Okay, Portland.  What is the deal?  Really.  Where can an Oklahoman girl go to find some good Tex Mex around this bitch?  We have asked and asked (and still have quite a few places to try, thank you 52 Ltd. for your recent recommendations!), but I am truly experiencing my first pangs of homesickness.  We’d even settle for - gasp! - El Chico!  In Norman, the smallish town in Oklahoma from where we came, there are five, count them, FIVE incredible Mexican restaurants (in alphabetical order because we fought over priority otherwise): Border Crossing (though did I hear correctly this place is no more?!), Chelino’s, La Luna, Los Dos Amigos, Pepe Delgado’s, and Tarahumara’s.  And that’s just the five good ones!  There are plenty of other options, down to, but not entirely ruling out, Taco Bueno.

I got truly, truly excited when Brian, a nice guy I occasionally work with, told me about a good “Tex Mex” place really near our home: Esparza’s.  We anxiously thought about this place for almost four days before finally having a good opportunity to go.  We excitedly (hungrily) got to the place, walked in the door, sat down, opened our menus…and….What? in? the? hell?  (Sorry, Brian, if you’re reading this.  I do appreciate the recommendation!)

We so had expected to see the menu entice us with scalding hot platters of bean mush covered in cheese, rice, and greasy, cheesy, sour-creamy enchilada goodness.. like this.  Instead we saw listed, as plain as day, on the menu: Lamb enchiladas with a side of mashed potatoes? BBQ Brisket Tamales? Hominy Soup?  Thursday Chicken Fried Steak Special?!  I put question marks because I still really question if it could really be so.

Somebody start the twitter chain now:  Portland thinks Tex Mex is a combo of southern comfort food with Mexican classics.  Oh, oh, noooo.  I keep thinking this must be some terrible joke!

Let it be noted:  The side salad (yep) had French dressing, there was no queso in sight, and the guacamole was a pasty, mushy, green mess.  Oh, and we had to ask for sour cream.

So, beware vidoop crew (WELCOME to Portland, but yeah, sorry.  Be warned!)  You will long for the good Tex Mex we took for granted in Oklahoma.  Your mouth will salivate for the real deal, and you will have to satiate it with fresh, produce-filled organic soft tacos with some fusion weirdness like calamari or tofu buffalo steak or something.

Mission still unaccomplished. Sigh.

This weekend is a big one!  I’ll be busy blogging and twittering for PDX Pipeline on everything going on here in Portland, including Musicfest NW (MFNW), Inverge, and cre8con.  You can follow us here:  pdxtweet.  I’ll be busy bringing you updates on everything that’s going on and will be having a blast doing so..

For those of you going to these events, I (being the organized nerd that I am) have created a pocket schedule to consolidate this weekend’s events, and I figured there might be others out there who would appreciate and use such an A-type tool.
Here you go.

Recently, I was contacted for permission to use a flickr image I had posted of the OKC Bricktown Canal - something I had shot quickly with my cell phone last December while we were hanging with our families during the holidays - for an amazing little application called schmap. Evidently, I’ve been in the dark on this really, nifty little application for almost four years (though I think this newer version isn’t quite so old), and now - being the map lover that I am - I’m over the moon for this thing and simply had to share my new discovery! Am I the only one who’s just heard of this?!

There’s an online version you can use, but take it from me, the downloadable, desktop version for offline use is full and complex without being complicated and has a more beautiful interface than the online variety. Plus, it will come in handy for those times I’m using my laptop out and about and offline (especially since the effort to have free wifi citywide in Portland has been squashed). Described as a uniquely interactive experience, the desktop schmap allows you to search, bookmark, take tours, quick zoom, email your findings, get directions, print custom maps, and more for 200 cities around the world. And in case you’re wondering: Yes, it’s a totally free application. [Read more →]

It’s been awhile since we’ve blogged. Diana and I both have been busy hustling up the work and play here in Portland. We’ll do our best to stay on top of this interweb thing.

One recent thing that is happening is “Matador,” a music video I shot a couple of weeks ago for director Jeffrey Wilson. The video is being made in conjunction with a Rock Opera that Jeffrey is putting together titled “Chariots of Rubber.”

Already, they have made a music video/commercial for Voodoo Doughnuts. Watch it HERE.

