For the first time I decided to get a wristband to Musicfest NW. There were a number of shows that I really wanted to see and was able to see most of them. Below is my review of all the venues and bands that I saw.
First up, the venues. On Friday night I was at the Doug Fir on the east side. I've been here lots of times, and while I like the space itself, I've never thought it was perfect. The crowd is usually my biggest source of annoyance since it usually attracts more hipsters that I care to be in a crowded room with. The sound there can be a bit iffy sometimes, though on Friday it seemed pretty good. I do appreciate that they sell their beer at reasonable rates. On Saturday I spent the evening at the Crystal Ballroom downtown. I have way more complaints about this venue then I do positive things. For starters, I hate the setup for all ages shows, of which this was one. If you're over 21 and don't want to be surrounded by kids you have to go to the far side of the venue where you can get drinks, but aren't allowed to be closer than 30 feet from the stage. Second, they charge outrageous prices for, at best, mediocre beer. The room itself is very nice and I like all the history of it, but it's often difficult to see and sound isn't always great. Moving on to Sunday, I found myself at Pioneer Courthouse Square which I had low expectations for as a venue. I was pleasantly surprised that they set it up well for those inside. They erected a six foot fence of heavy black fabric around the entire square so you couldn't see from the sidewalk. Then the stage was setup in the NE corner facing the steps on the SW corner. You could see well from just about anywhere and the sound was surprisingly good given the location.
Now on the bands that I actually saw.
Friday:
S. Carey - Great chill, ambient indie rock
Mimicking Birds - Good indie rock
The Cave Singers - Really fun folksy, bluesy rock. Think Black Keys or BRMC
The Tallest Man on Earth - Very talented one man band. He has a great voice and is a talented guitar player
Saturday:
Akron/Family - Decent musicians, but zero cohesiveness. They tried to incorporate about ten different styles of music, but didn't do any of them amazingly well. They jumped around musically way to much. One song they'd really get the crowd involved and then meander into some weird song that used sampling and noise. Every time they did this the crowd would completely lose interest.
Menomena - Probably the best show I've seen by them. In addition to all of the great music they've already made, they have a great new album to draw from.
Sunday:
Talkdemonic - I only saw half of their set, and wasn't paying close attention, but it was good background music with a violin and guitar
Helio Sequence - I always love seeing these guys and they put on a great show, but I'm really looking forward to some new material
The Walkmen - I'm not too familiar with their music, but it was a good show.
The National - I'm a big fan of their music, so this was an easy show to like. The music was what you want and expect from a rock band: loud and rocking. The lead singer is particularly entertaining as he likes to scream as he sings and is also a bit neurotic. This was probably my favorite show of the festival
All in all, it was a very successful weekend of music and I had a great time.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Some Faves
Recently I've gotten the chance to go to a couple of my favorite spots in Portland and I figured I should probably write about them. First off there's Laurelhurst Market. If you like meat then you need to check this place out. Somehow every time I go there I end up ordering the brisket. And this is some mean brisket too. It's Wagyu beef slow-cooked for 12 hours with a homemade BBQ sauce that only makes the world a better place. Thankfully I've been there with groups of six a few times and have gotten the the chance to try a lot of what they offer, though the menu does change frequently. When they offer the NY strip steak there should be little hesitation on your part to order it as it completely lives up to expectations. The prime rib and daily steak selections are also excellent. The one thing that really surprised me on the menu though was their double-cut pork chop. I'm usually not one to eat pork chops, but these are the best I've ever had. There's some sort of magic, saucy concoction on top that makes my mouth water. Don't forget to order sides like kale, green beans or baked beans. And lastly, for god's sake, let yourself be tempted by the dessert, you shan't be sorry.
Next and last for today is The Observatory, which is located in a fun little strip of Stark just west of 82nd. For many years the only thing worth checking out here was Flying Pie Pizzeria. In recent years a few places of note have started becoming available like The Academy Theater and the subject of this paragraph. So what do I like about The Observatory? For starters, and chiefly, the gin lavender lemon drop. Normally when I want a cocktail I stick to the basics, a gin martini, gin and tonic or a Manhattan. However, this is one occasion to go for something on the foofier side if you usually don't. The food is no slouch either. I've tried several things on both the happy hour and regular menus. I heartily recommend some garlic rosemary fries for the table to share. And for dinner you can't go wrong with the trout, which is soaked in deliciousness. When I was there recently I had the special which was a pesto linguine loaded down with fresh veggies, and I enjoyed it to the last drop.
