Aces & Laces Raises the Jar for Stylish Spectating

By Jake Ten Pas

Photos by Brandon Davis

Pop quiz! What is Aces & Laces?

A) A YouTube video explaining how to hide winning cards up your sleeve during high-stakes poker using only what you’re wearing.

B) The world’s first televised competitive doily-making competition featuring retired professional golfers.

C) The surprise reunion of Don Henley and Stevie Nicks for the longawaited power ballad sequel to Leather and Lace.

D) MAC’s bold new athletic event, where preeminent pickleball professionals take on soccer superstar Diego Valeri as members enjoy Argentinian bites and sip fine wines while dressed to the nines.

Find out from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Friday, Nov. 21, when the club transforms the Main Gym into a classy colosseum percolating with feats of paddle-based prowess. Or, for those who can’t wait, read on!

“Pickleball remains one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing communities at MAC. This event is a great opportunity to highlight the approachable and exciting nature of the sport, while also celebrating our collaboration with MAC’s exceptional culinary team,” says Athletic Director Lisa Miller. “It’s a perfect example of what makes MAC so special, the seamless blend of athletic and social experiences.”

Imagine sporting your finest semi-formal attire with stylish kicks straight out of the box. You arrive at MAC to find the courts you know and love transformed into a neon nightclub at the center of which is the main attraction. It’s an elegant arena where some of the greatest pickleball players in the world will smash it out against each other, with a Timbers great jumping into the action.

“You don’t need to play pickleball in order to enjoy watching it because it is not a particularly complicated sport. A person can understand the basic strategy in a very short time and build on that knowledge after watching a few matches,” says sport enthusiast and Joe Loprinzi Inspirational Award winer Mark Jansa.

“Pickleball is such a fast-paced sport with very little down time between points. The skill of the players is easy to observe because the court is small and so much of the action occurs at the kitchen line.”

Diego Valeri is prepared to take on some of the greatest pickleball players in the world.

For the uninitiated, the kitchen is the 7-foot zone on either side of the net where players aren’t allowed volley. That means more bounce, less “camping,” and more strategic play. But you don’t have to know the finer points of the game, or even the broad strokes, to enjoy watching premier athletes practicing their artform.

“We are excited to welcome back some of the players who played in our original Pickleball Pro Exhibition in 2023! The MAC had an amazing turnout to that event and we have been eager to hold more events that bring the entire Pickleball Community together as a whole,” says Pickleball Committee member Dana Bach Johnson.

Even members more motivated by the chance to socialize while sampling some of the best cuisine in Portland will find plenty to whet their appetite. New Executive Chef Rodrigo Ochoa was inspired by Valeri’s — and his own — background to create dishes invoking the vibe of “A chill Sunday with family going to the stadium to watch your favorite soccer team, with a heavy influence on Argentinian culture.”

When authentic empanadas; steak, fried-chicken, and sausage sandwiches; caprese skewers; prosciutto-wrapped melon; and more volley with the Mate white blend from Valeri’s ConurWines, everyone wins. The only question that matters is, “Will you be there?”