Portland, OR. Live theater returns to The Armory in October when Frida … A Self Portrait kicks off Portland Center Stage’s 2021-2022 season. Written and performed by Vanessa Severo, and directed by Joanie Schultz, Frida … A Self Portrait begins preview performances October 9, opens October 15, and runs through November 7 on the U.S. Bank Main Stage. Tickets are on sale now, with special pricing available on September 28, during PCS’s season-wide One Day Sale.
“I’m thrilled to launch the season of live performance on stage with this fierce, beautiful play,” Artistic Director Marissa Wolf said. “Vanessa Severo is magnetic in this role; from the moment she locks eyes with the audience, you understand that you’re on a gripping journey of the soul.”
Set on the eve of Frida Kahlo’s death, this intimate solo show plunges into the brilliant, nuanced world of Kahlo’s tumultuous, extraordinary life — but goes far beyond biography.
Instead, Brazilian writer and performer Vanessa Severo cracks open a powerful portal between herself and the celebrated Mexican artist, bringing breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production.
Ultimately, the play paints a portrait of two artists, blending Kahlo’s life with Severo’s own experiences as a child born with a congenital disorder to parents who were newly immigrated to the United States.
“We are drawn to self-portraits, memoirs, and other forms of autobiography; it makes us feel seen, and not so alone,” Director Joanie Schultz said. “This becomes even more important when we are those who disappear: women, people of color, people with disabilities, queer people, and trans people across the world look at Frida’s self-portraits and see themselves because they recognize the pain she articulates so well in her work.”
Frida … A Self Portrait had its world premiere at the Living Room Theatre in 2014 and continued to evolve as Severo deepened her research on Kahlo, including journeying to Mexico City to visit La Casa Azul. In 2019, KCRep developed and produced the show at its OriginKC: New Works Festival. The script was featured on The Kilroys’ List in 2020 and has been further developed for its PCS debut. The KCRep creative team comes together once again for the Portland production.
Vanessa Severo’s acting credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Sex with Strangers, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, August Osage County, Cabaret, Lot’s Wife (KCRep); Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night (Heart of America Shakespeare Festival); The Revolutionists, Men on Boats, Mother F***er with the Hat, Venus in Fur, and The Clean House (The Unicorn Theatre). More information is available at vanessasevero.com.
Director Joanie Schultz (A Doll’s House at WaterTower Theatre; Venus in Fur at Goodman Theatre) is joined by Scenic Designer Jacqueline Penrod (Around the World in Eighty Days at Lookingglass Theatre), Costume Designer Katherine Davis (Dracula; a Song of Love and Death with Kansas City Actor’s Theatre), Lighting Designer Rachael Cady (Of Mice and Men at KCRep), Sound Designer Thomas Dixon, who also composed the original music (A Doll’s House at Steppenwolf Theatre Company), and Stage Manager Janine Vanderhoff (most recently Hedwig and the Angry Inch at PCS).
From Portland Center Stage:
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR FRIDA … A SELF PORTRAIT
Gallery Exhibit: Hard Feelings by Angela Saenz Oct 7 – Nov 15 • FREE Portland Center Stage will host Hard Feelings, an art installation by Portland-based painter and muralist Angela Saenz that draws upon the artist’s response to grief, intimacy, and community in the times of Coronavirus.
October First Thursday with Pablo Rivarola Thu, Oct 7, 5 p.m. • FREE October’s First Thursday will feature the opening for the Hard Feelings art installation, with music by the Pablo Rivarola Trio. Rivarola will be joined by drummer Nick Morrison and keyboard player Anderson Donley. Complimentary beer provided by Deschutes Brewery.
Pre-Show Discussion: Emily Rapp Black in Conversation with Vanessa Severo Wed, Oct 20, 6 p.m. • FREE Emily Rapp Black, The New York Times bestselling author of Frida Kahlo and My Left Leg, will join Vanessa Severo to discuss how the life, art, and disabilities of Frida Kahlo have impacted their work.
Pre-Show Author Talk & Book Signing with Emily Prado Sun, Oct 24, 1 p.m. • FREE Emilly Prado, Chicana writer and Portland-based founder of Nocha Libre DJ collective, will read an excerpt from her book Funeral For Flaca that retraces her experience coming of age as a prep-turned-chola-turned-punk in this collection of essays.
Post-Show Interview with Vanessa Severo Sun, Oct 24, 3:30 p.m. • FREE Emilly Prado, Chicana writer and Portland-based founder of Nocha Libre DJ collective, will explore the themes of the play in a post-show interview with Vanessa Severo.
