Dave Knows Portland

Archives for March 2011

Tulip Fest 2011

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Tulip FestTulip Fest 2011 at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn kicks off Friday, March 25 and runs through Sunday, May 1 May 8th!

What, exactly, is a tulip fest? On weekdays it’s 40 acres of blooming tulips (and daffodils), a cafe, country store, farm equipment on display, Dutch sausages, and a gift shop. And on weekends you get all that, plus pony rides, a crafters market, Mexican food, wooden shoe making demonstrations, steam tractors, entertainment, and beer and wine!

Heather and I were pleasantly surprised last year at how much fun visiting a tulip farm could be. Check out her review, with lots of colorful photographs, at Mile73.com: Tulip Fest.

Various special events are scheduled on weekends during the festival run. Check out the Field Report for updates on the bloom and field status.

The festival hours are 9am to 6pm daily, and the address is 33814 S. Meridian Rd. in Woodburn, OR 97071 (directions here). Visit the Tulip Fest website for admission prices and additional details.

Portland Booze Blogging (2011)

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BoozePortland is home to a burgeoning spirits industry (there’s even a stretch of SE Portland known as Distillery Row), and there are numerous local blogs covering booze, local and otherwise.

Since I compiled my list of Portland booze blogs last year I’ve become aware of several others, and more have been born, so I figure an update is due.

Drink Spirits

Dedicated to helping you figure out what to drink next, the blog’s primary contributer is Portland writer Geoff Kleinman (also the man behind On Portland). As he notes on the about page, Drink Spirits is a spirit ‘agnostic’ site. All categories of spirits are considered and reviewed.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Writer and drinker Jeffrey Morgenthaler writes about bartending and mixology from Portland, Oregon. He reviews products, recommends books, and shares recipes and advice.

Tasty Libations

Amateur cocktail enthusiast Sylvan Thompson and avid cocktail taster Joy Keen produce this Portland spirits and cocktail blog. Their liquor cabinet puts all but the best-stocked bars to shame!

Liquidity Preference

This is the entertaining cocktails, coffee, and commentary blog of Portland based freelance writer, barista, mixologist and magician Jacob Grier. He writes mostly about cocktails and coffee, but also on libertarianism.

Cocktailia

This blog by Kenn Wilson promises classic cocktails, bar reviews, events, and more – and it delivers. A highlight is his cocktail recipes.

Imbibe Unfiltered

Imbibe is a Portland based magazine covering Liquid Culture. The blog is not Portland, nor booze-centric, but it does cover the local booze scene when warranted.

The Boozeniks

A couple of lively lushes who blog about craft distillery news, cocktail recipes and bottle reviews, from Portland, Oregon.

Bigscotty Drinks

If it’s a beverage, Scott Rogers will try it and review it. Though tea, coffee, etc. make appearances, spirits and cocktails are are major focus of the blog.

Bon Viveur

Brandon Wise, libation technician and Irving Street Kitchen‘s presiding barman, drops knowledge and shares stories of the bartenders life.

Bar Pilot

A Portland Monthly Magazine blog penned by John Chandler, who has developed an appreciation for a properly stirred cocktail, all manner of beer, smoky single malt scotch, and the odd moment of clarity.

Cocktail Werkshop

Artist and bartender Chris Churilla documents his cocktail and spirits research findings. His findings include recipes, events, and cocktail ingredients!

Colonel Tiki’s Drinks

Tiki fanatic Craig Hermann shares drink recipes, liquor reviews, Polynesian Pop discussions, chest thumping and proclamations.

My Life on the Rocks

Bartender, writer, and whisky enthusiast Lance Mayhew shares stories of his travels and reviews.

Daily Blender

Though mostly a food business blog, Daily Blender has a beer, wine, and spirits category and notably features the writing of Irving Street Kitchen‘s presiding barman, Brandon Wise.

