Portland, OR

I honestly don’t know what McCain was thinking, saying that he had important work to do in Washington, with the financial “crisis” — considering he has admitted as much as not knowing anything about said economy, but whatev. He has decided to grace us with his attendance at the first Presidential Debate tonight in Oxford, Mississippi.

Anyhoo, I did get an email from the Obama campaign with an invite to join others in watching the debate, a “debate watching party” as it were. One, it is best if I watch things like a presidential debate by myself as I am very obnoxious when it comes to politics. Luckily, I have a boyfriend that either enjoys my rants or tunes them out effectively. Two, I have to work. And that brings me to the point of today’s post.

Besides, writing and teaching, I also work in a restaurant. It is good for me as it gets me out of the house and off my computer, but also I get to spend time with adults. Well, relatively speaking. Restaurant people can be in a sort of “arrested development” in terms of what a lot of people call “real jobs”, but most restaurant industry people are fairly committed to their craft. No matter here though, as I have a bit of a gripe with the Federal Elections Commission for scheduling a debate on a Friday night.

Let’s look at this from an economic point of view. Friday nights are a big night for restaurants across the country. So to schedule a debate on a Friday night is rather foolish, as you may run the risk of cutting into a small business’ go-to night. Not only that but with the debate scheduled for 9pm EST, which is 8pm Central (the time zone for Mississippi), it underscores the “shaft” that we West Coasters get time and time again when it comes to television programming.

At 9pm, plenty of people have plenty of time to get a meal at their favourite restaurant and then go home or to someone else’s home to watch what may turn out to be a very interesting debate. 8pm, sure, you still have time for an early bite. But once you hit the Mountain and Pacific time zones, you are cutting into what is considered prime time for the restaurant biz.

That is reflected in the reservation book of “my” restaurant. Sure, you could say that once the debate is over, people will go out for a meal and a drink. But once you watch the debate, and then the tireless commentary that will no doubt follow, how many people are going to head out to a sit-down restaurant, after all the snacks and booze that will be served at those “debate watching parties?” I’m sure that there will be some, but I am more sure that tonight will be a slow night for restaurants in Portland. I could say the same for restaurants all along the West Coast, but I am not entirely sure how other cities view the importance of politics. Portland is a politically active city, so I am simply surmising about Portland right now. True, it is a rather historic and entertaining election season, but I just don’t know how many people actually plan their lives around presidential debates.

Personally, I will watch the repeats of the debate on CNN. For anyone else who refuses to let NBC decide their Friday night, CNN is airing repeats at both 9pm and 12am.

McCain, presidential debate, Oxford, Mississippi, Obama, restaurant industry, restaurants, business, financial, economy, small business, Federal Elections Commission, West Coast, Pacific Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone, Portland, NBC, CNN

Today’s post is a little bit of everything.

Firstly, I did in fact go to Doug Fir last night to see Tim Finn. Awesome show, and I am so happy I went. I was sitting at home writing an article on rising sea levels in Africa, and watching the Republican National Convention. All the sudden, it was 9pm, and the show was set to start at 9pm. I had a little debate with myself, and said, you know you have waited your whole life to see Tim so just go already. I hopped in the car. Upon arrival at Doug Fir (my first time), the door guy asked me if I was by myself, and being a loser with no friends, I said yes. He said it was my lucky day, as he had an extra ticket for me. It is like I was meant to be there…

The cutest, most adorable little thing, Jasmine Ash, opened. Just her and an acoustic guitar. She has a sweet, soft voice, which usually isn’t something I dig, but she was really quite good. I checked out her myspace page, and she is a local Portland act. I will definitely try to catch her again. I told her I was going to put her in my pocket and take her home. She didn’t seem adverse to the idea.

Here’s a video she has out on her myspace page.

Tim Finn came on, and wow, what an amazing show. The man has been performing since before I was born, and he is very comfortable in front of an audience. He was exceedingly charming, and I must say, Mr. Finn has only grown more handsome over the years. He opened with “Parihaka,” a song off the self-named album that he released in 1989. I still have that cassette, but alas, no cassette player, so I have not heard that song in forever. He played a really nice blend of old favorites and newer stuff, and a lot off of the Crowded House album, Woodface, on which Tim was a full-fledged member of that band. I was starting to think, wow, there is a lot off Woodface, when he explained “we are in Woodface kind of mood tonight.” That makes sense, and the 40 of so people in the audience seemed to respond best to those songs, so as long as everyone is happy. I would have liked a few more early, solo-career songs, but it is always difficult to please everyone. Tim Finn did a great job and ended the show with a promise to be back next year (promoting a new album). Also, props go out to his band members, maybe Greg on electric guitar and Simon on keys. I didn’t quite catch the names, but talented young men, and Greg did a nice job singing along on some of the harmony-based Crowded House and Split Enz songs.

