Mississippi Pizza Pub

Frigorific

by Joseph Streckert

Quick! How do you spell "frigorific?" How about with a few beers in you? Could you spell it then? Every Monday, the Mississippi Pizza Pub hosts an adult spelling bee, which is just like the spelling bees that you had as a kid, except the words are longer and drinking is encouraged. The place also hosts one of Portland's more elaborate quiz nights every Wednesday. There are, of course, questions about geography, music, history, movies, etc., but the proceedings are enlivened with the oc ... Continue

Ground Kontrol

Joystick Memories

by Joseph Streckert

Remember Joust? You know--that game where you play a guy on a bird and you're fighting other guys on birds? That one. At any point did you say to yourself, "Hey, this game would be a lot better with DJs and beer"? Yes? Well, Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade is just the place for you! Ground Kontrol is a retro gamer's dream: It's all here: Asteroids, Galaga, Centipede, and Ms. Pac-Man. There's Street Fighter II, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the huge six-player X-Men cabinet. Go upst ... Continue

Fats

British Brunch

by Angie Jabine

Dear Queen Elizabeth: if you want us to stop ridiculing your national dishes, you need to stop calling them things like Bubble and Squeak, Bangers and Mash, and Spotted Dick. These names all appear on the street sign for Fats, a British-style pub that's open for happy hour, dinner, and weekend brunch. And man, what a brunch! The Full English Breakfast packs enough calories to fuel a longshoreman, with two eggs any style, a slab of ham, sausage, baked beans, tater tots (hmmm...how British is that ... Continue

Bolt

Sew There!

by Angie Jabine

Sewing seems to be one of those skills that skipped a generation. Most of my friends who know their way around a sewing machine are either over 50 or under 30. The over-50s learned how to sew in Home Ec. The under-30s are learning how to do it from the Internet and craft meccas like Bolt, a Neighborhood Fabric Boutique. Bolt is on Northeast Alberta Street, and it fits the neighborhood’s DIY ethos like a hand-sewn bolero jacket. Its shelves of gorgeous fabrics cry out to be touched and measured a ... Continue

Hopworks Urban Brewery

A Guy Magnet

by Angie Jabine

If I were single and brazen enough to flirt with total strangers (and I'm neither, so don't get any ideas), there are two places I'd go: REI and Hopworks Urban Brewery. Both places attract active guys who care about the environment, don't mind having kids around, and are willing to pay a modest premium to support local businesses that share their values. I’m not in REI much (I'm well fixed for hiking gear), but the "HUB" is a regular haunt. Its onsite brewery makes all-organic beers with renewab ... Continue

Flutter

Treasure Trove

by Veronica Burden

Walking into Flutter is like discovering an old attic full of forgotten treasure. Proprietresses Cindy Rokoff and Kalaisha Watrous have an elegant, worldly aesthetic and know how to make the most of their space. Antique furniture hides beneath colorful textiles and stuffed pillows, while all manner of curiosities line the shelves and spill out of open drawers and suitcases. Many items fall into the moderate to expensive range, but there are plenty of affordable options, too: fake birds and p ... Continue