Portland Spirits Examiner

Wine and spirit enthusiast Hoke Harden shares his expertise, experiences, and reviews.

No doubt this list is incomplete (though I’ve intentionally left off a few blogs that haven’t been updated for years) – let me know in the comments what I’ve missed and I’ll add it to the list!

March 21, 2009: Oneonta Tunnel Reopens After 61 Years

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Oneonta Tunnel in 2009The Oneonta Tunnel is part of the Historic Columbia River Highway, a 74 mile long road connecting the Sandy River near Troutdale to The Dalles. The road was completed in 1922. Two miles east of Multnomah Falls, the tunnel was carved out of the Oneonta Bluff lava rock in 1914.

An impressive feat of engineering tracing a stretch of astounding natural beauty, the Illustrated London News dubbed the new highway the king of the roads.

Cars got faster and trucks got bigger, however, and in the 1930s the highway’s usefulness was diminished. Work began to build a straighter and flatter road, which by 1954 stretched all the way to The Dalles. In 1948 the Oneonta Tunnel was closed and filled with debris.

In 1983 the Columbia River Highway Historic District earned a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Efforts to preserve and restore sections of the deteriorating road began.

In 2006 work began on restoring the Oneonta Tunnel for pedestrian and bicycle use. The tunnel was cleared of the rocks and the tunnel interior was re-timbered.

The tunnel re-opened to the public on March 21, 2009 with much fan fair.

Heather and I had the pleasure of visiting the Oneonta Tunnel the following weekend. For our first hand accounts and lots of photos check out Heather’s blog post: Five Hours That Kicked My Ass; and mine: Dave gets out of town: Oneonta Tunnel, Beacon Rock, and Walking Man Brewery.

Portland’s Stadium: The Many Lives of Civic Stadium (26-March-2011)

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Civic StadiumJoin Michael Orr at the Architectural Heritage Center on Saturday, March 26, 2011 as he presents Portland’s Stadium: The Many Lives of Civic Stadium:

From its earliest days as the athletics field for the Multnomah Athletic Club to its status as a dog track, football stadium, baseball field, soccer pitch, ski-jumping arena and nearly every other sport, Portland’s stadium has been a constant downtown presence for over 100 years. The stadium was built in 1926 and has undergone facelifts, additions, and name changes ever since. Whether known as Multnomah Field, Multnomah Stadium, Civic Stadium or PGE Park, amateur and professional sports have long had a home on SW Morrison Street.

Michael is managing writer and editor at the Portland startup FC Media, which is dedicated to documenting Timbers history. He is currently writing a history of the inaugural 1975 NASL Portland Timbers season. Michael also hosts the radio show mao’s Football, maintains a blog of the same name, and writes for the Timbers blog at The Offside and other publications.

The presentation takes place at the AHC (701 SE Grand) from 10am until 11:30am. Tickets are $13 for members, $18 for the general public. As many of these presentations sell out, pre-registration is recommended!

Update: Are you a 107ist member? Call 503.231-7264 to reserve a spot at the AHC member price.

March 20, 1947: Last Trip of the Sternwheeler Georgie Burton

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Georgie Burton (The Oregonian, 21-March-1947)By mid-century competition from the railroad, and later, paved roads and automobiles, spelled the death knell of Columbia River steamboat operations.

One of the last steam powered sternwheelers to regularly ply the waters of the Columbia River was the Georgie Burton. After 41 years of service, she made her final trip from Portland to The Dalles on March 20, 1947.

The Oregonian editorial page lamented the next day:

This page feels sentimental about the occasion for any number of reasons. For one thing, the boat, launched at Vancouver, Wash., on the day of the San Francisco fire, was christened for Mrs. H. L. Pittock, Georgie Burton being Mrs. Pittock’s maiden name.

The plan was to convert the Georgie Burton into a marine museum for a future waterfront park in The Dalles. Unfortunately a flood the following year tore her loose from her moorings and she was wrecked.