This sunny weekend,  join me and over 80,000 other beer lovers at the Oregon Brewers Fest – celebrating 24 years of hand crafted beer.  This year’s line-up is better than ever, with live music, yummy food options, beer memorabilia, vendors, and LOTS AND LOTS of beer.

It’s going to be a nice weekend so grab your sunglasses and sunscreen, and head to Tom McCall Waterfront Park to enjoy a great time with friends and family.

The event will go from July 28th (today) through July 31st.  Thursday through Saturday hours are 12:00pm-9:00pm and on Sunday from 12:00PM-7:00PM.  

There is a root beer garden for people underage, so they are welcome to enjoy the event with parents.  

The best news is the event entrance is FREE however to consume tasty beverages a $6 mug purchase is required and wooden tokens cost $1 each.  The cost of a tasting is 1 token or four for a full mug of beer. 80+ beers, 80,000+ attendees- sounds like fun to me!

The company was started in 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, and officially took on the name Nike is 1978.  Nike is the Greek goddess of victory, a symbol synonymous with this famous brand.  The signature Nike “swoosh” was created in 1971 by Portland State student Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design major, who provided Phil Knight with freelance work at $2 per hour.

Today, Nike employs over 30,000 people worldwide, and effects millions more than that. Not only has it become a staple in the athletic community, but in the Oregon community as well, both for it’s rooted history and its symbolism.

I’m a HUGE Nike fan.  I love the marketing, I love the look of the gear, and I love the fact that Portland is a name known all over the world for our attachment to this brand.  

If you’ve never gone and visited the Nike Campus or the downtown NikeTown, I will suggest you include it in your places to see before you are ever truly considered a Portlander.  I attended the BCS Football Championship game in Arizona this year and I can’t tell you how excited I was to see a Nike billboard with an Oregon Ducks football player.  There’s just a certain feel about how Nike portrays a message, and I can say it made me extra proud to be an Oregonian.

The original Nike World Headquarters officially opened its doors in June 1990. By 2001, the original campus had doubled in size with the addition of six more buildings. Today, there are 17 buildings named for legendary athletes. All together, the buildings on campus total slightly more than 2 million square feet or just about 35 football fields.  The main entry to Nike World Campus is at One Bowerman Drive, honoring legendary University of Oregon, Olympic Track and Field coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman. In addition to the 193-acre campus near Beaverton, Portland is also home to the first Niketown, also opening in 1990. 

When you walk into Niketown, you’ll be amazed by the innovation, construction, and the great service!  Whether you’re looking for shoes, athletic equipment, or that perfect training outfit, all designed to make you feel like a champion.  There’s so much culture here that even if you aren’t in the market for sporting goods, taking a stroll through the store is well worth the trip.  

There are too many unforgettable sporting memories attached to this majestic brand, and as a true Oregonian, I’m proud to have such a world-renowned entity, right in our very backyard. 

Alberta Street Public House:

We’ve featured businesses on Alberta Street numerous times, the street has so much livelihood and character!  And the Public House is no different.  Great food, a good vibe, and an even better Wednesday night! Wednesdays are mic nights at the House, every Wednesday at 7:30!  If you love to sing, then come here to belt your heart out. If not, I can guarantee that the entertainment will be enough to satisfy.  Their happy hour here is amazing- $1 off wells and micros, and $3 food M-F from 5-7:45. Check them out!

Slim’s Restaurant and Lounge:

Check out mic nights at Slim’s on Tuesday nights!  Come down and play a set for an awesome audience!  If you don’t play, sing along, and enjoy the great Portland talent!  The beer is flowing and the food is tasty!  Slims is one of my favorites for a night of entertainment!

Buffalo Gap is another 365 favorite- we’ve featured it alright for its live music scene!  But, they don’t just have professionals come in and play; Anyone can play here, Tuesday nights!  Every Tuesday in the attic, bring your friends and enjoy the unpredictable atmosphere! Anything can happen on Open mic night!  Audience gets to pick the favorite, so come on down and try your luck.  Best part about this Open Mic?  There’s a $50 prize for the winner!

There’s so much to do in our beautiful city, why not try it all?  It’s time to step our of our comfort zones and try new things, there are so many opportunities that Portland has to offer, it’s just up to us to live a little and experience them.  Start today, 365ers! Cheers!

Caton is one of the many great instructors at Rhythm Traders, and someone I am truly blessed to know.  Caton is a drum veteran and has been all over the Portland music scene for his amazing percussion talents.  Caton teaches drum classes all over Portland, but my time with him has been spent at the Rhythm Traders located on Northeast Martin Luther King Boulevard.  The shop offers several types of drum lessons in private and group settings.  I take the African class where you can choose from Dejembe, Conga, Ghanaian, and many more.  They also have a Latin class and free workshops available!

I have been playing the Dejembe for a little over 2 years now, and I strongly suggest it for anyone who’s looking to expand their music skills.  The best part is, you can learn at your own pace.  They offer drop-in classes that are $12 each or a block of 5 classes at $50.  They supply the drums, so all you have to do is show up!  Be sure to check the class schedule on site below and/or Caton’s personal website.

All of the instructors are extremely helpful and break down the essentials to ensure you can drum with ease.  

If you’ve never thought of taking up a class like this, I suggest you get out of your comfort zone and give it a go.  Drumming has many documented medical benefits including stress reduction, chronic pain reduction, depression reduction, and immune system boosting.  

Here’s to the final countdown, and my friend, Caton! Get to drumming, Portland!