Funny side note, actually two: Finn mentioned that he went to Powell’s, like everyone who visits Portland does, and he said it was just too much for him. I couldn’t agree more, that place is totally sensory overload. You have to be in the proper mood to battle the crowds, and have plenty, and I mean plenty, of time to wander. Also, Finn said that Doug Fir had a very “Twin Peaks” feel about it. Exactly what I thought when I got there. More red velvet and it would be uncanny.

Moving on to Music Fest Northwest, I know a bunch of bands are playing this weekend. I am going to try and catch as many as I can, but I say that now, and I tend to get very comfortable at home, so we’ll see what I get out of my house for. I wouldn’t mind seeing Built to Spill…

To end, I have to say that Portland has an incredible music scene for those of us that really love music. And when I say music, I don’t mean corporate-committee-overly-produced-whatever-sells-the -most-singles music for the masses. I spent my last two teenage years in Chicago during the early-to-mid nineties, which was a great time for music, and Chicago was a hub for that scene then. Lots of small venues, great relatively unknown bands, you could see a great show any night of the week. I had a radio show on WHPK (the pride of the South Side, University of Chicago’s station with a range of maybe nine miles), so I got a lot of free tickets and never got carded for some reason, despite my baby face. Portland reminds me a lot of that time. Not only are there some pretty awesome local acts, but it seems that Portland is always a stop on bands that matter tour schedule. Small venues make such a difference if you want to feel connected with your favorite bands.

If you cannot find something to do in Portland, it’s your own fault.

Tim Finn, Jasmine Ash, Portland, Doug Fir, Crowded House, Split Enz, Music Fest Northwest, MFNW, Built to Spill, Chicago, University of Chicago

I have noticed that an inordinate amount of people my age and younger in Portland do not either own a TV or subscribe to cable.

WTF?

Seriously, I understand that most, if not all television pretty much sucks, but come on, television is one of those things that we all watch and rely on as a common denominator. I mean, sometimes I will watch a show just to see what it is in case I come across a trivia question about it in the future. It’s called Pop Culture, people! Hell, I even watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy just to how much it sucked, and boy, did it.

I am one of those people that loves TV. And I don’t mean that I love what is on TV for the most part, but just the whole idea, process and culture of TV. For goodness sake, I majored in film and television studies, so I think I had better find some sort of enjoyment in television, even if only on an academic level.

So, to the young people of Portland, television can be a wonderful thing. Have you watched Science Channel? SciFi channel? Cartoon Network?! What about PBS? Even if you think you are too good to watch the usual television shows, you have to tune in for an occasional Frontline or Nature or Charlie Rose.

I tend to like to talk TV as well, and it is so frustrating to me when I bring up last night’s Project Runway (SOOO HAPPY that ever-whiny Keith is gone, btw), and the person I am trying to talk to says, “Oh, I don’t watch TV.” It’s like them saying I don’t care about the collective experience of living in the age of mass media. I think that some people see it as a badge of “coolness” to not watch TV. Those people are lame, if you ask me. How can you not be curious about commerical entertainment, even as an exercise in studying the medium?

Also, I do suspect that some of those non-TV-watchers are lying to me. Trying to appear as though they are “above” it. You know the type…they only listen to obscure bands, and try to make you feel like a soccer mom if you admit you have never heard of that band that only has an EP out anyway. I am sure that those hipsters (god, I hate that term as much as I hate the uniform of tight jeans and graphic faux-80’s t-shirts they all wear) have watched American Idol, but are too worried about admitting it and losing their street cred.

Disclaimer: I do know some people that simply cannot afford to get cable, and therefore they are excluded from my rant. They at least watch TV via the web or get the DVDs through Netflix.

TV, television, Portland, cable, pop culture, Science Channel, SciFi, Cartoon Network, PBS, Frontline, Nature, Charlie Rose, Project Runway, American Idol, Netflix, Grey’s Anatomy

Sunday my boyfriend gave me a challenge. Find something “outside-y” to do that day. The weekend before, we had checked out the Oregon Brewfest, so I had a clue as to what he was thinking. Other than a baseball game, I knew that anything that involved BBQ and beer would be a winner.

Power of County. The best thing about Bones and Brew during the hour I was there.

Rogue Brewery hosted a benefit BBQ for the Oregon Zoo this last Saturday and Sunday. Learning from the week before, Chris and I knew better than to show up the few hours before the event closes down (less chance for good beer). I don’t think that the Bones and Brew suffers that problem, and that is a good thing. However, having a lot of beer doesn’t necessarily make up for the food.

