The Best Of Portland

March-April 2009, Don't miss your family's opportunity for a free edition of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka compliments of a Multnomah County Library near you!

Inspiring families to read and experience books together!

Library staff created Every Family Reads to motivate families to read and experience books together. Multnomah County Library encourages your family to participate by reading and discussing the featured book, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka. Author Jon Scieszka has won numerous awards for his many children's books and is now serving as the very first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

In a fractured version of the traditional fairy tale, the wolf gives his own wacky version of what happened when he encountered the three little pigs. Alexander T. Wolf explains that he visited the pigs to borrow a cup of sugar for his granny’s birthday cake. It wasn’t his fault his bad cold led to sneezes that blew down two of the houses of the little pigs. And since no one should let good food go to waste…he had to gobble up those delicious little pigs. When the cops finally catch him trying to bring down the third little pig’s brick house, A. Wolf claims they named him a Big Bad Wolf. “I was framed,” he concludes.

Each family will receive a special English/Spanish flip-book printing of Jon Scieszka’s book, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! Come to any Multnomah County library beginning March 1 to sign up and get your gift copy. Books and materials are most appropriate for children in grades K-5.

To enhance your and your children's reading experience, the library will offer programs related to the book, such as the Book-It Repertory Theatre presentation of Fairly Stupid Tales, a visit from Jon Scieszka, and workshops involving buildings, fairy tales and more.

One of the most important things parents can do to boost the educational success of their children is to read to them. We hope this program will inspire you to set aside some time to read together, talk about books in your home, and visit your neighborhood library.

CLICK HERE for a link to more detailed information regarding the Multnomah County Library's "Every Family Reads" program.

Every Family Reads is made possible by The Library Foundation and the generous support of Meyer Memorial Trust, KeyBank and Comcast.

April 17-19, 2009 "Embrace Being" - A Workshop With Jerry Stocking, Sponsored By A Choice Experience at Portland, Oregon's World Forestry Center

HOW TO THRIVE IN HARD TIMES

 

This is Jerry. He teaches by opening himself to life, to all things painful and joyous, and most important to you.  All of you.  If you have been wrestling to control people, events and conditions caused by these troubled times, Jerry will help you find yourself.  The you that you will discover is more resourceful, better at problem solving, more capable and more loving than you have imagined.  The discovery will be accomplished with gentleness and humor.  You will move in three short days from seeing yourself as a product of your world to a co-creator. This will be  delightful and inescapable. Bring a friend, a partner, your doubt and skepticism.  This will be a party. Guraranteed.

Where: World Forestry Center

When:

Friday, April 17 - 7-9pm (David Douglas Room)

Saturday, April 18th 9am-5pm (Mt. Hood Room)

Sunday, April 19th 9am-5pm (Mt. Hood Room)

To Register Now Call: Wayne - 800.899.2464

Cost: $695 (talk to Wayne if money seems to be a barrier)

Everyday Miracles

The Best of Portland | Ray of Hope promoting health, healing and medicine locally... for a change globally.

 

The Ray of Hope Foundation was founded in 2003 by Dr. Teresa F. Gipson, a Family Physician with OHSU and over ten years of experience working with vulnerable, underserved populations in the U.S. and abroad.

Click Here for information on how you can support this wonderful local initiative.

"Young@Heart" out on DVD is enough to keep the oldest of hearts young!

The questions start as soon as you know that Young@Heart is about a group of singing senior citizens as they prepare for and then perform a concert with a repertoire consisting of songs by the likes of Coldplay, Sonic Youth, David Bowie, and James Brown. Can this premise, basically a novelty, sustain itself for nearly two hours? Will the director give in to the temptation to make it schmaltzy and sentimental? Will we be laughing at these oldsters, or with them? The answers: yes, no, and a little of both.

