Great Ideas for Going Green in, yes of course, Stumptown!

Yes, folks we rule. Here is another example and some great tips on how to turn your home Green. The Office of Sustainable Development has officially pulled together a summary of their 2007 Build It Green Home Tours. Take a look how peeps all over Portland’s many neighborhoods are coming up with some really creative and inspiring ideas to be eco-friendly.

Chocolate Fest at The World Forestry Center This Weekend

Chocolate Chocolate Everywhere!

Portland loves the outdoors, and as can be seen from the recent blog on Pix, it loves chocolate as well. So why not combine the two? This weekend you can satisfy your chocolate cravings and even go out for a quick jaunt afterwards in Forest Park thanks to ChocolateFest being held Saturday and Sunday held at the World Forestry Center. Choco amateurs beware: it’s only for those who can handle extremely large amounts of the addicting concoction. Why? The festival’s main event is to attempt to break the Guinness Record for the World’s Largest Truffle. Local chef Steve Gazda will be there along with a whole lot of chocolate and no less then 16 gallons of cream to attempt to break the current record of 100kg, set in 2001. Make sure to come on Sunday afternoon if you want a taste.

Beyond gargantuan truffles, ChocolateFest will feature dozens of vendors and enough free samples to satisfy even the most intense of cravings. And that’s not all; the festival is taking over all three buildings of the World Forestry Center, using the space to exhibition such delectable things as chocolate fountains, a Chocolate Bazaar and even chocolate facials. Not a chocolate connoisseur? No need to worry; just make your way to one of the choco-talks which will include everything from the History of Chocolate to How to Read a Chocolate Bar.

ChocolateFest takes place on Feb 2 & 3 from 10am-5pm. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 3-18. For World Forestry Center members, admission is free.

Location:

World Forestry Center
4033 SW Canyon Road
Portland, OR 97221

Article By Anna Brones, Intercrossings

[image by paolita_iris, flickr]

People’s Farmer’s Market Year Round Every Wednesday 2-7pm

People’s Farmer’s Market Year Round Every Wednesday 2-7pm

3029 SE 21st, between Powell & Division

Check out this year round farmer’s market in Southeast happening tomorrow and more Wednesdays to come.

[image by People's Co-op]

Home Prices Plunging, But is Portland Still Going Strong?

According to The Oregonian, Standard and Poor’s index is showing that there has been an 11 month straight decline in housing prices for 10 metropolitan areas in the US. November had the biggest drop, coming in at a 7.7 percent fall. But good news for us Portlanders, we were one of the two cities in the US still coming out positive, along with Charlotte North Carolina. Now we shouldn’t get all crazy just yet. According to David Blitzer, S&P’s managing director, feels that we too will feel the hit and take a dive in the next few months. I disagree. I am hopeful, that the great weather will arrive with some reasonable prices, and we will still have a flourishing market. Check out this article to see for yourself.

[image by misternaxal, flickr]

Calling All Chocoholics!

It’s 1 am Saturday morning. Cold outside. Craving some hot chocolate and a warm place to sit. Lucky for Portlanders, Pix Patisserie exists just for these types of occasions.

Not only are the desserts and chocolates impeccably crafted, the atmosphere is eclectic, warm and welcoming. The staff knows their stuff. Don’t even bother with the menu, they will say. You can get a better idea of what we have if you go over and see for yourself. And they are right – the menu is vast and encompasses everything that they make, which is not available every day.

The staff is friendly – they know the food intimately and will not hesitate to tell you their favorites. Their camaraderie is evident in the Pix Employee Calendar which comes out every year in December. Pictured cooking, laughing and having a good time, it is hard to imagine that working at Pix Patisserie could ever be anything less than the best time of your life.

[image from Pix Patisserie Website]

Starting this Friday, February 1^st, all Pix locations will be accepting confessions. Yes, that’s right. I said confessions. Through Valentine’s Day, you can submit your deepest, darkest confessions on little pieces of paper, which the staff will then post on the windows and walls. Affairs, weird eating habits, and things you hope to never hear from your friends are posted (anonymously, of course!) for all to see. Reading confessions while eating Pix chocolate is the guiltiest of pleasures.

