The Daily Groupon » Portland

$12 for $25 Worth of Mexican Fare and Drinks at Que Pasa Cantina

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:55 +0000

The right blend of Mexican spices turns meals into fiestas and lures droves of grazing piñatas within the reach of a sturdy broomstick. Enjoy south-of-the-border zest with today's Groupon: for $12, you get $25 worth of Mexican fare and cocktails at Que Pasa Cantina.

Voted Best Mexican Food in Portland in 2010 by Citysearch, Que Pasa Cantina has built a panegyric-earning reputation on a foundation of innovative Mexican menu items forged from locally sourced ingredients. Corn tortillas situated inside the chicken-enchilada casserole serve as edible barriers between layers of green-chili sauce and corn, donning a topping of sour-cream dollops, diced tomatoes, and black-olive bits ($10.95). The kitchen team crowns breaded Alaskan cod—the second-most-recent cod to become a U.S. state—with chopped cabbage, spicy yogurt sauce, and pico de gallo, all of which huddle inside a tortilla ($9.95). Feel free to charge into an appetizer of fresh-made guacamole ($6.95) while wetting your whistle with a margarita crafted from fresh lime juice and jalapeño-infused tequilas ($7.50+), one of Que Pasa Cantina’s sweet and savory cocktails ($6+), or one of eight bottled Mexican beers. A heated patio, open year-round, allows guests to dine amid softly lit lanterns and wooden furniture despite cold temperatures and vociferous picketing from unfed snowmen.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

$16 for Sunday Brunch with Entrees and Drinks for Two at Funhouse Lounge ($32 Value). Three Options Available.

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:52 +0000

Like cartoon sound effects and open-heart surgery, breakfast and lunch are better when combined. Feast upon a compatible combination with today's Groupon to Funhouse Lounge. Choose from the following options:

For $16, you get Sunday brunch for two (up to a $32 value). This option expires in June.
For $16, you get Sunday brunch for two (up to a $32 value). This option expires in July.
For $16, you get Sunday brunch for two (up to a $32 value). This options expires in August.

The Sunday brunch includes:

Any two entrees from the Sunday brunch menu (up to an $18 value)
Two brunch drinks (up to a $14 value)

When not hosting improv or cabaret shows, the whimsical, artsy Funhouse Lounge serves brunch fare coupled with drinkable midday staples, including sparkling mimosas. Dining twosomes tuck into pancake puffs, which come served with real maple syrup like a summons to the Canadian supreme court. Midmorning munchers can indulge in bacon frittatas sprinkled with tillamook cheddar cheese, or thick slabs of french toast stuffed with ham, turkey and swiss. Guinness syrup splashes over pigs in blankets, and vodka- or tequila-filled bloody marys pack a spicy punch.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Office Icebreakers

Is lack of self-confidence contagious?

$29 for a Home Teeth-Whitening Kit from Premium Home Whitening ($158 Value)

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:01:06 +0000

Like choosing paint swatches with an impatient spouse, teeth whitening replaces pale pistachio, bavarian cream, and summer peach with simple buckets of white. Simplify your shades with today’s Groupon: for $29, you get a home teeth-whitening kit from Premium Home Whitening (a $158 value).

Premium Home Whitening's kits take trips to the dentist out of smile-brightening equations with FDA-approved gels blanching choppers up to five shades. After a quick brush and floss, patrons drop their mold-and-bite trays into heated water until the plastic becomes as pliable as the lasagna noodles floating beneath them. Ductile tooth helmets press against the upper and lower ridges, custom molding to enamel outlines. After a conservative squirting of USA-made carbamide-peroxide gel, patients insert their impressions into the mouth while clutching the micro LED light between their lips. Sessions last about 30–60 minutes, depending on tooth tolerance, and should take place once or twice daily while watching TV, reading a book, or challenging the cat to competitive staring contests. Gel supplies furnish about seven to nine treatments.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to Everyman’s Classics: Animal Farm

Is a society run by animals doomed to fail/be hilarious?

