Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Netarts oysters: delicate, a little briny, just right.

Feeling inspired (thanks, Eric), I marked my first lunch at the new RingSide Fish House by ordering (or, to be more accurate, inhaling) some  tasty Netarts oysters on the half shell.

Here’s a half-dozen things to love about the restaurant:

1. it’s a terrific addition to the downtown retail core;
2. the dining room offers a cool view of Director Park and its illuminated-at-night canopy;
3. it has a nice bar and a good happy-hour menu (try the steak bites);
4. its proximity to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall gives theatergoers another pre-show choice for, as chef Johnny Nunn calls it, their pre-Schnitz blitz;
5. it’s a family-run business that follows in the footsteps (if not the Mad Men-esque vibe) of its older sibling, the venerable RingSide Steakhouse; and
6. perhaps most importantly (ahem), it’s yet another option for lovers of the bivalve.

This fall’s classical music season is far more eclectic than in days of old when warhorse symphonies dominated. The concert of the season, for example, might be S? Percussion’s account of Steve Reich and John Cage, and the Oregon Symphony’s fall season features Dawn Upshaw singing great American songs and a Pink Martini collaboration. On the other hand, Portland Baroque Orchestra will settle in for Vivaldi and In Mulieribus will sing a program of women composers, ancient and contemporary. Here are some of the highlights.

Thomas Lauderdale and Storm Large

Oregon Symphony with Pink Martini – Sept. 11-13
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1111 S.W. Broadway

Pink Martini pianist Thomas Lauderdale isn’t just classically trained — he’s a longtime symphony supporter and current board member, so these collaborations between the city’s orchestra (fresh off its Carnegie Hall triumph) and its bubbly retro-Latin big band amount to much more than the usual crossover fare.

Portland Vocal Consort – Sept. 11
The Grotto, 8840 N.E. Skidmore St.

In a free tribute to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the choral ensemble will sing some of history’s most moving requiems by Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria and Samuel Barber, as well as patriotic songs.

Uri Caine

Uri Caine – Sept. 20
Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E. Burnside St.

The latest in Portland Piano International’s intimate, edgier series brings the jazz-tinged classical pianist and composer to town to explore the delightful possibilities along the boundaries of each genre.
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Bike rack in front of Saint Cupcake Galore, at the corner of SW 12th and Morrison St.

… that make me love this city. Like this bike rack, in front of the new Saint Cupcake Galore shop downtown. It’s a giant whisk! With frosting! The owners designed it with Oregon’s own Creative Metalworks (who’ve built most of the fun racks around town), and replaced the old basic bike rack that used to stand in front. The employees and customers use it every day. How cool is that?

We Portlanders relish our warm summer nights. And now we have a new – legal – option for lounging about on the street with a drink in our hands.

On a one-block stretch of Southwest Ankeny Street between Second and Third avenues in Old Town, picnic tables trump pickup trucks as the cobblestone alley has been closed to traffic for the summer.* White lights twinkle and candles flicker as this most European-feeling slice of the city fills with revelers. (more…)

Entering Junk Fest.

When I first caught wind of “Junk Fest” on Facebook, I wasn’t sure what it meant — but I knew I wanted to check it out! I’m happy to report that the inaugural Plucky Maidens’ Junk Fest, which was held at McMenamins Edgefield last Thursday, was a fantastic event — and one that’s here to stay.

The adorable stall where I bought a necklace made with found objects.

More than 50 vendors of vintage wares ranging from jewelry and housewares to French paper ephemera were scattered among the trees near the historic property’s picturesque concert lawn. I loved exploring the different stalls — some were like little tents, and the creativity that went into the displaying the “junk” was inspiring. That, along with the Hammerhead beer served on tap (At happy hour prices, no less!), spurred me to make some of that irresistible junk my own. Among my treasures: an unused lighter commemorating the 1959 Oregon Centennial, a necklace made entirely of reclaimed parts from old watches and locks, and a cute old pail planted with native perennials.

