Champagne Cocktails are like the marriage of two incredibly cute and feisty kids. The adorable lass: the gentle and sparkling champagne, coupled with the liquor or bitters: the bittersweet and strong masculine companion. There are limitless possibilities in companions; there seem to be even more in champagne cocktail recipes.

Easy to make at home with just a few supplies from the grocery store, champagne cocktails are also found in abundance around Portland’s bars and lounges.

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Traditional Champagne Cocktail
1 sugar cube
Angnostora Bitters
Chilled Champagne

Lemon or lime twist, optional

Instructions: Soak the sugar cube in bitters and place at the bottom of a champagne flute. Fill glass with champagne. Garnish with twist, if using.

Variations: There are a wide variety of bitters: grapefruit, rhubarb, orange, peach, lemon and cherry are all flavors that can be found in Portland-area liquor stores, and in some finer bars. For a big punch, a spruce up to this adorable and tasty union, cognac or another liquor is occasionally floated on top.

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A few other variations and the best Portland spots to nab them:

• Nostrana has a killer Kir Royale with housemade crème de cassis.
• Driftwood Room is amazing all over, but their Elizabeth Taylor (made with crème de violet) will make you go wild.
• Moloko Plus makes a divine little classic Champagne Cocktail with grapefruit bitters.
• The Farm Café has their delightful Goldenrod Cocktail, made with the dainty St. Germain Elderflower liquor.
• Try Beaker and Flask for a long wait with your supremely-crafted champagne cocktail experience.

Other locations around town that will cheerfully (hopefully) serve you a champagne cocktail include The Bonfire Lounge (affordable), Sapphire Hotel (classy), Gold Dust Meridian (funky), The Secret Society Lounge (seductive) and Belly Timber (experimental).

Like any well-matched couple, the cuteness of the champagne can wear off or give you a headache; don’t over-consume.

Heads up: Whereas I personally threw myself on the champagne grenade of Portland (don’t worry, it didn’t hurt) and visited all recommended spots, it’s always wise to call ahead to ensure prices, hours, and availability.

Tip: Prosecco works wonderfully for any sort of cocktail you’re planning on making at home, and at a fraction of the price of nicer champagnes, it’s something I wholeheartedly recommend.

For a list of some of the best places to hit up for champagne cocktails, head here.

Every fall, fans of the Portland Trail Blazers emerge from their summer caccoon, in search of the perfect sports bar to root for our hometeam. What makes perfect? Cheap beer, centrally located and not too crowded.

First on this list is the quintessential Marathon Taverna. Located on Burnside, this dive bar serves a disgustingly cheap breakfast and is the go-to for all the Blazers games. With over 3,000 feet, there’s definitely enough room for you and a few of your rowdy friends. With small pitchers of beer (about 2 pints) running a cool $2.50, if you don’t like Miller High Life you may just want to retrain your taste buds. Plus, pints of Busch are only a buck during Happy Hour. With free popcorn and a menu that includes gyros, chips and salsa, and nachos, this is the epitome of Portland Sports Bar.

Speaking of free popcorn, the Tanker on 48^th and Hawthorne has got it going on too. With a surprisingly nice interior, the Tanker offers a handful of affordable beers on tap (and several Nitro taps) and affordable snacks including grinders and pizza. And yes, free popcorn too. Watching the Blazers here means good beer and even free wi-fi.

Claudia’s Bar, a little further down Hawthorne, also offers free wi-fi along with a cigar lounge for all those afficiandos out there. A homey little place, Claudia’s offers over 30 beers and a small selection of wine. With hot peanuts, pizza, soups and nachos, the food is definitely snackable. Get there early on game nights as it’s a Blazers-watching mecca.

George’s Corner on North Interstate is a little dive with cold beer. Known for their stiff drinks and proximity to the Max Yellow Line, George’s is a great place to kick back and root-root-root for the hometeam. The regulars can definitely fill it up, so get there early and go there often.

Have  a favorite that’s not listed? Leave a comment down below.

Broken Lizard are currently on tour.

You’ve laughed at their antics during their movies Super Troopers, Club Dread, and Beerfest. And now you have the chance to see them perform live during a comedy tour! Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffeman, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Eric Stolhanske are all set to perform their sketch comedy before a live audience. And they will also be unveiling some of their short films. and it’s all on the coattails of their next movie, The Slammin’ Salmon.

The Slammin Salmon

The group formed at Colgate University in 1990 when Jay Chandrasekhar was asked by a student theater director to put together a comedy show. Chandrasekhar agreed and assembled a sketch comedy troupe which included Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske. The team performed a combination of live stage skits and short videos under the name Charred Goosebeak. Charred Goosebeak continues to exist at Colgate to this day.

