15.2003 •
CULTURE
.......... w ..........
Deliciously good deeds
Our House makes fund raising an inviting event
by
T imothy K rause
F
rom Italian
feast to North
west cuisine,
from Southern
bistro to French
countryside, the
11th annual Din
ner at My House
for Our House
offers abundant
opportunities to
eat, drink and he
merry while bene
fiting Oregon’s only
residence providing
24-hour specialized
services to people
living with AIDS.
“Dinner at My
House for Our
House hlends
together three sim
ple pleasures— fcxxl,
people and giv
ing— for one simple From left: Marc Acito, Carrie Peacock and Floyd Sklaver present the first
reason: to support
Dinner at My House for Our House
Our House of Port
land,” says development director Joe Jefferson.
and do choreography.” That was, he concedes,
Sixty public and 15 private dinners, each
after 16 Kittles of wine.
ranging from six to 40 guests, are held in
homes and restaurants around Portland and
ntertainment at other dinners reflect the
beyond between September and March. Most
individual interests of each host. Artist
hosts prepare the meals themselves, but some
Richard Mixxly and Carl Caspersen, for
evenings feature a who’s who of local celebrity
example, invite each guest to glaze a piece of
chefs donating their time and talents, such as
pottery that will he fired and ready to take
honorary co-chairs Caprial and John Pence.
home by the end of the evening.
Volunteer hosts and chefs assume all the
Some dinners have special themes, such as
costs of the dinners so that all funds raised
the groovin’ ’70s, Halloween fortune telling and
through tickets sales directly support resident
a Japanese tea ceremony. Others are popular sim
care at Our House. Organizers expect to raise
ply because they’re presented by notables such as
more than $75,000.
former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts, philan
The series kicks off Sept. 6 with “A Fusion of
thropist Terry Bean, ftxxl critic Grant Butler and
Fun and Fixxl” at the southwest Portland bunga gay Lake Oswego City Councilor Karl Rohde.
low of Marc Acito and Floyd Sklaver, Just Out
Susie Shepherd; her partner, Kaite Chase;
humor columnist and free-lance writer, respec
and friends Erin and Kathy Phelps have a spe
tively. Tins is the second year the couple have
cial gift in mind for their guests. Shepherd often
teamed up with neighbors Carrie and Rob Pea-
played host to end-of-summer barbecues for Our
ctxk for a bawdy evening that promises to satisfy
House together with her late mother, Ann, who
more than just an appetite for g<xxl fcxxl.
founded Portland’s chapter of Parents, Families
Twenty lucky guests are likely to find irrev
and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. This year’s
erent conversation flowing as freely as liba
! gathering will he in Ann’s honor, and each
tions. Last year, for example, guests were met at i guest can choose one of her “kitchen wolves," a
the door with name tags on which to inscribe
memento from the many pictures she collected
their pom-star name.
of her favorite animal totem.
As the ice melts in the living rcxMn, the
Shepherd says she supports Our House
Peacocks heat things up in the kitchen. Carrie
because of “the love that comes from that
is a personal chef, caterer and graduate of the
place, the respect and the dignity. They make
Culinary Institute of America. She and Rob
sure it’s a place you go to live, not a place you
plan an Italian buffet for dining alfresco on the
go to die. The real emphasis is on life."
cozy backyard patio. Her menu includes
Sklaver, who is HIV-positive, adds: “It’s an
antipasto with garlic crostini, pasta with pep
incredibly important charity, and I pray that if
pered vcxlka ragu, imported cheeses and meats,
someday I ever need it, [it] will be there. So we do
and a fusion dessert. (A s here, many meals
whatever we can do to make certain that it is.”
have a vegetarian option with prior notice.)
Shepherd says so many of her friends and
For some patrons, choosing which evening
moments of the heart have been tied to Our
of the series to attend might have just as much
House. “We honor and respect so much of
what they do for all of us in the community.
to do with what happens once the plates are
cleared. For this quartet, dinner segues to the
This is such a modest way to give hack to these
people who give so very, very much.” JH
evening’s musical finale.
“Last year I did all naughty original cabaret
songs,” says Acito, formerly a professional
To request a detailed event brochure or to make
opera singer. “This year I’ll do some Italian
reservations for D inner AT M y H ouse FOR
material, hut I’ll do a couple of naughty songs
O ur H o u se , call 503-736-9276 or e-mail
as well. Probably a reprise of my homage to the
evenLs@ourhouseofportland.org. For more
well-endowed... last year I got 16 mostly
information about Our House of Portland, visit
straight people [strangers, no less! to sing along
wuw. ourhouseofportland. org.
E
. w
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