Four Things I Learned This Week (August 20)

Need a custom vegan cake? Ben & Esther’s, Portland’s own vegetarian (soon to be vegan, I believe) bagel shop, can make your vegan cake dreams come true. In their own words: “Need a custom vegan cake for your next event? We got you! Shoot us an email at info@benandesthers.com and let us know what you’re thinkin’!”

Blind Ox Fremont is closing. According to their Facebook page, they are closing their Fremont location due to “failed lease negotiations.” People are super bummed. Join them for a last hurrah at this location (their N Interstate location remains open) on Saturday 8/29 and Sunday 8/29 for $2 pints, $8 growler fills, 50% off packaged beer.

Delta dashes indoor dining hopes for Pip’s. The folks at Pip’s posted on their Instagram, “Our dining room is closed and we are offering to-go only. This will be our business model for the foreseeable future. It is frustrating, it’s not how we hoped things would go, but it is the reality.” We respect their decision and are grateful that they have made it through the COVID-19 pandemic so far! Their donuts and chai remain excellent, so go get some to-go.

Bee’s is still wholesale but you can find her stuff all over the place. Rebecca of Bee’s Cakes reminds us that they are still a wholesale bakery, but with definite plans to open as a cafe in the future (interior renovations continue). Meanwhile you can find her pastries at a lot of spots around town, including Sullivan Gulch’s Steeplejack,  Roseway’s Rosebridge Coffee, and Parkrose Heights vegan coffee house Jet Black Coffee Company.

Farewell Heim, Hello Bee’s Cakes and Cafe

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Photo credit: Bee’s Custom Cakes

Last week I saw the news about changes coming to Roseway’s Heim Bakery but wanted to see how the details settled out before I wrote about it here. Basically, Jennifer Plitzko is transitioning out of Heim (“the winds of life are blowing [her] in a different direction”) and Rebecca “Bee” Powazek will be taking over the space as Bee’s Cakes and Cafe.

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The 42nd Annual Middle Eastern Festival in Portland Was Delicious and Beautiful

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Some of the delicious cookies and baklava available at the Middle Eastern Festival this past weekend.

Yesterday I made my way to the far east side of Portland to attend the 42nd Annual Middle Eastern Festival at St George Antiochian Orthodox Church. There was some great music, dancing, a gorgeous church, a silent auction, and, of course, plenty of good food, including a spit roasted lamb, glistening in the sunlight.

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