Eating, Drinking and Sightseeing in Portland for #ESA2017

I am excited to welcome you to my home town and home state. The state, Oregon, has not changed much since I lived there 30 years ago. Most people’s dominant impression of Oregon is very tall, very green trees. But in fact it contains biomes ranging from cold desert to temperate rainforest and includes grasslands, oak woodlands, alpine tundra and several forest biomes. It also includes elevations ranging from a rugged rocky coastline to half a dozen permanently glaciated peaks over 3000m (most of which are active volcanoes) (and has 3 distinct mountain ranges). Portland has changed a lot more in those 30 years. It remains a laid-back, outdoor-oriented, tolerant, Bohemian, funky city. But it is more self-consciously precious (as satirized in Portlandia) and is way more crowded than when I was a kid and the traffic is now terrible.

The Willamette Valley (which includes Portland) at this time of year can have highs anywhere between 85º-100 º F (roughly 30-40 ºC). It will typically be fairly dry though, and despite the reputation for rain, from July-September rain is quite unlikely (the weather blows in from the desert to the east).

 

Orientation

I know this is probably pointless, and you’ll probably all blindly follow your cellphone GPS instead. If so, skip this section. But 5 minutes looking at an old fashioned map can make you look like a pro getting around central Portland and give you the joy of exploration and discovery. So …

The coordinate center of Portland is the Burnside bridge. East is divided from West by the Willamette river (which runs roughly north-south and rhymes with “dammit”). And North is divided from South by Burnside St, a major street that runs east-west. So downtown Portland which is south of Burnside and west of the river is in SW (southwest) Portland. The convention center is in NE Portland (although both downtown and the convention center are very close to the coordinate origin and so each other). Numbered avenues run north-south on both sides of the river, starting with 1^st Ave closest to the river and increasing in numbers away from the river. The streets north of Burnside follow the alphabet – so Burnside, Couch (pronounced “Kooch”, not like a sofa), Davis, Everett, Flanders, Glisan (prounced “gleason”), Hoyt, Irving and so-on. South of Burnside it is not so logical – you will find names like Taylor, Alder, Salmon, Yamhill, Jefferson, Madison (a mix of presidents and local place names). The convention center is at effectively NE 3^rd and Irving. So if you find yourself at NW Everett St and 5^th Avenue, you know you have about 8 blocks to walk east and four blocks north. Very approximately and only near the center of town,  there are about 20 blocks to the mile or 12 blocks to the kilometer (but google it – don’t blame me if something is further than this suggests). So in the latter case of 12 blocks to walk you would have about 0.6 miles or 1 kilometer to go.

There are a few exceptions. On the west side, 7^th avenue is named Broadway. And of course some of the biggest exceptions are right around the convention center. The convention center is basically at NE 3^rd and Iving (I street). So just to the east of the convention center should be east 4^th and 5^th avenue but they are called Martin Luther King (MLK) Ave and Grant Ave respectively. And the streets to the north of the convention center should be the L & M streets (Lovejoy &  Marshall) but they are called Holladay & Multnomah. But if you get at all south or west of the convention center where all the food is, everything is regular. In particular you should be able to walk across the Steel bridge (use a map or GPS the first time as the freeways make walking to the bridge a bit convoluted) and you will be right at NW 1^st Ave and Glisan street and everything south and west of there is well-behaved.

If you want to go running I would recommend Waterfront park (on the west bank of the Willimette – i.e. between W 1^st Ave and the river) from NW Glisan to SW Clay. Or run uphill from downtown to 23^rd and either Jefferson or Burnside (SW) to enter Washington Park with numerous trails up into the hills. Or take SW 6^th Ave south until it turns into Terwilliger Ave, a tree-lined parkway with a wide sidewalk which winds up into the hills.

Getting around

You can get to lots of good places if you are willing to walk a couple of miles round trip. If you don’t have time or energy, you will want to use public transportation. Similarly if your hotel is downtown rather than at the convention center, you can walk or take public transportation the mile or so to the convention center. Public transportation is generally excellent in Portland and comes in three flavors. Max is the light-rail, Portland Streetcar is the trolley cars, and the buses just go by the name TriMet. Max is your best bet between the convention center and core areas near the river. The streetcars run around the periphery a little bit but may be useful if you want to go further out in the Pearl district. Both Max and streetcars run right by the convention center. You can do almost anything on the buses too but simpler to stick to the street cars and light rail.

Both Max and streetcars (unlike the buses) operate on the honor system (i.e. nobody checks if you have a valid ticket, you just walk on, but occasionally inspectors will board asking for proof and hand you an expensive fine if you don’t have a valid ticket). A key change from the last time ESA was in Portland is the free zone has been eliminated. In 2012 you could hop on a Max downtown and ride to the convention center for free. This is no longer true! Because they work on the honor system, if you didn’t know you could hop on for half the week thinking the free zone still existed without being challenged, and then end up with an expensive fine. As far as fares, the best choices are to buy a ticket for one day (from machines on the platform or train), or buy a 7 day ticket (from the same sources). There is also a 5 day “book of tickets” but: a) it only costs $1 less than 7 day, b) the tickets are not validated when you buy them, you have to put one in a validation machine on the platform or train when you first start using it or it isn’t valid, and c) they’re only available at convenience stores, not the trains or platforms. There are also available one-way and round-trip tickets, but the one-day tickets seem more cost effective. So my recommendation is one day tickets ($5) or 7 day tickets ($26) The Max ticket also works on the streetcars.

