Archives for August 2010

Portland Timbers Roundup 08/20/2010

August 20, 2010 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The Portland Timbers play next at home on Thursday, August 26, 2010. The match will be the first PGE Park visit for Austin Aztex FC. The Timbers will be honoring NASL day player Jimmy Conway at 5pm that day with a testimonial match:

Among the several events honoring Conway, who has been diagnosed with trauma-induced dementia, the testimonial match will pit a team of Timbers alumni against the Oregon Select XI, which is comprised of players Conway coached at the youth and collegiate levels. Conway is expected to play for both sides during the match.

Tickets for the day are $12 in advance and will allow entry into both the testimonial match and Timbers game against Austin; gates open at 4:30 p.m. [more]

And now to the news roundup . . . in player news

Timbers’ Savage Battles Back From Injury by Oakley Brooks at EnzymePDX

How long does it take to show full recovery from a season-threatening knee injury? Exactly 90 minutes.

Keith Savage, a tall, rock-steady midfielder who played every game for the Timbers last season, has made the long road back from a training camp injury to now dressing, seeing action and even logging his first point. But he’s still waiting for that elusive full game played at full tilt, to erase any lingering questions. [more]

Khalif Alhassan Signs with Timbers by mao at Portland Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Gavin Wilkinson’s scouting trip to Ghana earlier this year has yielded a new signing, Khalif Alhassan. The Ghanian U-20 international has been with Liberty Professionals, the Accra-based club in the Ghana Telecom Premier League since 2007. While he did not make the final squad, Alhassan was in camp with Ghana at the 2009 U-20 World Cup, a tournament won by Ghana. At only 19 years old, Alhassan will debut with the Timbers in early September. . . [more]

Omar Salgado Now Training With Timbers by mao at Portland Timbers USL Blog at The Offside

Omar Salgado, the much ballyhooed American U-20 footballer, has begun training with Portland Timbers after the paperwork for his transfer to Vancouver Whitecaps fell through yesterday afternoon. Salgado has been training with the reserve team at Chivas in Guadalajara for two years, but the 16-year old decided to register with Major League Soccer and join the American league via the SuperDraft. [more]

Cameron is making his mark with Timbers by David Ball at The Gresham Outlook

Most sports fans enjoy the experience of watching a game perched above a stadium in a luxury suite with comfortable sofas, a stocked fridge and glass panels to keep out any foul weather. But this is no place for a player. Josh Cameron, a Centennial graduate, found that out last season as a rookie with the Portland Timbers.

Excited to make the local pro team coming out of college, Cameron emerged out of a preseason camp flooded with college and pro talent. [more]

Some PGE Park renovation updates

PGE Park renovations signal start of something new by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

Walk a few steps down the PGE Park access road that begins at Southwest 18th Avenue and winds down toward the stadium, and it’s easy to notice the signs of change.

The tall hedges that lined the right side of the access road have disappeared, replaced by steel pilings, beams, excavation equipment and large plastic tubes carrying electrical cables. [more]

PGE Park Construction Timeline by Jason Davis at Match Fit USA

I’ve been wondering for some time just how Portland plans to have PGE Park upgraded and ready for MLS play come next spring. The Division II Timbers are still playing there, the city’s minor league baseball team is still playing there, and my admittedly under-educated-when-it-comes-to-construction brain has troubling reconciling the timeline with all that needs to be done. [more]

From Kip
Timbers on the road, facing key matchup for playoff positioning by Kip Kesgard at OregonLive.com

The Portland Timbers continue their quest for a playoff spot, and their efforts on August 14 in St. Louis helped solidify their place in the USSF Division 2 standings. With just eight games left the Timbers own an 8 win, 7 draw and 7 loss record with 31 points, putting them third in the USL Conference and fourth overall in the playoff table. more]

And last, but not least, Baconfest is this Saturday! What exactly does that have to do with the Timbers? Well, the Timbers Army Van will be gracing the fest with its presence; eat some bacon, have a beer, and buy some Timbers Army schwag!

August 20-22: Offbeat Belly Dance, Baconfest, Montavilla Brewfest, Street Fairs, and More!

August 19, 2010 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

Another fantastic weekend is on tap in Portland, Oregon. Not much going on Sunday (except Riverfest), but over Friday and Saturday you have a ton of events and activities to choose from: a pair of street fairs, Baconfest 2010, a beerfest, movies, belly dance, and a charity kickball tournament!

Friday

Offbeat Belly Dance

Every third Friday of the month the Blue Monk (3341 SE Belmont) hosts the Offbeat Belly Dance collective, a club rocking, good timing, genre-defying gang of badass belly dancers.

And this third Friday, August 20 2010 is no different – the Offbeat Belly Dance collectives invites you to RAWR! Offbeat! This Friday! Blue Monk! [more]

Saturday

Baconfest 2010

The 2010 Portland Baconfest, presented by PDX.FM, takes place Saturday, August 21st.

Again this year the East Burn (1800 E Burnside) is hosting, closing off the entire adjacent block for the festivities, including over two dozen Northwest vendors, two food carts, prizes, beer, vodka, raffles, professional skateboarders and more. [more]

Multnomah Days

The 2010 Multnomah Days festival takes place Saturday, August 21 in Multnomah Village.

Things things off with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at the Key Bank, from 8:30 until 11am.

At 10am the Head of the Dog Parade begins, followed by the Multnomah Days Parade. [more]

Alberta Street Fair

The 2010 Alberta Street Fair takes place Saturday, August 21st . . . on NE Alberta!

From 11am until 9pm, enjoy three stages of entertainment, miles of vendors (150 of ‘em!) and car free streets between 10th and 30th.

