Dave Knows Portland

Archives for October 2010

Portland Poutine Turns One!

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Quietly last week (because I forgot) Heather and my first collaboration, Portland Poutine, reached a milestone – the one year anniversary of its launch!

In the past year, for our dear readers, Heather and I (often accompanied by friends) have eaten and reviewed poutines from over a dozen restaurants, mostly in Portland, but also in Los Angeles and Seattle. We’ve also made and shared our homemade poutine recipes, traditional and “healthy”. Through diligent googling we’ve found and featured poutine related music and games. We were the very first guests on Cascadia.fm‘s Savor Portland, and Portland Poutine was featured in The Oregonian and The Globe and Mail in Toronto, Canada!

There are a few more poutines in Portland we haven’t tried yet, and we intend to re-review others (and get better photographs in some cases) – so stay tuned, thanks for reading, and consider contributing your own reviews to Portland Poutine!

Video Interlude: Laurelhurst to Hillsdale

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. . . at 300 Miles Per Hour! Well, the freeway portion.

Laurelhurst to Hillsdale: Driving through Portland from Tim Brown on Vimeo.

Tim Brown gives you the lowdown at Vimeo:

Just a road trip to a friends house. Laurelhurst to Hillsdale. Portland, Oregon.

Filmed using a Sanyo Xacti HD1010. Manual focus and full auto settings perched on top of a cheapo Sunpak tripod in the back set of the car. Sped up 500% in FCP.

Music: Yann Tiersen, Summer 78 (instrumental) – Original soundtrack, Goodbye Lenin

Tim also tumblrs at By The Beard of Zeus.

October 19: A Date with Physics Science Pub

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Omsi Science PubThe topic of the Tuesday, October 19 2010 OMSI Science Pub is A Date with Physics:

Physics with all its laws, theories, and complicated equations is a science dreaded by many. We have all heard of E=mc2; it sounds smart, but what does it actually mean? How does it relate to me? Do I really need to know?

A young physicist in love is convinced his date wants to know all about physics and will be impressed with his knowledge of the laws of mechanics, thermodynamics, optics, and electromagnetism. What girl has not dreamed of a date where the bottle of wine is a physics experiment and the romantic candlelight is a crucial piece to a physics lab? Find out if he is successful in his pursuit of science and love, or if she runs away screaming. Of course we believe YOU will love the science.

Presented by PSU professor of physic Ralf Widenhorn, PhD, this Science Pub takes place at the Mission Theater (1624 NW Glisan). The show is from 7pm until 9pm, but arrive early (5pm doors open) to secure your beer, grub, and a seat! There’s a $3.00 suggested donation/cover charge. Minors with adults are welcome, otherwise this event is 21 and over.

October 20: Portland Fermentation Festival 2010

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Portland Fermentation Festival 2010Like pickles?

How about sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, or miso?

Well, then you’re in luck! The 2nd Annual Portland Fermentation Festival takes place Wednesday, October 20 2010 from 6pm to 8pm at Ecotrust (721 NW 9th), in the Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center.

Come to share recipes and and cultures, or just to taste samples of fermented foods and beverages prepared by professionals and amateurs alike.

Local food writer Liz Crain, co-organizer of the festival with George Winborn and David Barber, explains more on her Food Lover’s Guide to Portland:

So if you don’t love the smell of dill and garlic slapped sour pickles, tart and punchy kombucha, sweet and sour fruit kimchi, or mild and tart kefir don’t come. There will be more to sample for the rest of us. That’s what the event is all about — sampling ferments, talking with those who made them and skill sharing.

If you didn’t get a chance to sign up as a presenter don’t worry. You can still bring your ferments to share. You won’t have a table and set-up but that’s ok. The more the merrier. So, please, come out for the wild, funky, stinky and delicious Portland Fermentation Festival 2010!

I missed this festival last year, which drew upwards of 500 attendees, but judging by the Willy Week‘s coverage, it was a wild success. Admission is a paltry $5!

Best Portland Blogs You’re Not Reading #3: The Oregon Economics Blog

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This is the third edition of an occasional series of posts on the Best Portland Blogs You’re Not Reading.

Periodically I visit each of the blogs on my blogroll (which you’ll find just below the ads on the right). Many are popular and well trafficked, others are infrequently updated, but contain some gems. And then there are the ones that are almost always well written or entertaining, and routinely updated, but don’t get the traffic, I think, they deserve (I have some not so nefarious ways of determining this, e.g. open Sitemeter stats).

The Oregon Economics BlogThe Oregon Economics Blog

Wondering how to apply your college economics education to the mole problem in your backyard? The Oregon Economics Blog has you covered.

The blog, penned by Oregon State University economics professor Patrick Emerson, also comments on local, national, and international economic stories, reports, and issues. I’ve never taken a class in economics, but in his posts Emerson has a knack for explicating just enough of the economic theories pertinent to the subject matter on hand so that a layman like me can understand where he’s coming from.

I find myself disagreeing with many of his arguments, such as this one on Dudley and Tip Credits, but I get the impression he’s not making his argument because he’s a rich-pandering douchebag, but rather because he subscribes to a particular theory of economic order (sure a minimum wage is a “distortion” of markets, but it’s one of the very rare legally codified distortions that benefits the welfare of employees, rather than employers). I also vehemently disagree with his position on self-service gas, but my objection has nothing to do with economics. But I digress . . . Sometimes I lean towards agreeing with him, like this one arguing that maybe, just maybe, bicyclists in Portland could use a bit more regulation (I say this as a pedestrian, not a car driver): Bike-o-nomics: Of Social Norms, Externalities, Tipping Points and Bike City, USA.

Most of the posts are edifying and interesting, and the majority reflect on local issues, conditions, and discussions. If you’re interested in these sorts of things (and like to argue, but not in a trolly-way) go read The Oregon Economics Blog!

Oh yeah, the blog has the Twitter: @OregonEconomics!

And being an Oregonian, naturally Patrick also writes occasionally about beer, at Beeronomics (which has an accompanying Twitter account, @Beeronomics, too!).