What’s Going on @ Sillydog Media

Portland is blessed with a great many places where you can enjoy wine these days. I recently did a few reviews of those who are either run or cater to women. They also both happen to be near my house, which is even better for me, since we all know the Eastside is the best side. First there’s the Vino Vixens over on Powell, for all your wine drinking pleasure (bring your own dinner or have their snacks) in the most improbably location ever.

Then, there’s the Hip Chicks Do Wine – a real urban wine works where they primarily do the blending of juice and grapes that have been trucked in from elsewhere. While this may sound a bit industrial, it’s actually far less industrial than some of the operations that take place out in the country.

And, why shouldn’t women be all over the wine thing? I suspect women make a great many choices regarding wine purchases, and now that I’ve spent some time in the wine industry, I feel as if I’m qualified to say that my sisters can do a very good job of just about anything from running the vineyard (like Marsha does over at Eola Hills) to blending to pressing to selling and even turning into something even more impressive (aka spirits).

Yep, women are all over the booze these days. And, since I’ve been working here and there at the New Deal Distillery this year, I’m all over it, too. I like being a girl!

I review ‘em as I visit them, since I don’t write the nice, long sorts of reviews (though I’d love to) that warrants a food budget, I cannot affortd to go to even as many restaurants that open up in PDX in a given month on a writer’s budget. Therefore, when I hear that a place is good I wait ’til Matt wants to take me out and recommend we visit during happy hour. As we’re both freelancers, we can go whenever, which is double-great if we’re going to catch a late happy hour.

I reviewed Pasha after Lilah got me to check her belly-dance performance (I highly recommend it) at what was totally tripped out Middle Eastern disco that was being DJ’d by a fellow I believe was Ukrainian. Very trippy. Regardless, they have decent food, a darn decent all-you-can-eat lunch buffet (as long as you avoid the obviously not Middle Eastern dishes) as well as a buttermilk and mint drink that I swear to you is most excellent no matter what it sounds like.

I also reviewed the Blue Dragonfly, which serves a very high class pile of happy hour appetizers, thought the featured cocktails are not on happy hour special at all. It could be really cool if people find it over there on Powell. Thus far, it smells a bit of boondoggle, though I’ll very happily hit up the after 10pm happy hour ’til their accountants come to their senses.

Ah, there are so many good restaurants in Portland. I sometimes wonder if the reason there are more restaurants than places to catch a show or go dancing has something to do with the prevalence of marijuana consumption in this region. Perhaps it’s the year-round fresh produce. Though one’s choices are somewhat limited in the winter, at least you have some, unlike in the Midwest.

Without further adieu, I present some recent reviews. First is Ken’s Artisan Pizza; a truly wonderful place with what I would call the best crust in Portland. Some bitches get their gouramond undies in a bundle, but I am telling you, this town is suddenly far more livable for having a pie worthy of visiting the Pizzarria. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still love Hammy’s for delivery ’til 4am (they love this house, and not just because Matt’s math skills lead to massive over-tipping), but if you’re going to make a date of it…well, it’s better than Donatelli’s if you’re reading this, Mom…not too much tomato.
Of course, one is far more likely to get a good crust like this when you go the Twin Cities, but I digress again…. (Read on …)

I recently wrote a few Point of Interest reviews for wCities. I thought the Sapphire Hotel was a very good choice, and began really craving an adult beverage. Instead of hoofing it all the way down to the hotel, we stopped in @ the Twilight and had a very Twin Peaks sort of evening like one finds in this part of town.

I also wrote an event review and annoucement for the Rose City Rollers. They are actually playing quite a few dates, but only the championship bout it listed. You ought to go to their website and check out getting some tickets. It’s a lot of fun, even if they lose.

The Crow Bar up on Mississippi was also reviewed, though I did so with trepidation. I heard a story recently about the trendsters over there doing some really blatantly racist things to kids that lived and visited the neighborhood. I have no reason to know whether this is true or not, though I would like to know.

I finally got to write up Hammy’s Pizza — perhaps the best thing that’s happened to the immediate area around here in awhile. They deliver sustainable pizza ’til 4am and are always most excellent. I recommend the minestrone. I prefer the calzone to the ‘za, but that’s just me.

A photo of mine was remixed lately and used to illustrate a quote about crime in “virtual worlds,” such as Warcraft and probably about a hundred others I’m not hep to. Didn’t South Park cover this? I think that’s the merging of worlds I’m most concerned about.
Check out the remix by lynetter in a set of photos with notable quotes.

Again, what a fine use of creative commons to foster creativity. I remain a huge fan and would encourage just about everyone to use it.