Your no-frills source for Portland bargains, freebies and money saving deals

WEEKEND ON THE CHEAP:

- 90th Annual Benson Tech Show this Thursday and Friday from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. Free admission.

- Friends of the Hillsboro Library Used Book Sale kicks off on Friday for a ten-day run of cheap books, videos, DVDs and more at the main branch. Look for a special 50-cents off coupon near the info desk that you can use once per day.

- Jackpot Records Film & Music Festival final free film screening on Friday at the Hollywood Theater “Mellodrama–The Mellotron Movie.” Free.

- Asian Day this Friday at Pacific University’s East Lawn and Trombley Square in Forest Grove. Free admission, starts at 4:00pm and features calligraphy, Japanese Taiko Drum Performance, Chinese Tai Chi, Asian Fashion Show and more.

- Submission: PSU Friends of History 2010 Endowed Lecture in History with Sir David Cannadine this Friday at Portland State University’s Hoffman Hall. The topic of his lecture is “Churchill, Anglo-America and the “Special Relationship.” Free admission, starts at 7:00pm.

- Oregon Potters Association Ceramic Showcase 2010 this Friday – Sunday at the Oregon Convention Center. Free admission to the nation’s largest show and sale of pottery, sculpture, garden art, home accessories and other works in clay exhibited in 150+ booths plus musical performances and wine tastings.

-Oregon State University Extension Services Family Living & Learning Day this Saturday from 8:30am – 1:00pm at Reedville School & Reedville Presbyterian Church in Aloha. Free workshops and activities presented in English and Spanish.

- Kentucky Derby Party and the Oregon Derby at Portland Meadows race track. Make a wager, wear your fancy hat and enjoy the festivities.

- Free children’s clothing swap for ages 0-13 years at Multnomah County’s Midland Library from 2:00pm – 3:00pm and then from 3:15pm – 4:30 there will be a teen and adult clothing swap.

- Wordstock Book-to-Film Festival at McMenamins Bagdad and Kennedy School theaters showing film favorites like “The Princess Bride,” “Fight Club” and “High Fidelity.” Check this web site for show times (enter key word ‘wordstock’ and hit the search button). Admission is $3 and films run Friday – Sunday.

- Bank of America Museums on Us free admission for card holders to the Portland Art Museum & Pittock Mansion this Saturday and Sunday. Just bring your photo ID and any Bank of America card to get in for free!

- Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Spring Sale this Saturday and Sunday at the Oregon Convention Center, Exhibit Hall D. Free admission, and goodie bags for the first 200 shoppers each day.

- Clackamas County Master Gardeners Spring Garden Fair this Saturday and Sunday at the Clackamas County Event Center (Fairgrounds) in Canby—this time we have the right date! Shop over 185 Northwest nurseries, planting accessories, unique artisan quality garden art and other garden delights.

- 26th annual Cinco de Mayo Festival this Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am – 11:00pm. General admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children and $4 for seniors. Located at downtown’s Waterfront Park.

- OMSI offers admission for just $2 this first Sunday. See their feature exhibit “Space: A Journey to our Future.”

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal Box features free acupuncture, free comic books and a Parkour gym open house.

- For a list of other totally free events and happenings, please visit Aroundthesunblog, updated every Thursday evening.

- Submission from Javier: Krispy Kreme lowers their price on doughnuts after 9:00pm to $4.95 per dozen every night!

SPOTLIGHT: ROCK BOTTOM BREWERY HAPPY HOUR

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery has one outpost in Oregon located on the MAX tracks in downtown Portland. There are pool tables, darts, plenty of HD TVs to catch the game and live entertainment every night with no cover.

Here’s a listing of their food happy hour menu:

$1.95
Edamame
Homemade Guacamole & Chips
House Salad

$2.95
Hummus Plate
Brewery Nachos
Rock Bottom Wings
Classic Mac n’ Cheese
Spicy Spinach Cheese Dip

$3.95
Brew Burger Sliders
BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
Grilled Chicken Sliders
Ball Park Pretzel
Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail
Smoked Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Caesar Salad

Happy hour runs Monday – Friday from 2:00pm – 6:00pm; Sunday – Thursday 9:00pm – close; and Friday and Saturday 11:00pm – close. Happy hour is available in the bar only and requires a one-drink minimum.