The legend of the park tells of a man named Dick Fagan. He returned from World War II in 1946 to write for the Oregon Journal. Each day he would peer out of his office window at a chunk of concrete reserved for a light pole installation.  When the light pole never arrived,  in its place weeds began to grow. Not appreciating the weeds, Fagan decided to transform the fixture into a flower bed for all to enjoy. 

Fagan told folktales of a leprechaun colony that occupied his little flowerpot, including a head leprechaun that only Fagan could see by the name of Patrick O’Toole.  He went on to include these tales, and O’Toole, in many of his writings.  In honor of the stories of leprechaun park,  Mill Ends Park was named and dubbed an official park on St. Patrick’s Day in 1976. It was made in honor of Fegan who passed away in 1969.  

The park is located in the median strip of SW Natio Parkway and Taylor Street and serves as a monument for several Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations.  

Check out Mill Ends Park, and then you too can say that you’ve witnessed the smallest park in the world.

More to come in the next couple of days,  but for now, on to today’s suggestion:

Portland is well-known for so many things.  The bridges are breathtaking, the breweries are bountiful, and our waterways are few many cities are graced by.  However, the best part about Portland, is its people.  

Today’s thing to do: People watching at one of my favorite Portland spots, Vault, located in the Pearl District  

Aside from it’s first-class people-watching atmosphere, the martini’s at Vault are a close second to this attraction.  They have over 44 versions of the classic martini, many of which are made from one of their house infused vodkas.  

During the colder months, cozy up to the fireplace and nibble on a some of the great menu items, and for this summer, be sure to gaze outside at the hustle and bustle on the streets from one of their comfy lounge seats, or kick back on the street side seating, and get right in on the ongoing action!  

I have some pretty unforgettable Portland memories at Vault, and I’m pretty sure every single one of them has included my staple drink – the Habanero Martini.  It’s made from pineapple-habanero infused vodka, and they are so good that you might just have to have another.

Enjoy the sunshine this summer, and some Portland people-watching to boot! Check out Vault.

The event is marked as the Northwest’s largest family expo and there’s no shortage of things to do.  There’s fun for the whole family including exhibits for babies, kids, teens, and even the parents.

This years event will feature live music on 3 stages, a rock wall, zip line, petting zoo, and lots of interactive fun.  Make sure you check out the safety clinics and the opportunity to buy a bike helmet for $5.  And who could forget the Easter Egg Hunts and pictures with the Easter Bunny himself!  There’s ton of prizes for the entire family.

Gates open at 9am on Saturday and Sunday and admission is $10 per child (parents admission is FREE with a paid child).

Check out the website for stage line-up and scheduled events throughout the expo.

Enjoy a day with the family and support healthy, active kids.

Alpenrose Dairy is often a name you see posted in our local grocery stores for their great dairy products and ice cream, but once a year they open their gates for kids between the ages of 3-8 for their annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year, the hunt is on Saturday April 23rd, and it marks the 49th year! This hunt is definitely one you and your kids can’t afford to miss.  Children can enjoy a great day (rain or shine) with prizes, yummy treats, and of course – the Easter Bunny himself.  The kids hunt is split into two groups.  Ages 3-5 at 10:30am and ages 6-8 at 12:30.  

The kids don’t get to have all of the fun, Moms in particular are encouraged to get in on the action, for a chance to win great prizes of your own.  The mom dash for prizes begins at 11:30am, so get out there and make your kids proud!

Enjoy this Portland tradition, it’s one that your kids will be talking about for years to come.

This beautiful spot is just about to begin it’s peak season, when means prime-time for you to go.  It’s only open between April and September so be sure you add to your list of things to do.

The Garden is completely brimming with, not only amazing Rhododendrons, but also many other beautiful varieties of blooming buds.  In addition to all of its foliage, there are gorgeous fountain and water features, paved paths, guided tours, and mother nature’s most vibrant displays around every turn.

Portlanders choose Crystal Springs for photography sessions and weddings each year because of the amazing 2,500 plus rhododendrons blooming here. As you can imagine, they provide an amazing color palate and a beautiful backdrop.

If there isn’t a wedding in your future, take my word for it and don’t miss this season at the garden!  It’s truly the perfect way to enjoy some good old fashion sunshine.

Why not capitalize on the sunshine now?  Cheers to this sunny day Portland, and enjoy Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden!

Ladd’s Addition is one of the oldest residential districts in Portland. It’s located in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood in southeast.  A modest, eight blocks by ten blocks area in size, the neighborhood is known in Portland for its diagonal street pattern, which lays completely in contrast with the regular grid and street direction of the surrounding areas, such as Hawthorne and Division. This unconventional street layout can be disorienting to drivers, but is a haven for cyclists, runners, dog-walkers, and pedestrians!

This neighborhood is named after William S. Ladd, a Portland mayor who originally owned a 126-acre farm in the very spot.  When the mayor decided to subdivide the land for residential use, rather than adopt the standard pattern that we’d find in the majority of Portland, Ladd created a diagonal “wagon wheel” arrangement, including four small diamond-shaped rose gardens and a central traffic circle surrounding a park. What is now known as Ladd’s Addition.

Head on down to this beautiful neighborhood: where elm trees line the streets, and rose gardens fall in each of the intersection lines of the Ladd grid.  This historic area is also surrounded by countless restaurants, ice cream shops, and boutiques- perfect for a day of window shopping and relaxation.  Happy Spring, Portland!