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If you have an doubts that the bad economy is having a very real impact on Portland, look no further to the ever growing ‘dead pool’ of restaurants who have closed in recent months.

The list keeps getting bigger:

• Rocket - Closed November 8 after a few challenging reviews. Now serves as a private function venue.
• Kalga Cafe - Closed at the beginning of November, owner Sukhdeep Singh moves to Brazil.
• Banh Cuon Tan Dinh - Even this Fubonn tenant wasn’t immune to the bad economy and it closed.
• Genoa - 30 years of doing business in Portland comes to a crashing end after the stock market crash.
• Nutshell - just added to the list on November 16th!

If there ever was a time to get out and support your favorite restaurant, NOW is it. This list is sure to double by the end of the year.

source: AP

Like every other Blazer fan, Greg Oden represents hope… Hope that the painful tide of the past few years for the Blazers would change. Hope that Portland could return to it’s once great and wonderful ‘Rip City’ status and that we’d have a team that even the Lakers would fear. I don’t think that hope quite snapped with Greg Oden’s foot injury Tuesday night, but i do think it’s fading fast.

In the scheme of things all things basketball, a four week injury hiatus isn’t really that big a deal. Many great players have been sidelined by this kind of injury and returned without an issue.

But the bigger issue is the nagging question that haunts me as a Blazers fan:

Is Greg Oden a Klutz?

We all know that Sam Bowie (yeah I know that name hurts as much as Oden’s foot injury) was accident prone, but I’d submit that Oden is possibly far worse. If you look at Oden’s ‘career’ history there’s almost no point where it wasn’t defined by injury.

I think Oden is a great guy and possibly a great basketball player, but my deepest fear is that he’ll never be on the court long enough for us to find out.

Tonight we have one and only one suggestion of what you should be doing! Head on out to the 1st Annual Lebowski Achiever’s Bowl. It’s a no brainer. Have a blast at a Big Lebowski themed charity event and support an exceptional Portland charity: Ride On Portland.

In case you’re not familiar with Ride On Portland, they’re a local charity who you can call when you’ve had to much to drink. For $10 they come out, drive you (in your own car) safe and sound to your own home. A simple and amazing way to save people getting DUIs and save lives!

The charity event starts at 9:30pm at AMF Pro 300 Lanes at SE 31st and Powell. The event features: Jackstraw performing the Big Lebowski Soundtrack, Unlimited Bowling, Caucasion Specials, Costume Contest, Movie Screening and Raffle Giveaway. Cover is a mere $10.

And if you drink too much and need a ride home—all you have to do is call Ride On Portland at 503-235-RIDE (7433).

The Dude abides, and so should you.

The Fresh Hop Fest Drew a Crowd

Packed! That’s the best way to describe the Oregeon Brewer’s Fresh Hop Beer Tastival at the Hop Works Urban Brewery this Saturday.  Two tents filled with people enjoying the Indian Summer and a bounty of new beers with hops from the recent Oregon Hop Harvest.

$5 got you a nice pint glass and then each 4oz taste was $1.  Unfortunately I was only able to taste 3 beers at the fest:

Hopworks Urban Brewery Parsec Pale Ale -I figured I had to give some love to the hosting brewery and that may Pale Ale days would be few and far between as we get into the winter. This Pale Ale is a light and tasty beer that is very clean with only a hint of hops.

Lompoc Brewing Proletariate Red - a sweet and hoppy beer with a nice clean edge,,very drinkable and if I had more time I would have enjoyed a full pint.

Beer Valley Brewing Black Flag Imperial Stout - WOW! They were only giving people 4oz tastes and that’s a shame because this is quite a stout. Super Dark, Bold, flavorful and hoppy. This was a beer that really got my attention, and I’d love drink again.

I also had a chance to taste Deschutes Hop Trip before the event, and I have to say it’s one of my favorite of the fresh hop bunch. I’ve also got a bottle of the Bridgeport’s Hop Harvest in my fridge which I hope to try soon.

There’s no question that Portland supports local brewery events and the excitement around the local brewers sceen is really exceptional.