As they graduated, the members reunited in New York City, and spent the next few years performing at various clubs, mostly Greenwich Village mainstay The Duplex, under a new name: Broken Lizard. (The group has offered varied explanations of the origin of this moniker, from describing it as a euphemism for the loss of virility, to a tribute to Chandrasekhar’s pet allergies. Most recently, the members have admitted that after a marathon idea session that resulted in agreeing on the name Chocolate Speedo, Chandrasekhar simply made up Broken Lizard off the top of his head when he had their first flyer printed.)

Broken Lizard spent the next few years performing at clubs and college campuses, as their membership dwindled to the five current performers. By the mid 90’s, the group’s interests shifted away from live material as they became more interested in filmed content. They wrote and acted in Dante’s Levels of Hell, a series of interstitial shorts for Comedy Central’s “Is This On?” feature.

At this time, the Lizards also made their first foray into long-form film, shooting the 30-minute 16 mm project, The Tinfoil Monkey Agenda, an absurdist media spoof that earned them a trip to the Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival, and cemented in the group’s minds that they should be creating full length features.

In 1995, the group went back to the campus of Colgate University to shoot Puddle Cruiser, their first 35 mm full length feature, using a tiny budget cobbled together from family loans and maxed-out credit cards. (Chandrasekhar claims his Indian surname caused credit card companies to believe he was a doctor, and therefore offer him generous cash advances.) The movie, a compilation of characters and storylines from their own college experiences, was quickly accepted to the Hamptons International Film Festival, where it won the top jury award, The Golden Starfish. It was also accepted to the Sundance Film Festival and eventually aired on Sundance Channel and IFC.

The group put together the script for their next feature, and first wide-release movie Super Troopers. The film, which portrays rural highway patrolmen as regular guys desperate to make their jobs entertaining, was shot in 2000, and was also invited to Sundance, where raucous screenings earned the film a distribution deal from Fox Searchlight. The movie was released in February 2002 to moderate theatrical success, but eventually caught on as a cult phenomenon DVD.

Fox Searchlight produced and distributed the group’s next feature, 2004’s Club Dread, a parody of slasher movies that takes place at an idyllic tropical resort.

After Chandrasekhar directed The Dukes of Hazzard for Warner Bros., Broken Lizard was offered a deal with the studio. This relationship resulted in Broken Lizard’s fourth feature, 2006’s Beerfest, which revolved around two brothers who discover an underground Oktoberfest beer-drinking Olympics, and assemble a team to compete.

The Brokend Lizard Crew during their Movie Beerfest.

Broken Lizard will be appearing at the Royal Oak Music Center in Royal Oak, Michigan on October 24; and the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC on November 12. The Next day they’ll be performing at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia, PA, followed by the Wilbur Theater in Boston Massachusetts on the 14th. On November 19th the comedy troop will be playing the Boulder Theater in Colorado; followed by Moore Theater in Seattle, and the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon. The group will end their tour at the Nokia Theater in New York City. To Learn more about Broken Lizard check out their website or on Wikipedia.

The queen of the hip-hop scene in Chicago, and one of the most fashionable and adorable MCs around, is heading out on the road in support of her forthcoming album Ultra Violet, which is FINALLY coming out on November 17th! A lot of people have given Kid Sis a hard time about when her album is coming out, since it’s been pushed back multiple times, but all joking aside, we’re happy to hear it’s dropping soon, and can’t wait to hear it.

Make sure to check her out if she heads to a town near you. And Chicago folks, get your tickets ASAP for her House of Blues show. Her good friends (and also Chicago own) Flosstradamus will be opening up for her on a handful of dates (including the Chicago one), so her hometown show will be a big one full of dancing, sweet beats, and a lot of Chicago pride. Kid Sister tour dates are below:

Oct 20-Seattle, WA @ Neumos*
Oct 21-Portland, OR @ Holocene*
Oct 22-San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Oct 23-Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar*
Oct 24-Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex*
Nov 4-Salt Lake City, UT @ W Lounge
Nov 6-Columbia, MO @ Jesse Auditorium
Nov 8-Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
Nov 21-Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom
Nov 25-Chicago, IL @ House of Blues*
Nov 27-New York, NY @ Webster Hall*

*With Flosstradamus

Star Wars In Concert has a Symphony Orchestra playing the music of John Williams live during an interactive event.

