snarkyfern

The Doug Fir is a pretty unique venue because it's popular with such a cross-section of Portland. At any given show you can expect the hipsters who rarely see the light of day, the indie kids who want to grow up to be librarians, that really drunk guy who dances fast to all the slow songs, and, oh wait, is that your best friend's dad? And who's that standing next to you? Kayla from The Blow? Oh, yes it is.
The people watching is better than a lot of the bands they let play there. So don't show up on a whim and expect to be blown away. But if you know you love the band, it'll be a good show. Be sure get there early though so you don't have to stand on the wheelchair ramp. It's just awkward. Trust me.

There is such a friendly, laid-back feel to Artists Rep that when you walk into the lobby you sort of feel like you're going to see a production at your old high school. But when you walk into one of the theaters you can't believe how good your seats are no matter where you're sitting. Some seats are practically onstage. And then the acting is so on that you even forget you are so close that the actors could spit on you.

I love Mississippi Studios. It's so tiny that you have to bond with everyone there, including the band. I think they're remodeling so this may change some, but it feels like you're sitting in the coolest living room you could ever imagine with the musicians. It is getting more popular though and probably ready to break fire codes, so it's probably a plus that they're remodeling. Judging by the property, they don't have much room to expand, so it should maintain it's intimate set-up.

The hotel rooms are quirky and fun like you would expect, the main restaurant is the usual McMenamins fare, but the best parts of Hotel Oregon are the bars. One on the roof with a beautiful view of little McMinnville, and one in the cellar with no windows but great music frequently being played. Both bars have a full menu from the restaurant, but just a much better feel. This is easily my favorite McMenamins because of these two great venues.

Welcoming and Casual

I wanted to check out the Someday Lounge to see my favorite author--they host all kinds of great literary events and concerts. I couldn't convince anyone to go with me and everyone warned against me going by myself because it was a "sketch" part of town. Needless to say, I went, felt totally comfortable, and had a blast. The employees were super sweet and the patrons were awesome. I met some really interesting people (including my favorite author!) and enjoyed some good beer. Now I want to take my friends back because I think they would love it.
Only one caveat: it's really easy to leave your tab open and forget about it because the bartenders give you your card back. Meaning, it's easy to leave and not tip. Sorry, dear bartender! I hope you added the tip into the total!