Livin' in the Blurbs: Help Yourself and Help Others

Chinook (aka King). Coho. Sockeye. Pink. Chum. We're talking salmon, perhaps the iconic protein of the Pacific Northwest, prized for its rosy flesh and rich, fatty character. And since May is National Wetlands Month, and wetlands are a key to the conservation of our favorite members of the salmonidae family, the Wetlands Conservancy has created two ways you can celebrate it. The first is an Aqua Plate Special featuring wild-caught salmon at Jamison, 900 NW 11th Ave., where 10% of the menu price will go directly to Wetlands Conservancy for preservation of this crucial habitat. The second is a book-signing and discussion on May 20th of NOAA fisheries research biologist Dan Bottom's recent work, "Pathways to Resilience: Sustaining Salmon Ecosystems in a Changing World," which contains 11 essays on the importance of salmon to both ecological and social systems. Sounds like they've got it covered, inside and out.

Details: Wetlands Conservancy Aqua Plate Benefit. May 1-31. Jamison, 900 NW 11th Ave. 503-972-3330.
Dan Bottoms Book-signing and Discussion. Mon., May 20, 7-8:30 pm; free. Event at Classic Foods, 817 NE Madrona. 503-227-0778.

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If someone mentions co-op grocery stores and what comes to mind are dusty wood floors, bins of buggy bulk goods and patrons tromping around in bare feet, you need to upgrade your mental image library. Co-ops these days are state-of-the-art stores that also act as centers for community gatherings and activities, and the burgeoning neighborhood of Montavilla is well on its way to establishing just such a place. You can help them get just a little bit closer to their goal and check out dinner at a brand new neighborhood hangout on May 29, when Redwood is donating not 5, not 10, but 20 percent of all food and drink purchases to the Montavilla Food Co-op. By the way, Redwood's a 21-and-up type of place, so think of it as a perfect excuse for a date night or a get-together with your homies…all for a good cause, of course!

Details: Dine Out for Montavilla Food Co-op. Wed., May 29, 4 pm till closing. Redwood, 7915 SE Stark St. 503-841-5118.

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There aren't many places, even in this film-crazy town, where independent films are showcased on a regular basis. And there are fewer and fewer classic film palaces from the golden age of movies that have survived the wrecking ball. One that embodies both those qualities is the Hollywood Theatre on NE Sandy Boulevard, which opened the curtains on its first film in 1926 and was immediately dubbed "a palace of luxury, comfort and entertainment unsurpassed by any theatre on the Coast." Hyperbole notwithstanding, it showed films virtually continuously from that date and was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1983. Years of deferred maintenance had caught up with the old building, but it wasn't until 1997, when it was purchased by the non-profit Film Action Oregon (FAO), that the needed work was begun. Fast forward to 2013 and the need to refit the old marquee with energy efficient LED lighting. Local sponsor Neil Kelly is donating $50 for the first 100 households that apply for and schedule a free (yes, FREE) energy audit through Clean Energy Works Oregon. A free audit and a local landmark gets help with it's renovation? Sign me up!

Details: Free Home Energy Audits through Clean Energy Works Oregon. Use this link to apply.

Livin' in the Blurbs: With Food, Knowledge is Power

What could be more appropriate for one of the hottest and most progressive food regions in the U.S. than a film festival featuring six new films covering topics of sustainability, food supply, nature and the environment? Just such a series, the Portland Ecofilm Festival, is queued up and ready to roll starting tomorrow and continuing through the summer at the Hollywood Theatre, starting with Symphony of the Soil from director Deborah Koons Garcia (Jerry Garcia's widow) in attendance with a Q&A hosted by Naomi Montacre of Naomi's Organic Garden Supply. Other films in the series include The Fruit Hunters, Elemental, More than Honey, Musicwood and Cafeteria Man. What a great idea for summer entertainment!

Details: Portland Ecofilm Festival. Schedule and tickets for individual films or a festival pass to all six available online. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. 503-281-4215.

