Portland was born with the flip of a coin. In 1845, as the story goes, entrepreneurs Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove were bickering over a name for the new settlement that was being built on their Oregon land.
Lovejoy wanted to call it Boston after his birthplace. Pettygrove preferred Portland, his hometown in Maine. They agreed the decision would be made by whoever won two out of three coin tosses; luck was on Pettygrove’s side.
Near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers, with majestic Mount Hood as a backdrop, Portland is today a fun, hip, walkable city that lures foodies, families and nature lovers. Here are 10 things first-time visitors should include on their itinerary.
FINAL NOTES
» Roses thrive in Portland, hence its nickname "City of Roses." In June, 10,000 rose bushes burst into bloom at the 4.5-acre International Rose Test Garden (www.rosegardenstore.org/thegardens.cfm). Flowers might linger through mid-October. Admission is free, and guided tours are available during the summer.
» Portland is a bike-friendly city. Pedal Bike Tours (www.pedalbiketours.com) offers themed cycling excursions, including Brewery Trail and Historic Downtown.
» Go to www.travelportland.com or call toll-free 877-678-5263 for more information about visiting Portland.
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PITTOCK MANSION
Born in England and raised in Pittsburgh, Henry Pittock arrived in Oregon in 1853 — penniless but ambitious and smart. Then 18 years old, he went on to establish a business empire that included railroads, steamboats, real estate, sheep ranching, silver mining and The Oregonian, the state’s largest daily newspaper.
In 1909, Pittock and his wife, Georgiana, began plans to build a new home 1,000 feet above downtown Portland for their large family. Completed five years later, Pittock Mansion boasted innovations such as intercoms, a central vacuum system and an Otis elevator that still operates.
Among the highlights of a tour of the 44-room house, now a museum, are a marble staircase rising three floors, an 1887 Steinway grand piano and a 7-foot-wide dining room mirror that reflects Mount Hood on clear days. pittockmansion.org
LAN SU CHINESE GARDEN
Lan Su Chinese Garden opened in 2000, but step through its gates and Ming Dynasty China appears — complete with a teahouse, an 8,000-square-foot lake, gardens of native Chinese plants and three courtyards with river stone flooring. Walk on the stones and they press pressure points on the feet, providing a pleasant massage.
Admission to Lan Su includes tours, exhibits, talks and activities that provide insights into Chinese culture, history and philosophy. Play mahjong, practice tai chi, admire displays of hand-stitched silk embroidery and enjoy performances of Chinese music and folk dances.
Feng shui and herbal medicine have been lecture topics, as well as calligraphy, brush painting, seal carving and paper cutting. Tea service is also available. www.lansugarden.org
PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN
This tranquil hillside oasis is spectacular in all seasons. Five distinct styles of Japanese gardens flow one into another — elegant montages of plants, sand, stones, streams, waterfalls, bridges, bamboo gates and gravel paths.
The garden’s teahouse was built in traditional fashion, with wooden pegs rather than nails. Free "chado" (tea ceremonies) are held there monthly from May through October. A visit can also include workshops, demonstrations and art exhibits, some of which require an additional fee.
Among the annual events is September’s Moon Viewing Festival, which features haiku readings, koto and shakuhachi music, and a rare opportunity to stroll the paths in lantern light. japa-nesegarden.com
POWELL’S CITY OF BOOKS
Powell’s is dubbed the "city of books" for good reason: It’s huge. Rising four stories and occupying a full block, it is reputedly the world’s largest independent bookstore.
Stocked in 1.5 acres of retail space are more than a million new, used, rare and out-of-print books on subjects ranging from antiques, aviation and architecture to cooking, computers and crafts. If Powell’s doesn’t have a book, chances are no retailer does.
Brand new is the Espresso Book Machine, which enables customers to self-publish their work and order, print and buy on-demand titles in minutes. Be sure to take a break from browsing to watch the mammoth machine work its magic. www.powells.com
SPECIAL EVENTS
Portland loves to party! Throughout the year it hosts beer festivals, music festivals, film festivals and food and wine festivals. There are events that spotlight arts, crafts, fashion, literature and even the 10 bridges that cross the Willamette River to the city’s core.
Off-the-wall happenings include the Stumptown Comics Festival (www.stump- towncomics.com), whose writing classes, panel discussions and readings with live music, sound effects and projected visuals prove it’s not just kid stuff. During the Big Float (www.thebig- float.com), thousands of paddlers glide across the Willamette River in watercraft of all kinds — kayaks, canoes, inner tubes, stand-up paddleboards and more.