Short, Single-Button, Tall, or Three-Button Winter Boots from Shoe Scandal (Up to 78% Off)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:01:11 +0000

You shouldn't judge a person until walking a mile in their shoes or without first being accepted onto their jury. Let your feet judge for themselves with today's Groupon to Shoe Scandal. Choose from the following options:

For $22, you get a pair of faux-shearling short boots (a $79.95 value).
For $22, you get a pair of faux-shearling single-button boots (an $89.95 value).
For $22, you get a pair of faux-shearling tall boots (an $89.95 value).
For $22, you get a pair of faux-shearling three-button boots (a $99.95 value).

This Groupon does not include shipping; flat-rate shipping (5-7 business days) is an additional $5.95.

The fashion-forward designers at Shoe Scandal outfit tootsies in elegant boots in a variety of textures and styles. A soft faux-sheepskin in one of five hues swathes feet and ankles in the short boot, keeping toes cozy with its faux-fur lining and complex internal system of wood-burning stoves. Single-button boots, in the same distinctive palette, give wearers the option to cuff each boot, holding it in place with an eye-catching wooden button. Keep shins warm and shielded from the elements in the tall or three-button boots, which protect calves from chilly breezes and garden gnomes looking for cover.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

One- or Three-Year Premium LoJack for Laptops Theft Recovery Service from Absolute Software (Up to Half Off)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:01:10 +0000

Theft of a computer can be difficult for an owner, forcing one to recover lost data, reconcile with an old abacus, and plan a costly farewell party for the remaining household electronics. Prevent painful loss with today's Groupon for LoJack for Laptops from Absolute Software. Choose between the following options:

For $30, you get a one-year premium subscription for laptop protection (up to a $60 value).
For $55, you get three years of premium subscription for laptop protection (up to a $110 value).

Absolute Software watches over an international laptop flock with Computrace Agent security software, which bestows patented security paired with a human computer-recovery team. Upon installation, software snuggles into computer programming to automatically message Absolute Software's Monitoring Center at frequent intervals. The software empowers its mortal masters with preventive features, such as recovery messages that enable customers to alert recovery-team staff in the event of laptop loss, theft, or elopement. A device lock feature allows users to remotely block access to their missing gadgets and optionally display a customized lockout message with contact information for good-Samaritan eyes and ominous Shakespearean verse for others. Clients may also remotely erase their laptops' select sensitive data remotely, or like omnipotent grandmothers, track current and past locations using the software's GPS and WiFi geo-location. Premium subscriptions also protect gadgets with an added Service Guarantee, which may grant payments up to $1,000 if recovery-team members fail to enable data deletion or recover the computer.

Most of Absolute Software's dedicated theft-recovery team members draw from vast experience as law-enforcement personnel and detectives, some from gritty film-noir backgrounds. In the event of a theft and customer-filed police report, team technicians employ the recovery software's data to aid law enforcement in laptop retrieval. Recovery team troubleshooters may even be able to track down data such as photos, private correspondence, financial information, and dream journals from wiped or removed hard drives. Absolute Software partners with most operating systems, enabling harmonious software marriages on both PC and Apple devices.

Though Absolute Software sometimes features a discounted price online, this Groupon still offers the best deal available.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

$6 for $12 Worth of Ice Cream and Frozen Treats at Ben & Jerry's

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:58 +0000

Though any emotion can be read into the Mona Lisa's mysterious smile, scientists have identified the glint in her eyes as simple lust for dairy products. Tantalize portraits with today’s Groupon: for $6, you get $12 worth of frozen treats at Ben & Jerry's. This Groupon is valid at two locations in the Clackamas Town Center mall in Happy Valley and in Hawthorne and Bend.

