The nightlife in Portland

After RCC Camp, Mike and I went to a couple of killer bars on Saturday night.

First, Jive (makers of the forums software that we use at Atlassian) were having their fifth anniversary party and were kind enough to invite us along.

They'd rented out a excellent venue called holocene (review; see it on flickr). It was a converted warehouse: concrete walls and floor, huge ceiling, big windows. But they'd done a terrific job remodeling with a what looked like a relatively small investment. There was a decent bar, some tables, a dance floor and a small stage for concerts. The lighting was great and the atmosphere was very cool. It was very low key when we arrived, but the time we left the DJ had started and things were hopping.

But still, with only a few days in Portland, I wanted to see more of what the city had to offer. After a couple of hours at holocene, we met up with Patrick and moved on to the Doug Fir. (see it on flickr). I've been wanting to go there ever since I saw pictures of it in a magazine a year or so ago. Beautifully designed, the looks like was like a cross between a log cabin and a space station. Click on the picture above for more shots. The place is gorgeous.

I wish I had brought my camera along to take some pictures, but you'll have to make do with other peoples'.

I also learned from Patrick that Portland is the microbrew capital of the world. I tried a different microbrew every time I drank a beer and still left hundreds untouched. I wish I had taken notes, but everything I tried was good, if not excellent. Given that I tend to drink the same beers over and over, it was a welcome vacation.

I think I could really like Portland, were it not for the weather. It was cold and wet the whole weekend. Maybe I can go back in the summer and change my opinion.