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This post and giveaway opportunity is sponsored by 365 by Whole Foods Market. I’m excited to have the opportunity to invite local readers out to the Party in the Parking Lot at the brand new location of 365 by WFM as well share a store preview on Snapchat, June 12, 2016! Images are provided by WFM, all opinions are my own. For more information on my policies for sponsored content please visit my policies page

 

365 by Whole Foods Market is coming to Lake Oswego, Oregon

 

When I heard about the 365 by WFM opening in LA I was jealous to say the least. I loved the idea behind the concept stores featuring the Whole Foods Market brand 365 and the friends of 365. I am a big Whole Foods Market fan in general as I believe in their commitment to quality foods, efforts to support the local communities that they reside in and the farmers/suppliers that they work with to fill their stores.

365 by Whole Foods Market was created as an affordable smaller scale concept that brings together local independent suppliers with the WFM brand. The friends of 365 are all individual shops that agree to align values and standards with 365 by WFM while staying independent within the store space.

The featured friend of the Lake Oswego store is Next Level Burger, a 100% plant based burger joint with a menu to drool over!

You’re Invited to the Party in the Parking Lot!

To kick off this store opening 365 by WFM is hosting a party in their parking lot. (Check out the sweet swag bags I’m giving away further down in this post!) The event is family friendly and free to attend.

This party has it all, including: 

  • Live music from Builders and Butchers and DJ Gregarious
  • Food Trucks, including Koi Fusion, Bunk Sandwiches and Fifty Licks
  • Free samples from our favorite suppliers and vendors
  • Face painting, bubbles, corn hole, giant games, and prizes
  • Photo booth
  • Dog bandana giveaway
  • Lots of bike parking

 

WHEN: Sunday, July 10, 2016 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (PDT)

 WHERE: 365 by Whole Foods Market – 11 South State Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034

The store officially opens its doors at 9am on Thursday July 14th. Be sure to come back for opening day! I’ll be snapping a preview over on Snapchat if you want to follow along on the 12th of July!

Sponsored: 365 by WFM Store Opening in Lake Oswego!

365 by WFM Swag Bag & $25 Gift Card Giveaway:

 

Just to make this party even sweeter, the lovely people at WFM are giving away four swag bags filled with 365 by WFM branded goodies and a $25 gift card. Important: Winners MUST be able to pick up their swag bags at the party on July 10 at the 365 by WFM store between the hours of noon and 3PM.  Please see the giveaway rules below for more information. Hurry! Giveaway ends at 12:00 AM PST Friday! 

 

Giveaway Rules: This FLASH giveaway is sponsored by 365 by WFM and A Well Crafted Party. Sweepstakes begins on Wednesday, July 6 and ends 12:00 AM on Friday, July 8. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age and must be able to pick up their swag bag at the July 10 Party in the Parking lot between noon and 3PM. Entrants will have until 8 PM Friday evening to respond to their winners email or another entrant will be chosen. Bag is transferrable to a local friend who can attend the event and pick up IF I receive the name and contact information of friend by 8PM Friday, July 8. A Well Crafted Party and 365 by WFM is not responsible for any lost, damaged, delayed, or unused prizes. This giveaway is not associated with Facebook or Twitter. Prize is void if not picked up at the Party in the Parking Lot event.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Want to double your chances to win!? Check out my friend’s giveaway over on Urban Bliss Life! 

Art by Julia McNamara
Art by Julia McNamara

Disclaimer: I was provided with complementary tickets by Portland Center Stage so that I may experience Dreamgirls before sharing my experience with you here on the blog. All opinions are my own. Keep reading for a discount so that you can see the show as well! 

Dreamgirls at Portland Center Stage in town until November 2!

A little tidbit about me that you might not of known… I’ve ALWAYS been interested in theater. I love watching the lights go down, hearing the hush of a crowd, and being delighted with the talents of people that have prepped and worked all towards that performance. There is just nothing like watching live theater. I’ve never really been someone to act in a play. I auditioned once in college… let me tell you, an Irish accent is NOT easy. Though I was never really quite right for the onstage talent, I loved participating in the creation of a show and watching how everyone worked together to change reality for the course of a show. So, when Portland Center Stage asked if I wanted to check out their production of Dreamgirls I jumped at the opportunity. I’m so glad I did!

I had never seen Dreamgirls before, either on stage or in movie form. I knew that it was a musical about a trio of women loosely based on The Supremes. But, that is about it! Now I want to see the movie and any and all productions of this show going forward. It was such a treat, and not for the reasons I originally assumed it would be! If you are in the Portland area, and like musicals, then I’d highly recommend this production! But, don’t let your location stop you from reading on… you can always watch Dreamgirls the movie!

