Portland, OR

Again, another rather misleading title, but then again I never said I didn’t take liberties with this site. It’s not like Portland has a monopoly on DIY stuff or that no one else in the country is into DIY, but bear with me as I try to give you a cross-section of Portland, Oregon here, people.

So, I was reading an article in the NY Times about the recycled materials market taking a nosedive in terms of prices and buyers, and I happened upon a link to another article about how the “crafts” industry is showing signs of being an anomaly in today’s bleak economy/holiday retail season. And wouldn’t you know it, Portland’s own Scrap was mentioned in the article.

First a little something about DIY, for newbies. It’s Do-It-Yourself, obviously, and that kind of mentality is alive and well in Portland, Oregon. From creating your own fashions to building your own bike, if you talk to ten people in Portland, I’ll bet that at least six of them are DIY’ers in some sense. Personally, I am into DIY skincare right now. I grow things in my garden and stick them in a food processor and then slather them on my face…

Anyhoo, arts and crafts are becoming popular in the midst of our economic downturn and depressed consumer spending. As someone who teaches after-school classes in which I build science-y projects with little kids, I can attest to the fact that I have just as much fun making stuff as the kids do. As an extra bonus of being a “crafty” chick, my house is full of pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks which my cats love to bat around. I think it is great that people are more interested in making their own xmas and holiday gifts, regardless of why.

And if money is an issue, kids love making stuff, so why not put them to work in your very own cottage industry/sweatshop in your kitchen or family room.

Ok, ok, I kid. Child labor is not funny. But seriously, whether you have children or not, making your own stuff is a wonderful outlet for all that creativity inside of you that you may not realize is there.

Here are some PDX resources to find you inner Martha Stewart…

Destination DIY

DIY Lounge

DIY Alert

Craftzine

Portland, Oregon, DIY, crafts, children, child labor, arts, holiday, gifts

For the first time ever, I attended Alberta Streets ever growing, LAST THURSDAY, which is very different from the Pearl District’s First Thursday.

If you are expecting Posh galleries, and people dressed in their finest fashions think again. What you will encounter is an amazingly eclectic array of people from all parts of Portland uniting to celebrate the indivduality in the Portland Art’s Scene.

What you will find is tons of tables covered in homemade art, clothing made from tablecloths, photos of portland, original abstract artworks, tons of home made jewelery, vegan cucakes, mosaics, collages, etc. (check out some art here.. www.artonalberta.org )

Did I forget to mention that for last thursday only, you can actually carry your beer with you on the street. Portland is a big drinking city anyway, so this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and be proud of our own Pub City.

If you are looking for the eclectic and individualized restaurants that make up Portland check out Last Thursday. It truly is a great community event. And hey who knows, you might bump into an old friend or two? I did.

Check it out, Last Thursday, will be the Last Thursday of every month. The next date will be.. August 30th, hope to see you all there.

I have only been back to Portland for about a month now, after working, living and studying in Los Angeles. I have rediscovered the reasons for which I am completely in love with The City of Roses. I have been visiting the spots that were hot, artsy, creative, fun and inspiring before I left. The thing that I love is not only have they stayed popular and artsy but they have grown and expanded into places that have better food selections, more boutiques with clothing and arts & crafts and better beers.  As I was walking down Alberta St. (which is a very fun and happening place), I noticed in the window there was a flier for a Craft PDX Block Party.                                                       

 It turns out the Museum of Contemporary Craft  (www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org) is having a grand reopening this Sunday July 22nd from 12-7:30 PM at 724 NW Davis St. and the best part it is all FREE. Not only is it FREE but it will be having:

live entertainment (i.e. Mood Area 52, Instigators, Trash Can Joe and Caravagn Gogh)

a raffle for a BMW art car

Museum Tours and Gallery Viewing

Hands on art activities for all ages

A Beer Garden for all ages

Demonstrations by several regional artistsCheck it out, this Museum has a lot of history and is finally arriving back in the heart of the North Park blocks where it belongs. Take the kids, bring your friends and find out and see what makes up the Arts and crafts movement in the NW.  

While writing about Voodoo Doughnuts yesterday, I came across this really cool YouTube video about what makes their doughnuts so special. Some people are willing to go through just about anything to wrap their lips around one of the bizarre doughnut concoctions.

I got a personal kick out of the interview with Tres Shannon, co-owner of the peculiar shop, when he was asked about some of the more memorable people who come into Voodoo Doughnuts. A few years ago, I worked for one of the most successful indie record labels in L.A., Dimmak, owned by Steve Aoki, who also owns Cold Crush Records. So i got a kick out of it when they mentioned The Coup and Livesavas (a hip-hop trio based right here in Portland,) as some of the really cool people who come into the shop to satisfy their nighttime munchies! But that wasn’t even my favorite part of the interview, it was actually the part where Tres was saying that he “was looking at the hole one day, and just really understanding it.” Yep, you’ve really got to love the inherent weirdness of Portland!

Oregon has always been a mecca for hippies and outdoor lovers alike, and Portland is no exception. But aside from the ever popular outdoor sports of hiking, biking, kayaking, mountain climbing, sight-seeing, skating, skiing, snowboarding, and all of the other great outdoor activities that Portlanders and Oregonians love so much, there is an entire culture of people that embrace the hippy bohemian lifestyle. It has become a part of Portland’s reputation, part of its style, and part of the locals’ way of life. From eclectic dining experiences to eccentric style and fashion, themed restaurants to street fairs and waterfront festivals, Portland one proud-to-be-weird city!

Just a few examples of some of the weird things you can eat and strange things to do while in Portland:

• Voodoo Doughnuts - Not your typical doughnuts! Open 24 hours, 6 days a week, and lots of strange toppings on their menu. Things you may have heard of, things you’ve probably never dreamed of, such as vegan doughnuts, maple-bacon donuts, cock-n-ball or voodoo doll doughnuts, cereal-topped doughnuts, and even a Doughnut & Wedding Chapel, where for $175 you can get married and have doughnuts and coffee with 10 of your favorite people! They even have a Doughnut Eating Contest on the first Friday of the month!
• Apizza Scholls - Some of the greatest pizza, and the strangest rules, you’ve ever imagined. But you’ve got to time out your trip just right, because they open at 5:00 p.m., and when the fresh hand-made dough is gone - they close up shop! The rules are, no more than three toppings, no more than one meat topping, and no substitutions on house pizzas. Why? According to the pizza chef, too many toppings prevent crust from cooking to perfection!
• Horse Project - You’ll just have to find your own place within this project, whether you choose to find pretty ponies in the streets, decorate them, or just laugh at them, they’re everywhere. Just make up your own adventure, but be sure to check out the history of the project!
• GrassHut - Check out some really funky art at the Grass Hut on Burnside. Their blog is pretty strange too, but if you’re in the mood to take a wild and funky trip to their gallery to check out some of their artwork, you won’t be disappointed!
• My Father’s Place - For some great nighttime fun, and a taste of the truly fun and weird people in Portland, take a load off and go for a drink while you ponder the concept of mannequin parts on the ceiling - seriously!

portland, oregon, art, nightlife, weird, fun places, food, strange, pizza, donuts