About the weirdness of Portland

These past few months I have been thinking a lot about Portland in the context of the political, social, pandemic and climatic struggles of the USA. Portland, Oregon is a special place for me, a place I spent 6 months in, many years ago. Knowing Portland pretty well and the vibe there, I wasn’t surprised to see the protests for Black Lives Matter going on for so long. I also know how peaceful the people of Portland are and how very progressive in their thinking compared to most of the United States. And because of that, I was very outraged when “America’s colonoscopy”, Donald Trump, (an expression borrowed from Stephen Colbert) proclaimed the cities of Portland, Seattle and New York “anarchist cities”.

Oregon is called the Green State of America not just because of the forests, also because the people living there are hipsters: very peaceful, nature oriented, sustainable and Eco eaters, embracing racial, sexual differences between them, thinking out of the box, pot smokers and beer crafters. They are more into the idea “make love not war” than into “let’s shoot everybody and burn everything down”. So the fury of Trump and his underlings is very much unjustified as is the violence they brought to the peaceful protests of Portland. As this wasn’t enough of a struggle for the Oregonians, climate change decided to prove a point with unending fires that destroyed nature and polluted the air of the greenest state for a long period to come.

So I was sad to see all of this unfairness happening there. I will tell you now why Portland is a very unique place, a bit weird for outsiders, but nonetheless very charming, welcoming and friendly. As I mentioned before, I spent some time there, taking a sabbatical from my job after I ended my Masters studies. I can now state that I’ve never been more relaxed in my whole life, like I was in Portland. So it’s a very happy period thinking back.

I remember being a bit shocked in my first weeks, coming from Romania, which is not the most free spirited country in Europe. My first thought was “let me get out of here before somebody throws me down and tattoos me”, then after a while … “I wouldn’t mind a tiny tattoo”, although I never got one. I saw lots of people from the LGBT community, I befriended some, made connections with friends for life. Portland has the most strip clubs per capita in America, which is super weird and funny at the same time. Also there’s a sex shop on every corner in the city center. What I said before with “make love not war” is literally true for them. They also have an annual event called The Naked Bike Ride…which is very descriptive of what exactly is happening. Hundreds of people take part. There is Hamburger Mary’s...which is a bar where drag queens perform, where I had the very weird experience of shoving cash between huge boobies, that weren’t mine or of a girl’s for that matter. But the way they say it: “Keep Portland weird”, I kind of embraced this statement for my whole stay.

Portland is also one of the most cultural cities in America as well: theater, ballet, Broadway shows, music festivals, art shops and exhibitions. The city is also in the heart of Oregon, on the West Coast. Nature trips, ocean and beach holidays, wine tasting are all for the taking.

Let me share with you my special places and events in Portland that made my 6 months there really worth it:

Powell’s Books – This is the biggest library and bookshop I have ever been to and believe me, being a bookworm I know what I’m talking about. It’s not just the library, that is located in the heart of the city, the atmosphere there is really comforting and cosy. You can find any book there, new or used, at very cheap prices. I used to spend entire afternoons there just browsing through the shelves. It’s literally a city of books.

The Waterfront Park at Hawthorne Bridge – It’s a beautiful park located on the West side of the large Willamette River. This park is not only beautiful for its location but also for the Saturday Market which is an event taking place the whole warm season. Here you can browse art of all kinds, shop from local designers, eat a clam chowder soup and drink local beer of hundreds of types, every shade from blonde to black. Also during summer open air concerts with classical music take place in the evenings in this park. The most special event of all, my absolute favorite, was the Blues Festival. It takes place over the first week of July, every year. The music, the food, the relaxing atmosphere is something quite unique, definitely something to take part in, if you love jazz and blues.

Washington Park – This is another beautiful park, actually more of a forest on top of one of the hills in Portland. It has beautiful views over the city. This is not what makes it so special though. Washington Park is home to the beautiful Rose Test Garden, which is one of the biggest rose gardens in the world. The Japanese Garden is also located here and it was declared the most beautiful of its kind in the world, outside of Japan. You would think that these two amazing gardens were enough, but no…there is also a small train taking people to Oregon Zoo. I am a fan of zoos, so I have seen my share of them. It’s an amazing experience for people with kids or without. Near the Zoo, there is also Hoyt Arboretum, a big forest/botanical garden in which you can spend hours.

Henry’s Tavern – I have such a nostalgic feeling when thinking about this pub. It has character, like everything in Portland. I enjoyed the best Dungeness crab cakes and burgers in this pub. I had my first proper beer tasting in this place and I can honestly say I don’t remember my way back home. From my research I discovered the place moved from the city center to the airport area. It still deserves a visit.

Ladd’s Addition, Nob Hill and Goose Hollow – These three neighbourhoods are a fairytale: Victorian houses, cosy old villas, big gardens, small shops, atmospheric cafes, lush green vegetation on the roads and seasonal decorations.

Zell’s Cafe – Situated in the Eastern part of Portland, on beautiful Morrison Blvd., this “trendy daytime joint” has the most amazing breakfast I have ever known: fluffy pancakes, tens of types of omelets and eggs, amazing homemade breads and jams, yummy coffees. Their breakfast is so decadent that it can easily replace lunch as well.

Pink Martini – I bet a lot of you have heard of this band, a little orchestra that sings all kinds of music such as classical, jazz, pop in their own very personal and unique way. They are from Portland and this band is representing this city very accurately in its style. Pink Martini holds concerts all over the world, but each summer they go back home and have a traditional concert on the lawn in Oregon Zoo. I was lucky enough to witness a beautiful performance.

Pittock Mansion – This 1914 historic house is a very charming museum, on top of the hill in the ABC District with views over the city. The road to the mansion up and down is a dream for people who love architecture and American style homes. The museum is also worth visiting and its shop has a collection of affordable vintage jewelry for purchase.

Portland Art Museum – You would think a small city like Portland wouldn’t have such a rich art museum. But its collection impressed me a lot: European Classics, Impressionists, Brancusi, American and Native American Art and also Modern and Contemporary.

Voodoo Doughnuts – Or how the conspiracy and delusional theories called it “the front for trafficking children in the tunnels underneath Portland”. Which I found hilarious by the way. This place is famous for the most delicious doughnuts I’ve ever eaten, the most famous being in the shape of a black large penis full of vanilla cream…I told you Portland is weird.

A Roadside Attraction – Last but not least on my list, this is a bar in the Eastern part of Portland, in the neighbourhood where my husband and I lived. It’s very dear to my heart because we spent lots of cosy evenings in this bohemian place, in their big garden by the fire pit, eating great homemade dishes. It’s definitely a very hipster place.

Portland has a lot of character, it’s very unique, cosy, artsy and free in body and spirit. Not a lot of international tourists know about this gem and for most, Seattle, which is 5 hours away, is a more popular destination. I encourage my readers, Americans and internationals alike to discover this beautiful and weird city. Also for more on the Pacific North-West, you can read my older article on this subject The American West Coast.

Photos from Flamingo‘s archive.