Pre-Show Music: DJ Mami Miami Wed, Oct 27, 6:30 p.m. • FREE DJ Mami Miami, aka Chicana writer Emilly Prado, will spin a mix of music that spans genres and geography, from cumbia and quebradita to dancehall and perreo.
TICKET AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
When: Oct. 9 – Nov. 7, 2021*
*Opening Night/Press Night: Friday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Preview Performances: Oct. 9, 10, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. Pay What You Will Performance: Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: On the U.S. Bank Main Stage at The Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR.
To Purchase: Regular tickets range from $25 to $87. Tickets may be purchased at pcs.org/frida-a-self-portrait, 503.445.3700, or in-person from the box office. Ticket specials are listed at pcs.org/deals, including the One Day Sale, Rush Tickets, Arts for All, Military, Student, Under 30, The Armory Card, Groups of 10+, and more. Prices vary by date and time and are subject to change.
Please Note: This production is recommended for ages 13 and up. It contains adult situations and language, and depictions of drug use. Learn more by calling 503-445-3700.
Accessibility: Learn about our accessibility options at pcs.org/access.
Portland Center Stage was established in 1988 as a branch of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and became independent in 1994. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Managing Director Cynthia Fuhrman, the company produces a mix of classic, contemporary, and world premiere productions, along with a variety of high-quality education and community programs. As part of its dedication to new play development, the company has produced 28 world premieres, many of which were developed at its JAW New Play Festival. Portland Center Stage’s home is at The Armory, a historic building originally constructed in 1891. After a major renovation, The Armory opened in 2006 as the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, the first performing arts venue in the country, and the first building in Portland to achieve a LEED Platinum rating.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Learn more at pcs.org/idea.
Portland Center Stage’s 2021-2022 season is funded in part by Season Superstars the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation; Season Supporting Sponsors the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts, and US Bank; and Season Producing Sponsors Ellyn Bye, Ray and Bobbi Davis, Ronni LaCroute, and Jess Dishman.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Zoo bid a sad farewell in mid-September to Mochica, elder statesman of the Humboldt penguin colony and a distinguished seabird ambassador for more than three decades. At 31 years old, he was one of the oldest — and best-loved — penguins on the planet.
“Mochica was the oldest male of his species in any North American zoo or aquarium, maybe the whole world,” said Travis Koons, who oversees the zoo’s bird populations. “His remarkable longevity says a lot about both his zest for life and the quality of care he received over the years.”
Mochica hatched July 6, 1990, at the Oregon Zoo and was hand-reared, a standard practice at the time. But Mo, as he was known for short, grew up different from the other chicks. More than any penguin in the zoo’s large Humboldt colony, he enjoyed spending time with people, often choosing keepers’ quarters over the company of his fellow birds in the Penguinarium.
Here’s a video about the special penguin:
“It was pretty common to walk into the keeper kitchen area and find Mo ‘helping’ with the food prep or just hanging out with care staff there,” Koons said.
Mo was equally fond of visitors to the penguin area, who would meet him on behind-the-scenes tours. Eventually, Koons said, he became the zoo’s “greatest ambassador,” personally greeting thousands — perhaps tens of thousands — of visitors, and helping to raise awareness about a species in decline. It was a role he seemed to relish. As one former keeper put it, “Mochica rarely met an arm he didn’t love to groom.”
Wild Humboldt penguins seldom live past 20, and Mochica, who turned 31 in July, had been slowing down for several years. Over the past couple of years, animal-care staff had been monitoring him closely and treating a variety of age-related ailments.
“He had a mature cataract in one eye, old-age haze in the other, bilateral arthritis in his hips,” Koons said. “He was just a very old bird. It was hard for him to see, and at times difficult for him to walk.”
Koons praised the efforts of care staff, who did everything they could to ease the elderly penguin’s discomfort, sneaking a daily dose of meloxicam into his sustainable-seafood breakfast and scheduling regular laser-therapy sessions with specialists from Kenton Animal Hospital. Eventually, though, Mo’s conditions deteriorated, and on Saturday veterinary and care staff made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him.
“It’s an incredibly sad day for his care team and for everyone who spent time with this amazing bird,” Koons said. “We’ve all had times in our lives where animals have left an indelible mark on our hearts. Mochica has done that for thousands of people. He inspired generations.”
Koons hopes Mochica’s legacy will be continued conservation, particularly for Humboldts, which among the most at-risk of penguin species with a population estimated at just 12,000 breeding pairs.
“Humboldt penguins live in a region that’s greatly affected by human activity,” he said. “They need healthy ocean habitats to thrive, and we can help make a difference — even in simple ways like downloading the Seafood Watch app and choosing sustainable seafood.”
Native to the South American coastline off Peru and Chile, Humboldt penguins are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. They are threatened by overfishing of their prey species, entanglement in fishing nets, and breeding disruption due to commercial removal of the guano deposits where the birds lay their eggs.
