Story and Photos by Chere Weiss • Once upon a time, some clever Brits nicknamed the fungus that causes fermentation of grapes, ‘noble rot’ and the moniker was a good fit for the vision of owner and developer Kimberly Bernosky in 2002. Up the elevator and on the fourth floor of the Burnside Rocket Building at Eleventh and Burnside, you will find top notch and affordable food, an impressive wine list and creative bartender. When the sun sets, the panoramic vista of Portland lit up will make you want to hunker down in your booth and take up temporary residence. Noble Rot goes the distance in sustainability and sports a 3000 square foot organic garden on the rooftop that supplies produce and inspiration 7 months out of the year.

Story and Photos by Chere Weiss • Mardi Gras is the weekend celebration leading up to Ash Wednesday and the solemn sacrifices of Lent. In the Catholic tradition, Lent is a time of giving up indulgences, so back in the day they partied until "Fat Tuesday" (so named because it was a time of using up all the fat and rich foods before the fasting began) hiding behind masks so their frolicking could be incognito.

By Chere Weiss • Mardi Gras is coming. The day before Ash Wednesday in the Lenten calendar is known as "Fat Tuesday." This special day is a way of having one last celebration before the beginning of Lent when believers sacrifice over indulgences in spiritual preparation for the Easter season. "Fat Tuesday" means you can eat rich foods, drink and be merry, traditionally often incognito wearing a mask so you can be naughty and no one will know who is behind that disguise.

BY CHERE WEISS • Off the beaten path in SW Portland’s Hillsdale neighborhood, Salvador Molly’s sneaks up on you. I happened upon this place during a local weekend of dancing and hiking. Great food, reasonable prices, a creative décor, and an attentive wait staff await you. The venue and menu serve up primary influences of India, Hawaii, Mexico and kitsch.

I discovered zydeco 10 years ago during my annual pilgrimage to the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival. The 4th of July weekend festival hosts ‘Swamp Romp’, a showcase of zydeco and Cajun bands featuring a dance floor and shade. I jumped around in my seat for several years before I got the nerve to try it out on the dance floor.

As Christmas week unfolds, dear readers; slow down, take a deep breath and make time to enjoy the wonderful opportunities that are outside your doorstep or inside your home. . .

Slow down, take a deep breath and make a time warp visit to an old fashioned Christmas at Fort Vancouver . . . You will be touring through the fort buildings and enjoying hot cider with the costumed interpreters! I have a wonderful memory of the time my family did the tour when they were little ones, pure magic.

The atmosphere at the downtown location is a stark, no nonsense diner vibe, but the suburban location offers a little more ambience with murals on the wall and Middle Eastern music videos or an American Idol type belly dance competition running on the monitors.....

The savory, thick soup complimented the sandwich — grilled to crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the -inside perfection. On a prior visit I chose the Mac and Cheese, with a to- die-for cheesy cream sauce, penne pasta and bread crumbs on top, toasted to a satisfying crunch. Try adding the extras of bacon and blue cheese crumbles and share it with a friend and/ or run an extra 30 minutes on the treadmill. The Turkey Panini is great and MoHo makes excellent fresh cut French fries.

Columbia River Reader is happy to introduce its online Out & About/Arts & Entertainment writers — Laura Baird, Chere Weiss and Becky Bell — who will be letting us know about the latest goings-on in our communities. If you want ideas for things to do and places to go, just check CRREADER.COM for their weekly posts.