Travel Geek

Free Disney Dining

2011-07-09T18:21:00.001-07:00

Are you planning a trip to Disneyland or Disney World this summer? Contact me at 503-750-7651 to book this amazing deal! Booking deadline is August 27, 2011.

Free Dining Plan when you buy a Magic Your Way® Memories Package

The new Memories Package includes:

Hotel stay of 3 nights or more
Magic Your Way® Base Ticket
Disney’s PhotoPass® Photo Book so you can relive your vacation! Choose from a variety of layouts and page designs and customize with your favorite photos.
And more

Here's how:

Book May 2 - August 27, 2011
Travel August 28 - September 24, 2011 (blackout dates apply)

The return of Travel Geek

2011-07-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

While I owned and operated my own travel agency, I was hosting my blog on my own website. But now, I'm very excited to be a travel agent for AAA Oregon/Idaho. Therefore, my blog will return to Blogger. I've redesigned the website to make it a bit more appealing. Look for a mixture of travel tips and deals, combined with anything I think is fun and interesting.

Thanks for following!

Travel Geek

Alaska Airlines flying to Hawaii

2010-04-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Alaska Airlines has announced it will begin service to Hawaii on October 1, 2010. They will also begin non-stop flights from Portland to Honolulu on September 20, 2010. This is great news, and to celebrate, they are offering introductory specials. Please contact me if you're interested in booking a trip!

Between San Diego and Maui

Travel valid October 1, 2010 - February 11, 2011

159

one way

Between Portland and Honolulu

Travel valid September 20, 2010 - February 11, 2011

159

one way

Between Portland and Kona

Travel valid November 12, 2010 - February 11, 2011

159

one way

Between Portland and Maui

Travel valid September 8, 2010 - February 11, 2011

159

one way

Pacific Pie News

2010-04-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pies are Here!

As you know Pacific Pie Company specializes in delicious savory pies...but did you know we have been secretly working on sweet pies? We are Pacific PIE Company, after all!

Each week we bake up a different selection of seasonal pies using fantastic Oregon fruit and other high quality ingredients. All of our sweet pies are lovingly handmade by our expert team of pie bakers - just like our savory pies.

Come in to the pie shop for a slice of pie and a cup of coffee, or pre-order a whole pie!

Check out www.pacificpieco.com to find out what sweet pies we have on offer.

Make Mother's Day Sweet

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9 - how about a lovely pie for your sweet mom (or grandma or nonna or great aunt or really any special woman in your life)? Choose from:

Rhubarb

Strawberry Rhubarb

Pear Crumb

Old Fashioned Apple

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Key Lime

Chocolate Cream

All pies $25 and serve 6-8

Please pre order by Wednesday, May 5 by emailing sarah@pacificpieco.com. Pies can be picked up at our shop on Saturday, at the Beaverton Farmer's Market on Saturday, or the Milwaukie Farmer's Market on Sunday.

Farmer's Market Season Begins

We are super excited for the opening weekend of the Farmer's Markets. We look forward to seeing many of our faithful customers, as well as introducing new folks to our savory pies.

Saturday, May 8 Beaverton Farmer's Market 8am - 1:30pm

Sunday, May 9 Milwaukie Farmer's Market 9:30am - 2:00pm

We are expecting a huge opening weekend, so we will be baking up a pie storm. The best way to guarantee that we have your favorite flavors is to pre-order your Bake at Home pies. Email orders to sarah@pacificpieco.com by Thursday, May 6.

Classic Beef $5	Beef + Mushroom $6
Beef + Stout $6	Creamy Chicken $5
Thai Green Chicken Curry $6	Golden Lamb Curry $6
Spicy Lentil + Coconut $5	Veg + Cheese Pastie $5
Spinach + Feta Pastie $5	Classic Sausage Roll $4

Shop Hours Are Changing!

Due to popular demand, we are now going to be open on Mondays!! We're also staying open a bit later each day, so you have more pie eating hours.

Starting Monday, May 3 we will be open:

Monday - Thursday 10am - 5pm

Friday 10am - 8pm

Saturday 10am - 5pm

Closed Sundays

Our shop is located at 609 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97214. We're one street below Burnside.

If you haven't visited us yet, come on in! We have a little cafe area where you can enjoy a hot pie, or you can stock up on some Bake at Home pies.

609 SE Ankeny, Portland, OR 97214 | info@pacificpieco.com | 503-381-6157

Sunday Night Guide to Portland

2010-04-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm creating a Guide of businesses in Portland that are open after 6pm on Sunday. If you are interested in being in the guide, or know someone who should be, please comment/email/tweet me the info, and I will make sure to include you!

A brief travel wish list...

2010-04-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

In the course of studying Hospitality & Tourism at Mt. Hood Community College, or doing research for Travel Oregon, or watching Amazing Race, or watching movies for film class, I discover new places on this planet that capture my imagination. Some of these places I really must see are....

Torres del Paine, Chile...specifically, the Hotel Salto Chico in Patagonia
Alvord Desert, Oregon, and the Frenchglen Hotel
Stay at the Avalon House in Dublin, Ireland
Take the sunrise bicycle tour down Haleakala Volcano in Maui, Hawaii

Portland Airfare Deals

2010-03-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some fantastic deals for travelers flying from Portland International Airport (PDX). Please contact me at angela@stumptowntravel.com for questions or to book your airfare today!

$344 R/T	Cancun (CUN)
$215 R/T	Las Vegas (LAS)
$319 R/T	New York (NYC)
$358 R/T	Miami (MIA)
$221 R/T	Orlando (ORL)
$817 R/T	London (LHR)
$283 R/T	Puerto Vallarta (PVR)
$1196 R/T	Paris (CDG)
$202 R/T	Los Angeles (LAX)
$946 R/T	Rome (ROM)

Get Paid to Eat, April 2010

2010-03-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Sensory and Consumer Group at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center is looking for participants for a taste test to take place on Thursday, April 15th. The taste test will be about 15 minutes and the compensation is $20.
Test times run from 10am to 5pm. If you are interested, please click on the link below to submit a questionnaire. If you are selected to participate, we will contact you via email by Thursday, April 8th, where you must confirm your intent to participate. We will then send you another reminder email the day before the test.
For those who are new to the email list, please note that we cannot contact everyone who sent in a questionnaire. You will not hear back from us for each test as each consumer will not be selected every time. We only contact those who were selected to participate and will be sending out those confirmation emails by April 8th.
Photo ID will be required to participate in this test.

Please forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in participating. Thank you!

https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/BsgSurvey2_0/main.aspx?SurveyID=3606

Consumers will be contacted ONLY if they are selected to participate. We do not accept walk-ins. You must have a scheduled appointment.
The Food Innovation Center is located in the River District/Pearl District area with free parking, close to the Chinatown MAX stop or the 10th Ave at Marshall Streetcar stop. We are about one quarter mile north of the Broadway bridge on Naito parkway (Front Ave.).

We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. If you have been confirmed for a space, but cannot make it for some reason and do not call to cancel at least 24 hours in advance, we will remove you from our email list. We work hard to get ready for these tests and need to count on our participants to show up. Thank you for your understanding.

Sensory & Consumer Department
Oregon State University
Food Innovation Center
1207 NW Naito Parkway, Ste. 154
Portland, OR 97209
p: 503-872-6672
f: 503-872-6678
consumer.info@oregonstate.edu

A Simple Question

2010-03-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this video on the interwebs, and I just had to share it here. Pretty amazing.

