April 12, 2002
JOURNEYS; 36 Hours | Portland
By KATHY MCCLEARY
THOUGH it is often overshadowed by its more glamorous neighbors to the north (Seattle) and south (San Francisco), Portland, Ore. has one thing in its favor: the weather. The average daytime temperature from June through September is in the 70's, and the average rainfall is usually one inch per month. Because Portland is so far north (the same longitude as Montreal), daylight stretches languidly from 5 a.m. to almost 10 p.m. in midsummer. No wonder the prime activities for the locals include soaking up the sunshine in the city's many parks and exotic gardens or downing a local ale at a street-side table at one of the city's dozens of brew pubs. KATHY McCLEARY
Friday
6 p.m.
1) The Living Room
Begin with a stroll up Broadway, starting at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Main Street and S.W. Broadway, (built in 1928, its 65-foot "Portland" sign contains more than 6,000 theatrical lights), and head north until you come to Pioneer Courthouse Square, S.W. Morrison, a 40,000-square foot plaza known as "Portland's living room." Check out the architecture (the Courthouse, built in 1875, is Portland's oldest building), watch the slackers play hackey-sack, or have your name engraved on a brick in the square for $100. (More than 65,000 others have already done just that; the proceeds go to keeping the Courthouse Square clean.) Continue until you arrive at Saucebox, at 214 S.W. Broadway. (Portlanders dine early; restaurants are packed by 7 p.m.) The Javanese roasted salmon ($16) with a sauce of soy, hot pepper, garlic, palm sugar and lime, is about as good as salmon gets, and it does not get much better than the freshly-caught kind you get in the Pacific Northwest. The bar can be a little loud and smoky. Request a table upstairs.
7:30 p.m.
2) Dance, Dance Dance
Head over to the Viscount Ballroom (722 East Burnside Street) for Friday night swing dancing. The Viscount has been restored over the last two years and boasts gleaming wood floors, red velvet drapes and a lively crowd. Take a group lesson from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and then dance to a live band until midnight, all for $10.
Saturday
8:30 a.m.
3) Munch, Sip and Stroll As the city begins to stir, pick up a muffin and latte at Tully's (519 S.W. Sixth Street) and walk over to the South Park Blocks. Stroll by the Portland Art Museum and Oregon History Center while enjoying the shade of enormous elms and the artwork that graces each block. Continue west to 10th Avenue where you can pick up the Portland Streetcar, and head north.
9 a.m.
4) A Real Pager Turner
Get off at 10th and Burnside at Powell's City of Books (1005 W. Burnside Street). A bibliophile's paradise, Powell's takes up four floors on an entire block and houses more than a million volumes; it's so huge you need to pick up a map from the Information Desk at the main entrance.
11 a.m.
5) Artistic Flavorings
Walk (or get back on the streetcar) north to Hoyt Street and the Pearl District. The Pulliam- Deffenbaugh Gallery (522 N.W. 12th Avenue) offers top quality art by Northwest artists; more than a dozen other galleries are sprinkled throughout the Pearl (check www.pearldistrict.org for listings). You'll also find several coffee and tea houses, and quirky shops, including Dieci Soli (304 N.W. 11th Avenue; Italian ceramics, linens and art) and Hanna Andersson (327 N.W. 10th Avenue, high quality Swedish cotton clothes for kids and adults).
Noon
6) Stop and Smell the Roses Get back on the streetcar and ride north and west to 23rd Avenue. Stroll south to Burnside and pick up lunch at Elephants Deli (13 N.W. 23rd Place), where sandwiches, salad, soups, bread and a good bottle of local beer (try the Black Butte Porter) make for a great picnic. Then head west on Burnside to S.W. Tichner Drive. (You'll need to hop a bus or cab; there is no pedestrian access). Turn left on Tichner, and at the top of the hill, turn right on S.W. Kingston, and walk down the steps to the International Rose Test gardens. Eat your lunch in the midst of 8,000 rosebushes, and soak up the most-photographed view of downtown Portland, with Mount Hood floating above the skyline to the east.
3 p.m.
7) Exploring a Mansion
After contemplating the lushness of Portland's climate, contemplate the pioneer spirit of one of its founding fathers. Head back down to West Burnside and turn left. After less than a mile you will see signs for Pittock mansion on your right. Henry Lewis Pittock rode a wagon train from Pennsylvania to Oregon in 1853 at age 17, and ended up owner and publisher of The Oregonian, the city's daily newspaper. The mansion was finished in 1914 and includes a melange of architectural styles (Jacobean, Edwardian, French Renaissance) and some of the best views in Oregon. Stand in front of the stone fireplace in the music room and take in the 180 degree view, which encompasses the Willamette and Columbia Rivers and five mountains in the Cascade range, including Mt. St. Helens (which erupted in 1980).
5:30 p.m.
8) A Bridge as a Backdrop
Head back to the Pearl District's Bridgeport Brew Pub (1313 N.W. Marshall Street) to sample local ales, stouts and beers. Sit outside on the former loading dock and enjoy the view of the Fremont bridge.
6:30 p.m.
9) Local Cuisine
For dinner, sample Northwest cuisine at Wildwood (1221 N.W. 21st Avenue), where standouts include the seasonal green salad with Oregon hazelnuts and currants, and any of the wood-roasted chicken dishes. The service can be indifferent, though, so request a seat at the chef's bar, overlooking the brick oven, for speedier service and the fun of watching the chefs in action. Just across the street is Paley's Place (1204 N.W. 21st Avenue), a terrific restaurant with a low-key atmosphere and the best dessert in town: warm chocolate souffle cake with homemade honey-vanilla ice cream.
9 p.m.
10) Jazz and Elegance
Head over to the Heathman Hotel (See "Portland: The Basics") and settle in for the evening in one of the plush blue and gold chairs in the Tea Court for live jazz (8 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays). The room is a breathtaking 32 feet tall, with a crystal chandelier, blue velvet banquette, tapestry cushions and a magnificent Steinway grand piano.
Sunday
9 a.m.
11) Pancakes and History
Breakfast in Portland's Old Town, an historic district encompassing many of Portland's most significant buildings, including the New Market Theater (1872) and the Haseltine Building (1893). Eat at either the Bijou, Cafe (132 S.W. 3rd Avenue) or Lorn & Dottie's Luncheonette (S.W. 2nd and Oak Street). Plate-sized buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup (Bijou) or Greek eggs scrambled with pepper bacon, spinach, tomato, capers, olives and feta (Lorn & Dottie's) should fuel you for the day.
10 a.m.
12) A Time to Reflect
Complete your visit with a morning at the Classical Chinese Garden (N.W. Everett Street and 3rd Avenue). Behind a beautiful tiled wall on a full city block in the midst of downtown you will find an 8,000-square-foot lake, more than 500 species of plants and trees, and exquisite pavilions, mosaics, aromas and sounds. The tea house (more formally known as the Tower of Cosmic Reflection) offers beautiful views of the garden from the upstairs dining area.
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