The Oregon Zoo has supported Peru-based conservation organization ACOREMA’s work to protect the Humboldt penguin. ACOREMA monitors penguin mortality and works closely with San Andrés fishermen to mitigate the practice of hunting penguins for food. The group also trains volunteer rangers, reaching out to 3,000 students, teachers and Pisco-area residents a year to raise awareness about penguin conservation.
The 64-acre Oregon Zoo is located in Portland, a city and surrounding metropolitan area of 2.26 million people. Annual attendance is more than 1.5 million, making the zoo the top paid attraction in the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Zoo Foundation, the zoo’s philanthropic partner, plays an integral role in supporting the zoo’s animal welfare, conservation and education programs. Since its inception in 1997, the foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has rasied more than $84 million for the zoo’s top priorities.
Portland, OR. Receiving the keys to a home you helped build is a dream come true for families who participate in the Habitat for Humanity program. The ‘Hard Hat & Black Tie’ virtual benefit on September 17th raised over $405,000 to further the mission of the nonprofit. It works alongside families to, “instill the core values of self-reliance, stability, and strength. With the help of our local community and through sweat equity, families can have a safe and comfortable place to call home.”
Organizers planned what they described as an inspirational evening to hear stories from the community, “and learn how we can be a part of building strength, stability, and independence through affordable homeownership.”
Habitat for Humanity volunteers help first-time homeowners with landscaping, gardening, building projects, clean-up, painting and assembling flat-packed furniture, and more.
Here’s a video about the program:
From Habitat for Humanity:
At Habitat for Humanity, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and that starts with a stable and healthy place to call home. Founded in 1981, we have built and repaired homes in partnership with over 1,700 people right here in the Portland Metro region. With plans to triple the number of people we serve every year, we are invested in creating a Portland where everyone has the opportunity to build a better life.
Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East is a part of a global nonprofit housing organization that works in communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in 70 countries.
Our Vision: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Portland, OR. Portland Opera will celebrate its return to the Keller Auditorium with four performances of Puccini’s grand opera Tosca. Masks and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, will be required at all four performances. Tosca: will take the stage October 29th & 31st, and November 4th & 6th. Digital access will also be available for a limited time on Portland Opera Onscreen, starting November 16th. “We are over the moon to welcome audiences back to the Keller Auditorium with Tosca this fall” says Sue Dixon, General Director of the opera. “We are approaching this production with the health and wellbeing of our entire community at the forefront of our minds and are dedicated to presenting this piece as safely as possible.”
The opera tells the story of Tosca, a renowned diva, in Rome in 1800. An artist-activist has won her heart, and his revolutionary sympathies provoke the wrath of Scarpia, the corrupt chief of police. Her devotion and moral resistance are challenged by abuses of power, attempted rape, and tragedy—as this high drama builds to its haunting finale
Alexandra LoBianco will sing the title role of Tosca. LoBianco, whose performance as Tosca has been described as “thrilling” by Opera News, will make her Portland Opera debut in the title role.
Noah Stewart will sing the role of Cavaradossi in Portland Opera’s production of Tosca.
Stage director Linda Brovsky will make her Portland Opera debut directing this grand, traditional production.
Performances will also feature the talented local and regional musicians who make up Portland Opera’s orchestra and chorus.
With the launch of the 21/22 season, Portland Opera welcomes Artistic Director Priti Gandhi, who joined the staff in early September. “I am delighted to be here in Portland for my first production as Artistic Director, and to welcome this incredible cast and creative team to Portland” shares Gandhi. “Tosca is full of passion, romance, tragedy, and politics. It is the perfect grand opera for a return to the theater.”
This production will feature a number of company debuts, including tenor Noah Stewart as Cavaradossi, baritone Gordon Hawkins as Scarpia, and tenor Katherine Goforth as Spoletta. Baritone Deac Guidi returns to Portland Opera as Sacristan, bass-baritone Damien Geter (Portland Opera’s co-artistic advisor) returns as Angelotti and the Jailer, and baritone Zachary Lenox returns as Sciarrone.
Conductor Tiffany Chang will conduct Puccini’s lush score, which features the beloved arias “Vissi d’arte,” “E lucevan le stelle,” and “Recondita armonia.” Chang, who makes her debut at Portland Opera as well as Opera Columbus this season, serves as artist-faculty at Oberlin Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, and was a recipient of a 2020 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award as well as a recent OPERA America Grant for Women Stage Directors and Conductors.
Stage director Linda Brovsky will make her Portland Opera debut directing this grand, traditional production. Performances will also feature the talented local and regional musicians who make up Portland Opera’s orchestra and chorus.
