Sorry for the late notice, but I was just informed that the Oregon Zoo is offering free admission today, which includes a chance to see ZooLights for the last time this year. For all the details, click here.
Thanks to reader Mike for the info!
Photo by j.bach.
Add comment December 31st, 2007
Last May, I wrote about how I got $108 in discounts from Comcast.
Recently, my discounts expired, and my rates went back up. My cable TV bill was $50.89 per month. Thankfully, I received a letter from DIRECTV offering a rate of $29.99 per month for 12 months. I called Comcast and told them about the offer. They dropped my rate to $32 per month for six months. I’ll save a total of $113.34!
The call was painless. It went something like this:
Me: Hi, I got a letter from DIRECTV offering $29.99 on cable TV. Would you be able to match that?
Rep: Let me check your account and see…. We can lower your rate to $32 a month for six months.
Me: Okay, thanks.
It was that easy. As someone who gets nervous when doing any kind of bargaining, I’m always relieved when I can get results without having to say very much. Although Comcast didn’t match the offer, I was happy to get a lower rate without having to make any changes to my services. It simply took one quick call.
I recommend trying to get a lower rate from your provider whenever you come across better deals from a competitor. A discount is definitely a nice way to start off the new year.
1 comment December 31st, 2007
Throughout January, Portlanders will get more than 20 chances to celebrate William Stafford’s birthday through a series of free poetry readings hosted by Friends of William Stafford (FWS). These events will feature five or six readers, who will read poems by Stafford as well as ones they’ve written in the spirit of Stafford’s work. Audience members will be invited to read their favorite Stafford poem or to tell a personal anecdote about the late poet. At some events, there will be musical performances or writing opportunities.
Details on the Portland events are listed below. There will also be celebrations in other parts of the US as well as Mexico, Sweden, Scotland and Malaysia. For a full list of the dates, times and contacts for all the readings, go to the FWS website: williamstafford.org.
Portland events:
Saturday, January 5, 2 pm–4 pm, Tigard Public Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard. Hosted by Bill Siverly. Featuring Eleanor Berry, Celia Carlson, Michael McDowell, and FWS Board Member Paulann Petersen.
Monday, January 7, 10 pm, KBOO Radio, 90.7 FM. Hosted by Barbara La Morticella. Featuring FWS Board Members Joseph Soldati and Paulann Petersen.
Saturday, January 12, 2 pm–4 pm, Milwaukie Ledding Library, Pond House, 2215 SE Harrison, Milwaukie 97222. Hosted by Greg Chaimov and Tom Hogan. Featuring Marlene Hill, Susanna Lungren, Rhonda McFadden, Helen McNaughton, Ron Rasch, Christopher Zinn, and FWS Board Member Paulann Petersen.
Sunday, January 13, 2 pm, Sanctuary, West Hills Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 8470 SW Oleson Road, Portland. Hosted by FWS Board Member Sulima Malzin. Featuring Ann Dudley, Laurence Overmire, Susan McKee Reese, and Scot Siegel.
Sunday, January 13, 2 pm, Wy’east Book Shoppe & Art Gallery at the Rendezvous Center, 67149 E. Highway 26, Welches. Hosted by Rita Ott Ramstad and FWS Board Member Sharon Wood Wortman. To honor Stafford’s work as both a teacher and writer, this event features elementary, middle-, and high-school student writers from various Welches schools. Audience members will have an opportunity to create their own writing and to share their favorite Stafford poems.
Sunday, January 13, 2 pm, Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St., Beaverton. Hosted by Wendy Turner Swanson. Featuring a performance by the Satori Men’s Chorus, “Men Singing Peace.” With readings by Susan Denning, Dan Skach-Mills, Penelope Scambly Schott, and FWS Board Member Don Colburn.
Sunday, January 13, 2 pm, Vancouver Community Library, 1007 East Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA. Hosted by Arnie Dyer. Featuring David Benedictus, Mark Martin, Wendy Thompson, and FWS Board Member Sue Einowski.
Tuesday, January 15, 7 pm, Lake Oswego Library, 706 4th St., Lake Oswego. Hosted by Leah Stenson. Featuring Linda Besant, Maggie Chula, Jim Fleming, Liz Nakazawa, Ron Talney, and FWS Board Member Patricia Carver.
