About the Author

Samantha Bakall

Samantha Bakall is a freelance journalist and photographer specializing in diversity-based food issues. She currently calls Portland home. A Chinese-American native of Chicago, Bakall has been obsessively eating, writing and making people wait while she takes pictures of their food since she was a teenager. Her work has appeared in The Oregonian, where she was the food and dining writer for more than four years; The Takeout; The San Francisco Chronicle; and others.

Cool Places to Stay for Outdoor Adventures

February 25, 2019
For those outdoor enthusiasts who prefer a cushy bed over a sleeping bag, we’ve rounded up a host of accommodations from luxe properties and cozy bed-and-breakfasts to only-in-Oregon resorts and timeless lodges. More
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Favorite Trips ,

6 Surprising Facts About Oregon’s History

February 8, 2019
You may have studied or heard bits of lore about the Oregon Trail, but how much of the rest of Oregon’s history do you think you know? A new 7,000-square-foot permanent installation at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland aims to give visitors a much broader look at the Beaver State and its storied past. More
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Portland Region , Portland , Culture & History ,

How to Play at Mt. Hood Sno-Parks

November 15, 2018
Winter is a magical season in Oregon, when much of the state slumbers beneath glistening powder, and the majestic mountains gleam like icy beacons. Skiers and snowboarders famously flock to the slopes of Mt. Hood as soon as the white stuff starts to fall, but winter fun doesn’t stop at the bottom of the hill. More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Government Camp , Sno-Parks ,

Taste Oregon’s Most Iconic Ingredients

August 30, 2018
Home to evergreen forests, arid deserts, snowy peaks, grassy prairies, rocky coastlines and almost every ecosystem in between, this sprawling state is a wonderland of potential ingredients. Our bounty — from grass-fed beef in Eastern Oregon to sweet Dungeness crab harvested from beds of eelgrass off the Coast — feeds an ever-evolving and growing dining scene, permanently enshrining its place amongst the upper echelons of culinary destinations. More
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Portland Region , Portland , Eat & Drink ,

Cool Lakes for Summer Retreats

May 31, 2018
When the dog days of summer come, we head for the lakes. From painterly alpine lakes to quiet multi-fingered waters, here are seven lake retreats all across Oregon, where you can float, boat, hike, cast a line — or do nothing but chill. More
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Lakes & Reservoirs , Favorite Trips ,