It’s official, time to start thinking about the Holidays. Yep, I said it.  It’s inevitable, every store you walk into for the rest of the year will remind you that you have no choice in the matter.

So let’s talk about it. Each year, I aspire to give gifts that are thoughtful and useful.  I spend countless hours searching the likes of Pinterest, Etsy, and Amazon. I read all the gift guides and then settle for something typical, because I either run out of time or patience.

But now, I’m drinking the “experience” Kool-aid. Statistics show, experiences last in our memory. Gifts, unfortunately, have a very short shelf life. Thanks to social media, most of us, crave experiences. So why not gift them?

Do I have you on board yet? Still overwhelmed? Let’s narrow this down. Food and Alcohol – the start of every good experience. Why not make it “the” experience this Holiday? If you live in a town like Portland, with craft beer, wine and spirits, it’s a no-brainer.

I bet you weren’t aware of all the companies curating amazing food and beverage-based experiences. For less than $200, you can give the gift of a unique, and often custom, tasting experience.

Here are the top 7 on my list:
House Spirits Distillery – public classes and tours

Brewvana – Portland’s best sampling of breweries

Forktown – perfectly curated food tours

MountNBarreL – Hood River wine and bike tour

Equestrian Wine Tours – an intimate vineyard experience

Soter – private tasting and provisions

NW Wine Shuttle – one-stop-shop to build your own wine tour. (Hey, at least I saved the advertising for the very end. Happy Holidays!)