Hello world!
Hello! I will be your all-access pass into the exciting world that is Oregon. I will be reviewing restaurants, activities to do in the Portland area, and popular tourist destinations to see if they’re worth the hype. Enjoy!
Sunday Swing at Stumptown Dance
I went to the Portland Lindy Society’s Sunday Swing event and it was not what I was expecting. It was a blast! But there are a few things you should know: first, dress up! It is either hosted at the Norse Hall or in the basement of the Melody Ballroom I know the picture on their website shows people in tights and stuff, definitely go on more of the dressier side of casual. Ladies think 40’s and 50’s dresses and skirts and only wear heels if you can dance in them. Vans or converse are great options but if you have oxfords, definitely wear them! Gents: wear anything from jeans and a v-neck or plaid shirt to slacks, a vest, and a dress shirt. Don’t be afraid to overdress because you will be happy that you did when you get there! It is $8.00 to get in or $6.00 with a valid student id. Don’t always depend on there being a water fountain so bring water- you’ll need it! They do sell water there for $1.00, but just bring your own, save a buck! Also, be prepared to dance with a bunch of people- they encourage you do to get better and you are going to switch about 10 times during the class portion. 7:00-7:30pm is the intermediate session which goes through a 5 week rotation of skills, 7:30-8:00pm is the beginner session, that I attended, and then 8:00-11:00pm is the free dance. It is a ton of fun and a good night out that is different from your run of the mill night out dinner and a movie. Here’s a link to their website in case you want more information! Hope you go, it’s a blast!
4 T’s Hike
I did this hike about 2 years ago, but don’t see how it could have changed too drastically. If you’re looking for a semi-easy hike that isn’t too far away, this is the one! It starts at the zoo (the trailhead is near the zoo) and the trail winds four miles up the the OHSU medical center. Then you take the tram (my dad and I refer to it at the Silver Twinkie, is that just us?) down to where you pick up the trolly and transfer to the train (or the max, but it is the fourth T so I am referring to it as the train in this post) which will bring you back to the zoo. Since you now have to pay for zoo parking and it is pretty steep, I would suggest parking at a different stop and taking the train to the zoo to avoid parking fees. The ticket for the train also works on the trolly so it is a pretty cheap day out (if you don’t park at the zoo) and there is a plaid pantry near the end of the trail so you can pick up some munchies but I would suggest bringing some sandwiches or mason jar salads to munch on on the hike. If you try this out, leave a comment and tell me what you thought! Thanks!
Swagat
Swagat is by far my favorite Indian food in the area, they currently have 3 locations: one in NW Portland at 2074 Lovejoy Street, one in Beaverton at 4325 SW 109th street, and the last in Hillsboro at 1340 NE Orenco Station Pkwy. I don’t know if the quality is the same between all 3 since I have only been to the Beaverton one, which I get to every chance I can take! Their Chicken Marsala is amazing, pieces of chicken cooked in a decadent cream sauce with the perfect blend of spices. Their Naan bread is quite delicious too, it is fresh which is nice. Their raita is traditional with a twist- there are onions and tomatoes as well as cucumbers in their delicious homemade yogurt which was very refreshing. I finished off the meal with some gulab jamun which is described as “a pastry ball in a honey rosewater syrup” and it was just that. The syrup was sweet and the pastry was cooked well, it was the perfect way to end a delicious meal. Their prices are very fair for lunch and dinner if you eat at the restaurant, or order one of their lunch boxes which comes with some of their chicken marsala, rice, naan, tandoor chicken, and curried vegggies. But I wouldn’t suggest ordering food to go for dinner, it is a bit on the spendy side. Their hours are fair, they serve lunch from 11:30 am-2:30 pm (they don’t serve breakfast) and they serve dinner from 5:00 pm-10:00 pm daily. If you’re looking for a good place to eat some indian food, Swagat is the place to go!
Moberi Smoothie Truck
I recently visited one of the most Portland establishments in the world- Moberi. For those who don’t know, Moberi is a smoothie cart that has two locations: one on N 23rd and one on Mississippi Ave. I visited the one of Mississippi Avenue and ordered a small Turtle Power which contained kale, spinach, mango, banana, ginger, apple, which was $5.25 for a small, which was 12 oz and I added Chia seeds for an extra $0.50. Now I know, it sounds absurd to pay $5.75 for a 12 oz smoothie, and you’re right. But you aren’t just paying for the smoothie, because you have three options when it comes to how it was made: you can have them blend it up in one of their electric blenders, you can have them blend it on one of their stationary bike-powered blenders, or you can blend it yourself on the bike! I decided to go the blend it yourself route because it seemed like fun. It was fun for the 45 seconds it took to blend the smoothie. But when I recieved my drink, I was less than impressed. The ginger was extremely overpowering which made it difficult to drink and it drowned out all of the flavors which would have otherwise been present. It was very similar to the drinks I make for breakfast in the morning, so their recipes aren’t really anything to rave about. All in all, I wouldn’t suggest going to Moberi because you can make the same smoothie at home for much cheaper. Save your money and take your bike for a spin and you’ll have a similar experience. You can go, but there are many other things to do in the city that are much more memorable and less expensive!
A Serves Portland 
