I came here on a date twice to see an improv show. It was a super chill vibe with tons of laughs…read more I had two cocktails while here but nothing stood out. They also offer a free improv class to trial before signing up. If you always wanted to try it out, I recommend signing up. It was not for me but it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone.

-Review for the Annex Theater- a friend of mine invited me to watch an improv comedy show here,…read morePunchlines and Piledrivers, and what a show it was. The actors were so silly and comical, and really poured their all into the characters! The staff seemed friendly enough although my interactions were extremely limited. It is a small room with lots of chairs crammed into a few rows. There is a little concession stand that sells snacks, popcorn, canned beverages including a couple different beers. I am giving the venue 3 stars because of my very limited view -- I sat in the front row, at the furthest point, on the side of the room opposite the entrance. The chairs are small and positioned right next to each other, offering very minimal personal space to the individual seated. The cast however would get 5 stars all day!

I hadn't heard of Respaldiza before. I love the bright colors and use of maps in her work. It's so…read moregood! I'm looking forward to the new exhibit coming to the Portland's Miniature Museum in May.

Alionca's exhibit is no small feat! I'm a sucker for maps anyway. Maps are miniature depictions of…read morethe "real" world, and her further miniaturizations are colorful and inspiring!

As a person of Japanese descent, I've been meaning to come to JAMO for quite some time. It boggles…read moremy mind that I exist at all. I mean WW2 ended in 1945, my dad was stationed in Japan in the 50s. That's when he met my Japanese mother. Growing up, I did see a little of the prejudice towards Japanese people, and I never understood it. But I grew up sheltered, and had never heard of places like Minidoka. In fact, I was pretty ignorant about this time in history, until I was much older. JAMO has exhibits that are permanent as well as new ones coming in. I saw that they do free First Sunday. I'm glad I went to learn about a dark time in our history.

What a museum! If your grandparents were in the internment camps, you will be emotional. They have…read morea map where the camps were and I saw where my grandparents were. You are immersed in what they went through. I'm happy that this is shown in this museum, a lot of people are unaware this happened to Japanese American's. I hope one day to bring my step Mom, my girls Oba. She is Nisei. I highly recommend coming and experiencing this amazing museum.

The staff is great. Helpful and well prepared. The venue is clean, comfortable seating. The views…read morefrom the back of the theatre aren't great if you are under 6' tall. The drink prices are a bit steep - $18 for a CAN of cheap wine. The performance tonight was so not worth the ticket price. We are jazz fans and this show was a tribute to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. The sax player and pianist were really great... but how do you have a tribute show to Armstrong without a horn?? The two singers, well I'll try to be kind. They just don't get the songs they are singing. Sinatra was a crooner.the gentleman trying to portray his music had no depth, or concept of this style. It was a low tide performance that should have been a hurricane of energy! The lady singing the jazz songs was a tier two performer. Not horrible, but Luke warm. It was a disappointing evening. I was a grateful it was only one hour long.

What a great little venue. There is ADA parking out front (2 that I noticed), and while there isn't…read morea dedicated lot, I did see quite a bit of street parking available when I showed up on an early Sunday evening. In typical Portland fashion, the Abbey is in an older neighborhood mixed in between homes and businesses. The building itself seems to have been recently renovated and looks wonderful! Everything is clean and seems newer, and the staff were friendly. We were given first timer information upon entry, although we probably could have figured things out on our own considering its size. There is a bar adjacent to the main area which made for easy access to pizza and drinks. They do have a limited menu but I appreciated the tasty Old Fashion I got, and my son enjoyed the pizza & candy. The acoustics were booming. It was loud downstairs! I overheard another patron saying people could go upstairs if the volume was too much where we were (I did not go upstairs). There is a little area for dancing and hanging out on both sides of the main seating area, as well as at the back of the room. I really liked it here! I hope I have other opportunities to return to the Abbey :)

This place is so much fun! Jason, the owner, was super knowledgeable and shared lots of neat lore…read moreabout the machines there including some secrets. They have a really nice mix of newer machines and older machines all with unique gameplay styles. You can come and go as you wish after you get your bracelet, and outside food snd drink are allowed. Definitely worth checking out! I look forward to coming back sometime!

Finding a pinball museum is like stumbling upon a treasure trove of nostalgia and fun. It's a…read moreplace where you can immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and excitement of vintage pinball machines. Each machine tells a story of its era, from the artwork to the gameplay mechanics. Plus, there's something uniquely satisfying about the clack of the flippers and the flashing lights as you rack up points. It's a delightful escape into the past and a reminder of the timeless joy of gaming, all without breaking your pocketbook since unlimited gameplay is only $8! Open from noon to 7pm Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday & Wednesday), and they even allow outside food and drink. Check out this unique place while you can!

We attended the Dragon Light Festival at the LAN Su Chinese Garden recently at the later evening…read moreprogram. It was fabulously colorful and professionally performed. The garden was beautiful and lit tastefully in red and gold tones . The two of us thoroughly enjoyed our evening in Portland's historic old town. Parking was on the street and we got lucky for a space right out front of the garden . Highly recommend this experience.

