28 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Portland after dark they come back up the hill,” Kate, the bar- tender, says. “We’re open until 1 a.m., later than most places up here.” The real game-changer at this joint proves to be the myriad of late-night snacks. It’s tough to settle for just one, so we order mozzarella sticks, jalapeno pop- pers, and onion rings, Paris now a fond but faint memory. Opera and Darts in the Old Port A fter another Saturday night spent drinking cheap beer at my regular dive, I’m craving something more refined, Portland Symphony Orchestra. Imagining myself among the soft red seats and arching golden ceiling at Merrill Au- ditorium, I dress to the nines. Tonight, we travel to The Blue Danube. A glass of champagne keeps us warm as we make the two-minute walk from Petite Jacqueline to the auditorium. With longtime music director Robert Moody stepping down at the end of the 2017- 18 season, attending Portland Sympho- ny Orchestra concerts is very much an interactive spectator sport, as audience members have the opportunity to help name his successor. “We’ve had a lot of people asking who it’s going to be,” says Elle Sleeper of PSO. “As of now, there’s no clear front runner.” Tonight’s director, Eckard Preu, is a fi- nalist. Another, Daniel Meyer, will direct the highly-anticipated “Rodgers & Ham- merstein on Broadway” on April 21, which features showstoppers from The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and Oklahoma! The demand for Broadway music in Portland is high. “It’s so popular that we have another Broadway-themed concert scheduled” for next season, Sleeper says. After the show, we buzz with energy. With my heels wedging between cobble- stones, I’m relieved when we stumble upon a familiar favorite. At Rosie’s, a tall Miller High Life is $1.50, popcorn is flowing and free, and–at least tonight–there’s no wait to play darts. Music to my ears. “We should get tickets for the Broadway thing,” I say, dart in hand, aiming for the bullseye. I throw and miss. From up in the stars to down-to- earth. I won’t soon forget the brilliance of what we’ve witnessed at Merrill Au- ditorium, but this–the sticky bar, sound of darts, popcorn-littered floor–feels like coming home. Cocktails and Cash Bars on the West End We’re at Top of the East, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows and gazing over our glittering city. Someone at the table near to us receives an order of lobster slid- ers (with lemon herb aioli, $17), and we im- mediately follow suit. “This is amazing,” my friend says of his Mexican Stand-Off, an expert mix of te- quila, agave, lime, and pineapple juice ($14). He takes another sip and makes a pained expression–it’s so good it hurts. “Yeah, it’s incredible.” I ignore him and concentrate on my drink, a Ye Olde Fashioned ($14). I knew I’d made the right call when I watched our “mixologist” add a flamed orange peel to the glass. A hot-spot for celebrations of any kind, Top of the East offers us panoramas of the shimmering skyline from the apex of the Eastland Hotel, built in 1927. The legend- ary bar and lounge pairs showstopper views with Instagram-approved cocktails and small plates. The higher you are, the greater the fall. Slightly buzzed and tremendously broke, we saunter off the elevator and into the street. I can’t fathom swiping my credit card again for the foreseeable future, so a cash- only place hits the spot. Pizza Villa near the Greyhound bus station is designed to give you the bang for your buck. We elude