A long time ago in a Galaxy far far away

Message from John Williams

Creating the music for the Star Wars films has been an exciting and wonderful experience for me, and I have therefore derived particular pleasure in assembling a compendium of themes from all of the films to be presented in Star Wars: In Concert.
The Editors of Lucasfilm have created an original film montage to accompany each of the musical selections, and in the process. I believe that a singular and unique Star Wars experience has been born.

My hope is that audiences will derive real pleasure from the event, as well as celebrate in a new and joyous way, the dazzling originality of the star wars saga.

Extended Trailer

About the Show

Star Wars: In Concert is a unique event that combines John Williams’ unforgettable music, performed by a live symphony orchestra and chorus, with specially edited footage from six Star Wars films. Through each musical piece, audiences will experience the key themes, characters and story elements of the epic Star Wars saga from a new perspective. taking a remarkable excursion into the heart of a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

A true multi-media experience; Star Wars: In Concert features a large, specially constructed LED screen – one of the largest screens ever taken on tour – onto which the newly edited film sequences will be projected and synchronized to a live performance of music from John Williams scores. Anthony Daniels, the actor who portrays C-3P0 in all six films, will introduce each segment of the two hour show, guiding audiences through the Star Wars story in a fresh and exciting way.

Asteroid Field

Through the power of music and images, we follow the mythic story of Anakin Skywalker, experience the rise of the Galactic Empire, share the brave struggle of the Rebel Alliance, and thrill to the triumph of good over evil. Along the way we meet many of the legendary characters who share the Star Wars universe – the valiant Luke Skywalker, wise Yoda, noble Princess Leia, stalwart R2-D2 and the irreplaceable C3P0. it is a new way to experience this epic story that is sure to enthrall film fans, music fans, and Star Wars fans of all ages.

May the force be with you!

Darth Vaders Theme

Star Wars: In Concert comes to the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon on October 14th. It comes to the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on October 18th. it plays double duty in Texas by hitting Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on the 23rd, and the Toyota Center in Houston on the 25th. on November 1st it comes to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. it hits up the Gwinett Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on November 1st. Star Wars: In Concert comes to the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on November 14th; followed by the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia on the 15th. on November 18th in comes to the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. on December 6th it plays the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Finally it closes out at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee on December 13th. for more information, to purchase tickets, and to check for any upcoming additional dates; check out the Star Wars In Concert Website.

Trailer

Looking for Halloween or Autumn-inspired activities this month? Look no further than Sauvie Island. Though the island (pronounced both Saw-vee or So-vee) is known for it’s U-pick fruit farms, nude beach, bicycle paths and hiking trails, it’s during October that Sauvie Island really comes alive.

Pumpkin Patch

A fun family activity or a great date, driving out to Sauvie Island for your pumpkin carving needs is a wonderful Sunday–or any day– activity.  The pumpkin patch starts with a hay ride. Hop on the trailer, get comfy, and wind your way through the fields.  There are lots of kids, so if you’re allergic, bring a flask.  The trip takes about 5 minutes. Once you unload yourself, the cart takes off. It reappears every ten minutes or so.

The pumpkins, even if they’re picked through toward the end of October, are still plentiful. Take your time.  Once the perfect pumpkin is picked, hop on the next hayride back to the entrance. The pumpkins are reasonably priced, so feel free to grab several. More pumpkins = more pumpkin seeds.

Corn MAiZE

The Maize has a different theme every year. Past themes include Portland bridges, Sacagawea, bicycle culture, and Discover Oregon. 2009’s maze commemorates 40 years of the Portland Trail Blazers.

The maze on Sauvie Island is open from August 30^th through October 31^st.  With over five acres of twists and turns, wander through the maze in a romantic haze, or organize a group to follow the challenges laid out.

–Hours–

Sunday-Thursday 10-6

Friday & Saturday 10-10

Field of Screams

Want a spooky Corn Maize? Check out Sauvie Island’s Field of Screams. Open every weekend in October from 7-10pm, the Field of Screams is for those who like their autumn a little more ghoulish. Good for groups, it’s recommended to call ahead for parties larger than 15.

Directions: From Portland, take Highway 30 west towards Scappoose to the Sauvie Island bridge. After crossing the bridge, circle to the left and loop back under the bridge, following Gillihan Road to the farm. Head straight 2 miles until you see the signs.

For more information: The Pumpkin Patch

After finding overwhelming success with other comedic sitcoms like “The Office” and “30 Rock”, NBC has unveiled its newest gem “Community”, starring Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, and long-time funnyman Chevy Chase.

Seemingly targeting viewers in that awkward limbo stage between early adulthood and the real world, “Community comes across as a blend of the John Hughes classic “The Breakfast Club” and Joel McHale’s other comedic pop culture venture “The Soup”.

