The Gorge is Gaming it: Music, Scrabble, Poker, Pool all options this week in entertainment
This Week in Gorge Entertainment
By Jim Drake
Using Scrabble to Unscramble Sherlock’s Clues
When I learned of an upcoming Scrabble Tournament I had to laugh. That’s because I was gifted a copy of “Sherlock Holmes Puzzles,” over the Christmas holiday (thanks Mom!) and the very first puzzle involved unscrambling 16 words from an excerpt of a Sherlock Holmes story.
Most were straightforward, but one word was 10 letters long, and another word was 14 letters long. After destroying two pieces of paper with scribbled-out words and lists of nonsensical arrangements, I came up with the Elementary-Brilliant idea of using Scrabble Tiles, so I could endlessly arrange letters until something started to make sense.
But, the singular problem was - I didn’t have a Scrabble game. Luckily, I had something called “Duplicate Ad-Lib Crossword Cubes,” which happened to have the alphabet stamped on the pieces. This method works great, but it’s amazing how challenging long words can be. I mean, I was actually coming up with words that Google had no information on, and in one instance found one solitary reference to what could only be described as “some sort of obscure Spanish Language Guttenberg-Bible-Era Archival Scroll.”
More amazingly, that text had been scanned in and you could flip through the pages. There was one word that dove back into the 1890s vernacular that officially stumped me on the spelling, forcing me online for a definition. So, did I complete the puzzle? Yes, and No. I’ve got all the words, but the Bonus Question is: “What story did the text come from?” I can honestly say that I’ve read all of the stories, but it’s quite a lot of pages to remember. Maybe if I buy the Sherlock Holmes version of Clue, I could get a handle on it.
Scrabble Tournament at White Salmon Library
Scrabble enthusiasts are invited to participate in this fun and lightly competitive tournament on Thursday, 19, from 2-4:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Library. Two-player teams can sign up at www.fvrl.librarymarket.com/events. If you don't have a teammate, sign up anyway and they’ll pair you up.
‘Poker Night for Luis’ at Bargeway
Bargeway Pub in The Dalles presents Poker Night for Luis on Saturday, Jan. 14, starting at 6 p.m. There are a total of 64 spots in the tournament and more than 40 have already been filled, according to Bargeway’s Steve Kane on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Proceeds from this fundraising event will go toward Luis Flores, the spouse of Bargeway Employee Claudia Flores. Luis has been beset by recent medical issues and accompanying bills. The night will include a silent auction, with items donated by dozens of local businesses. The Silent Auction is open to all. Please stop by even if you are not playing in the tournament to check out thses items and make a bid. 32 local businesses have contributed items for the auction. To get a spot at the table, call Steve Kane at 541-980-7106 for buy-in information and registration. Cyndi Camp of Cupcakes by Cyndi has been organizing the donations.
Music at Double Mountain
Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River welcomes local and regional acts to the stage:
Saturday, Jan. 14, The Night Farmers, 7:30 p.m. (Americana/Country)
Live Music at The Pines
The Pines Tasting Room in Hood River brings live music to the stage on Fridays from 6-9 p.m. with musical artists from around The Gorge.
Friday, Jan. 13, Willy & Nelson (Pop, Rock, Country)
Friday, Jan. 20, Ravin’ (Blues)
Friday, Jan. 27, Richard & Tova TIllinghast (Folk)
Chamber Music at HR Valley Christian
The Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association presents “Chamber Music in the Afternoon” at HR Valley Christian Church in Hood River on Sunday, Jan. 22, starting at 1:30 p.m. Expect “relaxing, intimate and inspiring soloists and small groups.” Programs will include string quartets, solo cello with piano, duets and a special appearance by the Riverside Community Church Chancel Choir performing Eric Whitacre’s “Sing Gently,” accompanied by a string quartet. Free admission/donation at the door.
The Dalles Art Center announces 2023 Exhibitions
The Dalles Art Center has announced its 2023 Exhibition lineup, starting with February’s “Bringing Out Our Best: Member Exhibition,” billed as “an exhibition of TDAC's artist members from the Gorge and the region.” The show will be juried by Yvonne Pepin-Wakefield. Don’t miss the Opening Reception on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 5:30 p.m.
