Alberta Arts

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Portland Book Festival welcomes Molly and Meherwan Irani, the husband-and-wife team behind Asheville’s nationally celebrated Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Their flagship restaurant, Chai Pani, was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2022.

This year, Molly and Meherwan each bring a new book to the table. Meherwan has written No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook in the World: At-Home Recipes from the Streets, Truck Stops, Villages, and Palaces of India. Molly’s Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality was published earlier this year. Together, the books offer two very different—and deeply connected—perspectives on food, restaurants, and hospitality.

In celebration of Diwali—the Hindu festival of lights, marked by food, gathering, and celebration—Molly and Meherwan will join their longtime friend Chef Troy MacLarty at Bollywood Theater on Alberta Street for a collaboration. Bollywood Theater will serve a special menu inspired by recipes from Meherwan’s book alongside its own Diwali-inspired menu. It’s a gathering of longtime friends, great food, and two books that reflect different sides of a shared life in restaurants.

Both books will be featured at Portland Book Festival, and Molly and Meherwan will be on hand at Bollywood to meet guests and sign copies.

Girl Winter Film Tour is a collection of femme-forward and gender-nonconforming films. The tour aims to shift the narrative of ski and snowboard films seen on the big screen each fall and include new voices in the stories. Girl Winter tour stops will make you want to start planning dawn patrols and lift laps for this upcoming season right this second. Each event will feature the film program followed by a Q+A with the athletes and filmmakers who brought the films to life. Back for its second year, the Girl Winter Film Tour screenings will provide a space to continue celebrating women in snow sports. All are welcome to attend! All Ages

Portland Book Festival welcomes Molly and Meherwan Irani, the husband-and-wife team behind Asheville’s nationally celebrated Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Their flagship restaurant, Chai Pani, was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2022.

This year, Molly and Meherwan each bring a new book to the table. Meherwan has written No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook in the World: At-Home Recipes from the Streets, Truck Stops, Villages, and Palaces of India, releasing September 22. Molly’s Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality was published earlier this year. Together, the books offer two very different—and deeply connected—perspectives on food, restaurants, and hospitality.

In celebration of Diwali—the Hindu festival of lights, marked by food, gathering, and celebration—Molly and Meherwan will join their longtime friend Chef Troy MacLarty at Bollywood Theater on Alberta Street for a collaboration.

Bollywood Theater will serve a special menu inspired by recipes from Meherwan’s book alongside its own Diwali-inspired menu. It’s a gathering of longtime friends, great food, and two books that reflect different sides of a shared life in restaurants.

Both books will be featured at Portland Book Festival, and Molly and Meherwan will be on hand at Bollywood to meet guests and sign copies.

Enjoy Leslie McMillan’s one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and painter bd dombrowsky’s visual explorations of the mischievous silver night and the many insights the capricious muse offers.

Painter bd dombrowsky's visual style is derived from an interest in vintage illustrated books — encyclopedias, primers, comics, and stories — all the simple visual devices used as a culture to educate and socialize. Much of their work is informed by myths and folklore, as they retell old stories and weave them into new ones. Drawing on a background in drama, sculpture and printmaking, bd dombrowsky's goal is to craft a resonant space in which these stories can unfold, drawn from a shared mythos but reimagined by the artist and narrated by the viewer.

Jewelry Artist Leslie McMillan

As a jewelry smith, Leslie McMillan is all over the place. To begin with, they have ADHD, so their mind is manic. Leslie roams from fusing gold on steel to traditional silversmithing to bonding Japanese silver leaf. When working with steel and gold, Leslie is drawn to the truth that you cannot control the outcome. When heated high enough to fuse with the steel, the gold takes on a life of its own and travels where it wants to go. When working with sterling silver and natural stones, Leslie follows a more traditional approach. Creating hand-forged settings and sourcing stones from First Nation lapidary artists are fundamental to the work. No matter the process, Leslie relies on inspiration from the great Pacific Northwest and all its natural beauty to influence the final piece.

Last Thursday Opening Reception, Oct. 29, 6–9 p.m.

🦷✨ Join us for the release of MILKTEETH, the newest release from Caitlin Starling.

We're thrilled to welcome Caitlin in conversation with Stephanie Binx for an evening of author discussion, reader Q&A and a book signing.

📚 Books available for purchase and signing at the event.

When: Tues Nov 10 @ 630pm

Henry Diltz, a renowned music photographer, has shot over 250 album covers in the ’60s and ’70s, including The Doors’ iconic Morrison Hotel album cover. His fly-on-the-wall style portraits feature legendary artists like the Eagles, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joni Mitchell, and Jimi Hendrix.

He was the official photographer at Woodstock in 1969, and his work has appeared in esteemed publications such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Life Magazine. Known for his intuitive composition and use of natural light, Diltz continues to document the music scene around Southern California and across the globe. He is one of a select few who have been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Grammys, The Lucie, and the International Photography Hall of Fame. His impact on rock culture is immeasurable, capturing authentic moments that define an era.