Let me start at the very beginning, and give a shout out to the extremely nice and pleasant women that ran the gate. One was wearing the cutest elephant earrings, and boy, was she sweet. There was a suggested donation of three dollars, that’s right, $3. While we were standing in line, two women came up behind us and inquired as to whether they had to pay just to come in and eat. It’s a benefit, ladies, of course you pay the suggested donation to enter the event, even if you are just coming in to eat, and sit at a table, and enjoy the entertainment. Jeez, where do these people come from? Not only that, but it is a SUGGESTED donation, so if you are really that cheap and lame, then yes, you can go in and eat.

Some people are so dumb. But I digress…

Upon entering, I saw that “Portland’s biggest backyard BBQ” — per the Rogue Brewery press release — which equates to three blocks, and half-blocks at that, was not quite what I expected. Not that I was expecting anything at all like the big Brewfest, but I did expect more food. There were I think three BBQ tents, with an ice cream stand and a shaved ice stand. The menus I checked out included the standard BBQ fare of chicken, pork, or beef sandwiches, ribs, cheddar fries, red beans and rice (the lone vegetarian option as far as I saw). I had read in the press release that there would be seafood, asian and vegetarian options. Other than the beans and rice, I didn’t see much for our non-carnivorous cousins, so I am glad that my friend, Danielle, was not able to join us. She is super picky about what meat she does eat, and even then she is pretty reluctant about it.

The press release also mentioned a farmer’s market. I saw a few booths for dog stuff, and then a wax candle stand (which featured some Rogue candles, how cute), and then oddly, an Indian food stand, but not anything to eat on premises, rather just jars of chutney and some roti in bags. No fresh veggies or stuff that I associate with a farmers’ market, but hey, it is a loosely defined term here, like most things in Portland.

So I had a pork sandwich from the My Brother’s stand. The reason we chose that stand over the others — the fifteen or so trophies that they had on display, oddly, in the middle of the street, about ten feet in front of the stand, but off to the side a bit. At first, when I walked in, I wasn’t sure why there was a table all by itself in the middle of the street with a bunch of trophies on it. Then we noticed the trophies had pigs and cows on them, and it dawned on us that the trophies were for fantastic BBQ. Which of course meant the bigger the disappointment when I tried the pork sandwich. It wasn’t bad, per se, just average. Chris got the ribs and they were better, but still nothing to write about. Oh, wait — I just did.

One impression that I left the Bones and Brew fest with was that of how these outdoor events are especially planned for dogs. I mean, I LOVE dogs, but having a gazillion of them in a two block radius, well, I am nervous around that many leashes.

Oh, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the best part of the Bones and Brew fest, other than the proceeds going to the Zoo (by the way, I am not a huge zoo fan, any zoo, not just the Oregon Zoo, but hey, if we have to have them, let’s keep them well-funded). There were some bands that were part of the festivities. I was only there for about an hour, actually, not even that long, and the band playing was Power of County. Funny thing is that I had spied a long-haired rocker type wearing a black leather vest the week before at the Brewfest. It had white letters on the back of the vest that said Power of County. Of course, the editor in me wondered if that were a typo, which would have been genius. And whoa, here was the same long-hair playing on the stage.

I didn’t want to like Power of County, but I have to say, they are pretty good. Kind of that seventies southern rock thing going on. I wanted to go up to them afterward and buy a CD, but I was feeling a little shy. Next time, gentleman.

All in all, I don’t see a reason to return next year. I did speak to a very nice guy sitting at the same table (oh, yeah, not enough tables, or maybe they should go with long tables rather than circles), and he said that in years past, the BBQ was more of a contest, so it was fun to try them all and vote for the winner. Also, he mentioned that the beer had been served as “tasters” before, but now, it’s all these lame maybe ten ounce paper cups for $4. I have to agree that the BBQ contest sounds like a fun idea, and a way to create a “theme” to the festival.

Oh, yeah, is it weird to anyone but me that a zoo benefit would focus on eating animal flesh? Is it to make us more like animals or does the Zoo discriminate against domesticated animals? Let them eat bones.

Portland, Rogue Brewery, Oregon zoo, BBQ, benefit, Oregon Brewfest, Power of County

Let me start by saying that I am not a huge fan of big crowds. I get a little anxious being surrounded by large chaotic swarms of people, and add alcohol and yeah, not a fan. So it was a surprise to me yesterday when I agreed to go down to the waterfront to the Brewfest.