You can find a convenient map of all the public transit in the core area to print out before you leave home or download to your phone at https://trimet.org/maps/img/citycenter.png or use their trip planner.

You can take the Max red line from the airport to the convention center or to downtown where the hotels are.

Beverages

Portland is justifiably considered one of the roots of the microbrewery movement (there were going concerns over 30 years ago). So I’m not going to particularly specify where to find good drinks. You can find them almost anywhere. Every restaurant will have several local beers on tap. And there are many microbrewers around. I believe this might have something to do with the popularity of Portland for ESA conventions 🙂 (Jeremy adds: check out yesterday’s beer geek’s guide to Portland!) Oregon is also becoming increasingly well-known for its wines (and this will only improve; climate change is going to move California’s Napa valley to the Willamette valley over the next 50-80 years). So similarly, you can find plenty of good local wines on every menu. Oregon specialties include the Pinots (Pinot noir, Pinot gris, Pinot rose) and Chardonnays (but no need to reject the local Riesling, Syrah, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Merlot, Gewurztraminer, bubblies, etc.). If you are really serious about wines, you will want to rent a car and drive west of Portland on 99W (heading out from highway 217). In under an hour you will drive past over a dozen wineries with local tasting shops.

Food

OK – I probably told you more than you want to know about getting oriented in the city. But here’s the point. If you just start walking around the convention center you are going to be disappointed. And if you only go by my list there will 5000 people divided by 10 restaurants. So you need to learn to forage for yourself! And the key is to go to one of the neighborhoods a mile or so from the convention.  In these neighborhoods you can pick almost anything at random and it will very likely be good (Portland has an active and competitive food scene) so broadly:

• Around the convention center – very sparse for eating and drinking. A few specific suggestions below but that is a high fraction of what is available. But by and large you’re better to walk a mile/hop on the Max to the west-side (across the river).
• Lloyd Center – one of the nation’s first shopping malls (still contains an active year-round ice skating rink). Head out of the convention center on the north east side of the center, and head east on Holladay St and one more block north to Multnomah St. You will be rewarded with typical mall restaurants. There are some sit down restaurants in the mall. And there is a large food court (a dozen or so fast-food-ish restuarants ranging from the McDonalds to fast-food Mexican, Chinese, etc.). The main virtue is this is a quick way to get a group fed for lunch without having to debate where to go for half an hour in advance (I’m sure regular conference goers have never had this happen to them!). Nothing special about the food, but they are accustomed to serving the business crowd and getting people in and out for lunch. Holladay Park is a block south of the Lloyd Center if you want to grab food from the food court and then eat it outside. Four years ago there was a crepe food truck in the park, but I can’t find any evidence of that now – might be worth checking out though. Easily walkable about ½ mile one way, or take the red, green or blue Max lines east two stops (Lloyd Center) and then walk north a block (the food court is on the 2^nd floor). Probably quickest option for lunch short of buying in the convention center or going to fast food immediately around the convention center.
• Old Town (NW between 1^st and 3^rd Avenues and Burnside and roughly Irving Streets) – mix of shopping and restaurants. Was the hippest area a decade or two ago so a bit more establishment now. Still plenty of good restaurants and very close to the convention center. Walk across Steel Bridge and head south or take the blue or red max lines south from the convention center.
• Chinatown (NW roughly 3^rd and 4^th Avenues). Not the most vibrant Chinatown in the US, but definitely a selection of Chinese restaurants in this area. I don’t have a specific one to recommend. Honestly, you’d probably get more exciting Asian food by heading out to the NE 30-50 Aves and finding lots of Vietnamese restaurants or out to Beaverton and finding lots of Korean restaurants (these both contain restaurants based in the ethnic communities living there), but these last two choices require a car/taxi/long ride on the Max. To reach Chinatown walk across Steel Bridge and head south or take the blue or red max lines south from the convention center and then head a few blocks away from the river
• Pearl District (NW roughly 4^th Avenue to 14^th avenue, Burnside to Irving Street). The hip place these days. Lots of old warehouses now containing offices and restaurants and apartments. Land in the middle of this neighborhood, walk a block or two and you’ll see 2-3 places you want to eat or drink. Walk across Steel Bridge and head south and west, or take the green or yellow max lines south from the convention center and get off at 6^th and Davis and head west, or the blue street car line on Couch and head east (take the red street car line back to the convention center – if you do the opposite you will take the very long circle all the way around central Portland)
• Downtown (SW roughly 1^st Avenue to 10^th Avenue, Burnside south to Jefferson) – where many hotels are located. Also tons of restaurants and pubs but also the skyscrapers. Will feel a bit empty in the evening. Also a bit more establishment. As you get further from the river (towards 10^th St), it will start to feel more lively, hip and like the Pearl District. Take the blue or red or yellow or green max lines south from the convention center, or the blue street car line (take the red street car line back to the convention center – if you do the opposite you will take the very long circle all the way around central Portland)

So be bold. Explore. But to get you started here a few restaurants organized by neighborhood. Not living in Portland anymore and Portland having a very active food scene, these recommendations are courtesy of my sister, Amy, who lives in Portland (although I have been to about half of these). Warning many of these are very popular restaurants and probably need reservations or a willingness to wait.