Thursday, January 17, 7 pm, Literary Arts Center, Roger Rook Hall 220, Clackamas Community College, 19600 S. Molalla Ave., Oregon City. Hosted by Jim Grabill and Kate Gray. Featuring Jake Hart, Verlena Orr, Deb Stone, and FWS Board Member Helen Schmidling.
Friday, January 18, 7:30 pm, Eliot Chapel (formerly the Salmon Street Sanctuary), First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th, Portland. Hosted by Stephen Pearce. Featuring Sage Cohen, Erin Leonard, Dan Sisco, and FWS Board Member Sulima Malzin.
Saturday, January 19, 3 pm–5 pm, Holy Names Heritage Center, 17425 Holy Names Drive, Lake Oswego. Hosted by Joan Maiers. Featuring Jerry Isom, Bob McFarlane, David Oates, and FWS Board Member Pat Carver.
Sunday, January 20, 1 pm–3 pm, Multnomah Village, Portland. Free writing workshop offered by Jessica Lamb. Limited to 10 participants. RSVP Jessica Lamb at lambjess@aracnet.com or 503-421-9201.
Monday, January 21, 7:30 pm. University of Portland, Buckley Center 163, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland. Hosted by Herman Asarnow. Featuring David Biespiel, Emily Kendal Frye, Sara Guest, Louis Masson, B.T. Shaw, and FWS Board Member Sharon Wood Wortman.
Tuesday, January 22, 6:30 pm, Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Parkway, Hillsboro 97124. Hosted by Barbara Drake. Featuring Tim Applegate, Marie Buckley, Mark Thalman, Celeste Thompson, and FWS Board Member Dennis Schmidling.
Tuesday, January 22, 7:30 pm, Annie Bloom’s Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland. Hosted by Jessica Lamb. Featuring Alison Apotheker, Judith Barrington, Ruth Gundle, Diane Holland, Greg Simon, and FWS Board Members Sue Einowski and Ann Staley.
Wednesday, January 23, 1 pm–3 pm, Little Theater, CT 201, Sylvania Campus, Portland Community College, 12000 SW 49th Ave., Portland. Hosted by FWS Board Member Tim Barnes.
Friday, January 25, 7 pm, Portland State Millar Library, Portland State University, 1875 Park Avenue (Park & Hall), Portland. Hosted by Joanna Rose. Featuring Jeff Alessandrelli, Stevan Allred, Stacy Feder, Michele Glazer, Patrick Haas, Sean Patrick Hill, John Morrison, Carlos Reyes, and FWS Board Member Shelley Reece.
Saturday, January 26, 3 pm–5 pm, Looking Glass Book Store, 7983 SE 13th Ave., Portland 97202 (new Sellwood location). Hosted by Willa Schneberg. Featuring Patricia Bollin, Cindy Williams Gutierrez, Mike Langtry, Paul Merchant, Dianne Stepp, and FWS Board Member Paulann Petersen.
Sunday, January 27, 2 pm–4 pm, Multnomah Central Library, US Bank Room, 801 SW 10th Ave., Portland. Hosted by FWS Board Member Joseph Soldati. Featuring Don Colburn, Henry Hughes, Oz Hopkins Koglin, Paulann Petersen, and Celeste Thompson.
Tuesday, January 29, 7 pm, Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, Portland. Hosted by Harold Johnson. Featuring Tom Bremer, Jane Glazer, Elizabeth McLagan, Suzanne Sigafoos, and FWS Board Member Don Colburn.
Wednesday, January 30, 7 pm, West Linn Library, 1595 Burns, West Linn. Hosted by David Hedges. Featuring Walt Curtis, Christine Delea, Jose Knighton, Scottie Sterrett, Sharon Streeter, Virginia Euwer Wolff, and FWS Board Member Nancy Winklesky.
Wednesday, January 30, 7 pm, Barnes & Noble, 7700 NE Plain Boulevard, Vancouver, WA. Hosted by Sage Cohen. Featuring Christopher Luna, Toni Partington, Shawn Sorenson, and FWS Board Member Paulann Petersen.
Thanks to Soapstone for the information and list of events. Soapstone provides a weekly email newsletter of writing events, readings, workshops, grant opportunities, lectures, job opportunities and other writing-related news for Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington. To sign up for the newsletter, click here.
