Well this week has gotten interesting, hasn’t it? As you may know, my full time gig is working at Intel out in Hillsboro. So needless to say, Wednesday got a bit funky for me. After spending a few hours at the gym and grabbing dinner in an attempt to wait out the traffic, it appeared that was a lost cause. Google Maps still showed dark red everywhere with an expectation of 2+ hours home! My friend Rachel and her husband Alex were superstars and generously let us be unexpected house guests super late at night. So at least we didn’t need to sleep in our car!
Bûche de Noël Cake Competition This Sunday!
One thing I really love about the Portland culinary scene is how collaborative it is. From Alma Chocolates using Smith Teamaker blends, to popup dinners featuring multiple chefs all over town, you see the support everywhere. But who doesn’t also love seeing a great competition, right? That’s what makes shows like Top Chef so successful and fun to watch. (And side note, am I the only one who totally wishes I could be one of those diners during Restaurant Wars? Someone please tell me how you get that gig.)
Holiday Gift Guide 2016 + GIVEAWAY!
I’ve been doing this thing lately where I totally mess up the seasons. To give you one embarrassing example, when I was surprised by the cost of flights to Arizona this week, I actually said “is it because of spring training or something?” Oh wait, it’s December 1st. Definitely not. I’m not sure what happened but I think it has to do with the fact that 2016 has zoomed by.
Now, with Thanksgiving behind us, it is onto those pesky present-based holidays. I dig the holiday lights, the festive Christmas trees and of course all the cookies. But the present ideas is hard. If you’re like me, getting some suggestions is a much-needed stress reliever. As a food lover and celebrator of amazing local products and businesses, I’ve compiled my Top 10 food-centric Portland-based gifts to be giving this year, perfect for anyone on your list.