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January 29-31: Chocolate Fest

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Chocolate Fest returns to the World Forestry Center (4033 SW Canyon Road) again this year, and even football fans can make it because it won’t be held on Superbowl Weekend (like last year).

I recently learned (via Twitter) that Choffy will be featured at the fest on Friday and Saturday, giving out Choffy samples. What is Choffy, you ask? It’s brewed chocolate. Basically cacao beans ground up like coffee, and brewed like coffee. I’ve tried some, and it’s nice! (I first heard about Choffy last summer when Geoff Kleinman blogged about his Choffy experience, and interviewed the co-founder, Jason Sherwood, at On Portland.)

Samples galore in the Chocolate Bazaar, seminars, and plenty of vendors hawking chocolate and chocolate related wares, make up the festival. Also visitors will get to preview The Chocolate Story exhibit, which officially opens at the Discover Museum on the premises on January 30th.

From its beginning as a potent and magical drink used by the Aztecs to its current worldwide popularity, The Chocolate Story takes visitors on an educational and fun journey with artistic text panels, videos, displays, and even the scent of chocolate wafting through the air.

The 5th Annual Chocolate Fest takes place the weekend of Friday, January 29th through Sunday, January 31 (open 6pm-9pm on Friday, and 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday). Admission is $8, $7 for seniors (62+), $5 for children. Parking will set you back $2, so that’s why you’ll take the MAX (which will set you back $2-$2.30).

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December 12: Holiday Booze Bazaar

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Whiskey!Really, the 4th Annual Holiday Booze Bazaar is the only bazaar you need – who doesn’t like booze?!

I know what I’m doing Saturday.

Hosted by House Spirits Distillery (2025 SE 7th) from noon until 5pm Saturday, December 12, their new whiskeys will be available to taste, and to buy.

We will be releasing 3 different whiskeys, all 100% malted barley:
-56.79% (cask strength) straight malt whiskey in 375ml (limited amount)
-50% white dog (unaged) in 375ml (limited amount)
-44.93% straight malt whiskey in 750ml

But that’s not all! The local shops below will be hawking their wares as well: Chop Butchery, Garden State, Imbibe Magazine, Jacobs Creamery, Joyas de Panama Cigars, Rogue Creamery, Xocolatl de David, Koi Fusion, Cellar Door Coffee Roasters, and Whiffies Fried Pies.

If you made it to last weekend’s Season’s Eatings at New Deal you get the idea. But this event has more food carts!

Admission is free, must be 21 or over. Hours are noon until 5. See you Saturday!

December 5: Season’s Eatings at New Deal Distillery

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SeasonsEatingsSeason’s Eatings, a local artisans food, wine and spirits market, takes place Saturday, December 5th from noon to 5pm at the New Deal Distillery and Tasting Room (1311 SE 9th).

Participating artisans include:

Xocolatl de David
Monteillet Fromagerie
Little Red Bike Cafe
Organics to You
Tails and Trotters
Cafe Velo
River Wave Foods
Nonna’s Noodles
Random Order Coffeehouse and Bakery
Black Sheep Bakery
Pacific Pie Company
New Deal Distillery
Patton Valley Vineyards

A benefit for the Oregon Food Bank, some of the region’s best chocolates, cheeses, wines, spirits, charcuterie, baked goods, and pasta will be available to sample and to purchase.

Admission is free with one non-perishable food item or cash donation.

Things to do in Portland on Superbowl Sunday

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Update: Click here to go to the 2012 version of Other Things to Do in Portland on Superbowl Sunday!

I’m not a big fan of American Football (Canadian Football, on the other hand), and I’m especially not a big fan of obnoxious and vapid television programming.

Superbowl Sunday is virtually a secular holiday in this country. The streets and stores will be empty for a few glorious hours, and America’s most obnoxious will be self-sequestered on hideous oversized puffy couches in front of their 65 inch TVs drinking absurd amounts of watery and sweet American-style lager and scarfing down Buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing.

On Sunday I will not be watching the Superbowl (there won’t be any good commercials this year anyway).

So what are some other things to do on Superbowl Sunday?

Where ever there might normally be a crowd on Sunday, you’ll find wide open aisles, tables, and venues.

I might go visit Samudra at the zoo, then retire to the nearby Forestry Center to check out the ChocolateFest (I’ll take chocolate over chicken wings any day!).

Or, perhaps I’ll be compelled to visit Ikea. I *hate* Ikea. But I hate a crowded Ikea most of all. Sunday, during Superbowl, all those obnoxious people mentioned above will be on their couches at home, so Ikea will be less hate-rendering than on a usual Sunday.

Or, maybe I’ll get out of town; head to the coast or the mountain.

Parks, museums, and pubs that don’t have TVs; they’ll all be almost empty too.

Really, the world is your oyster if you’re free from the clutches of the NFL and NBC on Superbowl Sunday.

February: the month of indoor (mostly) festivals

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I miss summer and fall in Portland; the fantastic street fairs, festivals (Beer, French, Greek, Mexican, Polish, German, and more), and Timbers matches. When every weekend provides so many opportunities for fun that even the most obsessive festival frequenter can’t contemplate visiting them all. But then we hit November like a wall, and for the next several months all we have to “entertain” us is the holidays and pointy ball. Bah.

But now that we’ve slogged through the holidays and much of the winter rain, and pointy ball season is finally coming to an end, the Rose City festivals begin to bloom again; February is Spring for festivals:

chocolatefest2008.jpgChocolate Fest

February 2nd-3rd
World Forestry Center Discover Museum

Chocolate! What else do you need to know? Vendors, guest lecturers, and, oh, only The World’s Largest Truffle!?!

chineseny08.jpgChinese New Year Celebrations

February 7th-10th
Portland Classical Chinese Garden

Celebrate the Year of the Rat. Activities include a plant sale, lion dancing, storytelling, and an art exhibit.

piff08.jpgPortland International Film Festival

February 7th-23rd
Various venues

You know the drill, get your tickets quick!

pdxjazz08.jpgPortland Jazz Festival

February 15th-24th
Various Venues

Too many acts and different ticket prices to list them all here, but that’s why they have their own website. The schedule page has the acts, venues, and ticket prices.