Today’s Forecast

49º | Showers | 84% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:50 a.m. | Sunset 4:40 p.m.

Jump into immersive art

Jump into our preview of Hopscotch

Muralist David Rice works on a floor to ceiling painting for Hopscotch in Portland, Oregon

Things are coming together. | Photo by PDXtoday

There is an immersive art experience coming to town and we are bouncing with excitement.

Fitting of its name, Hopscotch originally popped up in Austin before skipping to its first fixed location in San Antonio. Now, founders Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman are expanding with a second permanent gallery in the Goat Blocks of Portland’s Central Eastside.

PDXtoday was invited to tour the former Orchard Hardware building, where 14 large-scale installations are starting to be installed by local artists and creative talent from around the world. The 23,000-sqft space will also host a retail space and a lounge serving cocktails (that you can take with you) and food crafted by “Top Chef” contestant Sarah Hauman.

Check it out when it opens on Friday, June 9. You can reserve tickets online starting at 10 a.m. today or opt for an annual membership, which includes unlimited visits, guest passes, and access to special exhibits and events.

Alternating images show renderings of the entryway and lounge area at Hopscotch Portland. — Visitors will enter a new world, passing into the lounge before starting the circuit.
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Photos via Hopscotch

Until then, here’s what we’re most excited about.

“Walls Within” by Portland Steet Art Alliance

Renowned Portland muralists like David Rice and Jennifer Mercede will fill the room with floor-to-ceiling canvases. You’ll need to get up close (and take a step back) just to take it all in.

“Quantum Trampoline” by Kuflex Lab

Leap into action on the springy floor of this interactive piece, where you’ll draw pictures with your body’s movements as you drift among cosmic lights and sounds.

“Laser Graffiti” by Todd Moyer Designs

Guests will walk into a room, where a brick overlay is projected on all sides. You’ll be handed a “digital spray paint can” — you can shake it and even hear the spray — as you tag your designs on the wall.

Alternating images show the creation of "Snow Cave" and the final product for Hopscotch Portland. The large-scale art installation uses upcycled plastic bags and LED lights to create an immersive experience. — Each plastic bag in “Snow Cave” would’ve been thrown away as a misprint.
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Photos by PDXtoday + Hopscotch

“Rainbow Cave” by Basia Goszczynska

This colorful commentary on humanity’s waste and its relationship with the natural world is meticulously constructed by hand using salvaged plastic bags and fishing nets.

“Augmented Normalcy” by Polis

By putting on VR headsets equipped with specially-designed software, wearers will be able to have an out-of-body experience, where they see themselves from a mind-bending perspective.

Events

Thursday, May 11

Simon Winchester | Thursday, May 11 | 7 p.m. | Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St., Portland | Free | Hear from the author of “Knowing What We Know” — an all-encompassing look at how humans acquire, retain, and pass on information and how technology changes our lives and minds.
Paranormal Cirque | Thursday, May 11-Monday, May 22 | Times vary | Clackamas Town Center, 12000 SE 82nd Ave., Happy Valley | $20-$60 | Reality and illusion blur under the big top, where you’ll see an animal-free show that’s part theater, part circus, and part cabaret.

Friday, May 12

“Finding Solace in the Soil” | Friday, May 12 | 2:30-5 p.m. | Portland Japanese Garden, 611 SW Kingston Ave., Portland | $25 | Listen to a lecture by Dr. Bonnie Clark, the author of a new book that studies the horticultural efforts of incarcerated Japanese Americans and how gardens connect people across time and space.
Canby Brewfest | Friday, May 12-Saturday, May 13 | Times vary | Clackamas County Event Center, 694 NE Fourth Ave., Canby | $19-$45 | This inaugural festival will feature more than 80 brews on tap including beer, cider, wine, and seltzer, along with live music and food trucks.