Directed by British filmmaker Stephen Walker, the 2007 film takes place primarily in Northampton, MA, home to the Young@Heart chorus, whose average age is 80. Most readily admit to preferring classical and musicals to the pop and rock given to them by music director Bob Cilman, and some of the tunes--Sonic Youth’s "Schizophrenia," Allen Toussaint’s "Yes We Can Can" (once a hit for the Pointer Sisters), and Brown’s "I Got You (I Feel Good)"--prove especially vexing. But the singers’ good natures and determination to master the material over some six weeks of rehearsals carry the day. Most of all, while they thoroughly enjoy themselves, it’s no joke to them, and thus not to us, either. Of course, folks this age are bound to have health issues; indeed, the specter of death hangs over the scene like a banshee, occasionally making itself right at home. But the chorus members’ insistence on carrying on in the wake of tragedy makes for a climactic concert that’s moving and powerful--Fred Knittle, who had withdrawn from the group due to heart issues but whose beautiful bass voice remains intact, returns for this one show to deliver a version of Coldplay’s "Fix You" that will bring a tear to the eye of the most flint-hearted cynic.

Mixed in along the way are the group’s "videos" of songs like the Ramones’ "I Wanna Be Sedated" and David Bowie’s "Golden Years"; bonus features include deleted scenes and a brief featurette about Young@Heart’s gig in Los Angeles. --Sam Graham

Click Here to order a copy of the endearing DVD for your personal movie library from Amazon.com today!

Nov. 25 (End Violence Against Women) - Dec. 10 (Human Rights Day) gives us 16 Days to make a difference!

Every minute of every day all over the world women are harassed, attacked and like Anne Pressly, even killed for just being women, daughters, sisters, mothers and children. It doesn't have to be this way. Amnesity International is working to stop it. Each year for 16 days, from November 25 (Elimination of Violence Against Women Day) through December 10 (Human Rights Day) stand-up and do your part to end violence against women. Making a difference is easier than you think. The first step is making your voice heard. Make some noise to stop violence against women. Click Here to take action at Amnesty Internationals website.

Buy a t-shirt and make a fashion statement for disadvantaged children. Orphan Lyrics donates all the profits from sales to charities, including War Child International and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Shari Gray, Broker Coldwell Banker

Coldwell Banker Barbara Sue Seal Properties

Don't miss out on these unique song lyric t-shirts, available in black or white. Orphan Lyrics is delighted that so many artists have joined the Orphan Lyrics revolution! See some of them wearing their own t-shirts below.

Orphan Lyrics t-shirts feature lyrics that have been officially licensed from music publishers such as EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner Chappell. Check out Orphan Lyrics LIVE Stats and current t-shirt selection.

Buy a t-shirt and make a fashion statement for disadvantaged children. Orphan Lyrics donates all the profits from these sales to charities, including War Child International and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Orphan Lyrics™ creates and sells licensed apparel featuring song lyrics, and donates 100 percent of the profits to children's charities. Orphan Lyrics™ already supports SOS Children's Villages USA, War Child International, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and StandUp For Kids.

More than a billion children are at risk from disease, poverty and war. Orphan Lyrics™ will make a difference by providing charities with the money they need to right this wrong. Orphan Lyrics unique t-shirts only feature song lyrics that have been officially licensed from music publishers such as EMI, Sony ATV, Universal and Warner Chappell. The lyrics span all music genres from timeless classics to this year's chart-topping hits. No matter how diverse your music tastes, this t-shirt collection has something for you.

Tutto Bene's Club Panini is "The Bomb!" - Bridgeport Village Tualatin, Or

  It's nice when local entreprenuers are in touch with the economy and consumers need for a diversion and value.

Tutto Bene is cranking out a fun, rewards oriented sandwich program. For every 10 paninis you buy...  get the 11th panini free!

Tutto's is kicking the program off with a monthly special. Their "Club Panini" with oven roasted turkey, bacon, tomato and white cheddar with garlic aioli.  It's "the bomb!"

The next time you are out at Bridgeport shopping or catching a movie at the largest theater in Oregon, stop in at Tutto Bene's and support a yummie cause!

The Ray Of Hope Foundation - making a difference globally and locally

"Dr. Mahbub ul Haq first drew global attention to the concept of human security in the United Nations Development Programme's 1994 Human Development Report and sought to influence the UN's 1995 World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen."

Personal security — Personal security aims to protect people from physical violence, whether from the state or external states, from violent individuals and sub-state actors, from domestic abuse, or from predatory adults. For many people, the greatest source of anxiety is crime, particularly violent crime.