Wednesday May 7top

Roger Ballen

For almost 30 years, New York native and geologist Roger Ballen has lived in rural spaces outside Johannesburg, South Africa, photographing the citizens of these destitute townships. Usually working in black and white, his prints maintain a sharp, surreal grittiness; a touching gravitas of the human condition in J-Burg. His most recent series, New Project, omits faces, instead focusing on gingerly splayed limbs, the photos often including tiny puppies or birds. PICA and Quality Pictures have teamed up to show exclusive portraits and still-lifes by Ballen from the mid-'80s to today. A lecture by the artist will be followed by a reception and New Project book signing, with food courtesy of Planet B.'s Modern Tastes. Visit rogerballen.com for more info. Wieden & Kennedy Atrium, 224 NW 13th Ave., 224-8499. 7 pm. Free for members. $5 for general public. Map

Thursday May 8top

Sandy Tolan

Tromping through Israel and the West Bank en route to explore the complex state of the Israeli/Palestinian world following the Six-Day War of 1967, teacher, radio documentary producer and journalist Sandy Tolan stumbled upon a house in Israel where, at differing periods in history, both Palestinian and Israeli families resided. Tolan's The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East, follows the story of Bashir, a Palestinian who was expelled from his home in 1948 as a child and returns two decades later to find Dalia, a young Israeli woman, living there. The two form a friendship and Tolan extrapolates history and understanding through their relationship. He first broadcasted The Lemon Tree as a documentary on NPR's Fresh Air and the overwhelming response to the program led to the book. See Tolan take audience compliments and heat from both sides. Portland State University, Hoffman Hall, 1825 SW Broadway., 725-3000. 7 pm, Smith Hall, Room 238. Free. Map

Friday May 9top

Rose City Romance Writers

Aww, romance novels with their flowery, dripping verbiage and predictable punani plots. What a high-school boy's fantasy, then, to have a bevy of the Northwest's expert female-seduction authors gather for "an evening of romance" and autographs. Megan Clark, whose "erotic romances have readers staying up late to turn the pages, and Meljean Brook ("her hot Guardian Series keeps readers asking for more")—will be in attendance, among many others. Screw having a book for the ladies to sign, I'm bringing panties. Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton., 228-4651. 7 pm. Free. Map

Saturday May 10top

Donovan D. Rypkema

Those do-gooder McMenamins boys: Kennedy School plays host to Rypkema's presentation on Economics, Sustainability, and Historic Preservation (say that three times fast) because the school is "one of Portland's best examples of adaptive use." Regular talk: The event's about how rad "green buildings" are and how generally awesome P-town is for striving to build and modify more of them. As if we didn't know. Rypkema is a super brainiac on the topic of historic preservation and the development of functional, "livable cities for the 21st century." Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., 249-3983. 10 am. $10. Map

Friends of Ledding Library Plant Sale

Spring is desperately trying to be sprung. Perfect time to green thumb it up and peruse all the pretty perennials, shrubs, bird houses, gardening books and plants that the Friends of Ledding Library are offering. Maybe they can tell me what I'm doing wrong with my hummingbird feeder's sugar-to-water ratio. All proceeds go to the library. Ledding Library Pond House, 2215 SE Harrison St., Milwaukie., 786-7582. 9 am-4 pm. Free. Map

Good Asian Drivers

"Transgendered champion slam poet" Kit Yan is a firecracker. He and "lesbian folk rocker" Melissa Li make up Good Asian Drivers. The two are touring 30 states, determined to open minds, crush stereotypes and promote getting the gushy however you damn like. "In my next life, I wanna be a slut nugget," Kit proclaims in the poem "Badass." Li plays folksy guitar alongside Yan, adding lilting vocals to Kit's strong, enunciated words about strap-ons and rainbows. "Hey, this is my town, where feminists drool and old school is cool and new school has identity issues." At least the kid has a good sense of humor. Visit goodasiandrivers.com for more info. In Other Words, 8B NE Killingsworth St., 232-6003. 3 pm. $5 suggested donation. Map

Sunday May 11top

Mother's Day Hip Mama Magazine Party

Hip Mama magazine is saying goodbye to Ariel Gore, the magazine's founding editor for the past 15 years, and hello to its new owner and editor, Kerlin Richter, with a shindig. There's promises of puppet shows, drinks, dancing, hula hooping, a silent auction fundraiser and readings by Gore and Tom Moniz, the author of the "anarchist fathering zine" Rad Dad. And that auction? It includes an "anatomically correct uncircumcised boy baby doll from Spain." Oh my gawd that's good. Visit hipmama.com for more info. Watershed, 5040 SE Milwaukie Ave., Milwaukie., 232-7433. 5 pm. $5 suggested donation. Map

Steve Cheseborough

Steve Cheseborough knows the blues. He's got a master's in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi, where he's lectured and performed, and can break down the history of yodeling and what tune the term "boogie woogie" was first heard in. He'll give a lecture, present old recordings and videos, and host a discussion focusing on the earliest period of blues, from 1900 to the 1930s. He will also treat the crowd to a live blues performance. I'd spend an afternoon any day with a man who'll tell me stories about folks named "Blind Willie McTell," "Bo Weavil Jackson" and "Barbecue Bob." Mmmm. Barbecue. Visit stevecheseborough.com for more. Gregory Heights Library, 7921 NE Sandy Blvd., 988-5386. 2 pm. Free. Map

Tuesday May 13top

Pecha Kucha Night Vol. III

Japanese for "the sound of conversation," Pecha Kucha is the brainchild of Tokyo-based architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. What the hell is it exactly? Pecha Kucha is "a forum for young designers, architects and artists to meet, network, and to show and discuss their work in public" that's spread to 100 cities around the world. A grown-up version of show and tell, if you will. But the Tokyo fellas were clever. As engaging as the latest steel beam cut can be, no one sane wants to sit through that drivel for hours, even if there's an open bar (well OK, maybe if there's an open bar), so each presenter is only allowed 20 images at 20 seconds a pop. Keeps the mojo moving. Presented by City Scope. Visit pecha-Kucha.org for more info or projectcityscope.org for a submission form. Corner Warehouse Space, 408 NW 8th Ave. and Couch St., 234-2945. 7:30 pm. Sliding scale donations. Map

Volcano Views & Brews

Oh, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. My folks have told the tale. Ash everywhere, smoke filling the sky, the crazies stockpiling the basement with gallons of water and granola bars (wait, that was my parents). And now, it's a wonder to behold—one of the biggest treasures and tourist attractions of the Northwest. There she sits, topless and exposed (insert Portland strip club joke here). Now she's getting her own speaker series from the folks at the Mount St. Helens Institute. Tonight it's "Fire And Ice In Our Backyard: The 2004 to 2008 Eruption of Mount St. Helens." Thank God Pops keeps those peanut butter Nature Valleys around. Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby St., 360-449-7883. 5 pm for happy hour. 7 pm for speaker. $12 for buffet dinner. $3 for speaker only. Map