I swear this isn’t because of my gripe about the construction disaster going on, but this past weekend we rented a canoe and actually paddled by downtown. I didn’t even know you could do that. It was pretty blasted cold, but you got to see parts of the city you never see.

What we did was rent a canoe from Alder Creek, which is just on the other side of the Hawthorne Bridge. You get the canoe, or a kayak, for half day for $30 (all day was $50, I think). You put in right there. I’m sure there are probably other rental places, too.

We brought a cooler with the appropriate river roaming beverages and just tooled around for three or four hours. We’ll definitely do it again when the weather warms up. Like maybe for the Blues Festival, hmm…

Later,
Keith

There is a ton of construction going on downtown these days and if you do go down there, I guarantee you will lose it. I swear there are some parts of the city you can only reach by a helicopter or maybe a chunnel.

Actually, you know, if you’re not from Portland, and don’t have a dinner reservation you have to get to, it’s probably worth a look. The whole mess is part of a huge downtown project that I think will be really cool when it’s all done.

What they’re doing is extending our Max Light Rail line. They’re putting in three new lines, one from Irving to Burnside, one from Burnside to Salmon and one from Salmon to Jackson.

But until then I suggest decaf if you’re driving down there. Or just stay at the deLuxe with a good book.

Later,
Keith

It has been mad around here. When Jazz Fest got started, I kept hoping Ornette Coleman would pull up, you know? He’s got to stay somewhere. But no luck. And I didn’t get to see him either because we were at the coast for something I couldn’t get out of.

Actually, it was a friend’s birthday, and it did get me to this awesome store over on east Burnside called Stand Up Comedy that I’d never been to before. That’s the name of the place and I don’t even think I can really describe it. You just have to go.

It’s got some wild fashions (men and women), accessory stuff like bags, really cool books or what I’d call print art. Really quirky, unusual stuff. They even sell a guitar effects pedal. I don’t know. Oh, and they have in-store performances, too.

You gotta love Portland.

Later,
Keith

I’ve barely had time to get myself to the keyboard the last couple of weeks. Things have been absolutely crazy around here.

It started around Valentine’s Day. We’re a popular get-away for couples, even from the Portland area. I know I work here, but we are the best spot for a romantic rendezvous. I’m really glad they think of us that way. Good karma.

I thought it would let up some after Valentine’s weekend but I think it actually got busier if that’s possible. I’d forgotten about Jazz Fest. People came in from all over. It was a really good lineup this year. Unfortunately, I was too busy to catch any it!

Plus, and this I can’t entirely figure out, we had a lot of weddings. Who has a wedding in Portland in February?! Answer: a lot of people. Mazel tov.

Gotta run,
Emily

Someone wrote asking why we go on and on about movies; what about books? I, of course, directed this oh so selective reader to my earlier posts for Powell’s, Wordstock and just a couple weeks ago Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. Pay attention, people.

But just to seal the deal that Portland is just as book nerdy as movie geeky, here are some novel activities to consider if in town Feb. to April.

• See PEN/Faulkner finalist Manil Suri read from his new book, The Death of Vishnu on Feb. 26.
• Sit in on Powell’s monthly classic books group for a Feb. 27 confab on The Ravishing of Lol Stein by Marguerite Duras.
• See one of Portland Arts & Lectures incredible visitors. Upcoming guests include Stephen Sondheim, Frank Rich, Marjane Satrapi, Richard Powers and, well what do you know, Elizabeth Gilbert.

Read on,
Emily

Emily is making me tell this bit. When we didn’t make it to the African movie the other night, where did we go, she asked? Um, well, we, uh, see the thing is, we ended up at, uh … We went to Avalon, OK?

It’s an arcade, it’s true. But it’s good clean American fun! Plus, some games, like the ever-satisfying Skee-Ball, give you tickets that you can then use to buy cool stuff like my awesome army man paratrooper and Chinese finger traps.

A lot of the games are just a nickel. And they’ve got everything from pinball and air hockey to two we sort of took over: Guitar Freaks and Super Bikes. Try and find a better way to kill an hour.

If you get bored, there are some great bars nearby (we ended up at the Aalto Lounge). Or they have movies, too, though no African ones unfortunately…

Later,
Keith

Ha! Yeah, wasn’t that weird? Of all the places. I’m still bummed we couldn’t make the movie. It sounded pretty interesting. I looked at their site and The Devil Came on Horseback sounds really interesting.

But back to the food. I didn’t even know that place was there. It must be pretty new. And the food was really awesome. The place is called E’Njoni, by the way. I took their business card so I would remember. It’s Swahili. For what I don’t remember…

Anyway, I recommend the spicy chicken with the berbera sauce. I can’t remember the exact name, but I bet everything is good. Everyone said the veggie dishes were also really good. And if you like spicy, they can do spicy. The spongy injera bread really helps cut the heat. A glass of Bob’s helps, too.

Later,
Keith

I know we talk a lot about movies, but hey we’re a movie town. Give us a wall and we’ll show a movie on it. So I had to get a couple words in for the African Film Festival, which runs until March 1.

These are not movies you’re likely to see other places. I’ve missed the last couple of years but this year made a point of it. A friend and I went the second night to see a film from Senegal called Guelwaar. Great movie. (Way better than that overblown bit of nonsense Atonement, which I saw the night before!)

It’s like a free two-hour trip to Africa. And maybe, like me, you’ll eat at the Eritrean restaurant across from the college (I can’t remember the name), and run into Keith. If you do, buy him a glass of the Bob’s African wine. I owe him.

Safe travels,
Emily

Keith, that is uncanny! A friend and I were just talking about how she’d seen a story in the Willamette Week about bars in town that have trivia nights. Now we know. I really want to do that.

But ever since seeing Spellbound (if you haven’t seen it you have to rent it), I’ve been meaning to get over to Mississippi Pizza over on, well, Mississippi Ave. for their … weekly spelling bee. Don’t you love it?

Let’s just say that I’m an orthography from way back. I actually won my 6th grade spelling bee. Alas, poor April Vandergraff experienced some vowel vexation (more a 10th-grade spelling word) with the word “separately.” It was her undoing, I’m afraid.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously yours,
Emily

Hey, had to share a cool discovery. Some of you may already know about this but The New Old Lompoc Pub right over on 23rd does a trivia night every Tuesday. We went last Tues. and had a bleeping great time.

We didn’t even know about it. Just went because they’ve got an awesome beer selection, and well, they’re close to Hotel deLuxe. Funny how I cut class in college to drink beer, and now that I go to drink beer I’m reminded of why it was bad to cut class in college.

Anyway, I did a little looking into it and there are some other places that do trivia nights. Here are the ones closest to Hotel deLuxe:

Thursdays – Gypsy (N.W. 21st)
Mondays – CC Slaughters (N.W. Davis)
Also on Tuesdays – Bridgeport Brewing (N.W. Marshall)

My advice? Play first, and then sample the beers.

Later,
Keith