This is now officially the city we’d most like to move to (maybe not such a bad idea after the UK election chaos). It’s home to over 35 micro-breweries (that’s more than Cologne, Germany) and tons of cool bars, gig venues, boutiques and galleries. Things have a habit of not being quite what they seem in Portland, either. We’ve been to a clothes shop masquerading as a club, a Swedish church hiding a cinema and beer hall, and a tea salon which is actually a jazz lounge. Seriously, what’s not to like?
Portland seems to be a place where people come to turn ideas into reality, where it’s feasible to turn a dream into a business. It’s got a lot of favourable tax-breaks for breweries, film companies and other creative enterprises so more and more people are moving into the area to take advantage of these or to learn from others. In our hostel we met a puppeteer from the East coast who had come to Portland for talks with an animation company, a doctor attempting to sell a recipe for gluten-free bread, and a guy taking a three week course in how to set up a cycle repair shop.
Apparently Portland also has particularly nice water, which is why their beer is so good. It would be perfectly possible to come here for a month and still not sample all the local brews on offer (though it might be fun trying). And as if there weren’t enough varieties to try as it is, this is a place where it is completely acceptable, indeed encouraged, to combine two types of beer together to create a new and interesting blend. For example, ½ pint Ruby (light, citrus-y lager) + ½ pint Terminator (strong, dark, malty stout) = The Rubinator (surprisingly nice).
Apparently Portland also has particularly nice water, which is why their beer is so good. It would be perfectly possible to come here for a month and still not sample all the local brews on offer (though it might be fun trying). And as if there weren’t enough varieties to try as it is, this is a place where it is completely acceptable, indeed encouraged, to combine two types of beer together to create a new and interesting blend. For example, ½ pint Ruby (light, citrus-y lager) + ½ pint Terminator (strong, dark, malty stout) = The Rubinator (surprisingly nice).
Perhaps this special water also explains the high level of cool creations originating in Portland. Matt Groening (creator of the Simpson’s) grew up here and based his characters on his family members, school friends and local eccentrics. He named some of them after streets in the area too: we stayed a block away from NW Flanders (apparently the most-nicked sign in Portland). Successful bands from the area include the Gossip, the Dandy Warhols, the Decemberists and Sleater-Kinney, and there’s a happenin’ DIY music scene.
Last night we checked out a showcase of Portland’s best home-grown bands. For music aficionados out there, keep an eye out for an outfit called Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside – modern soul at it’s geek-chic best. We then called in to Satirycon, a hardcore punk club, for a night-cap on the way home. It’s where Kurt Cobain first met Courtney Love, fact fans. The punks were a friendly bunch and the drinks were cheap and very strong. We can report that (here at least) the Mohican is alive and most definitely still kicking!
Heading to Eugene next with the aim of finding a proper truck-stop diner. Time to dig out that baseball cap?
Susie and Phil xxx
Last night we checked out a showcase of Portland’s best home-grown bands. For music aficionados out there, keep an eye out for an outfit called Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside – modern soul at it’s geek-chic best. We then called in to Satirycon, a hardcore punk club, for a night-cap on the way home. It’s where Kurt Cobain first met Courtney Love, fact fans. The punks were a friendly bunch and the drinks were cheap and very strong. We can report that (here at least) the Mohican is alive and most definitely still kicking!
Heading to Eugene next with the aim of finding a proper truck-stop diner. Time to dig out that baseball cap?
Susie and Phil xxx
