This is Portland, we do what we like. This is Portland, we do what we like.

While I was able to bike around during the heat wave, I don't think I can tolerate biking in this.

tonight! 6pm at the Low Brow downtown!

snowing imo

The snow's piling up here, just south of P-town. Today's offical forecast: afternoon rain and a high temp of 40.

Took me 1.5 hours to get back to NE from the Lego Store at Wash SQ.

Currently on a way-off-course #9 bus heading south on MLK, which is cool since it will take me straight by the Low Brow.

Rev -- best place to get affordable gloves (assuming you boycot Walmart) is Andy & Bax. It's the army surplus store next to the delicious Nicholas Restaurant down on SE MLK. Go!

Also, people in this town need to learn how to drive in snow, or stay home. I had to do a lot of illegal passing to get to my house because all these stooges were stuck on a hill. Stay home retards!

Stomping home thru this shit whilst listening to Neu '75 is an interesting experience, one I haven't had in years since living in Ann Arbor

Already bought gloves $3 at the Portland Closeout down the street.

Stay home retards!

^ the gist of pretty much every fb status update posted by my friends in portland, all of whom are originally from michigan

looking forward to a pair of gloves on gettin back. and also, not leaving woodstock

I think people were more trying to get home, but yeah, totally agree about Portland's inability to drive in very little snow and I've lived here for 20 years! People around here don't even know how to drive in the rain anymore.

Yesterday was more a freak thing, as it just started storming at 3pm an didn't stop.

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2010/01/18/voodoo-doughnut-to-marry-little-fluffy-kitty-cats

Cat wedding at Voodoo Doughnuts!

Local transient beats up thief!

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Shell-robbery-caught-on-cam-83413372.html

Newspaper totally needs to use this as a pull quote: "I kicked him twice in the nads and proceeded to fight all the way out the door.”

Portland, I'm planning a trip in the summer. Is the weather better in July or August generally? I'm coming from DC so don't mind if it's cool as it'll be a nice break from the swamp-pit, but if there's any way to minimise the rain risk...

August is a bit better, as the week- to two-week-long heat wave hits in July

Both July and August tend to hover in the 80s, occasionally tipping into the 90s. Summer out here just isn't as mild as it used to be imo. There's pretty much no risk of rain from late May until early September.

That'll count as mild for those of us escaping from here, but will still go for August - thanks. I'll be back with more stupid questions later...

As a lifelong Portland resident since 1954, I can tell you with complete assurance that the weather here is a crapshoot. But, if you wish to play the odds, the least odds of soggy weather would fall in the last week of July and first two weeks of August. However, anything after July 4 and before Sept 1 is likely to be quite acceptable.

We do get the occasional spell in the low 100s or upper 90s, but the low 80s are the norm throughout both July and August.

If you want to fall in love with the place, manage to arrive in mid-September when the weather gods are smiling on us. We have been known to achieve perfection at such a time.

GI Joe Stop-Motion Film Festival! This thursday at the Hollywood!

http://www.gijoefest.com/

gonna be there

what's good folks?

Thems good folks

ehhhhh

Hello Portlandians! (I live outside Portland, ME, so have to differentiate from the local Portlanders) I'm making my first trip to your fair city over Memorial Day weekend - any suggestions of places to go, things to do, where to eat? It's a combo vacation/scouting trip for possible move, so a mix of touristy and not touristy would be cool. Also, I wouldn't mind meeting people for a beer or coffee, if anyone's interested.

Memorial Day weekend? It will rain.

bring some extra socks!

Extra socks - check.
Rain expected - check.

Seriously though, where in town will you be staying?

We're renting a little garden apartment on NE 15th. I understand this is Irvington - a few blocks north of the Lloyd Center.

It is indeed Irvington. There are a ton of shops and restaurants near there on Broadway but it is a little more upscale than some other areas. Not Pearl District upscale, but more than other areas.

I think any one of us could send you to any different number of places -- what is it that you are looking to do or are interested in doing?

Like I said, I've never been there, and am open to everything. Not interested in going to the Rose Festival, but I'm hoping to get a feel for the city to see if it is somewhere my wife and I might want to relocate. So places to eat, arts locales (my wife is a fiber artist), and cool neighborhoods that might be nice to live in. I like just walking around with no particular plan, but any tips as to where I should wander would be great. Any "must dos" if I may never be back again?

if i were going to walk someone around i'd choose these streets:

alberta
mississippi
belmont (20th-39th)
burnside (river to 28th)
should probably walk 21st/23rd (burnside north) though all the eastside streets mentioned above are more interesting

Ok. To help you get around, here is a quick primer on how the city is laid out. For the most part the city is divided into 4 sections. Burnside demarcates north and south. The Willamette river demarcates east and west. On the west side of town, the streets are alphabetical going north starting with Ankeny, Burnside, Couch (pronounced 'cooch'), etc. The same thing works on the eastside but more sporadically.

