Headout: Bottle Brush

It's the perfect time to unwind with a bottle of red and some paint.

By Rebecca Jacobson

Thanksgiving is already an occasion of tension, overindulgence and inevitable mishap—my favorite holiday memory involves washing gravy off the ceiling and out of my hair. And who says the hedonism should end on Thursday? Not local wineries. For 30 years, vintners up and down the Willamette Valley have opened their doors on Thanksgiving weekend for special tastings, charcuterie pairings and fireside lolling. This time around, more than 150 wineries, including many that are rarely open to visitors, will ply their pinots, ports and sweeping countryside views. Deputize an underage niece or nephew with your keys and pop the cork.

But maybe you seek something closer to home than Dundee or Carlton. Maybe you're allergic to oenospeak. Or maybe those ready-made mountain views aren't your style. If you want to create your own bucolic landscape in a land called Sellwood, Vine Gogh can help. Part wine bar, part art studio, this year-old business offers Bob Ross-style classes for painting an autumn path or Crater Lake. The $5 pours loosen the creative inhibitions. A few weeks ago, I joined a gaggle of middle-aged women (some men probably come here too—on dates) for a "winter waterfront" class. And I have to say: It was delightful. Between the Bon Iver tunes, soothing step-by-step instructions, generous praise and several glasses of red wine, I was ready to invest in an easel and set up by the Willamette forever. Until then, here's what I painted.

GO: Vine Gogh, which offers regular classes for $30, is at 7956 SE 13th Ave., 971-266-8983, vinegogh.net. For more information on Thanksgiving weekend open houses in the Willamette Valley, go to willamettewines.com.

Headout Picks

THURSDAY NOV. 22

THANKSGIVING
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FRIDAY NOV. 23

INVITING DESIRE
[THEATER] Actor Eleanor O’Brien, known for her frank and funny variety shows about sex, presents a fresh installment about sexual relationships and their many permutations. Those uncomfortable with candid conversations about strap-ons, group sex and kinky fantasies should best stay home. Milepost 5, 850 NE 81st Ave., 729-3223. 8 pm Friday-Saturday. $25.

SATURDAY NOV. 24

JONATHAN RICHMAN
[MUSIC] Although he’s spent the last 40-some years refining a mellower, more elegant sound, the 61-year-old New England legend remains a punk at heart: When he walked into tiny dive the Know in 2010, he fell in love, and asked to play there. Now he’s returning for a three-night stand, offering a rare opportunity to spend an intimate evening with a distinctive songwriter. The Know, 2026 NE Alberta St., 473-8729. 8 pm. $10 advance, $12 day of show. 21+.
DETHKLOK
[MUSIC] Dethklok is not a band to be fucked with. For six years, the group has starred in Cartoon Network’s wildly popular Metalocalypse, an animated series following the adventures of gravel-voiced frontman Nathan Explosion and company. Now supporting its third record, the band has embarked on a national tour—in which it will stay hidden behind a massive screen, allowing its well-known cartoon avatars to go totally metal before our eyes—that’ll surely make Gorillaz look like Monchichis. Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., 230-0033. 8 pm. $35 general, $50 reserved. 21+ balcony. All ages.

TUESDAY NOV. 27

OMSI PUB: SKULLS
[SCIENCE] Simon Winchester’s new book, Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley’s Curious Collection, details the massive skull collection of a man who was once arrested for keeping a tiger, monkey and several turtles in his freezer. Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 236-9234. 7 pm. $5. 21+.

WWeek 2015

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