I hate to call on a cliché (as well as date myself) but my recent visit to The Decoy Bar and Grill reminded me of a real-life version of “Cheers.” You know, the 80’s show that made Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Woody Harrelson and Kristie Alley famous and where everyone yelled “Norm!” when George Wendt came through the door. It was that mix of neighborhood, preppy, blue-collar, college, yuppie, sporty and regulars that only few places can pull off. The Decoy, at least in its initial impressions, seems to have succeeded in that welcoming atmosphere. It’s “Cheers” with a good menu.
Falling for the Decoy: A new restaurant in downtown
Posted inFood & Drink
Falling for the Decoy: A new restaurant in downtown
I hate to call on a cliché (as well as date myself) but my recent visit to The Decoy Bar and Grill reminded me of a real-life version of "Cheers." You know, the 80's show that made Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Woody Harrelson and Kristie Alley famous and where everyone yelled "Norm!" when George Wendt came through the door. It was that mix of neighborhood, preppy, blue-collar, college, yuppie, sporty and regulars that only few places can pull off. The Decoy, at least in its initial impressions, seems to have succeeded in that welcoming atmosphere. It's "Cheers" with a good menu.
Posted inNews
Farewell to the Chief: Top Cop Jordan Stepping Down
You can add "Police Chief" to the help wanted list for the city of Bend. After almost a decade serving as the head of the Bend Police Department, Chief Andy Jordan announced his retirement earlier this week.
The city council was told of Jordan's retirement at a work session Monday night and the city has yet to name a replacement to take over when he steps down at the end of March.
Posted inOpinion
Sodom and Gomorrah on the Willamette
Great boutique brews? Sure. Charming old neighborhoods? Check. An attractive, walkable downtown? Definitely. An outstanding public transit system? You bet.
But Portland as the second-most-lusty city in America? Upfront was, we must confess, somewhat taken aback.
All the same, there it was in black and white in the pages of Forbes Magazine: The Rose City ranks Number 2 in the respected publication's scientific (well, sort of) compilation of the Ten Lustiest Cities in America.
A word about the methodology: Forbes asked the research firm of ACNielsen to provide it with a per-capita index of over-the-counter contraceptive purchases in major US markets over a one-year period. Taking the average as 100, the intrepid Forbes data-crunchers then scored American cities on the basis of how much their contraceptive purchases ranked above or below the average.
Oddly enough, the traditional fleshpots like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas didn't even make the cut. Tied for second place with a score of 227 were Portland and San Antonio, TX. Interestingly, Portland females were substantially lustier than Portland males (325 to 212).
Moving on up the West Coast, soggy and lusty old Seattle came in at fourth place with an overall score of 124. In fifth place - rather a surprise here, or maybe not - was the Mormon stronghold of Salt Lake City at 207, followed by (no surprise here at all) Washington, DC at 189. Denver was first with a score of 289, nearly three times the national average. Giving new meaning to the term "Mile High Club."
Posted inMusic
Maple Leaf Mob: Sweatshop Union serves up drive-thu rhymes
The Wu Tang Clan of the North? Whether it's warranted or not, we tend to think of Canadians as nicer than us. Maybe it's because they put gravy on their French fries, or their health care system keeps them in tip-top shape. Whatever the reason, these neighbors to the north seem less pissed off.
And even when it comes to hip-hop music, which all too often in the States digresses into a battle of egos and semi automatic firearms, Canadians rappers just seem like they're in a better mood. Such is the case with Vancouver, B.C.'s seven-piece rap squad, Sweatshop Union.
Posted inMusic
Call it Folk, Call it Rock… Just don’t call Langhorne Slim old timey
Black and White, yes. But not old timey.Langhorne Slim is in North Carolina gearing up for a friend's wedding and he's telling me about the iPod that his girlfriend gave him for Christmas. But he's not talking about the new Radiohead he just dumped onto the device - like a whole lot of new iPod owners probably did in the wake of the holidays - he's telling me about all the Lee Hazlewood tracks he loaded up.
Hazlewood, the iconic country music rebel who died of cancer just this past summer, isn't who I'd expected Langhorne Slim - one of the most promising young songwriters playing today - to be listening to. Then again, after a few more listens to Langhorne's tunes, it makes sense.
Posted inNews
Sound Check MP3s: Coyo and Shireen Amini
Not only do Central Oregon musicians just generally kick ass, but they also tend to be nice and open to the idea of letting you hear their music — even if you’re not ready to track ’em down at a show or buy their album. In that spirit, here are two tracks apiece from Coyo and Shireen Amini, the local artists whose lastest CD releases we reviewed in this week’s Sound Check. Read on for the goods.
Posted inNews
In the Land of the Angry Republicans: Talking with the new Deschutes Democratic Chairman
Jim Thomassen was elected in November to chair the Deschutes County Democratic Party. A graduate of the University of Oregon, he was a professional economist for state government before working in marketing in the high-tech field. He and his wife moved to Bend in 2004. This is an edited transcript of a conversation with him by Source Senior Writer H. Bruce Miller.
Posted inOpinion
The Snow Screw-Up
For a town that gets a good amount of snow on a pretty predictable basis, Bend is singularly inept at dealing with the stuff. If you live on a side street, in most winters you stand a better chance of seeing a polar bear going past your house than a plow.
Posted inNews
The Hook Has Landed
Steve Novick, the Portland progressive activist who's fighting Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, has beaten his rival to the punch by launching the first TV ad of the campaign - and it's a real grabber.