A handful of good restaurants around (=~1 mile) the convention center:

• Milo’s City Cafe — 1325 NE Broadway St (far side of Lloyd Center from convention center) – serves breakfast, lunch (also breakfast available until 2:30) and dinner – pastas, salads and meat – http://miloscitycafe.com/
• Produce Row – 204 SE Oak (Oak & 2^nd)- inside seating and patio seating – “laidback gastropub” . Went there in 2012 with a large group quite successfully (and could actually talk to people in the group) – http://www.producerowcafe.com/
• Altabira City Tavern – 1021 NE Grand Ave. inside the Hotel Eastlund just a couple of blocks NE of the convention center – has outdoor seating (roof top) – https://www.altabira.com/
• Screen Door — 2337 E Burnside St (a good couple of miles ESE of convention center) – Traditional Southern Cooking With NW Food Values. Bakery on premises, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner —  http://screendoorrestaurant.com/
• Burnside Brewing Company – 701 E Burnside St (corner of Burnside and 7th) so about ¾ mile SE of the convention center – menus are short (emphasis on beer) but the food is not typical pub food – calls themselves hip and cozy- http://www.burnsidebrewco.com/
• PR + CC — Prime Rib & Chocolate Cake – 1200 NE Broadway (just north of the Lloyd Center so about 1 mile from the convention center) – I don’t know anybody who has been there but the name kind of says it all … also has seafood, sandwiches and salads — http://primeribcc.com/
• Eclipitic Brewing – 825 N Cook St, about two miles north of the convention center- East side by the Freemont Bridge – a funky brew pub (“we push the limits of creativity in the brew house”) with an analemma hanging from the ceiling http://eclipticbrewing.com/

And downtown

• Mother’s Bistro — 212 SW Stark St, corner of Stark and 2nd – intended to be the best of Mother’s home cooking (for an American), lots of comfort dishes. One of my family’s favorites for brunch – http://www.mothersbistro.com/
• Tasty and Alder — 580 SW 12th Ave (corner of 12^th and Alder) — very popular – I would describe it as American comfort food but with gourmet twists and local sourcing – thus a very quintessential “Portland” restaurant, also great breakfasts – works best in a tapas style (order lots of small dishes and share around) – food is very good, waits are long – http://www.tastynalder.com/
• Alder Street Food Truck Pod – between 9^th and 10^th and Alder and Washington – take the blue or red max line and get off at 10^th and Galleria stop and head one block north to Alder – imagine a city block – the middle is still a parking lot – but on all 4 sides are dozens and dozens of food trucks – not surprisingly the food is diverse – Thai, Indian, Korean, Mexican, Middle-eastern, Korean-Mexican fusion, Polish, and much more. There is a park block (not much grass or trees – mostly lots of brickwork sculpted to provide lots of sitting places) kitty corner across from the 9^th and Washington corner. You can sit there eat, soak up some sun and see an impressive cross section of the city’s denizens. Warning – don’t assume that food trucks are quick – there is a high variance – when my family went two weeks ago some of us were served in 5 minutes once we picked our truck and one took 25 minutes – ask if you’re in a hurry. You’re only two blocks from Powell’s Bookstore too (see below). And as a history of Dynamic Ecology side note, this is where Jeremy convinced to me to join onto the blog (it didn’t take much convincing though). (Jeremy adds: oh yeah, I remember that now!)
• Blue Star Donuts – 1237 SW Washington St (Washington street just west of 12th) – the two most trendy places in downtown Portland to satisfy a sweet tooth are Vodoo Donuts (22 SW 3^rd Ave so just south of Burnside and close to the convention center and open 24 hours a day) and Salt and Straw Ice Cream (838 NW 23rd Ave so a haul from the convention center, open until 11) but both may have very long lines (out the door) and are not worth it in my opinion. For my money top ice cream should be a classic flavor, just handmade with high quality ingredients. An emphasis on “quirky flavors” doesn’t add to my experience. And as my sister says, Voodoo Donuts is for kids, Blue Star Donuts (7AM-8PM) is for grownups. Yumm! Check out the fruit glaze donuts (BlueberryBasil, Passion Fruit, etc.). Or better yet, go with a group, order 3-5, and cut them in pieces so you can sample a variety. Also close to Powell’s Books (see below)

And finally, some starting points in the Pearl District:

• Oba– 555 NW 12^th Ave (12^th Ave just north of Glisan) – upscale Nueva Latina cuisine – http://www.obarestaurant.com/
• Andina – 1314 NW Glisan S (corner of Glisan and 13th Ave) – novoPeruvian cuisine – upscale Peruvian food – if you’ve never had Peruvian try the ceviche (lime-cured raw fish), loma saltado (traditional steak and fries), or anything that has potatoes or blue corn (including the chichi morada or blue corn juice) – can do tapas style (makes a nice lunch). SOOOO good but make a reservation — http://www.andinarestaurant.com/
• Bridgeport Brewing – 1313 NW Marshal Street (i.e. 13th and Marshall – north side of the Pearl District – could take the blue streetcar to NW 10^th and then switch to the green streetcar) – lots of inhouse ales and a more diverse food selection than most brewpubs (includes pizza, burgers, salads and more). http://bridgeportbrew.com/

Side trips

If you have some extra time, here are a few other places to see:

• Powell’s Book Store – 10^th and Burnside (blue street car or yellow/green Max 6th & Pine stop) – Imagine an entire city block with 15 foot high ceilings (used to be a car dealership). Now imagine that entire city block filled with bookshelves 10 feet high mixing new and used books on every topic under the sun. Then imagine that continuing up for three floors. It is the world’s largest independent bookstore. If you want technical ecology books stick to the vendor displays at the convention center, but if you want anything else, head here. Grab a map when you enter so you can find the book sections you want. The science fiction and mystery sections are each bigger than some whole bookstores (now you know what kind of books I read). The kid to young adult book section is about 1/3 of a city block. Open until 11 every night so you can stop by after dinner if you want.
• Washington Park – roughly SW 23^rd and Jefferson (walkable – about two miles from the convention center or one mile from downtown hotels – but may want to look into public transportation) – contains a Japanese garden and a rose test garden (varieties from all over the world planted to see how they do here). Both are far enough up the hill that you will have spectacular views back east over the city and Mount Hood. The outdoor amphitheater (bring a picnic) has programs every night Aug 1-10. Further up in the park (you will need to think about transportation) is an arboretum and a zoo. And even further is Forest Park – one of the largest urban forests in the US – 20 miles of trails through mostly old growth forest (the hills were too steep to cut).
• Tryon Creek Park – one of the only state parks within urban city boundaries in the US. Probably need to take a taxi or the 38 bus. Good biking or running trails. At the far end of Terwilliger that I mentioned above for running if you’re looking for a really long run. Lots of guided and interpreted trails for hikes. Good place to get introduced to the ecosystem native to the Willamette valley that has been almost completely eliminated by farming and cities. Could easily spend a long afternoon here. And pick a lot of blackberries to eat.
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) – a good, fun science and technology museum. Not on a par with Chicago or the Smithsonian of course. But any nerd could happily spend half a day or more here. It does a nice job of being interactive without dumbing down the science. It is in SE, so take the streetcars; take the red line to get there, getting off at the OMSI stop, then the blue line back.
• Columbia River Gorge – for a fun day trip, head east up the Columbia River. As it passes through the Cascade Mountains, the river banks narrow to a steep walled gorge. There are many hiking trails and spectacular water falls. Rooster Rock State park is also a popular beach (including one of only two legally clothing optional areas in a state park in the country – that’s Portland for you – although not on the main beaches). Further up river is Bonneville Dam (and its salmon ladders) and the town Hood River (supposedly the windsurfing capital of the world – the winds narrow down to pass through the gorge). If you’re in a hurry take Interstate 84. For a more scenic trip, take the historic Columbia River Highway. By far the most popular destination is Multnomah Falls. But its almost always overcrowded (in ESA 2012 I went on a Friday morning and it was still mobbed). There are several other smaller falls (Bridal Veil, Horsetail) with parking and trails that interconnect with the top of Multnomah Falls and almost nobody goes to them. Park there, enjoy one fall and then take a few mile hike to Multnomah.
• Mount Hood/Timberline Lodge – just an hour east of Portland you can reach the treeline (about 6000 feet) and a massive, lovely lodge built by craftsmen hired during the Great Depression to put them back to work. There are plenty of trails and two restaurant options. Summer is short up here so the wildflowers are usually great. A ski-lift over a kilometer long makes summer skiing on the glacier possible. People in their 70s in tennis shoes have climbed to the top (11,245 feet) in the summer months but it is definitely not recommended – the upper slopes are a technical climb with an active volcanic fumarole, snow arrette, crevasses, and a narrow ice canyon with rocks melting out and rolling down in the summer and plenty of well prepared people have died on this mountain too. But if you stay below the top of the ski lift at 8500′ you’re fine – just be prepared to hike in snow if you go above about 7000′ – stay on the horizontal trails at 6000′ otherwise) You can get here by public transportation with three switches.
• Oregon Coast – about two hours west of Portland (half of that due to traffic). The two main roads from Portland to the coast are Highway 26 which comes in at Canoyn Beach and Seaside and Highway 99W then 18 which comes in at Lincoln City. In my biased opinion the best and least touristy part of the coast (unless you go way south) lies between these two areas (which of course takes longer to get to, but its only another ½ hour to avoid massive crowds). Neskowin, Pacific City, Garibaldi, Cape Lookout and Tillamook are all rugged and not overcrowded. You could do a long day trip (or overnight trip), driving out 26, heading south on the coastal highway 101, stopping wherever, then heading back east to Portland on 18 then 99W (and stopping at some wineries on 99W). You can reach Seaside and points north by taking a bus from the train station (it’s how Amtrak reaches the coast).
• Mt St. Helens (about 1.5 hours north and you’ll need a car) – used to be the most symmetrical of the Cascade peaks and easily seen in Portland (Mt Hood is bigger and to the east while St Helens is to the north). But on May 18, 1980 (and yes everybody who was living in Portland then as I was still remembers that date) it literally blasted off about 1/3 of its top. It remains a very active volcano and you will occasionally see plumes coming out of it. It is now a national monument you can visit. It is too dangerous to go in the fumarole which has an again growing lava dome. But you can explore a landscape that was variously flattened or blowtorched by the explosion and see the awesome powers of recovery by Mother Nature. Many ecologists have made their name observing this unusual example of primary succession.

