Archive for January, 2011
I feel like the only one who hasn’t seen “Portlandia” yet. Am I missing out?
Here’s this week’s list. For all events, admission is free.
Friday, January 28
Portland Art Museum: Free admission from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
“Portlandia” Screenings:
- Mission Theater. Doors open at 10:00 pm; screening starts at 11:20 pm. Ages 21+.
- Tanker Bar at 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm. Ages 21+.
SNAP! ’90s Dance Party featuring Dr. Adam, Colin Jones, and DJ Vize. Holocene, starts at 9:00 pm, free admission before 11:00 pm. Ages 21+.
“Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses”: Claire Dederer talks about her book, a memoir about trying yoga after throwing her back out while breastfeeding. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 7:30 pm.
Saturday, January 29
Lunar New Year Celebration: Vietnamese spelling bee and writing contest, traditional dress pageant, lion dance, crafts, and food. Gregory Heights Library, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
107ist Timbers’ Army Screening of “Victory”: Watch this classic soccer film at the Bagdad Theater & Pub. Doors open at 1:30 pm; film starts at 2:00 pm. All ages welcome.
Cooking with Asian Flair: Learn the culinary skills of healthy, tasty, simple and natural Asian cooking with food specialist Hye Kim. Tigard Library, 1:00 pm.
Good ¢ents Series (requires registration): Operation HOPE and Financial Beginnings present a workshop about budgeting and investing at Tigard Library at 2:00 pm. Register by calling 503-718-2517.
Sunday, January 30
Crystal Ballroom’s 97th Birthday Free-For-All: Live music; tastings of McMenamins ales, liquors, wines and coffee; and tours. Crystal Ballroom, 1:00 pm ’til late. All ages welcome.
“Food Fight”: Multnomah County Sustainability Film Series presents “Food Fight” at the Bagdad Theater. All ages welcome. Doors open at 5:00 pm; event starts at 6:00 pm.
Portland Opera Preview: Historical background, composer information, and musical selections from “Turandot.” Central Library, 2:00 pm.
The Nervous Breakdown’s Literary Experience: “Two hours of laughs, lounging and litertainment” featuring contributors of The Nervous Breakdown, an online literary magazine. Hall of Records, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
William Stafford Birthday Celebration: Readings and presentations by local writers. Two events: Central Library and Hillsboro Library, 2:00 pm.
More free events
For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Dave Knows Portland.
For kids events, check UrbanMamas and PDX Kids Calendar.
For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.
January 27th, 2011
Among the events this week: “Portlandia,” Portland staircases, Portland streetcars, and Portland authors. Admission is free. Enjoy!
Friday, January 21
“Portlandia” Screenings: Watch “Portlandia” in the company of other Portlandians at these locations:
Hula Lesson: Instructor Lisa Chang will share the history of hula and teach basic hula steps and Hawaiian terms. Tigard Library, 7:00 pm.
“The Imperfectionists”: Author Tom Rachman will talk about his acclaimed debut novel. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 7:30 pm.
“Portland’s Streetcar Lines”: Author Richard Thompson will talk about the history of Portland’s streetcars. Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 7:00 pm.
Saturday, January 22
Fix-It Fair: Workshops about saving money, health, and energy-saving home improvement. Free bike repair. Free lunch. Free childcare. Parkrose High School, 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.
Children’s book authors Susan Blackaby and Heather Vogel Frederick will talk about their books at Children’s Place Bookstore at 11:00 am. After the reading, enjoy edible treats at Eclectic Kitchen.
William Stafford Celebration: Stafford’s poetry will be celebrated with readings and a screening of “Every War Has Two Losers,” a documentary based on Stafford’s journals. Tigard Library, 2:00 pm.
Good ¢ents Series (requires registration): Operation HOPE and Financial Beginnings present a workshop about insurance at Tigard Library at 2:00 pm. Register by calling 503-718-2517.
