Dave Knows: Portland

Welcome Oregonian Readers!

Dave — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:27:20 +0000

My blog is featured in an article by Peter Ames Carlin in today’s Oregonian: Who’s up on the odd and offbeat? Dave knows . . .

I like to think this is exactly right:

The Dave Knows site, a simply designed aggregation of listings, links to articles, a lengthy list of other Portland-centric blogs and more, serves as a guide to lesser known, if not necessarily offbeat events and places in and around the city.

[I do have one article correction, however: I'm only 38!]

If you’re new to the site, welcome! I invite you to peruse the category pull down menu to the right, browse the most recent blog posts on the homepage, and visit the calendar for things to do in Portland. The archive contains nearly three years of unconventional Portland adventures and events.

Also I recommend you take a gander at my gracious advertisers, and please visit the Network Sites further down on the right of this page; whether your interest is poutine, a place to watch a soccer match, or quirky stories about living in Portland.

Thanks for visiting!

PDX.FM Founder Robert Wagner on Redoing Media

Dave — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:48:10 +0000

Betsy Richter interviews Robert Wagner today on Redoing Media, the show that explores how all of us are becoming shape/time/media shifters instead of passive consumers of media.

While Mr. Wagner continues to protest his inclusion in this merry local media dance we’re playing here & does his best to play the ‘aw, shucks’ card when pressed, I very strongly beg to differ. The guy makes media — even though he doesn’t want that Oregonian article preserved in wood plaque form any time soon. He reports on news every morning on Portland Sucks (raise your hand if you’ve heard of an issue for the very first time while listening to Robert & Sabrina on Portland Sucks each morning at 8 am). He’s building out a whole infrastructure to support local Portland news, information & entertainment — that sounds like a media magnate to me, right? And he’s funding the whole thing out of his own pocket.

Betsy promises not to go easy on him. This should be a very interesting interview.

Redoing Media airs at 1pm Thursdays on PDX.FM, or listen to the podcast afterwards anytime.

Happy St. Unicorn’s Day!

Dave — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:07:04 +0000

On St Unicorn’s Day, we drink to remember, instead of our usual reason, drinking to forget.

With these inspirational words from esteemed film director Mike Vogel, I wish you a fantastic St. Unicorn’s Day.

Naturally Portland is a hot bed of unicornaphilia. Evidence suggests that it is not merely legend that this great city was built upon an ancient unicorn burial ground. In Mike Vogel’s treatise on St. Unicorn’s Day, he has confirmed there are archeological bones and horns in dirt type of evidence.

Besides drinking to remember, it is traditional also to feast on [uni]corned beef and boiled cabbage and root vegetables on this day (if some of this sounds familiar, it is because, like so many religious holidays, St. Patrick’s Day is actually based on an old pagan celebration: St. Unicorn’s Day). Once again this year, Heather and I have made our own [uni]corned beef, but you’re in luck too if you stop by plenty of other places around town.

I invite you to share your St. Unicorn’s Day traditions, musings and reflections below!

And once again, to all Portlanders everywhere, I wish you a fantastic St. Unicorn’s Day.

March 20: Timbers Army Third Saturday

Dave — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:39:30 +0000

This month’s Timbers Army Third Saturday takes place at Hawaiian bar and restaurant Da Hui (6504 SE Foster). Start time is 7:01pm, of course. DJ’s Lampwick and Jackieblu will be supplying the soul and reggae.

This will be the last Third Saturday for a while, but that’s not sad news: the Timbers season kicks off on April 17th!

The first match is on a Saturday, so a tailgate is probably in the cards . . . And there may also be a season opener party on April 16th – more details as I get them . . .

March 20: Division Street Brewpublicrawl

Dave — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:21:16 +0000

The Division Street Brewpublicrawl takes place this Saturday, March 20th on SE Division street from noon until 6pm.

This is a meet the brewers pub crawl; at each stop different regional brewers will be serving and discussing their Cascadian-brewed beers. Brewpublic reports that at least one brewery, Hopworks, will debut a new lager, in particular a bock, at this event.

Schedule is as follows:

Noon: Victory Bar (3652 SE Division). Breweries: Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland), Double Mountain (Hood River, OR)

1:30pm: New Old Lompoc Hedge House (3412 SE Division). Brewery: Lompoc (Portland)

3:00pm: Bar Avignon (2138 SE Division). Breweries: Full Sail (Portland; Hood River, OR), Fort George (Astoria, OR)

4:30pm: The BeerMongers (SE 12th and Division). Breweries: Walking Man (Stevenson, WA), Barley Brown’s (Baker City, OR), Beer Valley (Ontario, OR)

30 Hour Drunk: Do You Have What it Takes?

Dave — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:43:31 +0000

PDX.FM is now accepting applications for participants in the (destined to be legendary) 30 Hour Drunk.