Photo from http://www.lclark.edu/~archives/specialcollections/images/staffordHandonFace.jpg
1 comment December 30th, 2007
Buses, the MAX and the Portland Streetcar will be free on New Year’s Eve starting at 8:00 pm.
MAX Blue and Yellow Lines will operate until 3:00 am.
For more information, visit the TriMet website.
Have fun and be safe out there!
Thanks Metroblogging Portland for the heads up.
Add comment December 28th, 2007
Portland Center for the Performing Arts (PCPA) is offering 2-for-1 tickets for the Oregon Symphony’s ”Songs of Travel.” This kid-friendly concert will take place at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on January 6, 2008, 2:00 pm. The audience will be treated to music from around the globe including performances by 14-year-old violinist Brandon Garbot, the Aratas Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble and the Skyview High School Tropical Storm Steel Drum Ensemble.
You can purchase tickets at the PCPA box office using the password “PCPA.”
PCPA Box Office
1111 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
Open Monday–Saturday
10:00 am–5:00 pm
Or you can go to the Ticketmaster website here. As the instructions on the webpage mention, click on “Find Tickets.” Then under “Promotions and Special Offers,” select the number of tickets you want from the drop-down menu, then type in PCPA in the box.
The discount is not available for all seats and is not valid on previously purchased tickets.
Bon voyage!
2 comments December 28th, 2007
Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season so far! I’m back in town, energized from my time off. Here’s this weekend’s round-up of free events in the Portland area. Admission to all events are free.
Friday, December 28
Strings For Industry will be at Music Millennium at 5:30 pm. For more information, visit the Music Millennium website.
Check out the Lights on Peacock Lane. The event lasts until December 31. For more information and schedule, go to the Peacock Lane website.
Beth Willis will be performing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Rogue Motel will be playing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
Saturday, December 29
Check out the Lights on Peacock Lane. The event lasts until December 31. For more information and schedule, go to the Peacock Lane website.
Eric John Kaiser will be playing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
HannaH*s Field will be performing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
Start the new year off right by recycling a bunch of stuff at the Clackamas K-Mart (13750 SE Johnson Road) from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Free services include document shredding, plastics/cardboard/paper recycling, and hard-drive destruction. Other items such as PCs, styrofoam and Christmas trees will also be accepted for recycling for a small fee. For more information, visit the E-Waste Solutions website.
Sunday, December 30
Check out the Lights on Peacock Lane. The event lasts until December 31. For more information and schedule, go to the Peacock Lane website.
Billy Kennedy will be performing at Edgefield at 5:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it. If you’d like me to include an event in a future round-up, feel free to contact me.
1 comment December 28th, 2007
On an otherwise uneventful plane ride last week, I cracked open the latest issue of Money Magazine wanting to know, as the cover advertised, which money websites were the best. I was so pleased to find that Portland-based GetRichSlowly.org was included among the creme de la creme. GRS is intelligent, informative and inspiring. It’s one of my favorites, and I’m thrilled that it’s getting the attention it deserves.
Writer J.D. covers a variety of money topics as well as the articles I most enjoy—his personal financial successes such as how he conquered $35,000 in debt and his decision to leave his day job.
You can find out about the other 27 best websites here.
Congrats J.D.!
1 comment December 27th, 2007
Here’s the round-up of free weekend events in Portland. Admission is free for all of the events listed here.
Next week, I’ll be taking a break to celebrate Christmas with my family. The round-up will return on December 27. Have a great weekend and happy holidays!
Friday, December 14
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website. Enjoy the parade on your own or head over to Milwaukie Riverfront Park at 5:00 pm where there’ll be a bonfire and hot beverages. The Dickens Carolers will perform from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the City of Milwaukie website.
Learn to Salsa at the Tigard Library from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Puerto Rican-born disc jockey Francisco Ortiz will be playing a variety of Salsa music and teaching basic steps. For more information, visit the City of Tigard website.
Reina Collins Duo will be performing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Voodoo BBQ will be performing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
Saturday, December 15
Tuba Christmas is happening at Pioneer Courthouse Square from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. Nearly 200 tuba players will perform seasonal music, and the audience will be encouraged to sing along. For more information, visit the Pioneer Courthouse Square website.
The West Linn Holiday Parade starts at 10:00 am on Willamette Falls Drive. Santa will be the Grand Marshall and will visit with kids at the Willamette Fire Station after the parade. For more information, visit the City of West Linn website.
