Reader, Lara from Washington D.C. is visiting Portland on Memorial Day weekend She wrote me ages ago for some off the beaten path suggestions of what to see here. I love living in Portland but it’s hard for me to think of things exciting enough for a tourist. Here are my top spots and neighborhoods. Hopefully this will give you something to pick and choose from, Lara!
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NW Portland (this is a popular area but I have some favorites here that I had to include)
* Le Happy– Must go here for delectable crepes late at night (that’s when it looks the most charming, they are open til 2AM) you’ll feel like you’re in Paris which is why the slow service is OK in this case.
*Museum of Contemporary Craft
*Forest Park
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SW Portland (OK also not off the beaten path, but had to include some favorites again)
*Chaat House India Cart– Best Indian food in town.
*Ace Hotel photo booth– After you get your pictures taken be sure to wander around the other delightful nooks and crannies of this place.
*Kenny and Zukes– mostly if you are a meat eater
*Voo Doo Donuts- (good late night spot)
*Canoe -great shop!
*The English Dept.
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SE Clinton St {my favorite neighborhood in Portland- small but delightful and also filled to the brim with hipsters}.
Broder for a Swedish breakfast
Press Club for a leisurely lunch with free Wifi and a wall of really cool magazines.
Clinton St. has a cool little record shop and a really great vintage clothing shop. I don’t know either of their names but they are almost next door to Broder and across the street.
Nearby on SE Division (also a great spot for shopping and eating):
Pix Patisserie– another place straight out of Paris, romantic and best visited late at night for their amazing chocolates.
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N Mississippi and NE Alberta Neighborhoods {OK, both of these are also my favorite neighborhoods}
Bolt-cool fabric
Office– vintage office supplies, gallery
Flutter
Tumbleweed
Pistils Nursery
Bernie’s Bistro-best bread pudding and the fried pickles are good too.
Head over to Kennedy School on NE 33rd- check out their schedule. They’ve got everything from square dancing on Tuesday nights, to sing-along Grease, to $3 movies you can watch while you eat your Pizza to random concerts and several restaurants. It’s a restored elementary school from 1915 that is just fun to wander around. {part of the Mcmenamins chain}
Mississippi Studios– my favorite concert venue complete with an Airstream trailer out back that you can loiter in. See their schedule here. (if you are here Thurs, Amelia is playing and they are one of my very favorite mellow Portland bands.)
There is also the Hawthorne neighborhood with lots of shopping and eating and hippies. Sellwood is great for antiquing and if you want to taste some food made by Caprial and John. Also, Willamette Week is a great resource to find out what events and concerts are going on. See here for my previous Portland posts.
I know I am forgetting a lot of other lovelies so everyone (local and non-locals) feel free to chime in with your favorite Portland spots.