W+K PORTLAND

Portlandia

From the IFC website

IFC has greenlit "Portlandia," an original comedy series that lovingly skewers illustrates the people and values of Portland, Ore. We're guessing a lot of recycling, rain gear, and coffee drinking will be happening.

Fred Armisen of "Saturday Night Live" fame and Carrie Brownstein, the vocalist/guitarist from Portland band Sleater-Kinney (and former W+K employee) will star in the series, alongside guest stars Kyle "Twin Peaks" MacLachlan and Aubrey Plaza from "Parks and Recreation".

In the series' premiere, viewers will meet the owners of a feminist book store; a militant bike messenger; an artsy couple who put cut-outs of birds on everything; and a punk rock couple negotiating a "safe word" to help govern their love life. All presented with the trademark humor found in Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen's previous work. Yeah, we're talking about their brilliant collaboration Thunderant.

Armisen and Brownstein write the series with Allison Silverman from "The Colbert Report" and Jonathan Krisel of "SNL" and "Tim and Eric", who is also the series' director. The series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels. "Portlandia" begins production later this month and is shot entirely on location in Portland.

Rumor has it they may be filming at W+K!

Happy Birthday, America

The office will be closed today to extend the holiday weekend. Enjoy this inspiring spot from our Jeep team. The Things We Make, Make Us.

 

Jon Raymond Tomorrow- May 5

Another Marco Kaye Author Salon Series finds us, yet again, one very spoiled agency. Jon Raymond is coming to the agency to read from his book Livability. Marco describes this book as "a must read for Portlanders. Jumping around the city from story to story, the locations become characters as well. From a rich subdivision in Lake Oswego, to the Lloyd Center where I shop for sweaters, to coastal Newport in the middle of winter, reading this will get you to look at Portland with fresh eyes."

You may also know him as the co-writer of these two movies directed by Kelly Reichardt:

Events commence at 3pm in the atrium.

One Step Big Shot

 

Saturday, May 15th will see the opening of One Step Big Shot: Portraits by Andy Warhol and Gus Van Sant. Whether for casting or screen printing, the exhibit explores the use of Polaroid photography between these two artists.

Register today for your spot on the reserved bus coach. The registration fee is $10 and covers your round trip from Portland to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

Register here.

Saturday May 15th
3:00 - 4:00 pm - View "Cut-ups” at PDX.
Light refreshments will be served.

PDX Contemporary Art
925 Northwest Flanders Street
Portland, OR 97209

Pickups will be at the following locations:
Bus Departure - 4:00 pm in Portland on NW 9th at Flanders
Bus Departure - 4:30 pm at Bridgeport Village 

This event is approved by John Jay.

Goodbye Half&Half

Then

Now

Hello Co-Workers,

In the year 2000, shortly after Wieden + Kennedy moved to its home in the Pearl, a friend and I opened up a tiny little cafe across the way from Powell's Books. We named it Half & Half. We made a wren our mascot, had a taxidermy display, sold cigarettes and fluffernutter sandwiches, and didn't put out a tip jar until our customers yelled at us.  We were the only coffee shop selling Stumptown coffee in a 5 mile radius. A lot has changed in 10 years. I like to think that Half & Half contributed to the food and arts culture in more ways than just making great pie and deviled eggs. We invented more than 300 sandwiches, and painstakingly named every single one. We sold coffee delivered to us by bicycle. We made iced sweet tea for all you displaced southerners. We served unemployed musicians, artists, architects, students, strippers, construction workers, freaks and ad-folks with equal zeal. You can find us in a YACHT video, a Gus Van Sant movie, and a TV spot for the Oregon Lottery. If it wasn't for Half & Half, I probably wouldn't be working at Wieden + Kennedy. And now, after 9 years and 7 months in business, we are closing shop. On April 30th, we will make our batches of deviled eggs and iced coffee and we will say goodbye to a community that helped create some of the best 500 sq feet the world has to offer. Half & Half could not have existed in any place but Portland, in any time but the last decade, and without the customers and staff who supported and sustained it.

On April 30th we're taking customer portraits outside the cafe and we'll be making sandwiches, deviled eggs and serving Miller High Life until we run out of inventory. We have the space till midnight, so let's see what happens. 

Courier Coffee Roasters will be taking over the space at 923 SW Oak. We've been serving Joel Domreis' hand roasted, bicycle-delivered coffee since 2007 and I know the neighborhood is in excellent hands. 

Fans of the Half & Half are encouraged to visit our page on Facebook and contribute stories or images for a scrapbook zine we hope to have on our 3,495th day of business.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28256532398&ref=ts

Thanks everybody,

robin

Get yourself (quickly) over to the Half and Half for their last week of coffee, sandwiches and banter.

 

Thanks Robin and Jeff, the Half & Half will be missed.

Some Days Are Better Than Others

Widely known for his experimental documentary and music video work (including the forthcoming episodic documentary on our very own WK12), Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick's first feature-length film will be making its world premier next week at SXSW.

Some Days Are Better Than Others is a beautifully sad valentine to the forgotten discards of a throwaway society and features the screen debuts of PDX faves James Mercer (The Shins) and Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney).

Not to be missed if you're in Austin for SXSW next week. The rest of us will have to hold out for Some Days to come back home for its Portland premier.

filmmaker website: www.rodeofilmco.com

Studio's got some new goods.

 
Hey, did you know we have a whole gaggle of fine, new dry goods available on the studio site? Heck, did you even know the studio has its own blog and store? Give Facebook, Twitter, Yammer, TMZ, ESPN and the other off-shore based sites with questionable content you frequent a rest and check out the stuff made by your talented friends on four.
  

LT Style Electric Glide

W+K and Nike took LaDainian Tomlinson off the field and into the dance hall (in that little white suit he likes so much) bringing the world the newest sports-infused dance craze to hit that silly web-net: The LT Style Electric Glide. With a thumpin’ beat from Flosstradamus, lyrics from the guys of Night Sweat, and a stellar delivery from LT, the world is sure to be Glidin’ all the way to the Lakeside hotels. Gas up the car guys, it’s gonna be kinda right. 

Wave to your Mom!

Credits
Creative Directors: Jeff Williams, Alberto Ponte
Creatives: Brandon Pierce/Mike Warzin
Director: Tim Skousen
Music Producer: Flosstradamus
Lyrics: Night Sweat
Broadcast Producer: Kevin Diller
Editor: Katie Turinski
Motion Graphics: Mode Project
Account Executive: Matt Hernholm
Makeup: Randy Burke

Another Successful Art Opening.

If you missed the opening the show is up all month. Please come by our lobby.

Don't Move Here

"Don't Move Here", the new series on WKE, digging deeper into the burgeoning Portland music scene. Mic check the first two installments.