TBA Review: Clayton Lee’s Goldberg Variations Fetishizes Professional Wrestling and Vulnerability Without Losing Control
At TBA 2026, the variation included ladders, bukkake, and allusions to The Raft of the Medusa.
SAVAGE LOVE: Married People
Falling out of lust, hating on beards, and low vs. high libidos… “married people problems,” amirite?
The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for Sept 14-20
HUMP! Film Festival doesn’t play it safe, and Patti Smith shares a new memoir.
MORE COLUMNS 
Second Run Portland • Do This, Do That Calendar
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Horoscopes • The Black Byline • Spin Cycle
Alleged Transphobes Kicked out of Providence Park and The Sports Bra
“Trans girls are girls, and trans women are women. We will always support and celebrate them at The Sports Bra,” says Senior VP of Marketing & Operations, Deborah Pleva.
Practical Magic 2 Returns With Even More Pinterest Witch Adventures
A new generation faces the heavy cost of margarita matriarchy, but this time the men might survive!
Sleater-Kinney Say It Like They Mean It
The beloved Pacific Northwest rockers are bringing hope on the road with the Flannel and the Fury tour, playing in Portland September 11.
What’s New in Portland Food: Clark’s Coffee and the Richmond Club Step In, and Dinger’s Deli and Jade Rabbit Return
It’s been a very vegan-friendly end of summer.
Judge Strikes Down Safer Portland Lawsuit
A lawsuit against elections officials over a failed ballot initiative won’t make the November ballot, after a judge denied a request for a mandatory signature recount.
“Worse Than Anything We’ve Ever Seen”: Toxic Algae in Ross Island Lagoon Troubles Scientists
A mechanism intended to prevent harmful algae blooms from seeping into the river may have caused the problem to proliferate.
Grassroots or Astroturf? “Go Portland Go” Campaign Backed By Conservative Donors
The new, recently launched online coalition quotes local business owners and pushes for “progressive governance.” Its political ties raise questions over its true aims.
Portland’s Fall Gallery Shows Get an A+
Many of the season’s most exciting exhibitions are going up at colleges, universities, and libraries around town.
Faking Food
Prop maker Olivia Vavroch can teach you to make everything
from medieval appetizers to creepy charcuterie.
Nine Lofty Rooftop Patios for Taking in Views and Sunshine
Portland’s got ground-level patios galore, but these rise above.
Hecho de Mano Brings Housemade Flour Tortillas to Sellwood
The upcoming tortilleria will be a one-stop shop for ready-to-make Mexican meals.
The Mercury is Suing Councilor Dan Ryan. Here’s Why.
The lawsuit seeks disclosure of public records dating back to 2025.
In Search of Portland Reveals an Evolving, Ever-Changing City
A new book by journalist and architecture writer Brian Libby offers walking tours of Portland’s west side.