Ramona is a former Portland Monthly intern, research editor, and news and travel editor.

MUSIC

January.... A Month of Portland Concerts in 20 Songs

Josh Ritter, JD McPherson, and Jessica Lea Mayfield: The new year is playing host to a plethora of musical acts, from homegrown greats to international superstars—and we have the playlist to prove it.

01/04/2016 By Fiona McCann and Ramona DeNies

TOP DOCS

Portland’s Top Doctors & Nurses 2016

We tallied more than 11,000 peer votes from doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and complementary medicine providers for our annual guide to the city’s best.

12/30/2015 Edited by Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 17–20

Rumi's in the house, y'all! Whirling dervishes, an apocalyptic library, Typhoon turns 10, plus Fernando, Death Cab for Cutie, and one hell of a light show at Disjecta.

12/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies

PORTLAND BUCKET LIST

Are You a Real Portlander?

Have you sprinted up Tabor? Gone commando at the World Naked Bike Ride? Consumed *all* the beer? Take our quiz to find out if you’re (nearly) native—or just got off the bus.

12/11/2015 Edited by Marty Patail With Karen Brooks, Ramona DeNies, Allison Jones, Fiona McCann, Rachel Ritchie, and Benjamin Tepler

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 10–13

It's warm and dry inside, Portland—and we've got just the ticket! This weekend, it's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, the Mystery Box Show's sexy storytelling, ZooZoo, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, and the English Beat.

12/10/2015 By Ramona DeNies

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

7 Local Gifts for the Arts Aficionado

Books, tickets, records, and art! We've got all you need for the culture buff in your life.

12/03/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Dec 3–6

Viva's eye-popping opera (and more fine holiday shows), Modest Mouse and the Portland Cello Project, Live Wire with John Hodgman, and a comic book full of BEER! Our stocking—er, weekend—is officially stuffed.

12/03/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 25–29

Storm Large's Holiday Ordeal, Bag&Baggage's 1940s "radio massacre," Blitzen Trapper and Ian Karmel, plus Dirty Revival at the Doug Fir while drones take over the Clinton.

11/25/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

HOLIDAYS

Oregon's Massive Christmas Tree Industry Gets Ready for a Record Holiday Season

5 things you didn't know about the nation's #1 Christmas tree producing state. (That's us!)

11/23/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Rachel Grozanick

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 19–22

SNL's Tim Meadows, Melissa Etheridge, AND the very jazzy Hugh Masakela! Plus, we go "wild" at an art auction, step up for Riverdance, and get handsy at a puppet slam.

11/19/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

CONCERTS

Shook Twins Get Ready to Bring the Heat

American Idol's loss is Portland's gain: the Shook Twins play Rev Hall on Saturday, promising to turn things up with the biggest band yet. Ahead of the show, Laurie Shook holds forth on forging a creative path and that whole golden egg thing.

11/18/2015 By Ramona DeNies

NEW BOOKS

Portlandness: This Is Not Your Grandpa's Cultural Atlas

A new book from two PSU geographers maps redlining and city chickens, strip clubs and street emotions.

11/17/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 12–15

Rainn Wilson's bassoon, Jenny Lawson's loony raccoon, Eugene Mirman teaches us Russian, plus Sturgill Simpson, Sara Evans, and even a conference with "secret knowledge." It's your weekend, Portland!

11/12/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

BOOKS

Wordstock: What We Thought

We came, we queued, we loathed it, we loved it: Portland Monthly's arts team—and some festival attendees—give their verdict on this year’s festival.

11/10/2015 By Fiona McCann and Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Nov 6–8

Drew Barrymore and a Wordstock legion have books for you this weekend! Also, Rachmaninoff, Artists Rep's Orlando, and Here We Go Magic.

11/05/2015 By Ramona DeNies

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Oct 29–Nov 1

Boo! The Oregon Symphony gets scary, alongside Shakey Graves, horror improv at the Brody Theater, the Decemberists' Jenny Conlee, and a wild piano ride with the ghost of Fats Waller.

10/29/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Megan Haverman

MUSICAL THEATER

Cuba Libre: Two Critics Weigh In on One Sizzling Show

A Portland production of Broadway scale, with a budget of $600,000 and 21 performers: Cuba Libre has all the ingredients. Does this Artists Rep show pull it off?

10/27/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Fiona McCann

POMO PICKS

Top Things to Do This Weekend: Oct 22–25

We are Cho (as in Margaret) looking forward to this weekend, you guys! Joan Armatrading, YACHT, Carrie the Musical, Lise de la Salle on Liszt, Eyebeam's future art at Upfor, and Northwest Dance Project's New Now Wow.

10/22/2015 By Ramona DeNies and Brandon Staley

LIGHT A FIRE 2015

Game-Changing Project: Right Brain Initiative

Demonstrating the need for art in the classroom, every day

10/20/2015 By Ramona DeNies

TRACK STAR

Why Indie Rock's Hottest Tickets Send Their Songs to RAC

The Portland-based remix pro harnesses the power of other artists' voices to make his own music.

10/19/2015 By Ramona DeNies