NEW OPENINGS 

The Love Shack
According to a press release, G-Love chef and restaurateur opens this glitzy cocktail lounge channeling midcentury beach bar opulence today. Expect playful offerings like croissant bánh mì, milk bun Reubens, French fry flights, gold-flaked martinis, "There's Always Money in the Banana Stand" (an MSG-spiked, banana-infused take on the margarita with yuzu and lime), and adorably teeny martinis paired with mini Chicago dogs.
Slabtown

Why should popular, valuable Portland initiatives wither away from a lack of funding when there’s a city treasure trove available to bail them out? 

That appeared to be the question on Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s mind when she offered Portland Street Response (PSR) a life raft in the form of $3 million from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) earlier this week. But clean energy fund advocates are hesitant about using money from the program— approved by voters in 2018 to pay for carbon reduction projects with measurable community benefits— to cover the tab for unrelated city initiatives. 

Rubio’s proposal came amid budget talks that put PSR, the non-police crisis response program housed in the Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) bureau, at risk of dire funding cuts. Under the plan, PCEF money would be diverted to PSR from interest dividends, not the main pool of PCEF funds. City officials say the fund, which collects a 1 percent tax on local large business sales, is expected to generate about $12 million in interest this year. 

Bakeshop
Is butter your valentine's love language? Woo them with croissant dough hearts, which are available adorned with maple glaze and edible gold, studded with pearl sugar and amarena cherries, or laden with caramelized apples. If that doesn't do the trick, there's also a chocolate vanilla marble cake, heart-shaped raspberry hand pies, burnt Basque cheesecake, and a peanut butter pie topped with toothsome honeycomb. All can be picked up from the bakery on February 14.
Rose City Park

This weekend, your only problem will be deciding which of these thrifty-and-nifty events to spend your time at. Read on for all of your options, from Lunar New Year at Kolectivo to the Birds for Gaza Portland art installation and from the Portland Winter Light Festival to the Valentine's Day edition of the Portland Night Market. For more ways to spend your weekend, check out our guide to the top events of the week and our Super Bowl watch party calendar.

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Lizzie No
Rising folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and podcaster Lizzie No will have you saying "Lizzie YES" with tracks from her new album Halfsies. The album echoes its title with tales of paradoxes, compromises, and grey areas. The album is half-folk, half-indie rock; half-personal, half-universal; half-contemporary, half-traditional. She finds life's glorious midpoints and lingers there, reminding us that we can have everything all at once. She will be joined by local alt-country singer-songwriter Kasey Anderson. AUDREY VANN
(Polaris Hall, Humboldt, $15)

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland: Please remember me, happily / By the rosebush laughing / With bruises on my chin, the time when / We counted every car passing—yes, Iron & Wine tickets hit the streets hot this morning. Let's get into it!

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• On Wednesday Oregon lawmakers listened to hours of testimony at a public hearing on Measure 110. OPB reports: "a stream of advocates, law enforcement officers, attorneys, businesspeople and everyday Oregonians implored lawmakers to tackle surging overdoses and growing public disarray in Portland and beyond — though their prescriptions for how to do so were often starkly different."

If for some unfathomable reason you didn’t sit through last night’s 4-hour hearing on rolling back Measure 110, here’s what you missed. #orleg #orpolhttps://t.co/8IXTw7eKsU

— Dirk VanderHart (@dirquez) February 8, 2024

• A poll commissioned by the Portland Metro Chamber (FKA Portland Business Alliance) surveyed 500 voters from Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties (250 of which said they voted in Portland) and determined that the representative sample of people think the city is "on the wrong track." The Oregonian notes: "Sentiments, however, have significantly improved from 2021 when 88% said their quality of life was getting worse and 62% felt the Portland region was on the wrong track."

• A little good news! Eugene Weekly is back in print! The Associated Press reports that "in large part by fundraising campaigns and community contributions" the weekly newspaper returned to stands on February 8. Eugene Weekly was out of commission for six weeks, following a revelation that the a large scale embezzlement, allegedly by a staff member, left the publication in debt  by at least $100,000. The alt weekly was forced to lay off staff, although many continued to work on a volunteer basis. The publication also drew in work from journalism students at the University of Oregon, which is also located in Eugene.

pic.twitter.com/jbj1U6EJ2B

— Eugene Weekly (@eugeneweekly) February 8, 2024

Folk troubadour Iron & Wine will support his forthcoming seventh studio album with a two-night stint at the Crystal Ballroom. Homegrown indie rock ensemble The Decemberists have announced outdoor concerts in Troutdale and Bend this summer. Plus, blues rock legend Bonnie Raitt has announced her Just Like That tour with a local stop this fall. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9

