THE LOVE OF IVY » Oregon http://theloveofivy.com You look just like an Elvis from Hell Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:05:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Of Honest Ade, Wine-themed Hotels and new adventures in Yoga http://theloveofivy.com/2009/05/13/of-honest-ade-wine-themed-hotels-and-new-adventures-in-yoga/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/05/13/of-honest-ade-wine-themed-hotels-and-new-adventures-in-yoga/%#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 19:57:29 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=333 What a whirlwind. When I’m not penning CD reviews for Las Vegas CityLife, I’ve been partaking in a lot of wine tasting.

Yup, now that Spring has sprung (complete with copious rain showers) it’s wine season in Oregon. I attended the grand reopening of downtown Portland’s wine-themed hotel, the Vintage Plaza, along with the regional Yamhill-Carton AVA event, and the Portland Indie Wine Festival trade tasting. You should be pleased with about any purchase from the list of wines that make it into the juried Indie festival, I’ll compile my picks from both of these events shortly. There’s even another great, and affordable, tasting event this Sunday, May 17 at Dobbes Family Estate, but I think I’m gonna sit it out.

To give my palate a bit of a break, I reviewed the non-alcoholic Honest Ade Superfruit Punch and was very impressed with it’s luscious flavors and lack of syrupy sweetness.

And as for new ventures, my longtime friend, Nichole Taylor, and I are about to embark on a summer of Vino & Vinyasa, a series of one-day retreats that brings the restorative power of yoga to the outdoor beauty of Oregon’s wine country. Our first event will be held in conjunction with Left Coast Cellars in Rickreall, Oregon on July 11, 2009. Full details will be announced on VinoVinyasa.com shortly.

]]> http://theloveofivy.com/2009/05/13/of-honest-ade-wine-themed-hotels-and-new-adventures-in-yoga/%/feed 0 Springtime cocktail recipes and budget-friendly Oregon Pinot Noir http://theloveofivy.com/2009/04/23/springtime-cocktail-recipes-and-budget-friendly-oregon-pinot-noir/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/04/23/springtime-cocktail-recipes-and-budget-friendly-oregon-pinot-noir/%#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:15:01 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=313 I created two original cocktail recipes for my birthday, which I’ve posted on my Portland Drinks Examiner site. They are the Coconut Daiquiri Saketini and the Simple Fairy Tarragon Cocktail.

I’ve also been spending some of my free time visiting local wineries throughout the Willamette Valley, and I’ve compiled some recommendations for Budget-friendly Oregon Pinot Noirs priced at $25 and less.

]]> http://theloveofivy.com/2009/04/23/springtime-cocktail-recipes-and-budget-friendly-oregon-pinot-noir/%/feed 0 Sake knockout at Oregon’s SakeOne http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/25/280/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/25/280/%#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:25:08 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=280 moonstonesakeI visited SakeOne in Forest Grove, Ore. last weekend. The first thing I noticed is how many car washes there seem to be  for a small farming community. Then I sampled nine different sakes and almost forgot all about them. Check out my tasting notes, and I will also have some terrific saketini recipes available online soon.

]]> http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/25/280/%/feed 0 A to Z of Oregon Spirits http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/10/a-to-z-of-oregon-spirits/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/10/a-to-z-of-oregon-spirits/%#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:50:09 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=256 cofiaMy goal with this Examiner.com project is to post one item each day about different spirits created in Oregon, but I’ve discovered some letters are much more difficult than others.

So far I have covered absinthe, brandy and a coffee-hazelnut vodka named “Cofia.”

In the future, I’ll clue you in to the Pacific Northwest’s small-batch distilleries, various vodkas, rums, whiskeys and something I found called “Ullr.”

]]> http://theloveofivy.com/2009/03/10/a-to-z-of-oregon-spirits/%/feed 0 Fall in love with Zwickelmania http://theloveofivy.com/2009/02/09/fall-in-love-with-zwickelmania/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/02/09/fall-in-love-with-zwickelmania/%#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:23:44 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=188 On Sat., Feb. 14, 2009 Oregon’s breweries will launch the first annual Zwickelmania (named for the port on the outside of beer tanks that allows brewers to take samples). Participating Portland breweries include Cascade Brewing, Hopworks, Laurelwood, Old Lompoc and Roots Organic. Visitors will get a chance to meet the beer makers and go behind the scenes at Beervana locales not usually open to the public.

Read all about it at my Portland Beverages Examiner blog.

]]> http://theloveofivy.com/2009/02/09/fall-in-love-with-zwickelmania/%/feed 0 McMenamins Scotch Tastings http://theloveofivy.com/2009/01/02/scotch-tasting/% http://theloveofivy.com/2009/01/02/scotch-tasting/%#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:51:01 +0000 PoizenIvy http://theloveofivy.com/?p=97

One of my few regrets is that I was unable to write a column on single malt Scotch Whiskies before I left CityLife. I just found out that McMenamins is celebrating the new year (and these cold, winter nights) with three opportunities to taste these five fine offerings:

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
Glenfiddich 15 Year Solera Reserve
Isla of Jura 10 Year
Glendronach 10 Year
Laphroaig 10 Year
I adore oaky liquors and Laphroaig is one of my favorites. I love the pungent peat and the lingering smokiness of the smokiest Scotch around.

They are also serving these hearty appetizers:
Fivespice mini buffalo burgers with dried cherry compote
Lemongrass salad rolls
Scallop cakes with miso
Mandarin duck pancakes
Cardamom-spiced orange rice pudding parfait with caramel crème

Thu., Jan. 8 – Grand Lodge, Forest Grove
Wed., Jan. 14 – Kennedy School, Portland
Fri., Jan. 16 – Hotel Oregon, McMinnville
7 pm; $45, reservations required; 21+.

If I can scrape up the scratch, I’m so there!

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