Clackamas Community Advantage Magazine June 2023

At The Human Bean

All That Jazz

A local treasure celebrating her 10th year of bringing the best jazz in the city to Langdon’s Grill in Aurora!

BY DENNIS MCNABB, STAFF WRITER

Rebecca Hardiman is a unique and singular talent. Growing up on a steady diet of jazz standards courtesy of her father, she gained a genuine appreciation for the genre at a young age. By the time she reached high school, she discovered she had an innate talent for singing in that style, and began honing her skills in the jazz choir. Straight out of high school, she auditioned and was selected out of over 100 applicants to enter the prestigious Soundsation Vocal Jazz program at Edmonds College in Washington. That’s where she got her first taste of life on the road, touring Europe and performing at a host of different festivals and venues.

Dazzling audiences and fellow musicians everywhere she performed, she was then recruited to join the prestigious Bostonbased vocal jazz group, The Ritz. There she began her professional career, recorded her first CD entitled “The Ritz,” and met her future husband, Ray Hardiman (the group’s keyboard player). It was an incredible and enlightening experience for them both, but playing in a touring band while simultaneously working full-time jobs was unsustainable as a long-term way of life.

In 1990, they moved from the East Coast back to Rebecca’s home state of Oregon. They continued playing with a variety of local bands—most notably, the vocal jazz group Euphoria which Rebecca

not only formed, but also played in for over a decade. Entertaining and inspiring audiences all over the Northwest, they were a cornerstone of the festival circuit, but it was all familiar territory for Rebecca. She was and always had been a part of a larger group. It was time to break out on her own, and that’s when her star truly began to shine.

In March of 2013, Ray began playing Friday nights at Langdon’s Grill. Shortly thereafter, Rebecca joined him, and over the succeeding months they developed a rabid following. Now, exactly 10 years later, Rebecca, Ray, and Whitney Moulton–their incredible bass player who is an equally incredible human being and integral part of the group–are one of the most popular and renowned jazz house bands in the Portland Metro Area. And their home is right here in Aurora! While their regular band consists of Rebecca, Ray, and Whitney, they also attract a host of guest musicians from all over the Northwest. Everyone who is anyone on the Portland jazz scene jumps at the chance to play with this “little band” out in Aurora.

So, listen up folks! Next time you and the spouse are looking for a fantastic Friday date night, including great food, great atmosphere, and the best entertainment in the city, look no further than Langdon’s Grill. Every Friday night between 6-8 PM, Rebecca, Ray, and Whitney hit the stage, and they will absolutely transport you to another world! Come celebrate 10 years of excellence!

Check out her website at RebeccaHardiman.com for more information and access to her incredible recordings.

Matt Groening Oregon Cartoonist

Once-struggling artist succeeds with worldwide hit “The Simpsons”

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

“D’oh!”

This simple catchphrase of Homer Simpson’s from the hit TV show “The Simpsons” is so famous that it’s been listed number six on TV Land’s 100 Greatest Television Catchphrases. The state of Oregon has contributed its share of inventions to the global community, from athletic shoes to more prosaic items such as the Tater Tot™ and Phillips screw. Perhaps the zaniest, however, are the creations of cartoonist Matt Groening.

Born in Portland, Oregon in 1954, Matt Groening (pronounced gray-ning) grew up in the City of Roses in a neighborhood near Washington Park. After attending Ainsworth Elementary School and Lincoln High School, Groening spent his college years up north in Washington at Evergreen State College in Olympia, which during the ’70s the cartoonist describes as “a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest.” At Evergreen, Groening served as editor of the campus newspaper, The Cooper Point Journal, for which he also contributed articles and drew comics. Inspired from a young age to draw cartoons, Groening has cited Disney classics such as “101 Dalmatians” to Monty Python and the works of Charles M. Schultz as influential in his development. At Evergreen, he was befriended by fellow cartoonist Lynda Barry who had impressed him by writing a letter to one of Groening’s favorite authors, Joseph Heller, and she actually received a response. Groening has credited Barry as being one of his biggest inspirations.

