Did you ever have a friend who gave up some habit that had gone bad, and then began preaching to everyone else they should do the same? Maybe she gave up eating meat or drinking coffee, or maybe he stopped going to church—or started. Now that they have changed their practice they have become evangelical: …
Sam Drucker lived in the Portland area (Wilsonville). Full story is here.
Steve Stav reviews new film Prometheus in Ink 19.
Kick-ass video for a kick-ass song, from my favorite band in Seattle right now. So cool… – Graig Markel
Trentalange, Shana Falana (from NY), Gems, Half Light and a multi-media artist from NY who wants to be referred to only as “Special Guest” will be playing a mix of ambient/shoegaze/garage and every other good thing at the Rat and Raven in Seattle on June 28. It has been a year and a half since …
Seattle expatriate musician Gary Heffern is in the hospital and needs your help. Here’s what he said in a recent Facebook message: “Hello folks, due to extreme measures as you will see here, and read below, I am reaching out. Feel free to share this with everyone you know, and know that it is going …
57 million Americans live in “Common Interest Developments” governed by Homeowners’ Associations. HOAs enjoy all the powers and prerogatives of local governments, but they operate with absolutely no checks and balances. Federal, state, and local governments have no authority over HOAs except when they violate federal fair housing laws. In the last two years, approximately …
I have often wondered what East Portland Blog readers think of people, lke me who write religious or spiritual pieces under pen names. I’m sure opinions are as diverse as the EPB readers: serious, misguided, enlightening, hypocritical, boring, WTF! (just being realistic), Oh Please!, Fascinating (one can only hope). What do you think? Please let …
This lovely little Danish song with a crowd-sourced video is one of the most popular vids in the US today. It’s reminiscent of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.” The title means, “She Stole My Guitar.”
The last year has been a sad one in music. Amy Winehouse, Bert Jansch, Andrea True, Keef Hartley, Don Cornelius, Whitney Houston, Ronnie Montrose, Dick Clark, Levon Helm, Donald Dunn, Adam “MCA” Yauch, Donna Summer and now Robin Gibb have passed away. It is truly sad to lose these great talents, but sadder yet is …
For me and countless others, Donna Summer will always be the Queen of Disco. Her reign was unique and absolute. She exemplified everything good about an era that was known better for its hedonistic ways. I first heard Donna Summer when she was still in Germany working with her mentor, Giogio Morodor. At that point, …
The Summer Meltdown Music Festival at White Horse Amphitheater announces the following line up to the public May 15. Working closely with the Wild Buffalo, and new talent buyers, Craig Jewell and Austin Santiago, the Summer Meltdown Music Festival has grown into one of the finest curated and produced boutique music festivals in the Northwest. …
http://youtu.be/GB7NNKsmiww
The hemoncology floor of Seattle Children’s Hospital lip syncs Kelly Clarkson’s song “Stronger.”
VORTEXT: Hedgebrook’s Weekend Salon for Women Writers. Join Elizabeth George, Dorothy Allison, Ruth Ozeki, Karen Joy Fowler, Gail Tsukiyama and Jane Hamilton for an extraordinary weekend. Connect in small-group workshops. Come together through dynamic keynotes and discussions about opportunities and challenges for women who write. Share meals, open mics, conversation and community in the stunningly …
My friend Jill’s supremely green thumb has reminded me of my failure as a “plant owner.” I’ve only had two plants in my lifetime; both, sadly, are now deceased. One of them, some sort of giant bush, I blame its demise on my wife. However, it is the tale of Pokey that truly exemplifies my …
England’s Zulu Winter is fervently preparing to energetically release a stunning debut album that has the immediate appeal of 1980s pop, while remaining tightly packed with 21st Century emotional insight. The band recently raised a Britstorm in the US when they toured with Polica. Sung with heartfelt sentiment and powered by endlessly syncopated dance beats, …
This week NATION editor Katrina vanden Heuvel brings attention to an unlikely political cause celebre involving a Russian punk rock collective called Pussy Riot. Some remarkable YouTube video footage accompanies her piece: http://www.thenation.com/blog/167647/free-pussy-riot?rel=emailNation And their Wikipedia entry makes clear that PR is a remarkable project all the way around: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_Riot This …
Thanks to Steve Stav, who adds “not just because it happened in [East] Portland, but because of the kind of music the DJ plays. Great, weird story.” Jonathan Toubin, a Brooklyn D.J., is back spinning records, less than five months after a bizarre accident left him close to death in Portland, Ore. – Go here.
Hi Tom – Below is a story that appeared last week in the Great Falls Tribune. The Hi-Line may be getting even more attention via cinema (hopefully Winter in the Blood will see the screens sometime soon). However, this movie looks to be pure Hollywood with the "A-list" actors probably only looking to pad bank accounts rather than …
Sage reminds me of my centenarian spinster great aunt who was one of the first women rural mail carriers and traveled the world. She was not a striking beauty, but she was incredibly interesting and did not wilt when times got tough. There are many salvia/sages all with interesting stories, but my favorite is the …
Bobby Vee has announced that he has Alzheimer’s and will be retiring. Despite obvious bathos, I always liked “Take Good Care of My Baby,” a Goffin-King composition where the rhythm players find some kind of groove which then triumphs over the pizzicato violins. Here’s a nifty blog entry from a card-carrying Vee apologist:
On Saturday, April 28, 2012, rallies put on by UniteWomen.org took place all over the country. I attended the Seattle event. My estimate is that probably between three and four hundred people of all ages, genders and backgrounds were in attendance. I even spotted a group of teenaged boys! There were a multitude of homemade …
Nashville musician Katie Herzig will be performing at The Aladdin Theater in Portland on May 6th and the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle on May 9. Ms. Herzig will also be performing at Portland’s Music Millenium record store for an in-store at 2pm, May 6.
A seed packet of nasturtiums is the best $3 you will ever spend! Nasturtiums only flower if they are planted in crappy soil, they are beautiful, and you can eat them; what is not to love? Both the leaves and flowers are edible and taste like black pepper. They are beautiful in a salad or …
One of the teachers in our high school, a Mr. Blake, was a former actor and knew Jonathan Frid (of TVs’s Dark Shadows) from those days. One day, Frid came to visit Mr. Blake at the school and to talk to his classes. My Humanities class with Mrs. Bertaccini met in one of the rooms …
During my first night at Herb Study it was mentioned that anise hyssop made a nice tea. I asked what part of the Anise Hyssop was edible and I was promptly assigned to find the answer and report back at the next meeting. I had grown anise hyssop for years because it is a tall …
[At CBS.com – Jonathan Frid, actor in original “Dark Shadows,”dies at 87] He was one of the greats, for certain! Sadly, this makes three fixtures of my Montana childhood and adolescence departed during the past two days—Dick Clark, Levon Helm, and now Jonathan Frid. Talk about leaving legacies! By the by, I’m …
Thanks to Anne Seymour Mette who adds, “Long, Christ-centered, healing and amazing”: http://youtu.be/Rp9tWc35Zhw