The shops of Ben & Jerry's dispense cups and cones brimming with a variety of quirky flavors concocted with fair-trade ingredients. The classic Cherry Garcia entertains taste buds with a psychedelic medley of cherries, fudge flakes, and a legion of fans who follow the cone everywhere ($3.95–$4.95/cup). Warm-hearted staffers also distribute Chunky Monkey's banana base flecked with fudge and walnuts and strawberry cheesecake's icy adaptation of the celebrated dessert. The creamery churns out low-fat and fat-free options with its frozen yogurt, as well as sorbets that eschew dairy for low-fat frozen-fruit flavors. Ben & Jerry's packs pints ($4.50) for devotees to tote home, and blend shakes (4.95–$5.50) to cool hoarse throats after singing rounds of "Happy Birthday" or yodeling the contents of a phone book.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

$119 for a Two-Hour Boudoir Photo-Shoot Package with Hair and Makeup Services at Studio D ($450 Value)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:55 +0000

Boudoir photographs supply a sultry surprise when hidden in drawers, framed on bed stands, or taking up full-page ads in a spouse's favorite business journal. Supply sexy scenes this Valentine's Day with today's Groupon: for $119, you get a boudoir photo-shoot package at Studio D (a $450 total value). The package includes the following items:

Two-hour private studio session (a $255 value)
Three emailed digital images (a $120 value)
One retouched 8"x10" print (a $75 value)
Complimentary makeup, hair, and outfit services

Owner of Studio Dee, Dee draws on experience doing makeup for films such as Bring It On and About Schmidt to highlight natural beauty in men and women during tasteful boudoir photography sessions. In a preshoot phone consultation, each client discusses his or her goals for the session, giving dress sizes and clothing preferences to complement shoots with sensual gowns or coy clown wigs. Sessions commence with a makeup application and hairstyling before subjects slip into photo-friendly clothing that makes them feel comfortable and confident. Over the course of two hours in a private, warehouse setting, Danielle guides her subjects through flattering poses, or simply snaps away as aspiring Madonnas vogue their hearts out. Three digital images and one 8"x10" print ensure each client has hard evidence of his or her moment in the spotlight, making romantic gifts for significant others or above average driver's license photos.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

$50 for 6-Hour Chauffeur Service for a Three-Stop Winery Tour for One from Fiesta Limousine ($135 Value)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:54 +0000

Enjoying a chauffeured ride in a luxury sedan is a cut above driving yourself and two cuts above pulling yourself in a rickshaw. Take an easier ride with today's Groupon: for $50, you get a 6-hour winery tour for one from Fiesta Limousine (a $135 value). This Groupon is valid for transportation through the wine trails only, and depending on availability and group size, the vehicle may be a town car, stretch limo, or party bus.

Fiesta Limousine's fleet of vehicles escorts passengers through northwest wine trails for a day of spirited beverages and scenic views. Chauffeurs greet patrons at a prescheduled location awaiting the harmonic melody of seatbelt clicks and then accelerate toward the horizon, where wineries await with samples of red- and white-grape nectar. The tour makes three stops at various wineries, which may include Ponzi Vineyards, The Four Graces, Sokol Blosser, or Vista Hills Vineyard & Winery. Each stop on the tour will last about 45–60 minutes, which is enough time to dazzle taste buds with a variety of flavors and snap photographs of expansive vineyard fields; wine-tasting fees are an additional $5–$15 at each winery. Complimentary bottled water, soft drinks, snacks, and mints populate the vehicle's interior bar, helping to fuel passengers or melting into alternative fuel sources.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Writing an Urban Legend

Can I make an urban legend from soap?

$20 for $40 Worth of Flowers and Gifts from FTD

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:55 +0000

Fresh flowers spruce up Valentine's Day dates easier than making your own candy or paying your nephew to dress as a Cupid-themed living statue. Arm yourself with amorous bouquets with today’s Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of flowers and gifts from FTD. FTD offers same-day delivery in most areas for orders placed by 2 p.m. in the recipient’s time zone. Service or shipping fees vary widely based on order and delivery dates but typically range from $15.99 to $29.99. For detailed instructions on how to redeem your FTD Groupon, click here.