Where to drink in Portland at #ESA2017 if you’re a beer geek

Later this week Brian will provide a bunch of tips on where to eat and drink in Portland, including several brewpubs. Commenters on our Portland open thread also have great tips. But if you’re a beer geek like me, you’re not going to be happy drinking at whichever decent bar is closest to the convention center. I’d rather go a bit further afield to seek out someplace really good and hopefully also less crowded. So here are the fruits of my background research on beer geek websites like RateBeer, plus a bit of personal experience from the last time ESA was in Portland, plus the suggestions of commenter Brandon Cooper. Please do chime in with your own suggestions in the comments!

Warning: I’m a beer geek, but a slightly atypical one: I don’t like IPAs. I go for English- and Belgian-style ales, wheat beers, bocks, and sours (aside: I was into sours many years before they became trendy, thank you very much). Also, I’m not a fan of really loud bars when I’m out drinking with friends (which is why Bailey’s Taproom and APEX aren’t listed below). My recommendations reflect my tastes. If you want to seek out crazy 100 IBU beers or rockin’ bars, you’re on your own.

Open thread: where to eat and drink in Portland for Evolution 2017 and #ESA2017

Evolution 2017 starts in in a couple of days, and #ESA2017 is coming up soon after that! We have a local lined up to write a guest post for us about where to eat and drink in Portland for #ESA2017, but in the meantime: been anywhere good? Tell us, and your many hungry and thirsty colleagues, in the comments!

I’ll start: McMenamins Kennedy School is worth the car ride. It’s a historic elementary school that’s been converted into a boutique hotel and brewpub. My wife and I stayed there a few years ago. You have to see it to believe it, it’s such a cool place. Every nook and cranny is put to use. There are several bars, each with its own funky decor; even the boiler room is a (cozy) bar now. The auditorium is now a theater that features classic movies and live music. You can eat and drink outside in the courtyard in the center of the school. The walls are festooned with paintings from local artists, every one of which was commissioned to commemorate the school. And the classrooms are now hotel rooms–that still have the chalkboards and chalk. In the ultra-competitive world of Portland brewing, McMenamins beers are fine, nothing special. Same for the food–it’s average brewpub food. But you’re going for the setting. McMenamins has made a name for themselves with their amazing renovations of historic properties in and around Portland, but they really topped themselves with the Kennedy School. I took my lab group there last time the ESA was in Portland, and might do so again. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Happy American Thanksgiving from ecology!

Celebrate with this primer on the ecology of wild turkeys.

Also, reupping this (click the image for the source):

Although I’m having turducken. 🙂

Where to drink in Ft. Lauderdale for the ESA meeting if you’re a beer geek

I won’t be at the ESA meeting this year, but as a service to the community way of procrastinating, here are the fruits of my background research on where to drink interesting beer in Ft. Lauderdale.* Think of it as a specialized supplement to J. Matt Hoch’s guest post yesterday on where to eat and drink in Ft. Lauderdale.

Or, you could just find a nice spot by the beach and drink whatever Steve Walker’s drinking. But I wouldn’t recommend that.** 😉

Where to eat and drink in Ft. Lauderdale for the ESA meeting

Note from Jeremy: this is a guest post from J. Matt Hoch, an ecologist at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. Thanks very much to Matt for sharing his local knowledge–and for going so far as to poll his whole college for suggestions! He even told you where to eat in Miami if you have time to pop down there. He’ll be at the ESA meeting, so if you see him thank him in person!

Homemade beer nog!

My family’s beer nog recipe: an annual tradition.

Don’t knock it ’til you try it. I’ve served this to many people. Everyone thinks it sounds terrible–and everyone has liked it a lot. And even if you don’t like it, well, just leave out the beer, the homemade eggnog is tasty on its own too.

It’s not my recipe, I got it from my dad, who got it from a beer magazine.

