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#FeastPDX

Living Locally: Feast Portland is Happening Soon

Feast Portland

If you live anywhere in the vicinity of Portland, Oregon I’m sure you’ve heard about Feast. If you haven’t… you need to. Feast Portland is a huge food celebration presented by Bon Appétit. It’s in its 5th year now and will be happening September 15th through 18th. The four-day festival was founded by Mike Thelin and Carrie Welch and showcases local culinary talent and Pacific Northwest ingredients alongside internationally recognized chefs, culinary professionals and industry leaders.

I’ve managed to score another media pass for the third year in a row and I couldn’t be any happier. I love attending the events, meeting new people, and walking away with some definite culinary inspiration. There’s a ton of mini events that make up “Feast”, as well as some main events that you definitely don’t want to miss.

September 5, 2016 0 comment

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A Recap of Feast Portland 2015

written by Melissa Kaylene

Feast Portland Recap #feastpdx #omgsmoked #ogbt

Last month (I can’t believe it’s been 4 weeks already!) I attended one of the best foodie festivals around: Feast Portland.

This was the second year I was given a blogger pass, and after the amazing time I had last year at Feast, I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to attend. Feast is made up of many events across 4 days; marquee events, hands on classes, dinners, and plenty of additional parties throughout, with proceeds going to a good cause.

October 20, 2015 1 comment

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Living Locally: Feast Portland Happening This Week!

written by Melissa Kaylene

You guys! I’m so excited for Feast Portland! It begins in just two short days! This will be my second year attending Feast, so I know just how much fun it’s going to be. I’ll be up there for a full day of events on Friday,Saturday, and Sunday! If you want to follow along catch me over on Instagram, and be sure to check out the hashtag #FeastPDX to see everyone’s drool-worthy pictures.

I wrote a little bit more in depth about Feast Portland a couple of weeks ago, in case you are wondering what the heck I’m talking about right now. In a nutshell it’s a four day food festival that celebrates Oregon’s bounty. There is hands-on classes, dinner series, grand tastings, tasting panels, – something interesting for everyone, and the best part is that Feast Portland donates its net proceeds towards ending child hunger in Oregon (and beyond) through Partners for a hunger-free Oregon and Share our Strength.

Most of the events have already sold out, but here are a couple with tickets still available. If you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend I honestly can’t think of anything better!

1. WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING SANDWICH INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY DAVE’S KILLER BREAD

This is the big opening event on Thursday night kicking off the Feast celebration! America’s top chefs will gather together in their quest for sandwich success. You can vote for the people’s choice winner, enjoy Craft Beers, local wines and creative cocktails.

2. FRIDAY & SATURDAY BOUNTY GRAND TASTING PRESENTED BY ALASKA AIRLINES

If you can only make it to one event during Feast Portland I think this is the one you need to check out. The Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting offers a huge variety of tastings – you can eat and drink until your heart is content as well as watch live cooking demonstrations.

photos c/o Feast

Remember, all events are 21 + and all inclusive! Can’t wait to see you there! 🙂

~Melissa

*All photos c/o of FeastPortland.com. I have been given a blogger/media pass in exchange for my coverage – no other compensation will be received. All opinions are my own. For more information on partnering with me on upcoming events email me at MelissaKaylene@gmail.com.*.

September 15, 2015 0 comment

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Living Locally: Feast is Coming to Portland!

written by Melissa Kaylene

Things have been so incredibly busy lately with my trip to New York that I haven’t had a chance to remind you of an amazing event coming to Portland next month! Feast Portland was founded in 2012, and this will be my second year attending this fun food event that is presented by BonAppétit. Feast a big celebration that is broken down into many smaller events, so it’s great because you can pick and choose what interested you. There’s Grand Tastings, Dinner series, hands on classes – but several of the events are already sold out, so if you are considering attending I’d buy your tickets soon. 🙂

August 19, 2015 0 comment

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Feast Portland in Photos: Day Two

written by Melissa Kaylene

Yesterday I shared photos from my first day up at Feast Portland , and today I’m throwing the rest out there for you. Saturday Wayne and I drove up to Portland to stay the night (it was sort of our post-anniversary celebration). Emma had her first soccer game of the season, so we didn’t get up there until nearly 2:00 pm – and I just had to show him around the Oregon Grand Bounty Tasting at Pioneer Square. I rushed him around to all of my favorites and then we sampled others that I hadn’t had a chance to try the day before – and then it happened: he finally had his first sample of Salt and Straw Ice Cream. If you are a local Portland-er you probably just gasped. Salt and Straw ice cream is only some of the best ice cream around, but to be honest I hadn’t even some myself until last year. They are famous for their unique flavor combinations, although their Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons sure can’t be beat. Wayne tasted their seasonal Apricots and Citra Hops and became an instant fan.

