365 Things to do in Portland

Growing up, I learned how to the tell the difference between the spelling of desert and the spelling of dessert because when you eat dessert, you always go back for seconds (hence the double S).  With today’s post, you might as well spell dessert like “dessssssert” because thirds or fourths are exactly what you will want.  Papa Haydn’s is one of the best restaurants and dessert spots in town and, lucky for us, there are two great locations in Portland.

I’ve been going to Papa Haydn’s for brunch for years, and on top of that, I always make it a point to hold special occasions here so I have an excuse to order as many scrupulously sweet selections as I want.  

There are a few things you need to know about Papa Haydn’s: 

 The dessert menu is extensive!  There’s always a special,  so don’t plan on just going once, it would be impossible to decide what’s the best on the menu.  I personally LOVE the Marjoiane.  It’s a chocolate mousse and hazelnut-praline cream layered between toasted hazelnut meringue.  It’s topped with a crame friche and French vanilla-chocolate.  I can’t exactly say how it’s pronounced so I just point at the menu. It’s delicious!

Aside from being famous for their sweets, they have  great dinner options, lunch specials, and, like I said, a fabulous Sunday brunch.  You really can’t go wrong!

Both locations are great:  The original was opened in 1978 on the Eastside of the river.  It housed Portland’s first espresso machine and it’s popularity among patrons remains today.  The Westside location was opened later in 1983 on Northwest 23rd Avenue and is always a great spot for people watching and strolling the streets of thrift shops and specialty stores after a good meal.

Enjoy some great food and mouth-watering treats, its bound to put a smile on anyones face.

Neighborhood: Southeast and Northwest Portland

Oh my goodness, today’s suggestion has to be one of the coolest spots in town and one I wish were around when I was a little kid.  JJ Jump is the latest craze among Portlanders their little tots!  

I recently had a girlfriend whose daughter held her 7th birthday party at a JJ Jump.  I’d never heard of it before then, but now I totally see the light.   There’s over 4000 square feet of amazing jumping obstacles! They’ve got slides, blow up play houses, tunnels, and much more that will have your little ones running all over the place and enjoying some good ol’ fashioned play time.  There’s no better way to get their hearts racing and  then tucker them out so you get some quiet time later!

There are a ton of kids begging to go to JJ Jump, so parents, it’s a little hectic at times. All you’ve got to do is prepare your kids for craziness and you’re set!   They accommodate birthday parties and provide a new creative spin on your regular amusement park or gaming spot. They also do home-schooling events, exercises, summer camps, and my personal favorite, cosmic jump!   

Get your kiddos involved, get out of  the rain clouds, and do something physical-  get to JJ Jump! They have two locations in the Portland Metro Area, one around Clackamas and one in Vancouver.

-Annie

To all of those lucky Spring Breakers who are coming back to Portland with dark tans, pictures in the sunshine, and knickknacks displaying words like ”Cabo”, I can’t help but be a little jealous. So, in an attempt to spice it up a bit and add some cha-cha-cha to my rainy Spring Break, I’m headed to a fine establishment introduced to me by my good friend Curt- Pambiche Cocine & Reposteria!

The name Pambiche comes from a lingual morphing of the words “Palm Beach”, as pronounced by a native speaker of Cuban Spanish. Not only does Palm Beach conjure up images of palm trees, relaxation and romance, but it also gives off a vibe that oozes fun and flavor. So, when you can’t get away for a Caribbean vacation you can at least get down to Pambiche for an authentic taste of Old Havana. 

Located on the east side around 28th and Glisan, if you’ve driven in this area, I can assure you that you have seen Pambiche.  The multi-colored panels line the building, incorporating every color of the rainbow without rhyme or reason. Inside the restaurant, no wall is left uncovered, donning multiple displays of cuban-inspired artwork. If walls could talk, these ones would scream. Although bold in presentation, it’s not the venue that does the talking- it’s the menu.

Pambiche serves only the best and authentic Cuban-Creole cuisine.  It’s combination of Spanish, African, and Caribbean roots, give a flavor all its own, one that distinctly Cuban.  Tonight, I’m ordering the  “Ajiaco” : A Taíno Indian “pepper pot” stew influenced over the centuries by Spanish and African cookery. Ajiaco is considered by many to be the national dish of Cuba. Ajiaco is a one pot meal that comes brimming with a variety of tropical roots and vegetables, corn dumplings, creole seasoned pork and beef. Served with arroz blanco and fresh lime. It’s absolutely delicious, and  has that extra kick i’m looking for. 

 I’m going for dinner, and if you can’t, don’t worry because Pambiche does it all. They serve  lunch and dinner 7 days a week, and breakfast on the weekends.  They also have dessert, cuban drinks, catering, take-out, happy hour, and wine menus as well.

Come visit Cuban-American chef John Connell-Maribona and his family inspired masterpiece for a taste of Cuba, Palm Beach, and so much more. 

-Sari

Today is literally my favorite suggestion for 365 ever! Portland just wouldn’t be the city it is without a man by the name of Walter Cole.  This Portland icon also goes by another name that many of us will be much more familiar with:  the leading lady of show business herself, Darcelle.

Darcelle XV Showplace is a bar/showcase, featuring Portland’s most pristine female impersonators. And I can’t even begin to explain the history and back story that this long-standing Portland tradition holds within its plush velvet walls.

The first time I attended a show at the club was several years ago. A group of us went to catch the evening performance for a girlfriends bachelorette party.  And what a show it was!  I literally was fascinated by the glitz, the glamour, and the TALENT that hit the stage.   These lovely ladies entertain with jokes, lip syncing the catchiest songs, both old and new, lot’s of theatrical performances, and plenty of laughter. One after one, they come out commanding attention and keeping it.  But don’t take my word for it, you simply have to see what this place is all about – it just isn’t a true Portland experience until you do. Click here for a list of cast members.