Anyhoo, the Matador video is being edited now, so keep your eye out for it! More to come.

Here it is! Winner of the Best Soundtrack award at the 2008 International Documentary Challenge, we proudly present:

“The Mixtress”

This Wednesday
May 7, 2008
7 p.m.
Hollywood Theatre
(click for map)
$6/person, tickets at Box Office or online here

The short film Peter and I shot as part of the 2008 International Documentary Challenge will be screening at Hollywood Theatre, along with the Doc Challenge Grand Winner, “Click Whoosh” and the POV Short Film Winner, “Ars Magna,” both made by Seattle teams; “Beholder,” the film that won Best Writing and the Doc Challenge Original Vision awards from Brooklyn, NY; and an international entry from Sydney, Australia. Twelve total films (each 8 minutes or shorter, per the contest’s rules) will play, making the entire screening about 90 minutes.

More information, including the full list of films, can be seen on my latest post on PDX Pipeline.

We’ll be gathering prior to the event at 5:30 pm at the Moon and Sixpence British Pub, just around the corner from Hollywood Theatre, for some bangers and mash and a pint. A group of the filmmaking teams will be meeting at this same pub after the screening, as well.

See you there!

Last year, when Diana and I were still residents of the great state of Oklahoma, we partnered with director Levi Cathcart, of Tulsa, to produce a short film titled “Odd, Oklahoma.” Filmed over a weekend in May 2007, the film is a short comedy about a small town bank robbery, starring and crewed by some of the best talent Oklahoma has to offer. With a 7-minute running time, “Odd, Oklahoma” is packed with action, laughs, and an ending that will surprise you.

This June, the film will finally be making it’s long-awaited debut at the 2008 deadCENTER Film Festival in downtown Oklahoma City. I have a long history with this festival, having had films compete in it practically every year of it’s 8 year existence. It is my favorite film festival in the region, and each year it draws filmmakers and cinema lovers from around the world.

“Odd, Oklahoma” makes its worldwide premiere Friday June 13 at 7pm at the Kerr Auditorium, as part of the “Okie Shorts” portion of the festival. We are very proud of this film and would love for everyone to come out and cheer us on.
More information about the festival at www.deadcenterfilm.org

It’s officially here. A time when the clouds will completely break and a hustle starts to happen. After that long, gray Portland winter, busier days and noticably warmer evenings are finally sneaking up on us. And with it comes the stuff to do!

One such stuff is AudioCinema’s BBQ this Sunday (May 4) from 2:00pm-midnight. The Spring-usher event, otherwise known as Cinco de Mustache, will feature bands (don’t know which ones), pinatas (don’t know what shapes), full-bar (don’t know what prices), and mustaches (oh yeah.)

All those (I don’t knows) up there will be answered shortly when I hear back from them.
(5/4/08 - here’s what I found out:   one band playing is Maccabee, full cash bar with emphasis on margaritas, no idea on pinata, but my guess is monkey.  just because I like to say monkey.)

Rock the real deal or wear a fake, but definitely let your ’stache know it will be wearing lots of BBQ sauce and ice cream on Sunday. Hope to see you all there.

AudioCinema
(503) 467 - 4554
226 se Madison
portland, ore.
under the Hawthorne bridge
enter from SE Madison St.
googley map

psst! By the way, Audio Cinema has happy hour M-F from 4-7pm, with 20% off entrees and $1 PBR - and if memory serves correctly, they have wine specials, which is a welcome bit for me.

That’s right, kids. I’m now giving my time and words to pdxpipeline, a not-so-underground, underground website on all things Portland and cultured… erm, except milk (which I’ve learned at the Candidates Gone Wild event the other night is Portland’s official beverage. But that’s another story…)

My premiere contribution to the pipeline is on the Portland premiere of Werner Herzog’s latest flick, Encounters at the End of the World, playing at the NW Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium on 1219 SW Park Avenue. The film kicks off a whole series slew of Herr Herzog’s films, showing most of the month of May. Come join me and Peter tomorrow night (that’s Friday, May 2 at 7 p.m.) as we check out the German cinemagic.

The Mixtress, the short documentary we made as part of the 2008 International Documentary Challenge, won Best Soundtrack!  A big thanks to the talent and connections of Jules Bennett, the Mixtress herself, for compiling such an amazing pool of musical talent for this film.