Posts

Planning to visit Portland? Don't let any of these gems slip off your list:

Image
Also found here:  HTTPS://WWW.THRILLIST.COM/EAT/PORTLAND/UNDERRATED-RESTAURANTS-IN-PORTLAND-HIDDEN-RESTAURANT-GEMS BY MICHELLE UDEM AND DAN SCHLEGEL People in Portland love to talk about food. Specifically, they love talking about the same food. Over and over. So much so that, in the constant barrage of foodie-speak, reviews, and buzz, certain restaurants get lost in a sea of hype and repetition. Sometimes, the mark of a good restaurant has nothing to do with trends or what your foodie friend says you should be eating. Sometimes -- and this is wild, so bear with us -- the mark of a good restaurant is that it makes great food. These are the 14 most underrated restaurants in Portland. Fado Sunnyside What you’re getting: Peixinhos da horta and the sautéed shrimp Hidden in plain sight, Fado is the best-kept secret in Sunnyside, serving owner Nick Ross’ grandma’s traditional recipes that he came to love during his childhood days in the Bay. (He’ll be wearing a Giants hat, and

Back by popular demand

Image
Due to an uptick in requests for new blog posts, (I mean, it's only been like, two years) I'm starting this thing up again. You could say I'm starting 'from scratch', but that would only be true in one sense. Back to the point- this post is on 'From Scratch' but I'm going in a new direction. In the past two years, and perhaps even longer than that, I've realized that sustainability and environmentalism isn't reading or writing an article, or recycling, it's a way of life. It's an adaption of a mindset and habits. Thus, I'd like to focus my blog on a new concept- I propose "One/Day" or "One a Day", like the women's vitamin, but not in vitamin form. I'm going to post at least  one new thing I learn, discover, re-learn, or just want to share with you guys. There will be less of an emphasis on sustainability or green-ness, and more of an emphasis on a life pro tip to share. Less pressure = more creativity,

A New First: Bike Touring

Image
Last weekend, friends and I bike toured from Portland to the Salem area. In sum: Portland to Willamette Mission State Park Camp Ground, 50 miles Willamette Camp Ground to friend of a friend's farm, 20 miles Friend of a friend's farm to Beaverton Max station, 55 miles We left Portland Friday morning around 10am, just as the temperature crept on 80. By the time we made it out of the metro area, the weather was a solid 95 and dry. Can we get a breeze here? Alas, our only source of refreshment came out of our warm, warm water bottles.  Overall, it was a great first-time bike/camping tour. We made great time, didn't run low on water/food, and our bikes powered through just as smoothly as our quads. I would highly recommend the campsite, especially if you're camping via boat, as camp site fees are waived for the floaties.  Our first stop of the ride after climbing hundreds of feet. Morale was still high. The Butteville cafe/store! Our first offic

From a population of 8 million to a population of 590,000 + me

Image
I have in fact moved to Portland from New York City. A change- for which it was time- was desired and PDX has fulfilled this yearning for me. In case there's any confusion, the move was very much premeditated and not as abrupt as this post; I am now ready to officially officiate my move.  Though I made the coast-to-coast move in early June, it took a bit of time to settle in, including settling into my Portland blogging mode. One can't just move to a new city and start blogging without acquainting myself with my new surroundings, right? And waiting has paid off- I now have a variety of photos, a handful of opinions and am developing a more localized environmental-perspective. Friend's backyard chicken. After 5 long months of coddling and constant feeding, this little hen has started laying. Fresh eggs everyday, delish. Speaking of, since living here for about two months, I can already confirm that the suspicions, stereotypes, generalizations and labels of the

One More! New HGTV article published: The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America

Dear readers, I have one more "10 Best" article under my sleeve, and this one is "The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America." I love that I was able to write about alternative modes of transportation for HGTV online. It's a topic I am certainly passionate about, and I think there is significance to being able to reach a broad audience through HGTV's network and strong online presence. A lot of in-depth research went into these articles, and I interviewed some really awesome advocates and cyclers. The article is copy/pasted below, including a link to the published article on HGTV's website. If you're into slideshows, I would highly recommend reading the article directly on the site. M The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America http://www.frontdoor.com/buy/the-10-greatest-cycling-cities-in-america/pictures/pg518 As oil prices rise and it becomes increasingly challenging to fit daily exercise into our busy schedules, cycling as a mode of tra

New HGTV article published: The 10 Greatest Cities for Mass Transportation

Hello readers, The article I wrote on mass transit a few months ago is finally up and published on the HGTV website! It looks snazzy and is jam-packed with good information. Check it out, maybe your city made it on my list. A copy of the article is shown below, but I would highly recommend clicking on the link to read and view it as a slideshow. M The 10 Greatest Cities for Mass Transportation http://www.frontdoor.com/buy/the-10-greatest-cities-for-mass-transportation/pictures/pg519 Mass transit is making a comeback: In 2011, Americans took 10.4 billion trips on buses, trains and light-rail systems. Want to be a part of the mass transportation trend? Consider moving to one of these 10 cities with superb mass transportation systems. New York Metro Area The country's most widespread mass transportation system with a strong network more than 100 years old, New York City's mass transit services take commuters and visitors to all ends of the city, as well as its surr