Fifty People, One Question: London from Fifty People, One Question on Vimeo.

Get Paid to Eat, March 2010

2010-03-05T10:02:00.001-08:00

The Sensory and Consumer Group at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center is looking for participants for a taste test to take place on Tuesday, March 16th. The taste test will be about 30 minutes and the compensation is $25.

We will also be holding three additional optional focus groups after three of the taste tests. These focus groups will take 45 minutes and will pay an additional $35. Test times run from 9am to 5pm. If you are interested, please click on the link below to submit a questionnaire. If you are selected to participate, we will contact you via email by Tuesday, March 9th, where you must confirm your intent to participate. We will then send you another reminder email the day before the test.

For those who are new to the email list, please note that we cannot contact everyone who sent in a questionnaire. You will not hear back from us for each test as each consumer will not be selected every time. We only contact those who were selected to participate and will be sending out those confirmation emails by March 9th.

Photo ID will be required to participate in this test.

Please forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in participating. Thank you!

https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/BsgSurvey2_0/main.aspx?SurveyID=3524

Consumers will be contacted ONLY if they are selected to participate. We do not accept walk-ins. You must have a scheduled appointment.

The Food Innovation Center is located in the River District/Pearl District area with free parking, close to the Chinatown MAX stop or the 10th Ave at Marshall Streetcar stop. We are about one quarter mile north of the Broadway bridge on Naito parkway (Front Ave.).

We have a 24 hour cancellation policy. If you have been confirmed for a space, but cannot make it for some reason and do not call to cancel at least 24 hours in advance, we will remove you from our email list. We work hard to get ready for these tests and need to count on our participants to show up. Thank you for your understanding.

This is kinda cool...

2010-02-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

I've been featured on the website for MHCC. If you want to check it out, follow this link.

New OurPDX Blog post

2010-02-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog post up at OurPDX, check it out!

The Lost Page

2010-02-21T17:51:00.000-08:00

To a Lost fan like me who works in an airport, the following page I heard today was amazing....here it is verbatim:

"Jack Shepard, Jack Shepard, please return to the ABC [concourse] security checkpoint for a very important left behind item."

Ocean Sciences invades Portland!

2010-02-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a VERY BUSY one at PDX. The 2010 Ocean Sciences Meeting is being held all week at the Oregon Convention Center, and I've been a very busy bee helping attendees find their way to various hotels throughout the city, pointing out things to see, explaining the Free Rail Zone, and giving restaurant recommendations.

Because people are travelling from all over the globe for this meeting, I began to ask people where they are from. I've been keeping a list, and so far I have met travelers from:

Australia
Brazil
Canada (Halifax and Victoria and Newfoundland, no less)
China
Croatia
England (including a professor from Cambridge!! Geek out moment!)
Estonia
France
Germany
India
Indonesia
Ireland (Go Irish!)
Italy
Mexico
Norway
Spain
Sweden
Taiwan
Tunisia
Ukraine
Boston, Massachusetts
California, Los Angeles
California, San Diego
California, San Francisco
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Minnesota
New Jersey
New Mexico
New Orleans, LA
North Carolina
NYC, New York
Washington, D.C.

They are staying in nearly every hotel in the city, from the Jupiter Hotel to Hotel Modera to the Benson, and many more. So if you see people walking around with poster tubes, say hello and welcome them to Portland!

Visitors from Taiwan.....via Santa Rosa, California

2010-02-19T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I wrote about the everyday things that happen at PDX, working as a Travel Advisor at the Oregon Welcome Center. I wanted to let you know that we now have email AND phone, so if you have any travel or visitor questions about Oregon, please feel free to email us at pdxstatewelcomecenter@gmail.com, or call 503.284.4620.

Today was one of the rare days where I get my favorite kind of customer. People who have never been to Portland, or Oregon, and who ask me all sorts of interesting questions. These are the people who really benefit from all the knowledge I've acquired from living here for 30 years, and express appreciation for my wealth of knowledge.

My customers today were three Asian ladies from Central California, right near where my mom grew up in Cupertino, California. We bonded right away, and they wanted to know everything I could tell them about what made Portland unique. That is my favorite question! I pulled out the Portland Visitor's Map, and we started talking about things while I marked everything on their map. Powell's...VooDoo Doughnuts...Mills End Park...Portlandia....the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Gardens in Washington Park. They wanted some good Japanese food, so I told them about SinJu. What about Korean or Vietnamese? Here I marked down the food cart pods and told them about Bahn Mi and KoiFusion. I looked up the phone number for Jake's Crawfish for them, and directed them to two of my favorite places to eat in downtown Portland: Kenny & Zuke's Deli and Clyde Common.

I also looked up the admission hours and prices for the Portland Art Museum and the Lan Su Chinese Garden. One of the ladies even asked about art galleries, so I showed them the Pearl District and 2nd Avenue, and told them about First Thursday for their next visit.

There is nothing a Portlander loves better than to gush for 30 minutes about all the things they love about their city.

Two Great Things: Portland & Chocolate

2010-02-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

Head over to this post on Portland Food and Drink, for an absolutely fantastic guide to all things sweet in the city of Portland. I'm particular to the chocolates at Cacao, because it's one of the few places where you can get really good drinking chocolate with a spicy kick, the way the Aztecs used to make it. Of course, JaCiva's is fantastic, and I am partial, since my sis-in-law is the cake artist there.

Get Paid to Eat, February 2010

2010-02-09T13:09:00.001-08:00

The Sensory and Consumer Group at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center is looking for participants between the ages of 25-55 yrs. for a taste test to take place on Tuesday, February 23rd. The taste test will be about 30 minutes and the compensation is $25. Test times run from 11am to 4:30pm. If you are interested, please click on the link below to submit a questionnaire. If you are selected to participate, we will contact you via email by Tuesday, February 16th, where you must confirm your intent to participate. We will then send you another reminder email the day before the test.

Photo ID WITH PROOF OF AGE will be required to participate in this test.

Please forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in participating. Thank you!

https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/BsgSurvey2_0/main.aspx?SurveyID=3500

Consumers will be contacted ONLY if they are selected to participate. We do not accept walk-ins. You must have a scheduled appointment.

Do you need to laugh?

2010-02-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

I mean really, really laugh? Then please, for you to enjoy..."Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing". The comments on this website have me laughing so hard, I have literal tears running down my literal face. And it's, sadly, so true! I once knew a girl named Ghenniphar (pronounced "Jennifer"....yeah, right!).

And about an hour after finding this website again, there were some kids running around the baggage claim level in PDX. Apparently, they were getting too rowdy, so the dad calls out to his little girl, "Kahkeenia!"

I've been talking about names a lot recently...I have a rule, no rhymes!! If I can think of a dirty or annoying rhyme in less than 5 seconds, so will a 5 year old, I promise you. Also, the shorter and easier to spell, the better. Having a unique name is one thing, but is it really worth spelling and/or pronouncing your name to others FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?!?

[Incidentally, I found it when I was reading my old blog, which is amazingly still active. Who knew? My last post was in 2006, so it's quite a blast from the past to read through it. If you're interested, it's at http://ladygeek.livejournal.com]

Shameless Commercialization

2010-02-07T18:20:00.000-08:00

I know this is so UN-Portland, but I just have to post this info for those of us who could really use a free breakfast.