February: Bringing Out Our Best: Member Exhibition
March: Student Show (Elementary, Middle & High School Students)
April: Gorge Artist Open Studio Tour
May: Gary Harvey
June: Small Works
July: Corvidae
August: Geometry and Whimsey, featuring Charlene Rivers, Myrna Anderson, Nancy Houfek Brown
September: Connect the Gorge
October: Art of the Luthier
November/December: Annual Gift Show
Live Music at Zim’s
Zim’s Brau Haus in The Dalles presents live local music.
Friday, Jan. 13, Kenny and the Jeffs, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14, Take Two Quartet with Ted Horwitz, Kim Beyers, Andree Yost and Jeff Minnick, 7 p.m.
Author Talks hosted by The Dalles Library
Virtual Author Talks is a series of author interviews hosted by The Dalles Library and the Library Speakers Consortium. Sign up to join in these informative online seminars with Notable and Best Selling authors.
Next session: Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 11 a.m. with Dana K. White, author of “Organizing for the Rest of Us.”
https://libraryc.org/wascocountylibrary/21883
Tuesday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m. with Randall Munroe, author of “What If 2.”
https://libraryc.org/wascocountylibrary/22090
Thursday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m., with Lana Harper, author of “Back in a Spell.”
https://libraryc.org/wascocountylibrary/22819
Live music at Working Hands Beer
Aram Arslanian
Working Hands Beer in Hood River presents live music, trivia nights and more.
Friday, Jan. 13, Anna May (Alt. Americana), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14, Aram Arslanian (Singer-songwriter), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 15, Open Mic hosted by Tim Decker, 6 p.m.
Kivett Bednar at 64oz. Taphouse
On Wednesday, Jan. 18, Hood River’s 64oz Taphouse welcomes guitarist Blues-artist-producer Kivett Bednar. “Bring your dancing shoes for a grooving dancing good time.” Music starts at 7 p.m.
Pool Tournament at The Dalles Eagles
The 18th Annual Diabetes Fund Pool Tournament at The Dalles Eagles continues on Sunday, Jan. 15, with a Jack & Jill Tourney. All skill levels welcome, matches start at 11 a.m. $10 per shooter.
Sean Jordan Comedy at Bingen Theater
Sean Jordan killed at the Granada in The Dalles on Jan. 7. The Comedian is coming back for another round - this time at the Bingen Theater on Friday, Jan. 20.
The Sean Jordan Comedy show makes a stop at the Bingen Theater on Friday, Jan. 20, featuring Sean Jordan, Dianna Potter and Thomas Lundy. Jordan has been named Portland’s Funniest Person by Willamette Week Magazine, has written for Comedy Central, and was named one of the “Comics to Watch” by Splitsider Magazine. Tickets at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-the-bingen-tickets-490695241677?aff=erelexpmlt
Live Music at Last Stop Saloon
Last Stop Saloon in The Dalles features live music with local favorites and NW regional bands.
Friday, Jan. 13, Jay Bean, 7-10 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14, Ray Lemley, 7-10 p.m.
Live Music at Trout Lake Hall
I promise to love and comfort you, honor and keep you, and forsake all others including Pioneer and Denon , I will be yours, Technics Sl 1200 Turntable, alone as long as we both shall spin.
Trout Lake Hall in Trout Lake, Washington is bringing live music back to the Historic building’s stage.
Friday, Jan. 13, Movie Night (Strange World, Black Adam), 4-9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14, DJ Cold Pizza, 6 p.m. “Nash Addicks is a creative individual and lover of many things, most notably eclectic selections of vinyl-based music. Under the moniker Cold Pizza Radio, he relishes sharing his continually growing collection of curated sounds with the community through various pop-ups, brunch sets, dance parties, private gatherings, saucy playlists and more.”
Sunday, Jan. 15, Bluegrass Pickin’ Circle hosted by Tony Fuentes. Come and make some music or just come and listen to some pickin’. 3-5 p.m.
For more info visit: https://www.troutlakehall.com/
Live music at Solera
On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Solera Brewery in Parkdale welcomes live music with Glitterfox. Glitterfox is an indie Americana project named one of Portland’s “Best New Bands” by Willamette Week in 2022. Music starts around 6 p.m. Minors welcome until 8 p.m.