All ticketholders, regardless of age, will be required to show proof of full COVID vaccination or of negative test results from a COVID PCR test (taken within 72 hours of performance time) for entry into the theatre. “Fully vaccinated” means that ticketholders have received their final vaccination dose of either the two-dose regimen of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days before the performance date. Audience members aged 18 and over must also present a photo ID. Trained entry staff will be on site at the theatre to review proof of vaccination upon arrival. All patrons, regardless of age, test results, and vaccination status, are required to wear masks inside the theatre at all times, except when consuming food or beverages in permitted areas. Ticketholders will receive additional instructions about how to prepare for onsite entry activities and what to expect. Detailed information about Portland Opera’s COVID-19 policies can be found here. If postponed, alternate COVID-19 dates for this production are May 13 – 21, 2022.
From Portland Opera:
Patrons under the age of 12, for whom there is no currently available vaccine, are not permitted to attend performances in the 21/22 season, or until further notice. The company will work with families and educators for increased and accessible digital access and supporting curricula for arts and opera experiences
Tosca is generously supported by Curtis T. Thompson, MD & Associates and Winderlea Vineyard & Winery. Portland Opera appreciates the ongoing support of our generous donors, The Collins Foundation, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund, special support from The CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund, and The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program.
Tosca Tickets and Information
Performances take place at 7:30PM at the Keller Auditorium with the exception of the matinee on October 31 which begins at 2:00PM. One hour prior to each performance, audience members are invited to a pre-show lecture. After each performance, audience members are invited to a post-show conversation with company and cast members.
Tosca will be sung in Italian with projected English translations. The running time of Tosca is 2 hour and 45 minutes, with two intermissions.
Student rush tickets are available for performances of Tosca, starting two weeks prior to the performance. Call 503-241-1802 Monday through Friday from 10AM–5PM for more information. Portland Opera is proud to also work with the Veteran Tickets Foundation (vettix.org) to share tickets to the performance on November 4 with U.S. Armed Forces personnel, veterans, and their families. In addition, a limited number of free tickets are available through My Discovery Pass, a program created by Multnomah County Library that offers access to local museums and cultural institutions for library card holders.
A limited number of $5 tickets for Oregon Trail Card holders are available two weeks prior to each performance, subject to availability. These tickets must be purchased via phone by calling 503-241-1802.
The performance on October 31 at 2pm will include an audio description of the visual and physical events on stage for patrons who are blind or have low vision. For patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, each performance is visually translated with English text projected above the stage.
Tickets for Tosca are now available, starting at $35. Digital passes to stream this performance on Portland Opera Onscreen will be available for $50. Digital access will be available from November 16th through December 31st.
For more information, and to purchase tickets visit portlandopera.org or call Patron Services at 503-241-1802. For more information, patrons may also contact the Opera Concierge at [email protected], Monday through Friday from 10PM–5PM.
Special Event
Tosca Open Chorus Rehearsal
Sunday, October 3, 2021 | 2pm Outside of the Hampton Opera Center – 211 SE Caruthers St.
This outdoor public working rehearsal will feature the Portland Opera Chorus led by Portland Opera’s Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor Nicholas Fox. The event will be free and open to the public. Masks & proof of vaccination/negative PCR test required.
Tosca Cast & Creative Team
Tosca
Alexandra LoBianco
Cavaradossi
Noah Stewart
Scarpia
Gordon Hawkins
Angelotti/Jailer
Damien Geter
Sacristan
Deac Guidi
Spoletta
Katherine Goforth
Sciarrone
Zachary Lenox
Conductor
Tiffany Chang
Director
Linda Brovsky
Assistant Director
Seth Hoff
Costume Designer
Christine A. Richardson
Lighting Designer
Connie Yun
Dates, programming, artists, and details are subject to change.
Portland, OR. Volunteers have collected a total of more than 51,000 pounds of litter in Downtown Portland over the past year. SOLVE’s monthly ‘Downtown Portland Cleanup Days’ started in September of 2020. More than 5,000 volunteers have pitched in during the coordinated, downtown-wide, litter cleanup effort. SOLVE officials say, “More than 5,000 community members have worked together to lift Portland back up, one piece of litter at a time.”
Volunteers collected large items like couches, pieces of furniture, and car tires, as well as small pieces of litter like bottle caps, cigarette butts, and plastic bottles.
SOLVE’s state-wide programs have held 571 events, empowering 12,193 volunteers who removed 113,226 lbs. of trash, planted 13,748 native trees and shrubs, and removed 180,929 sq. ft. of invasive plants in the last 12 months alone.