Denny's Free Grand Slam Breakfast on Tuesday, February 9
6am until 2pm

Security AND Sustainability

2010-02-02T14:32:00.001-08:00

Monday, February 8th is Shred Day at the KGW Studios, 1501 SW Jefferson. You can bring 2 boxes of documents, which will they will shred and recycle. Shred Day will last from 530am until 7pm. For every 600 pounds of paper recycled, one whole tree is saved!

Be Mine: A Portlander's Guide to Valentine's Day

2010-02-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

Whether you are single or partnered, mushy or pragmatic, nothing can stop the fact that Valentine's Day will come. Some of us choose to boycott the "Day of Love", avoiding the Hallmarkey products and sweet confections like the plague. Others spend hours or days planning the perfect day for the one they love--food, wine, roses, silk pajamas, perhaps an evening in a swanky downtown hotel. However you choose to spend the day, here is a Portland Valentine's Day guide for everyone. Many of these events sell out quickly, so call soon (admission prices listed are for adults).

Events that Inspire Romance

"Be My Valentine" at the Oregon Zoo: 9am-4pm, $10.50. Valentine's themed enrichment given to animals throughout the day, including the sea otters at 11am and the hippos at 2pm.
"Seven Minutes in Heaven" at Portland Story Theater: Doors at 730pm, Show at 8pm, $12. An event of wine, chocolates, and stories of love and romance.
"Musical Valentines" by the Oregon Symphony at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall: 2pm, $14-$45. Family friendly.

Places that Fill you with Love

Valentine's Day Tea at Pix Patisserie in North Portland: 10am-4pm (Rez required 503.282.6539), $28. Also check out Pix's "Great Diamond Giveaway" for Valentine's Day chocolates.
Valentine's prix fixe menu at Carlyle Restaurant: 530pm-1000pm, (Rez required 503.595.1782) $65. Carlyle is sadly closing, and this will be their final dinner service. Enjoy a fantastic meal by Chef Jake Martin as another great Portland restaurant closes its doors.
"For the Love of Nigori" chocolate & sake tasting at SakeOne: 11am-5pm, $10. 15% of proceeds donated to Mercy Corps.
Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner at the RiverPlace Marina, catered by Portland City Grill: 4pm-11pm (Rez required 503.450.0030), a la carte pricing.
Valentine's Dinner at Farm to Fork, Inn at Red Hills in Dundee, Oregon: Two seatings, 5pm & 8pm (Rez required 503.538.7970), $50 ($75 with wine pairings included). Celebrate Valentine's Day in Oregon's wine country with Chef Paul Bachand's prix fixe menu. Valentine's package for two also available, contact Inn at Red Hills for more information.
Romance in the Cellar at Eola Hills Wine Cellars, Rickreall, Oregon: 6pm, 630pm, & 7pm (Rez required 503.623.2405), $99 per couple. All you can eat dinner catered by Simply Delish Catering, includes dessert, 2 glasses of wine, and live music.
Valentine's Day dinner at Altitude Restaurant, Resort at the Mountain in Welches, Oregon: 5pm-9pm (Rez required 503.622.2214), a la carte pricing. Chef Paul Bosch has created a special Valentine's Day menu, and post-dinner rooms are also available at The Resort at the Mountain.
Valentine's Dinner or Cooking Class & Lunch at Iorio Restaurant: Lunch 1pm-230pm, $50. Dinner 430pm-10pm (Rez 503.445.4716), a la carte pricing.
Oregon Pinot Noir tasting at Boedecker Cellars: 1pm-5pm, $10.
Valentine's Day dinner at H5O Bistro & Bar: 5pm-9pm (Rez required 503.484.1415), $39. Chef Nicholas A. Yanes has created a special themed prix fixe menu. A post-dinner room at Hotel Fifty is also available.
PortlandFoodandDrink.com has a great list of local hotels and restaurants that are offering Valentine's Day dinners and specials.

More Pragmatic, Less Romantic (and still fun!)

Chinese New Year at the Lan Su Chinese Garden: 10am-5pm, $8.50. Visit the website for a detailed schedule of events.
Chinese New Year Cultural Fair at the Oregon Convention Center: 10am-6pm, $6.00.
Portland Golf Show at the Oregon Convention Center: 9am-4pm, $10.00.
Yard, Garden, and Patio Show at the Oregon Convention Center: 10am-5pm, $11.00 day of show. The 14th is the last day of the show, and vendors typically offer dramatic discounts of their remaining plants & products in the final hours of the show.
Beer & Movie Fest 2010: Locations, hours and prices vary. Please visit website for further details.
Worst Day of the Year Ride, starts at the Lucky Lab Brew Pub on Hawthorne: 10am, $35. Treats and tasty beverages are including throughout the route, as well as a hearty lunch at the end of the ride.
Monster Jam at the Rose Garden Arena: 2pm, $20-$45. Because nothing says "I Love You" like monster trucks.

Vegan Bake Sale for Haiti

2010-01-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

Attention all Portland-area vegan's and vegetarians....buy some goodies and raise some money for Haiti!

SUNDAY, JAN. 31: Portland Vegan Bake Sale For Haiti
The city’s veggie clan raise funds on Sunday Jan. 31 with a big, vegan bake sale. People’s Co-op upstairs, 3029 Southeast 21st Ave. 2-5 pm Sunday, Jan. 31. There is a Facebook invite for this event here. All proceeds going toMercy Corps.

How would you celebrate 30 years?

2010-01-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

2010 marks an auspicious milestone in my life; I have been an Oregonian and a Portlander for 30 years. I've been mulling over this fact, and wondering what I could do to celebrate and honor this occasion. There are a few major Oregon locations I have yet to visit--Ashland and Crater Lake being the two biggies--and we are going to Crater Lake this September.

Please comment and tell me...What quintessentially Oregon things would you do?

Overheard in PDX

2010-01-24T17:36:00.000-08:00

Man on cell phone: "I don't care what they said, I paid for that f*cking color, and I'm going to get it!"

Girl at baggage carousel: "Really, who steps on luggage?"

Man in group walking by (about Faces of Oregon): "Look at all those faces that look so happy, they really fool you."

More Portland Haiti Fundraiser

2010-01-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hopworks Urban Brewery, a fun and funky brewpub in SE Portland, is donating 20% of their proceeds from Monday, 1/25 through Wednesday, 1/27 to help the relief efforts in Haiti. Show your support by visiting this great brewpub, which is also very family friendly!

And Beast is hosting two benefit dinners, 1/26 and 2/2. Connie Wohn of DJ collective Stylus503, Beast owner Naomi Pomeroy and the Beast staff donate their time and a pair of four-course French-Haitian-inspired dinners, DJs and a silent auction. Proceeds will go to Mercy Corps. 6 and 8 p.m. (repeats Tuesday, Feb. 2), Beast, 5425 N.E. 30th Ave.; $100; reservations (by phone only), 503-841-6968.

Pie, Pie, I love Pie...

2010-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

Today is National Pie Day. Don't you love living in a country where you can have an entire day to celebrate the wonderfulness that is pie? It makes me think of that wonderful scene in Michael, when Andie McDowell sings a song she wrote about pie, which ends with, "Pie, me-oh-my, I love pie!"

Here are some great Portland destinations to enjoy a delicious slice of pie.

