St More info here.

Best Private Karaoke

Voicebox

Private rooms for up to 16 people, with a huge song catalogue in multiple languages. 734 SE 6th Ave and 2112 NW Hoyt Ave More info here.

Best Performance Karaoke

Chopsticks

Want to put on a show? Check out this hopping bar offering nightly karaoke & Chinese-American fast food, plus pool tables & a patio. 3390 NE Sandy Blvd More info here.

Best Tiki Bar Karaoke

The Alibi

Long-lived tiki bar with island-themed murals, tropical cocktails & nightly high-energy karaoke. 4024 N Interstate Ave More info here.

Best ‘Only in Portland’ Karaoke

Stripper-aoke at Devil’s Point

Portland’s rock n’ roll strip club hosts Stripper-aoke every Sunday night at 9pm, where Portland’s finest dancers strip while you TRY to sing karaoke. 5305 SE Foster Rd More info here.

Best Indie Karaoke

Baby Ketten Klub

Quirky space with off-the-beaten path song selections you won’t find anywhere else. 2433 SE Powell Blvd More info here.

We know there are many, many more places in Portland that host either nightly or weekly karaoke. Did we miss your favorite spot for karaoke in Portland? Let us know in the comments and we’ll happily go check it out!

New Years Eve Parties

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New Years Eve is quickly approaching, and it’s time to run down the best parties to celebrate in Portland! Remember, we are ringing in not just a new year, but a new decade, so it’s time to go big or go home! Read below for some of our suggestions on where to party it up this NYE.

  • 2020: A Space Oddity at the Crystal Ballroom – 1332 W Burnside– The Polish Ambassador will be headlining this space-themed ‘inter-dimensional soiree’. Dress accordingly and prepare to dance like crazy. Doors 7:30, Show 9pm. $39.50 advance, $45 at the door. https://www.mcmenamins.com/events/212755-the-polish-ambassador
  • DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid at Polaris Hall – 635 N Killingsworth Ct– For a super fun and multicultural dance party, be sure to check out this rocking duo. There will be Bollywood, Bhangra, Desi, Latino, and banging beats all around. 9pm. $28 in advance, $30 at the door. https://www.anjaliandthekid.com/
  • Midnite NYE at the Custom Blocks – 1355 SE 10th Ave– Dress to the nines for one of Portland’s biggest NYE bashes in a warehouse-style event space in inner SE. DJ Crooked will keep you dancing well past midnight. Doors at 8pm. $100-$2000, with reserved tables available. https://midnitenye.com/
  • Bobby D and Cooky Parker at Hey Love– 920 E. Burnside– Dance in the decade with a booty-shaking array of soul, funk, R&B, and more with dual-awesome DJs. Doors 8pm, Show 9pm. $10 cover. https://www.heylovepdx.com/calendar
  • BONUS: Video Dance Attack at Hood River Hotel– 102 Oak St. Hood River, OR– Video Dance Attack is always a fantastic time, and this year they are taking their annual NYE show to Hood River. If you’ll be in the Gorge for NYE, check this one out. 9pm, $20. http://www.videodanceattack.com/

Did we miss the BEST New Years Eve parties out there, Portland?? Let us know in the comments!

Holiday Light Displays

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There are so many wonderful ways to spend the holidays, one of my favorites is definitely looking at all the holiday lights. We put together a list of some of our favorites around Portland. Let us know which ones are your favorite down in the comments!

Peacock Lane

Peacock Lane, portland

December 15th – December 31st

6pm – 11pm daily

*15th, 16th, and 17th are pedestrian only nights*

Info and Website

SE 40th Ave between Stark and Belmont St.

Free

Peacock Lane has been a favorite to Portlanders for decades. The street is lined with primarily tudor homes and they all decorate to celebrate the holidays. You can drive slowly through the neighborhood any night with the exception of the first 3 nights which are pedestrian only.

The Grotto

November 29th – December 30th

*Closed Christmas Day*

5-9:30pm Daily

Info and Website

8840 NE Skidmore Street, Portland

Tickets $12.50 sold at door

Tucked into a beautiful setting in NE Portland, The Grotto has thousands of holiday lights covering all of the lower level of the grounds. There are also many performances to see from local choirs, carolers, and puppeteers.

Zoo Lights

November 29th – January 5th

5-9 pm Daily

Info and Website

Oregon Zoo

Tickets $19.50 *save $2 and buy online

Visiting the zoo in the evening to see over a million Christmas lights is one of the best experiences of the holidays. Most of the animals will be sleeping, but all the lights and the walking path make it worth the trip. Also, if you happen to be a member, tickets are free!

Winter Wonderland at PIR

November 29th – January 4th

5- 11pm Friday and Saturday 5:30-9:30 all other days

Info and Website

1940 N Victory Blvd, Portland

Tickets $20-$25 Click here

Considered the largest light show in the Pacific Northwest, there are over 250 different light displays laid out along the raceway. Most people drive the raceway listening to holiday music, but there are also bike nights and dog walking nights.

Miracle of a Million Lights

December 8th – December 28th

6pm – 10pm Daily

Info and Website

1441 N McClellan Street, Portland,

Tickets $5 – $8 Click here

This stunning victorian home covers nearly every inch of it’s interior to wow visitors. they also decorate the 2.5 acres that the home sits on making this home a true winter wonderland.

Christmas Ships

December 5th – December 22nd

Starting at 7:30pm

Info and Website

Columbia and Willamette rivers

Free

Ships sail up the Columbia and Willamette rivers every night for 2 weeks. You can gather along any of the shorelines to watch this wonderful show.

We hope to see you at some of these wonderful holiday lights events! Want to be notified every time we put together a Portland’s best list? Be sure to subscribe to the blog!