6AM City In-house

Dry January or bust đŸč

Exceptional nonalcoholic cocktails to sip in Portland
Sun shines through a window on G-Love's lineup of nonalcoholic mocktails, ranging in color from orange to green.
G-Love can also turn certain regular cocktails into nonalcoholic drinks by request. | Photo by @g.lovepdx
In Portland, the proverbial fountain of craft beer, wine, and locally-distilled spirits is always overflowing. Finding an equally delicious nonalcoholic beverage can require some swimming — er, digging.

Whether you’re observing Dry January, making permanent lifestyle changes, or have never enjoyed alcohol in the first place, these mocktails will quench your thirst without exacting a hangover toll.

Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen, 835 SW Second Ave. | As one of the stars of Portland’s Southeast Asian culinary scene, this late-night foodie hot spot’s oft-overlooked showstoppers are the alcohol-free beverages. The Thai Tea Creamosa (Thai tea, lime syrup, soda, and salted coconut whipped cream) and Durian Horchata (jasmine rice, durian, honeydew, and pandan) are must-drinks.

The Old Gold, 2105 N. Killingsworth St. | Wash down an elk burger with a liquor-free sipper like the Ginger Cooler (honey syrup, lime, black walnut bitters, and ginger beer) or the Mockarita (Som Pineapple Szechuan Cordial, lime, pineapple, and orange bitters) at this comfortable watering hole in the Overlook neighborhood.

A bartender wearing a tropical shirt holds a flaming cocktail inside of a tiki bar.

You may need alcohol to light a drink on fire, but Hale Pele’s mocktails are still lit.

Photo by @hottubscotty

Hale Pele, 2733 NE Broadway | Get tiki with it but dodge the buzz with a $5 drink from the “Virgin Sacrifices” menu. Our top picks are the Nada Colada (coconut and pineapple, blended) and Trouble on the High Seas (grapefruit, lime, falernum, bitters, cinnamon, and passion fruit).

Dolly Olive, 527 SW 12th Ave. | Hellooo, Dolly. This Mediterranean-inspired downtown eatery’s lineup of mocktails includes the Red Bone — a concoction of lemon juice, honey syrup, and a bittersweet aperitivo from Hood River-based Wilderton Botanical Spirits.

SousĂČl, 227 SE Sixth Ave. | Descend into award-winning chef (and self-identified member of the sober community) Gregory Gourdet’s subterranean cocktail bar, located beneath Kann, and enter into the world of pan-Caribbean flavors. The zero-proof cocktail menu incorporates ingredients like spiced banana shrub and promises to deliver “experiences not found anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.”
6AM City In-house

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Thursday, Jan. 5
  • Thursday Night Trivia with Last Call Trivia! | Thursday, Jan. 5 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Laurelwood Brewing Co., 5115 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland | Free | Square off for gift cards and bragging rights during this two-hour battle of the brains.
Friday, Jan. 6
  • Cultural Performance: Koto Harp | Friday, Jan. 6 | 1:15-2:30 p.m. | Portland Japanese Garden, 611 SW Kingston Ave., Portland | $13.95-$19.95 | Enjoy the sounds of this 13-stringed instrument, whose history in Japan dates back to the seventh century, with a performance by Mitsuki Dazai.
  • “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” in Concert | Friday, Jan. 6-Sunday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland | $35-$145 | Is the conductor a muggle with a regular baton — or a powerful wizard with an enchanting spell to cast on your ears? You decide.
Saturday, Jan. 7
  • Screen Captivated: Intro to “Screenlife” Filmmaking | Saturday, Jan. 7 | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., Portland | $200 | Learn how to make “screenlife” (or screen-based) films by watching examples of some of the best and crafting your own with nothing but a computer and a story.
  • PBR: Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour | Saturday, Jan. 7 | 7 p.m. | Moda Center, 1 N. Center Court St., Portland | $15-$105 | Cheer for up-and-coming professional bull riders as they try to hang on for eight seconds.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
NEW YEAR, WHO DIS?

This billion-dollar startup wants to help you retire
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SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors who serve your area. | Photo by Dean Mitchell
This Princeton grad’s startup raised $161 million to help people plan for retirement. 👀

If you’re one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50 — or a wise Millennial looking to get ahead — SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors serving our local area.