Pix Patisserie - dessert lover's heaven
Bipartisan Cafe - fresh pies baked daily
Podnah's Pit - classic pecan pie
Hawthorne Fred Meyer - amazing bakery selection

Wedding Cake Master

2010-01-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

Travel Geek is pretty proud! Her sister-in-law is one of the best cake designers in Portland, and is featured in a TV segment from KPTV 12's show "Better". Check her out--diligently working in the background at JaCiva's--during this interview. She made every cake, and every single thing on every cake and cupcake shown during the interview. :)

Helping Haiti: A Portland Guide

2010-01-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, some of the women from Lifeline Christian Organization arrived at PDX. You can read their amazing story on the Lifeline website. I spoke with a few of the women, and the stories they shared with me were stunning. They helped deliver three babies....bound a young boys arm with duct tape....used all their food to feed the growing crowds.

It's hard to know why some things affect you more than others. For some reason, I have been deeply impacted by this week's events in Haiti. Though I haven't much money to give, I have been using every spare moment of my time to network with those in Portland who are doing what they can to raise money or collect goods to help provide earthquake disaster relief to aid Haiti. Use the comments to add any I have missed. Please, freely link to and repost this blog, and I will update as needed.

Willamette Week's Guide to Giving to Haiti
Multiple Food Carts donating tips and/or proceeds to Haiti
Huge List of Pearl & NE Businesses donating to Haiti
Jan. 19: Local Radio Station Haiti Radio-athon, 6am-7pm.
Jan. 20: 15% of tab @ Le Pigeon
Jan. 20: 100% of proceeds at Big Ass Sandwiches
Jan. 21: 25% of proceeds at Marco's Cafe
Jan. 21: Storm Large among other musicians performing a benefit concert @ The Aladdin
Donate Online: Medical Teams International
Donate Online: Mercy Corps
Donate via Text: Send "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross (one-time charge added to your cell phone bill, verified as legitimate, all cell phone carriers except Sprint waiving all related text fees)
Portland Haiti Relief Container Project
The plan is simple: fill a gigantic 40 foot long shipping container with as many basic needs items as possible, then send it to Haiti. Stop by Portland Foursquare church with your donations and look for a bright red receptacle the size of your house. Portland Foursquare Church, 1302 SE Ankeny St., 852.1635. 10 am-6 pm, Friday through Wednesday, Jan. 15-20.
Portlanders can bring any of the following items for the relief container:
- Plastic Sheeting/Tarps/Duct Tape
- Baby Formula
- Peanut Butter
- First Aid Supplies and Over the Counter Medications like Tylenol or Anti Bacterial Cream, Etc.
- Clothing: new & gently used, light weight
- Sport sandals
- Hygiene items
- Sanitary Wipes

Overheard in PDX

2010-01-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

"I swear, Portland has the smallest airport in the United States."

Clearly, you've never flown into Spokane, Washington. Or Boise, Idaho for that matter! I was once stuck in the Boise airport for ten hours, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. The entertainment included a single restaurant, and a small room with four video games, two of which were out of order. I think I spent two hours staring at the baggage carousels as they went around and around and around....

Get Paid to Eat, January 2010

2010-01-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Sensory and Consumer Group at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center is looking for participants between the ages of 25-60 yrs. for an Italian food taste test to take place on Wednesday, January 27th and Thursday, January 28th. The taste test is about 30 minutes and the compensation is $25. Test times run from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. If you are interested, please click on the link below to submit a questionnaire. If you are selected to participate, we will contact you via email by Wednesday, January 20th where you must confirm your intent to participate. We will then send you another reminder email the day before the test.

Photo ID and proof of age will be required to participate in this test.

Please forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in participating. Thank you!

https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/BsgSurvey2_0/main.aspx?SurveyID=3474

Consumers will be contacted ONLY if they are selected to participate. We do not accept walk-ins. You must have a scheduled appointment.

To unsubscribe from this list, please reply to the email and let us know to take you off the list. Thanks.

Sensory & Consumer Department

Oregon State University

Food Innovation Center

1207 NW Naito Parkway, Ste. 154

Portland, OR 97209

p: 503-872-6672

f: 503-872-6678

consumer.info@oregonstate.edu

Reason #217 why Portland is Amazing

2010-01-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

There is a barista who works at the PDX Starbucks that has become a favorite of everyone at the Oregon Welcome Center. To respect his privacy, we shall call him Jay. This evening, he was working a later shift than normal, and came over to say hello and tell me a story about his day. As a former Starbucks manager for three years, I admit that Starbucks stories still intrigue me.

Just then, a young woman walked up looking for help. She was staying at the Embassy Suites in downtown Portland, and she needed help finding the shuttle transportation. Most downtown hotels do not have complimentary shuttles, so we direct them to the Door-to-Door vans, which charge a flat fee of $14 to take you directly to your hotel.

Instead, Jay smiles and says, "I can take you down there. I live downtown, and I'm going home now anyway." She looked at him, and you could see in her face that she was trying to figure out if, a) he was sincere and b) he was trustworthy. I let her know that Jay is practically the mayor of PDX Starbucks. She finally agreed, and tried to give him money and offered to buy him drive-thru. He politely declined.

I handed him a downtown Portland map with her hotel location circled; he folded it so that section was open, and said, "Come on, between the two of us we can figure this out!" And off they went.

Amazing. :)

Portland Bridal Show

2010-01-11T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Portland Bridal Show is in town next weekend. January 16-17 at the Oregon Convention Center. For more information, including discount coupons, giveaways and prizes, visit the Portland Bridal Show Facebook page, or their website Portland Bridal Show.

Who needs pants, anyway?

2010-01-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

File this under "Keep Portland Weird"!

Portlanders drop trou for No Pants Day: http://www.kgw.com/news/Portlanders-drop-trou-for-No-Pants-Day-81106972.html

Working for the US Census 2010

2010-01-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a part/full time job opportunity? The US Census is currently testing for all positions.

Part-time and full-time temporary positions available!

Lister / Address Canvasser - $15.25/hr
Crew Leader - $16.75/hr
Crew Leader Assistant - $15.25/hr
Recruiting Assistant - $16.75/hr
Field Operations Supervisor - $18.25/hr

The U.S. Census Bureau is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Bilingual applicants, veterans and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply!

Please call 503-205-8370 or 1-866-861-2010 to find other testing sessions in your area. You can also visit the US Census Employment Page.

Bringing a resume to the Testing and Application Session is recommended, but not required.

Give Me My Money!

2010-01-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

You may have some cash floating around the State of Oregon and not even know it! According to the State of Oregon Treasury department, over $360 million is currently unclaimed. Want to find out if some of it is yours? Visit the State Treasury website, click on "Unclaimed property name search" and simply search for your name or business name. While I had none, a friend of mine found over $100 from old tax dividends.

Good luck!

Portland's Classical Chinese Garden

2010-01-05T14:20:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wanted to visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden, located in downtown Portland on 3rd & Everett, now is the time to do so. They are celebrating their tenth anniversary with special events throughout the year. The first event is ten days with free admission, which lasts until Monday, January 11. The Chinese Garden is open from 10:00am until 5:00pm daily.

To Vent or not to....Oh, what the Hell!

2010-01-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, Travel Geek just needs to vent. And this is one of those times.

Please, people, WHEN did it become okay to wear old sweat pants, pajama pants, and flannel OUT IN PUBLIC!?! I have seen so many people doing this today, and I just don't get it. It isn't just overweight people either, it's all ages and body types. It looks disgusting, and it doesn't make the people around you think very highly of you.

