Portland Oscars guide! Parties, fashion + events
March 6, 2010 by karenvitt
Filed under Neat EVENT, Neat STUFF
With plucky Sandra Bullock up against the legendary Meryl Streep for Best Actress, James Cameron competing against his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow for Best Directing, and our dashing hero George Clooney challenging beloved Jeff Bridges for Best Actor, tomorrow night’s 82nd Annual Academy Awards is setting up for a smashing show, likely filled with lots of surprises. And that’s not to mention those two wild and crazy guys hosting the show – Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.
Leading up to this Sunday, March 7, we’ve done plenty of pre-Oscar viewing research: We’ve watched as many movies as any normal person can. We’ve printed Official Oscar Ballots so our family and friends can vote for their favorites before the show. And we’ve studied Oscar fashion coordinator Patty Fox’s predictions for the red carpet – expect lots of understated silver and grey gowns, with subdued jewelry and less bling than in previous years.
We already know what “Avatar” director Cameron’s wife Suzy Amis will be wearing: She unveiled her eco-friendly Avatar blue, one-shoulder “peace silk” gown at Wednesday’s night’s Global Green Pre-Oscar Party in Hollywood (we can only hope she’ll paint her face Avatar blue to match). The dress, designed by Red Carpet Green Dress contest winner Jillian Granz (a Michigan State University senior) is made from silk derived from cacoons without harming the silk worms inside. The contest received enough publicity and praise it seems likely we’ll see other green gowns on the red carpet this year, too.
The Neat Sheet will live Tweet the Oscars starting with the Red Carpet Arrivals at 4 p.m., and we’ll run a full fashion recap on Monday, March 8 with highlights of Portland’s favorite and least favorite looks (see details below). In the meantime, we’ve rounded up a few glamorous (and not so glamorous) options for where to watch and what to wear:
82nd Annual Academy Awards at the Bagdad Theater – McMenamins’ Bagdad Theater & Pub and Fleur de Lethal Cinematheque invite you to get glam and hit the red carpet for an Oscar night celebration of all things Hollywood. They’ll award prizes for the best dressed and the best costumes. Red Carpet Coverage starts 4 p.m., and the show starts at 5 p.m. During commercials they’ll test your Hollywood knowledge with trivia quizzes, and if you fill out the most correct answers on your FdL Oscar Ballot (which you can pick up at the door) you’ll win a year-long VIP pass to every Fleur de Lethal screening, plus champagne and chocolates for two (a $250 value!). 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.; 503-225-5555. www.mcmenamins.com/events
Oscar Nighty Party at Hollywood Theatre – Nonprofit organization Film Action Oregon will host the only officially sanctioned Oscar Night America party in Oregon, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hollywood Theatre. Walk the red carpet, eat, drink be merry and dodge the paparazzi – plus have your pic taken with an authentic Oscar statuette. $40-$75; 4122 N.E. Sandy Blvd. www.filmaction.org
Watch FREE on the big-screen at The Mission Theatre – Another fave McMenamins theatre, The Mission, invites viewers 21-older to watch the Oscars free on the big screen, starting with the Red Carpet Coverage at 4 p.m. This is a great choice for serious viewers who want to watching the show without a lot of party hoo-ha. 1624 N.W. Glisan St.; 503-223-4527. www.mcmenamins.com/events
Watch the Oscars with The Neat Sheet – from your couch! Our neat team will be live Tweeting the Academy Awards all night – starting with the Red Carpet Arrivals at 4 p.m. to the show’s close at 9 p.m. We’ll offer red carpet fashion commentary and plenty of giggles. Watch with us at twitter.com/pdxneatsheet, and Tweet along with your own fashion commentary, too.
Tanker Bar – Here’s a last minute addition to our Oscar party roster. The Neat Sheet’s friends at Tanker Bar will be viewing the show on four big screen TVs, starting at 4 p.m. They’ll hand out ballots at the door for voting, and award prizes for the most correct picks. Also enjoy drink specials, and $1 off PBR or tap beer if you wear a dress or a tie. 4825 S.W. Hawthorne Blvd.; 503-445-4635. www.tankerpdx.com
Where to get glam – Stylists are predicting a return to elegant, old-school glamour on the red carpet this year, so why not follow suit in a vintage gown? Snap up something in shimmery silver or champagne from Xtabay Vintage (right) on Southeast Clinton Street or Hollywood Vintage on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, or maybe go all out crazy and costumey with Dynasty-era pouf shoulders and sequins from Red Light Clothing Exchange or Time Bomb Vintage on Southeast Division Street. Shop Vintage Portland has the scoop on all of Portland’s best vintage shopping.
Throw your own last-minute Oscar party! If you need some help planning your own Oscar party, check out the official online Oscar Party Kit, which has recipes for cocktails and appetizers, official ballots, games and more. Also, The Lippman Co. in Southeast industrial Portland is your go-to source for Oscar party supplies – but hurry this afternoon because they’re closed on Sunday. Find plastic Oscar statuettes, cardboard cutouts of old Hollywoods stars, movie reel cutouts and more.
Finally, we invite fashionable Portlanders, shop owners and designers to drop us a line Sunday night or Monday morning and let us know which were the BEST LOOKS and the WORST LOOKS of the night. Write us at neatsheet@karenvitt.com or leave a comment on this post, and we’ll run a full morning-after recap at pdxneatsheet.com on Monday, March 8. Enjoy the show!