FTD steeps rooms in the fresh scents of spring with hundreds of thoughtful bouquets delivered by artisan florists or sheathed in gold organza and shipped in an award-winning gift box. Yield to Cupid’s arrow and persistent text messages by presenting a loved one with an FTD-exclusive Sweethearts bouquet, a heart-hued collection of red roses and burgundy mini carnations elegantly interspersed with sprigs of greenery in an etched glass vase ($44.99–$64.99). Or follow a more polychromatic path with the My Everything Valentine's Day bouquet, an unexpected marriage of deep-red roses and white Asiatic lilies ($29.99–$59.99). Red roses and pink lilies spring forth from a sculpted red vase in the Lasting Romance bouquet ($69.99–$94.99), and a spray of 12 long-stemmed roses ($49.99; $59.99 with vase) stands firmly on stems that measure around 16 inches without heels. FTD backs each floral arrangement with a satisfaction guarantee, which pledges that flowers and plants will remain fresh and keep their bedrooms tidy for at least seven days.

Those looking beyond the bloom can peruse FTD’s gift galleria, which encompasses a smorgasbord of specialty gifts, including jewelry and chocolates. Live plants, such as orchids ($39.99+) or miniature roses ($19.99+), outlive their clipped comrades with a simple regimen of watering and pruning, and silk floral displays brighten up sunless corners and survive solely on nightly bedtime stories.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Office Icebreakers

Is lack of self-confidence contagious?

$12 for $25 Worth of Oils, Vinegars, and Gifts at Oil & Vinegar in Happy Valley

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:49 +0000

Cooking a great meal requires close attention to one's ingredients, whether it's choosing the highest-quality olive oil or picking out the best vintage box of mac 'n' cheese. Find the makings of a delicious feast with today's Groupon: for $12, you get $25 worth of gourmet oils, vinegars, and gifts at Oil & Vinegar in Happy Valley.

Oil & Vinegar outfits its clientele with a stock of high-class culinary ingredients and gifts including cooking oils, aged vinegars, herb blends, and other discerning products. More than 50 taps in a rainbow of earthy tones drizzle out servings of olive, grapeseed, and walnut oils, such as 100-milliliter drams of blood-orange extra-virgin olive oil ($9.95), its citrusy flavors a match for fruit salads, and Chardonnay Moroccan grapeseed oil ($10.95), perfect for vinaigrettes or slicking back hair. Four colorful bottles fill out a gift pack of herb vinegars ($24.95), with contents aged in oak barrels for 12 years and infused with flavors such as lavender, green tea, and hibiscus.

Patrons can also pick up packaged pastas, herb blends, and other prepared delights such as Truffle Carpaccio ($24.95), a delicate garnish for meat and pasta dishes. Vessel-less guests can peruse a stock of hand-painted ceramic serving accessories including a baked-brie dish, its oven-safe design suited for stylish platings of crackers, veggies, or edible business cards.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Office Icebreakers

Is lack of self-confidence contagious?

Gutter Cleaning and Moss Treatment or Four Hours of General Outdoor Labor from Dirty Works (Up to 85% Off)

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:49 +0000

House façades require a regular cleansing, lest they grow dusty beards that attract nesting Texas boogie-rock bands. Indulge your home with a thorough scouring with today’s Groupon to Dirty Works. Choose between the following options:

For $99, you get an outdoor-cleaning package for homes up to 4,000 square feet (up to a $650 value), which includes:
- Gutter cleaning
- Moss treatment
- Roof-debris removal
For $99, you get four hours of general outdoor labor (up to a $210 value), which can include tasks such as:
- Debris cleanup
- Power washing

Dirty Works's insured home-maintenance technicians arrive at time-weathered homes to relieve them of yard debris and grime clinging to their façades. Water once again trickles unencumbered through gutters cleaned of excess leaves and buildup, and a two-can application of moss treatment evicts mossy barnacles and prevents them from clinging to roofs and Santa's boots. Additionally, powerful machines blow away any debris hiding between roof shingles. Four hours of general outdoor labor can encompass tasks such as debris cleanup, power washing, or window washing.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to: Office Icebreakers

Is lack of self-confidence contagious?

