Occupy Portland’s time has come and gone.  Did it really have a beginning, or substance, or goal?

I’m hard pressed to find one.  No leader, no direction.  Just a whole lot of people hanging out in the streets with no end in sight.

If you had a goal, Occupy Portland people, I would applaud you.  A clear objective you stood for would be nice.  Most people asked have their eyes set on completely different things.  Watching the live feed from KGW.com, I even listened to some guy with the microphone screaming about 9/11!  Really??

Dare I say that some of you believe you’re simply waiting in a line for ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s to the rescue!

Portland officials have turned their heads to common laws concerning you.  From waiving the need for permits to allowing you to camp out in public parks.  If a homeless man had tried to camp out there, he would have gotten a nice tongue lashing, if not more.

Now, you’ve closed down Main St, a major thoroughfare for commuters.  8 bus lines, bikers, and 7,500 cars cannot get through.  And you’re saying tonight that you will re-consider vacating Main St?  What??  When the inmates begin running the asylum, there is a clear word for it: anarchy and it’s not right.

You’ve inconvenienced innocent people.  When you’re battling a clear enemy, that’s one thing.  These poor people have become collateral damage and you’re responsible.  Mayor Sam Adams has bent over backwards for you.  But, it seems you have pushed even him too far.  He has a responsibility to the city of Portland, of which you are  a minority.

I don’t even need to comment on the vandalism I’m hearing about.  This is getting stupid.

It’s time to stop.  Time to go home.  Regroup and, next time, have a clear enemy, a clear goal.

This time around, Occupy Portland was pure FAIL.

I attended the 2011 Bite of Oregon this year and, as is the norm, I had a fabulous time.

Many of the stable restaurants were representing along with new ones and more Portland food carts than last year.

The cooking competitions on the Sysco stage were solid and exciting, with Amy Roloff from the Discovery Channel show, “Little People, Big World” making an appearance on Sunday to cook us all up a tasty fish dish. She was also manning her Amy Roloff Charity Foundation booth the rest of the day.

I took my video cameras down and got some great footage that I’ll be releasing very soon.

Ever been to the Bite Of Oregon in Portland’s Waterfront Park? Check out my video from last years:

Do I really need to say that Portland, OR is always hopping with awesome events?  I didn’t think so!

These upcoming months are really heating up with entertainment, sports events, music, and more.

Here’s a few Portland events to wet your appetite for more:

• Portland Trail Blazers take on the LA Lakers on Feb. 23 at the Rose Garden
• The Blazers get ready to work over the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 25 at the Rose Garden
• Smuckers Stars On Ice come to the Rose Garden on Saturday, Feb 26
• Eric Clapton gets ready to rock the Rose Garden on Feb 28

….And all that in February!  Just wow!

For other upcoming Portland events, click over to the Uniquely Portland Oregon Events page and get your tickets for upcoming events and all the information.

Have a great time!!

This last weekend was the fabulous 2010 Coffee Fair at the World Forestry Center in Portland.

Vendors from all over the area came to show off their coffee brewing expertise to all the caffeine junkies who decided to venture up to Washington Park and pay their admission.  Demonstrations, coffee cupping, all types of coffee making gadgets from old to new, and the black stuff flowed throughout the weekend.  And there was cookies!

Wade “Mr Mancakes” Pack and I decided to make the trip to get our coffee lovin’ on. Check out the video:

I have a lot of footage from our other exploits that day at the World Forestry Center that I’m still editing on. I should have that video to you soon.

Regards,

Tony

So, who’s up for another Vampire movie?  Yeah, that’s what I thought.  I’ve been Vampired to death, too.  But, WAIT….!!

What if I told you it was actually funny!  Would you go then?  How about a special screening to sweeten the pot?  I’m so there!

This coming Tuesday, August 17th, the new movie VAMPIRES SUCK will be hitting the big screen at Regal Tigard Theaters for a special 8pm screening.  Go to www.gofobo.com/rsvp and type in the code BARXDY2 to get your screening passes.  Hurry, so you don’t miss out!

Come dressed in your best Vampire attire because, after the show, we’ll all be heading over to Gators Pub & Eatery for appetizers, prizes and all kinds of blood-sucking goodies.

Regal Tigard is located at 11626 SW Pacific Hwy, Tigard, OR.

See you there!

Yes, it’s summer in Portland again and time for one of the coolest events to grace the city: the 2010 Portland Pirate Festival! This year, we’re going to get our world record back!

In 2009, we held the Guinness Book of World Record for “The Most Pirates In One Place At One Time,” beating out Brixham, England that May. Apparently, the pirates of Germany hold the title now, but it won’t be for long!

The 2010 Portland Pirate Festival is an annual event of food, entertainment, music, booths, fun for the kids, and so much more. It’s a time of awesomeness that lasts two full days, Sept. 18 and 19. It’s held in Cathedral Park underneath the St John’s Bridge. The Willamette River is right there to enjoy some of the sea-worthy events and just take a stroll at the water’s edge.

