Dave Knows Portland

Archives for January 2011

ChocolateFest (January 21-23, 2011)

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7th annual, 2012 ChocolateFest HERE!

ChocolateFest 2011The 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.

The vendor list is a who’s who of local wine, dessert, and candy purveyors.

Presentations include How to Make a Chocolate Martini, Chocolate Sculpting, Single Bean Origin versus Blended, Cocoa Production, Chocolate Processing, and Dark Chocolate Tasting, and more.

Admission to the special Friday night premiere, 21 and over only, is $20. From 6 to 9pm enjoy music by the Echo Jazz Trio while sipping drink specials and sampling chocolate.

Saturday and Sunday the fest runs from 10am until 5pm and all ages are welcome. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (62+), and $7 for kids age 5 to 12.

January 16, 1905: Second Morrison Bridge Opens to the Public

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2nd Morrison Bridge OpensThe Morrison Bridge we know today is the third such bridge at the same approximate location.

The first one was built way back in 1887, out of wood. At the time, remarkably, it was the longest bridge west of the Mississippi. According to the December 3, 1927 Morning Oregonian article pictured to the right, in 1904 it was struck by a lumber steamer, knocking one of the spans three feet out of line. Although the span was jockeyed back into place, the structure was not considered safe thereafter.

Construction on the second Morrison Bridge, pictured below, began in 1904, and opened to the public on January 16, 1905. It was built of steel and the price came in under $400,000!

Second Morrison Bridge

The third Morrison Bridge, the one we use today, was built in 1958.

January 15, 1888: Portland’s Deep Freeze

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The Oregonian report from 16-January-1888Portland, Oregon recorded a record low temperature of -2 °F (-18 °C) on January 15, 1888. The Oregonian reported on the mark the next day under the headline COLD WEATHER:

It is seldom that the temperature in Western Oregon and Western Washington falls to the point indicated as zero on the Fahrenheit scale.

Much of the rest of the country at the time, however, was much much colder.

This is severe weather – unless it be compared with that beyond the Rocky mountains – when it becomes really quite endurable. We hear, and probably shall hear, of no one perishing with cold – a happy contrast to the terrible record that is coming from Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Dakota and Montana.

Portland’s low temperature record would not be surpassed until February, 1950, when the thermometer dropped to -3 °F. The -2 °F low was also matched in January, 1986.

Portland Timbers Roundup (14-January-2011)

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Timbers

MLS SuperDraft News

Timbers Land Darlington Nagbe in SuperDraft by mao at the Portland Timbers blog at The Offside

Portland Timbers were busy with trades throughout the MLS SuperDraft but not until after drafting the top collegiate player in 2010, Darlington Nagbe. [more]

More analyses of the Darlington Nagbe pick:

Tulsa’s Chris Taylor Selected as No. 22 MLS Draft Pick Today at GTR Newspapers

Tulsa, Oklahoma – University of Tulsa men’s soccer standout Chris Taylor was selected in the second round as the No. 22 overall pick in today’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Taylor was picked up by the Portland Timbers. [more]

Player News

Portland Signs Kenny Cooper from 1860 Munich by mao at the Portland Timbers blog at The Offside

In addition to the drafting of Darlington Nagbe, Portland Timbers today landed Kenny Cooper from 1860 Munich. According to statements from the German club and his agent, Cooper has agreed to terms with the Timbers and will be joining the club ahead of the 2011 season. [more]

2011 Preseason Speculation

Grande Sports World Welcomes Wellington Tornadoes from New Zealand at Grande Sports World

. . . This is the first of two New Zealand clubs coming to GSW this year. The second group will be arriving in late February where they will play the RSL-AZ U18 Academy and the Portland Timbers from MLS. [more]

Will KC play Portland, Los Angeles and Montreal this preseason? at The Kansas City Star

Whatever, here goes: So, Mike at Down The Byline has linked to a podcast where the captain of the Montreal Impact, Nevio Pizzolitto, reveals that there will be a four-team tournament in Arizona this preseason involving Sporting Kansas City, Montreal, the Portland Timbers and Los Angeles Galaxy. [more]

Supporter News

Timbers ArmyTimbers Army 3rd Saturday

The first Timbers Army 3rd Saturday of 2011 takes place on the 15th at the Landmark Saloon (4847 SE Division) . . .
“They got’s great beer, great booze, great vegan options (kinda of funny for a Casper saloon at the end of a cattle drive), and some of the sweetest steel guitar this side of the Rio Grande!” [more]

January 14, 1969: Portland City Council Creates TriMet

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Old TriMet LogoBy a vote of the Portland City Council on January 14, 1969 the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, better known as TriMet, was created.

As the post-war tide of freeway construction and private automobile ownership swept into Portland, Rose City Transit Company, the last remnant of a once formidable collection of area transit companies, was facing bankruptcy. TriMet was established to step in to provide bus service and other regional transit services.

The Oregon Legislature, in March of that same year, passed a bill that gave municipalities the power to raise revenue and create transit districts. Rose City Transit, Amalgamated Transit Union – Local 757, and TriMet worked out a deal and on Dec. 1, 1969, TriMet began operating.

Transit riders have had crazy stories ever since – contribute yours to TriMet Diaries! 😉