Generic picture of the Brewfest Crowd

It was the 21st annual Oregon’s Brewers Festival, or so the poster said. I think originally there were lots and lots of breweries (maybe around seventy or so) that set up kegs in long semi-trailer refrigeration units, but by the time Sunday rolled around, well, it was the left-overs. The leftovers seemed to be the more local brews, by the way, so I am wondering if the locals knew better about how much beer to show up with, or they were closer to some stockpiles to re-supply themselves with.

Of course, Deschutes was there, and they are big time, as they had their own specially designed trailer from which they were serving.

And yes, there were more than just Oregon microbrews. Lots of California and Washington beer, but also I saw some Michigan beers, namely Bell’s and Michigan Brewing Company. It was a nice sight for a Michigan girl.

All in all, I am not sure if I would go back, and if I do return next year, I will be sure to go before Sunday at 4:30 pm. Like I said, a lot of beer was tapped out, but also the organization was a bit odd for me. Brewfest is asking a lot of drunks by asking them to line up for the appropriate beer, and the beers are lined up at tables pretty closely, so I can see how easy if would have been to think that you are standing in one line, only to find that the line sort of morphed into a grouping of people that got some beer and basically turned away from the table, but didn’t leave. The line is then a mad dash for getting around the drunks that have set up camp in the front of the line, rather than take your beer and get the heck out of the way. Whew, ok, that was my big rant.

Also, the “servers” are obviously volunteers that weren’t quite sure what they were pouring. When I got up to the table for my four ounce taster pour (for a $1 token), it seemed that the volunteer next to my line was pouring the same beer (Grand Teton’s Bitch Creek ESB) I was getting even though the sign in front of him said Woody’s IPA. No matter, I’m sure, as everyone seemed pretty drunk to me. So drunk that every few minutes a collective, “Whoooooooooeeeeeeeeewwwwwww” would erupt from the crowd. At first, I thought it was almost cute, but after ten minutes, I felt like I was at a frat party. Especially once the quartet of drunk girls started following me around…

So all in all, I would prefer the Brewfest to be more of a beer tasting event than a huge beer tent/party, but who am I to start saying what I would have done if I planned out the Brewfest? It wasn’t quite as rowdy as most beer tents I have been to, because Portlanders are a fairly polite bunch.

Also, I got my “mug” for free as the fest ran out of the 2008 mugs, so I got a left-over holiday mug.

Oregon Brewfest, Deschutes, Portland, Waterfront, California, Washington, Michigan, Bell’s, Michigan Brewing Company, Grand Teton

Here is a little secret about me. Once a presidential candidate announces their throwing of the proverbial hat in the ring, I go to their official campaign website and sign up, for the updates and newsletters, the endless emails pandering for contributions, and yes, even volunteer work.

And I do it for both parties. Not that I am particularly on board full on supporting any one candidate per se, it is more out of nosiness. I love politics. And the machinery behind it, and the rhetoric and how campaigns communicate with supporters. I know I am a nerd. But more so lately it seems this election is, I hate to say it, exciting…and interminable. Seriously, have the elections always stretched on and on for two whole years. C’mon. But still, I think the more controversial the media makes this race out to be, hopefully the more people become involved in this so-called democracy. Although when you go the lowest blow in politics, you can also bring out the apathy (more so).

Anyhoo, there is a point to this. I have finally just received my first official email from a candidate asking me to follow through on that ol’ volunteer work. And it was Obama. I figured I would have heard from Hillary first, but no. Does this mean that Obama is fearing a loss in this state? Or just forward-thinking? Hitting up volunteers before Hil to subvert her own late efforts? He was just here last week, rallying up support both media-wise and fundraising-wise no doubt.

I wonder how long ’til I get the same email from the Clinton campaign. Any bets?

I was actually a little bummed about moving to Oregon once I learned that Oregon holds its primary so late in May, but it looks like Oregon may have a say in the race for the race for the president.

Here’s a little bit of Obama from the Oregonian. It’s long, so I don’t blame you for not wanting to watch it. I switched to a different window while I watched it, honestly.

1. I hate the song. I really wish he wouldn’t use it.

2. I don’t know how I feel about Richardson endorsing Obama. Feels like he’s vying for a VP invite.

Portland, Oregon, Barack Obama, Obama, Hillary, Richardson, volunteer, politics, campaign, Oregonian

For anyone that lives in a city that sponsors a film festival, you really should take advantage. It is not often, sadly, that we as film consumers are able to score seats for anything other than the new Will Ferrell film or lame romantic comedy starring the latest young female star that some studio executive is trying to jam down our throats…Sorry, not sure where this rant is coming from, maybe the fifth row at your local multiplex.

