Nicolas Cage Is A Prickly Pear.

1. PUB IN A PICKLE: Sometime Portland film producer John Albert has applied for a liquor license to open Stone Pickle Deli & Pub in the Kenton neighborhood space that formerly housed short-lived cocktail bar Divina (2135 N Willis Blvd.). According to the OLCC application, the pub will “provide healthy, hearty sandwiches and other food menu items…a place where an adult may having [sic] a refreshing cocktail if desired.” Entertainment will include “acustical” music, comedy, karaoke and DJs.

1. A FASHIONABLE FAREWELL: East Burnside fashion store Moxie (2400 E Burnside St.) is shutting its doors for good at the end of the month, after almost six years in business. Stock will go on sale this Friday.

1. MY KINGDOM FOR A CHEF: As first reported on Portland Monthly’s Eat Beat blog, the executive chef and co-owner of Bluehour, Kenny Giambalvo, has announced he will be leaving after 10 years. Giambalvo opened the posh Pearl eatery with local restaurant mogul Bruce Carey (23Hoyt, Saucebox, Clarklewis) in 2000, and his modern Mediterranean cuisine has become synonymous with the name. Bluehour lost both pastry chef Alissa Rozos and bar manager Tommy Klus at the end of 2010, Saucebox lost executive chef Gregory Gourdet last year and his replacement Jason Neroni earlier this year, while 23Hoyt also lost its head chef in late 2010.

1. STARFUCKER SELLS OUT: It took a while, but Starfucker is finally blowing up—just about everywhere. The local electro-pop outfit has been on a national tour since early March, and while the tour has had its share of breakdowns and arrests (well, one arrest: Multi-instrumentalist Ryan Biornstad was jailed briefly in Austin, Texas, for unloading the band’s van in a no-loading zone), it has also been the band’s most successful headlining tour to date, with sold-out shows in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago and other cities. “The good shows have always been really good,” says founding member Josh Hodges, noting that the quartet had played to sold-out crowds in New York before this year’s visit to the Bowery Ballroom. “But what has amazed me is that we’ve had great shows in places like Burlington, Vt., and Omaha, Neb. I didn’t even know anything about Omaha!” Starfucker returns to play three separate Portland release shows next week. Sell-out crowds are expected.

1. HOMETOWN HEROES: Veteran Portland chef Vitaly Paley competed on Iron Chef America Sunday night, beating Iron Chef Jose Garces in a radish battle. Paley held a screening party at Ecotrust for the premiere, with a very vocal crowd paying $25 a head to attend. Naturally, the audience erupted anytime any person or thing to do with Portland appeared onscreen, but never before have we witnessed 100 people hoot and cheer at the mere mention of “Dungeness crab.” Brava, Portland, you have outdone yourself. 

WWeek 2015