LIKE MIKE: One of the stars of Twilight and Extraordinary Measures, Ayanna Berkshire , as well yours truly, Byron Beck, are the co-emcees of a very fashionable show with local designers this Saturday night at California Closets to benefit "MIKE."

So what is MIKE? It's the Multicultural Integrated Kidney Education Program. MIKE works to enrich the lives of teens and empower them to be ambassadors of health in vulnerable youth populations prone to obesity, diabetes and negative social situations. The event will showcase the latest in local fashions including Betty Jean Couture (above), Bon Lou Couture and Christa Taylor, along with O’Pearl Jewelry and The Real McCoy^® Purses and will feature Fox 12’s Sophie Soong as a celebrity model.

Who knew dressing up a healthy message could look so good?

The Details:

What: It’s the Fashion! to Love your Kidneys; A Fashion Show Benefit for MIKE Program.

Where: California Closets Showroom, 1225 SE Grand Ave., Portland, Oregon 97214

When: Saturday, March 13, 2010 (in recognition of National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day).

Time: Doors open at 5 pm. Show runs from 6-8 pm.

Cost: $30 per person. (Price includes admission, script for beverage/wine and hearty appetizers.) A wine raffle will also be available.

Why: Because everyone deserves to look good and you can’t look your best unless you feel your best.

BONUS STORY BELOW! Click on the “read more” button to read a kidney-warming story about the woman who is not only sharing her space for the fashion show, but also telling us what it's like to be a kidney transplant recipient.

DOGGY STYLE: It only makes sense that one of the most dog-friendly hotels in Oregon, Hotel Monaco, would be the joint where Snoop Dogg stayed while he was in town last week for his Roseland concert. Truth is, this is the hotel where most world-famous rappers (including Lil' Wayne) stay in Portland. Although there may've been weirdness following his appearance at the Roseland, according to one of the hotel's front desk clerks there was a more relaxed, and appreciative, vibe at the hotel. "When Snoop checked out and walked with his entourage down the walkway to the (front) doors everyone at wine hour was clapping and cheering for him," said the clerk. "I've never seen anything like it."

OH MY LOGO: See why the following film, Logorama, received an Oscar on Sunday night for Best Animated Short.

This is amazing (and NSFW for language and cruelty to unauthorized logos).

SUPER DUPER: The American Red Cross "Breakfast of Champions," which was held bright and early on Tuesday at the Oregon Convention Center, should really have a longer name like "Breakfast of Champions & Variety Show." Much of that has to do with the emcee for the event, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Oregon Trail Chapter of The American Red Cross, Thomas Bruner. Despite the fact that Bruner (above) has a big gig back east with the ARC, he flew in from his new post in Vermont just to do this...er..."show." That's the only word that you can use to describe this event that includes live dioramic displays of the good works the Red Cross does, including a demonstration of the proper CPR technique that had as much choreography as any Broadway show. And, well, then there was Thomas. "Is he always this peppy?" whispered Jonathan Nicholas former Oregonian columnist and current Vice President of Corporate Communications for ODS. "He has a lot of energy for this early in the morning." Which I replied to Nicholas, "yes...yes he does." After a breakfast of heart-clogging eats—bacon, eggs, and sausage—set up to look like the buffet line at a disaster site (it even came with a disclaimer that this was not the standard example of the Oregon Convention's catering company), Bruner gave out awards to several worthy "champs" including a Chihuahua named "Jack" and KOIN-TV weather cutie, Brian Miskimins, who saved a man outside a suburban gym in the middle of a snowstorm. The man, who was clearly on his way out when Miskimins found him and even described his death as being a "big, black nothing," was very happy that Miskimins "hobby" was CPR. It was that kind of morning. Who knew?

NICE DICE: On Saturday night I got lucky. That's because I was the lucky guy who emceed the Equity Foundation's Speakeasy Casino Night at the Crystal Ballroom. While good folks like City Commish Amanda Fritz, non-profit executive directors Roey Thorpe, Kendall Clawson and Michael Kaplan as well as local businessman Sho Dozono tried their luck at the tables, Silverton Mayor Stu Rasmussen joined me on stage to pep up the crowd who had gathered to support the Equity Foundation good works to eradicate prejudice towards the sexual and gender minority communities of Oregon.

Other unflappable flappers out for the Prohibition-themed night included City Commish candidate Mary Volm, who said she had spent the whole day in "candidate school." She also told me that she had broke up with her "boyfriend" Jasun Wurster. This would be the same dude she worked with on the first mayoral recall campaign and who had recently given her a $5,000 donation to her campaign. "We are just really good friends," Volm told me before posing with a couple of new friends above. "Besides, I want to stay as far away as possible from what (Wurster) is doing right now." And what is Jasun doing? Working on that second mayoral recall campaign. Hmmmm.

I helped raise a little money for Equity. I heard a little gossip. That's what I call a good night.