Do you love chocolate enough to write a love letter about it? During the month of February, Pix is hosting a love letter contest. Write the best love letter about chocolate and win a $100 gift certificate to Pix and a box of chocolates.

Other events held at Pix locations include free movies on Monday nights, Concoct Yo’ Own dessert nights, and Dim Sum Yum Yum Extravaganzas. Their website (www.pixpatisserie.com) is always updated with the current happenings.

All of this fun, though, is secondary to the exquisite taste combinations in the dessert case. The Royale, chocolate mousse with a hazelnut praline filling is my favorite dessert, with the salted chocolate caramel starring as my favorite candy. The Pear Rosemary Tart, Queen of Sheba Truffle Cake, and the Tarte Ménage a Trois are just as drool-worthy.

To be perfectly honest, no matter what you order, your sweet tooth will be satisfied at Pix. Take a risk, try something new. You will not be sorry. Join the staff in enjoying your evening, make a new friend. Write a confession. Write a love letter. Indulge in your romantic feelings for chocolate. Mmmmmmm.

3402 SE Division
Sun – Thurs: 10am – midnight
Fri – Sat: 10am – 2am

3731 SE Hawthorne
Sun – Thurs: 10am – midnight
Fri – Sat: 10am – 2am

3901 D N. Williams
Mon – Thurs: 7am – midnight
Fri: 7am – 2 am
Sat: 8am – 2am
Sun: 9am – midnight

Article By Elizabeth Fuss, Lizzy Dishes Portland

Oregon Truffle Fest, This Sunday!

It’s truffle season in Portland. No, no, not the fancy European chocolates. I’m talking about the fancy mushrooms. They’re such a big deal that this weekend there is a whole festival in their honor: the Oregon Truffle Festival.

Most of the main events have been sold out for weeks, but don’t despair; you can still pick up tickets at the door for entrance to the Festival Marketplace. Hosted at the Downtown Athletic Club Ballroom, admission is $15 or $20 if you want a wine glass and wine tasting, and who wouldn’t want that?

So what does your marketplace ticket buy you? Entry into a marketplace full of a great mix of Oregon wines, artisan foods and wild crafted products all related to the honored truffle. That’s right; you can taste them, buy them, smell them and even watch them. For those who are true truffle aficionados, there is also an extensive lecture series featuring truffle specialists, travelers and restaurateurs.

Want more information? Check out the festival’s website at: http://www.oregontrufflefestival.com.

Oregon Truffle Marketplace - Sunday, January 27th, 2008
Dowtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St., Eugene
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Article By Anna Brones, Intercrossings

[image by Oregon Truffle Festival, photo gallery]

Getting Out to Mount Hood

Any season merits a trip to Mount Hood; brisk hikes in the spring, wildflowers in the summer, colorful leaves in the fall and snow covered ski runs in the winter make it a great weekend get-away only an hour from Portland.

Situated in the Mt. Hood National Forest, the mountain peaks at 11,235 feet (3,429 meters) and is home to the Mt. Hood Meadows ski area as well as the historically famous Timberline Lodge.

During the warmer summer months, the Mt. Hood meadows are full of wildflowers and hikers passing through on the Pacific Crest National Scenic trail which goes all the way from the Mexican border in southern California to the Canadian border in northern Washington. The summer season also allows the lover of back road driving to take advantage of the hundreds of National Forest Service roads that lace through the Mount Hood National Forest area. Roads which in the winter lead to snow-park areas where people park their vehicles to take off on a snow shoeing or cross country skiing, in the summer time are full of a diverse display of foliage.

In the winter, the mountain is known for the skiing at Mt. Hood Meadows. And Portland being as supportive of public transportation as it is, even without a car you can reserve a seat on the Meadows Park & Ride shuttle to get up to the mountain to ski or snowboard for only $59, which includes a lift ticket.

