Best Day Ever: Musical actor Jill Van Velzer
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Jill Van Zelzer is in "Girl From the North Country" at Keller Auditorium. Photo: Courtesy Evan Zimmerman/Murphy Made
Jill Van Velzer plays Mrs. Burke in "Girl From The North Country" — an atypical musical set in the Depression era and conceived by Conor McPherson ("The Banshees of Inisherin"), which uses Bob Dylan's music as a soundtrack to the characters' thoughts and feelings.
Van Velzer is based in Los Angeles, but her best day ever in Portland highlights the city's star establishments.
🍩 Morning starts at Blue Star Donuts on Mississippi Avenue.
- "If you want to do justice to a blueberry bourbon basil doughnut, you want it to be first-thing-in-the-morning freshly made," Van Velzer told Axios.
🖇️ Morning activity: Straight to the Pearl District, to work off the sugar rush.
- "I'd indulge my inner Jane Austen heroine by spending way too much time in Oblation Papers & Press for the marbled stationery, silk ribbons and fancy fountain pens."
📚 Next stop: A pilgrimage to Powell's Books."I have zero qualms about going on a wanton romp through the children's section!"
🍝 Lunch: Grassa on SW Washington Street. "I reverse-engineered their gorgonzola, chorizo, and delicata squash pasta dish and it's my go-to dinner when I want to impress a houseguest."
👃 Afternoon: Shopping at Tender Loving Empire on SW 10th Avenue for their Lewis and Clark Oil, which "smells like PDX to me … all leather and peppercorn and rainy day walks in Forest Park."
🍨 Ice cream next: Salt & Straw for a special scoop of charred corn and cotija cheese.
🌹 Afternoon: A trip to the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. Classic.
🍗 Dinner: The labneh, Greek potatoes and brick chicken at Mediterranean Exploration Co.
🎭 Evening fun: See a play at Artists Repertory Theatre, Third Rail Repertory Theater, Profile Theatre or Portland Center Stage.
🍸After theater cocktail: Grandma's Secret, for the speakeasy vibe.
- "Portland is spoiled for choice when it comes to exceptional cocktails, so it's hard to fail."
If you go: "Girl From The North County" is at the Keller Auditorium tonight through Sunday. ($34.75 and up)