Quirkier still are Trek in the Park (www.atomic-arts.org), episodes of the 1960s TV series "Star Trek" performed live in Cathedral Park, and the PDX Adult Soap Box Derby (www.soapboxracer.com), where costumed grown-ups hurtle seven-tenths of a mile down Mount Tabor in coaster cars they’ve made and decorated themselves. www.travelportland.com/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/annual-events
PORTLAND FARMERS MARKET
Saturday mornings from mid-March through mid-December, Portland State University is a showcase for gorgeous seasonal produce. Fall’s bounty includes apples, wild mushrooms, sweet potatoes and a variety of squash. Always available are eggs, meat, wine, seafood, honey, pickles, preserves, artisan cheeses and vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free products.
In the summer, live music and cooking demonstrations are added to the mix, along with Kids Cook at the Market. At these 90-minute classes, keiki ages 7 to 11 meet farmers, prepare dishes with ingredients found at the market and receive recipes to take home.
Reserve ample time for browsing and a hearty breakfast and/or lunch (Tastebud’s Montreal-style bagel topped with roasted pears and bacon is divine). www.portlandfarmersmarket.org
PORTLAND SATURDAY MARKET
The Portland Saturday Market eases visitors’ omiyage angst. More than 250 booths offer souvenirs and gifts galore — including bags, if needed, to transport the booty back home.
Among the eclectic assortment of wares are soap by the slice, portraits drawn on site and bracelets made from recycled leather and bike parts. The person selling the goods is likely the artisan who made them, so shoppers can get insights about the ideas and work that went into their purchases.
Good news: There’s no sales tax in Portland. And despite its name, the market is also open on Sundays from early March through Christmas Eve. www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com
BREWERY TOURS
There are more breweries in Portland than any other city in the world — 51 at last count. Hopworks Urban Brewery (hopworksbeer. com), BridgePort Brewing Co. (www.bridgeportbrew.com) and Widmer Bros. (widmerbrothers. com/brewery) offer free half-hour tours with a few tastings.
Serious beer aficionados will want to book a multiple-brewery, three- to six-hour tour with Pubs of Portland (www.pubsofportlandtours.com), Brewvana (www.experiencebrewvana.com) or the Portland BrewBus (www.brewbus. com).
Pub fare in Portland is a cut above burgers, bratwurst and buffalo wings. Hopworks Urban Brewery, Bridgeport Brewing Co., Deschutes Brewery (www.deschutesbrewery.com) and Burnside Brewing Co. (burnsidebrewco.com) are known for their food as well as their beer. Think options such as root beer-braised pork belly, duck confit wrapped in collard greens, portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach and artichoke, and chocolate-chip cookie pie with toasted walnut ice cream.
DINING
In a 2010 Taste of America column for TIME.com, noted food writer Josh Ozersky proclaimed Portland "America’s new food Eden." Indeed. The city is home to numerous James Beard award winners, and its restaurants have been applauded on Food Network, Travel Channel and Cooking Channel shows and in gourmets’ bibles such as Saveur, Bon Appetit and Food & Wine.
Portlanders rave about the Oregon Croissant (filled with blueberries, marionberries and hazelnut cream) at Ken’s Artisan Bakery, the Burmese Red Pork Stew at Tasty n Sons, the cured meats at Olympic Provisions Northwest and pretty much everything at Paley’s Place, whose menus change daily, depending on what’s freshest from suppliers. Chef/owner Vitaly Paley is both a James Beard and "Iron Chef America" winner.
Here are a dozen restaurants that have earned an enthusiastic thumbs-up:
Breakfast: HA & VL (503-772-0103), Ken’s Artisan Bakery (www.kensartisan. com), Pine State Biscuits (www.pinestatebiscuits.com)
Brunch: Beast (beastpdx.com), Simpatica Dining Hall (simpaticacatering. com), Tasty n Sons (www.tastynsons.com)
Lunch: Evoe (pastaworks.com/evoe), Olympic Provisions Northwest (www.olympicprovisions.com/northwest), Pok Pok (www.pokpokpdx.com, also recommended for dinner)
Dinner: Le Pigeon (www.lepigeon.com), Ox (oxpdx.com), Paley’s Place (www.paleysplace.net)
FOOD CARTS
Who would’ve thought some of Portland’s best food would be available only as takeout? Some 500 food carts clustered in "pods" offer an international array of tantalizing choices — Thai curry, Italian ravioli, Japanese sushi, Cajun jambalaya, Korean kalbi, Vietnamese pho, Hungarian paprikash, German sauerbraten, Polish pierogies, Turkish kofta, Israeli falafel, Polish latkes, Egyptian shawarma and much more. Prices average a palatable $7.
Heads up: Seating, menus and hours might be limited, and most carts accept only cash. Lunch draws the biggest crowds, although some carts welcome early birds for breakfast and a few keep their stovetops heated until 3 a.m. for night owls.
Brett Burmeister, owner and managing editor of Food Carts Portland, leads a 90-minute tour of popular pods. For reservations and more food cart tidbits, go to www.foodcartsportland.com.