If you stay on the eastside, especially SE, Cesar Chavez (r.i.p. 39th Ave) is your friend.

Some of the neighborhoods I would check out are Hawthorne, pockets of inner Division, Alberta in NE.

Obviously you will need to go to Powell's. Also, if the weather is in fact nice check out Mt. Tabor park.

Places to eat:
Lucky Strike
Pok Pok
Screen Door
Any place that starts with the word "Pho"

One place I forgot to mention if you want to spend a bit more dough for dinner is Le Pigeon. Spendy, but worth it.

Pok Pok

otm

Everyone recommends Pok Pok! It's the only "must eat" thus far.

Thanks for neighborhood tips - I'm taking notes. Please, keep it coming, and if anyone wants a coffee or beer let me know.

Speaking of beer; I know Portland is microbrew endowed - anywhere I need to go? surprisingly, one of the local spots here in the other Portland had a Rogue Imperial Porter on tap this past weekend - mighty fine stuff.

Oh weird, I'll be in PDX over Memorial Day weekend as well.

Pok Pok looks awesome, btw. I'm also hoping to hit up some food carts.

And I'm very much excited about all the craft breweries, though I think my girlfriend and I were also thinking of checking out the annual Memorial Day festival in wine country.

I dig Belmont Station (on Stark & 45th, in SE) as a beer store, they generally have good stuff on tap and tons of stuff for sale. There's also a huge Henry's Tavern on Burnside in the Pearl that's kind of not the best atmosphere but they have a crazy number of beers. It's right by Powell's, where anyone who visits Portland should check out at some point. I think there's a Rogue public house nearby but I've never been to that.

I don't live there, just visit a lot. There are tons of great places to eat - I really dug Red Onion for Thai last time I was there, Clyde Common was really good, Pok Pok is good, Toro Bravo, Indish on 21st near Everett is great, Screendoor, Bunk Sandwiches, and I have a huge list of other places that I've heard good things about but haven't gotten to yet.

Basically I love just roaming around a lot of the neighborhoods listed above. There really isn't anything all that exciting and one-of-a-kind there in terms of tourist stuff, but I love roaming around, eating, getting a beer or coffee (Coffeehouse Northwest on Burnside is my brother-in-law's hangout and the dudes are huge nerds) or good bakery, people watching, and so on.

Koi Fusion and Potato Champion are the number one can't miss food carts. There's so many worth investigating and really I can't even remember most of their names/locations.

Yeah Portland is mostly a find a place to hang out and just hang out sort of city. Walk around. You'll find stuff you like. I'm sure several of us would love to meet up for drinks and etc too!

To echo what everyone else is saying, yeah it is super easy to roam around. Likely has to do with the blocks being small and the lack of sprawl. So, just get in your car -- or take Tri-Met -- to wherever you want to go and just get out and walk around.

Oh, and one more thing: Portlanders are crazy about going out for breakfast/brunch. Unless you go early or really late, be prepared to wait for up to an hour if you go to one of the more popular spots.

whenever i go to portland my friend always tries to get us to go out to sunday brunch. we stand around outside a spot for 45 minutes and i think the whole time GOD DAMN IT I COULDA COOKED A POUND OF BACON BY NOW

There should totally be a Memorial Day PDXFAP

As long as it's before Memorial Day proper I'll try to attend - my flight home leaves late Sunday night.

Speaking of beer; I know Portland is microbrew endowed - anywhere I need to go?

Hopworks on Powell has some great microbrews.

If your wife is interested in the local art scene, I would definitely check out the Alberta area and some pockets of downtown - tons of galleries in these spots.

whenever i go to portland my friend always tries to get us to go out to sunday brunch. we stand around outside a spot for 45 minutes and i think the whole time GOD DAMN IT I COULDA COOKED A POUND OF BACON BY NOW

Yeah, this sucks. We now make a point to frequent the spots the local papers ignore.

wish I could afford to visit again this summer.

fucking kitzhaber. fucking saltzman. :(

so it goes.