Keep Portland Weird

Portland. PDX. The City of Roses. Beervana.Whatever you want to call it, Portland is a seemingly odd vacation destination for those who haven't watched Portlandia (if you haven't, turn on Netflix now and begin your new obsession).  When I informed people that we were traveling to Portland for the final destination of our west coast road trip, I got one question: "Why Portland?".

Made in Oregon Sign that welcomed us on a stumble home

Here's why:

1. The Weirdness: Portland is known for it's "uniqueness", so much so that their motto is "Keep Portland Weird".  Across their 2 distinct sides of the city (connected by many bridges), the resounding theme is do what you can't do anywhere else.  We visited an old public school that has been turned into 6 bars, a movie theatre, a pool, and a concert hall (Kennedy School), we played in an old school arcade bar where each game was 25 cents (Ground Kontrol),  and we "biked" around the city on a Brewcycle (aka a 15 person bike that brings people to local breweries while playing polka). The characters one runs into while walking Portland are vast as well.  Everknown as being "Hipster", this city truly lives up to this stereotype in the most genuine way.  The people here are not "trying too hard", it's just the way they are.  Everyone and their grandma has a tattoo (or twelve), vintage shops outnumber boutiques 10:1, as do bikes to cars (and they have the nicest bikelines one has ever seen). There are many other interesting characters in Portland that are a little less inviting as the homeless population there is large.  I heard many reasons for this: that it was due to a potential huge homeless shelter that fell through, and that the services that city and community provide draw them in.  Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that the city caters to its homeless population in the best way possible. Community potlucks and free drycleaning for interviews for those who are unemployed were a couple of things we came across that made my heart smile.

Mortal Kombat Champion (even though he claims to have let me win)

Brewcycle Portland with our new crew

2. Perfect Summer Weather: Portland in the summer is absolutely gorgeous. Sunny and 28C every day we were there; Portland blew us away with its dry but bearable heat.  When speaking with local Portlanders, they informed me that this was the time to visit as they have almost perfect weather during the summer months. But don't be fooled, this summer oasis turns into a rainy, cloud-ridden city for the majority of the year (particularly Oct-April). 

3.The Food: Every establishment we ate at in Portland was FABULOUS.  Foodcarts are a major part of the culinary culture in this city (not to mention an affordable and delicious option) so we made sure to make good use of these portable kitchens.  I had probably the best falafels I have ever tasted at one of these carts for about $5.  Foodcarts are all over the city in large clusters so there is a lot to choose from when visiting these cart parks.  Other honourable mentions for eats are:

Tasty'n'Alder, a untraditional brunch place where one can order Bim Bop, schniztel, or egg pudding in breakfast form.  We ordered eggs and honey biscuits, blueberry-peach french toast and egg pudding, all of which were FANTASTIC.

East Burn, here one can eat dinner on SWINGS.  Yes, you read that right, on their patio hang individual swings suspended by wooden beams.  The place had us at SWINGS, but the food was delicious as well. I had the columbia river steelhead with the edamame salad which did not disappoint.  They also have a great darts area on the patio.

Acting like school children

Voodoo Donuts, this donut shop is world famous and for good reason.  With over 50 types of donuts, picking my donut of choice was excruciating.  Luckily there were 4 of us, so we chose 6 and called it a day.  The Bacon maple bar and the "old dirty bastard" (peanut butter chocolate oreo) would have to be my faves. The line up for this place can be long, but to make up for this fact, the shop stays open 24 hours a day.  We showed up at 10pm and waited only 15 min for our delicious treats which we decided were well worth the wait. 

Too excited about donuts

4. The Beer: Beer is as much a part of the Portand culture as the bohemian vibe that resonates through the city.  With the huge amount of breweries in the area, the beer is both delicious and relatively cheap (especially at happy hour, $3 pints, yes please).  We visited many of the local breweries Portland had to offer, my favourite being Green Dragon on the east side.  They have a huge patio and about 30 beers on tap, 7 of which they brew on site.

Tasting a few at Green Dragon

 Overall, Portland has everything one needs in a summer getaway: great outdoor spaces, fantastic food, good shopping, and beer a plenty.  The weather and the culture of the city alone made it my favourite stop on the trip.  If you find yourself on the Northwest coast, please make it in to this eclectic, friendly city.  Not convinced? Watch Portlandia, you won't be able to keep yourself away.

Portland gear, which I will continue to wear in Toronto.