I have a job. I go to school full time. I have a family, and I have to fit in time with them and my friends too. And yet I make time to look nice every day. I wasn't always this way; I used to shower and throw on any old outfit, whether it matched or was unwrinkled was of little concern, brush a comb through my hair, throw on some powder, and enter the world. But now I know how important your appearance is to your success in this world. Especially in the travel industry, you never know when you could meet your next important networking opportunity. So I take time each day to make sure I look professional, not just presentable.

So please, think about that the next time you throw on those old pink sweatpants with the broken elastic waistband, and the stained peach t-shirt to go with it, because you want to be "comfortable" on a plane--you never know what great opportunities in life you are missing because people are repelled by your appearance.

Is Portland a "Big" City Now?

2010-01-03T21:55:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered that Portland has changed its street parking rules. Last year, they changed the evening cut-off from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, which means that Diane and I usually end up sitting in our car for ten minutes to wait out 7:00pm. We are season ticket holders at Portland Center Stage, and paying to park in a lot is a huge waste of money (unless it's First Thursday!).

Now, for the first time, Portlanders will have to pay to park downtown on Sunday. Parking meters must be fed between 1:00pm and 7:00pm on Sunday. Visit PortlandOnline for more detailed information on Portland's parking rules.

I'm sure these new rules were created to generate more income, but it seems that in the long run, that plan will drastically backfire. Downtown businesses--shops, restaurants, theaters, museums, and clubs--all generate more income on Sundays BECAUSE parking is free. As an eastsider, I know I am more motivated to visit downtown Portland on Sunday, because I know I don't have to pay to park. Why would I wait until 7:00pm on Sunday, when many businesses downtown are already closed?

Bad move, Portland.

Greeting the baby New Year....with babies.

2010-01-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight is one of those nights where the airport is filled with children. Some are cute...running around in the big open space of the baggage level, or playing hide and seek with a sibling. I handed out several of the Kid's Guide to Oregon, making their childlike faces beam with joy. Of course, there are also many children of the screaming baby variety. I know several people who have flown with infants, and only rarely is it a pleasant and uneventful experience.

Still, since I had some time on my hands, and I was in the mood, I updated our Baby Registry on Amazon.com. Fun times!

Slide Show of Beautiful Winter Weather Photos

2009-12-29T21:33:00.000-08:00

The folks on staff at the Oregonian took some stunningly gorgeous photos of Portlanders in the snow. Check them out...

Snow Slideshow

Bring on Snowpocalypse09!

2009-12-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

I made it into work tonight, despite the unexpected snowfall. I've spent the entire evening helping dozens and dozens of people...the busiest I've ever been! The traffic delays are 4 hours or more, and I've been helping people find alternate routes, book hotels to wait it out, looking at Road Cams on Trip Check, handing out free maps, watching updated traffic on Google Maps.

One of the best resources tonight have been the Tweets on #snowpocalypse09 on Twitter, and the updates from our mayor Sam Adams on @MayorSamAdams. Real time updates, especially road conditions and bus updates, have been invaluable.

MAX has been a real life saver for a lot of people. While the delays are huge on the freeways, the trains are running every fifteen minutes on-time. And since taxi drivers charge more when they have to drive in inclement weather, light rail has been the best option to bypass the snarls. I even helped a gentleman catch the Red Line MAX to Beaverton TC, and then ride the WES train to Wilsonville.

And did you know Hotel Lucia is running an end of the year special? $89 a night if you book by 12/31/09. Enjoy!

Are you a Hard-Core Oregonian?

2009-12-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

Those who know me personally know how proud I am to be an Oregonian. So when I came across this quiz, I jumped at the chance to see how much of a true-blue Oregonian I am. I was pretty amazed at how high my score was...a solid 41.

As we conclude the sesquicentennial, I think these questions are worth pondering -- for fun and edification. In this spirit, I'd like to offer what I call my Hardcore Oregonian quiz. Take it by yourself or with friends and family. Tally answers of "yes" to each statement and see how you rate. There is no passing score, but the higher the mark, the more hardcore you are.

1. I've visited Timberline Lodge.

2. I've picked blackberries.

3. I've visited Fort Clatsop.

4. I've sat around a bonfire on an Oregon coast beach.

5. I've visited the Oregon Country Fair.

6. I've seen a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

7. I've seen a Portland Trail Blazers game live.

8. I've attended a Civil War football game.

9. I've visited Bonneville Dam.

10. I've visited the Capitol building in Salem.

11. I've walked part of the Oregon Trail.

12. I've visited Crater Lake.

13. I've visited Multnomah Falls.

14. I've visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

15. I've visited the Wallowa Mountains.

16. I feel depressed when I see a fresh clear-cut.

17. I've hunted game.

18. I know where Celilo Falls used to be.

19. I've seen "Drugstore Cowboy."

20. I own some article of Pendleton Woolen Mills clothing or bedding.

21. I've read something by Stewart Holbrook.

22. I never drink bottled water.

23. I hate pumping my own gas when I visit other states!

24. I've returned cans and bottles and immediately bought more beer.

25. I've had a 10-minute or longer conversation about an Oregon microbrew.

26. I've visited an Oregon winery.

27. I've eaten pears or apples off a tree near Hood River.

28. I've tasted a hazelnut milkshake from Burgerville.

29. I know some of the lyrics to "Louie, Louie."

30. I know who Steve Prefontaine was.

31. I "know" a professional who uses marijuana regularly.

32. I've played Hacky Sack.

33. I know who said, "We want you to visit our State of Excitement often. Come again and again. But for heaven's sake, don't move here to live."

34. I wince when I see an SUV with a California license plate idling in the parking lot of a real estate office.

35. I've started and finished "Sometimes a Great Notion" by Ken Kesey.

36. I've read "Livability" by Jonathan Raymond.

37. I've read an entire book at Powell's while sitting in the coffee room.

38. I've run naked in the Oregon woods, desert or beach.

39. I've either fished for salmon or seen salmon spawn in the wild.

40. I've seen either a coyote, bear, deer or cougar in the wild.

41. I've ridden a bicycle in the past month.

42. I've climbed a tree in the past year.

43. I've attended the Pendleton Round-Up.

44. I've seen the Painted Hills.

45. I've visited the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

46. I've attended the Oregon State Fair.

47. I've either run the Hood to Coast or biked U.S. 101 or climbed Mount Hood or hiked all or part of the Pacific Crest Trail or surfed in Oregon's oceans or windsurfed in the Columbia River.

48. I've cut my own Christmas tree.

49. I've ridden in the Oregon City Elevator.

50. I never use an umbrella! *

Original Quiz from "Just How Hard Core of an Oregonian Are You?" by Matt Love.

The Insider Secret to a Better Flying Experience

2009-12-26T19:02:00.000-08:00

Those of us who work in the travel industry, particularly for airlines or in airports, are constantly amazed by how much the average traveler does not know. For example, not a day goes by when I don't have at least one person ask me for flight information, but they do not know the airline or flight number--"My brother is flying from Minneapolis and should be here at 6:06pm..."

In an effort to help share some useful knowledge that will make your life easier, here is a fantastic article, "20 Tips from Air-travel Insiders". Please to read and remember. Another great resource is "Straighten Up and Fly Right!"