Sari and I personally went down to Darcelle XV Showplace to meet with Walter himself, and get a tiny glimpse into the day and the life of these performers. During my time spent with Walter, I learned a bit more about the history of the establishment, and exactly what they stand for today.   He purchased the bar in 1965, and soon after it evolved into the wild cabaret (with a twist!) that it is today.  Sari and I sat in awe of the true passion that Darcelle and his partner, Roxy, possess in their day-to-day lives.

After learning about his path to Darcelle, Walter then took us down into the basement where, to my delight, I saw clothing racks full of hand sewn dresses, costumes, and accessories- all created from scratch by Walter himself.  But the best part of the night was witnessing the transformation of Walter to Darcelle.  He walked us through, step by step what it takes to transform into a show-stopping female impersonator. With a couple of coats of make-up, eye lashes and jeweled eye brows, Darcelle was born!  It was a great experience and a wonderful interview! Thank you to Walter and Roxy for sharing with us, and letting us into your living room.

The show caters to a wide variety of an audiences including bachelorette parties, birthday parties, and anyone looking for a crazy good time.  The best thing about Darcelles?  The folks at Darcelles are committed to giving back to the community through various local charities including the American Heart Association, and Make a Wish Foundation.

Make sure you include Darcelle XV Showplace in your things to do, you absolutely won’t be sorry. Show times are 8:30pm Wednesday-Saturday, and 10:30pm Friday and Saturday.  The cost is $15 and reservations are strongly encouraged.  Contact 503-222-5338 for more show details.

In the spirit of my last post, I thought I’d give a shout out to the friendly people at Breakside Brewery who so graciously are sponsoring the SPOON Foundation event this April.  Breakside Brewery is not your ordinary neighborhood brew pub, there’s a lot more to be said about these guys, and it’s up to you to check out what I’m talking about.Two gentlemen with a common business vision, decided to take the plunge, join forces, and voilà! Breakside Brewery was born.  The brewery is nestled in the Northeast neighborhood on Dekum Street adds a little something to the surrounding businesses.

Breakside operates off of a 3 barrel system, while also continually offering several other guest selections along with their own in-house recipes.  They usually have about 12 beers on rotation so you’ll always have something new to try.  The menu is quite impressive and caters nicely to the vegetarian population.  These items are carefully selected with a lot of thought in mind.  Ingredients are provided by many local companies, including breads from Grand Central Bakery (a 365 favorite) and locally grown beef from Country Natural.  The menu is so appealing, it’s hard to decide just what option to go with.  

My favorite part of Breakside Brewery, is their venue.  There are lots of windows and a large garage door that can be opened during nice weather.  The staff is friendly, and it’s a place where you will always feel welcome.  

Warm weather is just around the corner, and it’s time for some open air and great food, at Breakside Brewery!

Here’s one for the my food cart fans!  Downtown Portland streets are, more often than not, lined with food carts every which way you turn.  They are like mini gourmet restaurants, but in less the space and at a fraction of the cost.  And for one night only, you will have the ability to not only take advantage of these amazing meals on wheels, but you can do it all under one roof and, (bonus!), it’s for a great cause.

Introducing!  Cart Night at the Ballroom: A Food Cart Fundraiser Event to Benefit Orphan Nutrition.  This unique event is sponsored by SPOON Foundation, a Portland based non-profit that focuses on orphan nutrition.  

The event is one week from Thursday. Starting April 7th from 6pm-9pm at the Village Ballroom, and here’s what to expect: 

-Amazing food sampling from several of the food vendors around town, such as  Food vendors include Namu Killer BBQ, Nuevo Mexico, Mum’s Kitchen, Pepper Box, and more!

-Beer from Breakside Brewery, perfect for pairing with the numerous food cart items you’re bound to try out.

-Live music, provided by Jesse Lee Young Trio

-Countless door prizes and silent auction items

Tickets are $45 in advance or $55 at the door.  Tickets include the price of all food. 

The best part is that ALL of the proceeds will go to benefit the SPOON Foundation.  Get out and do something good Portland, feed yourself and someone in need.

It’s spring time, and many of us are itching to get out and see the light of day again! Portland knows a think or two about the precipitation that comes with spring, but maybe you guys don’t realize that another liquid waits for you this spring as well!  If it’s one thing Portlanders know a thing or two about, it’s rain and it’s beer, which is why Portland Walking Tours presents their 2012 Beervana Tour.  

During the course of our year at 365 Things Portland, we’ve covered Portland’s famous bridges, running events, brew festivals galore, and others of this nature, but since this is the microbrew capital of the world, I thought we would bring the focus back to the yummy hoppy beverage that has this world drooling.  

Make no mistake, this is not a pub crawl, but rather a tour that focuses on the art and passion of the brewing process, with a behind the scenes look at a few of Portland’s pristine breweries.  During the walk, you will be able to get up front and personal with our city’s brewing craftsmen, and learn more about exactly what goes into each and every batch of beer.  Not to mention, you’ll be among the select few that get to participate in this particular kind of taste testing.  

The tour focuses on three of Portland’s breweries. At each, you will get a behind the scenes snapshot of ingredients and methodology.  The tour lasts about 4 hours and covers about 1.5 miles worth of easy walking (including some stairs).  

You must be 21 years or older to participate in this walking tour, and admission is $39 per person.  Call now to arrange your booking.  

Whether you are an Pale Ale or an Amber fan, Stout or Wheat, you are surely along for a magnificent walk through the famous beer culture, in our very own city of Portland.