Keeping Portland Weird.

Unofficial as it may be, Portlanders are quite fond of their adopted city motto. The funny thing is, Portland doesn’t seem weird at all. In fact, we’ve yet to meet such a down to earth lot anywhere else. They have a penchant for culinary mastery, cocktail mixology, and natural splendor at their doorstep that most cities envy. It is our opinion that Portland is more refined than weird, so much so we don’t think their inner hipster will take our compliment as an affront.

Typical of the US Northwest, the weather is cold and damp – no time more so than in the winter. This yields opportunity for creative stews and comfort foods along with imaginative hot cocktails, in some cases served with a glossary, to warm you from the inside all winter. 

Portland enjoys a beautiful setting with the Willamette River running through it and snow capped Mt. Hood and National Forest a stone’s throw in the distance. Its sloped sides rising to a near point is breathtaking on a clear day. The coast is nearby, with deep stretches of beach, windswept trees and rugged rock formations. And a few less rugged such as Cannon Beach. There is a sense that time slows down in Oregon in a way that allows one to stop and sip the pinot - a viable option when the Willamette Valley wine county is barely 30 minutes from the center of town.

We think Portland Is Wonderful, but suppose this a slogan does not make!

01/2013