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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”
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Mi
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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