Illusionaire

Love of Spa La La (234 NE 28th Avenue, 503-233-2106) is one of my poorly kept secrets. It’s the perfect place for a bit of relaxation and refreshing of spirits.
My weakness? Their deluxe pedicures. It includes a spa soak, mini-massage, and a complete foot pampering and polish. My toes have never had it so good.
I think of Spa La La as a clubhouse for the girls — very bright, welcoming interior, a wide variety of personal care services, and a cute selection of boutique items. The service is top notch and reasonably priced. Can’t get any better than that! Enjoy a mimosa while you get your pedicure, and sometimes a nice spread of brunch items to nosh on while you get pampered. Kamberly runs a great shop.
Spa La La is also available for private parties, and I’ve already promised my June houseguests that they will be kidnapped for a morning of girly goodness.
Last weekend I had a wedding and a bridal shower to attend on the same day, and I wanted to give gift certificates to Spa La La. As I was putting together an outfit that would be appropriate for both social functions, I realized that my toenails were in no shape to wear the cute strappy sandals that would be perfect with my outfit. 2 hours until the party started. Aaron needed the car to run some errands. What’s a girl to do?
After a quick phone call to confirm there was a chair available, I had Aaron drop me off to get a pedicure and the gift certificates. By the time Aaron wrapped up his errands, my toes looked marvelous and I had the gifts lined up. Kamberly wrapped everything up with a bow. Made it on time to the party, too!
Spa La La is a neighborhood treasure, and I’m happy to share my secret as long as I can still get in for appointments. Enjoy!

From Illusionaire’s neighbor site, GeekintheCity.com:

It?s been a long weekend for your friendly neighborhood Geek. Unlike most folks, my life becomes exponentially busier on weekends. I actually look forward to Mondays. Monday is my day to sleep in. Monday is my day to organize all the work I did over the weekend. Monday is also the day that I could look forward to a solid 3 hours of fun. That didn?t happen this time. It hit me all over again. Corporate America has again taken something that I took real joy in listening to. Sure, I?m listening to the best of on Rick Emerson, but I want more. I want my boys back! (Girl too, but she got a ?real? job, so I can?t fault her).
I?ve stated proudly and many times over that Geeks are a passionate lot. That they rarely roll over and go queitly when the man takes something away from them. It was Geeks that saved Star Trek with a letter writing campaign when the concept hadn?t even been invented. Thinking of that made me realize that I have to do more then simply sit here and lament that fact that Entercom has taken away my entertainment. That Entercom has taken my choice away from me. Sitting here and writing about how much corporate America licks Borg sac isn?t enough. I need to do what needs to be done.
Turning death into a fighting chance to live.
It took a lot of energy to fight my initial thought of simply going all Bandit, Reynolds style, at the powers that be. How do you get a message across and not get yourself tossed in jail?
Director and artist extrodinare Joni DeRouchie and myself came up with a simple concept that gets the point across perfectly.
I have lost count at the amount of emails and phone call I?ve received asking what can be done. Asking how the fans can get their morning fix of Rick! (And their night shot of Clyde)
That?s when the idea hit?
Morning fix!
Dropping the idea of busted radios and smelly cans of rotting tuna? I, your friendly neighborhood Geek and the lovely Joni ask that if you REALLY want to phyiscally display your anger and dismay to Entercom follow these simple steps.
1 ? Take any coffee mug. (I know there are some new unused KISN FM97.1 mugs lying about).
2 ? Place a note within said mug saying anything you want? But, try to be civil and make sure you say? ?I need my fix. I need Rick Emerson, Tim Riley, and Clyde Lewis back on the air?.
3 ? Place both note and mug in a box and mail it down to the following:
Entercom Portland
ATTN: Jack Hutchison
700 SW Bancroft St.
Portland, OR 97238
For all you visual fans (like me)…Google Maps
Better yet… Only those out of town listeners mail it. Us Portlanders can march on down to Entercom Portland. Hand them mugs over! We march for damn near everything else…Wouldn’t it be nice to make a friggen difference for once!?
Coffee Cup Crusade!
W00t!
Fight the Man. Fight Entercom. Bring our boys back!
If this doesn?t work? Well? I know where to get me some monkeys!
I’ve had some people send me more information about venting your concern about how Entercom is treating both its listeners and sponsers. With that in mind, I’ve added sales and/or corporate contact information for some of Entercom Portland’s larger advertisers. I’m sure some of these companies would be concerned if customers stopped using their products and/or service due to management choice. As always, keep all contact civil and polite.
The Ram GEICO Applebees Langdom Farms
Portland Trailblazers KOIN News 6
I’ve also been sent phone numbers of companies who lack an available email contact address:
Les Schwab Tire Centers: 541-447-4136
PGE Park Comment Line: 503-553-5410
Timberline Dodge: 503-234-0771
Car Toys Corporate: 206-443-0980
Rasmussen BMW: 503-226-0380
Wentworth Chevrolet: 866-306-4964
I also offer myself as the official mug / email counter. That being said, please drop me a line and let me know how many mugs and/or emails you’ve sent to Entercom and/or their sponsers. You can reach me here:
aduran@geekinthecity.com
Keep fighting!
The bastards have knocked us down…Don’t let them keep us there!
Rise up!

