The Alberta drag is full of great locally owned shops, restaurants, art galleries, coffee houses, bars, live music and brew pubs that line the main street. What better place to have one of the coolest monthly street fairs on? Welcome to Last Thursday.

Every last Thursday of each month Alberta St. turns into a public art show with booths that line the street from NE 15th to NE 30st. So many local Portland artists come out to display and sell their amazing creativity…whatever it may be. Everything from Pulli Pants by  Jackie Karnes to awesome artwork by Chuck Bloom. You might see some DJ’s on the corner or inside a local venue shaking beats well into the night, maybe even a few fire walkers, food carts with a good burrito or Thai food, street performers on stilts or  M4 throwing down great band-grooves for all to enjoy. In my opinion this street fair has just a tiny touch of a Burning Man-esque feel. Have you been?

A few Alberta St. hot spots are The Tin Shed and Garden Cafe, La Sirenita, Binks, Alberta St. Oyster bar and Grill, Vita Cafe, Alberta st Public house ( great live music), Thia Noon restaurant and of course… Zilla Sake. I’ve Seen HyDrive perform live there a few Thursdays ago.

When it happens to be the last Thursday of the month and you want to experience the wild side of Portland, grab a friend, wear something fun and creative and venture off to Last Thursday located in the Alberta Arts district. You’ll be glad you did.

Getting ready to move out of LA, I was very sad to leave all of my lovely family, all my amazing friends, (yes, I’m talking about you), my Ultimate Frisbee team of 5 years, Marshall, and… my roots. Yep, I pulled them up after 33 years of growing. I took those future dreams and transplanted them into Portland, Oregon. And let me tell ya, except for leaving behind some of the greatest friends and family one could ask for,  moving to Portland was THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. I was looking for plush hiking trails, rivers, clean air, less traffic, and a local snowboarding mountain…. MT Hood.  I new I wanted to live somewhere on the west coast, so I considered Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Hawaii, Portland or Seattle. As soon as I entered Portland, I stayed at the Hawthorne Hostel and visited Produce Row, for which my first words were, wow I’ve never seen so many Beers on tap, then the live music started. I like the energy of this city, everywhere I walked felt nice. I was in love with the city.

I found the perfect home off of SE 24th and Stark and lived there with 3 other roommates. Many excellent adventures…let me tell ya.  I worked at an after school Program at Cathedral in the NW, Danforth/Nuefeld ,  a cook at the East Moreland Golf course and restaurant, a board member for Portland Ultimate PUFF, a Realtor with M Realty for which I get to view many intriguing homes, make fun Real Estate videos and meet great people relocating from around the US.  After 4 years of renting in Portland I finally bought my own home in SE Portland 3 years ago. I was finally able to plant my own blueberry bushes and many fruit trees like Peach’s, Bing cherries, Asian Pears, Brown Figs and sweet purple plums. These are MY trees to grow tall and bountiful and snack off of. Then…… Elijah, you came into my life. My most precious and beautiful boy, we laugh in unison. Literally. We garden and snack together, we sing and dance together.

One thing I guess I never mentioned yet is that music, melodies and rhythms are running through my veins. Even as I type this I am humming a melody that could fit in a hundred different songs. I love playing the guitar and writing songs. Creating something magical and interesting out of what once was nothing is…pretty cool   I will also add the bass, keyboard weird noises and some harmonies all ontop of some amazing drum beats by, Kevin Ream and Dustin Mills. Another Kevdiddy album has been created.

Now, I sit hear editing scenes on Final Cut Pro of some interesting and talented people that live in Portland. Portland’s Favorite is my TV show that I am producing through PCM (Portland Community Media). I am genuinely excited about showcasing some of the most creative and inspiring talented people that Portland has to offer. One BIG thing I learned about filming and editing and all that goes with it…. BACK THINGS UP!!!!

Well… I’m off to retrieve. The fireplace is getting low and so is my blueberry wine. Good night to all and to all… relax, breath deep, smile and be thankful you are healthy.

Wednesday night is Pub Quiz night courtesy of Sharnrock Triviology with a $100 worth of credit going to the winning team. Teams consist of five players and questions Trivia starts at 8 but your team may want to show up early as seats go pretty quick. The Hutch can also be called a Northeast Portland music venue thanks to the live music performances that take place every Saturday night.

The Hutch offers a wide range of beer and a well earned reputation for strong mixed drinks. They have a full lunch and dinner menu with daily food and beer specials. The bar is also open for breakfast on weekends, when an Irish coffee is just the ticket to warm up cold weather outings to the Saturday Market. Happy hour runs every weeknight from 4pm until 7 pm with special drink specials for Trivia contestants every Wednesday.

