The best advice I can give you in preparation for the upcoming celebration of our nation’s 232nd birthday is to remove yourself from the hysteria that is the waterfront. Remember, many of those folks discovered the beer tent much earlier in the day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the blues festival as much as the next person. I just prefer to enjoy explosives from a safe distance. Like a table at the Portland City Grill. So there’s my Portland insider’s secret. Now it’s out in the open.

Call this instant and get a table facing the river. Believe me, once you’ve enjoyed the fireworks alongside a plate of shellfish risotto and a nice glass of pinot grigio, you’ll wonder why anyone ever opts for the sweaty mass of humanity down below. Yeah, America.

Enjoy,
Emily

The blues festival is a good one. Charlie Musselwhite is definitely worth two cans of food. Great location there, too, beside the river.

After Rose Festival and then four days of blues guitar and harmonica, you might be ready for something a bit more on the sedate side. I know I will be. You need to decompress. Clean the palate.

So I’m thinking the Star Festival at the Japanese Garden might be just the ticket. Also called Tanabata, this event is traditionally celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year, when the two stars Vega and Altair come together.

Well, the Japanese Garden, ever the rebel, is having it on June 6 instead. Guests can take part in the tradition of writing one’s wishes, called tanzaku, and hanging them on a tree, enjoy picture storytelling, or kamishibai, as well as music and activities for the kids.

Now doesn’t that sound relaxing?

Cheers,
Emily

Looking for some outdoor music? The Portland Center for the Performing Arts has just announced the lineup for their “Music on Main Street” series.

OK, so I’ve never heard of it, but it sounds really cool. (Thanks to the Portland Mercury blog for schooling me.) They block off Main Street between SW Broadway and Park for the show, which, by the way, costs nada.

The list of acts looks really interesting, too. All shows are Wednesday and early, starting at 5 p.m. and going until 7 p.m. Here’s the lineup:

July 9 - Fernando
July 16 - All Girl Summer Fun Band featuring the Dirty Mittens
July 23 - Freak Mountain Ramblers
July 30 - National Flower
August 6 - Lions of Batucada
August 13 - Stephanie Schneiderman with Keith Schreiner
August 20 - Jackstraw
August 27 - Mary Flower and Reggie Houston

Later,
Keith

Did you know Portland’s Farmers Market has four locations? Me either! Those sly farmers. They’re making it pretty convenient for us. Here are the four:

1. Portland State University (between SW Harrison and Montgomery)
2. Shemanski Park (SW Park between SW Salmon and Main)
3. Eastbank (SE Salmon and 20th) – Berry Days on June 19!
4. Ecotrust (NW 10th between Irving and Johnson)

The last one is probably closest to Hotel deLuxe and I’ve never been! I do try to get over to the one at PSU. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s just a great stop on a stroll around town.

But it’s pretty hard not to buy. I like to sort nibble my way as I go. Cheeses, chocolate, fruits. And I doubt I ever leave without taking home fresh flowers. If nasturtiums, you can nibble those, too…

Oh! Before I forget, don’t forget to friend our page on Facebook. We’ve got a special rate code now for Facebook fans. Cool!

Cheers,
Emily

I just discovered that the Steel Bridge is closed for the next three months! Projected reopening is not until the end of August. Ugh.

Until then, if you want to use the bridge you have no choice but to go car free: The lower deck for bikes and pedestrians is apparently still open. That’s something anyway.

While definitely inconvenient, hopefully the work being done to the Max line, which is necessitating the closure, will make the commute that much easier when it’s all completed.

And who knows, maybe we’ll get a few more cars off the road permanently. It seems like since the work was done on the Burnside Bridge that traffic on Sandy has been reduced.

In the meantime, traffic is going to be a nightmare as people figure out alternate routes. So be nice to each other out there.

Vroom,
Emily

Here’s something cool I just learned about. If you’re into tai chi, or want to learn, head over to the North Park Blocks at 8th and Everett Tuesday or Thursday night from 6-7 p.m.

Every week classes in tai chi and qigong are held there for a suggested donation of $5 to $10. They’re open to anyone and you can apparently just show up whenever you want and join in.

There are other locations as well. Check out the web site at PDXtaichi.com. The site also has information on David Vanadia, the instructor, and background about tai chi, qigong and other related subjects.

So if you’re feeling stressed now there’s now another option rather than just a few beers and tater tots at the Low Brow Lounge. Though that’s not affected by the weather…

Cheers,
Keith

If you spend anytime downtown you no doubt know about First Thursday. I’m assuming I’ve probably done a post or two about it. If I haven’t, shame on me. Just to make sure, I’ll do another one soon as tis the season.

In the meantime, I’d like to introduce you to the art-walker’s more eccentric route down Alberta on the last Thursday. I’ll admit I don’t get over there as often as I do First Thursday, but it’s truly a spectacle worth beholding.

While First Thursday spotlights your high-profile galleries – being downtown and all – Last Thursday is younger and edgier. In addition to the galleries, there’s lots of stuff displayed on the sidewalk, tattooed drummers, bands playing in storefronts and great people watching.

Alberta is one of the most interesting streets in the city, and never more so than the last Thursday of the month.

Till next time,
Emily

Hey doughnut lovers, I have an update on Voodoo Doughnuts. When I wrote my post the other week about them I didn’t know they were on their way to a new location. So sorry if you headed over to the spot on S.W. 3rd. Oops.

The worst part is I missed their doughnut parade from the downtown store to their new place at N.E. 15th and Davis! It’s not every day you see a doughnut parade.

Word is they tied up traffic on Burnside with the Regiment of Syncopated Drummers and I don’t know who and what all else. They must’ve looked like some kind of doughnut Mardi Gras celebration. I guess they even transported their secret doughnut grease in a coffin.

Anyway, I’m sure it’s new place, same doughnut deliciousness. But what about the Voodoo Wedding Chapel…?

Later,
Keith

I can’t believe you guys (other Hotel deLuxe bloggers) haven’t given a shout out to the tapioca in the Portland theater Hungry Man Meal at the Clinton Street Theater. It’s deliciously good. Like one of Voodoo Donuts’ Cap’n Crunch donuts.

The Clinton is your choice if you’re into more, let’s call it, unusual fare. The new Indiana Jones movie is never going to play there. Chronicles of Narnia is never going to play there. But a “Maximum Car-nage Double Feature” is (“Maximum Overdrive” and “Repo Man” July 11-17).

And there’s probably no better introduction to the theater than the upcoming Portland Underground Film Festival from June 12 to 15. These are not your mall movies. This year there are even a couple of openings and one world premiere.

I should also mention that the Clinton serves beer.

Cheers,
Keith

I don’t know what’s going on at Powell’s these days, but they’ve really stacked their upcoming calendar. Do writers get summer vacation? I haven’t been able to keep up! That is going to stop now.

Because in early/mid June Powell’s is looking to host an especially rich run of novelists and speakers I’m really looking forward to seeing. Here’s the highlights: Russell Banks on the 8th, David Guterson and Richard Bausch on the 9th, and then Salman Rushdie on the 13th.

I have Russell Banks’ new one, but haven’t read it, and have read a review of Richard Bausch’s new one. I’ve apparently got some catching up to do on the reading front. No more magazine subscriptions! Especially the New Yorker. Every week, New Yorker? Is that really necessary? I live in Portland!

RIF,
Emily