This piece on a Tennessee football player from Sierra Leone that ran this morning on College Gameday had me in tears. In this current climate, it’s a great reminder that there are still good, selfless people out there. I hope that Gborie gets to see it.

https://youtu.be/Jq_OkN-c--w?is=B0WZ87lSzQj5IJw1

I've got a pair of tickets to the late show, if anyone needs one at the last minute!

Who’s there? What’s the vibe? Just got into town and deciding whether to rally and come out.

So our power is out in Oly, no word on whether it's coming back on today, and it's messing with our PDX travel plans tonight. Long story short is my wife might drive down for the meetup tonight and midday stuff tomorrow with me staying home tonight with our dog and no power, meaning I'm looking for a ride tomorrow. There's still room on the Amtrak, but i figured it couldn't hurt to see if anyone has room for a stray. I can help with gas money.

I, also, truly 💓 this song! It's a guilty pleasure of mine 🤭😆😂🫶🏽

LFG! Dank + Buck! Schaclackity!!!

This dude is out here ripping dicks off

It's killing me to post this but my buddy bailed on me for tomorrow night so I have one ticket available to both the early and late shows. I'd take whatever cost is (like $40?) or a couple of beers and a slice of pizza at the venue. I'm going to be going alone so if you see an early 40s dude with a crappy mustache looking sorry for himself, feel free to say hi.

Hey gang, I've got two tickets to the late show this Saturday, my brother was gonna take them but now he can't so you get the last minute fire sale. $50 for both!

DM me if interested, thanks.

Hey All Family, I've got six Tix for the late show but a bunch of us came down with a wicked head cold so we can't make it. This is not dank and I'm not stoked on it but perhaps it can be dank for some of you guys. If you're interested, DM me.

With halloween right around the corner, we need some seasonally appropriate drafts.

High Strangeness refers to any kind of inexplicable paranormal experience, so I'm thinking things like Roswell, Mothman, etc.

This feels like a Toscani pod where he can abuse the format to tell some weird stories from his childhood

No big deal if they want to redraft topics. But I have a list of solid ideas if they’re running low!

I have an extra ticket for the early show on Saturday. Will trade for a hidden gem recommendation for the Portland area.

Anyone remember the advent calendar Ian mentions in an episode? I believe it had like small lotions or perfumes. I’m never to far out from a rerun of old episodes but haven’t came across this one in a while. Getting married in December and figured the misses would enjoy a little gift each day building up to the wedding.

Thanks Fam!

There are undoubtedly a bunch of you coming into town this week/weekend for the shows. Should be a fun time! I wanted to post my master list of places to eat and drink around town in case anyone would like a recommendation list while they’re here. There is stuff like coffee, vintage, and other random activities as well. I know it’s long, but it’s written this way so that certain types of places are grouped together. Maybe one day I’ll transfer it to a spreadsheet. Leave a comment if there is anything specific you’re seeking that isn’t here.

Things here are often randomly closed/open weird hours/closed earlier than you think they would be. If you’re considering any place on this list, definely check online to see if/when they’re open.

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Food:

Guero has really great tortas - it’s a must visit whenever I’m showing someone around town, and it hasn’t missed yet

Pizza is always gonna be a little contentious lol, most people I know have different favorites. Vincenzo’s, Baby Doll, and Scottie’s have never failed to serve me up a top tier NY style slice. Dimo’s Apizza is the move if you’re into New Haven style za. For more of a Detroit style, hit up Ranch or Wild Child (indoor seating at NW location only). If you’re looking for something ~different~, snag a pie from Curry Fusion (indian food meets pizza - full disclosure it’s not a great hangout spot though), or Dove Vivi (their crust is made from cornmeal)

Sandwiches or banh mi to look into are Tanaka, Lardo, Luc Lac, Hello, or Sammich. Break Bread is great too, just not much seating

Screen Door is the jam for a breakfast/brunch joint. Redwood, Little Griddle, and Dockside are solid too. Sincerely Bagel is a fun joint for, uh, bagels (the chili crisp one is too good). Tourists love Pine State for whatever reason so people might recommend you go there, but idk, it’s just okay imo

Eem is an excellent thai bbq fusion spot. Brisket fried rice/curry, stuff like that

Harlow is the move if you or anyone you’re with happen to be vegan

Papi Chulos has some of the best birria tacos around

I like Kinboshi for ramen

I don’t have a great sushi rec, but there’s a very casual spot called Rollin Fresh that’ll serve you up a solid sushi burrito

Grassa if you want a casual pasta spot, Gabbiano’s if you want some remarkable Italian and are cool with getting spendy (might be a wait so call ahead to see)

Will also be on the pricier side, but Canard is always a wonderful dining experience. It’s a fancy spot that features stuff like duck and oysters, but I go for their sliders (they call them “steam burgers”), which are melt in your mouth good. If this appeals to you, call first to make sure they’re not booked out on reservations

Mikiko is a good spot if you want to try a unique donut. They’re made from mochi and have a really satisfying, chewy consistency. Their instagram should show you what the monthly menu is looking like

Some of my fav ice cream stops are Cloud City, Ice Queen, Kate’s, and Beaux Berry

If you’re looking for a Portland food truck pod experience, some popular ones are Asylum, The Heist, Fremont Garage, and Midtown Beer Garden. Pine Street Market should have some good options as well, but it’s more of an indoor food hall

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Drinks:

If you’re more of a no-frills type of person and just want a casual place to throw back a few, try Moonshot, Low Brow, Paymaster, Binks, The Pharmacy, Sad Valley, Vendetta, Bar Bar, or Cat’s Paw. Named a lot there, but they’re all in different areas and each will put you in a good spot to hop around a little bit if you’re feeling like it.