But seriously, folks, get out and support independent films and those national cinemas other than New HollyYork.

Portland is hosting the appropriately enough named Portland International Film Festival. It’s going on for the next week or so, until the 23rd, so try and get out and check out those films you usually have to get from Netflix or even Facets, depending on the obscurity-level of said film.

Wednesday, the film Chop Shop will be shown twice, at 7:15 and 9pm. If you can only see one film this year, see this. Ok, I cannot really stand by that rather dramatic statement, as I have not technically seen Chop Shop, but it looks like it might be a winner. Though admittedly, there are many good films at the PIFF this year. Here’s a still from Chop Shop.

Cheery, huh?

Chop Shop debuted at Cannes this last year (2007) and then went to Toronto. And now, it’s in Portland! Oh my gawd, we are so cool.

Here’s what the PIFF website says about Chop Shop.

[Director Ramin] Bahrani sets his story of a 12-year-old Latino boy and his older sister in the no-man’s-land that is Willet’s Point, Queens, a 20-block stretch of junkyards and chop shops where stolen cars are dismantled for parts. Overshadowed by Shea Stadium’s giant billboard: “Make Dreams Happen,” Chop Shop suggests that for many, New York City is closer to a third world country than a glittering jewel in the crown of a land of infinite opportunity. “Miraculous! Now we have an American film with the raw power of City of God or Pixote, a film that does something unexpected, and inspired, and brave.”—Roger Ebert. Print courtesy of Koch Lorber Films. (85 min)

Even if you cannot get out for this particular film, you should peruse the listings on the PIFF site. What else are you missing right now? Juno? Most screenings at the PIFF are $7, so that is cheaper than most of the commercial films out there, unless you are seeing the second-run films…

Portland International Film Festival, Chop Shop, Ramin Bahrani, independent film, national cinemas

Continuing on my Portland media kick (my first few posts of the month were all about Getting to know Enko Photography (part 1) (and part 2), today I’d like to address Portland PodCasts.

For those who don’t know, a podcast is something akin to internet radio. However, it’s better described as a “collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers.” It’s like TV shows without pictures on your iPod.

The only Portland podcast that I listen to is Delta Park Gets Lost where Jason and Anna dissect that LOST show I was talking about yesterday.

On a non-Portland-podcast related note, my favorite podcast of all time is Keith & the Girl and I’ve included YouTube video of them at the end of this entry to prove they are freaking hilarious!

Using The Podcast Directory I found a list of other Portland-based podcasts. You can also use iTunes to do a search and find your own Portland podcasts.

>Northwest Noise - life. podcasting. northwest noise.

>DVD Talk Radio - “DVD Talk Radio has an interview with Scott Dacko director of the indie thriller - The Insurgents. Winning raves at a number of film fests including a best of show nod at the Oldenburg Film Festival, The Insurgents is an explosive thriller that asks the question, “What if the terror thread came from within?”.”

>Clusterflux Anomaly Podcasts - Two Geekish-Freakish Myriad Entities discuss everything from Life, Love, Sex, and Current Events to Movies, Music, Comics, and Podcasts in this weekly show from Portland Oregon to the World.

>SexGeeks Podcasts - “Lindsay and Rob are geeks about sex the same way other people are geeks about technology. In this series we will be talking about all aspects of sex and relationships.”

>Weekly Davespeak Dave Matthews Band Podcast Podcasts - Our podcast covers news and views on Dave Matthews Band. With special guests from the DMB fan community and actual crew interviews planned for this summer. We’ll be talking about show reviews and critique of the new album songs as they’re played.

>Black Samba Rides Again Podcasts - Black Samba Rides Again is a Podcast program about life as a jazz artist, a monk, a philosopher and poet, among other things. Interesting background music and links to articles are provided on the blog.

>The Timely Beaver Podcasts - Skits and improve will keep you rolling on the floor while the independent musicians will have your head-a-banging.

>Post Modern Rock Show - KPSU, Portland Podcasts - The best new indie releases along with classic alternative. Hour-long show. Airs Friday nights at 7 on KPSU, 1450 AM in Portland, worldwide at kpsu.org, on-demand at postmodernrock.com.

Enjoy this KATG video and check out their podcast on iTunes if Keith and his magics make you laugh!

Like essentially everyone else in Portland, I’m an active MySpace and an active FaceBook member … and I probably spend way too much time on both networking sites. FaceBook has a neat application that will show you the “Top _____ in the ______ network.” and today I got to see the

Top TV in the Portland network
(and since I’ve obviously been on a PDX media kick lately, I figured I’d share my reactions to their list!)