In addition to monthly clean-up efforts, SOLVE has weekly ‘Detrash Portland’ events. They connect like-minded volunteers who want to tackle the issue of litter in Portland. Each week, SOLVE supports events throughout the city; it provides cleanup supplies, safety information, and disposal assistance for anyone who would like to improve their neighborhood through the simple act of cleaning up.
From SOLVE, “We take pride in Portland and know that cleaning up is an easy and effective way to give back. Join us at an upcoming event and become a part of the Detrash Portland movement! “
For example, Tillamook County volunteers are wanted for SOLVE’s Beach & Riverside Cleanup, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, on Saturday, September 25. Projects will include cleanup in Netarts Bay, Rockaway Beach, and Pacific City.
Part of the mission of SOLVE is to educate people about the importance of cleaning up the environment.
SOLVE’s list of learning opportunities: (Most of these opportunities are for high school level readers and above, and cover a variety of environmental topics.)
https://www.edx.org/ – Edx offers a multitude of classes from some of the world’s top universities. Enrolling into a class is free, although you will have to make an account with the website. Options to accredit your online class are available too.
http://conservationwebinars.net/ Conservation is an ever-changing subject, so to keep the science community up to speed, the USDA created a free webinar portal as a part of their Science and Technology Training Library. Webinars vary from being “live” to on-demand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggh0Ptk3VGE – Plastics 101. SOLVE is committed to cleaning our communities and natural landscapes, including Oregon’s beaches, from plastic pollution and other litter. Take a moment to watch National Geographic’s Plastic: 101 video to get acquainted with this material.
Make screen time more valuable! Use this list below to access online resources to keep your child engaged in science and the natural world from home. Do a quick Google search and you’ll find many resources available. Below are just a few that we found particularly interesting.
https://rangerrick.org/stuck-indoors/ – Join Ranger Rick on journeys throughout the natural world! The Wildlife Federation is making all Ranger Rick website activities and online magazines free for the next few months.
https://www.khanacademy.org/ – Khan Academy is stepping up their game, making their online resources more available than ever before. They have also created a learning schedule, that students can log into and experience real-time instruction, to provide some structure to your child’s day at home.
https://citynaturechallenge.org/ – Become a citizen scientist between April 24 – April 27 and help document the biodiversity in your neighborhood. This is a global effort.
From SOLVE:
Founded in 1969, SOLVE’s mission is to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment and build a legacy of stewardship.
SOLVE restores and preserves Oregon’s environment by mobilizing the power of volunteers and partners with the generosity of donors. Across the state, we bring diverse communities together to improve the health and safety of our neighborhoods and natural areas including our coast, rivers, parks, and forests.
We implement litter cleanups because we know the importance of keeping our neighborhoods safe and healthy, while also understanding the importance of picking up litter before it heads downstream, impacting our shared ocean.
We orchestrate year-round beach cleanups because we know they are essential to reducing the harmful effects of plastic pollution and other marine debris.
We plant native trees and shrubs and remove invasive species to help Oregon’s habitats stay healthy, so they can continue to support a wealth of pollinators and other wildlife.
Portland, OR. Lan Su Chinese Garden is open for visitors. Masks are required for all visitors to the garden aged 5 and older, regardless of vaccination status. Zhong Qiu Jie (中秋節), a.k.a. the Mid-Autumn Festival, is considered one of the most important Chinese holidays. Traditionally taking place on the fifteenth day of the eight-month of the lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is usually on or close to the time of the “Harvest Moon” when the moon appears at its fullest during the autumnal equinox. During the weekend of September 18th and 19th, the garden will be adorned with countless hanging lanterns. There will be a lantern-making activity, storytelling, chopstick challenge, and calligraphy demonstration. This daytime festival is free with garden admission or membership.
The garden is also offering a virtual tour so people can enjoy images of the garden from the comfort of their homes. The botanical garden featuring rare plants native to China, decorative stonework & a tea shop is located at 239 Northwest Everett Street. The garden takes up an entire block of the city’s historic Chinatown district.
Events and concerts are offered, year-round like the Takohachi drummers.
The garden is also encouraging contactless visits. An app has an audio tour and a series of interactive scavenger hunts, photo challenges, and multiple-choice trivia questions. with the help of the following:
Musicians like OregonKotoKai regularly perform at the garden.
The garden is getting ready for a benefit fundraiser. The virtual event will coincide with the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday when the family is reunited to share stories, eat mooncakes, and gather under the moon.
The Lan Su Chinese Garden is an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, that brings together art, architecture, design, and nature in this 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition. It’s an inspiring, serene setting for meditation, quiet thought and tea served at The Tao of Tea in the authentic teahouse at Tower of Cosmic Reflections, as well as public tours of the grounds led by expert horticulturalists.