This blog makes me a better person

2009-12-26T18:52:00.001-08:00

Brave New Traveler: How to Write a Better Travel Blog

He Got the Very Best Christmas Gift

2009-12-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

I received a lot of lovely gifts today; handmade earrings, a sushi gift certificate, a black New York hoodie that is actually from NYC. But I just helped a gentleman who received the best gift you can get on Christmas day. He walked up to the Welcome Center and asked if I could help him with directions to OHSU. I asked where he was from (Hood River) and how familiar he was with Portland (somewhat). As I proceeded to get out the Portland map and draw/write out driving directions to the OHSU tram and parking, he told me that his wife had just had a baby! Their first child, a son, was born on Christmas day. He looked shy and nervous but also very excited too. I wished him a Merry Christmas and Congratulations!

How the Weather Stole Christmas

2009-12-24T19:22:00.000-08:00

I don't mind working on Christmas Eve, but it is so hard to hear all the sad stories that are happening because of all the weather delays. Flights have been cancelled all over the country--there is snow in Dallas, ice in Denver, extreme winds and snow in Chicago. I thought Portland was immune, but the fog is now so dense that the planes can't land.

A group of three lovely Australian ladies and their mother are waiting for their father. He's a pilot, and has been literally hopping from plane to plane--riding in the jump seat--trying to get to Portland to celebrate Christmas with his family. He made it all the way to Seattle, and was on a Horizon Air flight from Seattle to Portland. The flight left Seattle at 5:05pm, but they had to turn around and return to Seattle because the fog in Portland is so thick. Now he's trying the jump seat on the United flight that lands at 8:34pm. For his family's sake, I really hope he finds a break in the weather and makes it just in time for Christmas!

I've been spending most of the evening helping people find hotel rooms. Another guy was coming home for Christmas after spending three years in Japan with the military. He at least made it all the way to Portland, but his flight to Medford was cancelled. The American Airlines flight to Dallas affected a lot of people, and the hardest was a young lady who had no money, who needed the cheapest hotel room I could find her. She was calling her mom in Dallas, trying to figure out a way to pay for the room. I was able to find her one for $48, and the reservation agent let the mom pay over the phone!

I hope the airlines work extra hard to help as many people find their way home for Christmas. I'm glad I was here to help so many people out.

Early Christmas gift: A Handmade PDX Airport Hotel Map

2009-12-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered that you can create your own maps using Google Maps. This is a very cool feature that I plan on taking full advantage of. I created my first map, "PDX Airport Hotels, Eats & Shopping". It should be searchable soon, but follow the link to view it until then.

View PDX Airport Hotels, Eats & Shopping in a larger map

What is a meal at Le Pigeon like?

2009-12-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

Here is the best review I've ever seen of Le Pigeon. It includes insightful and knowledgeable descriptions of the dishes, and great photos of each as well. For anyone curious about the kind of food Gabriel Rucker is putting out, this is a close as you can get without actually eating there.

Food GPS Review -- Le Pigeon

Overheard in PDX

2009-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

One sided phone conversation: "Which TV are you using?...You have to get the remote on the couch....are you on the blue screen?....Make sure it's on channel three.....now press Aux until you see a blue screen....I'm not sure what channel ESPN is, 35 maybe?....well, I guess you'll just have to watch the game in two hours when I get home!"

Hip girl walking with boyfriend: "Man, this airport is so cool! There are so many shops and restaurants, you are so lucky!"

Group of military guys: "How weird is it that we flew for free but our bags had to pay?"

Young male traveler: "Is Max the name of the guy who built the train?"

The Greatest New Law of All Time

2009-12-21T21:52:00.000-08:00

Effective January 1, 2010, it is illegal to talk or text on a cell phone in the State of Oregon. You may only use a cell phone while driving with the aid of a hands-free device. Driving while on a cell phone is a primary offense, meaning an officer can pull you over and ticket you without any other laws being broken. The first ticket will cost you $90, which additional occurrences increasing the fine.

This law is long overdue....as anyone who has ever driven near a driver on a phone can attest to. Please follow the law!

Why Gabriel Rucker is Amazing

2009-12-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Our new Travel Oregon video loop is FINALLY up and running at the Oregon Welcome Center. This article is a good summary of the videos--a group of segments where Chef Gabriel Rucker travels around the state to visit different food and beverage producers. If anything has to be playing on a never-ending loop at my workplace, I'm glad it's this. It will take a LONG time before I ever get sick of Chef Gabriel Rucker!

3 Unforgettable People in PDX

2009-12-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

Angela from the Bronx. She lives in Dallas, TX now, and misses NYC just as much as I do. Which is fitting, since we have the same name. Her accent gave her away immediately, and I pegged her borough within two guesses. We waxed poetic about Italian food in the Bronx, Chinese food in Flushing, and how friendly New Yorkers really are.

Alex the Vagabond Musician. He had flown in from a tiny town in New York, and was travelling to Portland because we had a more "happening" music scene. He was travelling with his old, beat up guitar, and when I asked what instrument he played, he removed it from the case and started playing me a song. For several minutes. He didn't have a place to stay, and wanted to know where the all-night scene was going on. I had the feeling he would have hung around all night, if I hadn't closed the Welcome Center and gone home.

The goat lady from Stephenson, WA. She was telling me all about project Heifer, which is a really cool idea! You can go online and donate livestock to needy families all over the world. She was happy that the weather was no longer freezing, because they had to carry over 60 gallons of water from their house out to their livestock...goats, cows, and horses. Did you know that goats can eat both blackberry vines and Scotchbroom? I love goats.

Why are New Yorkers so cool?

2009-12-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

New York City has always been like a second city to me. I feel like a New Yorker, though I've never lived there. When I visit, people think I'm a native, which makes me VERY happy. Because New Yorkers are cool.

Here is one great example of a cool New Yorker. Mark Malkoff--who caught my attention when he lived in an IKEA for a week--is going to prove how friendly New Yorkers are. How will he do this, you may ask. Well, tomorrow, Friday, December 18, he is going to attempt to have New Yorkers carry him from one end of Manhatten to the other. That's 13.5 miles!

Follow all the action on his blog, Mark Malkoff. And follow him on Twitter @mmalkoff
You can even call him tomorrow!

Other cool things to do in NYC:

When Hawaii meets Portland

2009-12-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

Every night, the flight from Hawaii lands around 9:30pm. It's always a hilarious scene to see people wearing shorts, flip flops, and leis walk out into the Portland night air, which lately has been hovering between 12 and 34 degrees. Only once have I seen a traveler prepared for this dichotomy; they pulled a pair of black sweat pants out of their carry on and slipped them on over their shorts. Brilliant!

The other night, a huge family of 30+ people, with adults and kids of all ages, arrived from Hawaii wearing sarongs and leis, and carrying fresh pineapples. I didn't have the heart to tell them that it was 9 degrees outside, with a 10 degree wind chill.

Tonight, two ladies asked for help finding a place to stay. They had flown from SLC (Salt Lake City) to PDX, with a connection on NW to Honolulu. The flight, of course, was overbooked, and they volunteered to give up their seats. Not only did they receive hotel vouchers from Delta, but an additional $300 as well. Of course, they are sleeping in rainy Portland tonight instead of warm Honolulu, where currently it is partly cloudy and 78 degrees.

Some great Hawaiian restaurants in Portland include:

Home for the Holidays

2009-12-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I saw two different miltary men come home for the holidays. Since both homecomings took place near my desk, I got to see all the hugs and kisses and excited family members. I overheard one say he was back from Iraq after being away for a year. I hope those families have the happiest of Christmases, as I'm sure they will.

Two friends accidentally bumped into each other walking through the airport. I'm always amazed when this happens in a large airport like PDX.