First let me say that Portland has great taste in television; I have seen at least an entire season of all but one show on this list.

1. Family Guy - is an animated show geared towards adults about a horribly dysfunctional family in Quahog (co-hog), Rhode Island (a fictional town). Family Guy began in 1999 thanks to Seth MacFarlane and has been “cancelled” twice but thanks to the love from it’s fan, it is continually brought back on air. My favorite part of the show is absolutely the cut-away scenes that do nothing to actually add to the show, but are just so random they make you laugh.

2. LOST - this show is my absolute favorite show ever. Last night someone asked me why I was so fascinated by the show, and I really have no concrete reason. Sometimes it’s because I often feel just like Kate (played by Evangeline Lily) and sometimes it’s because I just want to know what the hell the weird smoke monster is! Castaways stuck on an island in the middle of no where (well, we kinda know where it might be) deal with personal drama and with “stuck-on-an-island-full-o-weird-shit” drama. If you’ve never seen any of this fantastic show, start at the very beginning and get hooked like I did!

3. House - Hugh Laurie plays a smart-ass yet oh-so-smart-and-hot doctor on this Fox television show. If that’s not enough to make you want to watch it, the fact that they have all sorts of weiiiiiiird medical ailments featured should be enough to draw you in.

4. Friends - the one show on the list I’m not a huge fan of. Of course I’ve seen a few episodes, and I know the general plotline, but I was not one of the Friends-fanatics that my generation went through. Sorry for those of you looking for details on these 20-somethings’ (30-somethings??) lives.

5. Scrubs - Hi. Larious. Serious comedy starring the beautiful Zach Braff. I have seen every episode from every season released. The latest season was just added to my NetFlix list and I will laugh my way through this satirical medical school/student dramedy all over again. Please enjoy the YouTube (Digger) is looking for a writer if anyone is interested) video of one of my favorite Scrubs scenes.

I recently started reading another great Mental & Emotional Heath blog called Mental Health Notes and I’m really enjoying reading it. Alicia Sparks wrote a (mostly) light-hearted Christmas-themed post today about The Top 5 Things My Brain Wants for Christmas and I am stealing her idea … but asking Portland to give me presents instead.

1. Lower downtown parking rates! To park all day in most places in downtown Portland (legally, mind you) it will run you $8 to $10. Do you know what I could do with $8-10? (I could have a fabulous happy hour at On Deck for starters!) Today I parked on campus at PSU and managed to get by with $6 instead, but still. Can’t we just be kind and cool and have $0.25/hour parking? We’d be really popular, Portland!

2. Another bridge! You all know how I feel about bridges in Portland and so why not add another one? Make it pretty and give it nice lights and make sure people can walk/bike/skate/etc across it.

3. One holiday season day without being accosted by someone asking me to “buy” a child downtown. Whether it’s actually for “buying” a child, or for saving the Earth, I’m normally in a hurry when I walk around downtown and don’t like to have to tell everyone; “you know, I’m a totally broke college student and as much as I love penguins, I can’t afford to buy one right now thanks.” Just leave me alone for one day, please.

4. A good movie. I’d love to have a really cool movie shot here in town … I don’t want to be in it, but I’d love to see my city on the big screen. (Anyone have any other great Portland-based movie recommendations for me?)

5. An “accidental” run in with The Shins somewhere … somewhere they had all their instruments and really felt like singing New Slang to me. Over and over again. Then they might all feel the need to take me to dinner.

So, readers, what do you want Portland to bring you for Christmas? You have a week to get your orders in!

It’s the holiday season, and many families are looking to spend more time together outside rather that inside watching movies together. I’m going to try and do my part to encourage that family time and share with you some of the December Family Events I’ve discovered lately!

>The Best Christmas Pageant Ever; Lakewood Theater for the Arts; 328 South State Street, Lake Oswego; December 13-December 22; call 503-635-3901 for tickets or visit The Lakewood Center online.

>Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Clause!; The Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theatre; at the Hart Theater, 185 South East Washington Street, Hillsboro; free parking on MAX line; November 20-December 23, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm; tickets run $7-$14; call 503-693-7815 for tickets or visit The Hart Theater online.

>Tuba Christmas; Pioneer Courthouse Square; downtown; December 15, 1:30pm; FREE!

>Do Jump for For the Holidays; Newmark Theater; downtown; December 7-December 30; call 503-231-1232 (or Ticketmaster at 503-224-4400) for tickets or visit Do Jump.

>Imago’s Biglittlethings; Imago Theater; SE Portland; December 14-January 5; tickets are $16-$31; call 503-224-8499 for tickets or 503-231-9581 to contact, or visit Imago Theater.

