(emerges from the ether) Hey y’all! It’s been a minute.
I’m heading to Portland, OR end of Jan/beg of Feb. What should I not miss while I’m out there? @howard @John_E @DaveT @JoshFossgreen @Gio et al.
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Amazon store, lol. They are amazing, almost like stealing till you get the bill, 
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Lololooooool - I am now the proud owner of an independent bookstore, so that would be a big ol’ F*CK NO to Amazon. Powell’s, on the other hand, is already on my list!
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I knew Powell’s would be on the list.
That’s my goal every time.
When we would tour through we would play Mississippi studios.
It’s a great neighborhood. The shops on Mississippi were always great to browse through - tons of little local shops.
And, of course, Rose City Comics.
And, also of course, plenty of options for great coffee.
Powell’s is a multi-day adventure for a true book enthusiast.
It’s such a great city. Have a blast and please let me know how your Powell’s experience goes.
One of the wonders of the modern world.
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Yassss, looking forward to local weirdness.
The friend I’m visiting has suggested multiple bookshops; we’ll have to add Rose City Comics.
He is also vegan, and a caffiend like myself, so I’m excited to see the local food & coffee options.
I will post pictures of My Portland Adventures™️
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Apizza Shoals opens at 5:00 and it used to be that you had to be in line already before 5 or they would run out of all the crust they made for that day and then they close. I’m not sure of the vegan quality.
VooDoo Doughnut used to be novel, but they are even at Universal Studios now. Nonetheless, it’s a spectacle.
I find any property by McMenanmins to be to my taste. They have a staff of artists that hand craft all the interiors and decorations. Depending on the location, it can be a good show. Many of the hotel properties are developed from something else odd like an old school or a veterans home. And the food is good too. I usually stay at one when I’m in town. The Crystal hotel is walking distance from Powell’s and has a cool cellar bar that used to have good live music acts. When I’m staying there I like the long warm pool that looks like it’s fed by sewer pipes.
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I don’t remember if you are into the alcohol or not. This is different.
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I’ve mostly quit drinking and my friend is straightedge, so maybe no bourbon this trip lol! But thank you for all your recommendations - I’m sure we will incorporate some architectural sightseeing. 
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There’s also Scottie’s Pizza Parlour!!! I follow both spots on IG but yet to try the pizza. One day…
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the japanese garden is excellent - im not a garden person and i was super impressed anyway. well worth it.
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This was going to be my recommendation. Terminator Stout is still my favorite beer. Ideally aim to stay in one of the McMenamins hotel brewpubs. Even if you don’t drink, the food is great and the atmosphere is awesome - they keep the themes of the buildings they renovate, so Kennedy School is still set up with classrooms as the guest rooms and the old detention hall is a cigar bar. The one that used to be an insane asylum is supposed to be awesome. In addition to the Crystal Hotel/Ballroom that @DaveT mentioned I would recommend their Blue Moon Tavern and the Mission Theatre Pub, both close to downtown. It looks like they shifted the Mission from movies to live events, which is cool.
Powells of course. You already know that.
Yes absolutely plan more than one day for it. It’s huge.
The area around NW 21st to 23rd (and especially 23rd itself) has lots of shops and cafes and is a less-downtowny area close to downtown.
Avoid the Rose Festival, it sucks, especially if you live downtown; I had something stolen every year during Rose Festival.
Portland makes the best beer in the US and I would recommend a tasting if you still drank. My top two locals would probably be McMenamins and Widmer. Probably more brewpubs per capita than anywhere else in the US - I know there used to be at any rate.
If you are traveling with omnivores I would suggest to hit Ringside for a great steak. Excellent fine dining experience. However not so great for Vegans 
A place I used to love for vegetarian cuisine - and Portland is rich for this - was Old Wives Tales, but it closed 
No one believes this when I tell them - the oldest local-secret steakhouse and dining tradition in Portland is the strip clubs, starting with a famous one, the Acropolis. I am not making this up, it’s actually a thing. Portland strip clubs compete on… cuisine. Even Vegan cuisine at some of them 
Look, I can’t explain it. It’s a Portland thing. It’s best to think of the show Portlandia as basically a documentary. Not really recommending a visit to one of those fine establishments, but I remembered this when recommending Ringside (NOT A STRIP CLUB) and it cracked me up so I thought I would pass it on. It’s just so damn Portland.
Another great suggestion, actually Washington Park in general is beautiful.
OMSI - Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - is also worth a trip if interested in a museum.
Other than these - well if you want the recommendations of what a 23 year old punk/industrial bachelor would be interested in, that’s my last real experience living in the city I grew up there and left at 23. Now I’m just a tourist when I go home.
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So much to comment on here lol! I think you would get along well with Bryan, my friend in Portland. He’s an elder punk/metal head who travelled in the house/techno circles in the 90s/2000s (though industrial is his true love, I think).
This is him:
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Obviously Powell’s! And walking around anywhere in that neighborhood, lots of fun things.
My fav Mexican food:
Rose garden / Japanese garden was lovely!
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Great recommendations above. We try to nip into Pambiche for proper Cuban food when we’re in Portland. Almost got to see Santigold at Crystal Ballroom, but she had to cancel her tour. Cheers & have fun!
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Ooh, I love Santigold, she’s awesome.
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Awesome! yeah a lot of parallel interests there
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You’re a fan of Skinny Puppy, yes?
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Oh yes. Among my favorite bands, at times my favorite.
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That’s what I thought - yeah, you and Bryan could probably geek out for hours about music together 
He luuuuves Japan, too - travelled there to perform in clubs several times.
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Belive it or not @kristine - I have NEVER been to Portland!
And I would be no help if I had gone there, because I would instantly get in the car and drive 3.5 hours north to Snoqualmi, WA and geek out over Twin Peaks filming locations.
Sorry.
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