Dave Knows Portland

Sept 11-14: Timbers, Alberta Street Fair, El Grito, and probably a sunburn

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Portland’s summer weather generally skips over June but lingers through September. So far so good this year. While I’ve no problem huddling under the tent in the rain (with my beer!) during the festivals that populate every weekend in September, the tradition is that I get my last sunburn of the year this month, and I have a surefire prescription:

Thursday

TimbersThe Timbers take on Charleston at PGE Park in the last Thirsty Thursday of 2008. This battle between the friendliest city and the most environmentally aware city will, in all likelihood, be the last home game for the boys this year (barring a post-season exhibition or the now remote possibility they make the playoffs). So come on out. The weather will be beautiful, the crowd will be raucous, and maybe, just maybe, the Timbers will surprise us all and go for a redonkulous 4 goals like last week!

Friday-Sunday? Monday?

El Grito y Fiestas PatriasEl Grito y Fiestas Patrias returns to Pioneer Square this weekend . . . or maybe on Monday? The big banners at Pioneer Square say it’s running all weekend, but the website calendar says the 15th. Anyone have more details? If it’s like last year there will be music, dancing, food. El Grito is supposed to be on the 16th, so . . . I don’t know.  El Hispanic News does not have a website for this year’s event as far as I can tell.

Saturday

The 11th annual Alberta Street Fair runs from 11am to 6pm Saturday. After Mississippi’s, this is my favorite street fair of the year. Like last year I presume 20 blocks will be car free and filled with multiple stages for music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and of course a parade (at 2:30pm). I say presume because the website has none of this information (except the parade and hours). Alberta Street Fair: get a better website! In any case, this is the sunburn part of the weekend. You might want to wear a hat. Warning: If you suffer from coulrophobia stay away from Alberta; despite the best efforts of the gentrifiers the neighborhood is still rife with clowns, especially during the streetfair!

Spend your First Thursday with the Timbers

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Timbers v MoreliaThere will be a fiesta at PGE Park tonight, as the Timbers battle Mexican 1st Division team Monarcas Morelia in a friendly at 7pm.  Trust me; this will be a hell of a lot more fun than walking around the Pearl District looking at inanimate objects hung on white walls.

Coach Gavin Wilkinson told the Portland Tribune:

“They’ve got quality, quality players who could play in most countries around the world,” he says. “It’s a first-class team, very established, in a well-respected league. And because it’s their preseason, their players will be looking to impress early so they can stake a claim on the roster.

“I think you’ll see something special.”

La Monarquia may prove to be the most skilled opponent the Timbers face this season (other than Hollywood United – ouch!).

If Morelia attracts half the fans the Clásico de Clásicos de leyendas: Chivas de Guadalajara vs Club América Legends match did last August, the Timbers Army will find themselves in the never-before-witnessed situation of being outnumbered, and possibly out volumed, at home. So head up to PGE Park tonight to cheer on your Portland Timbers!

El Grito y Fiestas Patrias at Pioneer Square

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Update: For 2011 information go here: El Grito y Fiestas Patrias 2011

El Grito y Fiestas Patrias 2007 started Friday (I don’t know how I missed this one – I even walked by Pioneer Square Thursday and made a note to myself to find out what was being set up), but it runs through Sunday.

Entry is free, and there will be food vendors, but it wouldn’t be a fiesta without music and dance, and there’s plenty of that:

The weekend-long fiesta will feature musical and dance performances by a wide variety of performers, from the pop-cumbia sounds of La Conquista to Aztec dancing by Grupo Huitzilin to “rock en español” by local bands Beat and Grupo Gérmenes. Other performers include Ballet Papalotl, Grupo Candente, Grupo Antifaz, Mariachi Gallos de América, Mariachi Viva México, La Perlita de México, Enemigos del Silencio, and Ramsey y los Montunos.

Restaurant Review: Trébol

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Trebol LogoActually, I was going to write more before I checked out Rick’s beerdrinker.org; he posted a review yesterday and his experience is very close to mine.

Trébol is located up on 4835 N. Albina, just a few blocks from the heart of the Mississippi area.

Like Rick, we enjoyed our cocktails (I recommend La Loca and the Sangria Trébol made with red wine).

We ordered several appetizers; pico de gallo with a few homemade corn chips, calamari with a delicious banana/plantain polenta-like cake of some sort, and the guacamole. All were excellent, but the portions were meager.

I enjoyed the caldo, which was full of calamari, clams, fingerling potatoes and peppers. But at $17.50, it seemed a bit steep.

The asparagus enchiladas looked fantastic; that’s what I should have ordered 🙁

I’ll go back; I’d like to try some of the more traditional fare. But I’m not sure if they’ll last long. Not that they asked me, but my prescription for Trébol success? Lower prices 25-30%, or increase the portions by 50%.