Join the Rock Bottom Mug Club and receive rewards, invitations to events, a special gift on your birthday and a special Mug Club mug to drink from on each visit.

Weekend on the Cheap:

- Portland Opera at the Multnomah County Central Library this Friday from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in the U.S. Bank room. Free.

- The Portland Seafood & Wine Festival runs this Friday from 2:00pm – 10:00pm and on Saturday from 12:00pm – 9:00pm. Adult tickets are $12.00 each with a portion going to the Oregon Chapter of the National MS Society. There will be a $2 discount price on tickets purchased within the first 2 hours of the festival each day. Food item prices range from $1 and up. Wine sampling starts at .50 and prices for menu items varies from $2 to $15.00. While this event has the potential to have costs add up, we are including this on our Weekend on the Cheap because of the value you receive. Plus, if you are one of the first 500 people each day through the gates, you’ll receive a commemorative wine glass to use at the festival and then take home with you!

- Portland Children’s Museum First Friday free admission from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

- Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Bank of America cardholders can receive free admission to the Portland Art Museum and the Pittock Mansion this Saturday and Sunday during normal hours. Just show your debit, credit or bank card to get one free admission.

- Viking Pancake Breakfast! From web site: “What better way to start the day than with a plate of delicious, all-you-can pancakes? Our popular breakfast also includes sides of eggs, sausages, fresh fruit, applesauce, orange juice, tea and bottomless coffee – all served up with Norwegian charm from 8:30 am to 1:00pm Adults: $6. Children 5-12: $3 (under 5: free). Children’s Nordic story time in the library from 10-11am.” At Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Avenue this Sunday.

- Chips and dips tastings this Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am – 5:00pm at all area New Seasons Markets.

- OMSI First Sunday means $2 admission for all at OMSI during regular hours.

- Superbowl Sunday: it’s Superbowl XLIV, catch the action (or lack thereof) at a local watering hole, at home with some friends or on the big screen with new friends at a local McMenamins theater.

- If the Superbowl isn’t your style, and saving money is, then check out “Bargain Hunting 101: The Mother of All Clearance Sales” where 50 of Portland’s best and most unique boutiques and vendors come together for a huge end-of-season clearance sale. Sunday from 12:00pm – 5:00pm at the Crystal Ballroom. It’s the Mother of all clearance sales and admission is free!

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal Box includes a heads-or-tails free meal, a free screening of Star Trek, a free concert by Sea Wolf and more.

Spotlight: McGrath’s Fish House

We recently stopped into McGrath’s Fish House for their Crab Celebration promotion and left the restaurant full (with leftovers) and the damage to our wallet/pocketbook was minimal.

We sat in the bar and one of us ordered from the regular menu while the other ordered from the bar menu. We timed our visit to coincide with their happy hour:

Happy Hour (in the bar only; no drink minimum required)
Monday – Thursday 3:00pm – 6:00pm and from 9:00pm – close
Friday 3:00pm – 5:00pm

$2.99 Appetizers
Asian Ahi Nachos
Ponzi Salmon Stack
Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad
Pesto Artichoke Pizza Crackers
Blue Cheese Potato Wedges
Crispy Turkey Club Rolls
Pair of Oyster Shooters
Stuffed Mushrooms
Calamari Wasabi Caesar Wrap
Brushetta Caprese

Cocktails
$3.50 Well Drinks
$4.50 Daiquries
$4.50 Margaritas
$4.50 Specialty Teas
$4.50 Bloody Mary
$3.00 Glass of domestic brews
$4.00 Gusto size of domestic brews
$4.00 Glass of microbrew
$5.00 Gusto size of microbrew
$3.50 Glass of La Terre wine: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, White Zinfandel

Menu prices are reasonable and in addition to seafood, they offer chicken, pasta, steak, and sandwiches. Adult entrees include sourdough bread, fresh steamed veggies, choice of garden salad or coleslaw AND your choice of: red potatoes, penne pasta, rice pilaf, fish house fries, cottage cheese or sliced tomatoes. In place of the regular salad, you can also upgrade (for a nominal charge) to other starters like clam chowder, Fisherman’s stew, petite shrimp Louis or a pear, bleu cheese and walnut salad.

