Vintage Clothing Giveaway

Yup, you heard right! And, boy, did I luck out yesterday when I accidentally stumbled into this amazing event.

I stopped into the Coffee House Cafe (to drop off flyers for a show my band will be playing this Saturday) and noticed they had just put out the chalk sign and were writting on it. I paid no mind. When I was finished hanging up the flyer I discovered they had opened up what seemed like an old ballet room in the back and dumped on the floor thousands of random vintage clothes/items in rows... unfolded, unorganized, stacks of clothes and hardly a soul around. I went to the girl who was writing "Vintage Clothes Giveaway" on the chalk sign and asked if this could be true, and she answered me, "Yep, we get boxes and boxes of overstock vintage clothes from an online company and so we give 'em away, once a year, to lighten the load." I walked back in and went to town! Minutes after the sign was complete people started swarming in with disbelief. I snagged: one sweet belt, two vintage sweatshirts, lined navy blue windbreaker, a Members Only jacket, and a pair of tweed slacks... for FREE! It was brilliant. and so I say this, Thank you Salem and thank you Coffee House Cafe for making my fall/winter clothing collection a whole lot cooler.

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"Band Buzzing" (a series)

First Installment:

When searching for bands to collaborate with and book shows with, I turn to the basics: the local papers, repeats at hot venues, word of mouth, good promotionals, etc. Very active bands are the ones to grab my attention. I want the band that's working hard to make themselves known.

Just by scratching at the surface of Salem I've uncovered these gems, thus far:

Symmetry/Symmetry

This is a band I discovered while booking with the Ike Box. Andrew does the booking there and also plays drums for Symmetry/Symmetry.

The Vicious Kisses

Sean and Nick, our lead singer and drummer, were asked to play acoustic guitar and keys for a few shows with this band. I caught their Ike Box show and really dug Mark, the lead singers, voice, and the overall energy of the band.

Norman

A friend invited me out to see Norman in Albany and I loved their set. They continue to put out great performances around town and are really keeping the momentum up.

Massive Moth

Doug Hoffman's band; they were the first band I caught wind of when I moved down to Salem.

Kopath Bear

I just recently heard the buzz about this band. They are working hard around town and drawing in quite the following even without any music available to listen to online.

This is by no means a review or a promo for these bands. I am only listing them because they have created enough of a buzz to reach my ear.

More to come.

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Middle of the Road

On a small city block between High and Liberty on Chemeketa, every Wednesday From May to October, is a little treasure dubbed Wednesday Market.

White tents line the street and the smell of fresh cooked meats rise up like a smoke signal calling locals in. This is one of our many treasures. Lucky for me, I work just down the street and very often find the time to walk up and down the aisles of Wednesday Market to say "Hi" to the regular vendors and greet the new ones. Vendors with fresh meats, locally grown eggs, and family farm vegetables along with local florists and jewelers, make this a great place to go on my break to clear my mind and take me away from it all.



I would say, in most situations, that this place lacks in variety and could use some expansion. But truly, I feel Wednesday Market is just right. The perfect fit for the middle of the work week, in the middle of the city, during the middle of my day.

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Local Joe

When word got out that Trader Joe's was looking at a liquor licenses for the old building across the street from Winco in South Salem, my heart skipped a beat. The idea of one of my creature comforts from Portland residing here in Salem with me, was exhilirating! Now it's official, Trader Joe's is moving to Salem and I couldn't be more thrilled (except if Limbo moved next door)!! For me Life Source has been the end-all-be-all for local products in a one stop shop setting and I was coming to terms with it. But now the idea of local products available at an affordable price is overwhelming.

When I lived in Gresham, Trader Joe's was pricing a building in downtown Gresham but they voted to turn it down... disappointment. I had the same concern for Salem but the transaction seems to be going smooth... relief. Of course until I can walk into Trader Joe's and walk out with a months worth of 2 Buck Chuck, I will remain weary.

What does any of this have to do with music/art you may ask? Well I'm sure that if I tried I could validate it with something about local artist needing local food to help them feel connected to their roots and blah blah blah. But the truth is... I just love local stuff. It's enriching for the community.