MUSIC

The Beach Boys
Hayden Homes Amphitheater (Sat Aug 24)

The Beach Boys
Cuthbert Amphitheater (Sun Aug 25)

Bleeding Through
Hawthorne Theatre (Sat Mar 30)

Blitzen Trapper
Aladdin Theater (Fri May 17)

As the one-man operation behind Portland-based Moon Glyph Records—a leading curator of ambient, new age, and “transportive psychedelia”—Steve Rosborough juggles different roles and responsibilities.

He works with artists putting out their music and plans out the label’s busy release schedule. He handles distribution and production of cassettes and LPs, as well as marketing and promotional efforts. He manages Moon Glyph’s finances and other typical small-business duties. He even does the majority of the art and graphic design for the label and its releases, which number over 130 since Rosborough started Moon Glyph in 2009.

So when he sits down to make his own music under the name Omni Gardens, Rosborough tries to use the process as an opportunity to slow down, scale back, and declutter. Inspired by the brevity and workmanlike approach of prolific indie rock songwriter Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices), Rosborough endeavors to not get bogged down in tiny details and sound design.

“You do it for a little bit and then stop, and if an idea doesn’t work out, then whatever—you move on to the next thing,” he said. “I just wanted to simplify and stop overthinking things.”

Every day, in the United States, an adult person has a nearly 50 percent chance of eating a sandwich. It's... AWESOME. Here at the Mercury we believe in you, we believe in sandwiches, and we believe in a world where you have sandwiches. That's why we (along with our dear friends Jim Beam) put on the Portland Mercury's Sandwich Week: From Monday, February 19 to Sunday, February 25 you can visit your favorite participating shops, or even newfound spaces on our list, to snack upon a delectable, original sandwich for a mere $8! Are you dreaming? NO, YOU ARE NOT!

The Mercury's Sandwich Week is not only a perfect excuse to shove a delicious sandy (or 10... or 20) into your mouth, but it's also a great way to support and introduce yourselves to local restaurants who might not be on your radar. AND it also helps the Mercury continue the top-notch investigative reporting and arts/entertainment coverage you rely on every day. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT!

Check in at portlandmercury.com/sandwichweek to see pics and descriptions of all of this year's one-of-a-kind sandwich creations—but before you start planning the most delicious week of your life, please keep a few things in mind:

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING PORTLAND! Some Mercury staff are out of town this week which means some other basic standards are also on vacation, which means I get to write the news! Wee! I'm wearing a little fedora that says "press" and everything. Prepare to get your shit informatively rocked.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Hot off the presses, from our own Courtney Vaughn: Portland Aims to Have 780 Village-Style Shelter Beds Open by End of 2024. This is great! Why not more? Read the article to find out, you slacker. Continue reading »

This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the number of shelter beds in the county.

Brandy Westerman knows she can’t solve Portland’s homelessness crisis, but she’s determined to at least try to fix it. 

In September, she was named the new Emergency Humanitarian Operations director for Portland. Westerman now oversees the city’s seven Safe Rest Villages and the Temporary Alternative Shelter Site (TASS) in Southeast Portland. Together, the pod-style outdoor shelter sites offer nearly 490 beds to those who don’t have stable housing. With another TASS under development in North Portland, and the expansion of two Safe Rest Villages, the city expects to boost its shelter offerings to nearly 780 by the end of the year. That number doesn’t reflect the more than 2,300 adult, family, youth and domestic violence shelter beds across Multnomah County offered by nonprofit groups like Portland Rescue Mission, or Transition Projects.

It’s still not enough to meet the need. 

Happy “fool’s spring,” Portland! This week we’re delighted to hear the debut single by Keeks (FKA Maarquii), an upcoming late-night set from jazz fusion act Greaterkind at Jack London Revue, and later this spring, Danny Brown comes to town.

MUST SEE: 

Upcoming local event(s) featuring local artist(s).        