The mission of Lan Su Chinese Garden is to cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, engage and educate our global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture.
Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of Portland’s greatest treasures and most interesting sites to see while visiting Portland. A result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, our sister city in China’s Jiangsu province that’s famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens, Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one of the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China.
Much more than just a beautiful botanical garden, Lan Su is a creative wonder — a powerfully inspiring experience based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design, and nature in perfect harmony.
Last spring, Executive Director Elizabeth Nye released a statement against Asian hate:
Amidst the hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, our hearts break for our brothers and sisters of the AAPI community. We want to make our voice very clear— Lan Su is standing united with the Oldtown Chinatown community to strongly condemn racial intolerance and violence. This is no place for hate.
Built on the friendship between Portland and our sister city, Suzhou, China, Lan Su has always been an inclusive haven in Oldtown that inspires cross-cultural connections. From the planting of a single osmanthus tree to the raising of countless red lanterns, the garden has become the perfect backdrop for stories to be told, history to be learned, and diversity to be celebrated.
On the path to grow and evolve as a nonprofit organization, we are always learning with our community and listening carefully to your voices. Share your opinions with the garden by e-mailing us at [email protected].
Walking through Portland’s Oldtown-Chinatown arch, you would be greeted by an inscription that reads “四海一家”, which means “One family from the Four Seas” in Chinese, a heartfelt wish to everyone, wherever they have traveled from, to find their community here in peace. A wish that we hope you can join us, to make happen.
Portland, OR. Portland knifemaker Alex Horn has created several commemorative knives from the rubble of the Twin Towers and says, “On this day, 20 years ago, the steel inside of this knife fell from a great height.” The proceeds from two knives will be donated to a charity called Tuesday’s Children. The nonprofit is still working with families whose lives were forever changed when the towers were brought down by a terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001. Alex Horn says of the creative project, “I was considering where the steel came from and it definitely made me handle the steel with more care.” The benefit auction will be on the knifemaker’s Instagram starting on Saturday, September 11th, and the bidding will close at midnight, Monday, September 13th.
The knife being raffled off is a 10 1/2 inch knife with an Amboyna burr handle. It features a spacer of fossilized mammoth ivory and is valued at $1,500. Raffle tickets are $20.
The post went live on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
The steel for the knives came from a large bearing salvaged from an elevator shaft found in the rubble of the Twin Towers. It was given to Horn by a fellow Portlander who had been gifted the steel by a friend who worked at the Twin Towers site.
The second knife will be auctioned off which will also take place on Alex Horn’s Instagram. It has a buckeye burl handle with g-10 bolster.
In addition to 9/11 families, Tuesday’s Children also works with families, “Who have been forever changed by terrorism, military conflict or mass violence.”
Many people have reached out to Alex Horn. He is thanking them for their kind words and for sharing their stories saying, “It’s been an honor.”
From Tuesday’s Children:
Your desire to help children and families whose lives have been impacted by traumatic loss means the world to us.
Thank you for being here for them today and on their long-term journeys toward healing, and to honor the memories of loved ones lost to terrorism, military conflict or mass violence.
There are so many ways you can personally make a difference – and engage your family, friends, company and school, too. You have the power to help families feel supported and hopeful again instead of isolated and at-risk. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call or email [email protected] if you’re not finding what you need here.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is open on a limited basis. To help keep our community healthy, OMSI has limited capacity, introduced staggered ticketing times, and is continuing to require face coverings.
OMSI remains committed to the health and safety of everyone at the museum—including visitors, students, staff, and volunteers. The organization wants visitors to feel comfortable and safe while discovering at OMSI. Administrators explain, “While our region is moving closer to community immunity, we are continuing to require visitors to wear masks. This policy allows us to offer a safe space to the hundreds of children attending OMSI Camps & Classes at the museum, as the majority of these students are not yet eligible to be vaccinated.”
Founded in 1944, OMSI is one of the nation’s leading science museums with an international reputation in science education. Our mission is to inspire curiosity by creating engaging science learning experiences for students of all ages and backgrounds. We foster experimentation and the exchange of ideas, and we help our community make smart, informed choices.
To help limit the spread of COVID-19, OMSI has taken the below steps:
– Staff and guests will be wearing face coverings to protect those too young for vaccination
– Capacity for open areas across the museum has been reduced
– Providing online ticketing (we’ll scan your ticket for contactless entry)
– Signs are posted throughout the museum to encourage guests to maintain physical distancing
– Enhanced cleaning protocols are in place and additional hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the museum
Daily Hours and What’s Open
– OMSI’s hours are Monday through Sunday from 10am to 7pm.