In just a few minutes, you can get matched with up to three financial advisors, each legally bound to work in your best interest. Now that’s service.*
TRY THE FREE TOOL

Weather
  • 49Âș | Morning showers, steady afternoon rain | 71% chance of rain
Sunrise + Sunset
  • Rise: 7:50 a.m.
  • Set: 4:41 p.m.
Traffic
  • A former church in downtown Portland that was damaged by a fire on Tuesday, Jan. 3 will be torn down. Demolition work begins today to clear impacted streets and remove the vacant building at Southwest 10th Avenue and Clay Street after officials deemed it to be a safety risk to the surrounding area. (KGW)
Open
  • Look, maybe fairy tale villains just needed a good cup of coffee to transform into honest heroes. Customers can unlock their best, caffeinated selves at Prince Coffee’s newly opened second location. Stop by 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily at 915 NW 19th Ave. ☕
Family
  • Grammy-nominated children’s musician, composer, and comedian Billy Kelly will perform a free show on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Wonderwood Springs — the new fantasy tavern/coffee shop from local cartoonist Mike Bennett. The one-hour show starts at 11 a.m. and guests will take home free gifts featuring Bennett’s art. đŸ„
Cause
  • Open Slopes PDX is working to make skiing and snowboarding more accessible and promote diversity in winter sports. The young grassroots organization offers free ski rentals, lift tickets, clothing, and transportation with the help of community donations. Applications close today for Open Slopes’ first event of the season. 🎿 (OPB)
Kids

  • Local nonprofit Brown Girl Rise is helping BIPOC youth from the Portland metro area and beyond build connections and find joy in a safe space. The organization offers mutual aid, workshops, and events — like monthly skate meetups at a roller rink where members can unite over social justice issues. đŸ›Œ (Portland Monthly)
Pets
Festival
  • We’re less than a month away from the eighth annual Portland Winter Light Festival. Pop-up outdoor art installations will light up various parts of the city from Friday, Feb. 3 to Saturday, Feb. 11, brightening some of the gloomiest nights of the year. It’s free to enjoy, or you can volunteer. ✹
Coming Soon
  • DIYers, start your sewing machines. Hobby Lobby plans to open a new store near Washington Square Mall on Southwest Hall Boulevard in Beaverton. An opening date hasn’t been announced yet — but you can still get crafty at multiple existing locations around the Portland area. đŸ§¶ (Portland Business Journal)
Number
  • $238 million. That’s how much cannabis was sold in Multnomah County in 2022, marking a nearly 24% drop in sales over the previous year. Sales shrunk in all Oregon counties with dispensaries. Industry tracker Headset attributes the decline to falling prices and a cooling of demand. 🍁 (Portland Business Journal)
Stat
  • Oregon was the second most popular state to move to in 2022, according to a new study from moving services company United Van Lines. Retiring baby boomers and career-seeking adults under 35 drove the migration to the Beaver State. The Portland area saw the 17th highest percentage of inbound residents (65%) among US metros. 🚚 (United Van Lines)
Travel
  • How does Scott’s Cheap Flights work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Scott’s will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $300+ round trip to St. Croix). 🌮*
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Give ‘em something to walk about đŸ˜ïž

Find free neighborhood fun with the PDX Sidewalk Joy Map
A Google map featuring several points where people can find curated galleries, exchanges, and displays in Portland, Oregon.
Know of a spot that isn’t on the map? Get in touch with the creators. | Screenshot via Google Maps
Stroll through a residential neighborhood in any US city and what can you expect to see? Houses. Parked cars. Yards. In Portland, you’ll often get a little extra bang for your buck.

Scattered around the Rose City are neighborhood displays, galleries, exchanges, and other creative visual landscapes designed specifically for the enjoyment of passersby. Portlanders took the concept of the Free Little Library and did what they do best: made it one of a kind.

We’re talking about residential yards-turned-stages for skeletal scenes, depots for swapping VHS tapes, communal crates full of fetch toys for dogs, and more. And now, there’s a resource that lists them all in one place: the PDX Sidewalk Joy Map. The interactive map, launched this week by The PDX Dinorama, is a running list of projects installed in curb gardens, front yards, or on the sides of buildings.

Each site is free to enjoy, though the creators note that visitors will “want to bring quarters for the vending machine or pay for a pottery piece at the Poetry Pottery box.”
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Cambrie.

Editor’s pick: Tabletop games are a big deal at my house and we got a new one over the holidays that I’m obsessed with: Mushroom Cats. It’s a card game created here in Portland (after a super successful Kickstarter campaign) with wildly adorable illustrations by Kayla Carlson of PaperPuffin.

It’s one of those games that is just purrfect for so many reasons... namely being ridiculously cute, so easy to learn, and portable. I found it at Guardian Games, but you can also buy it online.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? It’s all downhill at these primo sledding spots.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Rachel Sklenar | Advertise with us.

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