Dave Knows Portland

In Portland, The Milkman Still Delivers: The Local

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The LocalYearning for a simpler time, when the friendly neighborhood milkman delivered? If you live in the Portland area, you can stop yearning. The Local, your Portland milkman, keeps the tradition alive:

The Milkman still exists! The Local is Portland’s home dairy delivery service. Full line of Alpenrose products, yogurt, eggs, and bread delivered to your doorstep weekly.

Once a week in the wee hours your milk, cheese, soy milk, bread, eggs, and yogurt are quietly placed on your porch in your cooler, or the garage refrigerator if you like. Prices vary, but The Local aims to meet or beat national grocery chain prices.

Run by husband and wife team Jarod and Leslie Burford, The Local currently delivers to North Portland, Hollywood, Sellwood, Eastmoreland, Inner Southeast, and several south-side Portland suburbs.

Check out The Local’s website and Facebook page for more details.

Portland Sunday Parkways 2012

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Sunday ParkwaysPortland Sunday Parkways are your opportunity to spend a summery Sunday morning and afternoon winding your way on bike or foot through mostly residential streets free of car traffic. The routes take you from one park to the next, where you can check out the vendors and demonstrations, or just sit down and relax.

The five 2012 dates and routes have been announced:

All the parkways go from 11am until 4pm and routes range from 7 to 9.5 miles in length.

Portland Aerial Tram 5th Birthday Open House (28-January-2012)

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Portland Aerial Tram CarOn January 27, 2007 the Portland Aerial Tram opened to the public.

Celebrate the tram’s 5th birthday, this Saturday, January 28, 2012, at the “behind the scenes” celebration – according to the The Oregonian Hard Drive column:

On Saturday (not Friday), the OHSU Center for Health and Healing will hold a “behind the scenes” celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. featuring:

• Tours of the Tram engineering room and control tower with the operations team.
• A local art and photography exhibit of the Tram.
• Information on hiking and biking routes from the Tram’s Upper and Lower Towers.
• Information about development in the South Waterfront District.
• Information about “Get to Know Your Tram Month,” scheduled for June 2012.

Read the rest of the column and visit the Portland Aerial Tram Facebook page for more details.

Photo credit: Tram photo by Wikipedia user Cacophony. Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.

Weekend Amusements (December 2-4, 2011)

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The holiday season just won’t quit. Booze, beer, films, books, holiday light displays, and combinations thereof – it’s all here!

Ongoing

Pittock MansionPittock Mansion Holiday Season 2011

Once again Portland’s historic Pittock Mansion is going all out for the holiday season. This year, from November 21 through January 2, the theme is Christmas Around The World.
“Every year, starting more than 40 years ago, dozens of volunteer decorators, designers, and local organizations donate their time and talents to transform Pittock Mansion into a Christmas wonderland for approximately 17,000 delighted visitors during the holiday season.” [more]

Tannenbaum MadnessTannenbaum Madness 2011

Alberta Main Street‘s Tannenbaum Madness is a walking window tour of whimsical, wacky and artistic trees.
“Tannenbaum Madness is an event, inviting families and art lovers to bundle up and take a stroll up Alberta Street this holiday season. Businesses up and down NE Alberta Street create a walking tour of whimsical, artistic, and unique holiday trees on display it in their front windows.” [more]

Zoolights!ZooLights 2011

The 2011 ZooLights ignite for the first time on Friday, November 25. The sparkling lights and brilliant hues will be cast each evening (except Christmas Eve and Day) through January 1, 2012.
“More than a million lights transform the Oregon Zoo into a luminous winter wonderland filled with moving sculptures, forests of lighted trees and animal silhouettes.” [more]

All Weekend

Holiday ExpressHoliday Express 2011

Climb aboard the 2011 Holiday Express, beginning Friday, December 2.

“Join Santa Claus and his elves for a magical ride behind Portland’s famous steam locomotives. Vintage rail cars transport you through wilderness in the heart of the city.” [more]

Holiday Ale FestivalHoliday Ale Festival 2011

The 16th annual Holiday Ale Festival kicks off on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 and festively occupies Pioneer Courthouse Square through Sunday, December 4.