– Visitors may experience Dinosaurs Revealed, the Natural Science Hall, Empirical Theater and Kendall Planetarium shows, and tour the USS Blueback Submarine. The Empirical Cafe is also open for refreshments and snacks.
– To learn more about hours and pricing, check out the Visitor Info page.
Travel Back in Time with Dinosaurs
Journey back 250 million years to prehistoric North America! Get up close and personal with life-sized dinosaurs, two detailed dinosaur cast fossils, and more.
The last day of this exhibit is Monday, September 6th.
Find constellations in the night sky, travel to the moon with Big Bird, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and more in the Kendall Planetarium.
Get a glimpse of how a crew of 85 lived on the Blueback for months, walk through the torpedo room, learn about the submarine’s famous history, and more.
Purchase Tickets: We strongly recommend purchasing admission tickets and parking online prior to your visit. Upon arrival, guests may present the ticket order on their phone to be scanned by museum staff. Admission tickets can also be purchased via phone at 503.797.4000, and can be sent to the guest’s email account or picked up at the museum front desk.
Admissions and capacity are reduced throughout the museum. Capacity will be controlled through the use of timed ticketing for museum attractions and monitored by staff.
To help keep them safe, OMSI staff and museum guests age 5 or older are required to wear either a cloth, paper, or disposable face covering (that covers the nose and the mouth). Any guest or staff member without a face covering will be provided a disposable face covering.
Signage will be posted throughout OMSI requiring guests or staff with known symptoms of COVID-19 to stay home and contact a medical professional. All OMSI staff are required to complete daily health assessments including temperature checks. Any staff with a temperature in excess of 100.4 degrees or feeling ill for any reason must not report to the museum.
Additional hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed in key guest contact areas. All hands-on exhibition components have either been removed from the museum floor or turned off. OMSI will follow enhanced cleaning protocols and use an EPA-registered disinfectant that is active against coronaviruses. Frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected multiple times daily.
From OMSI:
Our Mission
OMSI’s mission is to inspire curiosity through engaging science learning experiences, foster experimentation, and the exchange of ideas, and stimulate informed action.
Our Equity Statement
OMSI respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. We believe that we will be successful in accomplishing our mission and vision when we seek out and respond to diversity of participation, thought and action. We will work to dismantle barriers to equity and access to the experiences OMSI provides and to create welcoming environments and conditions where all people can reach their full potential.
Portland, OR. As Covid-19 guidelines are updated, Fences for Fido continues to build fences for dogs while following recommended protocols. The nonprofit improves the quality of life for dogs living outdoor by building fences free of charge for families who keep their dogs on chains, tethers, and in small enclosures. In addition to the fence, Fences for Fido also provide an insulated doghouse for each dog as well as spay/neuter services and emergency veterinary care when needed.
Fences For Fido had unchained a lot of dogs…over 1,600.
The nonprofit uses volunteer labor. Here are some of the Covid-safe modifications volunteers are undertaking:
On-Site Safety Guidelines
Face coverings or masks, along with six feet of physical distancing, significantly slow or stop the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, it is our policy that all volunteers must wear face coverings and practice physical distancing at all of our fence builds.
Prior to Arrival volunteers are asked the following:
If you have been in contact with any known COVID-19 patients, we ask that you complete the 14-day quarantine before joining a build.
If you feel sick or have any symptoms of the virus, we ask that you not attend a build. Please take your temperature before coming to a build to check for fever.
If you have an elevated temperature, please stay home.
Here’s a video about the work of the organization. Dog house coordinator, Jennifer Adams, tells the story of Tiny Guy, a Warm Springs, Oregon dog living outside in sub-freezing temperatures:
From Fences for Fido:
We’re protecting OUR VOLUNTEERS: the most valuable part of this amazing, life-saving, kindness-spreading, hard-working machine we’ve created together.
When a dog is unchained, a transformation begins. It starts with what we call “zoomies:” The running, jumping, exuberant joy our Fidos display once unchained – many for the first time in years. That visible happiness puts smiles on the faces of our volunteers and most importantly, on the faces of our client families who through this process being to connect with their pets in a more meaningful way.
This single moment represents the beginning of an even deeper bond between a dog and his or her family. Since we built our first Fences in 2009, we’ve witnessed more than 2,200 “zoomies!” We’ve expanded to cover Southwest Washington and most areas throughout Oregon, answering the call and building an average of 13 fences per month in every kind of weather.
Additionally, we’ve inspired change on a larger scale: In 2014, Fences For Fido was instrumental in the historic passage of Oregon’s first anti-tethering law, which restricts the amount of time a dog can be chained.
To accelerate the unchaining movement, we actively support and mentor new unchaining groups all over the country. We’re fully committed to this next step in our mission, and have created the Unchained Planet initiative to further this cause.