A young woman stopped by to gather up a bunch of brochures about Oregon. Her boyfriend is flying out to Afghanistan in a few days, and he won't be back for two months. When he returns, she wants to move to Bend and buy a home, so she wants to send him a ton of Oregon brochures to get him excited about moving to the state!

And I found out that I get to spend Christmas day with my family after all. :)

Why did I have to Change my Blog Title?

2009-12-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

I feel I owe some sort of explanation as to the sudden change in my blog title. As you can see from several posts ago, I was originally calling myself the Rambling Traveler. However, it seems that this website already exists and is flourishing. I tried several other combinations, including Watching People and Geeky Traveler, again all taken.

Then it occurred to me that I've been ladygeek for over ten years. I'm ladygeek, or a.ladygeek more recently, in any and all internet sites I use. I'm a proud Portland geek, so why not just call the blog Travel Geek? The name stuck.

In more PDX news, someone just picked up their bulldog from American Airlines (eventually I will post my feelings about travelling with pets). For now, let us just say that I've never seen a dog shoot out of a carrier more quickly, or cling to their owner more desperately.

Several more cancellations, including an Alaska Airlines flight from Orange County. Those larger flights are a huge pain to rebook. I feel for all these people trying to fly in from California tonight, a lot of weather delays and cancellations. The last check of KGW said that we could get up to 6 inches of snow or ice tonight. I stocked up on water in the fridge before I left the house, just in case. I've been meaning to get our Winter Weather emergency kit together--even printed out the list--but I need to make time to actually assemble it. Hopefully I can do that this weekend, before it's too late. I do know our flashlight batteries are all dead, but luckily I did stock up on candles.

Little Kids at Christmastime

2009-12-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

If you are ever feeling down, just hang around a two year old at Christmastime. There was a little boy on the MAX train to the airport today, and once he noticed me, he copied everything I did. Even when I poked my nose, he did it too. His parents were talking about shopping for Christmas gifts, and he was getting so excited listening to them.

It's just me tonight. There was a huge crowd when I got here...flights arriving from Alaska, Southwest, Continental and United. But it's amazing how so many people can clear out of the baggage claim level so quickly. Twenty minutes after the crowd forms, it's gone.

I just helped a married couple my age who came to Portland early (she has a business meeting on Monday) so that they could celebrate their 3rd wedding anniversary. Sweet! I let them know this is the perfect weekend for coziness, because of the bad weather headed our way. I recommended three great restaurants, Clyde Common for a casual meal, Higgins for the best tastes of Pacific Northwest cuisine, and Veritable Quandary for a romantic evening. They were so excited about the free light rail, and so happy that I helped them feel like they were a part of the city.

Already seeing some cancellations due to the weather. Horizon has cancelled flights to/from Eugene, SFO, and Vancouver, BC, and United has cancelled their flight from Medford.

A little kid, probably no more than 3, is walking down the terminal saying, "Star-BUCKS!" over and over and over....

How I Love the Irish & English

2009-12-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

It's hard not to smile when you're helping a charming British couple. But when I first met Jaimie and Laura, they were frazzled and desperate for help. They had been sitting in a pub in the airport and got lost in their conversation. Next thing they knew, they had missed their flight.

Instead of freaking out, they decided to make the best of it, and spend a few extra days in Oregon to go skiing. Enter Angela. I basically planned their whole trip for them. They gave me a budget they had in mind, so I recommended The Resort on the Mountain, which they loved. We called a few places, because Laura needed to rent a ski jacket and pants in addition to ski equipment. A friendly gentleman at Meadowlark Ski said that he had the hard equipment, but that the best option for clothing was the rental office at Ski Bowl. I marked the driving directions on the map for them, and attached all the post-it notes we had accumulated with information. They tried to tip me $20, which I refused, letting them know I get paid to help them out. They said thank you a million times, and that I changed an awful situation into a delightful adventure. They headed out the door to get a rental car, still thanking me.

Next, Tony and Alex came up with questions about what do to with the last sunny day tomorrow. They just moved to Portland a month ago. I directed them to this blog for the Portland Holiday Highlights, but also gave them our Scenic Byways brochure and recommended a day trip to Multnomah Falls. I showed them the scenic highway, and recommended some places I love in Hood River, such as Doppio Coffee and The Horse & Hound.

And now it is my final hour, and I need to restock the brochures for the evening.

Introducing...the Rambling Traveler

2009-12-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

I now work inside the Portland International Airport. As anyone who has ever been inside an airport knows, it's a great place from which to observe humanity. This blog will now feature my own musings, observations, and rambling about what's happening at PDX.

Here is my first rambling from last Friday...

‎Friday, ‎December ‎04, ‎2009. I should have brought a book with me, cause I am very very bored. It is SO dead tonight. I haven't helped a single person since Sarah left at 5pm, and the only people I've talked to are other airport employees. I'm so desperate for human attention, I yakked the ear off the poor cashier at Beaverton Bakery when I got my bagel for dinner!!

This would be an excellent time to write a book. If only I had a good book idea inside of me! I used to be a very prolific writer--worked for my high school yearbook all four years, worked for two years for a newspaper, and almost went to journalism school. When I was in high school, I said I'd have my first book written by the time I was 25. Clearly, that did not happen.

Perhaps I could write a new travel guide, and have it published and we could stock it at the Welcome Center. I shall call it, "The Queen of Portland's Guide to all things fabulous!" ...or maybe just "Angela's Portland Guide". Who is this Angela, they will ask? Well, she loves Portland the most, and knows all the nooks and crannies of the city, so her guide is super cool!

It only took me two minutes to write all that. Time............goes by..............so slowly...........

And it isn't even 7pm yet. 7pm is the slowest hour of the entire night. Hey, I just got to tell someone where the bathroom is!! Yay, human contact!! I'm looking out at the baggage level, and there literally is not a single person in sight.

Maybe I'll go get the brochures and do some stocking. That would give me something to do for a little while. Just my luck, when I go back there to get them, someone will probably come over here. But I'll never know. If only there was another door we could go through to get into the bagwell, such as between 5 and 6. But alas, there is only a fire extinguisher there.

A guy just walked by with a stuffed animal and a bicycle pump. Interesting.

Do you think anyone would be interested in the ramblings of a travel advisor? I could create a blog, and call it, "The random ramblings of a travelers mind" or "A travelers ramblings" or "Rambling Traveler"....ooooh, I like that! Subtitle could be, "Random thoughts from inside PDX International Airport".

And then I would just type stream of consciousness thoughts, much like I am at the moment, and people would read them and go, "Huh?" or "Cool!", preferrably the latter. Sometimes I imagine it would be really boring, but sometimes I could see interesting things, or hear weird snippets of conversations, and that would be fascinating. If only that happened more often.

The problem is we're located across from the baggage carousels of airlines that have very few flights. Yesterday I saw one Frontier flight and then the Hawaiian flight at 9:45pm. Otherwise, most of the people are down at 10 for United flights, or at 2 and 3 for Horizon and Alaska. Only once have I been here when a Jet Blue flight landed.

Awwww....some guy just ran into his wife's arms and gave her a ton of kisses. She said "Two weeks is too long!" and then ran her fingers over his chin. He said, "I shaved it all off yesterday." He was wearing a U of O sweatshirt. Wonder where he was for two weeks?