>Pacific Festival Ballet’s The Nutcracker; PCC, Sylvania Forum Theater; 12000 SW 49th, Portland; December 7-December 16, weekends; tickets are $18-20; call 503-977-1753 or visit Pacific Festival Ballet.

>La Boutique Fantastique (Ballet); Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU Campus; downtown; December 21-December 23; tickets are $10-$20; call Ticketmaster at 503-224-4400 or contact 503-725-3307 for tickets.

>Oregon Ballet Theater: Balanchine’s The Nutcracker with the OBT Orchestra; Keller Auditorium; downtown; December 8-December 24; tickets start at $24; call 503-2-BALLET or visit Oregon Ballet Theater to buy tickets.

>Oregon Symphony’s Yuletide Spectacular; Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall; downtown; December 15-December 17; call 503-228-1353 or visit Oregon Symphony to purchase tickets.

>The Christmas Revels Winter Solstice Show; Scottish Rite Theater; South West 15th and Morrison, downtown Portland; December 7-December 16, weekends; call 503-274-4654 or visit Portland Revels for tickets.

>Beauty and the Beast; Northwest Children’s Theater; 1819 North West Everett Street, Portland; December 1-December 31, holiday matinees December 20, 24, 26, 27 at 2pm; tickets are $18-$22; visit Northwest Children’s Theater online to purchase tickets.

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Last Wednesday I attended my first CRAVE Portland party and promised a review … my general opinion? I won’t be buying a ticket for another party, nor will I let someone else buy me one.

1 $15 ticket
42 vendors
7 sponsers
3 friends who had to stop at every booth and talk to every person there
3 gratis henna-ings from a fantastic artist from Roving Horse (mine is still on my arm)
1 free mini-massage
1 drink ticket
2 Yazi Ginger Vodka infused drink options (we each had the Yazi Ginger Vodka Cosmo – marvelous drink!)
26 gasps at prices of things

Too many laughs to count

1 goody bag which included
15 regular business cards
12 business post cards
2 unscene urban navigators (of The Pearl/streetcar line)
1 pen with a feather topper & butterfly thing attached (from fancy pants)
1 magnetic clip (from Kids Central Kitchen)
1 cheap compact mirror (from Divine Jewelry by espi
1 cookie (from Beaverton Bakery made for NW Kids magazine) – printed cookies have chewy frosting … it’s tasty, but weird … maybe I’m not supposed to eat that part … LOL
1 $10 Urban Waxx gift card
1 bar of Angel Delight soap (Toning Tangerine & Orange soap for heavenly scented bodies!) – I have no idea where this soap came from … it does smell marvelous though
1 trashy romance novel, Raintree: Inferno by Linda Howard – I plan on giving this to my grandmother for Christmas … I know she’ll get more read out of it than I will

~~*~*~*~*~~

Unfortunately, very few of the vendors stuck out in my mind, but the few that did deserve to have their information shared with you all!

Goosey Press - I spoke to Amy Smith, owner & operator of this “collection of greeting cards, invitations, gift tags and wrapping paper inspired by vintage Mother Goose silhouettes.” I absolutely recommend checking out Goosey Press’ website!

Buchic Bamboo Clothing – have you ever felt bamboo clothes? They are fantastic! Lori talked to my friends and I about her special socks (they wick away sweat and never smell!) and the fantastic yoga pants her company sells.

Magali Corzo designs clothes that are wearable and fashionable. The prices were within reason, and the designer was easy to talk to, and offers to do custom pieces and colors if you have suggestions!

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Finishing up this week’s four-part series on Portland’s popular and weird movie rentals, I’d like to address three final “movies that Portland dwellers rent more than other “typical” NetFlix members.”

First we have Slings & Arrows: Season 1: Using a play on Shakespeare’s already famous words, this television show is built upon the drama that can occur in a theater town. “In the fictional town of New Burbage, legendary theatrical madman Geoffrey Tennant returns to the New Burbage Theatre Festival, the site of his greatest triumph and most humiliating failure, to assume the artistic directorship after the sudden death of his mentor, Oliver Welles. When Geoffrey arrives he finds that Oliver is still there, in spirit anyway, and with his guidance (and often in spite of it) Geoffrey attempts to reconcile with his past while wrestling the festival back from the marketing department. Despite a bitter leading lady, a clueless leading man, and a scheming general manager, he manages to stage a remarkable production of Hamlet — the play that drove him mad.