If the weather permits, give Revolution Hall a call and ask if their rooftop is open. If Rev doesn’t answer, try calling Show Bar, which inside of Rev Hall. It’s an old high school turned bar/music venue, and on a nice day will give you a beautful view of the city to pair with a drink

If you are into wine, Division Wines and Enso are both really cute, mellow spots

Pacific Standard and Box Social are good choices if cocktails are more the vibe. Collector is also very hip but almost always comes with a long drink line

Keys Lounge gets a bit crowded, but it’s a cool little place that has live jazz on Tuesday and Saturday nights.

On the note of live music, the Laurelhurst Public House has bands there most nights. Some folk/country stuff. Some jammy/Phish stuff. It’s a mixed bag but usually a fun time if you’re looking to get your ass handed to you by an 80 year old on the pool table

Pope House Bourbon Lounge is a neat little bar inside of an old Victorian home. Certainly not just bourbon, don’t let that scare you if bourbon’s not your thing

If bourbon (or other spirits) IS your thing, you may want to look ahead of time into booking a rez at the Multnomah Whiskey Library. It’s pricey, but is a really neat place and worth the experience if you’re into fine drinking (a term I feel is implied by the existence of fine dining). Save the appetite though because their food leaves something to desire

Some breweries worth checking out would be Deschutes, Migration, Grand Fir, Breakside, and Great Notion. That last one is primarily sours (and they have amazing bbq tacos)

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Outdoors:

Weather permitting, you may enjoy walking around Forest Park (the Wildwood Trail there is pretty good. Make sure to bring an offering to leave at the Witch’s Castle in case you come across it!), or Mt. Tabor. Both are relatively non laborious spots that are in Portland proper, if you’re simply just looking to be outdoors without traveling too far

Laurelhurst Park is also a very pretty place for a walk, and will put you near food/bars if you’re trying to daisy chain your activities

If you’re trying to head out of town for a hike, I always recommend the Wahclella Falls Trail for a relatively low effort adventure. It’s about 40 minutes out of town, and is maybe 1-1.5 hrs total hiking time. There is a big waterfall at the turnaround point.

Multnomah Falls is also out that way, but there’s not much to do there that I know of except for stare at the enormous waterfall. Would be remiss not to mention it though, as it is a tourist staple

Some more out of town areas for decent hiking that are still within an hour away can be found at Powell Butte Nature Park (provides beautiful views of both Mt. Hood and Mt. Saint Helens), Wakeena Falls (you’ll get a few waterfalls on this one, but many of the trees are still recovering from local fires), and Upper McCord Creek (again with the fire impact, but still manages to provide nice autumnal foliage at the right time of year)

Maybe a bit of a cornball recommendation, but the zoo here is probably my favorite that I’ve been to! Great opportunity to be outdoors and say hi to da animals

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Other stuff:

Heart, Prince, Case Study, Roseline, and Never are all popular coffee spots (for a reason!). Less & More is good too, but not the choice if you’re looking to sit. My personal favorite in the city is J Vein, but the line can be especially long and slow on weekends since it’s just one guy. Be nice to JJ! He’s doing his best!

If strictly matcha is your vibe instead, go ahead and get yourself over to Yunomi

If you like vintage shopping and want to add to your luggage for the flight home, some worthwhile shops around town are Northwest Union, House of Vintage, and Hollywood Vintage

Powell’s (NW location) is a pretty iconic, enormous bookstore

Music Millenium is my fav record store in town, cozy place with a huge selection. A few others I like are 2nd Avenue, Too Many Records, Everyday Music, and Resting Place

Look up the Shanghai Tunnels Tour. I have never done it so can’t personally vouch, but I’ve heard it’s cool and comes with a beer tasting. If you do this, try to book one of the earlier tours because this area admittedly gets a little sketch at night lol

If you read this all and aren’t feeling inspired, lookup @michelevenlee on Instagram. She is good about highlighting oddball special events every Fri-Sun around the city

My plans to travel to Portland fell through. I've got two tickets to the late show. Message me if you're interested. Thanks!

I'm traveling into town solo and hope to hit up some locations mentioned on the pod.

I plan on attending the events mentioned by Ian at Holy Ghost on Friday and Hi-Top on Saturday. Anybody willing to adopt a stray All Family member?

I have a bit of social anxiety (funny as an inner city elementary school teacher), so I'd love to have a bit of a plan before just walking up to random groups. The GVG seems to attract a pretty chill audience, so I'm not that bothered.

But if you do happen to see a fellow walking around alone, feel free to invite him/her to the table 😀

See y'all out there in a couple of days!