gossip should have no friends

[August 15th, 2007] H2-OH-MY-GOD “I’d like the tuna, the yellowfin and, oh yes, the hot tub for two .” Chef-owner Micah Camden’s Yakuza Lounge (5411 NE 30th Ave., 450-0893) may be gaining ground as one of the hottest sushi and sake spots in town, but if you play your cards right you might just get a chance to cool your jets in Camden’s latest add-on that’s not on the menu: a late-night soak . Located just past the outdoor patio, Camden’s sweet retreat—which includes an eight-person Japanese soaking tub, cold plunge and shower—was created as a way to soothe the sore muscles of his staff after a long night behind the sushi knife. But we’ve heard word Camden will make his ultra-private soaker available to private parties on the nights the restaurant is closed.

KITT PURRS WITH STRINGS You heard it here first! In what will likely be the hottest ticket of its ’07-’08 season, the Oregon Symphony will growl it out next February with that original feline femme fatale, Eartha Kitt . In a series of concerts over Valentine’s Day weekend, the entertainer Orson Welles called “the most exciting woman in the world” will stalk through her classic sex and drama songbook, backed by the Symphony. Tickets available soon at www.orsymphony.org.

THE VOLUNTEERS Gettin’ your fill of performances at September’s Time-Based Art Festival can be spendy: Most shows cost betw een $10 and $25. So, what’s a penniless art lover to do? Volunteer ! TBA volunteers receive one ticket for each show they work . If you wanna volunteer, just show up at one of PICA’s two remaining orientations at Pacific Northwest College of Art (1241 NW Johnson St.): noon-1 pm Saturday, Aug. 18, and 5:30-6:30 pm Wednesday, Aug. 22. Also, PICA’s storage lockers are apparently overflowing, and they’re holding a yard sale to get rid of old props from the Dada Ball, posters, T-shirts and other miscellany. The sale is being held at 3082 NE Regents Drive, 9 am-3 pm Saturday, Aug. 18. It should be interesting.

CORRECTION Yikes! In our May 16, 2007, scoop about the death of live music at Southeast Portland’s Langano Lounge , Scoop did a crappy, crappy job of clarifying that although the music was over, the bar, located under Jarra’s Ethiopian restaurant, was still alive ’n’ kicking. The venue’s new manager, Vay Vong, was nice enough to clue us in on two points: 1) Langano Lounge (1435 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 230-8990) has indeed been and is currently open for business 4 pm-2 am nightly. 2) As of the end of July, the bar is now, once again, serving up live music 10 pm-2 am Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, courtesy of a new booker. Hooray Vay! Hooray for accuracy in reporting!