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Where to watch the Grey Cup in Portland

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Update: 2010 Grey Cup Viewing in Portland

Grab your toque, the 96th Grey Cup takes place this Sunday, November 23rd.  The Grey Cup is the Canadian Football League’s championship game; think of it as the Canadian Super Bowl.

This year’s matchup, Calgary Stampeders versus Montreal Alouettes, takes place in Montreal. The game is being broadcast locally on Versus, Comcast Cable channel 32. The game is tape-delayed to 2:30pm.

Where to watch the 2008 Grey Cup in Portland, Oregon:

Canadian Football and American Football share a pedigree, and mostly follow the same rules. Some of the difference:

  • The field in Canadian football is 110 yards long and 65 yards wide, not the 100 yards by 53⅓ yards used in American football.
  • Canadian football plays 3 downs, not 4.
  • In Canadian football all offensive backfield players, except the quarterback, can be in motion when the ball is snapped.

There are other differences too, but these are some of the most obvious to American football fans.  As a casual observer (I grew up watching American football but have only watched maybe half a dozen Canadian football games in my entire life) my take is that the Canadian football game is faster paced and higher scoring and there are more throws.  Compared to the NFL, CFL football players are smaller and faster.  I don’t care much for gridiron football, but if I had to choose between NFL and CFL I’d go Canadian every time.

Last year I searched, nearly in vain, for a place to watch the game in Portland. We finally tracked down a cable channel broadcast, and several fellow Canadaphiles and I joined a group of Canadian ex-pats at the McMenamins on NE Broadway to watch the game.

If anyone else knows of other public showings of the game in Portland, please leave a comment and I will add it to the list!

August 16-17: Lots of ways to get heat stroke

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The first item on my list of things to do this weekend probably won’t lead to any heat related maladies, because the wee hours of the morning are relatively cool.

The English Premier League starts regular season play early Saturday morning. For places to watch check out Wednesday’s post on the topic, and make sure to check the comments for additional suggestions.

At 11am head up to Hawthorne, between 20th and 50th, for the Hawthorne Day Street Fair. You’ll find all the typical street fair fare, including musical performances, business demonstrations, face painting, and art. Some highlights:

TimbersSaturday evening the Timbers take on Montreal at PGE Park. Both of these clubs have had disappointing seasons on the field (but great seasons in the stands). Free Taka bobblehead for first 1000 people into PGE Park!

Once again let me remind you to drink lots of beer, to stave off dehydration in the heat!

India FestivalSunday, it should be a bit cooler. Head down to Pioneer Square for the India Cultural Association of Portland‘s India Festival.

India Festival is filled with tastes, sounds and sights of India. There will be live music, excellent dance performances, food and entertainment! Catch a glimpse of India and its subcontinent’s culture, history and people.

Attendance is free!

Other events this weekend:

Pardon my québécois

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aflogo1.jpgI guess I have to stop with the frog jokes.

In college I studied Spanish, Portuguese, and even Hungarian; all more useful to my cultural prejudices and post-college travel plans than French.

I never made it to Budapest.

Two years ago, however, I did spend a week in Montreal. I fell in love with countless cosmopolitan women, and Canadian football. I first experienced the culinary genius that is poutine.

This is all the French I knew and/or learned on that trip:

  • Je voudrais une bière, s’il vous plaît – I would like a beer, please
  • pas grave – No worries, not a big deal, it doesn’t matter

Oh, and some Quebec French profanity to spice things up. (Want to see your French Canadian friends cringe? Scatter the following exclamations throughout your next conversation: crisse, maudit, ostie, tabarnac!)

Fortunately I was traveling with several French speakers (who cringed frequently for various reasons). With their help, code switching by the Quebecers I encountered, and pointing, I was able to order an adequate supply of beer and poutine to survive the trip.

In November I’m traveling to Montreal again, to see the Grey Cup (Canadian for Super Bowl).

So in anticipation of the trip, at the ripe old age of [late mid thirties], I’ve signed up for a French class.

French 101 at the Alliance Française de Portland:

The Alliance Française de Portland is a nonprofit cultural and educational group with annual enrollment of 700-800 students in French classes and monthly social and cultural events in the Portland metropolitan area. The group is a chapter of the Paris-based Alliance Française which promotes cross-cultural understanding and the French language and culture, and today has 1,071 chapters in in 133 countries.

I lured a few friends to the open house last week with promises of brie and fruit and wine. Lo and behold; brie and fruit and wine! (I did not predict the vanilla wafers however). We watched a brief theatrical presentation of which I understood nada. But I met my professeur and picked up my books. Classes start Monday. Wish me bonne chance!

Poutine in Portland?

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PoutineWhere can I find poutine in Portland?

Dot’s has jalapeño cheddar (aka “Jolly”) fries, and Oaks Bottom Pub has its “Totchos”, but I need some gravy.

For the uninitiated: Poutine is a French-Canadian concoction consisting of a plate of french fries topped with (fresh, soft, melty) cheese curds, and smothered in brown gravy.

In Quebec, and throughout Canada, you can find poutine at countless cheap to average restaurants, and even some fancy ones. After an evening of beer drinking, diving into a plate of poutine is everything your mind and stomach could ask for.

Please, leave a comment if you know where I can find poutine without having to get my passport renewed!

Poutine image above by Gideon Tsang via Wikipedia via Flickr.