The satirical sketch comedy series Portlandia premieres today, January 21, 2011, on the Independent Film Channel.
Though the historical significance of this event is dubious, indications are that Portlandia may be the high water mark for the national media’s obsession with Portland, which has been an ongoing source of amusement to locals since the mid-oughts.
Really you have no excuse not to eat, drink, and entertain yourself well this weekend!
Ongoing
Fertile Ground: A City-Wide Festival of New Works (January 20-30)
Fertile Ground 2011 is a 10-day arts festival that will be held January 20 through 30 in Portland, Oregon. This city-wide festival is focused on new work in the Arts. It will feature up to 30 world premiere projects, staged readings and a myriad of other arts events from the Portland creative community. [more]
Friday-Sunday
The 6th Annual ChocolateFest, a benefit for the World Forestry Center, takes place Friday through Sunday, January 21-23 at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE MLK). . . . “The Sixth Annual ChocolateFest promises you the opportunity to sample, taste, savor, and delight in some of the finest chocolate from the Northwest and beyond. Enjoy chocolate and wine pairings and become a chocolate aficionado with presentations and demonstrations throughout the weekend.” [more]
Friday
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, January 21, 2011 is no exception – the Offbeat Belly Dance collectives invites you to Blue Monk! This Friday! It’s time for Offbeat Belly Dance! [more]
Timbers Army/Bitter End “Beer for Gear”
Join the Timbers Army at the Bitter End Pub (1981 W Burnside) this Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7pm for the Timbers Army/Bitter End “Beer for Gear” event!
“The Bitter End has been a home to us all. We drink there. We sing there. We see friends there. Hell, some of us have our mail forwarded there. As the New Year kicks off, the time has come for us to make our home more, well, homey.” [more]
Where to Watch Portlandia In Portland
Miss the big premiere event? Don’t have a TV? Don’t have the Independent Film Channel? Watch Portlandia, if you’re into that sort of thing, at the Portland venues listed below. [more]
Saturday
CellarFest 2: Return to the Basement takes place Saturday, January 22 at the scene of the original CellarFest, Bailey’s Taproom (213 SW Broadway).
“For those who missed last year’s CellarFest, the gist is this: high octane, rare beers from the West Coast’s (and one East Coast’s) best microbreweries.” [more]
Sunday
Sunday, January 23 is National Pie Day 2011, so declares the American Pie Council.
“Created by the American Pie Council®, National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie. As part of our American heritage, this day is a perfect opportunity to pass on the love and enjoyment of pie eating and pie making to future generations.” [more]
And for even more weekend events and activities, visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, and PDX Pipeline!
Sunday, January 23 is National Pie Day 2011, so declares the American Pie Council.
Created by the American Pie Council®, National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie. As part of our American heritage, this day is a perfect opportunity to pass on the love and enjoyment of pie eating and pie making to future generations.
For Portland-area pie-related events, visit the indispensable Portland-based pie blog Make Me Some Pie: Get Ready for National Pie Day 2011!
Seminal Portland punk band Poison Idea recorded their first album, Pick Your King, on January 20, 1983.
In the 2006 New York Times obituary for guitarist Tom Roberts (a.k.a. Pig Champion), Kelefa Sanneh describes the album thusly:
[The album] squeezed 13 songs onto a seven-inch vinyl record. The best of the bunch — and they’re all great — is a minute-long blast called “This Thing Called Progress.” Roberts sprints nimbly through the chord progressions, creating a hummingbird ostinato while the rhythm section cuts in and out. And Jerry A. roared lyrics that could, with their odd mix of glee and loathing, have been the band’s manifesto: “Have fun this time around because it might be the last/ This thing called progress makes me sick.”
The 7″ was recorded at Recording Ass in Portland and released by Fatal Erection Records.
Join the Timbers Army at the Bitter End Pub (1981 W Burnside) this Friday, January 21, 2011 at 7pm for the Timbers Army/Bitter End “Beer for Gear” event!
The Bitter End has been a home to us all. We drink there. We sing there. We see friends there. Hell, some of us have our mail forwarded there. As the New Year kicks off, the time has come for us to make our home more, well, homey.
Come one and all with a Timbers-related item to decorate the walls of the Bitter End. National team items from the USA or wherever you hail from or cheer for are also very welcome. As a thank you,… the Bitter End will be happy to provide you a tasty beer of your choice for your donation.
Visit the Facebook event page for more information, including some additional notes on the event (e.g. please no more than 2 items per person, and note that the Bitter End has plenty of No Pity scarves already!).
