PDX means Portland, duh!

(That was for Jay from Kansas. ATL, LAX, PDX, I mean, come ON! We're kind of a big deal...aren't we?)

So I've been gallivanting about town having a lot of firsts lately, here's the report card:

Clyde Common - One of Andrew's faves, Thursday night a bunch of my workmates and I headed here for a goodbye happy hour for Dennis and Emily. TEAR! We ordered stiff drinks to stave off the sadness. I sampled a sour bourbon&cassis number, (cassis=blackcurrant liquor from France) a Christmas-y gin&tonic&then some, and something called Breakfast of Champions, with calvados (apple liquor from Normandy, where I lived last summer). All these familiar French liquors got me feeling nostalgic and thirsty...guess they're living up to their rep as a 'European-style tavern.' Yum!

Embers - After happy hour came happier hour! Some of us headed to the oldest gay bar in Portland...I can't believe I'd never been before! Cheap drinks, free drinks (!), dancing and oversharing with coworkers=a win!

Christmas Ships - OK, not a first, but a Portland Christmas classic! Friday night we hosted the first of 2 parties chez moi to watch the Christmas ships parade. If you've lived in Portland for awhile, you should know about these (even if you don't)! Lots of great drink and good food and a random smattering of my mom's, my stepdad's and my friends and coworkers made for a nice night. This Friday (December 18th) promises to be an even wilder and crazier time, with at least double the guests and double the awesome! Swing on by if you'll be in Portland!

Portland Christmas Revels - Saturday night Hannah and her fam invited me along to the Christmas revels, a very unique, really cool, and totally Portland celebration of the winter solstice! Singing, a famous fiddler, Irish dancing, stag's horns, sing-a-longs, mummers, oh boy! I saw a guy with a wizard's cloak.

Hotel DeLuxe - After the revels, Hannah, Mike, Tone, Tone's friends and I headed half a block up to this snazzy little hotel for after-revel drinks. The doorman was falling down on his job, so the door kept getting stuck open, which, on a freezing night, is kind of a big deal. I couldn't resist ordering a cocktail called the Tennessee Williams, with bourbon and sweet tea-flavoured vodka, among other things. Hello! It was amazing, even though, as Hannah pointed out, it tasted of bitterness and disappointment. [ :) Theater jokes.]

Virginia Cafe - One of the oldest bars in Portland, even though they recently had to change locations (93 years in one place, just moved to across the street from the library in 2008), this was one of John Sugie's first suggestions when I asked him about 'must-hits' around town. Doug and I went to lunch there today and I had delicious chili, salad and cheesy bread, and a $3 Bloody Mary because it was before 2:00pm! Spicy, tasty and strong...everything a BM should be! :) Now that's what I call a good deal!