The Hutch is located at 4606 NE Glisan St in Northeast Portland, directly across from the main entrance to Providence Medical Center. Looking for more Portland Pub Quizzes? Check out the Bitter End at at 1981 W Burnside St or the Delta Cafe at 4607 SE Woodstock Blvd. Looking for more neighborhood bars in Northeast Portland check out Don’s Dugout at 11642 NE Halsey St in the Parkrose Heights Neighborhood or the Concordia Ale House at 3276 NE Killingsworth St in the Alameda Neighborhood

Originally opened in 1915 as an elementary school, now Inside you will find everything from the old school auditorium turned into a movie theater with couches and tables to eat your home made pizza, to the detention hall turned into a whiskey and cigar room. The cafeteria now houses a fine eating establishment with a great menu and several home made beers on tap and a gift shop to pick up some great memories. A huge 20 person hot tub soaking pool and and an extra large conference room now hosts great live local and out of state performers of all types. The classrooms are turned into guest rooms with original chalkboards and cloakrooms, private baths, telephones and modems. Amazing artwork lines the walls, much of it dates back from the early years of The Kennedy Schools existence.

I love the scene and the good energy the school has. This is truly a must see experience to enjoy if you have yet to visit. The Kennedy is located at: 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211

Dante’s, a downtown Portland hot spot, features live music as well as more extravagant acts. The atmosphere is a bit dark and moody, but the drinks are good as well as the pizza. I have performed at Dante’s with my old band My favorite Pill, and I enjoyed the sound system and stage set-up. I have also seen many live acts and events, most recently was Karaoke from Hell, which was awesome.  I was a bit too nervous to get up and sing Oh Darling! by the Beatles, so I just watched everyone else. I’m looking back now…. why didn’t I just go for it! Who cares if people would of laughed at me.  Many now famous acts can trace their roots back to Dante’s including Storm and the Balls and the SuicideGirls Burlesque Troupe.

Dante’s opened in 2000 in an early 20^th century building with an illustrious past as a brothel, speak-easy, and a 80′s punk club. Over the past ten years the bar has expanded from 3,000 to 7,500 square feet and features award winning pizza as well as a full bar. It is home to wide variety of music styles from rock and roll to cabaret.

The bar is open daily from 11am to 2:30 with pizza by the slice served until 3. It is a free Wi-Fi hot and a VIP balcony is available for rent. Dante’s is located in downtown near Old Town at 1SW 3rd and Burnside. For more information check out Dante’s website www.myspace.com/dantesportland. Looking for more Portland music venues? Check out Lizard Lounge at 1323 NW Irving St or East End at 203 SE Grand Ave.

Before its current incarnation as a live music venue, the Aladdin already had a long history. It began as a vaudeville house known as Geller’s Theatre, in the 1920′s. When talkies became all the rage it became a family movie house. During the 70′s it began to play pornographic movies which continued until the theater was purchased by Steve Reischman and Sally Custer in the early 90′s.

The Aladdin Theater has a capacity of 620 people. It serves beer, wine, and various other beverages as well as a variety of snack foods. Those looking for a full meal might want to check out Blue Dragonfly or Edelweiss Sausage Co & Delicatessen. The theater is located at 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. in the Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhood. Check out their website at aladdin-theater.com for more information.

The Laurelhurst Theater, located in the Kerns Neighborhood an area popular with small businesses and restaurant owners is an ideal place for people who want to drink beer and watch movies at the same time. This theater/pub offers mainstream movies after they have left the multiplexes, indie flicks, and classics such as Clerks or To Live and Die in L.A. The Laurelhurst first opened its doors in 1923, it made a splash as one of the first art-deco buildings of the era. After closing down in the 80′s the theater was reopened earlier this decade where it still features the same sectioned glass in the lobby that was there when it opened 80 years earlier.

Movie-goers can choose from a wide selection of beer and wine as well as pizza and traditional movie theater fair. The individual theaters feature tables and plenty of legroom to minimize spills and maximize the movie going experience. For those 12 and under admission is only 1 dollar though those under 21 aren’t permitted after 3 PM. Movies play all day and general admission is only 3 dollars. For those looking for a cheap night out, a ticket plus a slice and a beer at the Laurelhurst will still cost less than a ticket at most other theaters. The Laurelhurst Theater is located at 2735 E Burnside Portland in east Portland near the Laurelhurst neighborhood and Park. For show times and more information check out their website at laurelhursttheater.com.