April 16, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

58º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:22 a.m. | Sunset 7:59 p.m.
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🦋 The butterfly effect

Portland mixed media artist Hannah Rivera poses at a market with her pieces. Each incorporates ornate antique bubble glass frames with colorful dried flowers and pinned butterflies and moths.

“Portland’s a great place for inspiration,” said Hannah Rivera. “There’s a great overall feeling of self-expression that’s different from anywhere else.” | Photo via @riverasrarities

For Hannah Rivera, the Milwaukie High School art room was a place of comfort and discovery; water colors and colored pencils were really not her thing (she instead gravitated toward acrylics and charcoals).

Even with obvious talent, creative self-doubt followed her to Clackamas Community College. “Like many of us I moved away from home early and grew up quickly, so there was little time for me to practice my skills and I became even more discouraged,” she said.

Ironically, it would be dead things that brought her artistic expression back to life. During a visit to the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, she felt inspired again, surrounded by taxidermy, bones, and other “witchy things.” Rivera came home with some entomology art pieces and decided to purchase her own pinning kit. She was hooked. “It was such a new and exciting challenge for me, something I had never done before.”

Now she has her own business — Rivera’s Rarities — where she combines natural elements like butterflies, homegrown dried flowers, and repurposed items like fabric scraps, occasionally incorporating her own paintings and sketches too.

Three ornate oval picture frames decoreated with dried flowers and pinned insects, created by Portland artist Hannah Rivera of Rivera's Rarities. — Rivera says the Chinese moon moth, or Actias dubernardi (pictured right) is her favorite species to work with.
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Photos via @riverasrarities

“The majority of my frames are antiques,” Rivera explained. “This is because during a certain time period, convex glass was incredibly popular. This domed glass allows space inside, essentially creating a fancy shadowbox.”

It’s important to highlight that the insects Rivera works with are sustainably sourced. “At the end of the day, only you as an individual are able to decide what is ethical,” she said. “I also believe that it’s important to educate and be honest about where my specimens come from, because my morals might be different from someone else’s.”

Most of hers come from conservation farms overseas, where they’re bred and farmed instead of wild caught, preserving the natural population, providing jobs, and contributing toward scientific studies.

Where to find Rivera’s Rarities

Events

Tuesday, April 16

Joe Wong | Tuesday, April 16 | 8 p.m. | Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE Ninth Ave., Portland | $32-$47 | The “immigrant-next-door” comedian answers fans’ burning questions and demonstrates the art of embracing embarrassment.
The Portland Mercury’s Pizza Week | Tuesday, April 16-Sunday, April 21 | Times vary | Locations vary | Price of purchase | Chant it with us: “three dollar slices, three dollar slices, three dollar slices” — or get a whole pie for $24 at participating locations.

Wednesday, April 17

Amanda Montell in Conversation With Chelsea Bieker | Wednesday, April 17 | 7 p.m. | Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St., Portland | Free | The author of “Wordslut” and “Cultish” will discuss her latest book, “The Age of Magical Overthinking,” in which she explores the power of the mind.

Thursday, April 18

“Strange Birds” by E.M. Lewis | Thursday, April 18 | 12 p.m. | Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., Portland | Free | This reading — part of the Fertile Ground Festival of New Works — tells a mysterious tale “about women, wolves, sisters, and secrets.”

Friday, April 19

The One Motorcycle Show | Friday, April 19-Sunday, April 21 | Times vary | Zidell Yards, 3121 S. Moody Ave., Portland | $15-$115 | This “celebration of weird, rare, and unconventional bikes” will feature 300+ custom motorcycles, art shows, live music, stunt performances, a classic car show, and more.

