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I ate dinner at Swagat on Northwest 21st and Lovejoy last Thursday--the Delfina's farewell was too crowded. Swagat may thwart the curse that has finished the last several restaurants inhabiting that spot; most tables were full. Across from me sat a group of visiting business people who ate and drank enthusiastically. I gathered from their comments they were from somewhere where Indian food isn't readily available, though in this age of Wazwan in malls it is surprising that such places still exist. One man in the group received several cell-phone calls during the meal and, as people always do when answering cell phones in public, talked very loudly to the caller. From where I was seated I could see a guy at another table--who didn't look like he had ever worn a suit--aping the gestures of the man on the phone. His companion looked a little embarrassed as it became apparent that the guy using the phone could see his mime. It's embarrassing to have a cell phone--and especially to use one in public. (I have one, but whenever I use it I always announce, "No one knows the number." That's true, but it's mostly because I can't remember it.) It's unheard of not to have a phone at all, e-mail's practically mandatory and god forbid you don't have an answering machine--but there's something about a cell phone that seems a little too "wired." I don't think it's just because of the dangers involved--although those are considerable. One of the frightening facts in Cameron Tuttle's new book, The Paranoid's Pocket Guide (Chronicle Books), is that using a cell phone while driving increases your chances of crashing by 34 percent. There's also this tidbit: "In 1994, electromagnetic interference (EMI) from a nearby cellular telephone activated a power wheelchair at a scenic vista in Colorado, sending the passenger over a cliff. EMI from computers, radios and TVs, as well as cell phones, has also caused ventilators, defibrillators, electrocardiogram monitors, baby incubators, infusion pumps and blood warmers to malfunction without warning." Now I understand why you're not supposed to use a cell phone on a plane. Maybe technophobia is the natural result of learning more than anyone can understand. One thing that struck me about the Splendors of Ancient Egypt exhibition, now on display at the Portland Art Museum, is how curious and resourceful the ancient Egyptians were. Our diets and exercise programs, 401(K)s and IRAs are no match for all the Egyptians went through to prepare for the ultimate retirement. Their ingenuity and dedication is undeniably impressive. The exhibition is well-organized, except that it's possible to overlook the basement collection of photos by turn-of-the-century Egyptologists. Fans of Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mystery series definitely shouldn't miss the photos. Clearly, the ancient Egyptians understood the importance of art in everyday life (they wore makeup, too). It sometimes seems as if modern-day Portlanders forget that fact--but not at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts' crowded 10th-anniversary celebration. An open house at New Theater and Schnitzer buildings preceded a concert by Roberta Flack and George Benson. Before the main event, the groups that use the center, including Tears of Joy Theater, Portland Center Stage and the Oregon Symphony, gave mini-performances and entertained the crowd. There was so much happening that people seemed somewhat confused about where to go--and what they were eating. The hors d'ouevres involved some of the oddest things I've ever eaten, including cold polenta stars topped with something purple that none of the servers could (or would) identify, cucumber topped with curry shrimp and the very unpopular raddichio stuffed with duck salad. Last week the Pacific Northwest College of Art kicked off the Evening with an Artist dinner series, its annual drive to mix art with food and money. This program raises money for the school's student-aid fund and involves art patrons hosting meals with individual artists at area restaurants and in private homes. (The dinners continue into May; call 226-4391 for a schedule.) The party, held at the attractive Bullseye Glass Collective loft space, featured exceptional party food and plenty of "artists" milling about, ready to talk to anybody about everything. Egypt was, of course, the most popular subject. |
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