Friday, March 30, 2007

The TeaZone

The TeaZone: A great place for tea in the Pearl District

This is our favorite place to relax during an afternoon walk in the Pearl. Our favorite is a bubble tea called the Heat Wave with tapioca pearls. Bubble teas are tea, flavor and ice blended together and poured over tapioca pearls or coconut beads. The Heat Wave is mango black tea with coconut and passion fruit flavor. Jhanne and Grant and all the staff are extremely friendly and helpful.

From the website:
The TeaZone opened in 1999 as Portland's premiere teahouse specializing in over 100 hand selected loose leaf teas, teapots and accessories.

Jhanne and Grant
We are a husband and wife owned American style tea salon in the heart of the Pearl District, Portland, Oregon. Jhanne Jasmine and Grant Cull started The TeaZone in 1999 after they became more interested in tea while living in Boston.
Grant is a Kiwi (New Zealander) who grew up drinking tea. After graduating with an agriculture degree, he did as many kiwis do, and traveled the world over. On these travels he experienced many cultures, people, cuisine, and TEA and eventually met Jhanne.
Jhanne a native Portland, Oregonian completed school back East, graduating with a degree in education. She eventually move back to New England after traveling overseas and drew Grant over to join her. As an accomplished musician and artist, Jhanne is the expressive, creative force behind this down-to-earth, magical couple.
"We were drawn back to the West Coast and Oregon with ties to family and getting us a little closer to New Zealand and decided a tea shop in the heart of coffee country was a grand idea. To us tea offers a way of experiencing a range of countries around the world through different taste experiences. Tea is a pleasant way to wind down, relax, and take the time to enjoy the quieter moments to life while enjoying a beverage that tastes good and has many wonderful health benefits."

The TeaZone offers over 60 quality loose leaf teas, the largest teapot and tea accessories selection in Portland, and a range of fine desserts, and savory food items. We serve lunch, a range of creative tea beverages, and offer a pleasant setting to enjoy sipping your tea in. The TeaZone does educational tea tastings, afternoon teas, and has free wireless internet service.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

This is World-Class Piano

OregonLive.com: Classical Music: PPI doubles its pleasure:
Posted by David Stabler March 27, 2007 13:09PM

Andre Watts, Jon Kimura Parker, Angela Hewitt and the exciting Montreal pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin head the 2007-08 season at Portland Piano International. It's a strong lineup, especially Hewitt, who will play Bach's first book of the 'Well-Tempered Clavier' in her only Northwest stop on a worldwide Bach tour.

Two other pianists fill the season: Rachel Cheung, a young Hong Kong pianist and Michael Roll, the esteemed English pianist who won the first Leeds in 1963 at the age of 17.

Each pianist will perform twice in the Newmark Theater, expanding on this season's single-concert sellouts. Tickets go on sale April 15: 503-228-1388.

Clockwise from left upper corner: Andre Watts, Jon Kimura Parker, Angela Hewitt, Michael Roll, Rachel Cheung and Marc-Andre Hamelin.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Remembering Ben Linder

3 events to celebrate the life and remember the death of Ben Linder

Film: They Can Cut All the Flowers, But They Can Never Stop the Spring
When: Thursday, April 5, 7pm
Where: Liberty Hall (311 N Ivy St., near Fremont and N. Vancouver)
This documentary, directed by Lois Wessel, Bruce Petschek, and Larry Stowell, with a title borrowed from Pablo Neruda, is the story of Ben Linder, an international activist from Oregon who was volunteering on a hydroelectric project in a small Nicaraguan community in 1987 when he was killed by the Contras.


Ben Linder Work Brigade
When: Saturday, April 21, 9:00 a.m.
Where: Forest Park
What: Join in building a bridge in Forest Park to commemorate Ben. This work party is a local version of the Ben Linder Construction Brigades that traveled to Portland's Sister City of Corinto, Nicaragua, to help build community projects.
For detailed information and to get involved contact Robert:
rjspurlock@hotmail.com or 503-757-1803.



On the 20th Anniversary of His Death In Nicaragua...
An Evening to Remember Ben Linder And Learn How His Work Continues
When: Friday, April 27, 7 pm
Where: First United Methodist Church, SW 18th & Jefferson, Portland







Fragile (Dedicated to Ben Linder)
From the album Nothing Like the Sun (A&M)
Words and music by Sting

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the color of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence
and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are

Friday, March 23, 2007

The Return of Margo Jacobsen

OregonLive.com: The Return of Margo Jacobsen
Posted by D.K. Row January 10, 2007 13:48

"For 11 years, Margo Jacobsen ran an important gallery in town. The Margo Jacobsen Gallery at 1039 N.W. Glisan Street exhibited some of the region's finest ceramic and glass artists, and towards the end of Jacobsen's run, some terrific painters, too. But on June 28, 2003, Jacobsen closed shop in order to move to Singapore with her husband, Gerald Greeve, an Intel sales executive based in Asia."

We just got around to visiting Margo Jacobsen's new
gallery at 1306 NW Hoyt St., suite #301. We looked at the steep 3 flights of stairs and almost gave up until someone told us that there was a (freight) elevator that we could access around the corner through the Acorn Cafe at 539 NW 13th Ave.

Margo has an eclectic panel of artists. One of the most interesting is her brother, Brad Miller, who works in ceramics, wood and photography. He is currently living in Venice, CA. Margo has a number of his photographic works detailing waves of water.