Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • 50

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2002 STATESMAN JOURNAL 16 StatesmanJournal.com FUN AT A GUNGE Statesman JournalStatesmanjournal.com PAGE 17 Events J. James restaurant starts weekly brunch on Sunday ULTURE Thursday, January 3, 2002 Life editor: Grey Montgomery (503) 399-6722; gmontgomtatesmanjournal.com grounds eaterv is open from 11 Stars on Ice to skate into Portland Steaks Cajttn Seafood Southwest UP ML DOHKHir The Olympic spirit is heading to Oregon, courtesy of the 2002 Chevy Truck U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix. Parallel giant slalom and halfpipe competitions will be featured, as U.S. athletes vie for positions on the 2002 U.S.

Olympic team. This free event is Friday from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 1 a.m. to 1 p.m.

at Mt. Bachelor Resort in Bend. Call: (800) 829-2442 or visit www.mtbachelor.com. J. James restaurant will begin serving a weekly brunch Sunday.

The buffet-style brunch will include hand-carved meats, seafood, pastries and traditional brunch items. The cost of the brunch is $15.95, with discounts for seniors and children. It will be served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Champagne and wine will be available.

The restaurant is at 325 High St. SE in Pringle Park Plaza. For reservations, call (503) 362-0888. Restaurant changes The former La Estrellita Mex- Since rifcjfc, ma TOM FORSTROM MENU MATTERS ican Restaurant on Court Street downtown now is Conquistador Mexican Restaurant. A 10-year employee of La Estrellita, Benito Mendez is the owner.

Mendez also bought the former El Mirador restaurant on Fairgrounds Road and turned it into a Conquistador as well. The downtown restaurant is at 477 Court St. NE. The other is at 2360 Fairgrounds Road NE. The Court Street restaurant is open from 11 a.m to 7 p.m.

Monday through Saturday. The Fair a.m to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The downtown location has daily lunch specials for $4.25.

The phone for the Court Street restaurant is (503) 362-7600, and the Fairgrounds restaurant phone is (503) 763-7155. Menu Matters Is a weekly roundup of what's happening in Mid-Valley restaurants. If you have an event that Menu Matters should know about, write to Tom Forstrom, Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309-3009. Information can be faxed to Menu Matters at (503) 399-6706, or call Forstrom at (503) 399-6746.

State Liberty Downtown 503-362-7219 CONTINUED FROM 15 Oz the Cool Fool brings on the laughs The wizard of comedy, Oz the Cool Fool, will perform at Boon's Treasury on Monday. Oz the Cool Fool is a clown whose theme is wine, such as "Wine Connoisseur" and "Bozo to Bacchas." There is no cover charge. The comedy show starts around 8:25 p.m. at Boon's, 888 Liberty St. NE, Salem.

Call: (503) 399-1065. Spam!" on the menu. When questioned about it, Helen says "It's sort of the American joke, or icon, and besides, it's an old cafe," hearkening back to the glory days of Spam. The original owners, the Beyers, started Fat City in 1974 and owned it for 22 years. The Johnsons hope to bring back that loving, hands-on kind of place and make it theirs for the next 22 years.

Good food, good fun, good folks and maybe just a couple friendly ghosts in the basement. How can you miss? Bobbie Larson's reviews appear regularly in Weekend. Address your letters to Bobbie Larsen co Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309-3009. Larsen also can be reached at (503) 399-671 1 or Larsen dines unannounced and meals are paid for by the Statesman Journal.

Tara Lipinski, one of the stars of the show, has left the Olympics behind to go pro. BY RON COWAN Statesman Journal When the next Winter Olympics rolls around again in February, this time in Salt Lake City, at least one former Gold Medal winner won't miss the excitement. Tara Lipinski, who comes to Portland on Friday as part of the Target Stars on Ice show, is only 19 but has been there, done that and is pursuing other dreams. "I would never want to do that again because I accomplished everything I wanted to," she said of amateur competition. "It's perfect.

I want to leave it that way." Lipinski left the amateur ranks in 1998 after winning the gold medal at 15 to turn pro. This is her third year with Stars on Ice. An ice skater since the age of 6, Lipinski became the youngest-ever gold medalist in ladies figure skating at Nagano, Japan, and also ranks as the youngest National Champion and World Champion and the only female skater to defend a Championship Series Final Gold. Among the factors in her move to professional status was that her parents had been separated to facilitate her training away from home. Although she will visit Salt Lake City during February, when Stars on Ice is on a month-long hiatus, to do promotional events, Lipinski isn't concerned about the end of her four-year reign as the gold medalist.

That doesn't really end. "It's like you join a club like an Oscar winner," she said. In spite of her positive feelings, Lipinski does bring something negative from her grueling years of training and competing: a chronic hip injury. She first injured her hip in 1997 and fought through several incorrect diagnoses of her hip to compete and tour, returning to this year's Stars on Ice broadcast on television just seven weeks after undergoing surgery. "It's chronic, and it's going to be there forever," Lipinski said philosophically.

practically a meal in themselves, and you actually can make the cinnamon roll a side order for $1.95. Or you can include it with your breakfast for $1. The biscuits come "with" as a toast substitution for no charge, or separately for $1.25. The service is very good, especially considering the demand on the staff. They will take time to answer your questions and accommodate special orders such as hash browns served extra crispy, eggs served your way, substitutions in your omelet, and there even are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids.

