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June 2009
In This Issue
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Portland Perks Hotel Package
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Get these perks at more than 35 hotels:
- Overnight parking (average
savings of $20/night downtown)
- Continental breakfast for two
- Discount-packed coupon book
To book your stay, visit travelportland.com or call 1.800.962.3700.
Latest Tips from GoSeePortland
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What locals and visitors have to say about everything Portland.
Porcelli's: Fantastic Italian. As we walked in, I remarked that it smelled fantastic – and that if the smell of the food cooking was any indication of the taste that we were in for a treat … Read more >>
Du Kuh Bee: Great noodles in Beaverton. The hand-pulled noodles are the owner's family recipe. The dumplings are handmade by his wife … Read more >>
Andina: A taste of Peru in Portland. I highly recommend the empanadas to start and from the traditional main courses the lamb shank "Seco A La Nortena" and beef tenders "Lomo Saltado" … Read more >>
Sweet Masterpiece: Best for specialty truffles. If you like raw chocolate, and/or if you have diabetes and are looking for a sugar-less version of your favorite truffle, this is your shop … Read more >>
Share your favorite Portland places with thousands of other users and discover new places to visit at GoSeePortland.
Even More to Do
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There's so much going on in Portland that we can't possibly fit it all into one newsletter. That's where our online event calendar comes in. You can search by date to find out exactly what's going on during your stay or search by category:
Festivals & attractions
In concert
On stage
Art museums & galleries
Dance
Film
Kid-friendly
Readings & lectures
Sports
Urban tours
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| Summer Sun and Fun in the City |
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The sun is shining, the air is warm, and Portland is primed for summer. What's that? You haven't planned your trip yet? Fret not — we have the tools for the job. From new publications to our official blog, you'll find all the information you need to plan your fun in the sun, Portland-style. |
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| Get Your Guide to the City |
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 The 2009-'10 edition of Travel Portland, the city's official visitor magazine, is now available. In its pages, you'll read about Portland's many sustainable travel options; places to stay, play and eat around Greater Portland; and get local business owners' inside scoop on several neighborhoods.
Whether your trip is imminent or in the planning phase, Travel Portland will enhance your experience. Request a complimentary copy or download the PDF. |
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| – Karen Martwick |
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| July 2-5 |
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| The Blues are Back |
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 You've probably heard that Portland is a "green" city, but this time of year, another color takes center stage — blue. That's because the Waterfront Blues Festival lights up Waterfront Park with Fourth of July fireworks and some of the most stirring, soulful music around. Many legendary acts — including Etta James, Johnny Winter, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings — will tear it up at the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi.
The five Blues Cruises may offer the best deal for fans who like their music up-close and personal (and don't mind leaving dry land). With on-board performances on three intimate stages, the crowd can get cozy enough to count the heartfelt tears (or are those beads of sweat?) rolling down the players' cheeks. There's food, tunes, beer and the gentle current of the Willamette River. What more could you want? |
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| – Susan G. Hauser |
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| Wanna Go Back in Time? |
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 Don't worry about finding a DeLorean fitted with a flux capacitor. Thanks to TeleTales, all you need to do a little time travel is your trusty mobile phone. Sprinkled throughout Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory are 26 TeleTales locations. At each site, just dial the phone number displayed on the sign and listen as actors dramatically enact stories related to the location. You can also download the audio files to your iPod for an even more futuristic experience.
Among the TeleTales attractions are Oregon City's McLoughlin House, a National Historic Landmark that was once the residence of Dr. John McLoughlin, the "Father of Oregon"; the historic Canby Ferry, one of only three remaining vehicle ferries in Oregon; and the Oregon City Municipal Elevator, a 1955 lift with a retro-future mid-century design and one of only four outdoor municipal elevators in the world. Now, that sounds like a real time machine. |
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| – Deborah Wakefield |
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| July 4 |
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| Take a Bite out of Baseball |
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 Bucky Beaver, the mascot for Triple-A Baseball's Portland Beavers, has quite a set of choppers. But at this special event for fans of the Twilight books and movie, the pearly whites in question belong to vampires, not a lovable team mascot.
The Vampire Baseball Tournament leads up to a regularly scheduled game between the Portland Beavers and Colorado Springs Sky Sox. But before the pros take the field, select fans of the popular teen vampire series will play against members of the cast and crew of the Twilight film, while their fellow fans cheer them on.
After a barbecue dinner (Are you sure that's BBQ sauce and not … ?), the Beavers will take the field, followed by traditional Fourth of July fireworks. To keep the regular game interesting for Twilight fans, Rachelle Lefevre (who played vampire Victoria in the movie) will throw out the first ball. Buy your tickets >> |
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| – Susan G. Hauser |
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| July 31-Aug. 2 |
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| Pickin' 'n' Grinnin' |
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 How about a nice little camping trip — with more than 35 of the best new performers of traditional roots music? The Pickathon Roots Music Festival takes place in a lovely rural setting near Mount Hood: the 80-acre Pendarvis Farm. The festival comes complete with camping spots, hiking trails, food vendors and a beer garden.
With the recent resurgence of American roots music, instruments designed to be picked, plucked and strummed have never been so popular. At Pickathon, you'll hear fiddles, guitars, banjos and accordions playing Cajun music, Texas twangs and Appalachian tunes on five stages. Music and dance workshops are on the schedule, as well as a giant square dance, so be sure to pack your dancin' shoes. |
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| – Susan G. Hauser |
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| July-August |
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| Good Eats, Great Beer |
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 There's a reason Portland has a reputation as a food mecca. Restaurants, food carts and booths at the farmers' market all offer food that is so fresh and delish. The only problem is, it would take a lot of time and money to visit every fabulous food destination in town.
That's the genius of The Bite of Oregon. From Aug. 7-9, this waterfront festival serves up dishes (appetizers, entrées and desserts) from some of the top restaurants of Portland and around the state — 75 different items in all. Guest chefs whom you'd ordinarily see in the pages of glossy food mags will show off their skills in person — some in an Iron Chef competition. Along with all the food, there'll be music on two stages and beverages from about 40 local wineries and craft breweries.
The breweries get their day — 31 days, actually — in the sun in July, which is Oregon Craft Beer month. You can celebrate all month long, but mark your calendar for two big events. At the Portland International Beer Festival, July 17-19, the taps will pour 150 world class beers from 15 countries. The final weekend of the month (July 23-26) is devoted to the hugely popular Oregon Brewers Festival at Waterfront Park. |
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| – Susan G. Hauser |
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| Through Sept. 20 |
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| Make Like a Chimp and Swing |
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 Ever feel like your kids are going to drive you ape? It's time to send them on the Chimpanzee Challenge at the Oregon Zoo, where they'll swing on vines, walk on their knuckles (with the help of arm extensions) and tackle some of the same jungle challenges faced by real chimpanzees.
This interactive exhibit is perfect for kids who are as inquisitive as that fabled primate, Curious George. Developed with world-renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, the rainforest-themed maze educates kids about the lives of chimps in the wild and what humans can do to ensure their survival. And it's a great way to wear out your little monkeys. |
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| – Susan G. Hauser |
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