Sure, the weather will likely be crappy, but fest goers stay warm and dry (and claustrophobic) under a sprawling tent covering most of the square. And the beer list? It’s amazing! [more]

Friday

Cort and FatboyCort and Fatboy Holiday Event: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Join Cort and Fatboy this Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne) for a very special holiday event: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? . . .

This second annual holiday event’s lineup also includes a 35mm presentation of Die Hard, a live taping of the Cort and Fatboy podcast, and more! [more]

Dinobike!DinoBike! First Friday at BIKEASAURUS – Art by Carye Bye

Please join us for next month’s First Friday art opening: DinoBike!

Dinosaur & Bike inspired art installation by printmaker & illustrator Carye Bye of Red Bat Press and Hidden Portland. New original woodblock & letterpress prints, illustrations, multi-media and publication! [more]

Saturday-Sunday

ScanFairScanFair

The 27th annual Portland ScanFair, presented by the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation, takes place this Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, 2011.

“Scandinavians love to celebrate Christmas. It brings joy to the short and dark days of a Scandinavian winter. Those traditions run deep in the hearts and lives of the people of Scandinavian heritage and come alive every year in Portland at ScanFair.” [more]

Kenton Firehouse Holiday SaleKenton Firehouse Holiday Sale

The 8th Annual Kenton Firehouse Holiday Sale takes place Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, 2011 at the firehouse (8105 N Brandon).

“Just a few blocks from Kenton’s Paul Bunyan, this annual neighborhood holiday sale featuring local artists has been organized since 2004 by the artists themselves, each taking on roles to make the sale happen.” [more]

Saturday

Book SaleGarden Home Community Library Book Sale

The Garden Home Community Library Book Sale takes place Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 9am until 3pm at the Garden Home Recreation Center (7475 SW Garden Home Road).

You’ll find hundreds of hardback and paper bound books, CDs and DVDs . . . Prices are $.50 and $1.00, and your purchases support the Garden Home Library. [more]

BoozeHoliday Booze Bazaar

The 6th annual Holiday Booze Bazaar takes place Saturday, December 3 at House Spirits Distillery (2025 SE 7th).

“It’s that time again for our big holiday blowout here at the distillery. And as we’ve done just about every year we having a wonderful new spirit to release into the world.” [more]

Sunday

Holiday Cheer 2011Holiday Cheer: A Celebration of Oregon Authors

The 44th Annual Holiday Cheer: A Celebration of Oregon Authors, takes place Sunday, December 4, 2011 from noon until 5pm at the Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park).

This celebration of Oregon writers is a popular holiday tradition. Dozens of authors will be on hand displaying, autographing, and of course selling their latest works. [more]

For even more weekend events and activities, check out the Dave Knows Calendar, and visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Oregon Events at OregonLive.com.

Weekend Amusements (September 23-25, 2011)

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I am not exaggerating when I state that this weekend is my favorite of the year. The Polish Festival is my favorite annual cultural event, and the Oaks Park Oktoberfest, also this weekend, is near the top of the list too. In addition there are several other Oktoberfests this weekend, a Reed College community celebration, Retro Gaming Expo, and more – something for everyone, especially those who love beer!

Ongoing

Swift WatchChapman Vaux’s Swift Watch 2011

Every September thousands of Vaux’s Swifts come to Portland. They spend their days eating lots of bugs. In the late afternoon the Swifts begin flying in a giant undulating swirl in the sky about the school. Around sunset they swirl more tightly, like a ground pepper tornado, and begin disappearing, measure by measure, down the chimney. On the lawn below, hundreds of Portlanders gather on lawn chairs and blankets to stare at the sky, mesmerized. Boos erupt when opportunistic Peregrine falcons occasionally get lucky. The crowd cheers, however, when the predators are thwarted. Meanwhile unruly oblivious children scream and roll down the grassy hill. [more

All Weekend

Zenner's Oktoberfest 2011Oaks Park Oktoberfest 2011

The 2011 Zenner’s Oktoberfest at Oaks Park takes place Friday through Sunday, September 23 through 25.