Because they want things to run smoothly and their customers to feel at home, the Johnsons hired an extra person just to take names at the door, run the register and pour coffee. Besides the Johnsons, there is one other cook who helps with the breakfasts. Pride is taken in quality ingredients, such as Tillamook cheese, their special-order thick bacon RoHenhlade for a good cause at Skate Night Strap on your rollerblades for a good cause on Monday. The Memorial Coliseum is hosting a Skate Night, with proceeds to benefit the Oregon Food Bank. Rollerblading enthusiasts can bring their own gear, or blades and protective wear also are available to rent.

The cost is $7 for adults or $5 for children 12 and younger. The event takes place 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday at Memorial Coliseum, 300 Winning Way In Portland. Call: (503) 797-9619. TIMOTHY J.

GONZALEZ Statesman Journal ORDER UP: Dishes full of hot and hearty food wait to be taken to customers at the Fat City diner on Tuesday. and oven roasted turkey breast. The Johnsons do their own shopping each day for everything but the bacon and turkey. Then there's the matter of Spam, which is something they advertise with blatant pride. Mark is so enamored with the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" that he has included the quote, "Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, eggs, bacon, sausage and MmSAKm a MUSIC am UMDIMISILt FEATURED: The Target Stars on Ice cast includes Kurt Browing (left to right) Tara Lipinski, Ilia Kulik, Kristi Yamaguchi and Katarina Witt.

A variety of musical groups and styles, from The Carpenters to Ram Jam and rock 'n' roll to the tango, will enhance the show. "Every year we come up with different ideas," Lipinski said. "It's just nice because everything is different. "I'm doing obviously my two solos, but we're also doing a 'Moulin Rouge'-like opening (recalling the Baz Luhrmann film)." Lipinski will do her last solo as a tribute to the firefighters and policeman who were the heroes of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"The show I think will last a long time, just because we work so hard, and there are so many gold medalists in it," she said. "It's totally different. It's like a Broadway show." Stars on Ice will figure in Lip-inski's future as long as she can imagine, but it's not her only interest. She has developed an interest in acting and has appeared in several primetime TV dramas, had a starring role in the TV movie "Ice Angel," a recurring role in "The Young and the Restless" and did a cameo in a party scene in the new Tom Cruise movie, "Vanilla Sky." The plan is to act in the summer and skate in the winter. "There are so many other things than skating," Lipinski said Ron Cowan can be reached at (503) 399-6728 or com.

LYNDON WADE Special to the Statesman Journal LIPINSKY: Tara Lipinsky stars in Stars on Ice, coming Friday to the Rose Garden in Portland. Lipinski became the youngest-ever gold medalist in ladies figure skating at Nagano, Japan, and also ranks as the youngest National Champion and World Champion. Open for Lunch at 1 1 :30 am Dinner at 5 pm Fahnlnm Rauns anA Smrinh Dnihl i T-i 1 tt-m i Every Friday Saturday 9pm "John Campbell Tricia Mattevi" Target Stars on Ice WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday WHERE: Rose Garden, NE Weidler and Broadway, Portland COST: $35 to $58 A (503) 224-4400 951 4 Half Pound New York Steak He more than it aid Detore (surgery)." Stars on Ice, this year without founder Scott Hamilton for the first time, features Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Katarina Witt and Ilia Kulik, as well as four-time World Champion Kurt Browning. Witt, who won gold at both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, is rejoining the tour after a four-year absence.

Also on board are newcomers and two-time World Champions Anjelika Kreylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov. Known for its innovative choreography and theatricality, this year's show will explore themes of inspiration, dedication and the challenges of stardom. Served with choice of potato, soup or salad, vegetable bread. dinner entrees plus 2 beverage. m'fUt Limit 2 dinners per Get a start on your wedding at bridal show The 2002 Mid-Willamette Valley Bridal Show comes to the state fairgrounds this weekend, with 96 exhibitors.

Photographers, bridal shops, travel agents, caterers, cake makers and various specialists are among the exhibitors. The show runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 1 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday in the Jackman Long Building at the fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE. Cost: $7. Call: (503) 364-1 716. to CP2ND Fwiturinj I fiX.l xochuan Huoao 3330 S.E.

Commercial 503-37 1-8855 (Right by Fred Meyer) coupon after 4pm. Exp. 1-31-02 Bavaraga purchase required with noh dlnaar "It's fixed enough that I'm able to go out and skate. It's doing good right now; I just have to be careful." That said, Lipinski feels the public will see her as a better skater than in the Nagano Olympics. "I'm a much better skater than I was four years ago," she said.

"Being on ice means a lot OFF St. ffrjEST House UestaurantJ B9v Takeout dinner entree. Salem's BEST Homestyle Dining Not valid with min other of fir. 2 i 1 Ml; Cnlam Expire 111OI 485 503 390-4689.