Feature – The Arts Card

I’m still shaking my head in disbelief. How have I lived in Portland nearly 12 years and attended scores of events and STILL didn’t know about the Arts Card?! If you donate more than $60 to the excellent organization, Work for Art, you get an Arts Card, good for 2-1 tickets to a boatload of arts events around town. A donation supports nearly 100 arts and culture groups in the tri-county area. It’s a win-win.

How it works: you look up the list of events and call ahead to book tickets if they are available at the special Arts Card rate. Examples of some events are the play, “Constellations” at Portland Center Stage, Tuesday Night Films at Hollywood Theatre, admission to Northwest Film Center and entry to Portland Children’s Museum.

Shows You Don’t Want to Miss

Pushy will play at the Twilight Café on Saturday, June 3rd. Hell, yeah.

Skipping Bedtime: A Dance Party for Parents and Other Tired People is perfection. It’s Sunday, June 4th, from 6 – 10pm (that’s NOT a typo) at Holocene. I had a marvelous time when I went in March. The great DJ’s know their crowd is over 30 and long to relive the glorious 80s and 90s. It’s a lovely, friendly crowd and there’s no line for drinks. When is that EVER the case at Holocene? Best of all, the action begins at 6 and ends by 10 so you can actually have a night out to kill the Sunday evening blues and not to be exhausted on Monday morning.

Lower 48 will take the stage at Mississippi Studios on Friday, June 23rd.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Doug Fir Lounge. I’m looking forward to seeing The Prids there on Thursday, June 29th.

Film

There will be a lot of blockbusters and superhero movies coming out because: summer. I don’t give a shit about them. Moving on.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing Sophia Coppola’s The Beguiled when it opens June 30th at Living Room Theatre.

Cinema 21 has a bunch of good screenings in June. I’m especially looking forward to seeing Cate Blanchett in Manifesto (opening June 2nd) and Salma Hayek in Beatriz at Dinner (opening June 16th). Speaking of Cinema 21, I hadn’t been to Muu-Muu’s right next door since 2005/2006 when I hung out in NW all the time. It had been so long that I assumed Muu-Muu’s must be out of business, especially since everything Old Portland is being torn down or gutted. They’re still around! And they’re as friendly and reasonably priced as ever. The $5 happy hour martinis are excellent. The ridiculously delicious chips and salsa are reason enough to go. Stepping inside is like the late 90s frozen in place. In other words, my oasis.

Adult Beverages Galore

The sun is out. The temperatures rise. Portlanders go insane. I like a nice beer in the sun like everyone else, but I’m also okay having a drink at home in February. There is no shortage of drinking festivals, although in my opinion, many are getting too expensive and crowded, meaning you get decidedly less bang for your buck.

Cheers to Belgian Beers Festival will be June 2nd – 3rd.

Summer Sangria Party at Hip Chicks Do Wine is June 10th.

Belgianfest at North 45 is on June 17th.

Sake Fest PDX at the Oregon Convention Center is June 21st. There’s one family of alcohol I really don’t care about at all. Like white wine. But you go and get your rocks off, girlfriend.

June 23rd – 25th is BrewFest in the Park at Overlook Park, featuring over 60 organic craft beers.

Oh. That.

June 24th is the Naked Bike Ride at about 9pm. I will avoid this at all costs. After seeing over ten thousand blindingly white people jiggling along the potholed roads, congratulating themselves for their progressiveness while giving every perv a free show and showing their coworkers a real mental image of the “When you’re nervous about giving a presentation, imagine everyone in the audience is naked” trick – and then sit their bare genitals on bar stools — I’m over it. I’m all about being free in the gym locker room. I’m not about seeing people combine the grease of their netherholes on plastic bike seats. Check, please.