Next and last for today is The Observatory, which is located in a fun little strip of Stark just west of 82nd. For many years the only thing worth checking out here was Flying Pie Pizzeria. In recent years a few places of note have started becoming available like The Academy Theater and the subject of this paragraph. So what do I like about The Observatory? For starters, and chiefly, the gin lavender lemon drop. Normally when I want a cocktail I stick to the basics, a gin martini, gin and tonic or a Manhattan. However, this is one occasion to go for something on the foofier side if you usually don't. The food is no slouch either. I've tried several things on both the happy hour and regular menus. I heartily recommend some garlic rosemary fries for the table to share. And for dinner you can't go wrong with the trout, which is soaked in deliciousness. When I was there recently I had the special which was a pesto linguine loaded down with fresh veggies, and I enjoyed it to the last drop.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Movies in and around Thanksgiving
Nearly every Thanksgiving for many, many years I have gone to a movie on Thanksgiving with my cousins. This Thanksgiving was no exception, except that I expanded my viewing to days before and after one of my favorite holidays. I also wasn't limited to cousins, but friends as well. And since this blog was originally supposed to contain movie reviews, I thought I'd finally write some. Since I saw six movies in the last week in the theater this seems like the time to do it. Here are the movies in the order I saw them with my rating out of 4 stars:
Where The Wild Things Are (4 Stars)
I had wanted to see this movie for weeks and my dream finally came true. Thankfully I wasn't let down by this brilliant adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book. My first thought while watching it was that it was the most realistic movie I've seen in a long time. This may sound strange since the bulk of it takes place in a child's imagination. The reason I thought this is that the emotions portrayed are raw and honest. Each of the characters exhibits their emotions so beautifully and it's like watching humanity at its core. Plus, the movie itself is wonderfully shot and it's a joy to see the world of the Wild Things.
The Men Who Stare At Goats (3 Stars)
This was another movie I had been looking forward to. Enough people had warned me that it didn't live up to its hilarious trailer so my expectations were set fairly low, and I'm glad they were. It was a funny movie and I liked it, but it wasn't as good as I had hoped. If you want something in a similar vein (wacky exploits within the U.S. military) check out Buffalo Soldiers. I liked that one quite a bit more.
Ninja Assassin (1 Star)
This was easily one of the worst movies I have seen in a theater in a very long time. I was in the mood for an action movie and thought this one might at least be fun, since I wasn't expecting anything good. Unfortunately it wasn't remotely fun, but just plain stupid. I found absolutely nothing redeeming in this movie.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (4 Stars)
Oh, how I love Wes Anderson! This movie was pure joy with all the wit and attention to detail that one comes expect from Anderson. I never read the book by Roald Dahl, so I didn't know what to expect other than from the previews. I don't know how much of a children's movie this is, but as an adult I loved it. The dialog was fun and the animation unique. I may never swear again, and instead insert the word "cuss" for every bad word I'm tempted to use.
Couples Retreat (2.5 Stars)
This wasn't a movie I was itching to see, but since it was the first movie in a double-feature, and I was with people I liked, I saw it. My expectations were very low for this one as well, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I laughed. It's a pretty standard movie, but I always enjoy watching Vince Vaughn do really the only thing he knows how, which is run his mouth.
Julie And Julia (3.5 Stars)
Yet another movie I had been wanting to see, largely from my fascination with Julia Childs. She was such a kooky person and Meryl Streep portrayed her beautifully. I'm also a fan of Amy Adams and as usual she was great, and very cute. I, like everyone I know who has seen this movie, would have liked more of the Julia Childs story, but I still enjoyed it more than I thought I would, which was a lot.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Born To Us Yesterday, A New Brewery
Yesterday I had the privilege of going to a brand new brewery here in Portland. It was in fact their grand opening. What and where is this new purveyor of fine beers you say? Well, Hopworks Urban Brewery or H.U.B. is located on SE Powell and 28th. Their beers have been available around town for the last several months and I have been lucky enough to sample, and enjoy, many of them.
The building is an old industrial office that owner and brewmaster, Christian Ettinger, restored. They proudly were able to reclaim a lot of the original timbers in the structure. The entire project was very green as are all of their organic brews. It has a well balanced mix of the outdoorsy and industrial, perfect for Portland. It also incorporates bicycles quite prominently in the motif. Over the bar is a lighting structure made from bike frames and the lights over the booths are suspended by make-shift pulleys made from bicycle wheels. As my friend Nathaniel said, it does have a bit of corporate feel, but that largely comes from the staff all wearing their matching H.U.B. t-shirts.
Now for the good stuff, the beer. I have a good feeling that H.U.B. is soon going to be one of Portland's best brewpubs. They have an outstanding selection of beer that will suit any taste. I am personally a big fan of their I.P.A. (which is available on cask), as well as the Velvet ESB and 7-Grain Stout. All have quickly become favorites of mine in their respective styles.
