Don't remember Aldo's, but most recently it was the location of the late, lamented Fernando's Hideaway.

Thank God there'll be a dress code...

I think this location sits across from the Bally's downtown and the wall of glass with the stairmasters and exercise bikes facing out. Turn off your iPods!

Must be hot. Safari quit unexpectedly.

Is Sam doing the Ribbon cutting, Are there living wage jobs, Is PDC financing it.Does it fall under TARP (the a#s rub project)Is this what you call urban renewel

I'm just snickering at it's proximity to City Hall (of shame).

Word on the street is their "eatery" will have a high desert theme and be called the Chicken Hawk Grille.

How did we lure a celebrity like this to Portland? Did we sell him the building for a dollar? Is he getting a business tax abatement? Is he using Urban Renewal money to launch? Are we subsidizing the wages for his employees? I don't get it-You mean he's using private money and there's no risk to taxpayers or the general fund? What a concept...

This is what the PDC calls a biotech start up.

How did fireboy Randy let something like this slip through? Must have been too busy folding Meritt's laundry...
Oh well, there's always time later for weekly fire inspections and condemnation/ fines after this MLS crockery is flogged to death.
Hey Randy, what sort of neon symbol can your water bureau envision for the top of this building?

After years of being screwed by Randy and Sam, it's time for a change.

Actually, the city has just proposed a [NSFW] neon sign for the top of the building.

I thought these kinds of businesses are to happen up in Vera and Sam's Triangle around SW 10th and Burnside. What happened to our Planning? "Everything in its Rightful Place" is Portland's Planners Motto.

The Ace of Hearts has been operating without much public outcry for years.

When I googled their website tonight, it looks like it is an "under construction" website for Club Sesso.

Which makes this more of a downtown relocation with a celebrity (ahem) twist. Given all the vacant retail space in Portland, we might wind up looking more like Amsterdam than any other city in Europe.

Keep Porkland Weird?

Well, this will certainly raise Portland's profile and its sleaze footprint. Yuck.

You all know, don't you, that "sesso" is the Italian word for "sex"?

Club Sex. Classy!

I was talking with a co-worker about the recent Starlight Parade (he went and took the kids; I didn't) and he told me that the strangest thing about the parade was Mayor Adams.

He didn't ride in a car like the rest of the officials or on a float. He wandered emotionessly along the parade route looking like he'd put on a few pounds and wishing he was anywhere else.

That surprised me. I figured he either wouldn't show up or would brass it out - shaking the hands of supporters, kissing babies, etc.

And - by the way - I still miss the Starlight's predecessor, the Merrykana Parade, gone since '76.

Responding to above, it will be interesting to see how Adams postures himself for the Grand Floral parade. Even more interesting to see the crowd response.

I was a character on a theme float in (I think) 1970. What surprised me most were the water balloons and ice cubes lobbed at us from the upper floors of buildings along the route. Real nice.

Do you thinw these two guys care about Portland being host to a "sex club"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnY5FAKhl4

Sam walked with Amanda Fritz, and maybe with Randy as well. Fish and his family rode in a car. If Saltzman was there, I didn't see him.

Now that I think about it...

Maybe the walking was Sam's way of showing he's "keeping his promise" to not drive for a month. Kind of subtle, I guess.

I watched the youtube video of the gay chase. How ironic that Storm drives the exact same model and color car that Beau drives!

Personally, I'm disturbed by that YouTube video. As liberal as I am, I know that if the heads of any company in the private sector made a video like that, they'd be fired. But, we're all supposed to accept it under the auspice of "Keep Portland Wierd". It's just creepy. Leonard and Adams should be embarassed.

When are we going to get a real Mayor an city council that can get down to creating economic development in this city...not stadiums for rich kids, not renaming streets, not giving themselves 3% raises when the rest of us are suffering...but creating real jobs in the private sector...which is what keeps the money rolling in to begin with. I want great schools...not sleazy YouTube videos.

I agree ALH. The above video makes a definitive statement about Leonard's judgement and maturity.