What to do in Portland

We will personalize this, but in the meantime, here's the link to the Portland Oregon Visitors Association.

For the Out-of-Towners

We're looking forward to having Friday evening to spend time with those of you we don't see regularly here in Portland, as well as take care of some much needed introductions! If you are coming from out of town for our wedding, we would love for you to join us for dinner on Friday night at the Paragon in the Pearl District. Please arrive between 6:30 and 7 pm, and send either Steve (smhoyt@yahoo.com) or Mandi (mandimcb@yahoo.com) an email to confirm your attendance, or call Steve at 503-475-8725.

The Paragon is located at 1309 NW HOYT AT 13TH street. It is accessible by the Street Car line which runs along 10th and 11th. Get off at Glisan Street and then head one block south to Hoyt and up to 13th.

The streets in the Pearl run in alphabetical order starting at Burnside (the street which divides NW & SW Portland) heading North, and then the numbered streets start at the river and grow heading west. Parking is usually scarce in the Pearl and there is a pay lot at 12th and Hoyt. If the weather isn't bad and you're coming from downtown, it would make a nice walk in about 20 minutes.

If you do still need to book a room, we blocked rooms originally at the following hotels, although our block has now been released. If you choose to stay at any of these, call them for current rates:

Hotel Monaco (formerly Fifth Avenue Suites) - downtown, easy access w/out a car, highly ranked, parking is expensive if you rent/bring a car. ($135/night under block)

Inn at Northrup Station (1-800-224-1180) - in a fantastic urban neighborhood, on a streetcar line, but a longer transit commute from airport. Parking is free here if you plan to rent/drive. ($129/night under block)

DoubleTree Hotel - Very easy transit connection, we're adding it because it's the only hotel in Portland certified for sustainability. It's just across the river from downtown in the Lloyd District. The MAX light rail is free from here to downtown. ($99/night under block)

Here's a couple more that we couldn't or didn't block but are great spots:

Kennedy School: Converted schoolhouse with pub, soaking pool, movie house and bars 5 miles from downtown in an artsy, mildly gritty neighborhood.

Ace Hotel: New budget hotel that has the hipsters swooning and has a great cafe and restaurant in house. It's on the Streetcar line, which connects to the MAX/light rail line (i.e., a fairly easy transit commute from the airport).

White Eagle: Rock-n-roll hotel, close to the wedding site. Cheap rooms with a bathroom down the hall I believe.

Giving - and the registrty

The unfortunate fact about most truisms is that they're used so much that they sound disingenuous when pronounced. For example: your presence is a great gift. It might sound trite, but we really, really mean it. Many of you are traveling from a long way away during a time it's not great to travel and to a place with not so great winter weather.

Our friends have inspired in the past with charitable donations in the name of the celebrated party. If you are inclined to buy a gift, we want to encourage you to consider a donation to two great Portland organizations that we believe in strongly.

Quest Center is a nonprofit integrative health center that serves people who are low income living with cancer, HIV/AIDS, mental health disorders and chemical addiction. It's a great community-based organization. Mandi works there and believes passionately in its mission.

Growing Gardens is a wonderful Portland nonprofit that addresses hunger issues by teaching and empowering low income people to grow their own food.

Lastly, if you want to purchase a gift, we are not above material desires. We've created gift registries at Kitchen Kaboodle, Crate and Barrel & REI.