Garden is very small, not much to do or see. This is in downtown area so there's a big homeless…read morepopulation along with many people screaming and fighting outside the garden which was quite scary. I honestly don't think it's a very good garden compared to other ones I've visited. Parking was also hard to find too since it's in downtown and we finished walking through the garden within 30 minutes. They seem to have really cool events during the weekends and they also have guided tours but again, very small garden so not really going anywhere and they're just telling you about the history which is already available for you to read or watch in another building. They have a small, very expensive gift shop up front near the box office that has many Chinese books and other small business items. Wouldn't recommend unless you live somewhere that doesn't have an Asian garden, you may enjoy this.

Casual, historic venue with easy neighborhood parking, and friendly staff. We have been there twice…read moreand enjoyed the shows. Had a really good meal at LaBonitas just a block away before the last show.

I was given two complementary VIP tickets to a burlesque show. I was excited because I've never…read morebeen to this venue before. Street parking is available around the Alberta art District. So just know that you may have to look a little bit harder to find a spot when it's busier. It's nice though since parking is free in this area. The overall staff this venue were really nice and helpful. There is food and drinks available and prices are typical of theaters. The theater itself is quite large inside. The seats are roomy with legroom available.

I was looking for a 1-on-1 activity with my son, who absolutely loves spiders and stumbled upon the…read morePortland Insectarium. This place is awesome! The staff is super knowledgeable, and there are so many fascinating things to see. They even host special events for handling tarantulas, which we'll definitely be back for. Pro Tips: The space is cozy (literally one room), so online reservations are a must. Slots are in 30 or 45 minute increments. Since there's no waiting area inside or out, aim to arrive exactly 5 minutes before your time. Also, save a few minutes for the gift shop at the end! If you have a bug enthusiast in your life, they will love it! The scorpions and diverse spider collection were our highlights.

What a fun & engaging experience! The best way to enjoy the Insectarium is to chat with the visitor…read moreservice associates, who are so knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and interesting. The space is small but insects aren't big, so there's lots more to see than you sense when first arriving. We're visiting from out of town, but would definitely visit again, given the opportunity.

I've been working with Tim since June 2020 in a class setting and I have to say, I can't recommend…read morehim enough in a class or individually! My auditioning has improved substantially: I've booked 2 films, 1 TV co-star and a digital theatrical production in just 8 months (and in a pandemic that ain't bad). He helps me reframe the parts of an audition that I might miss and also keeps me on my toes by asking plenty of "what if we tried..." questions that keep me thinking, pushing and exploring. If you want to up your audition game - he is the coach for you!

I love working with Tim! Not only have I booked several jobs after coaching/shooting self-tapes…read morewith him, even if I don't book (real talk lol!) I'm always confident that I'm auditioning with my absolute BEST work. Tim is a beyond gifted actor himself, and he understands what's at stake, all the while creating a fun, comfortable, imaginative space to play, guided by his brilliant direction. I go to him for everything from one-liners to starring roles, and I've always walked away feeling inspired and energized -- solid gold, especially in an industry that can leave you feeling otherwise. Working with him is the best investment you can make for your craft. He truly empowers you and your work to shine.

Of all the fabulous shops on Alberta Street - and there are oh so many, - this gallery/art shop is…read moremy favorite. There were so many art pieces there when I visited that I loved. Of course, on any given visit, there would be different local artist's works exhibited, and there's no guarantee that some or any works would appeal to me (or to anyone, on any given day. Art is so subjective, and the featured artists here change regularly). I was just lucky that I loved so many pieces of art when I visited. There are many things I loved about this gallery: they showcase a wide range of artistic works, from photographs to paintings to sculptures to glassworks to artisan hand-made jewelry and more. All the artists are local. All the art pieces are for sale. There is a huge range of prices for the works, so there really is something for any budget. (Note: when I was there, there were postcards and small prints with the featured photographer's works on them, and these were super reasonably priced). And best of all, you can often chat with the artists who are there! I loved the fact that the featured jewelry maker was there, and she talked about her inspirations and her artistic process. It was fascinating (and she was super talented - and nice to boot!). I love supporting local businesses and local artisans and artists, and this gallery checks all the boxes.

Fabulous gallery in the heart of NE Alberta. inside contains the work of 32 local artists…read morerepresenting so many mediums. There is plenty of jewelry and I want so many pieces!!! Ceramics, pottery, paintings, prints, photography, metal works, sculptures and greeting cards. Truly something for everyone across a spectrum of prices. What I particularly liked is that the art isn't all about PNW scenes. So many local galleries predominantly filled with local scenes and while stunning in real life, it may not necessarily go with everyone's style in their home. At Alberta Street Gallery, there are abstracts, nature scenes, people, birds, animals and more. Definitely worth a walk through any time you are in the area and also worthy as a destination. There is never any pressure to buy, but always helpful and informative service if needed. The art is always changing so stop back frequently.