After waiting an hour for a table we enjoyed some of the delectable food. Pizza being the most prevalent item on the menu. We decided to try the Sicilian style, which is deep-dish and delicious. We also had to get an order of fries as an appetizer just so we knew if it was worth ordering a burger or sandwich on a future visit.
All in all, I would highly recommend that anyone check it out. It's very family friendly, but also has ample bar space should you not want to consort with younger generations. As I said earlier the wait for a table was long, and worth it, but that was largely due to the grand opening. However, I expect that Hopworks Urban Brewery will remain busy since it has so much going for it.
Yesterday I had the privilege of going to a brand new brewery here in Portland. It was in fact their grand opening. What and where is this new purveyor of fine beers you say? Well, Hopworks Urban Brewery or H.U.B. is located on SE Powell and 28th. Their beers have been available around town for the last several months and I have been lucky enough to sample, and enjoy, many of them.
The building is an old industrial office that owner and brewmaster, Christian Ettinger, restored. They proudly were able to reclaim a lot of the original timbers in the structure. The entire project was very green as are all of their organic brews. It has a well balanced mix of the outdoorsy and industrial, perfect for Portland. It also incorporates bicycles quite prominently in the motif. Over the bar is a lighting structure made from bike frames and the lights over the booths are suspended by make-shift pulleys made from bicycle wheels. As my friend Nathaniel said, it does have a bit of corporate feel, but that largely comes from the staff all wearing their matching H.U.B. t-shirts.
Now for the good stuff, the beer. I have a good feeling that H.U.B. is soon going to be one of Portland's best brewpubs. They have an outstanding selection of beer that will suit any taste. I am personally a big fan of their I.P.A. (which is available on cask), as well as the Velvet ESB and 7-Grain Stout. All have quickly become favorites of mine in their respective styles.
After waiting an hour for a table we enjoyed some of the delectable food. Pizza being the most prevalent item on the menu. We decided to try the Sicilian style, which is deep-dish and delicious. We also had to get an order of fries as an appetizer just so we knew if it was worth ordering a burger or sandwich on a future visit.
All in all, I would highly recommend that anyone check it out. It's very family friendly, but also has ample bar space should you not want to consort with younger generations. As I said earlier the wait for a table was long, and worth it, but that was largely due to the grand opening. However, I expect that Hopworks Urban Brewery will remain busy since it has so much going for it.
Friday, January 11, 2008
My Favorite Pizza in Portland
In the last week I've eaten from some of my favorite pizza places in Portland, and here they are:
Bella Faccia is probably my favorite pizza in the city, and conveniently, it's located across the street from where I live. If you like New York style with a flair of Portland, then this is the place for you. Giant, thin slices with the classic toppings or daily vegan and specialty pizzas will entice you as you come in the door. They also have gelato for dessert. The best time to go is Happy Hour, which is from 4pm until 6 pm, when for as little as $2.50 you can get a slice and a beer.
When I'm not in the mood for Bella Faccia, my next choice is American Dream Pizza on NE 46th and Glisan. It's a much more traditional style of pizza with a lot of toppings, but not to the extent of Flying Pie (see the next paragraph). Like all my favorite places they hand make and toss their dough. The crust and sauce is especially good here and one of the reasons I like it so much. It's not real cheap pizza, but it's worth every penny. And when you open the box the first time, you'll be in for a surprise when you see how it's cut.
Once a year I completely indulge myself with Flying Pie Pizza. I only go there about once a year because this pizza will fill you up about that long. They pile on the toppings here, and all the meats and veggies are thick cut and fresh. You'll be full after once piece, but you'll have a second out of pure enjoyment.
None of these places offer cheap pizza, but it's worth the extra price for good pie.
In the last week I've eaten from some of my favorite pizza places in Portland, and here they are:
Bella Faccia is probably my favorite pizza in the city, and conveniently, it's located across the street from where I live. If you like New York style with a flair of Portland, then this is the place for you. Giant, thin slices with the classic toppings or daily vegan and specialty pizzas will entice you as you come in the door. They also have gelato for dessert. The best time to go is Happy Hour, which is from 4pm until 6 pm, when for as little as $2.50 you can get a slice and a beer.
When I'm not in the mood for Bella Faccia, my next choice is American Dream Pizza on NE 46th and Glisan. It's a much more traditional style of pizza with a lot of toppings, but not to the extent of Flying Pie (see the next paragraph). Like all my favorite places they hand make and toss their dough. The crust and sauce is especially good here and one of the reasons I like it so much. It's not real cheap pizza, but it's worth every penny. And when you open the box the first time, you'll be in for a surprise when you see how it's cut.
Once a year I completely indulge myself with Flying Pie Pizza. I only go there about once a year because this pizza will fill you up about that long. They pile on the toppings here, and all the meats and veggies are thick cut and fresh. You'll be full after once piece, but you'll have a second out of pure enjoyment.