Beer nog

4 large eggs, separated

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. milk

1 c. heavy (whipping) cream

nutmeg, vanilla

Brown ale, like Newcastle. Other English- and Scottish-style ales will work. But nothing too hoppy. Stout or porter would probably work too. Lagers, wheat beers, fruit beers, etc. would not work.

Rum (optional)

Preparation

Whip the cream. Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and milk into the cream until smooth. Season with dash nutmeg, dash vanilla. Beat egg whites, fold into eggnog.

Fill a 6-8 oz glass 1/4 full with beer. (Optional: add 1/2 oz. rum; don’t go overboard as you don’t want to overwhelm the beer) Fill glass with eggnog.

Note: don’t go overboard on the beer or you end up with something closer to what’s featured in the video at the end of this post. 🙂

Notes

This eggnog is sweeter than the store bought stuff. I think that’s what makes it work with the beer, they balance one another. I’ve tried this with store bought eggnog and it doesn’t really work.

In the comments a couple of years ago, it was noted that this sounds a bit like ale posset, which is hot milk curdled with beer. I’ve never tried posset, and don’t plan to. It not only sounds bad, commenters report that it actually is bad. Whereas beer nog only sounds bad. 🙂

Where to drink in Baltimore for #ESA100 if you’re a beer geek (UPDATED)

I’m a beer geek. Enough of one that I usually do some background research before the ESA meeting, to suss out where I’d like to drink. Which has paid off more than once, by identifying good places that aren’t totally swamped.* Including out of the way places that are worth a cab ride.

This year, I’m sharing the fruits of my background research, which mostly consists of looking at the reviews on beer geek websites like Beer Advocate and Rate Beer.

Max’s Taphouse. One of the best beer bars in the country, and correspondingly famous. You’ll need to take a water taxi to Fell’s Point (UPDATE: or a 30 minute walk, or the orange circulator bus), but it’s surely worth it. Over 100 taps including several cask ales. I am definitely going here.

The Wharf Rat. Apparently the second-best beer bar in Fell’s Point. 20+ taps including several cask ales. British-style food service–order at the bar and they bring the food to your table.

Pratt St. Ale House. Pretty good brewpub, across the street from the convention center. I predict it will be absolutely rammed. And that the sun will rise tomorrow. #psychic

Alewife. Gastropub with something like 30+ taps. Only a few blocks from the convention center. The food sounds awesome (and they make an effort to serve invasive species), though it seems to get mixed reviews. I am going to try to get here.

The Brewer’s Art. Another gastropub (well, upscale pub with proper restaurant in back, from the look of the pictures). They brew their own beer. Has a first-hand recommendation from reader Karen Lips. Note that the surrounding area may be a little sketchy. UPDATE: a commenter who lives two blocks away reports it’s not at all sketchy.

Mahaffey’s. Unassuming but excellent local in Canton, the neighborhood east of Fell’s Point. Might be too far afield and not special enough to be worth a trek, but I’ll throw it out there. About 20 frequently-changing taps, including a cask ale.

Of Love and Regret. Also in Canton. 27 taps split evenly between Stillwater beers and very hard-to-find international guest beers (an Italian sour beer?!). Judging solely from their website, Stillwater is the most creative and/or most pretentious microbrewery on earth. Gastropub food. I’m actually a little suspicious of the wide range of cuisines on offer; can they really do good versions of Vietnamese, German, Japanese, Texas BBQ, and more? But whatever–I’m definitely going here.

*In my experience, ESA meeting attendees tend to go to the good bar closest to the convention center, as long as it’s within the main concentration of bars and restaurants. A corollary is that attendees tend not to discover any good bar outside the main concentration of bars and restaurants, not even if it’s close by. Case in point: the Minneapolis meeting, when you had your choice of drinking at the admittedly-fine Brit’s Pub with every other ecologist at the meeting (at least, that’s how it seemed), or walking literally one block further (but crucially, off the main drag) to the Bulldog Downtown. Second case in point: Albuquerque, where hardly any ecologists went to the awesome Marble Brewery despite its location a few blocks from the hotels–because it’s in an industrial park.

Guest post: where to eat and drink in Baltimore for #ESA100, part 2

Note from Jeremy: This is a guest post by Emma Young, a Ph.D. student in ecology & evolution at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. She’s from Baltimore, so she knows the city inside-out. Thanks for sharing your love of your hometown, Emma! This is our second guest post on where to eat and drink Baltimore.

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Federal Hill/Convention Center area:

Faidley’s Seafood

Faidley’s is a classic Baltimore seafood experience, and if you’re searching for crab cakes, look no further. Although you can get freshly shucked raw oysters, amazing cole slaw, cheap beer, and a variety of other seafood at Faidley’s, its crab cake steals the show – one of the best, and most informal, in Baltimore. The space has several long tables with no chairs (standing only), and you order at the counter. Although you can get fresh steamed crabs to go as well, picking crabs is probably more enjoyable elsewhere – a place with chairs, for example. Faidley’s is part of the historic Lexington Market, an interesting assemblage of indoor shops, restaurants and stalls. If you’re interested in walking, Saturday morning is the best time to go, as the Market isn’t in the best part of town.

