HEADOUT PICKS

"Astoria Sea Lion" by Gary Sheldon We understand. Really, we do. Every time you go outside, the mud sucks the galoshes right off your feet...

PETA has finally said something with which we can all agree. The normally dissident organization compiled a list of the country's best faux-meat...

Hidden from critics until last night, here's...

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

She should so choose Jacob.

From an opening dream sequence that echoes Wild Strawberries to a cliffhanger finale featuring an ingeniously hammy Michael Sheen—and especially in the middle, while a shirtless wolfpack broods and brawls across the screen—New Moon is infinitely better than Twilight. Sorry, Portland: The sexually repressed vampire picture Catherine Hardwicke filmed here can’t hold a candle to the woozy vampires-vs.-werewolves sequel Chris Weitz didn’t film here. (He went to British Columbia instead.) The new movie is so much better, in fact, that I find myself wondering if it might actually be…no, it couldn’t be…is it good? God help me. I’ve become a 12-year-old girl.

Bravo's best reality show finally jumped on the Portland-happy bandwagon—casting producers stopped by last Sunday to hold open castings for Top Chef. All those with passable cooking knowledge and a vocal personality were invited to throw their knifes into the hat for a chance at mid-level TV stardom. "We want people who are outspoken and passionate" about cooking, Hunter Braun, one of the show's casting directors, told WW.

By means of audience response, BodyVox's current show, Chronos/Kairos was certainly successful. The guests laughed when they were supposed to laugh, gasped when they were supposed to gasp and gave the dancers a standing ovation at the curtain. While it certainly felt warm and fuzzy to sit with such receptive company, the enthusiasm for what turned out to be a lackluster performance got a little old. It only served to codify the distinction between diehard BodyVox fans and everyone else.

Chronos/Kairos was a strikingly accessible show. Yes, some of the pieces, like Urban Meadow, where the dancers dressed like sheep and "baa"ed all over the stage, were a bit strange. Yes, some of the costumes, like Ashley Roland's in Beat, were tight and sheer enough to be nude. But almost every piece had a clear motive and/or narrative running throughout. Any person, of any age, watching Fishers Are Men, for example, would know right from the start that the two goofy men dressed as fishermen would inevitably enact some sort of goofy fishing adventure while onstage. The dancing just filled in the gaps between the predictable opening and closing of each piece. Like a children's television show, it is easy to follow along and feel as though one "gets it," even with no dance background.

Thanksgiving—it’s the time of year when we all come together at a table creaking with the weight of pure American gluttony. Spending hours stuffed into a chair, shoving forkful after forkful of turkey and pie into our mouths, is pretty freaking fantastic—unless the days and days of cooking have already made you sick of stuffing. Take it easy this year and let a professional do the work for you. Here’s a list of all the best lazy-day Thanksgivings, from restaurants serving dinner to food carts selling pie. If you've got more suggestions for excellent take-out joints, markets or T-Day dinners, leave 'em in comments or email kwilliams@wweek.com and we may add them to the roundup.

RESTAURANTS SERVING THANKSGIVING DINNER

Jake’s Thanksgiving Buffet at the Governor Hotel

Yes, you can eat a full Thanksgiving dinner at Jake’s Grill at the Governor Hotel (or Jake’s Famous up the street, or any other of McCormick & Schmick’s Portland outposts). But if you wanna go big, reserve a seat at the local chain’s grand buffet at the hotel. From tom turkey, cedar-plank salmon and New York strip steak to whole stations devoted to chilled seafood, salads, side dishes and desserts, this meal’s so big it has to be served in a ballroom. It’s like a wedding where the bride is dinner and you’re the groom (or vice versa). Visit mccormickandschmicks.com for a list of the chain’s other Portland seafood restaurants, all of which are serving T-Day dinner. Governor Hotel, 614 SW 11th Ave., 224-3400. Reservations begin at 11:30 am and end at 3:30 pm. $29.95 adults, $7.95 children 6-12, 5 and under free. Call 241-2125 to make your reservation.

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Heathman Restaurant

An overwhelming assortment of traditional Northwestern eats, from roasted turkey with sage stuffing and pumpkin cheesecake to bouillabaisse and smoked salmon, for both sit-down eaters and buffet lovers. Prix fixe dining-room service 11 am-9 pm. Holiday buffet 11:30 am-5 pm. The Heathman, 1001 SW Broadway, 790-7752. $39.50 per person ($18 for kids under 12) for prix fixe dining. $46.50 per person ($18 for kids under 12) for the buffet. Call to reserve seats.

Phil Busse, former Mercury editor, former mayoral candidate/mayoral campaign manager, sign plucker and panty model, is no longer the general...

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