Beautiful and iconic landmark for the city of Portland OR. It can be seen during the day but really…read morepops at night. It sits atop the White Stag Building at 70 NW Crouch Street. A bit of history.... 1940 - The sign was installed and originally advertised White Satin Sugar 1957 - Converted for White Stag Sportswear, adding the now- famous leaping white deer 1978 - Designated a historic landmark. 1997-2010 - It read "Made in Oregon - Old Town" 2010 - present - The city of Portland acquired the sign and changed the main lettering to "Portland, Oregon", while retaining the stag and the "Old Town" panel. Christmas tradition: The stag's nose is illuminated red like Rudolph

Portland is a gorgeous city with some beautiful views, incredible food, and plenty of places worth…read moreexploring. My friend and I were able to get some great pictures in front of the iconic Portland Oregon White Stag Sign, but unfortunately, the surrounding area raised some serious concerns for me. The unhoused population in this area was probably the largest and most visible I have personally encountered. I am a strong believer in treating unhoused people with dignity and making sure people have access to adequate housing, mental health care, sanitation, and other resources. Seeing so many people seemingly living underneath the bridge and throughout the surrounding streets was genuinely upsetting. As we walked around, we also encountered several people who appeared to be experiencing mental health crises or otherwise struggling without adequate support. There was also a significant amount of human waste on the streets, which immediately made me wonder whether there are enough accessible public restrooms and sanitation facilities available in this part of the city. More than anything, the experience left me wondering what resources are actually being provided by the city and local elected officials to address homelessness, mental health, sanitation, and basic human needs in this area. These are human beings who deserve better than being left to live in conditions like this. The sign itself is absolutely worth seeing, but the conditions surrounding it made the experience uncomfortable and honestly pretty heartbreaking.

Great spot to get a photo and have a donut as across the street from Vodoo Donuts. There is also…read moreone of the world famous painted Portland Crows.

I tried to avoid coming to "Keep Portland Weird" because I'd heard it is overrated since it's just…read morea wall in a parking lot, but honestly, I just couldn't resist not checking it out. FOMO, here :) It's basically just that phrase (haha) on its own without any fancy graphics, but I wanted to share my reviews and be part of the Yelp community. So, I added a little twist by including a collage of interesting trash bins. I guess this is one way to keep Portland clean, too. I have never seen so many trash cans throughout the city. Hahahah :)) Classic tourist trap move, but honestly, you cannot be in Portland without acknowledging this area.

Portlandia...I actually think I have heard of the TV show of the same name before hearing the…read moreexistence of this statue. But the statue definitely came prior to the show. The trident wielding woman is enormous and is awe inspiring and beautiful and perhaps to a certain kind of man perhaps intimidating but that isn't necessarily a problem there. This statue is on the Portland Building and if you simply wall by or near it's nearly impossible to miss. This is also an attraction where there is no fee to take a look at it as it can literally be seen quite easily from the public sidewalk. Yet another iconic downtown Portland landmark that is not to missed!

Using imagination Portlandia emerged from the sea - all copper - and crouches vigilant on the…read morePortland building. Watching us! Her captivating eyes draw you to a closer look. With one hand reaches out to us. In a way we are like her as we all emerged from the sea (water) from our mothers womb. She reaches for us to live as one in peace the way John Lemon wrote is his song "Imagine" - "Imagine all the people livin' life in peace." In the one hand Portlandia holds a trident, perhaps symbolizing protection for the city dwellers - for Portlandian's. Portlandia reminds me we are one city! One people! One earth! That's just my spin of this beautiful copper lady.

Beautiful riverside park with so many cherry blossom trees. Very busy on the weekends. There are…read moresome stairs nearby you can take to get up to a pedestrian walkway on the bridge for a higher up view. The trees are usually in bloom middle to end of March.

Because of the cherry trees gifted from Japan in 1990, seasonally in the springtime one of the most…read morebeautiful parks in the PDX. Set in front of the Willamette, this park historically marks what was once Japantown. A definite highlight for a stroll through the waterfront park. Sculptured pillars capture moments of the hardship the Japanese endured. History to not be forgotten or repeated makes this a healing reminder for this ever reforming city.

