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Archives for January 2009

Things to do in Portland on Superbowl Sunday

January 30, 2009 by Dave 13 Comments

Update: Click here to go to the 2012 version of Other Things to Do in Portland on Superbowl Sunday!

I’m not a big fan of American Football (Canadian Football, on the other hand), and I’m especially not a big fan of obnoxious and vapid television programming.

Superbowl Sunday is virtually a secular holiday in this country. The streets and stores will be empty for a few glorious hours, and America’s most obnoxious will be self-sequestered on hideous oversized puffy couches in front of their 65 inch TVs drinking absurd amounts of watery and sweet American-style lager and scarfing down Buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing.

On Sunday I will not be watching the Superbowl (there won’t be any good commercials this year anyway).

So what are some other things to do on Superbowl Sunday?

Where ever there might normally be a crowd on Sunday, you’ll find wide open aisles, tables, and venues.

I might go visit Samudra at the zoo, then retire to the nearby Forestry Center to check out the ChocolateFest (I’ll take chocolate over chicken wings any day!).

Or, perhaps I’ll be compelled to visit Ikea. I *hate* Ikea. But I hate a crowded Ikea most of all. Sunday, during Superbowl, all those obnoxious people mentioned above will be on their couches at home, so Ikea will be less hate-rendering than on a usual Sunday.

Or, maybe I’ll get out of town; head to the coast or the mountain.

Parks, museums, and pubs that don’t have TVs; they’ll all be almost empty too.

Really, the world is your oyster if you’re free from the clutches of the NFL and NBC on Superbowl Sunday.

Preservation Magazine: Zoning trouble in Portland

January 28, 2009 by Dave 3 Comments

A recent online Preservation Magazine article examines the conflict between zoning and historical preservation in Portland.

Trouble in Green City: Zoning Trumps Design Guidelines in Historic Portland, Oregon

The story begins in Irvington, where Lee Montgomery and Tom Byrnes restored their 1893 Victorian house (you can read about their efforts in the January-February 2009 issue of Oregon Home). But they feel their neighborhood’s distinctive look is threatened by real estate developments encouraged by Oregon’s land use laws and Portland’s zoning guidelines.

Irvington residents successfully fought development of the Irvington Squire, a multi-unit condominium project that was variously proposed at six or five stories. But they fear they won’t be able to derail all new development in their neighborhood [at least that’s my take].

Brian Libby wrote a thoughtful piece on the The Case of the Irvington Squire last year on Portland Architecture.

TimberPalace responds to the Preservation Magazine article, in Preservation v. Density and the Death of the Burbs, where an excellent question is posed:

As the ethic of “density at all costs” takes over, will Portland’s suburbs go the way of Lost Oregon? With time, early suburban neighborhoods will offer as much historic (and I would argue aesthetic) value as old, historic Irvington. The future tension between density and preservation in suburban neighborhoods is apt to be amplified. How do you create dense housing that is respectful to its complete antithesis? I really don’t think you can. Does that mean the burbs and all of the historical and cultural information they carry are doomed?

Portland: the best soccer city in America

January 25, 2009 by Dave Leave a Comment

Longtime Timbers Army regular, Jeremy Wright, argues in the British newspaper The Guardian, that Portland is The Best Football City in America.

Portland, Oregon is a different type of city. It’s a national and international model for urban planning, public transit and sustainability. City leaders have never shied away from making visionary choices that have created Portland’s much vaunted liveability, and now they face another such transformational opportunity: Do they want to help bring a second major league sports franchise to Portland in the form of Major League Soccer?

The answer should be an easy yes.

The commentary is a response to another recent Guardian article about Timbers owner Merritt Paulson’s efforts to bring Major League Soccer to Portland by Jules Boykoff and David Zirin, who argue that it is a bad idea. Jeremy persuasively counters each of the three main points of the previous article, and also makes a convincing argument that Portland is not your typical American city, especially when it comes to soccer.

Storm Large sings ‘Stand By Your Sam’

January 24, 2009 by Dave 2 Comments


Stand By Your Sam from dalas verdugo on Vimeo.

This was filmed at the rally in support of Sam Adams last night at City Hall.

Video by Dalas Verdugo, the genius pseudolectual behind dalas verdugo’s Guide to New York City.

Portland Timbers 2009 schedule finally released

January 23, 2009 by Dave 4 Comments

TimbersSeven Thirsty Thursdays!

The Portland Timbers have announced the 2009 schedule.

In the home opener on Thursday, April 30th, the Timbers take on the Carolina RailHawks.

But the season opener is on the road, April 25th, when the Timbers visit Swangard Stadium to face the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Here’s are some schedule notes:

HOME DATES BY DAYS OF THE WEEK:
Thursday (7), Friday (2), Saturday (4), Sunday (2)

ROAD DATES BY DAYS OF THE WEEK:
Monday (1), Wednesday (1), Thursday (1), Friday (3), Saturday (7), Sunday (2)

HOME DATES BY MONTH:
April (1), May (3), June (3), July (1), August (3), September (4)

ROAD DATES BY MONTH:
April (1), May (3), June (2), July (4), August (4), September (1)

LONGEST HOME STRETCH:
Three (3) matches (Sept. 11-17)

LONGEST ROAD STRETCH:
Four (4) matches (July 4-19)

Full schedule below the fold . . .
[Read more…]

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