December 2009

In This Issue
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• Make Portland Your Winter Getaway
• The Season of Savings
• Rise of the Design Dynasty
• Sustainable Stagecraft
• And All That Jazz!
• The Perfect Soundtrack
• Where Water Meets Wine
• Bark and Bites
• A Priceless Gift
• Share Your Feedback on Portland Transit

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.

What locals and visitors have to say about everything Portland.

On Deck Sports Bar & Grill: Great sports bar and more. Love this locally owned place. It looks expensive, but isn't. My server, Alex, was great, friendly and quick. She took the time to explain the different beers they offered, and brought me a taste of a couple to help me decide … Read more >>

Equinox Restaurant and Bar: My one brunch love. Though it may not be a Portland brunch institution, Equinox is rapidly climbing up my "Awesome Brunch" love ladder. Savory and sweet concoctions keep your taste buds begging for more and your wallet happy to dish out … Read more >>

Farm Café: Cozy vegetarian-friendly place, great for late dinner. If you suddenly realize that you haven't had dinner and it's after 9 pm, and you still want to get a great vegetarian meal at this late hour, the Farm will be there to save you. It will also pleasantly surprise … Read more >>

Podnah’s Pit: Beloved BBQ. Podnah's Pit (pronounced just like it's spelled, like Howdy Podnah) is an unassuming NE Portland delight. The first time I went there I returned the very next day because I had to share the secret that I had discovered the day before … Read more >>

The Twisitor Center is Here to Help
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Planning a trip to Portland or just looking for cool places and happenings around town? Use our Twisitor Center by adding "#inpdx" to the end of your tweet — we’ll answer any questions you may have. New to Twitter? Learn more >>

While Oregon’s natural beauty is undeniable, that’s only one way that the Pacific Northwest tickles the senses. With a bold art scene, cutting-edge music, and world-renowned culinary experiences, Portland provides vibrant sights, sounds and tastes. Add in some great winter offers, and even your sense of savings will be satisfied.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, Portland is a great place to visit. This time of year, we turn up the heat with performing arts offerings, abundant outdoor recreation activities and an amazing (and affordable) culinary scene. And now, Expedia’s winter sale promises prices that make Portland even more enticing.

Book your trip by Feb. 28 — and travel between now and March 31 — to get up to 30% off on hotel rates.

So, what are you waiting for? Whether your idea of winter bliss involves taking in a show or hitting the slopes, we think you should be checking availability now. And don’t forget the other ways Portland will warm you up: There’s no shortage of liquid assets to choose from (microbrews, wines, spirits, coffee) — and, of course, no tax on any of your shopping.

Visit Expedia and book your getaway today. We promise to save some winter cheer for you.

Whether you’re on the hunt for a few more gifts or ready to score some finds for your own closet, there’s more reason than ever to do your shopping in Portland.

As we love to remind you, there’s never any tax on purchases here, so that’s already more money in your pocket. To make matters better, our friends at downtownportland.org have created some handy printable coupons with values like $20 off dinner at Saucebox, 10 percent off purchases at Made in Oregon, and much more. The offers are good at participating hotels, restaurants and shops through January, so download your coupons now.

You’ll find even more boutiques, national retailers and eateries serving up irresistible deals in the Pearl District. And, through Jan. 3, the Pearl Pass brings extra joy with savings at more than 75 spots.

Consider it our gift to you: two ways to get more bang for your buck this season. Happy shopping!

For years, China has been known as the place where products — not necessarily ideas — were made. But now, with bold visuals like Beijing’s Olympic Bird’s Nest and Shanghai’s flower-shaped Oriental Arts Center dotting the country’s landscape, the world has taken a keen interest in Chinese design. The Portland Art Museum’s exhibit China Design Now explores how some tastemakers, including architects, artists, designers and filmmakers, are redefining China with bold, new aesthetics.

The exhibit, running through Jan. 17, focuses on three areas of design: the lush graphic and visual scene in Shenzhen, the jaw-dropping architecture and urban development of Beijing, and the runway fashions developed in Shanghai. Spanning the creative boom of the past 20 years, the display uses work from about 100 Chinese designers — everything from advertisements to architectural plans — to tell the story of how China’s growing entrepreneurial middle class has transported the country from its traditional roots to the vanguard of modern thinking. More info >>

“Eating local” has been all the rage in culinary circles for some time, and Portland has been at the forefront of the movement since its earliest days. But during the city-wide Fertile Ground Festival, Stumptown acts, writes and performs local as well, with a 10-day event that features only Northwest artists. Showcasing more than a dozen play premieres, as well as at least 30 other art installations and events, Fertile Ground (Jan. 22-Feb. 2), keeps it local by ensuring that the artistic and financial benefits of the event stay in Portland.

Theater buffs, dance fans, visual art aficionados, and comedy connoisseurs will all get their fill, feasting on creative works at venues large and small, from Boxlift Building Open Studios to Portland Center Stage. Individual tickets are available, as are event-long passes that grant admission to all the shows, plus opportunities to meet performers and playwrights in person at Fertile Ground’s “down and dirty” boxed-lunch readings. It’s a great way to catch local talent rooted in Portland’s blossoming creative community. More info >>

Though jazz music is known for unpredictable and improvised notes that surprise listeners with inventive tangents, the fact that the Portland Jazz Festival is pairing American and Norwegian artists in this year’s program is hardly a non sequitur. Jazz began as an American art form, but in recent years, some of its brightest talent has come from Norway, of all places.

