SOU’WESTER EVENTS!
See what’s happening during your next stay or plan a visit around our free live music, workshops, wellness offerings and more!
“Lenore., a project that skirts the edges of folk and pop to create a sound that is earthy and melodic, toned and precise.”
— paste
“a band deeply committed to strong and timeless songwriting, calling upon the husky vibes of Fleetwood Mac, the intimate wonders of Simon & Garfunkel or the ethereal bliss of Enya, all wrapped around the majestic scenery of the Pacific Northwest.”
— tidal
“When they sing you’re transported to a different dimension, an unearthly realm. Here, you’ll find safety and security. Here, you’ll be able to rest, to find peace. And here, you’ll discover the courage you need to start living the life you want.”
— NPR
The coming together of Joy Pearson and Rebecca Marie Miller as Portland’s newest folk outfit, Lenore, is serendipitous, to say the least. After individually hitting rock bottom — Pearson following her divorce and Miller after a period of destitution in LA — the pair separately turned to songwriting in the search for a still point in their turning worlds.
After several years of lending their abilities to other projects, including Saddle Creek’s The Mynabirds, and Portland’s own The High Water Jazz Band, they finally found themselves spinning on the same axis when a chance meeting through a mutual friend, Pokey LaFarge, sparked an immediate connection. A drunken night ensued, and before they’d even scoped each other’s material, they had committed.
Now, just under two years since that fateful night, and Lenore can boast having performed at legendary Pacific Northwest venues including Mississippi Studios, Aladdin Theater, and Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, as well as the Sunset Tavern, Triple Door, and Tractor Tavern in Seattle. They’ve opened for the likes of Eric Bachmann, Laura Gibson, Esmé Patterson, and ex-collaborators, The Mynabirds, and have shared the stage with Peter Buck (R.E.M.), as well as Chris Funk and Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists).
Since Lenore’s formation, Miller and Pearson have gained full-time collaborators in seasoned Portland musicians Edward Cameron (classical guitar) and Jessie Dettwiler (cello), who have contributed significantly to the evolution of Lenore’s sound — a melancholic blend of harmony-driven folk with an ever present silver lining.
Harlowe is the moniker for the songs of Mark Robertson, often with collaborators from the artist collective Sleepy Volcano in Portland, Oregon USA. The second full length recording titled “Curses” is a lo-fi collection of songs intermixed with eclectic instrumental soundscapes, released October 2017.
Sou’wester guests!… join us in welcoming spring with an Egg Hunt starting at 10:00am. Hop in the lodge for coffee & tea and then head off to find your treats!
Egg Hunt OUTSIDE for Kiddos (Kid-Kind Treats)
PLUS
Egg Hunt INSIDE the Lodge for Adults (Adult-Themed Treats)
Our eggs are fun-filled with lots of non-traditional and non-junk food treats!
Spring 2018 Workshop Series at The Sou’wester
Into the Whirl: Cross-Step Waltz
with Steve Carruthers
Discovered and popularized by Stanford University Professor Richard Powers, Cross-step Waltz comes to the north coast! It is a beguiling, accessible partner dance, beloved the world over, with popular music of many genre. Together we will learn this turning and gliding dance in a circle, with a short, easy, repeating routine. As we practice and solidify the basic Cross-step Waltz, we will add skills in lead/follow technique, and learn a basic 3-steps “starter” move to be able to take waltzing outside the group circle, to travel and dance around the room freely with a partner, moving together in the moment. All-levels welcome, no partner needed to register. We will rotate partnering. We’ll take breaks through the time. Bring a hearty snack to keep yourself fueled.