Dead Like Me: Season 2 - you all should know how I feel about Dead Like Me and if you missed the very first post where I talked about it, it’s a true love of mine. The every-day cynicism just kills me each time I watch it! This TV show is a comedy-drama starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin. They, along with other cast members, act as grim reapers in our nearby town of Seattle, Washington. Unforunately, it was cancelled at this season. Sad face!

The last DVD on Portland’s list of excessive rentals is The Amazing Screw-On Head is an animated Sci-Fi series done by the same producer as Dead Like Me. I’m not a fan of animated series, so I doubt I’d like it, even though it is made by one of my favorite television producers!

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With regards to weird movies that Portland rents, The Sarah Silverman Program: Season 1 doesn’t surprise me! According to Wiki, Silverman plays a fictionalized version of herself, an unemployed, immature woman who leads an irresponsible life. Her most notable trait is her undiluted, childlike self-absorption, which commonly leads to awkward situations in which she insults friends, family and total strangers indiscriminately. I’ve never seen the show, and Sarah Silverman has never been a big star in my eyes, but apparently weird Portlanders like her!

My Own Private Idaho - I’ve heard of this movie before, but never seen it. It is another Gus Van Sant movie, which seems to be a typical “type” for Portland dwellers. Too bad I’ve never really been into Van Sant and so I haven’t seen very many of his movies. This one does sound like something I would add to my list, though … even if it’s just to see if I recognize where it’s being shot in Portland. “Surreal character study focusing on the friendship between two male hustlers, Mike and Scott, in Portland, Oregon. They live on the streets, do drugs, and sell themselves to men and women. Mike (River Phoenix) is quiet, gay and suffers from narcolepsy. Abandoned as a child, he is obsessed with finding his long-lost mother. Scott (Keanu Reeves) is the rebellious son of a high-ranking family, who lives this life mostly to embarrass his father. Mike is in love with Scott, who still maintains he is straight and insists that his wild lifestyle on the streets is only temporary. Together, they embark on a quest to find Mike’s mother, traveling from Portland to Idaho to Italy, with Scott picking up a beautiful girl along the way.”

Velvet Goldmine - another movie that I’ve heard of but never seen before. However, after reading about the plotline of this movie, I don’t think that I’ll be adding it to my list. Oh what a non-typical Portlander I am! “In 1984, British newspaper reporter Arthur Stuart is investigating the career of 1970s glam rock star Brian Slade, who was heavily influenced in his early years by American rock singer Curt Wild, whose show was quite crazy for his time.” I’ve never been even remotely interested in “glamrock” and think I would probably fall asleep during this movie. Sorry Portland!

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead - I’ve heard of this movie and not seen it. Who would have guessed. It does, however, look like a hilarious movie, and I love the idea that they’re already established characters from a different production. “Showing events from the point of view of two minor characters from Hamlet, men who have no control over their destiny, this film examines fate and asks if we can ever really know what’s going on? Are answers as important as the questions? Will Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (or Guildenstern and Rosencrantz) manage to discover the source of Hamlet’s malaise as requested by the new king? Will the mysterious players who are strolling around the castle reveal the secrets they evidently know? And whose serve is it? ”

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Yesterday I wrote about popular movies that Portlanders rent and today I saw that I can look at movie titles that certain cities rent more than other Netflix members. This list made me laugh like yesterday’s list did, so of course I had to share it with you all!

1. The Puffy Chair - I have heard of this movie, but know nothing of it and have had no desire (probably since I know nothing about) to see it. “Josh Sagers drives cross-country on a mission to deliver his father’s birthday gift - a giant purple LazyBoy.” This plotline reminds me of Little Miss Sunshine’s plotline and so I might add it to my list. It can’t hurt anything and I pay for my subscription anyway.

2. Cabaret - Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Fremde, etranger, stranger. Gluklich zu sehen, je suis enchante, Happy to see you, bleibe, reste, stay. I actually sang that as I typed it out. Cabaret is one of my favorite movies and it made me happy to see it on Portland’s list of rentals!

3. Drugstore Cowboy - Gus Van Sant? Popular in Portland? No way! Who would have guessed that? I’ve never seen the movie, but after reading the plot synopsis, I think I’ll add this one to my list, too! “Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch play a heroin-driven Bonnie and Clyde, knocking over drugstores in the Pacific Northwest. Ultimately, they must dispose of the body of one of their crew, sneaking it out from a motel where a sheriffs’ convention is being held.” The fact that Matt Dillion is in it (10 years younger, even) doesn’t hurt the movie’s appeal for me!

More later!!!

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5. My Own Private Idaho

6. Velvet Goldmine

7. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

8. Slings & Arrows: Season 1

9. Dead Like Me: Season 2

10. The Amazing Screw-On Head