Sunday, January 23
Fabric and Sewing Supplies Swap: Bring up to two grocery sacks of clean, usable sewing items you would like to give away such as fabric, thread, scissors and such. Take home an equivalent amount of new (to you) sewing items. Troutdale Library, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
“The Portland Stairs Book: Walks, Views, Stories”: Portland’s walking expert Laura Foster shares with you the best and most interesting staircases in Portland. Hollywood Library, 2:00 pm.
“I Felt Awesome: Tips and Tricks for 35+ Needle-Poked Projects”: This book shows you how to turn traditional needle-felting techniques into irreverent felted fun. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 2:00 pm.
More free events
For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Dave Knows Portland.
For kids events, check UrbanMamas and PDX Kids Calendar.
For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.
January 20th, 2011
Happy weekend, all! Here’s this week’s list.
Friday, January 14
Author William Hartung presents his book “Prophets of War,” an exposé of America’s largest military contractor, Lockheed Martin. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 7:30 pm.
Saturday, January 15
J.R.R. Tolkien Birthday Bash: The celebration features the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, live music, kids activities, costume contest, and more. Bring canned goods for the Oregon Food Bank. Kennedy School, 11:00 am ’til late; music at 7:00 pm.
Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride: See beautiful Sellwood! Meet at Oaks Pioneer Church at 1:45 pm. Ride is just under three miles and will be a loop.
Arch Bridge Celebration: Walk the length of the historic arch bridge between Oregon City and West Linn, and enjoy performances by tribal drummers and storytellers, traditional food, visits by local dignitaries, and more. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Medieval Combat Demo: Knights of Veritas will demonstrate combat techniques from the Middle Ages and give participants an opportunity to handle the weapons and try on the armor. Kenton Library, 4:00 pm.
Snailpeople Kids’ Music Duo: This duo plays a wide variety of instruments and combines musical sophistication, harmony vocals and an exuberant sense of fun. Holgate Library, 4:00 pm.
Cancelled! Mr. Ben: Families are invited to join Mr. Ben on a musical adventure that blends entertainment with education. Gregory Heights Library at noon, and Gresham Library at 2:30 pm.
Kids Day Drawing Party: Join artist Alex Beard for a drawing party to celebrate the release of his book “Monkey See, Monkey Draw.” Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 2:00 pm.
Knit-a-Thon: Spend an hour or the whole day knitting hats and scarves that will be donated to those in need of extra warmth this winter. Patterns, mini-lessons, and free coffee for participants. Flying Cat Coffee Company, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Good ¢ents Series (requires registration): Operation HOPE and Financial Beginnings present a workshop about insurance at Tigard Library at 2:00 pm. Register by calling 503-718-2517.
Sunday, January 16
Palm Tree Bike Ride: Here’s a bicycle ride to prove that winter in PDX ain’t so bad. Tour the multitude of palm trees and other tropical and evergreen vegetation growing in the city. Meet at Bipartisan Cafe at 10:30 am.
“Water House” Community Opening: Portland Water Bureau invites you to visit Water House, a demonstration home that showcases sustainable construction techniques and products. Noon to 4:00 pm, 1616 NE 140th.
Calligraphy Crash Course: Learn the very basics of the beautiful Italian Renaissance script called italic. Pens and paper supplied. Central Library, 2:00 pm.
New York designer Mary Adams presents her book “The Party Dress Book,” in which she shares her secrets to designing and to sewing your own creations. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 4:00 pm.
And beyond
Monday, January 17: Visit the zoo for free!
Tuesday, January 18: The Decemberists will perform at Music Millennium at 7:00 pm.
More free events
For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Dave Knows Portland.
For kids events, check UrbanMamas and PDX Kids Calendar.
For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.
January 13th, 2011
Admission to the Oregon Zoo will be free on January 17, 2011, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The zoo encourages guests to bring donations of food or gently-used clothing to benefit SnowCap and Transition Projects. Donations are not required for admission.
For more information, visit the Oregon Zoo website.
