Just this past weekend I thoroughly enjoyed frolicking in Portland, whose ample cuteness and affordable delights further cement the West Coast as the best coast.  Though I did not enjoy the schizophrenic weather.  Seriously!  It rained, it snowed.  Occasionally the sun peeked through the carpet of gray clouds overhead, but then it would promptly resume raining/snowing.

If you haven’t been, Portland has a cozy feel that is akin in spirit to San Francisco.  It’s a land of mist and year-round layering and boots.  And its residents seem to be as nuts about bicycles, hipsters, coffee, and food (the slow/local/organic movements have a strong foothold) as any self-respecting SF Missionite.  Divided into quadrants stuffed full of lively neighborhoods and what feels like a microbrewery a block, there’s no lack of things to do, see, drink, and eat.

 

As I was staying in the heart of gorgeous Willamette Valley about 45 minutes outside the city, I only made it to Portland a few times, and I wandered primarily in NE, where a good friend of mine lives.  If you’re only going to experience one quadrant of Portland, NE is not a bad place to be.  Its main commercial corridors definitely remind me of home-sweet-home (The Mission), perhaps because North Mississippi Avenue has its very own Paxton Gate, along with heaps of other quirky shops, including one that specializes in salt, chocolate, wine and bitters, and cut flowers (aka: life’s happy frivolities), and plenty of places to grab a quick or more involved bite.  As a matter of fact, I dodged a downpour by hiding out in Pix Patisserie for a good few hours, people watching; the barista charmingly offered to hijack an umbrella for me, which reinforced my impression that Portland service folk are much friendlier than SF service folk, who oftentimes seem to resent your very existence.  Everywhere I went (the sample is admittedly small), I was met with easy-going banter that the Midwesterner in me liked very much.

A definite food highlight was dinner out at Tasty n Sons, whose legendary brunch (biscuits!) makes it a real destination.  My party shared a series of small plates, including a standout arugula salad with blood orange, fennel, beets, hazelnuts, and chevre, as well as the meat and cheese board, which arrived with a tiny pot of raspberry preserves swirled with hot mustard–nice touch.  For a main course I enjoyed breakfast for dinner in the form of a warming red pepper and tomato stew with baked eggs and fragrant merguez sausage: a perfect antidote to Portland’s perpetual rain.

Other highlights include wine tasting in Willamette Valley, where pinot noir flourishes in its cool climate.  Called “a minx of a grape,” fickle pinot noir is a pain to cultivate, yet yields wonderfully delicate wine, hence its cultish following.  Oregon pinot noir differs significantly from California offerings, and it’s an ongoing debate as to which is superior.  I would like to have an Oregon vs. California pinot noir party and weigh the differences.  I’ll let you know how that goes.

Finally, because I don’t mind tooting my own horn from time to time, my friend Meg and I threw together delicious Asian appetizers for a small gathering, which gave us cause to rove the aisles of Filipino groceries.  Fun!  I spear-headed fresh Thai spring rolls and Meg masterfully whipped up Filipino siopao stuffed with chicken adobo.  After the guests arrived, all proceeded to nibble, imbibe, and lean into an evening of food, friends, and Oregon wine.

Special thanks to my parents for the Christmas generosity that enabled this trip, Meg and Peter for being such gracious hosts, and Megan for generally being a goddess.

The Fancy Food Show is an annual food amusement park of sorts that happens every year in San Francisco. You need a map, a good pair of walking shoes, and a tote bag for your take-home samples to make it through this massive culinary experience that takes up both the North AND South sides of Moscone Center.

Do you love yourself some salsa, bacon, flavored waters or gluten free crackers? These are all trends that were born here at previous Shows before they hit your favorite store.

Here are some noticeable trends that stood out on the show floor this time around:

There’s booze in my food!
 Food producers have realized that alcohol isn’t just for drinking anymore. They’ve found a way to spike your drink! There were micro-brewed beer, bourbon, tequila and chardonnay brittle candies (Anette’s Chocolates); champagne and wine infused teas (Republic of Tea), even dark, milk and white chocolates made especially to pair with almost any varietal of wine you could think of (Bridge Brands Chocolate).

A different kind of chip
Hummus, kale, falafels and lentils have now become some of the most popular snack ingredients, leaving potatoes out in the cold. These chips are a great change while still giving you that salty crunch chip lovers crave. They’re also a bit healthier and most are even gluten-free. I’m most impressed with the lentil chips because you wouldn’t know you were eating a snack made out of this legume unless you saw the package. I’m a die-hard potato chip lover and I loved these crispy alternatives.

Gourmet, artisan ice creams
 All natural, organic, gelatos and novelty ice creams were in full force at this year’s show. Local companies like Three Twins and Bacetti, both Bay Area-based, were making strong cases for why they’re the next big thing in the freezer aisle. My favorite was Three Twins’ delectable Lemon Cookie flavor, made with lemon ice cream and vanilla cream sandwich cookies.

Retro candies
 Think big huge swirly lollipops, licorice, hard candies and ones that remind you of an old school candy shop. These are the candies retailers are trying to get you to buy. Given that the economy is still on the skids, they’re wanting you to turn to that piece of retro candy to remind you of a simpler, happier time in your childhood. It’s the new comfort food.

Cheese please
 Whether it’s from Europe, California or Wisconsin, goat, sheep or cow, cheese has got to be one of the most popular items at this show, and there’s certainly no shortage of it. One company I always make a point to visit every year is locally produced, Cypress Grove Chevre. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese (which admittedly, I wasn’t at first), one taste of their Midnight Moon variety might just change your mind.

Reporting by: Elaine, virgoblue.net

 

To celebrate the new year, I embarked upon an epic bar crawl spanning the city (Haight -> Richmond -> Marina  -> North Beach -> Chinatown).  On bicycle.  Kind of a crazytown undertaking on NYE, but it made for an exhilarating start to 2012. By its conclusion, I could feel San Francisco literally coursing through my veins.  Stops included:

• The Alembic.  We expected this place to be packed, but it proved to be the calm before the storm.  The Gilded Lily is as delicious as it is classy.
• Buckshot in Inner Richmond.  Alcohol + taxidermy + ski ball = awesome.
• The Tipsy Pig in the Marina.  A sequin-y, mini-skirted circus.  I saw a girl puke in the bathroom for the first time since college.   We couldn’t even get a drink, it was so mobbed.
• The Embarcadero with hordes of bridge-and-tunnelers and out-of-towners for an underwhelming fireworks display.
• 15 Romolo in North Beach.  Charming and tucked-away with a nice Manhattan.  I’d like to go back for the Lambo.
• Li-Po Lounge in Chinatown.  This place has a slightly shady feel to it, but the Chinese Mai Tai is robust.  It’s totally insane–they pour like nine things into it.

I’d say that The Alembic  and Buckshot were the most pleasant stops, mostly because they occurred before total NYE madness ensued.  The Tipsy Pig was the most “socially interesting.”  Li-Po  the most bizarre.  All in all, it was a good night in this city that I love.