Mercury Staff

Welp, welcome to another week, whether you like it or not—and there are, in fact, a few reasons to like it. Consider these: Lan Su Chinese Garden’s chrysanthemum celebration creates a “living gallery,” the Rothko Pavilion at the Portland Art Museum finally opens, and a stage adaptation of Little Women asks an important question—are you a […]

When leaves fall onto the sidewalk in autumn, their tannins leach into the concrete and leave perfect little brown leaf prints all over the ground. So, we hereby declare this “perfect little brown leaf print” week—also known as: that stage of autumn when the sky darkens and grays, but there’s still a bit of good-autumn […]

Halloween’s over! And it’s cold, rainy, and kind of dark outside!! Guess what would help? Adding to your TBR list. This week, new reads proliferate in many local venues and varieties: Portland Book Festival posts up at the art museum, Cover to Cover brings readings to lit-friendly locations on both sides of the river, and […]

As with most major holidays, celebrations leading up to Halloween are just as important as (if not more than) the main event. In Portland this week, the eves before All Hallow’s Eve promise cauldrons of tom yum pozole, classic horror screenings, and the real Big Scary—a novel that asks, “What if the Cascadia earthquake came […]

We’re more than halfway through October, otherwise known as the best month of the year, which is a bit devastating. But the air is still crisp, the frogs are still inflatable, and this week’s events reflect the city’s devotion to celebrating fall, despite [gestures wildly]. For one thing, you can cop fresh cider and scare […]

Not typically the type to check out gallery shows? Consider stretching your self-image this week. Lumber room will exhibit organic works by Louise Bourgeois (of gigantic spider sculpture fame), and Emily Counts’ gleaming ceramic moth flutters into the city. Plus, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art will open their first post-Time-Based Art Festival show, and it […]

Sure, a certain someone claims you live in a war-torn hellscape pockmarked by domestic terrorists, fire, and whatever brimstone is. But it’s a gorgeous day, right?! You’ve got many reasons to wear your little fall outfit this week, as the leaves gently turn and the National Guard is less gently told they can’t come to brunch. […]

If you’re wondering whether the city is, indeed, “war ravaged,” the answer is no, as evidenced by this colossal autumn leaf pile of EVENTS. It’s almost October, which is soOoOo crazy if you think about it. Stave off the chill with a hot pile of wings this week, then check out Paul Thomas Anderson’s shift […]

Warmish days be damned, because Christian Girl Autumn has officially begun. This week offers many reasons to head indoors, like Spike Lee’s Kurosawa-inspired film Highest 2 Lowest, Amanda Lepore’s club kid glamour, and ’70s art rockers Sparks. Plus, Freddie Robins installs knitted horses at Cooley Gallery, and the storytelling show Be Gay, Do Crime centers […]

I don’t want to alarm you, but autumn is almost here, people. September 15-21 is the last week before the equinox, and fortunately for us, Portland has plenty of creative and apparently candlelit events planned. On the docket are astral jazz, Sasha Fishman’s slime sculptures, and vampire baseball set to a live orchestra. Plus, you’ll […]

Summer’s winding to a close, but don’t even think about hibernating. This week, the city will keep your cup full and the loneliness (and vampires) at bay with a fresh hop beer fest serving whiffs of harvest heaven and festivals of the garlic-loving, rich-people-hating, and poetry-celebrating varieties. The Time-Based Art Festival gets going, too, and comedian […]