Dreamgirls at Portland Center Stage // A Well Crafted Party
L-R: Lexi Rhoades (Lorrell Robinson), Mary Patton (Deena Jones) and Antoinette Comer (Michelle Morris) in “Dreamgirls” at Portland Center Stage. Photo by Patrick Weishampel.
“Dreamgirls” Music by Henry Krieger, Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen, Directed by Chris Coleman

It is more than just three women singing…

I expected to go into the show and be wow’d by some spectacular female voices. And, while I was wow’d by some pretty talented women (get to that later) I was unexpectedly blown away by some beautiful and FUN male-led songs! The beginning of the show the ladies didn’t quite have their voices yet. (Little did I know, because remember I had never seen this before, that was part of the plan!) I enjoyed the first number with the women being introduced to the stage. But, when Calvin Scott Roberts playing C.C. (Claridge Conrad) White and Rodney Hicks playing Curtis Taylor, Jr. began to sing Cadillac Car with David Jennings playing Jimmy (James Thunder) Early– WOW. I loved each and every song that these three men sang together. Each had great stage presence and really sold their characters all while hitting their songs out of the theater.

Dreamgirls from Portland Center Stage // A Well Crafted Party
The cast of “Dreamgirls” at Portland Center Stage. Photo by Patrick Weishampel.
“Dreamgirls” Music by Henry Krieger Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen Directed by Chris Coleman

Then you really hear the women sing…

In the beginning I wasn’t entirely impressed with the songs that the women were singing. Little did I know… that was part of the play! As the show goes on the women really start singing. While they clearly had talent in the beginning, they just hadn’t hit their groove as a group! They had me hoodwink perfectly. At the end of the first act when Nattalyee Randall playing Effie Melody White belts out “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” I had tears in my eyes. All the women brought it on stage and I wasn’t disappointed by a single performance. The most exciting performance, for me, was by Mary Patton playing Deena Jones. (I don’t want to give much of the story away just in case you, like me, had never seen anything about the show. I want you to be as surprised as I was!)  When Deena, one of the background singers of the trio is given the opportunity to step up as a lead there is a lot to discover. Patton plays demure, quiet and sweet Deena Jones so well in the beginning and hides her powerhouse of a voice during her first song as lead so well that I honestly didn’t see how this fictional group would ever be convincing as a popular musical trio. As she starts to take hold of her inner diva (just a bit) her voice suddenly takes over the entire room. It is gorgeous and powerful.

See a sneak peek of the show  below:

Dreamgirls: the trailer from Portland Center Stage on Vimeo.

More about Dreamgirls:

  • Fun facts about the PCS production learn how the production included- “49 IKEA mixing bowls, 125 costume looks, 406 pairs of fake eye lashes, 550 lighting units …
    and 1,000 condoms!?!?!”
  • Dreamgirls Review from Jane of In The Pink & Green- “I ended up being really blown away by the talented cast for this show! Seriously, every single person had such an incredible voice and I was extremely impressed by the casting!”

Get a Discount to the Show!

Portland Center Stage is offering my Portland area readers a chance to see Dreamgirls with a discount! Use the code “PDXBLOGS” to get $5 off any showing. Or, select a Tuesday show or the Halloween showing to receive your ticket for just $20! Click here to buy your ticket today!

More from Portland Center Stage:

The Typographers Dream is showing in the Ellen Bye Studio from Oct. 4 to November 16.

The Typographer’s Dream follows the story of a stenographer, a geographer and a typographer. During a career-oriented presentation, it becomes hilariously clear that their personal issues just so happen to correspond with their jobs. As with his hit play The Receptionist, playwright Bock tackles the everyday environment of the workplace from a completely unique, and very witty, perspective.  ”

Tell me, have you ever seen Dreamgirls? What did you think? Comment below.

St. Jude Autumn Harvest Event in Portland Oregon // A Well Crafted Party

Tomorrow, Saturday, October 4, is the Autumn Harvest fundraising event for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Some of Portland’s top chef talent will join together to give a progressive Autumnal tasting in hopes of raising funds and awareness for the hospital. The evening will feature live entertainment, flights from local mixologists, and an auction and the chance to experience St. Jude first-hand through local patients. It will also showcase Portland’s finest during a tasting led by 2014 James Beard Award recipient Naomi Pomeroy of Beast. Other featured chefs include:

  • Aaron Barnett, St. Jack
  • Jason French, Ned Ludd
  • Gregory Gourdet, Departure
  • Josh McFadden, Ava Gene’s
  • Sarah Schafer, Irving Street Kitchen

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a hospital where no family ever receives a bill for treatment, travel or food. They believe that all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Personally, I can’t even begin to tell you how important this is… this last year we have been dealing with possible health problems with my toddler son. Our doctors thought he had Cystic Fibrosis . We spent a lot of time in doctor’s offices and even more time on the phone trying to get in to see specialists and dealing with insurance. Now we will be paying off those bills. It has been a lot of worry and stress in our lives. We recently got the news that he does not have Cystic Fibrosis, but they aren’t sure what is causing him to get sick so often and so badly. I felt a small (minuscule) part of what many families are feeling and my heart will be forever changed because of it. Any and all support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will go far in helping families who are in a world of hurt and worry.

I’m excited to be able to share my experience with readers. Look for a blog post about it soon! But, in the meantime… check out more information about St. Judes by visiting the St. Jude website or click over to donate to this cause today.