Inspired by 30 Hour Day, Portland’s 30 hour live streaming telethon, 30 Hour Drunk is a 30 hour drinking marathon for 30 people, all of which will be broadcast live on PDX.FM and captured on HD video (no doubt for blackmail purposes).

I suspect more details will be forthcoming as the date approaches. But for now, if you think you can handle your drunk, be entertaining while drunk, and have a good time doing it PDX.FM wants you to fill out the candidate form to be considered. Tell them why they should select you. (Assholes and career alcoholics need not apply.)

(I would totally apply myself, except the Drunk starts at 4pm 6pm on Friday, April 16th and the Timbers kickoff the 2010 season less than 30 hours later – at 7pm on Saturday, April 17th! One has to prioritize.)

April 18: Portland Pinbrawl 2010

Dave — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:43:13 +0000

Portland Pinbrawl 2010 takes place Sunday, April 18th at Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade (511 NW Couch). Match ups start at 11am.

It’s over a month away as I type, but you need to know now because the registration list is filling up fast! Registration is capped at 128 ballers. Last year’s event drew over 120 players from throughout the region.

More details from Ground Kontrol:

Portland Pinbrawl 2010 will also feature “side stage” tournaments with highly challenging rules including one-handed play, and “split flipper” play – where 2 players each control one side of the pinball playfield!

Competition signup fee is $20 per person; spectators get in for free. Doors open at 10:00am, Sunday April 18th. Admission is limited to 21 and over with valid ID for competitors and spectators alike.

If the pre-registration doesn’t fill the entire roster, you can sign up at the door on the 18th – from 10am until 10:45am – but I would recommend pre-registering to be sure you have a spot!

Grand Prize is a Williams’ Johnny Mnemonic Pinball Machine, and cash and assorted sundries go to other top finishers.

So sign up now, then whip out your Portland Pinball Map iPhone App and find some machines to start practicing on!

March 18: 7th Planet Picture Show presents Turkish Star Wars

Dave — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:18:14 +0000

Portland’s answer to MST3K, the 7th Planet Picture Show, takes place at 7pm this Thursday, March 18th at Mount Tabor Theater (4811 SE Hawthorne).

Host Will Radik will be joined by Jay Mackin of Unibash Radio and @Jarvitron. Their mission (via the Upcoming listing)?

make sense out of Turkish Star Wars (1982). Not only does this movie rip off actual scenes and music from Star Wars, they also cut in music and audio from Indiana Jones and Flash Gordon. There’s even a training montage featuring the battle theme of Battlestar Galactica. And that, my friend is just the beginning. This movie has it all: dumb villains, wonky courtships, badly translated subtitles, horrible monster costumes, pseudohomo bro love, silly props, and more!

March 18: Gems & Giants (Final Show!)

Dave — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:49 +0000

This Thursday, March 18th is your final opportunity to witness DJs Standing 8 and Clarence Duffy in action at the Jade Lounge (2342 SE Ankeny), during the final Gems & Giants: Only the Finest in Soul and Funk. Show starts at 7:30pm.

Why is this the last show? Justin and Katie’s Hall of Records is taking shape.

Exciting things are afoot at Hall of Records (3342 SE Belmont).

That’s right, they have an address!

In couple more months they’ll be opening the doors to Portland’s only boutique vinyl shop, coffeehouse & beer bar specializing in Soul, Funk, Jazz & Rare Groove!

Traipse on over to the blog to find out more on the progress. Hall of Records will open soon, no doubt hosting many a Standing 8 and Clarence Duffy reunion.

March 17: St. Patty’s Day Killingsworth Crawl

Dave — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:59:23 +0000

It’s not difficult to find something to do on St. Patrick’s Day in Portland – large tents have been erected in the usual spots.

But if you are looking for something more interesting, you might want to check out the St. Patty’s Day Killingsworth Crawl.

From the Facebook event page:

Celebrate the luck of the Irish and hit up Killingsworth’s finest! A token buys you green beer, wine or housemade yummy soup at Saraveza. You can also turn your tokens in at the Red Fox (Irish Stew, St. Patty’s Drink Special), Ducketts Public House (Well Cocktail, Draft Beer, Appetizer), Eddie’s Flat Iron Pizza (Draft Beer, Slice of Pizza, House Salad), Hop & Vine (Paddy’s Girl Shot, Guinness, Irish Sausage Roll), Beaterville Bar (Green Salad, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Draft Beer), Sagittarius (Chips & Salsa, Draft Beer, Well Cocktail) or Yorgo’s (Hummus Plate, Draft Beer, Well Cocktail).

Purchase your tokens now (or on St Patty’s!) at Saraveza or the Hop & Vine. 5 tokens/$18 or 10 tokens/$30. Killingsworth Crawl Map w/ redeemable items included.

Update: According to commenter Elisabeth [thanks!], the new Lucky Lab Taproom (1700 N Killingsworth) has also joined the fun!