Steve got hooked on partner dancing in 1990, beginning with Scandinavian folk-dancing in Portland. He began teaching lead/follow partner dancing in classes and private lessons in 2011. He has taught at The Viscount Dance Studio and currently conducts a weekly class at Multnomah Arts Center – Portland Parks & Recreation. He and other dancers and teachers are establishing the ‘de-gendering’ of social dancing such that today any person may learn and do either or both roles. Steve keeps the perspective of the learner in mind by continually being a student himself, taking classes and lessons in Portland and at dance festivals. He has a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “the music made me do it,” revealing the way he likes to be, and hopes everyone can be; connecting with each other, as two dancers collaborating in the moment, tuning in to each other and the music, co-creating a work of kinetic expression of color and emotion in the music. Steve is a Warrenton-Hammond native and especially pleased to bring Cross-step Waltz to the north coast.
COST: $28 per person or $52 per couple
BRING: Wear light comfortable shoes, smooth soles, no high heels. Option for dancing shoes-free, bring snug fitting socks. Bring water bottle, and hearty snack to stay fueled. (hot tea and coffee provided) (Optional – bring a sack lunch for after 1:30pm & optional open studio to practice after 1:30pm also)
Come alone or with a partner, no partner needed to RSVP. 18 students max.
RSVP: souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.c
The Sou’wester Lodge at 3728 J Place, Seaview, WA 98644
Spring 2018 Workshop Series at The Sou’wester
Shibori, Batik, & Dip-Dye Using All Natural Indigo
with Carolyn Hopkins
We’ll be making tote bags or scarves (depending on what you fancy). You will learn shibori and wax-resist techniques in order to create patterns on your naturally dyed indigo piece. I’ll walk you through the process of how indigo works, and you will leave with an item made by you!
Carolyn Hopkins holds an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art and her work has been shown internationally. Her focus is on the intersection of art and craft, and primary mediums are fibers, glass, and clay.
COST: $40 plus a $10 material fee (Please pay material fee directly to instructor)
BRING: Please wear clothing you don’t mind getting dye on (or an apron) and shoes that can get wet. (hot tea and coffee provided)
RSVP: via souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.c
All workshops are open to the public.
All Skill Levels Welcome.
This workshop is for students age 18 and up. 10 students max.
The Sou’wester Lodge at 3728 J Place, Seaview, WA 98644
“It’s easy to see why Planes on Paper is starting to attract serious attention on the neo- folkie scene.”
— Paul de Barros, The Seattle Times
“There has been no shortage of bands that sound like Planes on Paper in the last 10 years of Seattle music, which makes it simultaneously delightful and frustrating when one of them is clearly a full head taller than the others.
— Sean Nelson, The Stranger
“This is folk music at the highest level.” — Greg Jones, Ear to the Ground Music
“Planes on Paper expertly maneuvers dual vocals to produce this eerie, serene, beautiful aesthetic […] simultaneously mellow and powerful.”
— Fallon Schlossman, WNYC New York
As a one year-old project, Planes on Paper was already receiving high praise from a nearly endless list of media outlets across the country: The Seattle Times, American Songwriter Magazine, KEXP Seattle, WNYU New York, The Revue, Ear To The Ground, and The Stranger, to name just a few. Now 2.5 years into relentless touring, the praise continues, and the songwriting duo finds itself at home on both coasts of the US, and playing some noteworthy festivals… all without yet releasing an album; that unconventional path speaks volumes about the strength of Planes on Paper’s live show.
Spring 2018 Workshop Series at The Sou’wester
Beginner’s Embroidery Workshop
with Liz Wright
Have you felt the itch to stitch? Join Liz Wright of Assembly for a fun and relaxing hand embroidery workshop! You’ll learn five basic stitches while working on an exclusive modern floral or night sky pattern (your choice!) designed just for this class. We’ll also discuss hoops, needles, floss, and fabric and some options for finishing and hanging your completed piece. All of the supplies and hands-on instruction necessary will be provided to get you started on your new favorite hobby!
Originally from Ohio, Liz Wright has a long history of creative projects and pursuits as a professional artist, designer, video producer, small business owner, and museum researcher. Founded in 2016 by Liz and Brian Wright, Assembly Assembly PDX (http://assemblypdx.com/) hosts hands-on modern craft and DIY workshops in the Portland area. The workshops and classes, covering a wide variety of crafts, are perfect for beginners and designed to empower creativity and pique interest in potential new hobbies.