We had about two hours to browse around until we needed to check in to our hotel and get dressed up for our evening event: The Oregon Media Group High Comfort at the Nines which began at 6:00 pm, and I had also been invited to a media happy hour with some of the best Oregon wines around, which ran from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

For whatever reason I didn’t take a single photo over at the happy hour, but we were greeted by my new friend Marlynn from Urban Bliss Life and we introduced our husbands to each other. Then, in a room with less than 20 people someone called out Wayne’s name – one of his friend’s wife who was working at the event – and she just happened to have brought her husband along for the evening with her.

It’s a small world. sometimes.

As we sampled some of the best wines around (Some of my favorites were Hawk View Cellars 2013 Oregon Pinot Gris, Columbia Winery’s 2012 Syrah, and R. Stuart & Co. Winery’s 2011 Ana Vineyard Riesling), Wayne just happened to drum up a conversation with a couple of people and long story short ended up meeting the wife of a winemaker he used to work with a long time ago.

All in a room with like 20 people.

At 6:00 pm we headed a couple blocks down to The Nines Hotel for the big event.

We were greeted in the Champagne Room and handed a glass to enjoy. The Hama Hama Oyster Company served an endless supply for those who partake. ( I just can’t do Oysters myself), and Proscuitto di Parma was serving fresh slices to feast on.

We mingled in to the grand ballroom where the High Dinner was served. It’s not a sit down dinner, but a walk-around-and-mingle-kind-of-evening, while you sample fine wines and food from some of the most talented chefs around.

Unfortunately I ended up leaving my bulky camera at the hotel, so these photos don’t do the event justice. A couple of my favorite bites from the evening was a Flatiron Pastami with asiago and cacao from Chef Matt Christianson, Urban Farmer, and a Fried chicken and watermelon salad bite from Chef Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place.

Music was played and the room was filled with conversations – the only downside was all of the body heat – it was pretty toasty, and then I found the Hendricks Gin bar in another room dubbed the comfort lounge.

Photo c/o Urban Bliss Life

I met other Portland Bloggers and the photos started snapping as we all laughed and had a great time. Then before I knew it the clock struck 9:00 pm – closing time for the event, and we all cabbed over to an after party, where we were treated like VIP with limitless drinks, a caviar nacho bar (I seriously didn’t even know it was there until my Wayne told me the next day!), a massive celebratory cake, a Tillamook Ice Cream truck, even an on site tattoo artist inking up some brave people. (For the record Mom, I thought about it, but no, I didn’t). The massive party continued on throughout the night.

The ticket price for the High Comfort event is definitely on the more expensive side – it’ll cost you $175 out of your pocket, but for an all out, all evening VIP affair with the opportunity to meet and mingle with so many wonderful companies and people it’s an incredible experience – just make sure you’re staying the night in Portland because there will be no way you’ll be able to drive afterwards!

Feast Portland was everything I thought it would be and more. Mark your calendars for Sept. 17th-20th 2015 when the celebration returns!

~Melissa

*Full Disclosure: I was given a complimentary blogger pass to Feast Portland events in exchange for my event coverage. No other compensation was received. As always, all opinions are my own.

September 25, 2014 7 comments

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Feast Portland in Photos: Day One

written by Melissa Kaylene

I came, I saw, I feasted. I’m sure you’ve heard me talking about Feast Portland at some point or another over the past month, and this last weekend it finally arrived. I felt like one of the lucky chosen bloggers who received a blogger pass to attend many of the main Feast events. I’ve been to quite a few food events over the past year thanks to this little online space I’ve created, but I’ve learned that each event is slightly different and has it’s own vibe, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this time.

I got up bright and early Friday morning and headed up to the Urban Farmer for a media only breakfast. Every kind of tasty treat you could ask for was calling my name, and I had the most delicious eggs Benedict and cinnamon rolls around.

After my leisurely breakfast I checked in and officially got my blogger pass, then decided to tag along with a couple of my fellow blogger friends to check out the Yahoo Food Media lounge, since we had a little downtime before the Oregon Grand Bounty Tasting.

We arrived in between their breakfast and lunch setup, all provided by Imperial catering. I was still stuffed from breakfast, but I had to sample a few bites anyways. There were plenty of charging stations, overly-comfortable couches provided by Boys Fort, and a full bar (of course, right?) Out of all of the events I’ve been to, I have to say, Feast really did the best job making sure their media folks were comfy and happy!

