The Search & Social Blog From Amplify Interactive

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SearchFest is upon us. Friday February 22nd will bring us another excellent SearchFest. Here’s the Amplify team’s preview.

Have you gotten your ticket yet? 

Note: The member price is the cheapest, but we have $50 non-member discount codes available – just leave a comment if you need one and we’ll send one your way.

The Sessions We’re Looking Forward To

How Would You Rank the Sessions?

Click for the full SearchFest agenda

Rank The Sessions – SEMpdx SearchFest 2013

Ben’s Tips for Things to Eat, Places to Drink, Stuff to Do

Connect: @blizzle or Google+

View Ben’s SEMpdx SearchFest 2013 Recommendations in a larger map

Restaurants

Pretty much everything here is near either the conference hotel or the official SEMpdx after-party on Friday night. There’s some crossover with the “bars” list below.

Dinner

• Clyde Common: Some people find it to be a little loud – but I like the vibe. The food and drinks are top notch. Close to the Governor (SearchFest)
• Little Bird: French spot from the fine folks at Le Pigeon. Only a couple blocks from the after party.
• Gruner: “Alpine” (German) cuisine. Close to the Governor (SearchFest)
• Davis St. Tavern: “New American” food. Late night menu available as well. And it’s a block away from the after party.
• Urban Farmer or Departure at The Nines Hotel… The architecture is nice to look at and so are the patrons… and wait staff.
• Jake’s Grill or Jake’s Famous Crawsish: these spots are 2 blocks apart from each other and they’re both great. Close to the Governor (SearchFest)
• Portland City Grill: Hard to go wrong with a 30th floor view. Close to the after party.
• Raven & Rose:  New hot spot – make a reservation. Downtown.

Late Night Happy Hours (Food)

Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch/Snack

• Tasty n Alder: New downtown outpost from the team at the wildly popular Tasty n Son’s
• Mother’s Bistro & Bar: Downtown breakfast mainstay. Simple, fantastic food.
• Lardo West: Sandwiches & Beer.
• Blue Star Donuts: You’ve already been to VooDoo. Try this instead.
• Kenny & Zuke’s: Jewish Deli. Pastrami, bitches!
• Little Big Burger: They’re not really that little…
• Honorable mention for breakfast - Bijou Cafe or Fuller’s Coffee Shop
• Don’t forget! You haven’t had coffee in PDX until you’ve had Stumptown (two locations downtown)
• Go to a food cart (there’s an App as well). There are a LOT of food carts around town…

Bars

I tend to lean towards cocktails… and good ones at that. These spots will have good beer and wine selections as well. Except Ground Kongrol and Scooter’s.

• Clyde Common: (Downtown) Located in the Ace Hotel, it’s more of a restaurant than a bar, but the cocktails are excellent and it’s full-on PDX.
• Ground Kontrol: (Old Town) Video games and pinball with your beer
• Teardrop Cocktail Lounge: (Pearl) Fancy cocktails
• Scooter McQuade’s: (Downtown) For the truly hardcore. Clear drinks and Jell-O shots for everyone! Go ahead, you won’t regret that in the morning.
• Imperial (Downtown): Great restaurant as well…
• Raven & Rose (Downtown):  The Rookery = the upstairs bar = some old-school cocktails
• Kask (Downtown): Tiny little lively spot adjacent to Gruner. Extensive and adventurous cocktail menu and mixologists who take their job seriously

Things to Do

• Portland Farmer’s Market: It’s the last weekend of the smaller winter version
• Director Park: Close to Pioneer Square but a little classier
• Powell’s City of Books: Remember books that you actually bought and held in your hand? Here’s an entire city block of them.
• Go wine tasting: The Willamette Valley is home to the best Pinot Noir and it’s close to PDX. You can be at a winery in 20 minutes.
• Oregon Zoo: It’s a short MAX ride away from downtown. We have a new baby elephant named Lily.
• Portland Saturday Market: It’s like Seattle’s Pike Place Market but nowhere near as good. Sorry folks but that’s the truth. It is great for people watching though.