I?ve always been a bit of a media and technology geek. As a kid, my dad would hand me his TRS-80 Model 100 and a programming book to keep me occupied on road trips. Every rest stop was inevitably filled with exclamations such as, ?Dad!!! You?ve got to see the program I wrote. It tells your fortune based on your age, favorite color, and the last three movies you?ve seen. I built in a randomizer with an equation and a face that goes from happy to sad depending on the fortune.?
By the way, I am now the proud owner of that computer. Still works, too!
In grade school, I wrote and directed a ?radio show? for my gifted and talented class. Fascinated by the use of sound effects in vintage radio programming, my classmates and I acted out a murder mystery tale in three acts by recording everything live into a tape recorder. No audio layering. No mixing. No external mics. All ingenuity.
I wish I still had that cassette tape.
As a geek, I?m pretty picky about my media. A vast majority of radio programming these days is something even my grandmother could easily duplicate with an MP3 player. Just find 30 songs you have lukewarm feelings about and loop play with commercials. This is why commercial radio is essentially dead to my demographic, which is a bit on the younger side and more tech savvy. If I want to listen to the same songs over and over, I can sort a few thousand of my favorites into play lists and enjoy them commercial-free.
The one thing that?s not duplicable by technology at home is talk radio. Up until today, I could listen to the fabulous folks at The Rick Emerson Show discuss pop culture and recoil in horror at bizarre news presented by the witty Tim Riley. It was great fun to hear the recaps of local social events that often took place in bars, or snicker at obscure references to stuff I was certain everyone else had forgotten about but me. Their frequent reports on the movie, television, and music horizon helped me make educated decisions on what media was worth my time. Sunday nights I could catch up on my fringe news with Aaron and Clyde on News@Ground Zero and hear the latest conspiracy theory dissected live on Ground Zero. I enjoyed the Ground Zero programs because they were innovative and thought provoking while simultaneously reminding me to sleep with one eye open.
Entercom Portland killed my connection to that original programming today by replacing MAX 910 AM with KISN FM, and replacing KISN FM with an automation-driven station called CHARLIE that has been unofficially referred to as the kid brother of KGON. With this move, Entercom has given up on my demographic in favor of chasing after what will most likely be the last generation to favor AM/FM radio. Automation is what I fell back on as the hung-over student manager of my college radio station. It should never be how you run an entire station in this market size.
With the challenge presented by the wide availability of digital media and the increasing popularity of satellite radio, as well as the purchasing power of myself and my peers, every effort should be made to keep programming available for my demographic on AM/FM radio while you still can. Here?s a hint: homogenization is not the way to win our hearts and wallets. It?s penny-wise and pound-foolish. Bring back original local programming. Nurture it. With the onslaught of millions of media options at our fingertips, it may be the only way you?ll be able to cash in on our growing numbers.

Very unhappy about the Multnomah County I-TAX. Bastards. I do not believe that they are administering anything associated with this temporary tax well.
Unfortunately, my desire to commit civil disobedience is overruled by my desire to keep my credit record clean. Bastards.

Ooooh, the prestige of being a casting assistant for “perennial hit” The Real World. Didn’t that series jump the shark a decade ago? So funny that even potential crew members need to bring in headshots.

Anyway, looks like The Real World will be holding an open call for potential roommates on Tuesday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m at City Sports Bar and Restaurant (424 SW 4th Avenue).
If you’re more interested in making $75/day to do crowd control for wannabe drama queens, check out the job posting and send your resume along.
(Found at Craigslist)
UPDATE 12:37PM: Casting call details also seen here at Bunim / Murray Production site.
Willamette Week also mentions it in Murmurs, and apparently MTV has not confirmed whether the show will be taped here in the Rose City.

Overheard from the next aisle at Whole Foods, aka Whole Paycheck:
“Wow, this store has an amazing selection! So much cooler than Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is just *so* ghetto.”
Must be awfully nice to go into a store and want to expect to pay $15/lb for ground beef.