McHale plays Jeff Winger, a fast talking ex-lawyer suspended after it became clear he received his degree from Colombia (the country, not the university), forcing him to attend Greendale Community College to earn a new degree.

In an attempt to get out of the “school shaped toilet”, as he calls it, Winger tries to bribe a professor, played by John Oliver of “Daily Show” fame, into giving him the answers to all the tests.  He is eventually denied, thus forcing him to actually try to succeed.

After spotting Britta (played by Gillian Jacobs), Winger sets up a Spanish study group to try and impress her.  Much to his dismay, word gets out to other students, which makes for a complete study group full of misfits of all ages, including successful, yet bored, businessman Pierce (Chevy Chase).

While not being as laugh-out-loud funny or as overall goofy as its counterpart “The Office”, “Community” is smartly cast by actors in which viewers can immediately fall in love with.  The comedy is fast paced and well timed, and the show offers a bit of sweetness to provide for a well-rounded sitcom.

Congratulations NBC, you have done it again.

Catch “Community” on NBC Thursdays at 9:30/8:30 Central

We all know, or should know, the best coffee shops to soak up the hours while furiously finishing that assignment or luxuriously facebooking the hours away. See: Goldrush, Muddy’s Coffeehouse, the Fresh Pot, Cellar Door, Crema Bakery, and Albina Press. Just to get you started.

But what about those late fall afternoons when a (beer) brew sounds better than a (coffee) brew? Those evenings when a glass of wine and a touch of Wi-Fi sounds so tempting?  Or maybe you want to take your picture in a photo booth after finishing that article or writing that awesome tweet? Regardless, CultureMob has you covered.

Living Room Theaters in downtown Portland, besides offering free Wi-Fi, offers beer, wine, liquor, snacks and great people watching. As evidenced in the name, Living Room Theaters also shows independent movies in a living-room- type setting.

Lupa is a great little wine bar on Mississippi, just a few minutes from downtown Portland. Shaped almost like a bottle of wine—long and lean—Lupa offers free Wi-Fi and everything from ½ glasses of wine to bottles. Tip: With only one outlet, come early for the chair by the window, or charge your laptop up before venturing out.

The Tea Zone & Camilla Lounge offers tea, cocktails, and tea cocktails. Right on the streetcar line in Northwest Portland, there’s a deli case with snacks and treats (sweet, savory, and vegan options available) and a bar in the back with their specialty hard bubble teas and ‘Tea-tail’ concoctions.

The Ace Hotel, conveniently located across from the Living Room Theater, does have coffee for those in need of a caffeine fix, but more importantly: the Ace Hotel has a photo booth. Come for the Wi-Fi, stay for the Stumptown Coffee, the innovative cuisine at Clyde Common; or just come to ostensibly check your email before heading into the $3 photo booth.

Mio Gelato has gelato, sorbetto and pizza. With 3 locations around Portland (Irvington, Northwest, Downtown), you can get your handmade gelato anywhere in the city while still enjoying the light from your computer screen.

Cacao Drink Chocolate is a sweet drinkable chocolate shop with two locations in downtown Portland. Not a coffee lover but too early for a little libation with your Wi-Fi? Cacao offers shots of spicy chocolate, cinnamon-infused hot chocolate and Celtic sea salt caramels. With rave reviews to accompany their free Wi-Fi, this is the nerdy chocolaholic’s dream.

Disclaimer: Though every place listed features free Wi-Fi in Portland currently, call first to confirm each place still has free Wi-Fi.

Hint: To find out the closest Wi-Fi hotspot near you, text this number.

David Cross is Set to Make Philadelphia Laugh on October 20th

You’ve laughed over the characters antics that he commited alongside Bob Odenkirk in Mr. Show, and the trouble he got himself into as Tobias Funke on Arrested Development. Maybe you’ve appreciated his roles in movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Run Ronnie Run, Waiting For Guffman, and Scary Movie 2. Or maybe you’ve even been enough of a dedicated fan to catch him on An imated Shows like Aqua Team Hunger Force, Tom Goes To The Mayor, and King of the Hill. But first and foremost David Cross is a hilarious stand up comic, and is set to go back to his roots with a National Tour.