If you have little ones, McGrath’s has a kid’s menu with meals starting at $3.99. Finally, sign up for their e-club and around your birthday you’ll receive a voucher good for $10 off your next meal (must be used within two weeks of birthday). And with their current special of Crab, Steak and Prawns for just $12.99 (plus all the accompaniments above), you can’t go wrong!

McGrath’s has locations in Vancouver, Milwaukie and Beaverton, as well further south in Salem, Corvallis, Eugene and Bend. Their Crab Celebration ends next week on Thursday, February 11th (we can’t have specials like that for Valentine’s Day Weekend now can we?!). Enjoy the weekend and Go Saints! Or Colts! Just make it a great game, please!

New, just added:

- Holly Days, presented by the Hillsboro Downtown Business Association
Saturday, December 5th, noon to 6:00 pm FREE
West end of the MAX line. Visit with Santa, caroling, music, gift wrapping, caroling parade and tree lighting (5:00 pm).

- More weekend freebie fun can be found at Aroundthesunblog

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Weekend On The Cheap:

- Thursday night: Civil War! Winner to the Rose Bowl. Go out and cheer on with the masses at a local venue, crash a friend’s party or host your own. Great excuse to celebrate.

- First Friday at the Children’s Museum offers free admission from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

- Bikecraft V, a “bike-lover’s bazaar that showcases local, handmade, bike-themed arts, crafts, fashion, and more.” This Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm, free admission.

- 25th Annual ScanFair this Saturday and Sunday at Smith Memorial Center Ballroom, Portland State University. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. “Celebrate the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of a Scandinavian Christmas.”

- Bank of America’s Museums on Us, Saturday and Sunday. Free admission to the Pittock Mansion and the Portland Art Museum for all Bank of America card holders, just show your ATM, debit or credit card and get in for free.

- West Linn Holiday Tree Lighting and Holiday Craft Fair this Saturday, 6:00pm – 9:00pm.

- Season’s Eatings Artisan Market at New Deal Distillery, 12:00pm – 5:00pm this Saturday. Admission is a can of food or cash donation to the Oregon Food Bank. Click here for the flyer (opens up a PDF).

- First Sunday at OMSI: $2 admission per person.

- Willamette Week’s new Cheapskate Deal Box features a Free Dance Day at Polaris Contemporary Dance Center, a Cheap Art Craft Show, B-movie screenings with free popcorn and much more.

- OSU’s Food Innovation Center has a new taste test opportunity:

The Sensory and Consumer Group at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center is looking for participants for a focus group to take place on Tuesday, December 15th and Wednesday, December 16th. The focus group is about 90 minutes and the compensation is $75. Test times run at 10:30am, 2pm and 5:30pm both days. If you are interested, please click on this link to submit a questionnaire. If you are selected to participate, we will contact you via email by Tuesday, December 8th, and then give you a confirmation email the day before the test.

For those who are new to the email list, please note that we cannot contact everyone who sent in a questionnaire. You will not hear back from us for each test as each consumer will not be selected every time. We only contact those who were selected to participate and will be sending out those confirmation emails by December 8th.

Spotlight: Tuesday Morning

Treasure hunters and bargain hunters take a look: Tuesday Morning “upscale” merchandise at 50%-80% off regular prices. Tuesday Morning is a nationwide chain closeout gift store, similar to Big Lots and Ross, squeezed into a smaller space but maximized with substantial savings. You’ll find limited quantity closeouts, overstock and some stuff that you didn’t even know existed. Their product mix is a smörgåsbord of just about everything, which makes it a fun excursion of finding gifts for others or simply for yourself! Among the selections:

Luggage
Candles
Sporting goods
Frames
Stationary
Party goods
Gift wrap
Home accents
Pet accessories
Toys
Furniture
Garden decor
Seasonal
Dinnerware
Table linens
Flatware
Stems and barware
Crystal
Mirrors
Lamps
Area rugs
Wall graphics
Fashion accessories
Gourmet food (pre-packaged)
Womens gifts
Mens gifts
Executive gifts
Books
Baby gifts
Comforters
Sheet sets
Basic linens
Towels
Bath shop
New Arrivals

During a recent visit, we came across these finds:

Telesteps telescoping ladder (2.5 feet telescopes to 12.5 feet): $99
Heated seat covers: $50
Kidsmart vocal smoke alarm: $8
Golf trainer: $18
Aerogarden: $80
Mosquito catcher: $40
Double-sided desktop easel for kids: $15
Magneflux portable induction cooktop: $180

Sprinkled around each store are special Clearance sections, designated by the yellow tags that offer additional savings. Customers can also sign up for the eTreasures program and receive news of latest arrivals and special offers via email.

Tuesday Morning hours are:
Monday – Saturday: 10:00am – 7:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm – 6:00pm

There are ten locations around the Portland/Vancouver area, so check the web site for directions and happy treasure hunting!

Weekend Stuff To Do:

Aroundthesunblog has you covered, but be sure not to miss out on these:

- The Carhartt Store celebrates the weekend with a grand opening event Friday – Sunday complete with free BBQs, Carhartt Scratch-Its to the first 500 customers each day, live radio broadcasts, free prize giveaways and much more. Find the Carhartt store across from IKEA at Cascade Station.

- It’s the 58th Annual Greek Festival with live music, dancing, handicrafts, children’s activities, tours and of course their famous Greek dinners and pastries.

- Friday night is the Central Eastside Arts District First Friday, with multiple venues showcasing art openings. The Children’s Museum offers up free admission between 5:00pm – 8:00pm Friday; and also on Friday, check out “Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel” at Powell’s City of Books in downtown at 7:30pm. Too cool!

- Saturday and Sunday, get free admission to the Portland Art Museum and/or the Pittock Mansion by showing your Bank of America ATM, debit or credit card as part of BoA’s ‘Museums on Us’ promotion.

- Sunday is OMSI First Sunday, and that means admission to the museum is just $2.00 all day.

- Sunday is also the Portland Marathon—go out and cheer on the runners and walkers, or volunteer to help out at the aid stations, this is traditionally one of the nation’s most organized and family-friendly marathons (and if you want to run it, sorry, registration is closed so start training for 2010!).

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal box features free ‘Diplomat’ sandwiches opening day at Portland Meadows; buy one, get one free pies for students at Stone Pie Joe’s; a free rock concert; and cheap drinks.

POTC Spotlight: Free Night of Theater

You gotta get in on this!! The title explains it all, go see quality theater around the Portland area for absolutely nada! This is the fifth year of this fantastic promotion to encourage people to see and experience live theater, and this year the lineup of shows is once again impressive. Pick and choose from performances such as:

- A Chorus Line
- Blithe Spirit
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Death of a Saleman
- Oliver!
- Ragtime
- You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
- and many, many more

Shows are offered in Portland, Hood River, Vancouver, Lake Oswego, Hillsboro and Beaverton throughout the month of October. Of course, the free tickets are limited and shows will sell out, so be sure to get online at 11:00am October 1st (um, that’s today!) and pick your show. It’s a very simple process, all you really need is an email address and you’ll get a reservation confirmation by email that will get you two admissions into the show.

We did this last year and were exposed to some wonderful theater that we would not have seen otherwise. It’s a great opportunity to try out a different company or a different style of performance with no strings attached—the hope for the organizers, Theatre Communications Group , is that you’ll step up to support the theater arts with frequent ticket purchases, but of course that is all up to you.

And if you get shut out by this first day of free theater tickets, do not fret…tickets will be released on October 1st, 4th, 8th and 15th, so keep checking back for additional opportunities.

Make it a cheap date night or let your friends know about this and make it a group outing—Portland is rich with talented performers and theater and this is your chance to experience it. Hopefully we’ve sold you on this, go reserve your tickets here now, thanks for reading and enjoy this first weekend of October.