January 10th, 2011
Happy New Year! Here are the weekend’s free events.
All weekend
Free admission to Lan Su Chinese Garden: Final days!
Friday, January 7
Free night at the Children’s Museum: Admission is free from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Art Openings: Check out the First Friday Art Walk and Multnomah Arts Center.
First Friday Community Events: Enjoy festivities in Camas (5:00 pm to 8:00 pm) and Montavilla (5:00 pm to 9:00 pm).
“Dance Lest We All Fall Down”: In her book, Margaret Willson tells how she and African Brazilian activist Rita Conceiçao joined forces to break the cycles of poverty and violence in Brazil by creating a top-quality educational program for girls. Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, 7:30 pm.
Saturday, January 8
Fitness Fair: East Portland Community Center hosts its 2nd Annual Fitness Fair. Local vendors, healthy food samples, membership specials, fitness demos, prize giveaways, and more. 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Good ¢ents Series (requires registration): Operation HOPE and Financial Beginnings present a workshop about banking at Tigard Library at 2:00 pm. Register by calling 503-718-2517.
Creature Collage: Children’s book author and artist Addie Boswell shows how to create creatures similar to those in “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Capitol Hill Library, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Free entry tickets will be available 30 minutes before start.
Second Saturday at Vancouver Water Resources Education Center: This month’s activities will teach kids about all sorts of amazing things found in the sky. 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
Coffee Brewing Class and Tasting: Folks at Public Domain Coffee will demonstrate different brewing techniques they use and teach you how to achieve the same quality at home (11:00 am). Come by again at 2:00 pm to sample a variety of coffees.
Sunday, January 9
Slavic New Year Celebration: Music, dancing, traditional costumes, crafts, and a short performance based on Russian fairy tales. Midland Library, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Mad Hatter Tea Party: The Mad Hatter invites kids and their families to make hats, play games, and have refreshments. Tigard Library, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm.
William Stafford Birthday Celebration: Join Ursula Le Guin and Molly Gloss for a poetry reading that celebrates Oregon’s late poet laureate. Beaverton Library, 2:00 pm.
The Seven Habits of Highly Happy People: Learn how to boost your happiness in this workshop led by mental health counselor Louise Lague, MA NCC. Central Library, 2:00 pm.
Coffee Tasting: Stop by Public Domain Coffee for an encore tasting. 2:00 pm.
More free events
For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Dave Knows Portland.
For kids events, check UrbanMamas and PDX Kids Calendar.
For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.
January 6th, 2011
Operation HOPE and Financial Beginnings present the Good ¢ents Series, a series of workshops about managing money. The workshops take place at Tigard Library each Saturday in January (2:00 pm to 4:00 pm). Topics include the following:
January 8: Good ¢ents Banking
Take the mystery out of choosing a bank that will meet your needs. This workshop covers:
- Banking terminology
- Opening bank accounts
- Calculating interest
- Banks versus credit unions
January 15: Good ¢ents Credit
Discover how to manage credit cards and loans. This workshop covers:
- Understanding credit
- Calculating the costs of borrowing
- Reading credit reports
January 22: Good ¢ents Insurance
Learn to make smart choices about insurance plans to protect your money. This workshop covers:
- Importance of insurance
- Types of coverage
- Budgeting for auto insurance
- Understanding liability
- Life insurance savings plan
January 29: Good ¢ents Budgeting & Investing
Learn how to set up a basic budget and make a savings plan. This workshop covers:
- Creating financial goals
- Investing basics
- Money management
Visit the library main reference desk or call 503-718-2517 to register for any or all sessions. Registration is limited to 20 people per session.
January 5th, 2011
From January 2–9, 2011, admission to the Lan Su Chinese Garden is free. That’s a savings of $8.50 per person!
The garden is open every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
I fortunately have the day off on Monday. Weather report looks good. This sounds like a great way to start the new year.
For more information, check the official website.
January 1st, 2011