COST: $30 plus a $15 material fee (Please pay material fee directly to instructor)
BRING: All supplies provided. Please bring a snack for yourself if you’d like (hot tea and coffee provided).
RSVP: via souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.c
All workshops are open to the public.
This is a beginner class, but all skill levels welcome.
This workshop is for students age 16 and up. 15 students max.
The Sou’wester Lodge at 3728 J Place, Seaview, WA 98644
Spring 2018 Workshop Series at The Sou’wester
Wild Forage Workshop/Forage for Health/Spring Seasonal Transition
with Lara Pacheco & Paige Common
Join Chef, Paige Common of Eatin’ Alive, and herbalist, Lara Pacheco to transition from Spring movement to Summer expansion with nutrient dense food, plant medicine and seasonal awareness. Our workshop will include a plant walk, meditation, food demo and medicine that we make to take home. A catered, seasonal lunch by Paige will also be included.
Lara Pacheco is a Taíno, Latinx mamita that believes that our collective liberation is accessed through decolonizing ourselves by weaving into the web of ancestral medicine. Lara directly works through this realm with plants, fungi, music and dance. When not caring for her family, land and all creatures, Lara runs Seed and Thistle Apothecary an educational resource, and co runs the seasonal wellness clinic that works to provide access to herbal medicine and massage for marginalized communities and brown girl rise, a youth empowerment program for young femmes of color.
Detroit born and bred, soulful living inspires this gal: healthy diets, hearty laughter and active lifestyle. Paige Common started preparing plant-based foods in her Portland kitchen giving life to Eatin’ Alive in 2010. She believes that a rainbow a day will keep the doctor away. Paige is available for one-on-one health coaching, recipe development, pre/post-natal consultations, small event catering, speaking engagements and classes.
COST: $30
BRING: Notebook, pen, scissors, brown paper bag. Hot tea and coffee provided. Nourishing lunch provided by Paige Common.
RSVP: souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.c
All workshops are open to the public.
All Skill Levels Welcome. 15 students max.
The Sou’wester Lodge at 3728 J Place, Seaview, WA 98644
Eelgrass is an important coastal seagrass that helps store carbon, reduce erosion, and provide shelter and spawning areas for a host of marine wildlife in bays and estuaries across the globe, including right here in the pacific northwest.
Eelgrass is also the name of a longtime musical collaboration between Lara Pacheco and Dan Swenson, along with new friends Bobby Hayden and Todd Summers. They play folky-tonk with psychedelic vibes and call Portland, Oregon home.
https://soundcloud.com/eelgrass
Spring 2018 Workshop Series at The Sou’wester
The Creative Flash: Writing Workshop
with Chelsea Werner-Jatzke
Flash fiction is a small and powerful beast that will bite you in the ass if you’re lucky. Think of a moment that left a mark and ask yourself where it’s teeth are. In this class we’ll examine the particular bite marks of a variety of flash fictions and work on sharpening our own teeth in this condensed and intense prose form. Class time will be spent reading and discussing examples from masterful flash fiction authors, generating work from prompts, and sharing writing, and offering feedback.
Chelsea Werner-Jatzke is the author of Adventures in Property Management (Sibling Rivalry, 2017) and Thunder Lizard (H_NGM_N, 2016). She is co-founder and director of Tilll, a literary organization that offers an annual writing residency at Smoke Farm in Arlington, WA. She is outreach coordinator for Conium Review. She has been a Jack Straw Writer, an Artist Trust EDGE fellow, and an incubator artist through Cornish College. She has received residencies from Vermont Studio Center and Ragdale Foundation, taught creative writing through Seattle Central Community College, and served on the board of Lit Crawl Seattle.
COST: $25
BRING: Notebook or paper, pen. Please pack a lunch that you can take to the beach for a lunch break writing exercise (hot tea and coffee provided).
RSVP: souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com or 360-642-2542
All skill levels welcome.
This workshop is for students 16 years of age and up. 20 students max.