Hey, that was amazing....I finally got to help someone! A human person...a nice lady with Umpqua Investments who is spending the weekend in Portland for a holiday party. She's staying at the HI hostel in NW Portland, so I got to send her to McMenamins, Moonstruck Chocolates, and Powell's, Henry's Tavern for happy hour, and the Classical Chinese Garden. I encouraged her to visit the Ale Festival and see the tree and all the Christmas lights, and the festive window displays at Macy's and Nordstrom's. A very nice way to spend 20 minutes, good thing I didn't go get the brochures. If only more people like that would stop by!
Todd, the director of Travel Oregon, flew into PDX and stopped by to say hello. He's the third Travel Oregon employee I've met because they were flying into PDX. You definately see a lot of people when you work in the airport.

I had the most fun helping a gentleman who is in Portland to film a DVD. He wanted help finding iconic images of Portland. Not only did I show him all the iconic things to shoot--Made In Oregon sign, Hawthorne bridge with views of the Koin Tower, Wells Fargo tower, and the Rose Garden with Mt. Hood behind the Portland skyline--but I drew on the map the best places to park, and where to shoot from to get the best vantage points. He wanted to know about public art, and I showed him where Lovejoy, Forecourt, and Skidmore Fountains were. I let him know we have public art everywhere, that 1% of tax dollars funds public art, and to keep his eyes open! Very fun, he gave me his card so he can email me when the DVD is finished.
A guy from LA is up here for the very first time, and he's going to Eugene with a friend of his. I let him know that the Ducks just won a huge game, and that he will probably encounter many celebratory events going on all over town.

Portland Holiday Highlights

2009-12-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Here are Portland Holiday Highlights:

Benson Hotel: Huge Gingerbread Village, over 450 pounds.
Heathman Hotel: Grand Christmas Tree.
Pioneer Courthouse Square: 75 foot tall Christmas tree & Holiday carriage rides begin here
Macy's: Christmas window displays & Holiday carolers
Nordstrom's: Christmas window displays
Christmas Ships: Begin today, check Christmas Ships for the schedule and routes.
Tuba Christmas: Saturday, December 12 from 1:30-3:00 in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Free refreshments.

More holiday surprises around every corner!

Help your favorite college student!

2009-12-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

Angela DeHaven is currently studying to get her A.A.S. in Hospitality & Tourism at Mt. Hood Community College. Every Spring, the program takes an educational field trip, and this year the trip is out-of-region. We need to raise money to help pay our expenses to attend.

Please visit our fundraising website. You can purchase magazines or cookie dough (great gift ideas!) at a huge discount, and help your favorite college student at the same time!

Bravo Live! Tradeshow

2009-10-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the Bravo Live! Tradeshow on Wednesday, October 14: http://bravoevent.com/bravolive/

Hundreds of hospitality, travel and meeting planner vendors and companies will be represented, including a booth for the Mt. Hood Community College Hospitality and Tourism program. I'll be helping out at the booth from 3:30pm until the show closes at 5pm, so come by and say hello!

Tickets are free, just register at http://www.ticketsoregon.com in advance.

See you there!

Free Travel Show

2009-10-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

This year, I am enrolled in the Hospitality & Tourism program at Mt. Hood Community College. It's a great program, with a great instructor who is happy to answer any questions you may have. His name is Court Carrier, and he can be contacted at Court.Carrier@mhcc.edu.

We have created a blog for the Hospitality & Tourism program, and you can find the link on this page. Our next event will be hosting a booth at the Bravo Live! Tradeshow. The event is Wednesday, October 14 from 1100am to 500pm at the Oregon Convention Center. Tickets are FREE, and can be printed from www.ticketsoregon.com.

Portland Preview--Day Trip

2009-05-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

I recently created an intinerary for my own city, Portland, for a client who had a friend visiting Portland for the first time. Since they only had one day, I had to try to cover the major Portland sights, while making sure they weren't completely hungry or exhausted by the end of the day! Here is what I created for Portland, which is similar to what I plan for other destinations.

Portland Preview

Wear walking shoes!
Drive downtown and park in Smart Park at 10th & Yamhill
Take Streetcar to Powell’s Bookstore at 10th & Couch (Fare: $2 for all day)
http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/map.php
o Feel free to browse shops at Brewery Blocks
o Visit the Armory on 11th & Davis
o Have lunch at Henry’s Tavern (great food!)
Get on Streetcar at 10th & Couch and ride to 23rd & Marshall
o Walk on NW 23rd from Marshall up the Alphabet Blocks (Flanders is a good turnaround street)
o Shop! If you didn’t eat, visit McMenamin’s Rams Head on 23rd & Hoyt & Dessert at Moonstruck Chocolate next door!
o My favorite shop: Paper Source on NW 23rd & Irving
Get on Street car at 23rd & Marshall and ride to SW 11th & Taylor
Walk East along 11th to SW Broadway, walk left one block to visit Pioneer Courthouse Square
o Stuff to do: Shop! Macy’s, Nordstroms, and lots of cute little shops
o Photo ops: The Umbrella Man statue, the Directional sign, and the Berber Animals next to Pioneer Courthouse
Hop on Max at Pioneer Courthouse Square (Fareless!) and ride to the Skidmore Fountain stop
Walk West two blocks to NW 3rd Avenue and visit VooDoo Doughnuts
o This you must do at all costs to consider your trip to Portland complete!!
o My favorite: The Captain Crunch donut or the Mango Tango donut. Cannot be explained, you will see!
If you’d like to visit Chinatown, walk North on 3rd Avenue, crossing Burnside, and browse the shops and restaurants
Hop on Max and ride to the Galleria/SW 10th.
Walk back to car and relax, and figure out where to have dinner!
Top picks: Le Pigeon on E Burnside, Widmer Brewery on N Internstate, Le Hana Japanese Bar on River Parkway in SW Waterfront, or Tin Shed Garden Café on NE Alberta

Portland Rose Festival--Highlights

2009-05-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, it is already time for the Portland Rose Festival! For the first time in my life as a Portlander, the Rose Festival last three weeks, including Memorial Day weekend. Of course, Memorial Day is unusually early this year, but even so, the final day of the Rose Festival is June 6! I almost didn't make the fireworks this year because I didn't realize it was starting so early.

The weather couldn't be better to go outside and enjoy the carnival or see the parades. No one enjoys a sunny day more than Portlanders! So go outside and get your Rose Festival on! To help you out, here are some of the highlights of this years' Rose Festival events:

Events

If you are a veteran, you and your family can visit the Waterfront Village for free all day on Memorial Day! Valid ID is required.
The Starlight Parade starts at 8:30pm on Saturday, May 30.
The Grand Floral Parade starts at 10:00am on Saturday, June 6.
The Dragon Boat races are on Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7. Best views are from the Eastbank Esplanade. Races start at 8:00am.

Sweet Deals

Buy an official Rose Festival cookie box of chipper cookies for ONLY $2.95! Paradise Bakery & Café will give the Portland Rose Festival Foundation 50% of all proceeds during the festival, May 22 - June 7, 2009. And you get a 2-for-1 admission ticket to the Waterfront Village.
$2 ride day at the Waterfront Village is on Thursday, May 28.
Unlimited Ride Wristband day is Wednesday, June 3. $25 gets you unlimited rides all day. Maximize your time and come early!
As always, if you buy the $3 Rose Festival souvenier pin, you get a free admission ticket to the Waterfront Village.

For more detailed information, visit www.rosefestival.org. Enjoy the Roses!