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MONICA DRAKE: PORTLAND AUTHOR, DETECTIVE, DELIGHT

    Tell me a better Oregon name than Monica Drake, then show me a better story collection.   Oregon Ducks and Monica Drake? Perfect combination. Oregon State Beavers and Monica Nutria? Not so much. In her short story collection, The Folly Of Loving Life, Monica Drake gives TRUTH to this writers’ advice: Only write […]

PORTLAND SUCKS? TELL US MORE ABOUT THOSE FEELINGS

Say Portland sucks and you might be right, but why ruin it for the rest of us.   If Portland sucks for you, that may be just the tip of your iceberg. Blame the city for what? Your attitude, your entitlement, your butt-hurt life? Why not? You don’t know what you want and it bugs […]

BLAZERS MAKE A PORTLAND BOO BOO ON YOGI FERRELL

  It ain’t over ’til it’s over for the Blazers? Yogi says it’s over.   How does a six foot tall player on a ten day contract light up the Blazers for thirty two? The numbers add up to Yogi Ferrell. No longer a cup of coffee player with a quick look at the big […]

CHRIS COLEMAN, ASTORIA, A WORLD PREMIERE

  From Washington Irving to Peter Stark to Chris Coleman, Astoria never looked better.   History readers are a funny bunch. They range from professional historians to hobbyists to just people looking for something to engage them. Then there’s Chris Coleman, Artistic Director for Portland Center Stage at The Armory, and Director of Astoria. What […]

ASTORIA BOOKS, ASTORIA DOCUMENTARY, ASTORIA PLAY

Call it Little Big Astoria?   No one doubts the importance of Astoria in Oregon history. Little Big Astoria looms in the imagination from early sea captains challenging the Columbia Bar, to Lewis and Clark showing up overland, to today. The fish packing, lumber mills, and ebb and flow of new people keep Astoria current. […]

TWO MARRIED GUYS MAP DATE LIFE

What else would two married guys do? The beauty of public transportation comes with the people you meet. Two old men waited at a Portland bus stop. Late afternoon drizzle fell on the city through fading light. The sun made little effort to split the clouds over the Willamette River. Man 1: It felt like […]

WINTER REFLECTIONS, TIME PASSING

  Can we still complain if the snow doesn’t last for months and turn a nasty brown?

BABY BOOMER MUSEUM

The take away from a Baby Boomer Museum is awareness. A visit to a big museum should make you ask, “How do they decide what to keep?” It’s the same question you’ll ask later, wondering why you bought anything in the gift store. Unless you say, “I needed another tea towel,” you need a better […]

KITCHEN TABLE BEER TRAVEL: OREGON TO GERMANY

  Beer travel starts at John’s Market in Multnomah. Culturally aware types emphasize art and architecture for reasons to travel. They love the history, the land, the people. And they can’t stop talking about all the new stuff they learn. If it’s someone you know, you listen like you’re not hearing an endless variation of […]

LITTLE BEIRUT PORTLAND SHOWS UP

  Get ready for Little Beirut Portland the right way. Ask your policeman friends the right questions. + Is it safe? – No, it’s not safe. + Is tonight the night? –  We’re totally hands off. That’s why you see what you see. + Giving up the freeway? –  The big surprise was getting to […]