(Sunset) -- The old warehouses of Portland's Pearl District are home to increasingly cool cultural diversions. Spend a weekend browsing the neighborhood's art galleries, snack on a pumpkin-pie cupcake and enjoy dinner and a show.



The Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation.



Take it home



If prices in the Pearl's posh galleries put a damper on your holiday gift giving, head to the Pacific Northwest College of Art for its annual student-art sale. Future famous artists sell surprisingly sophisticated gifts reflecting their fields of study: one-of-a-kind monotypes and screen-printed cards, jewelry with semiprecious stones, gorgeous oil paintings and thought-provoking metal sculptures.



Catch a show



The once-vacant, castlelike Gerding Theater at the Armory has been transformed after its $36 million eco-renovation. For people-watching, sip wine in the loft overlooking the lobby, then settle in for Portland Center Stage's one-man play "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe." Sunset.com: Life in the Pearl



One-stop gallery hop



Who cares if it's raining when you have the DeSoto Building/Museum of Contemporary Craft -- four fine art galleries and an innovative museum under one roof? Hit the museum's Holiday Shoppe (December 3-January 4) for funky felt rings and handcrafted ornaments.



Great Pearl eats



Wild rice-smoked duck breast is steps from the Gerding Theater at Ten 01. Or try Isabel; we like the brown rice and tofu bowl with peanut sauce. Then there's 50 Plates, a casual bistro serving all-American classics. Sunset.com: Green in Portland



A twist on pumpkin pie



Warm up for T-Day with a luscious pumpkin pie cupcake filled with pumpkin cream at Cupcake Jones, a grab-and-go bakery. (Then place your order for Thanksgiving dessert.)



WANT MORE ENTERTAINMENT? (Portland's got it)



For budding theater buffs



Kids will eat up the juicy Oregon Children's Theatre production of Roald Dahl's classic "James and the Giant Peach," while you'll get a kick out of the high-flying special effects and dry humor.



For small-stage premieres



See classics and local playwrights' works on one of Artists Repertory Theatre's two intimate stages. Get some comic relief during the hectic holidays with Marc Acito and C.S. Witcomb's "Holidazed," a humorous look at modern families coping with old-fashioned Christmas traditions.



For indie-film fans



The Northwest Film Center presents themed series, retrospectives and annual film festivals. The Portland International Film Festival, held in February, features nearly 100 films from more than 30 countries.



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What has been renovated? Where is the dinner at? What does 50 plates serve? Where should one stop for dinner? Where is the annual student art sale held? Who is having an annual art sale? What bistro serves All-American dishes? What kind of annual sale going on with Pacific Northwest College of Art? Where is the play going to be at? Where is the art sale located?
The Gerding Theater at the Armory Isabel; all-American classics. Portland's Pearl District Pacific Northwest College of Pacific Northwest College 50 Plates, student-art Portland Center Stage's Pacific Northwest College of Art
question: What has been renovated?, answer: The Gerding Theater at the Armory | question: Where is the dinner at?, answer: Isabel; | question: What does 50 plates serve?, answer: all-American classics. | question: Where should one stop for dinner?, answer: Portland's Pearl District | question: Where is the annual student art sale held?, answer: Pacific Northwest College of | question: Who is having an annual art sale?, answer: Pacific Northwest College | question: What bistro serves All-American dishes?, answer: 50 Plates, | question: What kind of annual sale going on with Pacific Northwest College of Art?, answer: student-art | question: Where is the play going to be at?, answer: Portland Center Stage's | question: Where is the art sale located?, answer: Pacific Northwest College of Art