After graduating from Evergreen with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1977,

Matt moved to Los Angeles to pursue writing. After enduring a “series of lousy jobs,” including bussing tables at a nursing home, landscape work at a sewage treatment plant, chauffeuring, ghost writing for a retired Western director and working as a sales clerk at Hollywood Licorice Pizza record store, he began sketching out cartoons based upon his experiences of living in L.A. This self-published comic book titled “Life in Hell” was partially inspired by a chapter in Walter Kauffman’s book “Critique of Religion and Philosophy,” titled “How to Go to Hell.” After distributing his “Life in Hell” comics from the book section at Licorice Pizza, he sold his first comic to avantgarde “Wet” magazine in 1978.

At a subsequent job for the alternative newspaper, the Los Angeles Reader, Groening convinced the editor to run his comic strip on a regular basis.

“Life in Hell” (1984) became a hit almost immediately. Groening’s then girlfriend, Deborah Callahan, who worked with Groening at the Reader, helped the cartoonist publish his first book, “Love is Hell,” which

was based on relationships. It was an underground success, selling 22,000 copies in its first two printings. The subsequent “Work is Hell” (1985) was also a hit. By the time his “Hell” series had run its course, “Life in Hell” had been carried in 250 weekly newspapers and anthologized in a series of books which included “School is Hell,” “Childhood is Hell,” “The Big Book of Hell,” and “The Huge Book of Hell.”

The stage was now set for Groening’s next big move. The success of Groening’s “Hell” series caught the attention of Hollywood director/producer James L. Brooks. In 1985, Brooks contacted Groening and began exploring working together on a production for television. What emerged from this creative union was the Simpson family, which Groening conceived while waiting in the lobby of Brooks’ office. He had originally intended to adapt the “Life in Hell” characters for television, but fearing the loss of ownership rights, he chose to move in a different direction.

The Simpson family was named after members of Groening’s own family — Homer the portly father (and in honor of the Greek poet), Marge (Margaret) the slender wife, and three children —

Bart the bratty son, Lisa the bright middle child, and Maggie (Margaret) the baby. Instead of naming the son after himself, which he felt was too obvious, he selected the name Bart which was an anagram of Brat.

“The Simpsons” originally premiered as a short cartoon on “The Tracey Ullman Show” in 1987. By 1989, however, “The Tracey Ullman Show” was on its way out, but “The Simpsons” had proved so popular that Fox (which aired the show) decided to produce an entire half hour program dedicated to Homer and his dysfunctional yet relatable family. In 1989, “The Simpsons” debuted on Fox on a weekly basis, and to Groening and Fox’s surprise the show became a smash hit. Groening’s goal of creating a show that offered the audience an alternative to what he termed “mainstream trash” took the world by storm. Considered by many to be one of the smartest shows on television due to Groening’s sharp satirical wit and complex characters, “The Simpsons” has won over 20 Emmy awards and now stands as the longest-running primetime

scripted show and longest-running animated series in American television history. Many of the characters and locales on “The Simpsons” were inspired by Groening’s Oregon roots. Springfield, the town where The Simpsons reside, has been revealed by the cartoonist in an interview with “Smithsonian Magazine,” to indeed be a reference to Springfield, Oregon near Eugene. Groening liked the fact that Springfield was such a generic name that audiences across the country could identify with it. As a tribute to its “Simpsons” connection, murals have been created at locales across Eugene-Springfield by a number of local artists. While many fans believe that Sideshow Bob Terwilliger was a reference to Terwilliger Boulevard, Groening has revealed that the character was actually inspired by Dr. Terwilliker from the film “The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T.” Other names from the show, however, were derived from Portland street names such as Lovejoy, Flanders, Kearney, Powell, and Quimby. Chief Wiggum drew his name from Groening’s mother’s maiden name. Although Groening went on to create other inventive shows such as “Futurama,” an animated comedy series about life in the year 3000, “Krusty the Clown,” a Simpsons spinoff, and “Disenchantment,” a fantasy-comedy series for Netflix, none of these projects were nearly as popular or culturally relevant as “The Simpsons.”

If you happen to be a fan of Matt Groening and were ever curious about the inspirations for his zany creations which have literally shaped contemporary culture, look no further than right here in the Pacific Northwest. You may very well be driving on a street or through a town that gave birth to some of your favorite cartoon characters!

