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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 15, 2011)
2 0 - eatout----------------------------- — APRIL 15.2011 tunities for new vendors to take root as well as offering different options for patrons each weekend. She’s also giving priority space to businesses on Mississippi and in the neighborhood. “Like Fresh Pot or [area] florists, if they wanted to come and set up a booth, I wanted them to he able to do it first so 1 wasn’t bringing in outside competition,” explains Williams. “I’ve been working with some of them to see if they’d be interested." Market Q , says Williams, is keen on getting smaller organizations, smaller farms, start-up businesses and local businesses into the mix, though the market is open for all. “I open the doors for families, too,” says W illiams. “If anyone has a backyard garden with their neigh bors and they wanted to sell fruits or vegetables, there aren’t any crazy laws against it. I want this to be all inclusive.” Vendors pay a nominal rental fee and then keep 100 percent of the profits from their sales. As the summer progresses, Williams hopes to incorporate the art gal lery in the center to engage additional cross-marketing for the artists, and possibly even open areas indoors to vendors if further expansion necessitates it. “Spots have been filling up quickly,” says W il liams. “I’m doing my research and checking into queer-friendly businesses, but I’m definitely not ex cluding anyone. I find a lot of people come to me because they think it’s a really great opportunity to be a queer advocate or they want to be involved in that part o f the comm unity.” Spots are still available for the inaugural Market Q , and Williams stresses that vendors need not be food based. “W hat I’m trying to do is make sure that [vendors] are providing some kind of service, or something th at’s good and productive in terms of selling a product at the market,” says Williams. “It’s good to make it work all the way around.” Heading into the first event, W illiams has high hopes for growth as word spreads and the tem pera ture rises. “I’m looking at maybe getting some musicians there to play,” says Williams. “The summers here are great, so any way we can have an excuse to get outside and get everybody to partake, I think it will be really great on Mississippi to have that.” 7he first annual Market Q runs every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 7-September 3. Vendors interested in being at Market Q can contact A!i Williams at alidPpdx- qcenter.org. For more information, visitpdxqcenter.org. Best in Burger Hamburger Mary’s searches for its first “ Iron Mary” 0 ♦ Mi 0 Portland’s Hamburger M ary’s is teaming up with Cascade AIDS Proj ect to host an “Iron M ary” competition in which contestants cook up their best burgers for charity and fame, all while raising funds and awareness for CAP. The format will be more America's Next Top Model than Iron Chef with contestants competing in both cooking and AIDS awareness challenges to fight for their right to continue on to the next round. “I assure you this is no ordinary competition where someone bedazzles a burger with glamorous toppings and wins a prize at one fell swoop,” mascot “M ary” says in a press release. “This is a competition riddled with challenges meant to test one’s capacity to turn or dinary food into something legendary while reaching out to the community.” The real bling is in the prize. The last one left flipping burgers wins a $2,000 pot— as well as $500 to donate to the charity of his or her choice. And while “the person that wins this competition isn’t guaranteed a job or anything,” general manager James Dixon points out, his or her burger will appear on the Hamburger M ary’s menu for a year, and 50 cents from every burger sold will go to CAP. The search begins April 15, as orga nizers sift through 45-second video en tries in which hopeful contestants cook their favorite dish and explain why they should be the first “Iron Mary.” Selec tions will be announced May 3 and screened for the Mary’s crowd. Chal lenges will then take place on Thursdays, with contestants coming together every Tuesday from May 3 through August 2 b y e r in r o o k to work it out in front of an audience. quarter pounder “Proud Mary,” a feat Dixon says they are still lining up Dixon attributes to strong word-of- judges but hope to have local meteo mouth and customer support. rologist T im Joyce, Cupcake Jones’ Lisa After the burger had an on-air tast Watson and CC Slaughters’ Andrew ing, listeners were encouraged to vote Spaulding and David Pettit on hand to online or text their support. The “Proud weigh in on the competition. M ary” beat out “The Downtown Burg “We wanted to try to reach out to er” (from Grays at the Park Hilton in people that had an active interest in the Vancouver), “You Can Has Cheese community and what we’re doing with burger” (from Brunch Box) and Five CAP,” Dixon says. Guys’ “G o Big O r G o H om e” Classic Hamburger M ary’s decided to work Regular Cheeseburger. with C A P for the inaugural competi In addition to showing love to the tion since the restaurant had partici local community, Hamburger M ary’s is pated in the annual AID S Walk in the striving to build connections with other past. This marks the eatery’s first major area businesses, rather than competing community service project, Dixon says. with them. “A lot o f us here at Hamburger “We personally don’t believe in com M ary’s have friends who are affected by petition among establishments,” Dixon A ID S,” Dixon explains. Next year, a says. “The gay community is going to new community partner will be go where they want to go. We want to chosen. see more establishments working • I t’s all part o f the Ham burger M ary’s together.” mission to engage with the local com munity, a relationship that seems to be For more information, email pdx@ham- reciprocated. Hamburger M ary’s re burgermarys.com. Hamburger Mary's Bar cently made it to the top four in 95.5 and Grille is located at 19 N W Fifth The G am e’s 2011 Burger Bracket with Ave. ► h Established 2001 503 284 5518 816 N. Russell Street, Portland Happy Hour Mon/Tue 4pm - 8pm WED & SUN ALL NIGHT LO N G! Thur - Sat 4pm - 6:30pm Dinner . Tue - Sat from 5pm till close (820 is open 4pm till close) SIMPLE ITALIAN COOKING www.m i n t a n d 820 .com 807 NW Twenty First • Portland dinner 7 nights a week 503.226.4646