Saturday, April 20

“A Year with Frog and Toad” | Saturday, April 20-Sunday, April 28 | Times vary | The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts, 1000 SW Broadway, T-100, Portland | $25-$35 | Best friends Frog and Toad hop, sing, and dance through the seasons in this musical take on Arnold Lobel’s classic tales.*

Events calendar here

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Travel

10 Vrbos so amazing, they won 2024’s “Vacation Rentals of the Year”

The Paradise Found Vrbo in Florida, seen from the back with its expansive pool, palm tress, and outdoor living room.

Yes, all of these incredible houses are available to book. | Photo of Paradise Found via Vrbo

Vrbo released this year’s list of Vacation Rentals of the Year, and we can’t stop looking at these incredible homes.

Ranging from $711 to $4,750 a night and built to accommodate a crowd, these Vrbos were made to host the next big family vacation or group trip.

Sedona, Arizona: Palatial Paradise Estate

Heated infinity pool, game room, outdoor fireplace

Sand Lake, Michigan: Sandy Lakehouse

Pickleball court, bikes, paddleboards, and kayaks

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: Casa Acantilado

Ocean-view bedrooms, cliffside sauna, hot tub

See photos of all 10 Vrbos

News Notes

Tech

The Trail Blazers are the first NBA team to test a haptic device that helps fans who are visually impaired experience the action at live games. The technology from Seattle tech startup OneCourt translates live ball and player movements on the court into vibrations people can track through their fingertips. (KGW)

Coming Soon

The rebirth of Southwestern-inspired restaurant High Noon has been years in the making — and its doors are expected to open sometime next month. Now located inside the luxury Sawbuck apartment building in Goose Hollow, the new iteration of High Noon will showcase PNW ingredients, a mezzanine bar, and desert vibes. (Portland Business Journal + Eater Portland)

Award

Donnie Horn, the founder of a Portland-based theater company, has received a prestigious Lucille Lortel Award nomination for his first off-Broadway production. “Make Me Gorgeous!” is an adaptation of Kate Marlowe’s 1964 autobiography, “Mr. Madam,” and was staged locally in 2022 before traveling to New York. Winners will be announced in May. (Willamette Week)

Outdoors

A Gresham-based adventure company offers guided hiking, mountaineering, snowshoeing, rafting, camping, mountain biking, and rock climbing trips in Spanish. Loco por la Aventura is focused on “inspiring education, equity, and engagement in outdoor activities for the Latino community” by keeping trips affordable and accessible. (Portland Monthly)

Sports

The Trail Blazers’ season reached an end Sunday in Sacramento. Locked On Blazers host Mike Richman offers a recap and takes a shot at what the future could hold, including what the team will do during the offseason.

Home

Lower your energy bills before summer. Renewal by Andersen^® will replace old windows with beautiful, energy-efficient windows — get a free quote and shop a limited-time spring savings event.*

Correction

Portland Business Journal reported last week that Tesla had leased commercial office space in Portland for the first time, when in fact, the EV manufacturer has a showroom and service center located on South Macadam Avenue. (Portland Business Journal)

The Buy

This sleek outdoor side table that doubles as a cooler, perfect for the warmer days ahead. Pop the top off to reveal ice and your refreshing beverage of choice.

Answered

Which Portland sister cities would you like to visit?

Distant gondolas travel up a green forested mountain on the Mount Moiwa Ropeway. The urban sprawl of Sapporo stretches into the distance. — Sapporo was founded in 1857 with just seven people; elevation will help put the growth of Japan’s fifth-largest city into context.
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Photo by Adam Jones via Wikimedia Commons

Of Portland’s nine sister cities, Sapporo, Japan, was the most popular pick among our readers with 45 votes, followed by:

Bologna, Italy (31 votes)
Guadalajara, Mexico (12 votes)
Mutare, Zimbabwe (9 votes)

The least-popular destination was Khabarovsk, Russia.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

Happy (belated) second birthday to Jolene. The youngest member of the Oregon Zoo’s orangutan family was born April 13, 2022, and keepers say her personality is starting to shine through. She spends more time practicing her climbing — but always under her mom Kitra’s watchful gaze.

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