Dave Knows Portland

Archives for October 2009

Oregonian Matthew Cox wins the Golden Spurtle at the 2009 World Porridge Making Championship

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Matthew Cox with the Golden Spurtle trophy! - Photo Roy BrownThe Golden Spurtle trophy will be coming to Oregon!

Matthew Cox, of Milwaukie, Oregon’s own Bob’s Red Mill today was named the 2009 World Porridge Making Champion.

A spurtle, besides just a fun word to say, is a wand-like thing usually made of wood that is traditionally used to stir porridge while it cooks (and yes, you can find myrtle spurtles in Oregon!). The annual competition, held in Carrbridge, Scotland, celebrates Scotland’s traditional national dish, porridge. This is the first time an American team has entered the competition, held in Glasgow, Scotland, and they came away as the big winner!

Check out the Bob’s Red Mill blog for more on their Scotland adventures.

Photo of the award winner by Roy Brown

Portland Nursery Apple Tasting Event 2009

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applefestMost of the events and festivals I write about last a day, a weekend, maybe Thursday through Sunday. But the Portland Nursery Apple Tasting Event extends over two long weekends. This means you have another opportunity next weekend, Friday through Saturday, October 16-18, to taste over 65 varieties of apples and pears, take a few kilos home with you, have some apple strudel with softserve, watch cooking demonstrations, and also tipple an amazing variety of hard ciders at the 1st Annual Artisan Hard Cider Festivals.

Heather and I just had time for a quick visit to the event yesterday. Our goal was to grab a few good baking apples and cider for an evening dinner party (the Jonagolds we settled on turned out to be a good choice for our cider-baked apples with cranberries and walnuts). But we also made time to try the apple strudel with softserve and to take a few photos.

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BLZRFAN reports: Portland Trailblazers 2009-2010 season preview

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BLZRFANMy brother Steve, a Portland native and lifelong Trailblazers fan like me, moved to Elko, Nevada a few years ago. He’s still a BLZRFAN, and he blogs at Dave Knows: Elko.

Here are some of his preseason thoughts and predictions on the 2009-2010 Portland Trailblazers season:

Last year’s Portland Trailblazer season was pretty amazing. 54 wins, 4th seed in the tough Western Conference. I’m usually an eternal optimist as far as the Blazers go, but last season even exceeded my expectations. They are all unselfish team players, have a phenomenal bench, and an underrated superstar in Brandon Roy. This is going to be Greg Oden’s year, I’m telling you! My prediction: 59 wins and a Northwest division championship.

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Great Places in America: Ladd’s Addition

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Brick map of Ladd's Addition at the corner of SE 34th and Madison (Photo taken by Kathleen Greenhaw)Portland’s Ladd’s Addition neighborhood was named one of the 2009 Great Places in America by the American Planning Association (APA).

According to the APA, the Great Places program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.

One of ten 2009 Great Neighborhoods designees (the other categories are Great Streets, and Great Public Spaces), the APA notes that Ladd’s Addition is Oregon’s oldest planned community, the housing stock includes stunning examples of Old Portland architecture, such as Craftsman, Mission, Tudor, and bungalows, and is noteworthy for innovative street design, walkability, and environmental stewardship.

Past Oregon winners of the Great Places designation include Pioneer Courthouse Square (2008), and Lake Oswego’s First Addition neighborhood (2007).