MARLOWE DOBBE I don’t know about you, but in November, my capacity to appreciate complex art and culture took a nosedive. I reread A Wrinkle in Time and Matilda and temporarily banned myself from my beloved Sunday New York Times. I watched A LOT of Parks and Recreation. I no longer felt inclined to see […]
Portland
Posted inPortland
The Portland-Shot, Sundance-Winning I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore Defies Categorization
Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) isn’t asking for much: She just wants people to not be assholes. Unfortunately, she’s surrounded by them—from the racist patient in the hospital where she works, to the people who cut in line at the grocery store, to the dog owner who, every day, leaves his pup’s turds on her lawn. When […]
Posted inBooks
The IPRC Needs A New Location—and A New Executive Director
After being threatened with a 300-percent rent increase, it seemed that things were looking up for Portland’s Independent Publishing Resource Center. Now, though, it looks like the opposite might be true. The Independent Publishing Resource Center “has now officially walked away from negotiations with the [City Bikes Annex] location on 7th and Ankeny,” IPRC Executive […]
Posted inPortland
The Hollywood Theatre’s Airport Microcinema Will Open February 23
Travelers Can Kick Back with Local—and Free—Short Films
Travelers can kick back with local—and free—short films.
Posted inPortland
Local Public Defenders Are Plotting Resistance to Trump’s Immigration Policies
Demonstrators protest Trump’s immigration/refugee ban at Portland International Airport recently. This post has been updated to add comments from Commissioner Amanda Fritz. Portland public defenders are hoping to be on the front lines of resistance against Donald Trump’s stepped up immigration enforcement, and it looks like we’ll all be chipping in. Portland City Council next […]
Posted inPortland
Friendly Reminder: Uber Has Always Been Terrible
Mark Markovich Uber fucked up this weekend. But also, hey, reminder: Uber’s been fucking up for a long time, particularly in Portland. Taking a spin through the Mercury‘s news archives reveals that Uber has prided itself on providing cheap, convenient rides—and also that Uber has been relentlessly exploitative and underhanded by repeatedly violating regulations, refusing […]
Posted inPortland
The Portland-Shot I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore Won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance
You might remember reading about the Portland-shot I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore in the Mercury‘s 2017 film preview. Or maybe you remember hearing that some of the film’s cast—including Elijah Wood—were hanging around Portland last year. Or maybe, after seeing actor Macon Blair in the fantastic Blue Ruin and Green Room, […]
Posted inPortland
Where Are They Now, the “Most Fuckable People in Portland” circa 2002
This photo has been circulating on Reddit via user SpringwaterBikeThief: VIA SPRINGWATERBIKETHIEF ON REDDIT We at the Mercury immediately recognized the list as the handiwork of our 2002 Portland Sex Survey! The post brought up some lingering questions about the most fuckable folks and what they were up to now so we did a little […]
Posted inPortland
Sad? Watch This Video of a Polar Bear Who Loves Snow
..and these snow-loving otters, and seals and elephants at the Oregon Zoo in Portland yesterday. What are you waiting for? Press play on both of these videos below at the same time for dramatic background music. SQUEEEEEEEE! Meanwhile, I’m over here like…
Posted inPortland
Snow Poll: Testing Your Portland Snow Ethics
Clean off the top of your car!! Or don’t!! Portlanders are nothing if not judgmental. And this never ceases, even when there’s 4-8 inches of snow on the ground. Therefore, it’s time to have a MERCURY SNOW POLL™ to determine if your ethical choices during this snow emergency are on point and in accordance with […]
Posted inFood and Drink
This Week’s Letters to the Editor: RIP, Club 21
Facebook RE: “Yes, It’s True: Iconic Portland Dive Bar Club 21 Is Closing” [Blogtown, Jan 10]. “The bar will do its last days of business this weekend, with the Club’s final night being Sunday, January 15,” wrote Senior Editor Ned Lannamann. “The iconic building itself will be demolished at some point to make room for […]
Posted inPortland
Can Portlandia Be Funny In the Age of Trump?
What’s so funny about loving bikes and trying to save the planet? IFC Season 7 of Portlandia premiered Thursday on IFC. The comedy show, which stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, continues to make fun of white, urban, progressive people who would never vote for Trump—indeed, who, if given the chance, would for Bernie Sanders. […]