In addition to beer, cocktails, wine, food and live music were all part of the mix at Junk Fest, which is scheduled to become a quarterly event at various McMenamins locations. The next one will be held on Nov. 19 at the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove.

One of the displays in this tent featured antique lard cans!

Can’t make that date? I noticed that several of the vendors also have stalls at Stars Antique Mall, the vintage “super store” in Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood. Head over and have your own little junk fest!

All photos courtesy of Jolie Griffin.

I love nothing more than an open road on a clear sunny day with a few hours to spare. Call it the thrill of the “road trip,” but I also adore the fact that we can squeeze out an asphalt adventure around Portland at the drop of the hat — and in less than an hour there and back!

Want to know where that wide open bit of paradise is? Less than 15 miles west of downtown, you can cruise by old farmsteads, fields of golden wheat and roads shaded with towering firs all by cruising through the scenery in Washington County. You can do all this AND make time for a beer and burger at one of my favorite west-side haunts, Helvetia Tavern.

See you on the road!

Through the end of August, travelers and locals alike can save on shopping, dining and parking in downtown Portland while also helping the homeless with Compassion Coupons.

Here’s how it works: visit www.downtownportland.org/compassioncoupon for a list of merchants and their deals, including 20% off frozen yogurt at TartBerry and $1 off evening parking at SmartPark. You can print off your favorites, or pull them up on your smartphone with the Forkfly app. Then, for every coupon that is redeemed, $5 is donated to the Bud Clark Commons to help fund a mentor outreach program to provide homeless adults with the services they need.

Other great deals include nearly 50% off custom men’s wedding bands, 2-for-1 Nutcracker tickets, 20% off dinner at Portland Prime, or gifts with purchase at Crafty Wonderland — so start shopping and saving with a do-good deal.

Here’s a photo of Bert last month at Haystack Rock (yes, that’s my finger on the right); this popular spot, located in Cannon Beach, is a perfect day trip from Portland — about 80 miles each way.

Not in a hurry to get back to town? After wiping the sand from your feet, make tracks to Ecola Seafoods for fresh salmon, crab, shrimp and more.

So, what’s your favorite spot on the coast — or your must-do regional day trip?

Meyer Freeman of Oregon Sports Authority, your humble author, and my son with the Skate Park champions at the 2010 Dew Tour

If you happened to read my previous post, you know that I’m a huge fan of skateboarding, and a skater myself. So, I’m pretty hyped that the Dew Tour is in Portland today through the weekend, and it’s bigger than ever.

While the entire event, in its seventh year coming to Portland,  is bigger than ever before, I’m particularly amped about the amazing skate bowl that was constructed for this year’s tour – it looks absolutely huge from the photos, and by all accounts the pros are impressed with its construction, saying that it feels like a permanent concrete structure rather than a traveling set-up.

Whether you’re a fan of BMX, skateboarding, street, dirt or vert — or your kids are — this year’s tour is sure to be a blast. Check out the Alli Sports Dew Tour page for full info, including schedule, ticket details and more.

I’ll be attending tomorrow (8/12) with my son, and will be tweeting during the day, so follow @PortlandBryan on Twitter for updates and pics.

For 10 days (Sept. 8-18), Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s TBA:11 brings cutting-edge dance, performance and visual art to the city. The action centers on the east side’s Washington High School, and happens in performance spaces, non-traditional venues and the streets throughout Portland. This year’s schedule features an international roster of emerging and established artists, including some from France, Korea, Brazil and Japan, alongside a handful of Portland-based artists.

Here are some of the highlights:

Jesse Sugarmann, "Red Storm Rising (live in LA)," photo courtesy of the artist

Visual Arts Opening – Thursday, Sept. 8
Washington High School, Southeast Stark and 13th

Centered on ideas of building up and tearing down, TBA:11 On Sight features smart works by international art stars such as the Parisian collective Claire Fontaine and Korea’s YOUNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES, as well as regional artists like Jesse Sugarmann, whose “Lido (The Pride is Back)” is a slow-motion car wreck involving stacks of blow-up air beds and Chrysler minivans. (more…)