“I am amazed at the accumulation of images that has resulted, simply by doing what I love to do, day after day after day,” he says. “It’s a result of being with countless people over the years, waiting at the sidelines for the moment to happen. Photography has been my passport, and I have arrived in the present, where I have always been, camera in hand. There! That says it best for me!”

Join us as we are celebrating the 4th book in Chen's Kangraoo series, Kangaroo Forth Curtis will be in conversation with local SF author Jessie Kwak

Conversation, Q&A, followed by book signing

When: November 18th. 630-8pm

Bios:

Once a Silicon Valley software engineer, Curtis C. Chen (陳致宇) now writes stories near Portland, Oregon. He's the award-winning author of the bestselling KANGAROO series of funny science fiction spy thrillers and has written for the Realm original podcasts Echo Park, Ninth Step Murders, and Machina. Curtis' shorter works have appeared in Playboy Magazine; the ENNIE Award-winning Kobold Guide to Roleplaying; The Year's Best Fantasy, Volume 2; Aliens vs. Predators: Ultimate Prey; and elsewhere. His homebrew cat feeding robot was displayed in the "Worlds Beyond Here" exhibit at Seattle's Wing Luke Museum. Visit him online: https://CurtisCChen.com

Jessie Kwak is an author, storyteller, and business book ghostwriter living in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not writing, she can be found sewing, mountain biking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest (and beyond). She is the author of thriller novels, two series of space scoundrel sci-fi crime novels, and a handful of productivity books including From Chaos to Creativity and From Big Idea to Book. You can learn more about her at www.jessiekwak.com.

Participants will experiment with botanical forms, textures, and color placement to create their own silk bandana and silk eye cover.

Feeding the Future is a collaborative group show organized by Alberta Street Gallery members Sasha Wilk and Gabe Wolfe. Both curating artists are parents of young children and have brought together other creatives who are caregivers, educators, or allies of children to showcase work that uplifts and celebrates youth. As citizens invested in hope for a future built on love and care, they know that the next generation requires attention to help them become the compassionate, responsible, and thoughtful humans the next chapter of humanity needs. The works in this show feature images centering play, connection, and collaboration as enriching elements of young people's lives.

The artists: Sasha Wilk, Gabe Wolfe, Kyra Watkins, Elizabeth Goss, Stefania Salles Bruins, Corinne Kenly Barber, Forest Salazar, Danny Stephens and Kristie Winther.

Last Thursday Opening Reception, Oct. 29, 6–9 p.m.

Inspired by Davide De Pierro’s newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, his live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance. Davide is a New Jersey native that has cultivated over 3M followers on TikTok and 2.7M followers on Instagram and has been earning millions of views online. Known for his commentary on relationships, finances, and those relatable moments that capture the human experience, Davide is excited to be expanding into a fresh medium.

• Names will be drawn at random "name-in-a-hat" style from the sign-up list.
• Each performer gets up to 10 minutes or 2 songs.
• Sound and lights provided.
• Some backline available.

We're partnering with Rose Haven for a special weekend book drive in November!

Rose Haven provides essential services, resources, and community support to women, children, and gender-diverse people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Portland. To help support their community, we're collecting gently loved books across all genres.

Looking to make room on your shelves? Bring your books to Parallel Worlds Bookshop and help Rose Haven expand access to books and build community!

Donation Dates: Nov 13-15
Location: Parallel Worlds Bookshop

Live Wire Radio is an independently produced radio show that artfully blends unpredictable conversation, live music, and original comedy featuring all types of cultural talent and creative minds, from emerging artists to established acts. Join host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello for a live recording of this popular radio show, heard nationwide by thousands of listeners every weekend.

Please see the website for guest information and locations.

Hunger Games Bookclub: Part 3/3

The Hunger Games Book Club
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Join Parallel Worlds as we return to Panem for a special Hunger Games Book Club series in preparation for the theatrical release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, arriving in theaters and IMAX on November 20, 2026.

Dates:

📚 August 12: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire & Mockingjay
🐍 October 14: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
🌅 November 11: Sunrise on the Reaping

For our third gathering, we'll discuss the most recent installment of the series, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

Whether you're revisiting Panem or volunteering as tribute for the first time, join us as we discuss rebellion, propaganda, survival, spectacle, and why these books continue to resonate nearly two decades later.

📍 Parallel Worlds Bookshop
🗓 Wednesdays | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📚 Free to attend. No RSVP required.

Last Thursday on Alberta Street in Portland, Oregon happens 12 months a year every last Thursday of the month indoors with art gallery opening parties, live music, DJs and other indoor performances at venues, bars and event spaces.

Last Thursday is a community-grown event, free for all artists and art vendors, musicians, performers and visitors.

On Last Thursday, galleries hold opening parties, and performance venues and bars often host live music and performances. If the weather is nice enough, then vendors take to the street.

June, July and August Last Thursday 6-9 p.m. is outdoors and indoors with 15 blocks closed to traffic, hundreds of diverse arts and crafts vendors, art gallery opening parties, street performers and musicians, and other outside events.

Horror Bookclub! The Eyes Are The Best Part Monika Kim

Where: PW
When: Thurs Nov 19 @ 6:30pm