G-Love

G-Love is a vegetable-focused restaurant by Garrett Benedict located in Portland’s Slabtown neighborhood. Before moving to Portland, Garrett worked at the Michelin three-star Restaurant at Meadowood and the groundbreaking restaurant Ubuntu, which was the first vegetarian restaurant in the world to be awarded a Michelin star. “G-Love” was Garrett’s nickname growing up.

G-Love opened in 2019 and has become known for bold and bright flavors, a sunny ambiance and cheerful hospitality. Signature dishes include the Crusty Avocado (pictured right) and the Ensalada Bomba, which has 100 ingredients and is quite possibly Portland’s best salad.

G-Love is open for dinner daily and happy hour Sunday through Thursday.

More information: g-lovepdx.com

Photos by Sundae Cereal.

James Beard Public Market

James Beard Public Market will be a seven-day a week public market and culinary center in the heart of downtown Portland. The market has secured a building on Southwest Alder Street at Sixth Avenue — soon Portland’s “kitchen” will open just a block from “Portland’s Living Room” (a.k.a. Pioneer Courthouse Square). James Beard Public Market will be an anchor tenant in Portland’s renaissance.

The public market is named for James Beard, Portland’s culinary son, born (1903) and raised in Portland.

The James Beard Public Market will bring Oregon’s vast agricultural bounty and rich culinary heritage to the center of the city. This is a true public-private partnership with new energy, leadership and focus, on track to completion by the end of 2026.

Learn more at jamesbeardpublicmarket.com.

OREGON TRUFFLE FESTIVAL

For more than a decade, the Oregon Truffle Festival has been the leading voice for a burgeoning American truffle industry as well as an exciting culinary festival. From James Beard Award-winning chefs to truffle industry experts to food journalists and food enthusiasts, dozens of renowned culinary personalities and industry players participate in the Oregon Truffle Festival every year. It’s the only event of its kind in the country, and the foremost wintertime culinary event in the Pacific Northwest.

The Oregon Truffle Festival is a “party with a purpose,” a nonprofit organization promoting a burgeoning truffle industry in North America, and a collection of winter events centered in the Willamette Valley, our country’s only wine and truffle region.

More information: oregontrufflefestival.com

Photos by Kathryn Elsesser.

RED MOUNTAIN AVA

Red Mountain is a small but mighty winemaking region in Washington’s Yakima Valley. It is a premier winegrowing region with a storied reputation for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends.

A combination of elements contribute to the premium fruit grown in this region, from its sandy, loess soils to its singular climate. Red Mountain is characterized by intensely sunny days and dramatically cooler nights—which help build complex flavors while retaining all-important acidity—and a swift wind that courses through the valley helps build powerful tannic structure.

Vineyards are the primary focus in this tiny AVA on the western edge of the Yakima Valley, which has the most dense concentration of top vineyards in the state. The region cultivates the most sought-after fruit in the state for wineries in Walla Walla, Woodinville and beyond.

Photos by Robert Holmes and Andrea Johnson for Red Mountain AVA Alliance.

For more information, please visit redmountainava.com

TEDxPortland

Established in 1984, TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design—three broad subject areas that are shaping our collective future. And the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. The TEDx movement is a local iteration of the annual TED event, held in cities all over the world. Portland, Oregon holds the largest TEDx conference in North America, bringing Ideas Worth Spreading to the Rose City.

TEDxPortland, a nonprofit organization founded in 2009, strives to host the most inspirational and educational day of the year—to bring a community together that celebrates people, partners, and place. In welcoming a multi-cultural audience who seeks a deeper understanding of the world, TEDxPortland believes in the power of ideas to change attitudes, perspectives, and lives.

Year 13 features a field of diverse speakers, from technologists and designers, to a psilocybin psychotherapist and a Paralympic silver medalist. Performers include a Grammy nominated rapper, a celebrated jazz musician, an illusionist, and more.

Tickets to the dynamic event on Saturday, April 26 are on sale now. Each ticket includes TEDxPortland’s award-winning event book, coffee and tea in the morning, an interactive lunch experience, and a complimentary post-event happy hour in Keller Park.

Learn more at TEDxPortland.com and follow TEDxPortland on Instagram.

The Love Shack

The Love Shack is new cocktail bar in Portland’s vibrant Slabtown neighborhood — the second venture of chef and restaurateur Garrett Benedict, who opened the vegetable-focused restaurant G-Love in 2019. Located at 1645 NW 21st Ave and adjacent to G-Love, The Love Shack opened in February 2024.

The interior is designed to transport guests to warmer climes, with a glittering Venetian gold plaster back bar and a hanging, palm-covered palapa floating over four cozy booths.

Central to the experience at The Love Shack is the service style: Servers navigate the space with sleek black steel bar carts, custom-designed by Garrett. The bar carts accommodate plates of snacks and drinks and are integral to facilitating a continuous cocktail party atmosphere with passed drinks and food.

The bingo-style menu includes Croissant Banh Mi (marinated pork, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro, sambal aioli), Oysters + Champagne for two (oysters on the half-shell, mignonette, mini champagne bottle), and a Milk Bun Reuben (pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss, rye  spice) Larger plates are available as well, including Prime Rib a la Sparkles. The menu is a collaboration with Executive Chef Andrew Lee. Andrew, who shares a history of working with Garrett in San Francisco, and was part of the opening crew at G-Love, brings his Korean heritage and San Francisco culinary experience to the table.

More information:

Photos by Sundae Cereal.

THE VINTAGES TRAILER RESORT

The Vintages Trailer Resort offers premier Airstream glamping in Oregon's famed Willamette Valley. Nestled in wine country, the resort features 36 fully restored and custom fabricated trailers. Travelers will find comfortable and creative floorplans and luxury furnishings in each trailer, as well as a variety of unique features on the property. Outdoor grills and complimentary cruiser bikes accompany all stays, with large outdoor soaking tubs included with the larger trailers. A welcoming General Store stocked with local and artisanal goods and libations provides on-site provisions. The outdoor pool, reservable Club House, and Fireside area with comfy lounge seating are available to all overnight guests. Additionally, The Vintages’ Tasting Passport program connects guests with discounted wine tasting and bottle purchases at a collection of local wineries and tap rooms and is now included in all overnight stays.

YAMHILL-CARLTON AVA

Yamhill-Carlton is a nesting AVA in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This horseshoe-shaped winegrowing region is distinguished by its ancient sedimentary soils, creating wines of character with an unmistakable sense of place. Wineries in Yamhill-Carlton are predominantly family owned and operated, producing wines that emphasize quality over quantity. Named for the two hamlets of Yamhill and Carlton, the region has become a destination for wine lovers, collectors, and culinary travelers alike. With its picture-perfect patchwork of higher-elevation vineyards, Yamhill-Carlton produces some of the finest Pinot Noir in the world.