CARAQUEÑA EATS AT SLABTOWN - IMAGE: vivianjohnson.com
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SPALDING
GRAMMY LADY: Diehard fans of that cherubic Canadian
waif Justin Bieber are outraged that the singer lost the Best New
Artist Grammy award to Esperanza Spalding, a jazz bassist and singer
who, in addition to being a hell of a musician, is also a native
Portlander. Spalding was born here in 1984, attended the private
downtown arts high school Northwest Academy, was at one point
concertmaster of the Chamber Music Society of Oregon, and claims as an
influence local trumpeter Thara Memory. She is the first jazz artist and
the first Portlander to win the award, which places her in the company
of such greats as, uh, Hootie & The Blowfish and Evanescence. Guess
the Grammys are finally trying to class it up. The New Yorker ran
an excellent profile of Spalding last year (which now resides behind a
paywall, unfortunately), and she is playing a sold-out show at the
Newmark Theatre on Feb. 25.
PORTLANDIA, PART 2: Good people who put
birds on things, rejoice. As reported by pretty much everybody, cable’s
Independent Film Channel has renewed Carrie Brownstein’s contract to
dumpster-dive into Portland absurdities, renewing the sketch-comedy
series Portlandia for a 10-episode second season. But you’ll have
to wait a while to continue your dream of the ’90s: The second season
won’t air until January 2012. (Based on last year’s production schedule,
that means you can expect to see a wackily dressed Fred Armisen start
shooting sometime this summer.)
PINBALL & PLANTAINS: Food cart favorite
Caraqueña—a.k.a. Michelle’s Amazing Venezuelan Kitchen—which won over
many local hearts and stomachs with its delicious
Venezuela-meets-Pacific Northwest vittles before suddenly disappearing
late last year, has rematerialized in a most unlikely location. Owner
and chef Michelle Rossington is moving into the kitchen at divey pinball
and rock bar Slabtown, bringing Caraqueña’s menu with her. Beginning
this Friday, Feb. 18, with the Showdown at Slabtown pinball tournament,
Rossington will be serving up dishes like guava beef arepas, fried
plantains, bacon and cheese empanadas, and maple beef cheese fries with
horseradish sauce.
SHACK SHAKEUP: The Po’ House has
closed. The most recent tenant of the kiosk at Southeast 44th Avenue and
Hawthorne Boulevard that birthed both Zach’s Shack and the Whole Bowl
should soon reopen as something called Sparkle, according to an OLCC
application filed by property owner Marianne Braun. In other booze news,
local whiskey expert Stuart Ramsay has applied to open a bar in the
former Alba Osteria space on Southwest Capitol Highway, and East
Portland dance club Whiskey City Rock Bar is becoming the Jungle.
CARAQUEÑA EATS AT SLABTOWN - IMAGE: vivianjohnson.com
SPALDING