Photo courtesy of UCSB Arts & Lectures

JOYRX CHILDREN’S CANCER ASSOCIATION

Come to MWNW and help support JoyRX!

Celebrating 28 years in business, locally-owned and -operated Mattress World Northwest (MWNW) carries the largest selection that will fit your needs best, and the only store with the 4 major sleeping technologies: GelFlex Grid, TEMPUR® foam, Air, and Natural Latex. They carry major brands like: Tempur-Pedic®, Purple™, The Number Bed by Instant Comfort®, and Posh+Lavish™ Natural Latex. They’re all in-store, side-by-side, for your convenience! And they guarantee the lowest price and have a 90-night comfort guarantee, so you can take home a better night’s sleep with confidence. Their employees love working here and will always greet you with a smile, listen to your needs and concerns, and give you a great buying experience. On average, team members have worked here for 5+ years, and their management team 10+ years, so you know they are committed to this company and making their customers happy.

MWNW Rests On Its Core Values

At the heart of their business, lie three core values. First, is their sincere dedication to helping every customer get a better night’s sleep. They have the largest selection of name brand mattresses and specialty mattresses in the Northwest, from handmade to 100% natural latex, as well as adjustable frames. They carry every type of mattress for every type of sleeper!

Get A Better Night’s Sleep

Second, MWNW believes in empowering employees to live their best possible lives. Happy employees means happy customers, so you can trust you’ll be greeted with a smile and an attentive ear. Mattress purchases are done only a handful of times in our lives. That experience, good or bad, leaves a lasting impression. At MWNW, they have perfected the process to ensure that you get the best possible service and overall experience every time.

A Foundation of Philanthropy

Third, and perhaps most importantly, is their dedication to philanthropic work. Each and every month, MWNW supports local charities and schools in a variety of ways. To date, they have donated over $500,000 to local high schools and other charities! Giving back to the community is an integral part of what defines this organization.

Dedicated Charitable Support

During June and July, join Mattress World in supporting JoyRX, the mission delivery of Children’s Cancer Association, to bring Joy to thousands of seriously ill kids in Oregon. JoyRx programs are designed to relieve the sadness, anxiety, and isolation kids experience during hospitalizations. Through music, nature, and mentorship, their no-cost Joy-based programming has been providing emotional healing to children with cancer and other illnesses for over 27 years. JoyRx provides what every parent with a sick child so desperately hopes for: just a little bit of Joy to bring light to the dark treatment journey.

Family-owned and -operated, dedicated to providing customers with the best products at the lowest prices, and donating to and participating in their local communities – Mattress World Northwest exemplifies the very best of retail. Get a better night’s sleep and help support your community by visiting your local Mattress World Northwest location for more information, or you can order online at mattressworldnorthwest.com.

Feeling Is Believing.

Heat Blocker Extreme® is one of the most energy efficient residential windows available! Dave's presentation took 30 minutes and the price was 1/3 the cost of double pane windows and a 4 hour presentation by another company…….. The reduction in street noise with these new windows is amazing………..YELP REVIEW

As

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But it’s not just about the quality of the product. Equally important is the quality of the people; the character and integrity of the company installing said product, and with PGC, you are getting the best of the best. Roy Bletko and his team have over 40 years in the home improvement services industry. They have seen and conquered all! And at its core, the business was built on a

By Dennis McNabb, Staff Writer

Living in the Northwest, homeowners are all too familiar with gutter woes. Damaged and clogged gutters can bring a host of pricey complications which must be dealt with: damaged roofing, damaged siding, damaged landscaping, water intrusion issues, foundation problems; the list goes on. There are a multitude of gutter systems, but very few which are built to withstand our local weather conditions. Fortunately, local business Pacific Gutter Company has partnered with Gutter Shutter as an exclusive dealer in the Northwest to provide us with the most effective solution on the market!

