Monday, August 31, 2009

Walking Tour

A Portland Institution
I dropped off the Chevy Malibu with Enterprise on 6th and Burnside. No surprises. On my way home, I stopped in at Laughing Horse Books, which used to be closer to my home, on Division.

Then I sauntered over to CityBikes, as I'm in the market for something to replace TinkerBell, my stolen steed.

Lastly I stopped in and interviewed a struggling small business doing its best to serve on a street of dreams, SE Belmont. I got to see what ASCAP letters look like, if you want to play covers in a public venue, plus we discussed the (stringent) rules around private partying.

My model for private parties is like Quakers renting space at like Mt. Hood Kiwanis. We hire local staff to cook for us on the premises, pay for floorspace. We bring in our own entertainment, our own trainers (e.g John Calvi). We're allowed to play covers (e.g. songs by Lisa Hubbell).

A private party may double as a teach in i.e. may serve a schooling function. If guests give donations, it may be in support of a worthy cause, such as mathematics reform in Portland Public Schools, long overdue, with the status quo really hurting our economy, destroying streets of dreams.