Next Stop
Issue: July/August 2009
Destination: Portland
Getting around is half the charm in the City of Roses
Even during challenging economic times, Portland exudes confidence. Diners continue to fill cafés, the streets teem with vitality, and hot neighborhoods, like Alberta Street, unveil a new boutique almost monthly.
One of America’s most European cities (tram included) invigorates my family as, upon arrival, we traipse along the bohemian trappings of Alberta. After lunch at one of several authentic Thai restaurants, we hardly notice when my wife, Alison, disappears into designer Kara Larson’s Tumbleweed, because we’re bedazzled by the pastries at neighboring Petite Provence, a patisserie so aesthetically ideal, we expect Gene Kelly to twirl down the cast iron staircase.
Next day, we board the Portland Streetcar in the “Fareless Square” and travel to tree-lined 23rd, where we nosh on pastrami on rye at Kornblatt’s, a Brooklyn-style deli. Back on the streetcar, we eye the Pearl District’s stores from safely behind glass, though we can’t resist disembarking to join the sweet-toothed queue at Cupcake Jones.
Fortunately, plenty of paths lie in wait to burn our guilty calories. This is North America’s premier cycling city, so we rent two-wheelers and traverse the Steel Bridge toward the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade. The more ambitious cyclist can pedal straight past the Hawthorne Bridge along the Springwater Corridor for another 21 miles.
Portland’s summer lures us outside like the sun unfurls the roses for which it’s famous. Rest assured, this city’s world-renowned infrastructure, including affordable mass transit, numerous greenways and a largess of free culture, is still paying dividends.
THE BASICS:
For more information, pick up the Oregon & Washington TourBook® from any AAA office.
YUM:
Urban Farmer: A “feminine” steak house set amid fantastic décor. www.urbanfarmerrestaurant.com.
23Hoyt: Outstanding menu, vibe and locale. www.23hoyt.com.
Petite Provence: Pick a pastry, any pastry; other great foods as well.
www.provence-portland.com.
ZZZZZs:
Hotel Vintage Plaza: the place to stay if traveling with any size pooch.
The Nines: great Pioneer Square location.
Hotel deLuxe: sits directly on the Max line.