Jazz at Hood River Hotel
The Hood River Hotel in Hood River presents Jazz in the Lobby from local and regional players on Saturday nights, 7:30 - 10 p.m.
Big Britches presents ‘Ripcord’
The 2023 live theater season for Big Britches Productions kicks off on Friday, Jan. 27, with “Ripcord.” Critics say David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Ripcord” is “an entertaining story of two elderly women thrown together by a comic cosmic force, possessed of a wicked sense of humor.” Directed by Joe Garoutte. Performances at The Bingen Theater, Bingen, Wash. Performances continue Jan. 28, 29, Feb. 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11. Tickets and Season Passes on sale at:
https://www.bigbritches.org/season-tickets
Movies at Mid Columbia Senior Center
The Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles presents the Movie of the Week Schedule for Fridays in January. Movies start 12:45 p.m.
Jan. 6: Operation Petticoat (Cary Grant & Tony Curtis)
Jan. 13 Send Me No Flowers (Doris Day & Rock Hudson)
Jan. 20: Father Goose (Cary Grant & Leslie Caron)
Jan. 27: Pillow Talk (Doris Day & Rock Hudson)
Dancing with the Gorge Stars returns
Six local Gorge "stars" will compete for your votes at the Dancing with the Gorge Stars fundraiser event for the Mid Columbia Community Concert Association on Friday, Jan. 13, at The Dalles High School, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets at:
https://www.midcolumbiacommunityconcerts.org/events/dancing-with-the-gorge-stars
About The Event
Mid-Columbia Community Concert Association is proud to bring back, by popular demand, the ninth annual Dancing With The Gorge Stars competition. Six local Gorge "stars" will compete for your votes at this mid-winter fundraiser for MCCCA. Like the reality TV dance show, our contestants learn a dance routine prior to show time. But in this show, the competitors are our friends and neighbors from the Gorge area. Paired with a professional dancer from the Utah Ballroom Dance Co., they have one week to learn and perfect their routines before performing on stage before a live audience. Video highlights of the rehearsals are shown during the event to showcase how far each contestant has come in just one week.
This year’s contestants include a teacher, a barber, a banker, an administrator, a vintner, and an entrepreneur. To learn more about each contestant find us on facebook or visit www.mccca.info.
An entertaining judging-panel of three locals score each couple after their individual performance. During intermission the audience cast their votes which are combined with the judges scores and tallied to determine who wins the beautiful mirror ball trophy. The second half of the show is a spectacular performance of the Utah Ballroom Dance Co. with a professional showcase featuring a variety of highly choreographed and technical dancing.
Tickets are available from any contestant, at Klindt’s Booksellers, Lines of Designs, or online at www.mccca.info. They will also be available at the door for $30.
Live Music Mondays at Everybody’s Brewing
Live Music Mondays at Everybody’s Brewing in White Salmon showcases the best in local and regional bands. Music is 6-8 p.m.
Jan. 9, Rishell Graves (Soulful Keyboard Pop, Rock)
Jan. 23, Forrest VanTuyl (Acoustic Country-Folk)
Jan. 30, Al Hare (Guitarist, Singer-songwriter)
Sense of Place returns Jan. 11
The Sense of Place lectures return to the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River on Wednesday, Jan. 11, with “Wildfire in the Gorge: The Good, the Bad, and Lessons from Eagle Creek,” presented by Jessica Hudec, Loretta Duke and Dr. Brian Harvey. In 2017, the Eagle Creek fire ripped through over 48,000 acres in the Columbia River Gorge. It was the largest fire in the Gorge in the past century. Five years later, what can we learn from this historic event? Tickets at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sense-of-place-season-13-tickets-396034308277
LOR Watch Party at HR Library
The Lord of the Rings Watch Parties are scheduled to start on Friday, Jan. 13, at 4 p.m. at the Hood River Library. The Trilogy continues Jan. 20 and Jan. 27.
The Hood River Show returns
The Hood River Comedy Show returns to the Hood River Elks on Friday Jan. 13, with Seattle comedians Monica Nevi and Mary Lou Gamba, promising that Friday the 13th will be a day to remember. The Hood River Show is hosted by Bo Jones. Tickets at www.eventbrite.com/e/the-hood-river-show-tickets-498997233157
