Nightlife in the Couve

Each November, the Vancouver Rotary Club hosts a community tree lighting ceremony in Esther Short Park. More than just your stock standard tree lighting, the event includes live music and entertainment, a lighted vehicle parade, carriage rides, holiday treats, and an appearance by Santa Claus himself! Honestly, I wouldn't be shocked if Coldplay showed up on a stage being lowered in by helicopters at some point.

I've been wanting to attend one of these tree lightings for a few years now, but some kind of distraction always seems to pop up at the last minute. This year, I need you all to be my accountability partners. No matter how badly I want to stay in bed sleeping off a Thanksgiving food coma, I'm willing to come out and freeze my ass off for fun as long as you guys do it with me.

"But Alex, just because it gets dark at like four in the afternoon now doesn't mean this constitutes a 'nightlife' event. You may be brilliant and astonishingly sexy, but this feels like a misstep."

All very valid points. To address any concerns of thematic incongruity, we'll keep the party cannon of holiday cheer blasting all over everyone's faces even after the lighting ceremony wraps. Foxhole Cocktail Den (605 Main Street) is a quick five-minute walk from Esther Short Park and every bit as warm and cozy as the name implies. More importantly, they've got plenty of adult beverages to help warm us up from the inside. A choice locale to slyly infiltrate the night.

I hope you can all join me in coming together to enjoy a little light in these dark times—and, if need be, escape the relatives for a few hours in the process. See you downtown, friends!

These cold, stormy days of dwindling daylight may be forcing you to up your Vitamin D intake, clamor for the comfort of your flannel sheets and relentlessly watch all the programming you missed over summer, but let me entice you away from that droll existence. Is Meetup dying a slow death? Probably! Before we get pissed off at no longer being able to creep out on the potential cuties that may be attending the events (before they bail last minute) we were really only luke warm about attending or attempting that super painful meditative yoga pose to strengthen our composure so we don’t explode at the first mention of the election, let’s get pissed drunk. Ok, not pissed drunk but numb enough to forget for a few hours that the weather is as depressing as the next 4 years will be. We need to make this one count as this may be the very last Winter Ale event or any event I host in the PNW. Show up if you want the dirty deets.
Join me in the fourth annual Winter Ale tasting event. This is a limited seating event. Keep your eyes on the posts as I will provide special reminders and helpful links. Before you fill your calendars with company xmas parties whilst trying not to become this year’s office meme , sewing early regrets of days spent cooking and baking for ungrateful, entitled relatives, and draining the few precious drops remaining from drought ridden bank accounts to participate in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness, sign up for this maybe last hoorah that doesn’t end in regrets for the new year. We shall share beer samples and snacks brought by y’all while drinking from our host provided cups, delight in the aromas, tasting notes and varying flavors from high ABV concoctions of fermented malts, hops, fruits and seasonal gourds.
EVENT DETAILS (PLEASE READ WHILE SOBER & NOT MULTITASKING). THIS IS A 2 in 1 EVENT.
First Beer Tasting then Beer Exchange.
You shall bring 20oz of a winter ale/cider to share.
You shall bring an additional 20oz of any “craft” beer concealed in any way you see fit (Gift bag, Paper sack, plastic bag, Amazon delivery box are some examples). Bringing the items for gift exchange without concealment may result in a $5 surcharge and being jabbed by sarcasm for the remainder of the night for lack of third grade reading skills. (For all y’all who cut into my drinking time wrapping your beers! 😜)
While optional, a shareable snack is always appreciated.
A winter ale/cider shall be any craft beer/cider that has wording having anything to do with winter, Christmas, or seasonal offering made available locally, typically between November to February. This includes pumpkin beers. John’s Marketplace in Portland is an optimal spot to find a selection that reminds me of going to the toy store as a child.
A craft beer is a beer that is made locally, not mass produced and typically does not come in 40oz bottles.
20oz means (2) 12oz cans/bottle, (2) 16oz cans/bottles, or bottle that is 20oz or larger.
Concealed means hidden from sight so others cannot see the contents within. This can be wrapped fancily or to look like what we see all the homeless carrying around.
These events are held at a private residence so holiday cheer is encouraged but don’t get so cheery as to be disruptive or disrespectful.
Seating must be arranged appropriately so don’t be the grinch who signs up and doesn’t show or uses these events to make their social calendar look full only to bail last minute. And please don’t make my inner Scrooge come out. He hath no qualms about adding people to the naughty (86’d) list. Life events do happen. Communicate properly.
Holiday cheers to all and many more for those I get to clink glasses with at the event.