If dreams come true when you wish upon a star, what happens when you wish upon 100 shooting stars?
The Perseid meteor shower — aka the Perseids — is taking place now through Sunday, Sept. 1. The shower happens when Earth passes through the trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle, offering spectators across the globe the opportunity to see roughly 100 meteors per hour when the shower is at its peak.
Ready to go meteor hunting? Check out our guide below.
When to view
The best time to watch the meteor shower is late at night or in the predawn hours during its peak from Sunday, Aug. 11 to Monday, Aug. 12. The moon will be 44% full.
Bonus: Even if you can’t watch the Perseid meteor shower during its peak, you can still catch views of the shower throughout the month.
Where to go
When choosing a spot to watch the Perseids, aim for a location away from human-made light. Here are some spots that we suggest:
Mt. Tabor Park, Southeast 60th Avenue + Southeast Salmon Street
Rooster Rock State Park, 24 miles east in Corbett
Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint, 24 miles southwest in Hillsboro
Vista House, 40700 Historic Columbia River Hwy., Corbett
L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, 33 miles northwest in Buxton
Larch Mountain, 38 miles east near Bridal Veil
Pro tip: You don’t need binoculars or a telescope to view the Perseids. If you have trouble finding the shower, make sure you are looking at the darkest part of the sky and allow your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
“Sex and the City” Trivia Night | Thursday, Aug. 8 | 5-7 p.m. | Flour Bloom | $10 | Whether you’re a Carrie, a Miranda, or perhaps a Samantha or a Charlotte, you’ll have a blast showing off your knowledge of the hit HBO show.
Theater in the Park - “Twelfth Night” | Thursday, Aug. 8 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Ridgewood View Park | Free | Take in a shortened version of this Shakespearean comedy among the trees.
Friday, Aug. 9
Leng Bian, Kenzy Peach, Trinity Jane | Friday, Aug. 9 | 7-10:30 p.m. | Mississippi Pizza Pub & Atlantis Lounge | $12-$14 | Harp music with pop influences? That’s what you’ll hear (and more) when these three local artists take to the stage.
Saturday, Aug. 10
Garden Party in the Sky: Noise Aquarium | Saturday, Aug. 10 | 6 p.m.-12 a.m. | 3405 SW 13th Ave., Portland | $25 | Ned and Wendy the Band, Christopher Jack, and friends are hosting a backyard concert for a night you won’t forget.
35th Anniversary Party | Saturday, Aug. 10 | 7-8 p.m. | The Fossil Cartel | Free | Diamonds are forever and this jewelry store has been around a long time — celebrate with a fun spin-the-wheel game, refreshments, and 20% off store-wide (some exclusions apply).
Sunday, Aug. 11
India Festival | Sunday, Aug. 11 | 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. | Beaverton City Park | Free | Enjoy this picnic-style event with dozens of food, arts, and crafts vendors, live music, cricket demonstrations, henna, and cultural dance performances.
$7.13 million. That’s how much the city of Portland will pay to purchase the Moda Center, opening the door for a “major renovation.” Under the new operating lease, Portland will use the revenue from ticket and parking fees from Blazers games to match the team’s own upgrade contributions. (KOIN)
Cause
Italian restaurant Caffe Mingo and the attached bar Barba Mingo are closed indefinitely after a major fire (no one was hurt). Longtime customers are rallying to help support the Northwest Portland institution by organizing a GoFundMe page. Serrato Restaurant and Bar located next door remains open for business.
Weather
Guess who’s back? The heat. Today, high temperatures will push between 95° and 100° in Portland, which certainly calls for extra hydration if you have to be outside. The kicker? A shift in winds is pushing wildfire smoke into the area, dropping our air quality into the moderate range. (KGW + KOIN)
Sports
Wondering where to watch the USWNT take on Brazil in this Saturday’s gold medal match? Several soccer-oriented bars are hosting watch parties, including The Sports Bra, GOL, and Away Days Brewing Co., which promises beer, coffee, and breakfast sandwiches. Kickoff is 8 a.m. so make sure to set your alarm. (NBC)
Biz
Under Armour is stitching new talent into its organization. The company will acquire Unless Collective, a local plant-based streetwear start-up, while also bringing on its founder Eric Liedtke as executive vice president of brand strategy. Under Armour’s footwear division already has an office in the Rose City. Deal terms weren’t revealed. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
Eat
It’s August 8, or 8/08, which just happens to be Hawaii’s famous area code. If you’re craving island cuisine — just thinking about Spam musubi has our mouths watering — Portland has many eateries to check out. City Editor Ben recently had the mochiko chicken plate at Ate-Oh-Ate and it was delicious. (Eater Portland)
Trending
We can all agree wobbles are the worst — for Olympic gymnasts and especially for the front wheel of an airplane. An Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Redmond diverted to PDX on Monday, citing an issue with the hydraulics system. Pilots landed the craft safely and passengers arrived at their destination two hours later than normal. (NBC Chicago + KGW)
State
Getting a C may be enough to earn a college degree, but it’s not a great look when it comes to Oregon’s infrastructure report card. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ overall verdict slapped a minus on the letter, citing room for improvement across 12 categories like energy and drinking water. (KOIN)
Olympics
Current and former Oregon Ducks runners will be well represented in today’s track events, with Nikki Hiltz, Susan Ejore (Kenya), Klaudia Kazimierska (Poland), and Jessica Hull (Australia) all competing in the women’s 1,500 meters semifinals. See what else to expect from today’s Olympics action. (KGW)
Listen
We all know Shaedon Sharpe can jump through the roof, but what is the team’s ceiling with him and teammates Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan as the core? Mike Richman of Locked On Blazers breaks down that potential with special guest Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.
Fact or Fiction
Spravato is a prescription nasal spray that could offer relief to adults experiencing treatment-resistant depression. See the answer.*†
Travel
Psst. Want to fly out of PDX for less? It’s Going’s annual birthday sale — get 40% off a Premium membership and get notified about amazing flight deals all year long (like $166 to Cancun).*
†Please note: Legalities in your state may vary. PDXtoday advises consumers to consult a physician before trying new products and to always read a company’s and/or product’s full terms and conditions. The information about providers and services contained in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by PDXtoday.
Grab a paddle and a partner — it’s go time. | Photo courtesy of Sport Oregon
Zero-zero-two. In case you’re not familiar, that’s how you start a game of pickleball — we agree, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s what makes it fun.
If you are a seasoned player, you might also know that today is National Pickleball Day, a chance to celebrate the paddle sport that’s sweeping the nation (and one we predict seeing at the Olympics sooner or later). We’re here to serve you some knowledge on how to get involved:
Last week, I was invited out to Chettinad Indian Cuisine in Beaverton to try their lunch buffet and it did not disappoint.
I ate my fill of lamb curry, as well as dishes from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, like dosa and sambar. All of the food was delicious and the hospitality was top notch. Keep an eye on our Instagram to see what I had for dessert.
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