Opening with Grammy-nominated Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza, the festival will fill venues across Portland with music from Feb. 22-28. The event showcases some of jazz’s best performers, including the Mingus Big Band, Dave Holland Quintet, Pharoah Sanders and other international and Northwest standouts. From big ballroom performances to midnight jam sessions, the program is packed with hot tunes and cool notes.

And speaking of cool, Norwegian artists Christian Wallumrod Ensemble (avant-garde chamber jazz), Trygve Seim and Frode Haltli (accordion and sax combo), and In the Country (jazz-rock fusion) all make their North American premieres at the festival.

There's so much music going on, you'll want to stay a few days so you don't miss a beat. Get your festival tickets at www.pdxjazz.com and book a room at a Jazz Festival hotel.

For 26 years, the Northwest Film Center’s Reel Music Festival has celebrated the convergence of sound and images, music and culture. To put that into perspective, this event has kept tabs on how songs have impacted the silver screen (and vice versa) from The Breakfast Club to The Twilight Saga. But it doesn’t stop there; Reel Music, which runs Jan. 6-31, also dives beneath pop culture into genres as diverse as avant-garde and opera to examine how music and motion pictures reflect the times in which they’re made.

For example, last year’s festival included vintage footage of Miles Davis performing in Copenhagen; a chronicle of one year in the life of Bob Marley; and even a feature-length film directed by and starring Wayne Coyne, frontman of the Flaming Lips. Meanwhile, films like Johnny Cash’s America and The Night James Brown Saved Boston rise above the music to chronicle how music not only provides the soundtrack to our times, but also defines them. This year’s films have yet to be announced, but it’s safe to assume one thing: Their soundtracks will be outstanding. More info >>

It’s not only real estate that’s all about location, location, location — the same is true of fresh fish and full, rich wines. Luckily, Portland, just miles from some of North America’s best vineyards and a short drive from the bountiful Oregon coast, is perfectly situated to bring foodies the best of both worlds. And the tastes don’t get any better than the pairings found at the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival.

Like any good fishing hole, it’s smart to get there early. Admission to the event costs $12, but there’s a $2 discount if you arrive within the first two hours (2-4 p.m. on Friday and noon-2 p.m. on Saturday) and, both days, the first 500 attendees will each receive a commemorative wine glass. More info >>

Sure, the World Forestry Center may seem like an unexpected place to hold ChocolateFest, the annual celebration of all things cocoa-licious, which runs Jan. 29-31. But when you consider the source of the sweet, it’s really not that surprising. In fact, “The Chocolate Story,” an exhibit running Jan. 30-April 25 at the center, explains how the delectable brown stuff gets from the cacao tree to the hot cocoa cup in delicious detail.

Whether you have a curious mind or a sweet tooth — or both — this event is sure to satisfy. “Chocolate 101” teaches the basics about the food originally discovered by the Aztecs, while the Chocolate Market illustrates how to properly pair the treat with wine, saké and even beer. Of course, there are samples galore — the Chocolate Bazaar is packed with artisan chocolatiers offering bits of their bars. And on Friday, taste buds get to do some talking in the ChocolateFest’s People’s Choice Awards, which honor the event’s best truffle, confection and more. More info >>

In 2010, the Year of the Tiger, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden has some big plans in the works. First off, in honor of its 10th anniversary, the downtown attraction is waiving admission fees from Jan. 2-11. Inside the garden’s gates, visitors will enjoy one of the world's most authentic Chinese gardens, a peaceful oasis that fills an entire city block in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown district. Spotted with winding rock pathways and intricate buildings around the serene Lake Zither, the garden’s design echoes that of gardens in Portland’s sister city Suzhou, China.

And that's just the beginning — the festivities continue with events that stretch throughout the spring and summer. From Feb. 14-28, the garden celebrates the Chinese New Year; March 19-26 marks its Festival of Fragrance and Spring Plant Sale; Tiger Time, from March 20-28, is a week of spring-break activities for families and children; throughout the month of April, there’s a kite-making workshop for kids, and then from July 6-Aug. 10, the Tuesdays by Twilight evening concert series brings sweet sounds to the garden’s soothing setting.

And finally, this January the garden will also begin to go by its Chinese name, the Lan Su Chinese Garden. By reducing the use of its more anglicized moniker (Portland Classical Chinese Garden), the landmark aims to emphasizing the garden’s authentic origins and its commitment to teaching visitors about Chinese culture, history and thought.

If you've visited Portland this year, your feedback is wanted. Metro, Portland's regional government, is conducting a travel study to better understand how visitors get around the area. If you traveled to Portland in 2009 and stayed in a hotel downtown or in the Lloyd District, please take this 10-15 minute survey. Or, if you are planning to visit Portland before the end of the year, please keep this message and take the survey after your trip.

Your input will help shape the city's transportation system. On behalf of Metro, thank you for sharing your Portland travel experiences.
Take the survey >>

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