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January 29, 2004
THE ESSENTIALS #27 - The Essentials of Portland, Oregon by S. Hason
Portland Oregon Guide by Hason
Raw and elegant, white-trash and sophisticated, Portland is the artsy sustainable nirvana you never knew existed. Originally the spot lumberjacks would come to party in, now it's like some little European city-state, with lots of gardens and parks, bio-regional fast food outlets that carry rice milk. Everyone's making rad art, often in multiple disciplines. And they're MAKING the art, not just talking about it. Though the cops are harsh on street art, stencils, culture-jamming billboards and tons of stickers are all around. But there's no jobs and it rains all the time, so don't move here. Just come visit and spend all your money.
Stumptown Coffee
SW 3rd + Ash
SE 34th + Belmont
SE 45th + Division
Best coffee shops in town. And people REALLY care about coffee here, because of the constant rain.
Just Be Toys/Compound Gallery
107 NW 5th
Downstairs it's full of up-to-the-minute Japanese toys, video rentals, candy and magazines. Upstairs at Compound the art gallery hosts national up and comers, with a select array of books, prints, and arty items.
Reading Frenzy
921 SW Oak
Amazing zine shop on downtowns' "indie alley", all the other spots on this block are worth a visit too.
Fabric Depot
SE122nd + Stark
Two fucking acres of fabrics, notions, + craft supplies, every time I go it's either 30 or 40 % off everything. Dangerous territory. Luckily it's on the outskirts of town.
I've Been Framed
SE 50th + Foster
The only cheap art supply store I've ever seen, with lots of random closeout materials. No good for expensive fancy brushes, perfect for treasure troves of paper.
Seaplane
SE 34th + Belmont
This clothing store nutures the burgeoning local fashion explosion, and gives help + props to local artists and musicians. Chock full of reworked vintage materials and stellar originals. There are lots of stores like this (and Seaplane has 40 local designers, it's almost scary how creative and crafty people are in this town) but this one is the original, and continues to set the bar.
Holocene
SE 10th + Morrison
Big, elegant club dedicated to electronic and experimental music. Sweet dance parties on the weekends. Lots of special events and film showings happen here, too. Low cover except for big national acts (even then it's still only $10) and it's a good spot for late-night debauchery.
Dunes
1909 NE MLK Blvd
The black hole to Holocene's full moon, this club is tiny and way undercover. The old owner once yelled at me, "we're for lovers, not for haters! If you won't dance, then you can just get out!" Mike Ladd likened it to the
cantina in Star Wars. No sign outside, no cover, free bands and Djs every night.
Strip Clubs of Portland
(all over)
Honestly, here are about 150 of them, so everyone has a particular favorite. Somehow the strip clubs are more wholesome and nonchalant here, though they do get totally naked. Sassy's across from Holocene on Morrison is pretty good.
Independent Record Stores of Portland
(all over)
You can get any record you want in Portland. This town is full of music geeks, and bands, and kids who love the vinyl. Find an Ozone or a Jackpot and get the map they carry of the 20 or so killer indie shops in town. Drive or bike around. Go nuts.
Posted by marc at 6:57 AM in City Guides | Recommend this! |
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