The authentic German beer and food (e.g. Zenner’s sausages, chicken schnitzel, braised red cabbage, sauerkraut, German Potato Salad, and Tater Tots!) is reasonably priced, and two festhallen and a multitude of outdoor picnic tables means there are plenty of places to sit down with your beers and friends. [more]

Friday-Saturday

Der Rheinlander Oktoberfest 2011Der Rheinlander Oktoberfest

The Rheinlander 2011 Oktoberfest takes place Friday and Saturday, September 23 and 24 at the restaurant (5035 NE Sandy).

The outdoor bier tent features beer directly from Munich, German – including Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier and Paulaner Salvator Dopple Bock. Live music in the evenings is provided by Oktoberfest band Paloma from Chicago, and participate in (or observe with a smirk) the sausage and pretzel eating contest and costume competition. [more]

Saturday

Museum DayMuseum Day

On the Smithsonian magazine website, you can print a free admission ticket to one of a dozen museums in the Portland area (or one of hundreds across the country). The ticket grants you and a guest free admission on Saturday, September 24, Smithsonian‘s annual Museum Day. [more]

Fun on FosterFun on Foster

From 10am to 5pm this Saturday, Sept 24th, Foster Road puts itself on display; an opportunity for the residents of FoPo, Lents and Mt. Scott-Arlete to demonstrate their pride; a show for the rest of Portland to see. Fun on Foster, the annual street festival organized by the Foster Area Business Association (FABA), should be bigger and better this year, just as it was the year prior, and the year before that. [more]

Reed College Centennial Community Day CelebrationReed College Centennial Community Day Celebration

The first classes at Portland’s Reed College started 100 years ago, and to celebrate this auspicious anniversary, Reed is hosting a Centennial Community Day Celebration on Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 8am to 3pm, and 7pm to 9pm.

Things start off at 8am with the Reed College 5k Odyssey Run/Walk (7am on-site registration at Eliot Circle) and a pancake breakfast (price included with 5k registration, or $5.95/person) from 8:30am to 11am. [more]

North 45North 45 Oktoberfest

4th Annual OktoberFest party at North 45 will be Saturday, September 24th from 12 noon to late. All the staff will be sporting authentic garb. We’ll have German food & drink specials all day & night. Drinking boots and vessels will be available day of the event. Live Polka/funk band starts at 7pm on the patio. Patio will be open until midnight. Minors permitted until 9:30pm. There will be a Best Dressed contest around 11pm, so pull out your lederhosen. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

Polish FestPortland Polish Festival

The 16th annual Portland Polish Festival, my favorite local cultural event, takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25.

The fest features non-stop music (much of it featuring accordions!) and dance performances, polka contests, and a can’t-miss Saturday night street dance. Enjoy Polish food like pierogies, kielbasa, gołąbki (cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other delectable options – and of course delicious Polish beer! In the vendor village, check out the jewelry, clothing, Polish pottery, and sundries for sale. [more]

Retro Gaming ExpoPortland Retro Gaming Expo

The 2011 Portland Retro Gaming Expo takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25 at the Doubletree Hotel (1000 NE Multnomah Street).

PRGE is a convention attracting fans of video games and their history. It is made up of three areas: The Freeplay Arcade, the Theater and the Vendor Marketplace. [more]

Sunday

Sunday ParkwaysNortheast Portland Sunday Parkways

This year’s fifth and final Portland Sunday Parkways takes place in Northeast Portland on September 25, 2011.

Spend your Sunday afternoon (noon to 5pm) winding your way on bike or foot through mostly residential streets free of car traffic, from one park to the next. [more]

McMenamins EdgefieldOktoberfest at Edgefield

When you imagine Oktoberfest, what comes to mind? Oom-pah bands, loads of beer, bratwurst and hamburgers and more! One and all are welcome to participate in the German celebration that is Oktoberfest! Begun as a wedding party for Germany’s Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810, today Oktoberfest is celebrated all over the world with music, singing, dancing, beer, food and revelry. [more]

And for even more weekend events and activities, check out the Dave Knows Calendar, and visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Oregon Events at OregonLive.com.