There are a few “kid” places I enjoy going to sans kids. For example, OMSI After Dark offers adults (21 and over) the opportunity to parade the museum kids free. Personally, I enjoy thinking about the miracle of life in the Life Science Hall, without the miracle of life obnoxiously bumping into me and screaming at every turn.

By the way, I love kids. There are just times I prefer not to interact with children not related to me.

The fourth annual Zoo Brew is around the corner. One can enjoy booze from the brew gods, enjoy the wilds of the Oregon Zoo, and listen to the local ska-rock music of the Crazy 8s.

On Friday, June 4, from 5pm until 10pm, join the animals and partipating breweries: Alameda Brewhouse, Blue Mountain Cider, BridgePort Brewing Co., Cascade Brewing, Crater Lake Root Beer, Deschutes Brewery, Double Mountain Brewery, Fish Brewing Co., Full Sail Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewing, Klamath Basin Brewing Co., Kona Brewing Co., Lompoc Brewing Co., Oakshire Brewing, Pale Horse Brewing Co., Redhook Ale Brewery, Seven Brides Brewing, Spire Mountain Cider, Trumer Pils, and Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.

If you really want to get sloshed, take the MAX, red or blue line. Get off at Washington Park and take the elevator up.

Tickets to Zoo Brew are $25 now or $30 at the door. Tickets include a commemorative tasting glass and 10 tokens. Proceeds this year will benefit the Zoo To You education program. Tickets can be purchased online. No kids allowed.

I’m a huge fan of Belmont Station. Their tap line up is consistently the most enjoyable in Portland.

Tonight they’re doing a tasting of a huge variety of Rouge Beers.

Here are the details:

6-8PM ROGUE TASTING. Taste the brand new Yellow Snow IPA & 2008 Santa’s Private Reserve, plus Juniper Pale Ale, Independence Fresh Hop Ale, Chocolate Stout, Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Morimoto Soba Ale, Brutal Bitter, Dry Hopped St Rogue Red, Track Town 200 Meter IPA, Track Town Triple Jump Pale Ale, & XS Imperial IPA.
Rogue Independence Fresh Hop Ale on draught.

To me the Hazelnut Brown Nectar sounds like a little slice of heaven!

Belmont Station is at 4500 SE Stark, it’s both a beer store and a ‘Beircafe’.

Belmont Station (4500 SE Stark St) is one of my very favorite spots for beer in Portland. It’s a great store and pub where the focus is on great tasting and unique beers.  In a move that shows the absolute difference between being a beer connoisseur and beer snob Belmont Station is having a Michelob Brewing Tasting on Wednesday September 17th from 6-8pm.

Here’s their blurb which speaks volumes:

We try real hard not to have an attitude. Sometimes it still creeps in, like when they told us the new line of Michelob beers are vastly improved and truly delicious. So we said bring it on. Let the people taste them. Here’s your chance to taste Michelob Porter, Pale Ale, Dunkelweisse, Amber Bock, Pumpkin Spice & maybe more. And take home 6 packs on sale.

Tastings are Free and open to all over 21.

I’m back! From a hopefully short-lived extremely busy time at both work and home and everywhere in between. And yes, I have some new exciting information for you. This will likely not be a surprise to most anyone, but Portland has come in as number 10 on Walk Score’s top 10 most walkable cities, with the Pearl, Old Town/Chinatown, and Downtown all being our most walkable neighborhoods. Looking through the other cities, all of the “most walkable neighborhoods” are in downtown areas, which seems to be a “well, duh,” statement to me, since, well… duh. Of course the more urban areas tend to be more “walkable” with the increase in amenities in a small area. Anyhow, iff you haven’t checked out your neighborhood’s Walk Score, fill in your address and compare against your friends’ neighborhoods. My own Center comes in with a score of 80 (with my more immediate area coming in with a 71/100 – very walkable, though for some reason the map does not see some amenities near my place, like the QFC on Burnside, but denotes some businesses incorrectly, like Commercial Refrigeration on Glisan as a restaurant). And in fact, I do tend to walk to a number of places in my ‘hood often. This is a fantastic tool for checking out other possible neighborhoods for relocation (also points out how many bars there are, whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you).

Speaking of bars, the boyfriend and I will be hitting up the Brewers’ Fest tomorrow at opening time. As these type of things tend to grow exponentially each year, I’m excited about trying all of the tasty wares, but I’m not too excited about the possible hours of waiting in line. If things look too bad, we may just head to Belmont Station to attend the tapping there of some kegs not featured at the OBF. Have I mentioned that I’ve been here now a year? My Portlandversary was on 7/15, and I can’t think of another place (within reason) I would rather be. ^_^