$99 for a Two-Night Stay for Four Valid Sunday–Thursday in a Large View Room at the Vagabond Lodge in Oregon (Up to $188 Value)

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:58 +0000

Cliff-Top Lodge with Panoramic Views of Columbia River Gorge

It was love at first sight for Lucy Cranmer when she spied a magazine photo of children playing in lush apple orchards set against the pristine backdrop of Mount Hood. So, in 1954, she and her husband, Clarence, packed up their family and moved to Hood River, where they built the original eight-room Vagabond Lodge on the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge. Nearly 60 years later, the lodge is still owned and operated by the Cranmer family, but it's now grown into a 42-room inn situated on 5 wooded acres adorned with native flora, natural rock formations, and towering ponderosa pines.

Beyond the park-like grounds, Vagabond Lodge's chief attraction is its panoramic view of the gorge, best enjoyed from the balcony of a large view room. These spacious chambers are decorated in rustic Pacific Northwest fashion with exposed ceiling beams, gas-burning fireplaces (in some rooms), and shower curtains sewn from repurposed lumberjack flannel. When hunger pangs hit, the adjacent White Buffalo Wine Bar & Bistro supplies tasty grub and regional microbrews on tap. Every Thursday night, the eatery offers live music and free wine tastings of local varietals from wineries in the area.

Hood River, Oregon: Historical Riverside Town Where Columbia River Meets Cascade Range

Because of its prime waterfront location, Hood River is at the epicenter of outdoor recreation at the Columbia River Gorge. In addition to being the Windsurfing Capital of the World, Hood River offers world-class skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing at nearby Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort, which provides discounted lift tickets to guests of Vagabond Lodge.

Downtown, shops and restaurants occupy historical buildings that date back to the late 19th century. The Columbia Center for the Arts showcases theatrical and dance performances as well as exhibitions of work by local visual artists in its gallery space. A cluster of wineries can also be found downtown. The award-winning Cathedral Ridge and Spring House Cellar host tastings and talks by winemakers extolling the area’s unique grape-growing qualities and its herds of undomesticated sommeliers. For those who prefer suds to vino, the Full Sail Brewing Company headquarters offers free, 30-minute tours of its earth-friendly craft brewery as well as $1 microbrew tasters and fresh, seasonal, Pacific Northwest–inspired pub fare.

Groupon Says

$59 for One Month of Unlimited Yoga Classes at CorePower Yoga ($159 Value). Two Locations Available.

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:57 +0000

Practicing yoga, like hanging a picture frame, requires a good sense of balance, a tasteful mat, and a supportive instructor to keep an eye on your alignment. Stay centered with today’s Groupon: for $59, you get one month of unlimited yoga classes at CorePower Yoga (a $159 value), valid at the following Portland-area locations:

Northwest Quimby Street
Southeast Morrison Street

New students may also enroll in an additional week of free classes using the studio’s online offer.

CorePower Yoga’s instructors guide students through creative yoga classes that meld movement, breathing, and music into entrancing routines to energize the body and mind. Like a butler with a teleportation pod, the studio’s full schedule of classes welcomes students to two locations seven days a week. During the signature CorePower yoga class, teachers lead students through dynamic, Vinyasa-style flows with demonstration and verbal cues, helping pupils to tone core muscles and cultivate balance.

Most classes convene in a 90- to 95-degree room, which intensifies stretches, bolsters coordination, and melts stress faster than a lullaby sung by a dragon. To foster full-body strength and cardiovascular health, teachers pair selected yoga workouts with free weights that pump up heart rates.

Groupon Says

The Groupon Guide to Everyman’s Classics: Animal Farm

Is a society run by animals doomed to fail/be hilarious?