Hersh’s Pizza & Drinks

Located in historic Federal Hill, Hersh’s Pizza and Drinks has, as you might hope, great pizza, beers, and cocktails, in addition to housemade pasta and other great food. A favorite among Baltimore’s chefs and foodies alike, Hersh’s is well-loved and definitely not one to miss.

Ryleigh’s Oyster

Also located in Federal Hill, Ryleigh’s has a great raw oyster selection, craft beers, and slightly elevated bar staples, like salads, wings, and burgers. Their highlight, however, is Shore Night: every Tuesday from 5-10 PM, Ryleigh’s offers $3 crabs, $1 oysters, with various happy hour drink specials. Make sure you get there early, as space fills up fast!

Fell’s Point:

Peter’s Inn

A former dive bar in historic Fells Point, Peters Inn is a casual farm-to-table restaurant featuring food with an upscale presentation and locally sourced ingredients. They don’t take reservations, but they have a fully stocked bar to ease the wait.

Thames St. Oyster House

Widely regarded as one of the best seafood restaurants in the city – if you want to see what Baltimore has to offer, skip Phillips and try the Thames St. Oyster House. Local tip: their lobster roll is incredibly popular and regularly wins national awards. Those against seafood beware; the menu is almost exclusively fish and shellfish.

Rye

Rye doesn’t serve food, but the establishment boasts a fully stocked bar, handcrafted cocktails, and is undoubtedly a destination for all those who appreciate dark liquor. The menu has a wide selection of rye, scotch, and bourbon that pairs well with the hip yet classic atmosphere.

Harbor Area:

Wit & Wisdom

Located within the Four Seasons Hotel, Wit & Wisdom is one of many bars and restaurants within the newly updated Harbor East neighborhood. It’s classy and upscale (definitely not cheap!) but the food and drinks are hard to beat, as is the view of the Inner Harbor. There’s a special happy hour menu with a selection of affordable snacks for those who want to sample the fare but are more budget-inclined.

Fleet Street Kitchen

Located between Harbor East and Little Italy, Fleet Street Kitchen is a great place to go if some people in your dining party are interested in seafood, while others are inclined towards more terrestrial selections. The menu is seasonal, and they have a full array of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Elsewhere around the city:

Woodberry Kitchen (Woodberry)

Although a bit of a hike from downtown, Woodberry is definitely worth a visit. The owner and head chef, Spike Gjerde, is the 2015 James Beard Award winner for best chef in the mid-Atlantic, among other things. Woodberry boasts locally sourced ingredients (from the fish, to the vegetables, to the bread baked in-house), clever, inventive cocktails, great preparation, and a menu that changes daily. Be sure to make reservations – the tables are always full.

Parts and Labor (Remington)

Another more recently opened restaurant opened by Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen (above). Open hearth, amazing meat selection (burgers, steaks, charcuterie), and a full bar to boot.

Di Pasquale’s Marketplace (Highlandtown)

Highland town is, again, quite a hike from downtown, but this small Italian market and deli has amazing sandwiches, wood-fired pizza, pasta, and other Italian staples. If you have the time, it’s an amazing place for lunch, but they close at 6.

The Food Market (Hampden)

Another local favorite, the Food Market is a fairly new restaurant featuring American cuisine and great cocktails. If you can’t get a private seat, you can always sit at the community table!

Crab houses:

Ryleigh’s Oyster (Federal Hill)

As I mentioned above, on Tuesday evenings Ryleigh’s transforms from an oyster bar into a temporary crab house. Although not on the water, $3 crabs and $1 oysters is a great deal, and the grilled corn on the cob is delicious.

Nick’s Fish House (Riverside)

Nick’s is located a bit to the south of Federal Hill. It’s a fairly big, recently renovated establishment with a large deck directly on the water. They have just about everything “crab” that you can imagine (steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab dip, crab pretzels, cream of crab soup, Maryland crab soup… you get the idea), but they also have a variety of other options, from seafood to burgers. And yes, you can get beer in a bucket.

LP Steamers (Locust Point)

LP Steamers is frequented by locals, and is a very “Baltimore” establishment – not fancy in the least, completely casual atmosphere. Located near Fort McHenry, LP’s has a full bar on the first floor, with steamed crabs on the open-air second floor. Although not on the water, it’s as close to a classic Baltimore summer dining experience as you can get.

If you’re interested in further getting to know how Charm City eats and drinks, my friend and local foodie Amy Langrehr has a wonderful blog, Charm City Cook, which is chock-full of information about local restaurants, food, and cocktails.

Guest post: where to eat in Baltimore for #ESA100, part 1

Note from Jeremy: This is a guest post by Ulli Hain, the first of two we have lined up on where to eat and drink in Baltimore. Thanks to Ulli for sharing her love of Baltimore with our readers.

