Scoop: Blazer's Ides of March

1. HAM BUMMER: Hamburger Mary’s was worried its grim garage door was an eyesore on a street that already has problems with drugs, loitering and petty crime. So on March 16, managers got 10 graffiti artists to turn the door, which faces Ground Kontrol, into a mural. Better enjoy the streetwise burger-and-fry art while it lasts, as co-owner Ian Cooke was quickly asked by his landlord to remove the mural. “Old Town businesses are working hard to change the reputation of Old Town,” he says. “It is sad that some can’t see the art that was given to us.”

1. TAIWAN DINE: Portland’s conquest of exotic lands continues unabated. Paris has a Portland-themed festival planned. Now, investors in the Taiwanese city of Hsinchu have imported former Bar Avignon chef Jeremy Eckel to open an “Oregon-style bistro.” Bistro302 will sell only Oregon wine and serve dishes like cauliflower soup, smoked spareribs and a warm apple crisp. So far Eckel has been able to find all the essentials, “from fennel bulbs to edible flowers.” Which is, obviously, all we eat.

1. MILE AWAY: Northeast Portland artist community Milepost 5 appears to be outsourcing its cafe and performance space Eat.Art.Theater. An ad on Poached Jobs says the organization is looking for an “experienced restaurateur/promoter” to lease the space and take over the business. We question how much money there is in slinging food to starving artists—with the current menu charging $9 for a hummus platter and $7.50 for a turkey sandwich, we imagine most of them remain starving.

1. DECISIVE DRINKING: Yetta Vorobik is opening a bottle shop at 1465 NE Prescott St. The shop’s name is “Undecided” (so, presumably Vorobik is undecided, though “Undecided” could be a bar name) and will be right next to the Grain and Gristle. >> Vino Vixens, an oddball wine bar and shop on Southeast Powell Boulevard that recently started serving nuts, olives, cheese and the like, has applied to start serving liquor.

1. SLIP CITY: The NBA’s March 15 trade deadline day was tough for Trail Blazers fans. A day after losing to the New York Knicks by 42 points, the ailing Blazers traded away two starters, the aging Marcus Camby and the spendy Gerald Wallace, waived a promising young big man (Chris Johnson), and finally dropped former top draft pick Greg Oden. Portland also canned once-untouchable coach Nate McMillan. None of these moves addressed point guard Raymond Felton, perhaps the least beloved Blazer on the roster. Significant lineup changes are sure to take place this offseason—and, barring a strong finish for a team currently out of the playoff picture, it’ll be a long offseason. The trades “set us up for this summer,” Blazers president Larry Miller told the media. Translation: “Let’s tank the season and get some good draft picks.”

WWeek 2015