David Cross on Heaven and Squagels

David Cross has drawn an immense cult following for his outrageous character acting, which was perhaps showcased best in Mr. Show, an Emmy-nominated HBO sketch comedy show in which Cross played an incredible array of absurd, strange, deranged, and wicked – yet often disturbingly “normal” – characters. This talent undoubtedly explains David Cross’s tendency for quirky movie and television cameos, including small but memorable roles in Men in Black, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and the Bob Dylan biopic, I’m Not There as poet Allen Ginsberg. David Cross’s stand-up comedy and humor is often self-deprecating, crude, leftist, and controversial, and he is known to break into song, showing off his painfully hilarious, overweening singing voice with nearly paradoxical range and strength. He has released several comedy albums, including 2002’s Shut Up, You Fucking Baby! and 2004’s It’s Not Funny, as well as Let America Laugh, his first stand up DVD, released in 1999. He also just recently released a version of his book Comedy By The Numbers on CD.

David Cross Interview

David Cross is playing the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia on October 20th. But he also has a lineup of upcoming dates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Denver, Austin, and Chicago. A truly one-of-a-kind and uniquely talented comedian, David Cross is a spectacle that cannot be missed. Visit a venue participating in the upcoming David Cross tour near you and buy your tickets soon – they won’t last long!

Website

David Cross on IMDB

David Cross on Wikipedia

Article with Tour Listings

Philadelphia Tickets

Belmont Street has it all. With everything from vegan breakfast to drag queen bingo, falafel waffle to wiffleball, Belmont is the over-looked yet hipper little sister to neighboring Hawthorne Boulevard. Eclectic and accessible, here are six attractions not to miss on Belmont:

~1~

The Tao of Tea at 3430 Southeast Belmont is housed next to the artsy playhouse Theater! Theater! With a relaxing atmosphere of their soothing rock waterfall and gentle music, this fair-trade tea shop is an oasis from the everyday. Their menu offers everything from bubble to tea to shared tea pots, and includes affordable savory and sweet snacks.

~2~

Crush is a wine/mac and cheese/drag queen/bingo/gay/dance club/brunch bar. Pique your interest? There’s a solid cocktail selection—including the intriguing “Champagne Margarita” that is so potent it comes with a warning. Sundays are Gay Trivia night, Wednesdays are Drag Queen Bingo, and the weekends house a kick-ass brunch. Crush is vegan-friendly, gay-friendly, and dance-friendly; it’s the perfect Portland destination, whether you’re looking for breakfast, dinner, drinks, or doms.

And okay, Crush isn’t really on Belmont. But at SE 14^thand Morrison, it’s in the Belmont area, and that’s close enough. If a champagne margarita is a mere block away from Belmont, it’s close enough.

~3~

Colonel Sumners Park at 20^th and Belmont

Q. What can you do here?

A. Everything.

Would you like to play basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, kickball, wiffleball or racketball? Do it here. It’s also a popular spot for picnics, festivals, impromptu gatherings, Frisbee-playing, napping, reading, and people watching.  There are community gardens and public restrooms.  In short, if there is anything worth doing at a park, it’s done—and done well—at Colonel Sumners Park.

~4~

Paradox Palace Café is a vegan-friendly diner located at 3439 SE Belmont.  Under new ownership since 2006, Paradox expanded its space just last year. It’s diner-style food and if the tables aren’t Formica, it seems like they should be. This is not a place for a fancy meal or a special occasion. This is the place for a greasy breakfast that just happens to be sustainable and mostly vegetarian.

With a menu focusing on locally-sourced food, there’s everything from vegan french toast to beef or veggie burgers to nachos to breakfast scrambles. There is something for everyone, including your picky 12-year old or grumpy grandpa.

~5.~

Conveniently located next door to Paradox at 3451 SE Belmont is the classic Avalon Theater.  Packed with arcade games, prize wheels, cheap movies and skee ball, this is Portland’s beloved nickel arcade.

Avalon Theatre makes you feel like a kid again. A kid with an hour of possibilities and a hot handful of nickels.  Admission is only $2.50. Looking for an ever cheap date? Rumor has it that those who sign up for the newsletter get coupons for free admission and free nickels.

~6~

2009 sponsor of the Belmont Street Fair, Tiger’s Café recently took over the space formerly known as Jáce Gáce. Tiger’s, on SE 21^st and Belmont, kept some of the waffle recipes from that previous incarnation, and now serves the famous Falafel Waffle. Curious? A falafel waffle is simply falafel batter cooked in a waffle iron. Truly worth going for that experience alone.

There is a sweet outdoor patio and a fabulous menu that marries sweet breakfast waffles with traditional Lebanese food. The owners also placed a Pepsi machine inside the door for all those hot and thirsty kickball players at Colonel Sumners.

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Even for those who may think a champagne margarita sounds somewhat odd or have never heard of skee ball, Belmont is a welcoming destination. Give it a go; everyone finds something to love on Belmont Street.