Greaterkind

Portland-based jazz trio Greaterkind never fails to provide an uplifting ambiance, whatever space they’re playing in. We've seen them popping up in other groups—keyboardist Charlie Brown III (Aminé, MonoNeon, Blossom), guitarist Peter Knudsen (Outer Orbit, MonoNeon), and drummer Cory Limuaco (Sarah Clarke, MAE.SUN)—around town, but don't miss their distinct, modern blend of jazz fusion as part of the 2024 Biamp Portland Jazz Festival. Greaterkind's sound is heavily influenced by funk, gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. The result is infectious, pleasant and feels simultaneously part of the old world and new school. While there are plenty of shows opening the festival night (including the sold out Jon Batiste show we profiled last week) Greaterkind's late-night set at speakeasy-style basement venue Jack London Revue might be the perfect way to wind down the evening—or wind up, for that matter. (Jack London Revue, 529 SW 4th, Fri Feb 16, 11:55 pm, $20-25 tickets here, 21+)

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! It's set to be a pretty normal February day in Portland today, with temperatures a little lower than 50 degrees and maybe some drizzle. Let's get to the news now, huh? 

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• 💋💋 Hello, my lovely lovebirds, I have great news for you. The Mercury’s VALENTINE ISSUE is out online now, and will shortly be available in PRINT at many a coffee shop (and other such locations) near you. Read all about love, heartbreak, how Paul McCartney might help you overcome said heartbreak, best local restaurants in which to conduct breakups, and MORE. Plus, take the Mercury’s annual, anonymous sex survey, open until February 23. 💋 💋💘

• TERRIBLE NEWS! The wonderful vegan bar Sweet Hereafter is set to close at the end of February. As Suzette Smith's article points out, the Southeast Belmont spot was very popular for first dates. (I happen to have lived experience with this, and I concur. The vibes are casual enough to relax the jitters, but it's still an impressive place to suggest.) This is very sad and their departure will leave a major gap in Portland's vegan bar scene/reliable Tinder meetup sites. But remember, it's a leap year, so you can hit up the Sweet Hereafter until February 29. After that, your best bet may be to travel north to the bar's sister joint, the Bye and Bye on NE Alberta. 

• Yesterday, Commissioner Carmen Rubio offered the Portland Street Response— which is facing a budget deficit because city leaders don’t value popular, good policy and instead want cops to have super nice SUVs— a life raft in the form of $3 million from the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF). This has not gone over well with those who believe PCEF should stick to its original goal of advancing local carbon reduction projects instead of funding any city program that needs help. It is unlikely to fly with PCEF committee members, either, who have already raised concerns about the fund filling gaps that need to be dealt with in more sustainable ways. Portland Street Response needs to be saved, but I fear this decision threatens to take PCEF down a very slippery slope. Not everything can be everything!

The Portland Clean Energy Fund is NOT a money tree that we can just take from to fill budget gaps, even for something as important as Portland Street Response. PCEF dollars are to respond to the historic environmental injustices our communities have faced!https://t.co/nBIZGGMUQj

— Candace Avalos (@candaceforpdx) February 6, 2024

Are you in love? In lust? In a complicated situationship that started because of a drunken and convenient New Year's Eve kiss, but now you're ready to take things to the next level by publicly declaring your adoration in the permanency of the worldwide web?

Good news, the Mercury's reader Valentines are back, and they're in print and online!

That's right, we've been collecting all of your 150 characters love notes which will be crammed into our next print issue, which hits the streets on February 7! 

And while you may have missed our print deadline, DO NOT FRET! You can still submit your valentine here which will run online in time for Valentine's day!

💘 So what are you waiting for? Declare your love in the Mercury now! 💘

(And while you're expressing your love, if you don't mind, can you help support the Mercury by making a $5 contribution so we can keep bringing you lots of news, events, and fun? No pressure, of course. But you DO love us, right?)

*Disclaimer: One per customer, please. Duplicates, mean-spirited valentines, and nonsensical gibberish will be rejected. No last names, please. All acceptable valentines received will appear online. ☹️ Emojis will not be printed ☹️.

HEY SEXY PERSON! It's once again the horniest time of year—which means the annual Mercury SEX SURVEY is live, and ready for you to fill out and enjoy!

What's the sexiest thing you did in 2023? Do you use toys? What about those gas station horny pills? If you masturbate, is it a few times a month or every single day? Exactly how horny are you for Jeremy Allen White? Don't be shy, all submissions are anonymous.

You have until FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 to submit your answers and the results will be featured Friday, March 1—which un-coincidently is also the first day of the 2024 HUMP! film festival in Portland! (Have you purchased your tickets yet? It's gonna sell out, so hurry-hurry!)

Enjoy this year's super sexy Mercury SEX SURVEY! (And if the embedded survey below isn't showing up for you, then click here!)