Julie "pdxJules" M.'s Profile

The CBA is one of the largest Blues Associations in the Country, actively promoting Bands and supporting Venues and Festivals. It is an all-Volunteer organization with a print Newsletter mailed to Members and available at many  Venues in the NW.  The Front page generally features photos and features about the 2 Musical Acts to play that month at the FREE CBA meting. This double header event is held (almost) every  FIRST  WEDNESDAY all year - at the Melody Ballroom on Southeast  7th/North of Morrison St..  A Semi-Formal November Party  features an ALL STAR Band - and the ANNUAL MUDDY WATERS AWARDS Cerermony.

The Newsletter has recently improved, and the center of the CBA newsletter opens to a more readable Monthly Calendar of Gigs.

www.CASCADEBLUES.ORG is the Club Web Site, and it links to an online Blues Calendar, and a Discussion Board where you can get SAME DAY INFO on Gigs.

The CBA would get 5 stars if the Board was not so dang Clubbish.
Self-dealing includes Nominating each other for the highest Muddy Awards. That aspect reached a new height last fall when a life-time achielvement award WAS HANDED TO a Board Member instead of PETER DAMON - who has booked Bands for, and helped fund - and run the Portland WaterFront Blues Festival - with APLOMB for DECADES, not to mention his stunning career as a Blues Gutarist. His role in helping put Portland on the world's stage as a leading Blues city is far and away more significant a contribution than a Club Volunteer.  Peter is also an accomplished Blues Guitarist and Band Member and leader. (This year I did receive my Ballot, and some past Officers have moved on. Hopefully self-dealing in awards is over, too)  

Self-dealing on non-profit/community service Boards is unbecoming - and needs to Stop...just as the IRS made it illegal for Foundation Board Member to disproportionately _reward_ themselves.  

( UPDATE to the Rant - I don't know if the CBA Board has added Policy/practices to prevent multiple BOARD Members from Nominating each other for Awards, but this year I see NO  sign on the ballot of it happening for 2009. Peter Dammann is again Nominated for the Lifetime achievement award, alongside Bill Rhodes and Norman Sylvester)

If the OBC has declared a BrewPub as worthy, dammit, it is.  
It's about the beer, and being happy with it, and this is sure a place to indulge in that.  In December 2009 the Brew Crew gave Manager Russ M our Bung Award for his contribution to the Brewery pub experience. His career has grown with the craft beer movement. He sure can keep a beer snob happy.

If you are looking for the large list of the Rogue Brewing Company's own flagship beers, go to the Pub at NW 14th & Flanders. This site however, is a celebration of the evolving world of great brews.  
Competent Rogue staffers keep the Guest taps loaded.
Say Hooray I'm here - then look for the Tap lists on the walls
in the big back bar - always a hefty list of new brews to try.  

Brew-o-philes often stop in for part of our evening
just to see (& try) what's new on Tap,
and enjoy a Pint on the way out for the evening
or on the way home. Come for Dinner some night
and just watch the beer afficianados roll in.  

- Tuesday:  Meet the (Professional) Brewer night.  
- Wednesday: a Brew Crew release, weekly. Meet Home Brewers!
- Many new Taps were added last year, near the massive walk in cooler.
- A large outdoor patio with additional seating opened in 2009.  
-They even closed of the street and held a mini-beer Fest here, during the high heat of summer 2009.
-Music sometimes happens Thurs-or the weekend.  (Yay, Live Blues!)

UPDATE: Check out Wednesday evening Keg Tappings - featuring releases of  Beer designed by and Brewed on-site by fellow Members of the Oregon Brew Crew. This began Fall 2009.  Home Brewers not only can  Brew here - but every Beer brewed on-site is by a Member of my Club.  How great is that?!  These are smaller batches - only available here - and sell out by the next Wednesday release.  

The Green Dragon really is about the Beer... but you can eat, play pinball, have dinner, enjoy a mixed drink, generally - party here. If you don't drive, you can taste more Beer.  The #15 Bus stops at the corner, and 70, 14, 4, 6 and 10 are close. 9th street was recently re-paved, and is great for bikes, the quiet side streets are safe for walking, as the car-people tend to stay on Belmont, MLK and 12th.

No cheap beer, just great beer, with MANY choices, notably in the high-gravity department.  Also excellent distilled spirits. Now you can enjoy a Brew and also impress your bourbon-snob friends.  For an excellent late night drink experience, just get here. Then put the Bartender in charge. They know what to do.

Formerly LOVED dancing to Saturday night live BEATLES music there years ago...when it was Coyotes.  (OMG Shari - will we ever have that much fun again, now that we, er I, am so freakin old and you are so f*ing married?)   then you were the only one, but now the smokers are the majority, lingering around pool tables to nasty up the place...but only til 2009.  Maybe we can bring real music and dancin back to that lonely wood floor?

I still drop in on rainy bleak days for the GOOD CHEAP BREAKFAST.  Super nice Staff too, who welcome you like a regular who tips large. So, please do! (Maybe bring your own coffee, or just order juice...unless you like the nostalga of MJB watered down to a tea-like translucent carmel color with cream. Really it''s not THAT bad...)

Everybody should know that this is a VERY good neighborhood
to spend an entire evening, even if you haven't quite decided what to do yet..  It'll work out.  You can browse the Willy Week, or step out of the rain to Yelp at Katie's to figure out your action plan.  or just walk around and sample a few places.  Great Pizza, and Thai Food places are just south of Sandy. A GREAT little known CHEAP bar is a few blocks south, on the east side of 28th, good Happy Hr pub grub.
The Laurelthirst Pub on 29th/Glisan offers 2 sets of music most nites, with the first one free, and the 2nd - just a LOW cover, usually.

There's so much more is around here,
Katie's really just invites you to slow down on the freshly re-paved Sandy Blvd - and consider staying awhile nearby.

#12 or 19 Bus stop at this intersection-sector of major east-side streets. ( Glisan is just south - great Latin food too - if you don't mind standing in lines, at Pambiche )

Katies is an easy, enjoyable walk from the #20 bus/Burnside,
where you really must enjoy the
The East 28th Entertainment District.
I do a frequent nite-out there, alone or with others, doesn't really matter - if you just like being around people.  Start at the Laurelthirst Pub for a  music happy hour, then a movie at the Laurelhurst Theatre  Pub; followed by Wine Down afterward...with the largest PORT selection in Portland, and good Pasta bowl.  ((Tuesday/Wednesday drink Discounts at wine down - a block and a half North o'Burnside)

All Buses carry Bikes.  

If you insist on paying more - or have snooty friends - go to Noble Rot, south of Burnside.  It's the Opposite of Katie's.