Monster Jam

Big trucks catching big air and crushing cars. What's not to love about that!? Wish they'd let me shoot from the floor, something about liability issues, oh well. What's truly impressive is that those drivers are able to launch their vehicles off those big ramps and stick the landing in such a tight space. Not to mention all that dirt that they haul in and out of the Rose Garden. Ear plugs are a must at events like this, and a respirator wouldn't hurt either, gets a bit smoggy indoors. Monster fun shoot!

Foster Burger

Chef Daniel Mondok is damn serious about good food, in this case good burgers, and Foster Burger is damn good. The product of great restauranteurs and quality ingredients, the new spot at SE 53 & Foster boasts beef from a small ranch in Eastern Oregon, buns baked next door, and produce as local as it can get. Teaming up with Mondok in the burger business is Andy Ricker (chef-owner of Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge and Ping) and Kurt Huffman (developer of Whiskey, Ping and Grüner), a relationship for success, for sure. On my visit, doing photos for a review in Willamette Week, we sampled the Foster Bacon Cheeseburger, Buffalo Fries, and Frog Legs atop Brussels Sprout slaw. The burger was amazing, especially for the $8.50 price tag. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, cooked to perfection, combined with crispy bacon and tangy cheddar. The Frog was buttery and tender with a lightly crispy coating, an interesting and enjoyable dish. And the buffalo fries had the perfect amount of hot, especially when chased with a pint. But guess what!? People have already caught on, so if your up for really good baskets of burgers and fries, head to Foster Burger, but get there before your too hungry, most nights the lineup starts before the doors open.

Lovely's Fifty-Fifty

Lovely's Fifty-Fifty, born out of the closing of Lovely's Hula Hands, is a new spot on Mississippi featuring fantastic brick oven pizza. The spacious dining room, and open garage door up front, beckons hungry Mississippi sidewalkers in for a look. The handmade, hand rolled pies aren't your standard pizza joint fare either. Offbeat offerings include a squid and black olive pie. Or how 'bout a slice of Nettle and Panchetta (sunnyside egg optional)? If you like brick oven pizza, or if your just strolling in the neighborhood, Lovely's is a fine place to satiate your palate.

Rose City Rollers

I've been fortunate enough to teach a couple classes recently at Newspace Center for Photography in Portland. My last class was called "On Assignment", and it involved me teaching the in's and out's of sports photography, as well as overseeing the class as they covered the season opening bout of the Rose City Rollers roller derby team. The class ranged from hobbyists, to professionals that wanted to expand their skill sets. Everyone had a great time, hopefully learned a thing or two, and came up with some great images. Here's some of the images I made during the bout.