I went to Portland earlier this summer and stayed at the hip and funky Ace Hotel in downtown. Though the post on that fabulous food destination in the Pacific Northwest is long overdue, I wanted to share some photos of the Ace because 1) it’s so cool and 2) I’ll be staying at the new outpost in NYC this weekend.

Ace Portland has an interesting 50’s mid-century military modern meets bohemian hunting lodge aesthetic, if that makes any sense. It’s stark, masculine, and a bit austere, but served as the perfect mission control for the weekend’s food-centric campaigns.

The lobby is a cozy but soaring space. There’s a large, low square table surrounded by slouchy couches and chairs; a popular light-filled gathering point well suited for sipping a mug of fabulous Stumptown Coffee and thumbing through the morning paper.  The front desk fills a small, dark niche, and above lies a lounge/tent/internet cafe.

The rooms are where the design style really heads towards military chic. I couldn’t help but think I was on the set of M*A*S*H. A little strange and quirky, yes, but it’s clean, comfortable, and fun. There’s even a turntable and a crate of vinyl for your listening pleasure.

The hotel and surrounding environs get fairly lively at night, as hipsters hit up the hotel restaurant and bar, Clyde Common, and clubs across the street.

More to come on Portland, stay tuned.

For someone who loves to eat, I often have very little in my refrigerator. At last check there was a half carton of eggs, a few styrofoam boxes of leftovers, some plain Greek yogurt, and more things than I care to admit that are way past their prime. It’s times like this that I rely on my pantry for a quick and easy meal that doesn’t require a trip to the market. There’s always a consistent supply of canned tomatoes and dry pasta in my cupboard. A few heads of garlic are also always on hand, which store well in the dark with the previous two ingredients. A few snips of basil from the garden and you have the makings of spaghetti marinara. Bottled Kalamata olives and tinned artichokes make great additions as well, when you desire a little more textural and flavor contrast.

It’s really quite simple. Start the water boiling for the pasta. You can basically have the tomato sauce done by the time the water boils and the noodles are cooked. Fifteen minutes tops. About the same time it takes me to drive to in-n-out, wait in the drive thru, and drive home. And it’s healthier to boot as well.