Saturday, May 13

Hippie Chick Half & Quarter Marathon | Saturday, May 13 | 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Champoeg State Park Riverside Day Use Area, St. Paul | $89-$139 | Lace up your running shoes, grab your mom, sister, friend, or coworker, and join this all-women race for Mother’s Day weekend.
Unique Markets | Saturday, May 13-Sunday, May 14 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N. Ramsay Way, Portland | $10-$40 | Discover one-of-a-kind items from clothing to gourmet treats while supporting 150 local independent designers, artists, and emerging brands.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Rescue officials will have eyes in the sky if any swimmers or boaters go missing this summer on the Sandy River. Corbett firefighters, along with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and Gresham Fire Department, will share a new drone outfitted with thermal imaging technology that can carry small items like life jackets. (KGW)

Sports

The Portland Pilots are swinging for the fences. The University of Portland’s baseball team is 13-8 (24-19 overall), positioning them to be a high seed in the West Coast Conference tournament. They head into their final three home games of the season against Santa Clara this weekend. (Portland Tribune)

Outdoors

The “Lilac Days” of spring are sticking around for Mother’s Day. The annual event at Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland (approx. 30 miles from Portland) is going on now through Sunday, May 14. Walk the National Historic Site grounds, learn about the garden’s German-born namesake, and breathe in the fragrant air.

Shop

You could get a last-minute bouquet of flowers for Mom at a big box store… or you could support a local florist and get her a truly special arrangement. There are many to choose from in Portland, from women-run Goose Hollow Flowers to local floral veteran Megan Arambul of Fieldwork Flowers. (KOIN)
World Cocktail Day is this Saturday, May 13, and we’re helping you celebrate with the help of our online shop (Six & Main). Mix things up with flavorful drinks from Simple Time Mixers and satisfying syrups from Portland Syrups. Cheers.

Cause

Eastside Vinyl Collective is DJing a house party on Saturday, May 20, 4:20-9 p.m., to support Solidarity Fridge, one of 20+ fridges stocked with free food around Portland. Attend in person or tune in to an online stream; donations of cash, non-perishable goods, and hygiene products will be accepted.

Pets

Has your pup been extra good this year? You could give them a treat… or you could shell out $10,000 for a night at one of The Nines’ presidential suites. You’ll both enjoy a four-course dinner and a photo shoot. Part of the proceeds will benefit Pixie Project. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Travel

How does Going work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and get notified when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a ~$575 round trip to Fiji).*

Eat

Take your tastebuds to Tel Aviv

Take your tastebuds to Tel Aviv at Northwest Portland’s Zula

A spread of Mediterranean cuisine at Zula in Northwest Portland includes filo pastry, various salads, hummus, labneh, pita bread, and cocktails.

Aleppo pepper flakes and traditionally prepared eggs lend a special flare to Zula’s housemade hummus. | Photo by @zulapdx

Warm Portland weather calls for breezy clothing, sunscreen for our sun-deprived skin, and Mediterranean cuisine from Zula.

The PDXtoday team was recently invited to lunch at the restaurant on Northwest Portland’s bustling 23rd Avenue. Still new to the scene (it opened in March), Zula showcases owner Tal Dubitski’s Tel Aviv roots. There’s ample seating both indoors and on the sidewalk patio.

Friendly staff brought small plates that we shared family-style: smooth hummus with traditional soft-boiled eggs and stewed chickpeas, tangy radicchio salad, warm and delightfully tearable pita, tender chicken and mushroom skewers, and salad with tender mint and arugula leaves.

“Fresh,” “herby,” “memorable,” and “seasonal” are words we’d use to describe the experience. Be sure to try the housemade gazoz — a carbonated Turkish soda made with various infusions (we loved the beet shrub) and the filo-and-feta dish that doubles as dessert.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

Are you a cat person? Even if you personally prefer a canine companion over a feline overlord, I would hazard a guess that you have a cat-loving friend in your life. Either way, there’s a shop in North Portland’s Boise neighborhood that you need to check out: GiftyKitty. I discovered it while grabbing a treat next door at Kate’s Ice Cream. You’ll find all sorts of cat-themed items, like locally made art, home decor, games, and toys — all inside a whimsical space.

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