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website.
Today is the official start of the Lights on Peacock Lane, where residents of this SE Portland street drape their beautiful Tudor houses in holiday decorations. The event lasts until December 31. For more information and schedule, go to the Peacock Lane website.
Gideon Freudmann will be performing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Jack McMahon Band will be performing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
Novelists Monica Drake and James Bernard Frost will talk about their new books at the Central Library from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.
Sharon Wood Wortman will present her newest book Walking Bridges Using Poetry as a Compass at Looking Glass Bookstore at 1:00 pm. Many of the poets in the book will join Sharon in reading their bridge poetry. Audience members are also invited to read a poem about a bridge. A bridge walk will follow the reading (weather permitting). For more information, visit the Looking Glass Bookstore website.
Sunday, December 16
Miracle Theatre Group is hosting Posada Milagro, a family-friendly event celebrating the story of Mary and Joseph. The event takes place at El Centro Milagro (525 SE Stark Street) from noon to 5:00 pm. The afternoon’s entertainment will include music, dance, arts and crafts workshops, a piñata, and food. Youth actors of Miracle Theatre’s Pluma Nueva program—together with members of the Teatro Español ensemble—will present a traditional pastorela (two performances: 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm). Admission is free, but limited to ticket-holders only. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at noon on Sunday, December 16. Donations of canned food will be accepted for the Oregon Food Bank. For more information, visit the Miracle Theatre website.
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website.
Check out the Lights on Peacock Lane. The event lasts until December 31. For more information and schedule, go to the Peacock Lane website.
Jon Koonce will be performing at Edgefield at 5:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
1 comment December 14th, 2007
Admission is free for all of the events listed here. Have a great weekend!
Friday, December 7
According to DIY Alert: The 100th Monkey Studio is hosting the opening of its art show in response to HIV/AIDS. The event will be from 6:00 pm–9:00 pm and is free and open to the public. Local artist Chris Haberman will be doing live painting to help raise money for the studio’s scholarship fund. The show will hang in the studio from 12/7/07–12/31/07. Artists participating in this show created art in response to HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day is December 1, 2007. The 100th Monkey Studio plans to have the following artists and organizations represented: Chris Haberman, Beth Ann Short, Joy Leising, Troy John McCray, Kevin Quirke, Dayna Kirk, SD Elliott, Joel Kimble, Luiza Vasiliu, artists from The Zimbabwe Artist Project and artists from Africa Aids Response. To learn more about the 100th Monkey Studio, visit their website.
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website.
Multnomah Village is hosting “A Holiday in the Village.” The First Friday event will feature the lighting of the Village tree at 6:42 pm. Santa will be available throughout the evening. There will be local school choirs caroling around the village. Carriage rides will be available from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm starting at Key Bank with donations benefiting Neighborhood House’s “Season of Sharing” program. Food, special exhibits, sales and other festivities will be going on all evening. For more information, visit the Multnomah Village website.
The City of Camas is having its holiday celebration. Enjoy holiday entertainment, Santa, community tree lighting and more in downtown Camas, NE 4th Ave and Cedar, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. For more information, visit the Camas website.
The City of Tigard will be hosting its annual tree lighting ceremony at Liberty Park, across from McDonald’s on Main Street. Festivities begin at approximately 6:45 pm. Singing by children from Mitch Charter School & their band. Children from Gaarde Christian School will be singing at Crowne Carpet. Santa Claus will arrive around 7:20 pm in a fire truck. After the tree lighting, join Santa and Mrs. Claus for cookies, cocoa and children’s activities (coloring, decorating pine cones, create a Christmas Mouse and write a letter to Santa) at Crown Carpet. The Tigard Police Department will be providing free photos of children visiting with Santa. For more information, visit the Tigard website.
Tualatin is going to light a floating tree at its Starry Nights and Holiday Lights Celebration on the Tualatin Commons from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The event will include music from local youth choirs, the tree lighting, face painting, children’s activities, refreshments and more. There’ll also be a canned food drive benefiting Tualatin’s Food Pantry. For more information, visit the Tualatin website.
James Faretheewell will be performing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Will West Combo will be performing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
The Morals, Tractor Operator and John Vecchiarelli will be performing at Mississippi Studios at 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the Mississippi Studios website.
