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The Pioneer Log Features

Lumberjack libations at Woodsman Tavern

BY DEANNA HORTON
Staff Writer

SU DO KU

MARCH 23, 2012

The Woodsman Tavern represents a glorification of the hipster lumberjack in the best way possible. Your waiter will likely sport a pair of suspenders and a welltailored flannel shirt, but they are nice about it and will be genuinely friendly towards you. An homage to the history of the logging industry and an era when flannel was lauded in the Pacific Northwest purely for its usefulness, this cozy restaurant and bar on 46th and Division is the perfect place to spend a drizzly, low-key night with a date or a few of your fellow Pioneers (in the westward expansion sense of the term rather than the college athletics sense). The place has nailed the Portland aesthetic perfectly. This isnt a surprise, considering it is owned by the same guy that owns Stumptown. An updated take on, say, your grandmothers isolated cabin on the Oregon coast, the dcor is the perfect balance of homey and hip. Lit almost solely by candlelight, the distressed wooden tables, repurposed window panes, vintage woodsman signs and very wellstocked bar will quickly make you forget that you havent seen the sun

in three weeks and that the second draft of your thesis is due in a week. I suggest the Omaha Sour ($8), a delicious cocktail with bourbon, lime juice, lavender and vanilla sugar that will warm your soul. The Woodsman Tavern is a great place to go to treat yourself. The check wont be small, but your brief escape from the cold rain will have been worthwhile, and youll even get a vintage-inspired postcard of a league of woodsmen sitting atop a gigantic log to take home along with it. They also serve dinner and are open for brunch on the weekends from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Woodsman Tavern 4537 SE Division St.

BY SOPHIE EISENSTAT

Grant provides opportunities for research

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

During her study abroad in East Africa, Carley Matsumoto (13) examined the effectiveness of transnational aid in improving health and living conditions in Kenyas Kiberian slums. Senior Environmental Studies major Tara Browns studies took her to Guatemala, where she used her Mellon Grant to enhance her thesis on specialty coffee. While in Guatemala, she focused on alternative-trade coffee organizations. She conducted interviews with both Guatemalan and US-based alternative-trade organizations, and studied cooperatives, farms and agencies working to improve producers livelihoods. The domestic summer projects have been equally diverse, including studies of the environmental history of the Portland Chinese Garden, urban and rural ecologies and Oregons local food system. Megan Coggeshall (12) and Tom Rodrigues (14) worked

Environmental Studies students have conducted research at Willapa Bay.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM RODRIGUES

alongside Professor Ken Clifton to study the public understanding of science and ocean acidification in Willapa Bay, Wash., focusing on how environmental changes affect the oyster population and local economies. Past participants speak very highly of the grant, praising the way it enhanced and shaped their studies while giving them a unique opportunity to interact with fellow students, faculty and a larger community beyond LC. The professors in this depart-

ment work ridiculously hard so that ENVS majors can have a ton of opportunities and be prepared to take advantage of them, said Brown. I would recommend the Mellon summer research program to other students because you get to do fun things like camp and kayak while developing your research skills, said Coggeshall. I think its also a great way to apply knowledge from classes to real issues and engage with people outside of the LC community. The ambiance is casual but welcoming. The seating is mostly around a circular bar that encloses the kitchen, which is cool, but makes it difficult for large groups, such as the one I went with. There are a few tables, so small groups looking for more intimate seating shouldnt have a problem. That said, the food was delicious. Im not a connoisseur of sushi, so I cant tell you how it stacks up against Portlands finest and most expensive options, and if you like to eat gourmet, Sakura probably isnt for you. But to me, every plate I tried was superb. Im a sucker for tempura and anything with avocado, so the tempura shrimp roll was perfect. It was crispy and fresh and the creamy spicy sauce gave it even more of a kick. A lot of the rolls, including this one, had imitation crab, so if youre not a fan or are vegetarian, your options are a little more limited. Still, there was a wide variety of rolls, appetizers and even some kind of salad, so anyone who likes sushi should be able to find something. The food circulates on a conveyer belt and you can just grab whatever looks good as it drifts by, which I think is pretty cool. Apparently, even requests from the menu are also covered on the happy hour deal. So if youre downtown between 3 and 6:30 and want some tasty sushi for a good price, check out this little place and enjoy. Sushi Sakura 506 SW 6th Ave.

PHOTO BY DEANNA HORTON

Sustainability is Sexy
Community Cycling Center
BY MICHELLE MOULTON
Staff Writer

Stop by
A restaurant review
PHOTOS BY JORDAN ANDERSON

Tucked away on Northeast Alberta Street, amidst the cozy coffee shops and trendy secondhand stores, lies the Community Cycling Center. Much more than just a bike shop, the Community Cycling Center aims to de-gentrify Northeast Portland by making Portlands commuter culture accessible and beneficial to low income communities and communities of color. Cycling culture in Portland is associated with gentrification, or the influx of middle and/or upper class citizens into deteriorated spaces, who then rebuild and rejuvenate the area. Although this process is what helps create hip spaces like the Alberta neighborhood, it causes house prices to skyrocket, displacing poorer residents into areas with less access to public transportation, farmers markets, bike lanes and other things that make up a sustainable lifestyle. The Community Cycling Center is thus in the peculiar position of being both the start of the problem and part of the solution. Their new program, entitled Understanding

Barriers, aims to acknowledge the income gap between those who are part of the commuter lifestyle and those who arent, recognize gentrification and host classes teaching safe commuting skills. It is ridiculously easy to volunteer at the Community Cycling Center. After youve attended the new volunteer orientation, offered from 7-9 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month, you can drop in and volunteer any Tuesday night, 5-7 p.m. or any Sunday night, 3-5 p.m. Last year, I volunteered at the Community Cycling Center on several occasions, where I got paired up with another volunteer who was much more experienced than I. I learned to refurbish used childrens bikes to be given away to low income children through their annual holiday bike drive. The CCC also hosts more formal classes on bicycle maintenance. Getting involved is a great way to meet new people, gain new skills and gain knowledge about the often unspoken issues with Portlands lovely commuter culture. The next orientation is at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3 at 1714 NE Alberta St.

BY JORDAN ANDERSON
Staff Writer

When was the last time the Bon served sushi? Relying primarily on the schools dining services means that a good Japanese meal was something severely lacking in my life until this week, when I got the chance to experience the wonder that is Sushi Sakura. Located right near the downtown Pio stop, this restaurant serves hungry Portland-

ers a quality meal for a reasonable price, that is, if you make it during the ridiculously awesome Happy Hour. Happy Hour is every day from 3-6:30, and if you want to stuff yourself on delicious sushi, its a must. You have to buy a drink to get the deal, but when you do, every plate of sushi is only $1.75 and some are even cheaper at $1.25. Still, be careful if youre trying to save money because the plates can add up fast.