Straightaway Cocktails Archives

April 15, 2026April 14, 2026

Churchill Nines: Watch the Kentucky Derby at The Nines Hotel in Portland

Mint Julep, Straightaway Cocktails, flowers, and a horse for Churchill Nines.

Earlier this week I had a chance to stop in on the 8th Floor of The Nines Hotel to get a sneak peek at the plans for the inaugural Churchill Nines party in May. This is a chance to watch the Kentucky Derby, AKA “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” with a festive crowd under the light-filled atrium alongside the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Urban Farmer.

We tried a few of the scheduled eats, mint juleps were passed around (more on the NA option later), and I had a number of interesting conversations with folks there—on both the upcoming Derby event and some thoughts and feelings about the efforts in service of a vibrant downtown Portland.

April 13, 2026April 12, 2026

The Second Annual WasabiFest Returns To Portland

Wasabi rhizomes at the WasabiFest. — The wasabi rhizome.

Last year I attended the inaugural WasabiFest, which celebrated all things wasabi. There was a chance to try freshly-grated samples of the rhizome itself, get to know products made with wasabi, and there was even a wasabi-eating contest. And this year, it’s back! The second annual WasabiFest is Saturday, June 13. Here are more details about this awesome event.

September 29, 2025September 28, 2025

The Inaugural Portland Craft Chocolate Festival Is This Weekend

This coming weekend will be a chocolate-lover’s dream: The very first Portland Craft Chocolate Festival starts on Friday and goes all weekend in Southeast Portland. It’s a great opportunity to taste products and treats from local makers, vote on your favorites, and more.

November 27, 2024December 7, 2024

Win Big: Shop Small This Holiday Season in Portland

You may have heard of Small Business Saturday, which is one of the three big shopping days of the early holiday season (the others being Black Friday and Cyber Monday). But here in Portland, there’s a local effort to encourage shopping at small businesses in Portland for a month, from November 14 to December 15! And that would be the Win Big campaign from Small Shops Big Hearts, part of Bricks Need Mortar, which supports Oregon’s independent retailers.