Gutter Shutter boasts an incredible all-in-one design and patented bracketing system that is the strongest gutter system on the market. That, along with their transferable lifetime warranty (which guarantees that the system will never clog, sag, or pull away), means you’ll never have to worry about your gutters again! That alone should be more than enough to convince anyone to choose Pacific

foundation of four guiding principles: Give the customer what they want, when they want it, and at an affordable price. Always do the right thing every day and for every customer. Provide genuine value. Exceed all expectations. The customer experience is the number one priority. Society has become so tech driven over the years that the customer has often been left behind to fend for themselves. At PGC, they take a much more direct and consultative approach. They engage and communicate with customers throughout the entire process so there are no surprises, no stress and no misunderstandings.

They take a similar approach to handling things internally. They take care of their employees and treat them with respect. They ensure that every installer is invested and committed to the customer experience. They pay wages that are significantly higher than the industry standard. And they foster

Gutters are not as glamorous as a new kitchen or bath remodel, but they provide significant benefits. Although often overlooked, gutters are integral to your home’s health: clogged gutters can cause a surprisingly significant amount of damage to your roof, siding, windows and foundation. Maintenance can be a serious problem as well. A recent CDC

study found that 43% of fatal falls nationwide were from ladders. PGC wants to remove those potentially dangerous scenarios from their customers’ futures.

Considering new gutters? Look no further than Pacific Gutter Company. Best product. Best service. Bar none. Check out their website pacificgutter. com for more information, or call 503-832-4563 to schedule your free quote today!

a positive work environment which they hope will be reflected in their employees’ performance, and in turn, the customer experience.

American Graffiti (1979) Luca (2021)

“Stand by for justice!” Directed and co-written by George Lucas and produced by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather), “American Graffiti” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Set in 1962 in central California, with all its hot rods and small-town nostalgia, the movie stars Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Mackenzie Phillips, Paul LeMat, among many others. The story follows a group of high school students at the end of summer–some are going away to college (or so they think) and some are destined to be townies, while others are more focused on street racing, love, or underage drinking. My favorite thing about this movie is how otherworldly it is–you really feel pulled into the bygone era, with the slang, music, fashion, and culture–it’s a total experience. The fact that it’s a perfect slice of life–a day in the life of California teens in the 60s–is the cherry on top. Rated PG due to its age, but with mature themes, fighting, drag racing, and language, I’d call this PG-13 for older kids and adults.

“That’s called phantom tail. You’ll get used to it. “Luca” is utter eye candy, a gorgeous summer film that washes over you with all its colors. Taking place in a fictional 50s Italian Riviera, with director Enrico Casarosa drawing from his very own childhood, “Luca” feels like a summer period-piece: it’s classic, warm, relaxed, tropical, and yet somehow boundless, stretching like the blue-green sea. The movie is a coming-of-age story following the title character, Luca, a boy sea-monster who wants nothing more than to visit and explore the human village of Portorosso. Luca and his best friend, Alberto, also a sea-monster, befriend a kind human named Giulia, and proceed to have that unforgettable summer you can only experience as a kid. Interestingly enough, like “Brave” and “Frozen,” there’s no love interest! But there is bromance (aka friendship), and it’s wonderful to watch. There’s also Vespas, bicycle races, fishing, swimming, and all kinds of meditation on identity and accepting who you are. Rated PG for rude humor and brief violence, it’s great for the whole family!

Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead (1991)

“I’m right on top of that, Rose.”

One of my desert island movies, “Don’t Tell Mom” is a cult classic you might have never heard of. Released in 1991 and starring Christina Applegate, Keith Coogan, Joanna Cassidy, David Duchovny, and others, it’s like a twisted take on “Home Alone,” where five siblings are left alone all summer when their mom goes to Australia and their evil babysitter dies. What follows is a more mature if still ridiculous story of kids left alone–Sue Ellen, the eldest daughter, finagles her way into a fashion career to provide for the family, and Kenny, the eldest son, watches Julia Child and becomes a homemaker and cares for his younger siblings. As their lies become more twisted and their fake life becomes more elaborate, everything peaks during a fashion event hosted at their home. It’s dark, hilarious, sweet, coming-of-age, and a great peek into 90s culture. Rated PG-13 for language and mature themes, reserve this for the older kids and adults.

Stream these movies where available, or rent from your local movie store, library, or rental kiosk.

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