Attracting outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds, the mountain is a nature lover’s paradise. But even if you want a bit of rustic class, you don’t need to look far. Timberline Lodge, constructed in 1937, has managed to keep its authentic charm while providing high quality facilities. After a day of hiking or skiing, take a seat in one of the large wooden chairs in the bar and enjoy the view of the mountain through the lodge’s classic large windows. Also at the lodge, on the ground level, is a small museum documenting the history of the building. Enclosed by glass panes, recreated rooms have been built, to give the visitor a glimpse of the past. An original lodge room has a kerosene lamp in the corner, and old hiking boots on the floor. The small ski-patrol’s chamber houses an ancient pair of wooden skis, as well as numerous first items in their original packaging from the 1920s.

Not up for a whole weekend at the mountain? Come for evening sundown when the mountain extends into the grayish blue of the sky, the colors of the sun reflecting in the snow fields. Afterwards book a table at the Cascade Dining room, where head chef Leif Benson concocts the ultimate in Northwest cuisine.

Article By Anna Brones, Intercrossings

[image by MesmanImages, flickr]

Stumptown is Hungry For Hot Lips Pizza

[image by Jeff Kubina, flickr]

I met a person once who didn’t like pizza. Very strange. Pizza is one of those things that everybody likes. No one can resist the cheesy warmth and the mozzarella stretch that inspires conversations.

But if you want to really form an opinion about pizza, Portland has a local pizza chain that will spoil you with their gourmet offerings and twists on ordinary pizza toppings. Hot Lips Pizza. And it is. Hot.

With toppings like house cured ham and pepperoni, ricotta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese and seasonal offerings like Carlton Farms smoked bacon, local potatoes, apples, winter squash and brie… well, you just can’t lose.

You can go ordinary, with cheese and pepperoni, and still, the cornmeal dusted crust and the generous toppings will truly fill you with one piece. Not that that will stop you from having another.

[image by pablitolaak, flickr]

The breadsticks, which I’m pretty sure measure at least 12 inches, are thick and doused with a layer of pesto, will take up whatever room you didn’t fill up with the pizza.

Hot Lips also makes their own berry soda – which is tangy and delicious. They keep it all local, all sustainable and all irresistible.

There are four locations to serve you in the metro area.

NE 33^rd and Killingsworth

SE Hawthorne and 22^nd

SW 6^th and Hall

NW 10^th and Irving

Article By Elizabeth Fuss, Lizzy Dishes Portland

Super Trash Teaser at Bagdad Theatre

This is a film festival that brings out the TRASH in all of us. Check it out February 1 - 3 at Portland’s Bagdad Theatre located on SE Hawthorne.

Happy Happy Joy Joy, Deschutes Brewery in The Pearl!

It is a fine day when one finds out about the newest soon to be addition in the heart of the Pearl District, Deschutes Brewery. The location will be 210 NW 11th Ave. Here’s what their site had to say about themselves:

“Deschutes Brewery, located in Central Oregon along the banks of the wild and scenic Deschutes River, has brewed handcrafted traditional ales since 1988. Starting out as a small brewpub in the heart of downtown Bend, Deschutes’ first beers were Black Butte Porter, Bachelor Bitter and Cascade Golden Ale.

In 1993, Deschutes moved into its current brewing facility and has continued expanding and improving the facilities. With a 50-barrel traditional gravity brew house and a new one-of-a-kind 131-barrel Huppmann brew system from Germany, Deschutes now creates and experiments with specialty batches of limited beers while brewing large quantities of everyone’s favorites like Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Consistently producing the highest quality beers is always Deschutes’ number one priority and commitment.

The Deschutes Brewery & Public House continues brewing unique beers at our original location while serving the finest Northwest pub cuisine. So when you find yourself in Bend, come on in and have a pint of Bachelor Bitter, the locals’ favorite, or any of our other original ales brewed on-site.

Deschutes Brewery’s distinct ales; Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Obsidian Stout, Inversion IPA, Bachelor ESB, Cascade Ale, Buzzsaw Brown (winter), Cinder Cone Red (spring), Twilight Ale (summer), Jubelale (fall) and other seasonal beers are available at pubs and markets in a neighborhood near you.

Cheers ~”

Stumptown is looking forward to the glorious day where the beer flows like wine through the streets of The Pearl. Yay, Deschutes! You Rock! Look out Rogue you’ve got some competition.

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