This year’s musical entertainment will be courtesy of BilgeRats & Pyrettes, among others. Of special interest, three of our top NW pirates orchestrating the whole event were chosen by Pirates Magazine, out of hundreds of pirate leaders around the nation, to be up for a vote to become the very first Devil’s Dozen (Order of the Leviathon). Jeff Mackay of Hood River and Captain Jack’s Pirate Hats, Mark Heimann of Estacada and Quicksilver’s Pirate Pots, and Margot la Mechante de Marseilles of PPF and Margot Productions, made the top 12. In fact, they were three of the top vote getters and were in the top 5. Check it all out at www.piratesmagazine.com

Anyway, make sure you show up in full pirate garb to this year’s Portland Pirate Festival and help get our world record back. Arg, Matey!!

For all the information, hit there web site at http://www.portlandpiratefestival.com/

Carole King and James Taylor in Portland

Two of the most amazing singer/songwriters of their time, Carole King and James Taylor, are teaming up and coming to the Portland Rose Garden Arena for a concert to beat all concerts.

Date: May 7, 2010
Time: 8:00 PM
Click Here – Tickets are on sale NOW!

I absolutely love the music of both James Taylor and Carole King. For them to come to Portland, Oregon together is most definitely tops my list concerts of the forever! They were very influential to my years growing up in the 70s and 80s. They styles and lyrics made me feel good and that is always the best kind of music….the stuff that makes your heart soar or speaks to a place deep inside you. There are not many musicians able to do that to me.

If you’re in Portland, get Carole King and James Taylor tickets today because they are sure to sell out quickly. If you’re not from Portland, either get here, find tickets in your area or it sucks to me you!

On Nov 14th from 11am to 4pm, fun, entertainment, exhibits, prizes and more await you at the 2nd Annual Baby + Family Expo at Jantzen Beach Center in Portland and it’s all FREE.

With more than 50 vendors, this is the perfect one-stop shopping experience for consumers looking for baby, parenting and family focused businesses, offering product samples, valuable discounts and information. Geoffrey the Giraffe from ToysRUs fame will be making appearances throughout the day, passing out goodie bags to all the kids.

There will be carousel rides, face painting, a magician and tons of crafts to enjoy. Attendees will have a chance to win fabulous prizes, so grab the kids and get out of the house for a day of fun at Jantzen Beach Center.

For more information, vending opportunities or to become a sponsor, you can contact Stef-Anie Wells at Events@jantzenbeachpdx.com or call 503.286.9103

I just received word from John Cleese’s marketing people that the Monty Python alumni will indeed be invading Portland on Monday, November 2nd at 8pm.

I remember discovering the zany comedy of the Python’s when I was a teen and I loved it. Mind you, it’s not your upper-brow type of humor and that is exactly why it suited me so well. I like the obscure stuff…the slapstick…the weird.

Honestly, if you told me a very well thought out story joke that was all the recent rage, I may or may not laugh.I just can’t guarantee you anything. But, if you happened to pass wind while telling me that joke, I’d break up laughing. Sorry, folks…it’s all in the delivery….or something of the sort.

Anyway, John Cleese has that wacky sense of humor that will keep an audience in stitches. He is the epitome of a master story teller as well as a crafted comedian and actor. Can you get a better package?

John will be at the Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway, discussing his career in the world of comedy, as well as his most pressing medical problems, his inability to find a suitable female companion, his mistrust of folk-dancing, and his latest plan for world peace. At the same time, his famous BBC series, Fawlty Towers, is being released as a remastered DVD set to a whole new generation. Right up there with Monty Python, Fawlty Towers highlighted the comedic talent of John Cleese as well as anything could.

This Portland event is right around the corner, so hurry over to Ticketmaster and grab your tickets before they’re all gone. This will definitely be a night you won’t forget! Hope to see you there.

The Portland Farmers Markets are so much fun. Although the tone is cool, calm and collected (after all, you are shopping! How hyper could you get?), any of the local Farmers Markets around the area are great places to visit, enjoy some live tunes from local musicians and peruse for some of the freshest produce and baked goods on the planet.

October is going to be especially spooktactular as the PSU Farmers Market holds their 10th annual Great Pumpkin Event on October 31st. This promises to be a wonderful and safe event for the entire family. Bring the kids and enjoy a pumpkin carving contest, a children’s costume parade that will wind throughout the Market, a couple exceptional cooking demostrations, and other terrific things to see and do.

The fun starts at 9am  sharp and goes until 2pm. All the children’s activities are graciously being provides by Playworks. Thanks, guys!

So, now is your chance to jet down to the PSU Farmers Market, centrally located at the south park blocks at Portland State University (SW Park between Harrison and Montgomery), on Saturday, October 31st, for the Great Pumpkin Event.

Just think….you’ll finally have your chance to dress up like a giant Rutabaga and no one is going to look at you funny! Weeeee!

For more information about this Portland event,you can contact Deborah Pleva at (503) 250-4750 or email her at deb@leeweinstein.biz. You can also visit the Portland Farmers Market web site and check things out for yourself.