Thank you for being a part of our effort to change lives… one fence, one family, one dog at a time.
Portland, OR. As people continue to return to their favorite pre-pandemic pastimes, the Oregon Zoo is offering longer hours and a host of seasonal activities. On Fridays and Saturdays, guests can come late and spend and summer evening at the zoo. Last reservations are at 6:30 p.m., with grounds remaining open until 8 p.m. The zoo’s food outlets will be staying open late as well and offering a selection of local beer and wines for adults. Advance online ticket reservations are required for all guests, including members: Reserve tickets.
Along with more time to see the animals, zoo visitors will be treated to a summer chock full of keeper talks, animal activities, and other happenings.
Guests can once again ride the rails on the zoo train after more than a year out of service.
A playful baby river otter pup has taken up residence at the Oregon Zoo this summer after being orphaned along a roadside in Deer Island, OR. The video below shows some of her new activities.
Here’s information about visiting the zoon:
From Oregon Zoo:
All areas of the zoo are open and face masks are required for everyone 5 years and older in indoor spaces, outdoor areas where six feet of distance from other people cannot be maintained, and in other areas where posted. Find member information here. The Oregon Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Online advance-purchase tickets are required
Advance online ticket reservations are required for all guests, including members. All visitors must be included in the timed reservation, including infants (age 0 to 1). Tickets are available 10 days in advance. Guests and members should arrive at the zoo within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. Zoo capacity is timed and limited. If you arrive outside of your scheduled time, you may need to wait for the next available entry time. In order to ensure entrance, your timed ticket should be purchased in advance.
For zoo members: all named members must show photo ID along with their reserved ticket when entering the zoo. Additional guests may not be substituted for named cardholder reservations. Membership cards are not required since ID numbers will be printed on the tickets. (Each named member, child or infant (age 0 to 1), or guest must have their own reservation. All children and guests must arrive with a named cardholder with a photo ID.)
Face masks are required for everyone 5 years and older (regardless of vaccination status) at entry and in indoor spaces, including exhibits, restrooms, restaurants and shops. Masks are also required in all outdoor areas where six feet of distance from other people cannot be maintained, and in other areas where posted. Face shields, if worn, must be accompanied by a properly worn face mask. Per CDC guidance, you may wear two-layered or folded balaclavas or gaiters, but not bandanas or masks with exhalation valves or vents. In some cases, accommodations can be made for individuals with a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe or a disability that prevents them from wearing a mask. To request an accommodation, call 503-226-1561 (press 4) or email [email protected]. Please contact us at least 48 hours prior to your visit date, as accommodations must be scheduled in advance, and are by reservation only.
Train and carousel
A beautiful carousel of 18 handcrafted animals runs from 10 a.m. to 15 minutes before the zoo closes. On-site tickets are available until a half-hour before the zoo closes. $3.50 per rider.
The historic zoo railway runs daily from 10:30 a.m. to a half-hour before the zoo closes. Rides last six minutes and board every 15 to 20 minutes. $5 per rider. Train and carousel tickets are available as add-on options when reserving tickets online. Members must be logged in to receive discounts.
Food service
Food is available (no cash transactions). Mobile ordering is available for AfriCafe. You will be notified when your order is ready for pickup. Indoor dining areas are open. You may bring your own food, beverages, and coolers, but no alcohol. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.
Parking
Parking is available in the city lot adjacent to the zoo and throughout Washington Park. Guests are encouraged to download and use the Parking Kitty app for safer and easier parking payment. Oversized vehicles and trailers can park in designated areas.
Cashless transactions
To minimize contact, all food and retail locations are only accepting credit or debit cards at this time.
Keeper talks and animal activities include the following (daily except where noted):
9:45 a.m. – mountain goat/black bear keeper talk
10:30 a.m. – condor keeper talk
10:30 a.m. – crocodile feeding (Sundays only)
10:45 a.m. – Family Farm keeper talk
11:15 a.m. – sea otter snack time
1 p.m. – chimpanzee keeper talk
1:15 p.m. – elephant keeper talk
1:45 p.m. – polar bear keeper talk
2 p.m. – penguin keeper talk
2:15 p.m. – giraffe keeper talk
2:45 p.m. – orangutan/gibbon keeper talk
3 p.m. – bat feeding
3:15 p.m. – river otter play time
On Thursdays at 11 a.m., guests can stop by the zoo’s Family Farm for “Ask a Vet,” presented by Banfield Pet Hospital, where zoo and Banfield veterinary staff answer questions about caring for animals both wild and domestic.
The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily. Masks are not required, but capacity is limited and all guests, including zoo members, are encouraged to reserve their tickets online in advance. Learn more about what to expect when visiting.
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