Editors Keith Gessen and Chad Harbach of n+1 will read and discuss pieces from current and past issues of the magazine, on topics ranging from environmental apocalypse to writers and money. n+1 is a biannual literary magazine that publishes essays on politics, literature, and culture, as well as fiction. The event takes place at Looking Glass Bookstore at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit the Looking Glass Bookstore website.
Naomi Klein will be reading from her new book The Shock Doctrine at the First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland. Seating is limited to first come, first served. 7:00 pm. For more information, visit the Powell’s website.
Saturday, December 8
Multnomah Village is hosting “A Holiday in the Village.” There will be free photos and cocoa with Santa at Neighborhood House from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. There will be carriage rides from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm starting at Key Bank with donations benefiting Neighborhood House’s “Season of Sharing” program. Strolling carolers and musicians from area schools will be providing entertainment throughout the day. For more information, visit the Multnomah Village website.
The City of Milwaukie is celebrating the holidays with its annual Umbrella Parade & City Hall Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Umbrella Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at 4:00 pm. All are invited to join the Milwaukie High School Band as it parades through downtown. Santa Claus will be on hand for the City Hall Tree Lighting Ceremony that will follow at 4:30 pm. Meet in the Waldorf School parking lot at 3:45 pm to take part in the parade. For more information, visit the Milwaukie website.
Eldred Marshall will perform the final concert in his eight-concert series of Beethoven piano sonatas. The concert will take place at the Portland Community Music Center, located at 3350 SE Francis Street, at 8:00 pm. Marshall will perform Sonatas 28, 30, 31 and 32. Upon concluding the series, he will become the first African-American to join the ranks of master pianists who have publicly performed the entire series of the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas from memory. Admission is free, but $20 is the suggested donation. For more information, click here.
Looks like the Whiskey Hill Jazz Club is performing at Pioneer Courthouse Square from 12:45 pm to 2:00 pm. I can’t find any more information about it. You can check the Pioneer Courthouse Square website or the Whiskey Hill Jazz Club website to learn more.
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website. View the ships on your own or join these events: At 5:00 pm, meet at the Umpqua Innovation Lab (3606 SW Bond) to walk to the water and view the parade. Heating, caroling, and lots of great treats provided. Wilsonville High School Choir (Acapella) will perform. For more information, visit the Umpqua Bank website. If you’re in the Lake Oswego area, go to Foothills Park from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and enjoy free hot cocoa and cider while you watch the boats go by. For additional information, visit the Lake Oswego website.
Lincoln Crockett will be performing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Ida Viper will be performing at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.
Jeffrey Ashton will perform a seasonal program of guitar music, featuring Renaissance and Baroque selections as well as standards and carols, from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at Woodstock Library. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.
Joni Kabana, author & photographer of the book Torina’s World: A Child’s Life in Madagascar, will be at Looking Glass Bookstore at 10:00 am. For more information, visit the Looking Glass Bookstore website.
The Grinch will be at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 1:00 pm, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. For more information, visit the Powell’s website.
Sharon Wood Wortman will be presenting her book Walking Portland’s Bridges Using Poetry as a Compass at 1:00 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside. The reading will be followed by a bridge walking tour. For more information, visit the Powell’s website.
Author Eric Kimmel will share his favorite holiday classics including The Chanukkah Guest and Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins at A Children’s Place Bookstore at 11:00 am. Story time, craft making (dreidels!) and cookies to enjoy. For more information, visit A Children’s Place Bookstore website.
Sunday, December 9
The Church of Craft is meeting at the Central Library at 12:30 pm. This month’s class is Paper Strip Ornaments. Seating is limited to 70 people, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For the list of supplies you’ll need to bring and more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.
The Christmas Ship Parade will be sailing this evening. For route details and more information, visit the Christmas Ship Parade website.
Petty Saints will be performing at Edgefield at 5:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.
Murder by the Book is hosting an open house from noon to 5:00 pm. Authors Chelsea Cain, George Wright, Carola Dunn and Michael Hoeye will be there. There will also be a free rare-book appraisal from mystery lover and antiquarian Jack Walsdorf (one book per person). Champagne, goodies, discounts, and more. For more information, visit the MBTB website.
If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it. If you’d like me to include an event in a future round-up, feel free to contact me.
3 comments December 7th, 2007
