city of books

As anyone that's ever been to Portland knows, Powell's Books is an amazing place. It's the largest used and new bookstore in the world, and you could easily spend days wandering the place without ever seeing everything it has to offer. For anyone with the slightest interest in books, or even no interest at all, it's not to be missed.

Having grown up Portland, I've always loved Powell's, and it's been a pleasure to see it thrive over the years. It's not often that such a large independent retailer can thrive in an industry dominated by big chains, but it has more than held its own. And more than being just a bookstore, Powell's is also a cultural landmark in the city of Portland. It's the type of place that locals always show to visitors, and it does a great job of tapping into the vibrant artistic environment in the city.

It's absolutely essential for the city that Powell's continue to play a role in the development of Downtown Portland and the Pearl District, and it's good to see that the owner is already planning for the future. Hopefuly, the strong management and unique vision that have made the store such a success will continue to guide it as it grows along with its surroundings.

Tab Benoit

If you've never heard of Tab Benoit or listened to any of his music, do yourself a favor and check him out. You can purchase CD's directly from his site (which, admittedly, is not the most technologically advanced), and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. My personal favorites are Nice And Warm, his first album, and Swampland Jam and The Sea Saint Sessions, two amazing live albums.

Tab's brand of Louisiana Bayou blues sounds great on his studio albums, but it really shines in his live performances. I saw him last month at Cafe Boogaloo, a great little New Orleans - style blues bar in Hermosa Beach, and like every other time I've seen him, I came away absolutely floored by the show. The guy rocks out for three solid hours, and as the singer and guitarist on all the songs, he is carrying the show from start to finish. He's got great presence and a wonderful voice, and is easily the best guitarist I've ever seen live. His style of blues is very upbeat (most of the time - he has slower, more traditional songs, too) and is great for dancing. If you enjoy the blues at all, or even if you don't, you will absolutely NOT regret picking up any of his albums or catching his next show.

For anyone in Southern California, he plays at Cafe Boogaloo three or four times a year, so you might want to check out their calendar. It's pretty cheap to get in, about 15-20 dollars for his shows, about 5-10 for pretty much anyone else. The place has good food, so it's worth picking up dinner and then sticking around for the show.