Exploring the City of Roses
Portland, Oregon

Story and photos by Dawnelle Salant

After living overseas for nearly eight years, my one vow when I settled down in Calgary this year was to continue my travels – only slightly closer to home. So when a friend near Portland, Oregon invited me down for a visit this summer, I had my suitcase packed before I’d even hung up the phone.

I had little idea what to expect of the Pacific Northwest’s third most populous city. The greater metropolitan area of Portland boasts a population of nearly 2 million, so I wasn’t exactly prepared for the relaxed atmosphere that the city has to offer. After meeting my friend, Dan, at the airport, our first stop - and the one place in Portland I kept returning to - was the Pearl District. Once an important industrial sector of the city, the Pearl District is home to a delightful assortment of art galleries, cafes, bookshops and boutiques. Street performers are not an uncommon sight, and I was pleased to discover that Elvis is in fact, alive and well, and singing on a street corner in the Pearl District.

One of Portland’s highlights, the Pearl District is the sort of place you go when you want to people watch, browse eccentric shops or eat delicious food. Dan and I spent hours strolling along the streets, marveling at the marble entrances to exclusive loft apartments and turn of the century homes that have been turned into bookshops, coffee houses or import stores.

Speaking of bookstores in the Pearl District, you cannot go to Portland without at least one visit to the most famous bookstore in the area – Powell’s. Located at 1005 W Burnside, Powell’s is a living, breathing shrine to books – a full city block of new and used books. Pioneering a new concept where hardcover, paperback, used and new books are all found on the same shelf, Powell’s is a book lover’s paradise. I visit the day before J.K. Rowling’s last installment in the Harry Potter series is due to be released, and already children and adults are lining up for their copies – at noon. Many of them are dressed in Hogwarts costumes, sporting wands and thick, black rimmed glasses. They look right at home in front of the makeshift Hogwarts Express.

Downtown Portland has a lot to offer and Pioneer Square in the heart of the city is a good base for exploring. Portland is very easy to get around – most places can be reached on foot, but most of downtown is included in the fareless square, where you can ride the MAX, streetcars or buses for free.

One downtown attraction definitely worth checking out is the Portland Art Museum. Two buildings linked by an underground passageway, the Portland Art Museum holds rotating special exhibitions. Rembrandt and Manuel Neri are some of the artists whose work was displayed this year; upcoming artists include Degas, Forain and Toulouse-Lautrec in a special exhibition entitled The Dancer.

The diversity of art on display in the museum will delight art lovers of all ages – no matter what your tastes are. Asian and American Art, along with English Silver are on display in the Belluschi Building, while contemporary art – some rather risqué – graces the walls of the Mark Building along with European masters such as Van Gogh and Monet.

To show me the more energetic side of Portland, Dan takes me to the Crystal Ballroom on my last night. One of the McMenamins brothers’ 55 neighborhood gathering spots in Oregon and Washington, the Crystal Ballroom has hosted legendary musical acts such as the Grateful Dead, James Brown and Tina Turner. Tonight, Fergie (of Black Eyed Peas fame) is taking the stage on the last stop of her Verizon VIP tour. As the gorgeous songstress struts about the stage, the only thing rivaling her beauty is the venue itself.

Magnificent paintings that bring to mind the ceiling of the Vatican make a perfect backdrop for any musical act. Gigantic windows surround the ballroom and flamboyant wall sconces – thinks masks of jesters in the palaces of yesteryear – and crystal chandeliers help the venue to earn its name. And while everyone dances away to another number one hit, the floating dance floor that the Crystal Ballroom is famous for soars under my feet. It really is like dancing on clouds.

On my last day in Oregon, Dan takes me to the attraction responsible for giving Portland its nickname – The City of Roses. Portland is home to four world class gardens, but we only have time to visit one of them, the International Rose Test Garden. Set atop a hill overlooking the entire city, the Rose Garden solidifies my impression of Portland as a relaxing locale. We stroll around the garden doing our best to see every one of the 8,000 roses that grow here. My eyes are bombarded with colors so vibrant they could have jumped out of a Crayola box. As I gaze at Mt. Hood on the horizon, and sniff the delightful scents of thousands of blooms, I realize that you don’t always have to travel a long distance to appreciate the sights that the world has to offer.

Dawnelle Recommends

Eating – The Cameo Café in the Pearl District, 2340 Northwest Westover Road. Sit on the patio under grape vines and enjoy your breakfast – come with an appetite!

Accommodation – The Mark Spencer Hotel, 409 SW 11th Avenue (walking distance to the Pearl District and downtown) Originally opened in 1907 as the Nortonia, the Mark Spencer was remodeled in 1966 and still maintains its old world charm. www.markspencer.com

On a budget? Try the Northwest Portland International Hostel and Guesthouse, 425 NW 18th Avenue (walking distance to everything!) If you’re traveling alone, dorm rooms are available but the hostel also offers private rooms if you’re not the sharing kind. www.nwportlandhostel.com