After all our phones were charged we headed over to Pioneer Courthouse Square, where the main (and most affordable) event was held – The Oregon Grand Bounty Tasting. For $60 you could eat and sip as many tastings as you’d like from noon to five, which really is a terrific price considering! There were a bunch of local wineries and restaurants, seriously a little something for everyone here. There was also live cooking demonstrations that you could watch as well as some other fun surprises like USA Pears who did a little pop up restaurant which seated guests every 15 minutes and allowed people to sit around their bar and be served several courses to try.

And then of course there were photo booths for entertainment, this one thanks to Travel Oregon.

One of my most memorable bites definitely came from the collaboration of Salt and Straw with Cacao drinking chocolate. Cacao drinking chocolate was poured over a scoopful of Salt and Straw’s vanilla ice cream and topped with cookie crumbles and it was a match made in heaven.

After a couple of hours spent at the Grand Tasting, I headed over to the Red Star Tavern where I was invited to a media Washington Wines Tasting, where of course more delicious hors d’oeuvres were served. I seriously wasn’t even able to visit everyone, but I did sample a few wines from Woodward Canyon, Pacific Rim and Terra Blanca. I loved Woodward Canyon’s 2011 Estate Reserve Red Bordeaux Blend, and I had no idea that Pacific Rim made so many Rieslings – which have always been a favorite of mine. I sampled their sparkling Riesling and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. It was dry and really well balanced.

After I spent an hour meeting new Washington friends, I made my way back to the Yahoo Food media lounge where a happy hour was being served and even though I didn’t try everything, I had a plate full of some delicious morsels.

Many people continued their food celebrations on into the night with one of the many dinners around town or the USA Pears Night Market and all of the after parties, but I headed home around 4:30 to pick up the kiddos because Wayne was helping harvest grapes and hey, someone has to tuck them in, right? 🙂 Plus Saturday I was heading back up for more Feast celebrations and had decided to make a date night out of it with Wayne for our anniversary….and boy did I celebrate! Stay tuned for my Feast in photos: day two tomorrow!

~Melissa

*Full Disclosure: I was given a complimentary blogger pass to Feast Portland events in exchange for my event coverage. No other compensation was received and as always all opinions are my own.

September 23, 2014 6 comments

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Feast Portland

written by Melissa Kaylene

Things have been so incredibly busy lately that I haven’t had a chance to tell you about the latest food event that I’ll be attending soon! It’s right here in Oregon and it’s called Feast Portland. Feast Portland was founded in 2012, though this will be my first year attending this fun food event that is presented by Bon Appétit, Feast a big celebration that is broken down into many smaller events, so it’s great because you can pick and choose what interested you. There’s Grand Tastings, Dinner series, hands on classes – but, over half of the events are already sold out, so if you are considering attending I’d buy your tickets soon. 🙂

People from all over the country come to Oregon to celebrate Oregon’s Bounty, and Alaska Airlines has partnered with Feast Portland and is providing discounted travel to the event between September 16th – September 23rd (2014). Also, Oregon Wines Fly Free on Alaska Airlines! If you happen to buy a case of wine at participating wineries you can fly them back with you – free of charge! Believe me, there’s a lot of good wine around here! 🙂

I’m excited to be covering Feast Portland with a blogger pass, so you’ll be seeing a lot more drool-worthy pictures around here over the next couple of weeks! (Especially on my Instagram) – and I’m in the process of trying to get a babysitter lined up for Saturday night so Wayne can attend some of the events with me and we can have a date night / celebratory anniversary night!

Here are the events that I’ll be covering for Feast Portland:

1. Friday, September 19th : Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting presented by Alaska Airlines
2. Saturday, September 20th: Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting presented by Alaska Airlines
3. Saturday, September 20th: Marquee Event: Oregonian Media Group High Comfort at The Nines
4. Sunday, September 21st: Tillamook Brunch Village

Plus some other amazing media-exclusive happy hours and events.

One thing I love about Feast Portland though, is that it’s all for a good cause. All net proceeds from the event are donated towards ending childhood hunger in Oregon and around the country. In it’s first two years, Feast Portland has already raised over $99,000 for it’s charitable partners – Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign.

If you are looking for a break and a fun getaway for the weekend you should come out! There are many local area hotels that have exclusive Feast Portland packages, so you can get the most for your money. For more information about the event, check out their website: FeastPortland.com and while your at the Feast Portland don’t forget to tag your photos and tweets with #FeastPDX so we can all join in on the celebration!

~Melissa

August 27, 2014 1 comment