Lifestyle

Who doesn't love brunch? It's the perfect meal that satisfies both the breakfast crowd and the lunch crowd, that can be enjoyed all morning and into the afternoon. In most cities, brunch is the meal that is saved for weekend days - the days in which we can casually start our days a little later than normal and don't have to rush off to work or appointments. But, in Portland, brunch is so popular that many restaurants offer it every day of the week. In fact, brunch is such a part of life in Portland that the hit TV show Portlandia even titled an episode “Brunch Village” and filmed on location at various local brunch spots. There is also a website and book that serves as more of a fan page for the early morning delight. Breakfast in Bridgetown: The Definitive Guide to Portland’s Favorite Meal, showcases brunch and breakfast reviews, news and everything in between. One of our favorite spots for brunch in Portland is Tasty and Sons, where the menu changes regularly and is designed to feature seasonal, local ingredients.  
01 January, 2014
December 5th may not mean anything special to most people. But this day between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a day that should mean something to anyone who enjoys a glass of wine or a cocktail. After all, December 5, 1933 is the day that Prohibition was ended by the signing of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and when beer trucks rolled into Washington DC and President Franklin D. Roosevelt poured himself a Plymouth gin martini. This year, December 5, 2013 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of Prohibition, otherwise known as Repeal Day, and the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild organized their annual Repeal Day Ball to celebrate the occasion on Dec. 7.
19 December, 2013
Located 40 minutes south of Milan, the capital of the Lombardy region, is the town of Pavia, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe (1361). And, just across the river from Pavia sits the region of Oltrepò Pavese, which means just that. It is “on the other side of the Po River from Pavia”. Because of its rolling hills, it is frequently called the “Tuscany of the North” but although the Oltrepò Pavese is one of the largest wine producing regions in all of Italy, it is still fairly unknown, which makes it a great "off-the-beaten" path place to visit.
22 November, 2013
Milan, in the north of Italy, is famous for its fashion.  But, most people I know don’t see the point in visiting the city. I disagree.  On almost every trip I take to Italy, I find myself spending a day, or two, in this large beautiful city where I do a little shopping, of course, but also some exploring. Flying into Milan’s Malpensa airport, the Malpensa Express is a 29 minute train that costs only 11 Euro into the heart of Milan (Milano Cadorna station). Quick, easy and inexpensive, this is the best way to get to/from the airport. The next challenge is finding accommodations.  While there are many hotels in Milan, finding something central that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, but still has charm, can be a challenge. Instead of a hotel, renting an apartment or villa for a few days makes you feel like a local. Check out NovecentoCase, an agency specialized in renting apartments in city center, who partners with 5 Star Service run by Alejandro Mazza and Emotionphy Communication. They focus on finding private luxury villas that sleep between 1-6 people and include hotel amenities such as toiletries, robes and a concierge.
13 November, 2013
Think "Restaurant Wars" (a la Top Chef) for bartenders.  This year at Portland Cocktail Week, Bacardi sponsored a bar challenge. There were four teams made up of eight students each, a mixture of the different education majors at PDXCW. They had to create a bar, from concept to design to entertainment to the menu, in just 10 hours!
11 November, 2013
Have you ever found yourself searching for the perfect last minute gift (or any gift for that matter) or on your way to a gathering with nothing in hand? Or maybe you just want to congratulate a friend on a new promotion at work or support them through their latest breakup. Well, lucky for us, there’s an app for that! Originally started in Seattle, co-founders Brian and Ryan and their crafty tech team recently launched version 2.0 of the social media gifting app, Gratafy, and expanded its reach into the Los Angeles market.
04 November, 2013
For the fourth year in a row, bartenders descended on Portland, Oregon for Portland Cocktail Week in October. An event that is "for bartenders, by bartenders,"  270 students from across the country went back to school. Split into four majors: Advanced Craft Cocktail Bartending, Beyond the Bar, Bar Ownership and Product Development, each student was required to fulfill a core curriculum, classes in his/her major and electives. With my media pass in hand, I was able to audit the classes that interested me so I attended a number of courses under the Beyond the Bar major.  Here are some of the highlights of what was covered:
28 October, 2013

Located 40 minutes south of Milan in the Lombardy region of Italy and across the river from Pavia sits the region of Oltrepò Pavese, which means “on...

23 October, 2013
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