And did I mention there’s a beer garden featuring local beers? [more]

Montavilla Brewfest

The 2010 Montavilla Brewfest takes place Saturday, August 21 from noon until 9pm in the parking lot in back of Thatcher’s Restaurant and Lounge (7906 SE Stark).

Over 20 different beers will be available for tasting, in addition to BBQ and live music. All proceeds go to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association. [more]

Three-Minute Picture Show

The Portland edition of the Three-Minute Picture Show film festival takes place August 21st, 2010 at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton).

“The Three-Minute Picture Show is a 30 day, 3 minute film making project where participants sign up and commit to spending the month of July creating a 3 minute masterpiece, then experience the glory of watching it on the big screen in front of a live audience!” [more]

Channing Frye’s Kicks for Kids Kickball Tournament

Come out to Westmoreland Park on Saturday, August 21 2010 for the Kicks for Kids Kickball Tournament, presented by the Oregon Active Foundation and the Channing Frye Foundation. Games start at 9am.

Thirty-six (18 and over) teams will compete in round robin and elimination tournaments hosted by Recesstime Sports. [more]

August 20: Offbeat Belly Dance

August 19, 2010 by Dave Knows 1 Comment

Every third Friday of the month the Blue Monk (3341 SE Belmont) hosts the Offbeat Belly Dance collective, a club rocking, good timing, genre-defying gang of badass belly dancers.

And this third Friday, August 20 2010 is no different – the Offbeat Belly Dance collectives invites you to RAWR! Offbeat! This Friday! Blue Monk!

Yo! Noble Portlanders! Grab your party hat and head to the Blue Monk! This Friday it’s time once more for Offbeat Belly Dance!

Ah yes, the Blue Monk! Home of delicious beer! Complex and intriguing mixed drinks! Tasty food! Happy hour til 8! Air conditioning!

And Offbeat Belly Dance! This month’s lineup of rock ‘em sock ‘em fabulous dancers is nearly too awesome to be believed! Please do join us, and feast your eyes upon the wonders of….

Vee!
Ziggy!
Jasmine!
Jo!

Join Karissa, the Ringleader of Offbeat Belly Dance (pictured to the right), and the other fabulous dancers at show Friday night.

Individually, the members of the Offbeat Belly Dance collective perform at shows throughout the Portland area, but on the 3rd Friday of the month they come together at the Blue Monk to perform in a rollicking belly dance revue. One of the things that makes it offbeat, is that the dancers choose whatever kind of music they like. Karissa tells me this has included traditional Middle Eastern music, zydeco, AC/DC, Strauss, The Pogues, hip hop, jazz, blues, Old Crow Medicine Show, the Spice Girls, and just about everything else.

The shows are free, and go from about 7pm until 9pm.

Visit OffbeatBellyDance.com for more information. You can also become a fan on Facebook, and follow the genre-defying, good timing gang of belly dancers in Portland OR, w/Karissa as ringmaster/carnival barker/propagandiston on Twitter at @OffbeatBelly

Photo credit: Offbeat Belly Dance

August 21: Channing Frye’s Kicks for Kids Kickball Tournament

August 18, 2010 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

Come out to Westmoreland Park on Saturday, August 21 2010 for the Kicks for Kids Kickball Tournament, presented by the Oregon Active Foundation and the Channing Frye Foundation. Games start at 9am.

Thirty-six (18 and over) teams will compete in round robin and elimination tournaments hosted by Recesstime Sports.

You can also just go and watch, as there’s a Widmer beer garden, prizes, food, raffles, music, and an after party! There’s even a Kids Village for the kids. All proceeds go to the construction of a new Youth Adventure Camp for at risk youth.

My Beef With Burgerville

August 18, 2010 by Dave Knows 18 Comments

I want to make it clear I’m not just being contradictory. In fact, I’m a fan of some aspects of the Burgerville business:

That being said, I’m not a fan of Burgerville’s food, or their marketing. In much the same way I’m not a fan of McDonalds’ or Burger King’s. But what’s that you say? Burgerville means Fresh, Local, Sustainable?

I think it’s generally a good idea to be wary of marketing. Burgerville’s, in particular seems carefully crafted for local sensibilities, as you would expect – which makes me even more wary.

Fresh, Local, Sustainable is their marketing mantra (but the cynic in me suspects it will change eventually to whatever buzz words become part of the next popular marketing trend). Let’s look at each of these marketing claims:

Fresh: This claim is disingenuous. Some ingredients are frozen (e.g. potatoes), some are fresh (e.g. tomatoes, lettuce), some are more or less processed than others. True of Burgerville, true of McDonalds. If you’re looking for fresh, a fast food restaurant is generally not the best place to go.

Local: Most restaurants, including national chains, obtain a large proportion of their ingredients locally; it’s cheaper! The bigger ones have the clout to contract local processors to produce ingredients to their specifications. I learned this on a tour of a McDonalds restaurant when I was eight, as they showed us the locally baked hamburger buns. This is not a novel concept invented by Burgerville.

Sustainable: Bullshit. Fast food restaurant businesses are not sustainable. Perhaps some of Burgerville’s business practices are baby steps toward sustainability, they have compost bins in the stores for example, but a spade is spade. You can put all the sustainable lipstick in the world on Burgerville and it’s still a fast food restaurant you probably drove to in a gasoline fueled car where virtually every piece of food, drink, or condiment is wrapped in paper or plastic.

But perhaps my biggest beef with Burgerville is with the food. A connotation of fresh, local, sustainable, is healthfulness. But hamburgers, fries, sodas, and milkshakes (fresh, local, sustainable or not) are far from the healthiest food choices you can make; Burgerville’s Tillamook Cheeseburger has 130 more calories and 13 more grams of fat than McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese for crying out loud.

Local, Fresh, Sustainable doesn’t make it better for you; fast food is fast food.

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