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About Me:

I am a science writer who spent nearly six years in Baltimore while completing a PhD in molecular biology. During that time, I fell in love with the city and frequently return from my current home in D.C. People often ask what makes Baltimore so great and I think it is a combination of quirkiness, lack of pretense, and bounty of things to eat, drink, see, and do.

Transportation:

The free Charm City Circulator will take you from the Inner Harbor to almost any place you want to go, including Federal Hill, Ft. McHenry, Mt. Vernon, Harbor East, and Fell’s Point.

The Water Taxi is a great to see all the neighborhoods around the harbor and avoid the traffic. You can buy a one-way trip for $8 or an all-day pass for $14.

Food:

Baltimoreans sometimes complain that that all tourists want to do is talk about The Wire and get the best crab cakes in town. To which I say, what’s wrong with that…well, the crab cakes anyways? While there is dispute about where to find the best crab cakes, you can’t really go wrong in Baltimore. Here are some choices:

The cheapest and possibly top contender for best crab cake is Faidley’s (203 N. Paca St., $). Faidley’s Seafood, which was featured on The Travel Channel, is nestled inside the historic Lexington Market. The place is a bit of a maze and filled with a variety of characters so it will be a different experience than the Inner Harbor vibe.

Getting there: Taxi or 15-min walk from the Convention Center.

Crab cakes, fried cod, and Natty Bo at Faidley’s Seafood in Lexington Market. Photo credit: By friend (will OTRS) (friend) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Other good options:

Mo’s Fisherman’s Wharf (219 S. President St, $$$) and the Rusty Scupper (402 Key Highway, $$$) are both in the Inner Harbor, and as a result, more expensive (but also more formal atmosphere). Both offer a wide variety of seafood and non-seafood options as well.

Baltimore offers many great dining experiences beyond crab cakes so skip the lines at the Cheesecake Factory and check out some other nearby options:

Labanese Taverna (719 S. President St., $$) for the hummus bar or grilled shrimp kabob.

Getting there: Situated in the posh Harbor East area, it is pleasant 1-mile stroll along the harbor from the Convention Center. Or take the Orange Circulator from stop 222 on Pratt St. to stop 226 right across from the restaurant.

Miss Shirley’s (750 E. Pratt St., $$), a Baltimore staple, arguably has the best breakfast in town, though it also offers lunch. Located conveniently in the Inner Harbor, you can liven up your chicken and waffles with a Spicy Shirley, their take on the Bloody Mary.

Bertha’s Mussels (734 S. Broadway St., $$), in picturesque Fell’s Point, is a Baltimore institution that offers live music, great cocktails, and of course mussels, among other seafood.

Getting there: This is a great opportunity to take a water taxi from the Inner Harbor to Fell’s Point, where you can then stroll along the water and look at the colorful 19^th century architecture, cafes, and unique stores. Or take the Orange Circulator to stop 227 and walk 5-min East on Lancaster St.

Fell’s Point waterfront.

Still not satisfied? How about some Italian food at one of the plethora of ristorantes in the historic Little Italy district? Bonus: you may just catch some old men playing Bocce.

Dessert:

Pitango (802 S. Broadway St.) offer the best gelato in town with flavors like black tea, hazelnut, and crème fraiche. Get to Fell’s Point via water taxi or Circulator (see directions for Bertha’s above).

The best frozen custard, an even creamier version of ice cream, can luckily be found very near to the Convention Center at Rita’s (301 Light St).

Midnite Confection’s Bakey (1051 S. Charles St.) offers up cupcakes that won’t disappoint using ingredients like Bourbon Madagascar vanilla. Situated in the heart of Federal Hill, it is easily reached with the Purple Circulator heading south from stop 320 at the Convention Center to stop 323 at Cross St.

Drinks:

When it’s time to take the scientific discussion to a more relaxed setting, nothing is better than sipping sangria and splitting tapas on the harbor. This can be done at La Tasca (201 E Pratt St., price: $$).

For beer drinkers, look no further than James Joyce Pub (616 S. President St., $) in Harbor East for libations and bar food.

Power Plant Live is also near the Inner Harbor for those itching to hear some dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon (22 Market Pl.) or enjoy a Maryland beer flight at the Leinenkugel Beer Garden (34 Market Pl.), just opened in 2013.

Extra time?

Check out the National Aquarium. Though it’s a bit pricey, Friday nights are half-off. The Baltimore Museum of Art on the Johns Hopkins main campus has a great collection of Matisse and other impressionists as well as other art…and it’s free! My favorite work there is Degas’ “Little Dancer” statue. Looking for something more offbeat? The American Visionary Art Museum in Federal Hill features work from self-taught artists and ranges from amazing to oddball, but definitely unique. The BMA and AVAM are both closed on Mondays.

A history buff? Take the water taxi to Fort McHenry, which is where soldiers staved off a British attack during the War of 1812, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write the “Star Spangled Banner.

Got the shopping bug? Harbor East is the place to go for more upscale shops, such as Under Armour, which is headquartered in Baltimore, Anthropologie, and Lulu Lemon. Looking for something more quirky and eclectic, head to Hampden and stroll along the “avenue” (aka 36^th St.).