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If you know beans about beans but want to know more, or if you're a bean aficionado and want to hobnob with three of Portland's top bean queens, you absolutely must make plans to attend Beautiful Beans: Grow. Cook. Eat. on Thursday, April 18. Sponsored by the Portland Culinary Alliance, Edible Portland and the Better Bean Company, it features a moderated panel of "Beanthusiasts" (their word, not mine) including Hannah Kullberg of Better Bean Company, the beautiful and talented Carol Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm, pantry maven and teacher Katherine Deumling of Cook with What You Have and Dr. Samantha Brody, founder of Evergreen Natural Health Center, who will address the nutritional aspects of the legume. As if that weren't enough, there will be a tasting of various beans grown at Ayers Creek and a borlotti bean bruschetta from the good folks at Ava Gene's.

Details: Beautiful Beans: Grow. Cook. Eat. Thurs., April 18, 6:30-8:30 pm; $15 (tickets online). Event at Ecotrust, 721 NW 9th Ave., Suite 200.

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There's nothing better than going to the source for the food you put on your table. With more than 60 farmers' markets in the Portland metro area and a market every day of the week during peak season, we have ample opportunities to talk directly with the people who grow our food. One of those, the Beaverton Farmers' Market, sits smack-dab in the middle of one of Oregon's most bounteous agricultural areas and draws heavily from farmers and fields within miles of its suburban location. Unusually, it also features a stunning array of plants for vegetable gardens, yard and home, due to manager and dedicated plantswoman Ginger Rapport, who has made it her mission to gather the best of the best small nurseries to her market. The debut of the market's 25th season is on Saturday, May 11, and it'll be a bang-up celebration with food demos, music and a plethora of special events. Put it on your calendar!

Details: Beaverton Farmers' Market Summer Market. Sat., May 11; 8 am-1:30 pm. On SW Hall Blvd. between 3rd and 5th Sts. in downtown Beaverton. 503-643-5345.

Livin' in the Blurbs: Adding to Your Skillez

One of the highlights of my year is the annual spring tour of Ayers Creek Farm in Gaston with Anthony and Carol Boutard. Not only is it one of the few times of the year that they open their amazing organic farm to the public, it's one of the rare moments that you can actually chat with them for longer than it takes to ring up your purchases at their popular stand at the Hillsdale Farmers' Market.

His lofty eminence.

As usual, there will be a short tour of the farm narrated by the always-informative Anthony, to be followed by some snacky bits. Plus I hear they've arranged to have a celebrity greeter, the not-so-secret power behind the throne known as Tito. (If we're very lucky he might demonstrate his vole-fetching skills!)

Details: Ayers Creek Farm Ramble, Sun., June 24, 3-5:30 pm. 15219 SW Spring Hill Rd. near Gaston. This is a real farm, so bring your wellies in case of mud, or at the least wear sturdy shoes for walking.

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Summer is an ideal time to pick up some new skills, whether its at the grill, learning to preserve summer's bounty or picking up pointers on a new cuisine. Whether you're an experienced hand in the kitchen or someone who's more familiar with a take-out menu than a chef's knife, there's a plethora of excellent classes available this summer. Here are some of my faves and a sampling of what they're offering; most are small classes of no more than a dozen students at a time and are very reasonably priced.

• Sophie Rahman of Masala NW: Learn the basics of Indian cooking, including how to prepare lentils (vegetarian and gluten-free), flatbreads and classic biryani, as well as dishes from Goa, Chowpatty street food and how to grill tandoori-style.
• Melinda Casady and Susana Holloway of Portland's Culinary Workshop: These gals are making waves on the Portland scene for their fun-yet-informative approach. Both were professional instructors at culinary schools, and bring their extensive knowledge and love of teaching to their classes on a dizzying array of classes on grilling, smoking, preserving, butchery, vegetarian and vegan cooking, knife skills, sushi…you name it, they teach it!
• Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have: Katherine teaches how to cook simple, nutritious family meals, how to stock your pantry to avoid endless trips to the store and how to make the most of seasonal produce. Upcoming classes, which she offers in her home kitchen, include how to use fresh herbs in your dishes and kitchen fundamentals.

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Summer's a time when kids are off from school and parents are desperately looking for quality classes for their young'uns. If you've got a budding Scorsese or Coppola in your house, then the Hollywood Theatre has a camp for you. Project Youth Doc for teens still has a few scholarships available, and if I could still pass for 19 I'd be all over this: Kids will work with industry pros and world-class gear to make a film from start to finish.  Check it out!

Details: Project Youth Doc, a filmmaking class for teens. Two sessions: June 18-July 13 and July 2-27. Scholarships available. Classes at the Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd.  503-493-112.