{"id":12011,"date":"2016-10-26T18:02:29","date_gmt":"2016-10-26T22:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=12011"},"modified":"2016-10-26T18:02:29","modified_gmt":"2016-10-26T22:02:29","slug":"hedonism-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/hedonism-on-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Hedonism on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

November 2016 | view this story as a .pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

How to drink responsibly so you can still be a social butterfly and<\/em> pay the rent.<\/span><\/h3>\n

By Sarah Moore<\/span><\/p>\n

\"after-dark-nov16\"As we wind our way toward winter, the temptation to retreat indoors and hibernate can seem irresistible. However, Portland\u2019s many bars and restaurants, beacons of warmth and energy in the blue velvet dark, can invigorate you with actual human interaction and hard liquor. Here is our guide to socializing on a shoestring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Monday Antidote<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone knows Mondays are hard. The appropriate way to celebrate the death of the worst day of the week is with glass in hand. Luckily, there\u2019s help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

East End dwellers can grab a stool at Roustabout\u2019s<\/strong> expansive bar in the former Nissen Bakery Building on Washington Avenue for off-price libations. The Italian-American restaurant recently introduced a list of enticing wines for under $25 per bottle, available from 4 p.m. to close every Monday. Sip on a bottle of Petit Verdot from Chile for only $16 as you watch the daylight fade through the enormous plate-glass windows. \u201cWe like to keep the list seasonal, so the selection will change. But you can expect around eight wines to choose from, all for under $25. It\u2019s a great way to liven up a Monday evening,\u201d says owner Kit Paschal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the West End, Bonobo<\/strong> also champions the Monday night out. \u201cWe\u2019ve had our half-price Mondays for several years now,\u201d says owner Denise. \u201cIt\u2019s a real favorite for locals.\u201d Order up half-price wine, beer, and well drinks from 4 p.m. to close every Monday night. While Roustabout is all cool minimalism, Bonobo is cozy and unflashy. The exposed brick work, tucked-away tables, and large wood-fired oven will ward off the November chill while enticing you with the smell of baking pizza.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tex-Mex Tuesday<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A wine-only diet can come with some lifestyle risks. Thankfully, many Portland eateries are offering delicious meal deals in addition to cut-price beverages. If you can find a seat at Tomaso’s<\/strong> diminutive bar on Hampshire Street on\u00a0 a Tuesday night, then be sure to treat yourself to their Taco Tuesday deal. The space is invariably hopping with a young, noisy crowd of locals and service-industry folk, nursing beers elbow-to-elbow. Expect such unusual delights as cheeseburger jalapeno and Shepherd\u2019s Pie tacos, liberally sprinkled with cheese. It may not be Michelin star, but for only $3 for two tacos and $2 16-ounce Tecate cans, you\u2019ll be sitting pretty for only $5.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wednesday in the wild west<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In years of yore, most Portlanders labeled Wharf Street as a cobbled hellscape of tourists and bachelorette parties, dutifully avoiding its bars until the arrival of fall. The time has come to cast our collective snobbery aside and embrace the unique charms of this section of the Old Port.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bonfire Country Bar<\/strong> peddles an uproarious pseudo-Southern vibe, complete with rustic decor and blaring country music, seven days a week. Head down for some midweek relief and enjoy $2 drafts chased by $1 house whiskey from 4 to 7 p.m every day. Before long, the alcohol will have you craving the crispy, greasy, and somewhat sweet bacon like never before. Lucky for you, it\u2019s free and unlimited. \u201cI\u2019ve never actually seen someone eat more than two servings, to be honest,\u201d says the barmaid, dressed in the standard uniform of plaid shirt and Daisy Dukes. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty salty stuff!\u201d Health risks aside, Bonfire is some light relief in a city full of studiously stylish and understated bars. After all, this is the only place in town you can relax with cheap beer and free food while reclining in a Western saddle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thursdays are thirsty<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

With only one more work day standing between you and the weekend, Thursday nights can extend further into the witching hours. Settle yourself into the warm hubbub of The Corner Room & Grill<\/strong> on the corner of Exchange Street to enjoy their long-standing and often overlooked happy hour deal. House wines, Prosecco, and a rotating draught beer are all only $3 from 4 to 6 p.m. Even better, you can pair your ap\u00e9ritif with a selection of free small-plate snacks<\/em> delivered fresh from the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not ready to go home once the last crumb has been devoured, make the short walk to Rosie\u2019s <\/strong>on Fore Street\u2013the place where happy hour never ends (at least until close at 1 a.m.)\u2013for $1.50 pints of Miller High Life and free baskets of buttery popcorn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Friday night Alights<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like the feeling of elation as you leave work on a Friday afternoon, the weekend stretching uninterrupted before you. Prolong the euphoria by making your way to the petite, purple sanctuary of the Hot Suppa <\/strong>dining room on Congress Street. Many happy-hour deals only run until Thursday, but Hot Suppa has got you covered from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday nights. Settle into a cozy wooden booth and enjoy $1 off all drinks and $1 half-shell Maine oysters served with fresh horseradish cocktail sauce and lemon. Enjoy the feeling of decadence as you devour the briny feast while sipping on a flavourful glass of kombucha from Urban Farm Fermentory. You\u2019ll leave fully satisfied and with your wallet only marginally lighter. Not bad for a Friday night on the town.<\/span><\/p>\n

Serving up Saturday<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Saturday afternoon outing to one of Portland\u2019s many breweries is a reliable way to while away an autumn day. Why not visit the first bastion of Portland brewing, Shipyard Brewing Co<\/strong>. on Newbury Street, for a turn in their tasting room? During the fall, Shipyard\u2019s seasonal \u201cPumpkinhead Ale\u201d frequently infuses the East End with the fragrant, yeasty smell of hops\u2013bringing to mind the aroma of baking muffins. The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday, and while you may have to wait for your turn at the beer taps, once you\u2019re there a knowledgeable bartender will serve small pours of the brewery\u2019s classic, seasonal, and even unreleased pilot brews with surprising generosity. Best of all? It\u2019s totally free<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday sessions<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As the end of the weekend closes in, you may feel like it\u2019s time to give your liver a rest. A trip to Boda <\/strong>on Congress will assuage your Sunday blues, while the delights of the half-price late-night menu will make the thought of a sober evening all the more appealing. Securing a table at Boda during this hallowed weekly period from 9:30 p.m. to 12.45 a.m. is practically a contact sport, but if you\u2019re successful you\u2019ll be duly rewarded. Appetizers such as the Thai peanuts, homemade lobster chips, and the Kanom-Krok quail eggs are devilishly delicious options that don\u2019t exceed $3.50. Indulgence never felt so good on your bank account.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

November 2016
\nHow to drink responsibly so you can still be a social butterfly and pay the rent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12015,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[113],"class_list":["post-12011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-november-2016"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12011"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12016,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12011\/revisions\/12016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}