Despite what you may read or see on the news, Downtown Portland is alive. Among the high-rises, people are learning, falling in love, eating en plein air, and lounging in the Living Room. It’s not perfect, but as with most matters of the heart (of the city), it’s complicated — and that makes it more interesting to explore.
Why You Should Visit This Week: Farewell, Feathered Friends
For nearly 10 years, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe has worked with falconers to ensure that crows roost where their droppings are less of a nuisance. Since August, 30 of the birds have refused to budge — however, they too will soon depart.
Of course, we’re squawking about Wildwood: Follow the Crows, an art trail featuring hand-painted corvid statues scattered across downtown and other central neighborhoods in honor of Laika Studio’s new animated film (based on the book by Colin Meloy, frontman of The Decemberists). In addition to being a scavenger hunt, a series of community events, and a showcase of local artists, the pieces will ultimately be auctioned off to benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
But before that happens, the flock will gather at Darcelle XV Plaza, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, for a free send-off complete with a Saturday costume contest and your last chance at a feathered photo-op.
Find “Sakura Hanami” by Maya McDarragh outside of City Hall. (Mark E. McClure / Flickr)
Eat & Drink: Chow Down
Food carts add flavor to downtown, and there are a couple of pods to choose from. Highlights include beer in a double-decker bus at The Cart Blocks and katsu and live music at Midtown Beer Garden.
- Touted as Portland’s oldest restaurant, Huber’s is known for turkey dinners and Spanish coffee that’s set alight tableside. Its history is also fascinating.
- Ride the elevator to the 30th floor for drinks with a view at Portland City Grill, the pinnacle of Big Pink public access … for now.
- Dolly Olive’s in-house bakery program (get the focaccia) and vibrant vegetables set the table for a Southern Mediterranean feast.
- Grab a black sesame or tiramisu latte from Less And More Coffee in its vintage bus shelter kiosk.
Points of Interest: Shop ‘Til You Drop
In a world where packages arrive on your doorstep, sometimes it’s fun to go out and bargain hunt (and gather). Pioneer Place carries on the nostalgic mall legacy — RIP, Lloyd Center — and shopping alley Union Way offers great gifts at All Burn Wax and kicks at Danner. Freshen up your interior design at Canoe, your wardrobe at Mercantile, or your bookshelf at Kinokuniya.
Of course, every bucket list would be incomplete without a visit to Portland Outdoor Store, an outfitter of cowboy boots and other Western attire for more than 100 years. These are also must-see sights:
🪴 Mill Ends Park may have been dethroned as the world’s smallest park, but our love for it and its resident leprechauns could not be any bigger.
🎸 Concerts are remarkable at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, which wows crowds with its lofty ceilings, opulent chandeliers, and a unique “floating” floor whose surface is “like dancing on clouds.”
🔥 Behind Dante’s — known for its Karaoke From Hell and Sinferno Cabaret — the "Keep Portland Weird" mural is an ideal backdrop for a selfie.
Did we miss something in downtown Portland? Send us a line to share your recs.
