Portland Rain & Really Weird Vibes
okay, so, like, i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm coffee. portland. it’s… a lot. i landed yesterday and the humidity is clinging to everything like a damp wool blanket. 5814950 and 1840021189 - don’t ask, i just saw the numbers on a bus stop sign and it felt important. the temp is hovering around 3.77, feels like 1.38, min 2.23, max 4.89. pressure’s 1013, humidity 88, sea level 1013, ground level 1006. yeah, that’s… something. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
seriously, the rain. it’s not a gentle drizzle, it’s a full-on, insistent, grey deluge. it’s like portland is perpetually apologizing for existing. i’m wearing a bright yellow raincoat and i feel like a giant, slightly panicked lemon. i stumbled into this little place called “The Wandering Bean” - it’s a coffee shop, obviously, but it’s also a tiny museum of vintage typewriters. the barista, a guy named Silas with a beard that could house a family of squirrels, kept muttering about the ‘ghost of Hemingway’ haunting the espresso machine. i didn’t ask. i just needed caffeine.
I wandered around downtown, mostly just trying to avoid puddles and getting completely lost. there’s this weird vibe here, you know? like everyone’s simultaneously trying to be cool and deeply uncomfortable. i saw a guy wearing a full suit of armor while riding a skateboard. a suit of armor. i’m not kidding.
Someone told me that the food carts on Hawthorne are legendary, but also that they’re prone to spontaneous combustion. i’m taking that with a grain of salt. i ended up at a place called “Pine Street Market” - it’s basically a giant hall filled with tiny restaurants. I grabbed some ramen that tasted vaguely of sadness and regret, but it was warm, so i’m not complaining.
I spent a couple of hours just wandering through Powell’s City of Books. it’s insane. like, a library that’s also a labyrinth. i found a first edition of Kerouac’s On the Road and almost cried. i’m pretty sure i lost a day in there.
I overheard gossip at a bar called “The High Zero” - it’s a dimly lit, smoky place with a surprisingly good selection of craft beers. Apparently, the owner’s cat is a secret agent. Seriously. Someone told me that the best place to see street art is in the Alberta Arts District, but to avoid going after midnight - “things get… intense.” i’m not sure what “things” are, but i’m intrigued.
I’m staying in a tiny Airbnb in the Mississippi neighborhood. it’s…rustic. let’s go with rustic. the neighbors are mostly musicians and artists, which is cool, but they also seem to communicate exclusively through interpretive dance. i’m not judging.
Here’s my gear list, because i’m a sucker for a good list:
Yellow raincoat (obviously)
Waterproof boots (essential)
Camera (duh)
Notebook and pen (for capturing the weirdness)
Excessive amounts of coffee
A healthy dose of skepticism
* A willingness to embrace the chaos
I’m thinking of checking out the Pittock Mansion tomorrow - apparently, it has stunning views of the city (if you can see through the clouds). And maybe I’ll try to find that street art the locals warned me about. I heard that the best way to experience portland is to just get lost and see what happens. It’s a good strategy, i think.
Seriously, if you get bored, Seattle is just a short drive away. Or Boise. Or Salem. Okay, maybe not Salem. But definitely Seattle.
Check out TripAdvisor for some restaurant recommendations: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g33878-Portland_Oregon.html
And for more local events, peep this board: https://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/events/
And if you're looking for a good place to grab a bite, Yelp is your friend: https://www.yelp.com/directory/Portland-OR
Okay, I’m going to go find another coffee. Wish me luck.