A local chef, Paul Bosch from F&B Cafe, is taking part in the largest national chef competition, the Hometown Breakfast Battle.
It includes 135 chefs in 135 cities, and it started Monday.
Boschs specialty is the Thomas Bagel Strata with Dungeness crab, bacon and blue cheese. A chef from Vancouver, Wash., Terry Farrar of Farrars Bistro, is also taking part with her Hazelnut-Infused Cinnamon Raisin Bagel and Frittered Banana French Toast Kebab.
(Product placement alert: Its a competition to celebrate the Thomas bagel brands 135th birthday).
You can vote online at www.ThomasBreakfastBattle.com. The 135 chefs will be pared down to 16 in two weeks.
Popular Pittock
The folks at Pittock Mansion tell us that the current exhibit, Ball Gowns to Bloomers: Spotlight on the Clothing Collection, has been extremely well-attended with about 18,000 visitors from July 18 through Aug. 31 alone.
The exhibit will remain until Nov. 15. Its meant to allow us to explore what clothing can tell us through selections from Pittocks historic collection; an array of fashion items from the late 1800s and early 1990s have been assembled from curated collections.
For more: www.pittockmansion.org
A couple of items involving (well-known) former Tribune writers:
Janine Robben, who helped cover the infamous Ward Weaver killings of two young girls in Oregon City several years ago, is writing a book about Weaver and his familys history of murder. And, the Investigation Discovery Channel has a show called Evil Kin that will feature the case, including a Robben interview, scheduled to air at 9 p.m. Sept. 15. (Look for the channel on your cable or satellite system).
Anne Marie Distefano, the excellent former food critic, left the Tribune to open a bar in the Clinton neighborhood, the Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, and she writes to inform us of the big Clinton Street Block Party, scheduled for noon to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, Dots Cafe and the Clinton Street Theater are hosting the block party, which includes live outdoor music, between Southeast 25th and 26th avenues. Therell also be an outdoor screening of This is Spinal Tap at 8 p.m. Rock n roll! Turn it up to 11! And, in honor of the 40th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (a staple at the Clinton), the Clinton Street Cabaret will dance the Time Warp in the street about 9:45 p.m.
It benefits Portland Public Schools Pioneer Special Schools Program.
For more: www.luckyhorseshoepdx.com
Def Leppard! Yeah!
The summer concert season is winding down, but its not over yet. Def Leppard will stop at Amphitheater Northwest in Ridgefield, Wash., on Sept. 17, headlining a night that also features Styx and Tesla.
Amphitheater Northwest is located at 17200 N.E. Dell Road in Ridgefield. For info and tickets: www.sleepcountryamphitheater.com.
Wordstock
Now run by Literary Arts and returning after a one-year break and taking place on one day, the popular Wordstock festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Nov. 7 at the Portland Art Museum.
Therell be more than 80 authors attending, including local stars Cheryl Strayed (Wild) and Ursula K. Le Guin (Steering the Craft), as well as nationally known Jon Krakauer and others. Publishers and vendors also will be on hand.
Strayed will talk about Find a Way, Diane Nyads book. The renowned Le Guin once again will appear at Wordstock. Her latest book is a completely revised work about the deceptively simple guide to the craft of writing.
Tickets are $15. For info: www.literary-arts.org.