Livin' in the Blurbs: Listen and Learn, Grasshopper

If you're a music aficionado or if your friends might use the somewhat stronger "fanatic" to describe your proclivities, Seth Sonstein at the Clinton Street Theater has just the movie series for you. Called Classic Concerts and featuring mostly unreleased footage of some of the most popular bands of the last thirty or so years, these are not to be missed. November will showcase the Talking Heads (Nov. 7), Vintage Punk with the Ramones and the Sex Pistols (Nov. 14), Neil Young (Nov. 21) and Led Zeppelin (Nov. 28). December kicks off with Frank Zappa (Dec. 5) followed by the Grateful Dead (Dec. 12) and Pink Floyd (Dec.19). But please, try to refrain from screaming "Free Bird!" during the show, OK?

Details: Classic Concerts at the Clinton St. Theater. All shows 9:30 pm; $6. Clinton St. Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St. Phone 503-238-5588.

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In the drive to have food that is local and sustainable, the issues around the people who harvest and prepare our food is often left in the dust. Slow Food Portland is seeking to remedy that oversight by sponsoring a series of lectures titled "The People Who Feed Us" that will address issues facing local farmers, producers, migrant and immigrant workers, as well as look at labor practices throughout the food industry. On Nov. 20, the first of the series will focus on local farmers, with panelists Jeff Phalen from Persephone Farm, Jim Bronec from Praying Mantis Farm and Ramon Ramirez from PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste).

Details: The People Who Feed Us: Our Local Farmers. Thurs., Nov. 20, 6 pm; $5, RSVP by e-mail. Ecotrust, 721 NW 9th Ave., #200.
Photo by Bob Jagendorf.

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If you've been thinking that maybe eating food isn't enough, there's a series coming up that I've heard is extremely helpful. It's led by cookbook author and teacher Diane Morgan and will introduce aspiring food writers to the ins and outs of the business including how to write a recipe, developing story and book ideas, writing book proposals, pitching to editors, finding an agent and connecting to professional organizations. All the stuff, btw, that I had not a clue about when I started. Heh.

Details: Diane Morgan's "The Art of Food Writing." Six sessions, $425. Register by e-mail.