None of these places offer cheap pizza, but it's worth the extra price for good pie.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
I've thought of starting a blog for awhile now, but my life isn't interesting enough to really just have one about what I'm doing. I like my life right now and I'm happy, its just that I don't have anything considered exciting going on. So, I've decided to dedicate this blog to the restaurants, pubs, bars, venues, movies and music that I enjoy in Portland. I'm going to dedicate this first entry to three of my favorite places in NE.
The Moon and Sixpence is one of my favorite places to go. Its a heavenly little slice of Britain in the heart of the Hollywood District. A very traditional English pub, the Sixpence offers 20 beers on tap with a great rotating selection of brews. My favorite right now is the Ninkasi Total Domination from Eugene. Its a hoppy, citrusy IPA that, if you get there when they put a new keg on, tastes like fresh squeezed orange juice. They also have a great menu, with homemade soups. If you want the best of what they offer get an order of Welsh Rarebit (baguette topped with aged cheddar and ale). Then finish off with some bread pudding topped with whiskey sauce. You won't be disappointed.
They also have three dart boards, which make for a great way to pass an evening with friends or random dart aficionados. It can get pretty smoky inside, but they have a huge, fantastic patio out back for those wonderful Portland summer evenings. The one complaint I've heard about the Sixpence is that the servers aren't friendly enough or fast enough. Since I consider many of those people friends, I can't agree, though it did take a little while to break into the in crowd.
The Mash Tun is a great neighborhood brew pub on 22nd and Alberta. Here you will find an ever-changing selection of house beers and some great guest taps as well. They have a great menu full of vegan and meat loving choices. The best part about the Mash Tun, besides Kim, is Tuesdays. Every Tuesday they serve 20 oz. house pints for $2.50 and 60 oz. pitchers for $7.50. That combined with a free juke box, free pool, a dart board and covered patio makes for a wonderful Tuesday, every Tuesday. Additionally, the first Tuesday of every month is Ugly Hat Night, where people bring in the ugliest hats, bought as cheaply as possible, to parade about the bar. Should you show up on the first Tuesday of the month and forget a hat, there are plenty from past Ugly Hat Nights to choose from.
Binks was once my second living room when I first moved to the Alberta area. They have arguably the best juke box in Portland and at least one or two tasty beers on tap. They also have a pool table and sidewalk seating. Their food menu is small, but tasty and I recommend the Sweet and Spicy pizza. This is another place where I've heard complaints about the service, but I don't share those sentiments. If you're in need of being out until 2:30 in the morning on a Wednesday (or any other day) this is the place to be.
The Moon and Sixpence is one of my favorite places to go. Its a heavenly little slice of Britain in the heart of the Hollywood District. A very traditional English pub, the Sixpence offers 20 beers on tap with a great rotating selection of brews. My favorite right now is the Ninkasi Total Domination from Eugene. Its a hoppy, citrusy IPA that, if you get there when they put a new keg on, tastes like fresh squeezed orange juice. They also have a great menu, with homemade soups. If you want the best of what they offer get an order of Welsh Rarebit (baguette topped with aged cheddar and ale). Then finish off with some bread pudding topped with whiskey sauce. You won't be disappointed.
They also have three dart boards, which make for a great way to pass an evening with friends or random dart aficionados. It can get pretty smoky inside, but they have a huge, fantastic patio out back for those wonderful Portland summer evenings. The one complaint I've heard about the Sixpence is that the servers aren't friendly enough or fast enough. Since I consider many of those people friends, I can't agree, though it did take a little while to break into the in crowd.
The Mash Tun is a great neighborhood brew pub on 22nd and Alberta. Here you will find an ever-changing selection of house beers and some great guest taps as well. They have a great menu full of vegan and meat loving choices. The best part about the Mash Tun, besides Kim, is Tuesdays. Every Tuesday they serve 20 oz. house pints for $2.50 and 60 oz. pitchers for $7.50. That combined with a free juke box, free pool, a dart board and covered patio makes for a wonderful Tuesday, every Tuesday. Additionally, the first Tuesday of every month is Ugly Hat Night, where people bring in the ugliest hats, bought as cheaply as possible, to parade about the bar. Should you show up on the first Tuesday of the month and forget a hat, there are plenty from past Ugly Hat Nights to choose from.
Binks was once my second living room when I first moved to the Alberta area. They have arguably the best juke box in Portland and at least one or two tasty beers on tap. They also have a pool table and sidewalk seating. Their food menu is small, but tasty and I recommend the Sweet and Spicy pizza. This is another place where I've heard complaints about the service, but I don't share those sentiments. If you're in need of being out until 2:30 in the morning on a Wednesday (or any other day) this is the place to be.
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