God, I remember the days before the China Gates were built. I have fond memories of visiting…read moreCindy's Adult Bookstore back in the day (for non sex and drug purposes mind you) which was located just behind the gates. As they were building the China Gates back in 1986, some of us were concerned that the new gates would obstruct and ruin our pristine view of Cindy's. Poor Cindy's. After Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard made Cindy's turn off its electricity in 2008, its roof soon collapsed and the unfortunate Cindy's was later demolished altogether. It was a sad day for folks that liked to skulk about soliciting sex and drugs and the kind of folks that would purchase alcohol for those that were under aged at the time. We were right about one thing; those gates really did block our view of Cindy's. 2016 - Review # 10

I like this gate, yes the gate was put up after the neighborhood had already changed. The gate…read moreis nice though and a reminder of what was. Yeah, our Chinatown may not be great like the one in San Francisco or.... There is a lot more out on 82nd then near downtown. Still there is a lot of history here, and a few places left. Tip-contenue on to the Lan-Su Gardens...

We had some time between breakfast and when we had to get to the airport, and had decided to go to…read morethe Chinese Gardens which are located right in downtown. These gardens were an unexpected surprise, beautiful and peaceful. Loved the story of how Chinese artists/landscapers came here to build the gardens. Lots of hidden little areas, loss of koi, and bonsai trees. Beautiful setting. Only downside is that it is in Chinatown/Old Town which has more unhoused than other DT areas. We had gone first thing in the morning, after we ate breakfast. The gardens weren't quite open yet, but the employees saw us standing there and directed us to a coffee shop half a block down. Maybe if you go later in the day, there might be less unhoused. I definitely recommend making this a stop if you're in Portland, and you love gardens!

Lansu Chinese Garden is a Portland treasure. I try to visit for each of their celebrations to take…read morein its beauty and culture. I was just able to visit last week to celebrate Lotus Festival on the final day of guzheng performances by the amazing Lu Wen. I managed to get a Lotus seed bracelet in the gift shop before going in. Seeing the water covered in Lotus and waterlilly blooms as coy are swimming around and dragonflies are dancing through the air was the reset I needed. I was so sad to hear that the teahouse no longer carries the Lotus mooncakes, as I'm that one person who isn't a fan of red bean. I did get a Lotus pie which, the delicious is not quite the same. I am ordering anyone who reads this to get an almond cookie because they're incredible! Unless, of course you have nut allergy... though they are good enough that it might be worth the hospital visit... just saying.... If you are new to this space - make sure you have time to spend. Take a lot of breaks to just sit and look up and around you... there are hidden treasures everywhere from tiny plants to carvings. Soak it all in. There are a lot of activities throughout every year. They're very welcoming to everyone, including those of us who qualify for Arts for All (I just discovered from their staff that AFA folks can get an annual membership for $20!) but entrance is $5 for you. Many times you can bring a friend, sometimes more for very discounted rate - special events are more and sometimes not. Their website usually has really great information or make a phone call. But they are also very accommodating for ADA and are happy to assist with questions or helping out.

The Lovejoy Columns are an interesting little piece of Portland's history. There are many articles…read moreavailable if you want to read the full story of the columns. Once upon a time the Lovejoy Columns supported the Lovejoy Ramp which was a viaduct connecting NW 14th Ave and Lovejoy Street to the Broadway Bridge. This viaduct ran above railroad freight tracks in the area that is now known as the Pearl District. From 1948-1952 a Greek immigrant, who worked as a night watchman for the railroad, drew wonderful pictures on the columns in chalk and later painted them. When the viaduct was demolished in 1999 to make way for all the condos and businesses that make up the Pearl District, several of the original columns were saved and stored beneath the Fremont Bridge. Two of those original columns have been restored and relocated here. The columns are beautiful to behold and definitely worth visiting.

Everyone deserves to pursue their dreams. Carpe diem. Athanasios Efthimiou Stefopoulos is not a…read morename that rolls off the tongue unless you're a cast member of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" nor unfortunately is it a name you'll see in an art museum as much as he must have dreamed of that. Early in the last century, he was a railroad watchman who happened to be a talented, proto-graffiti artist. He went by the name Tom to his friends and painted the Broadway Bridge Lovejoy overpass columns with fanciful images of mythical gods and wild animals. Several endured over the years though most are in some abandoned lot awaiting funding for restoration. Two of them have been refurbished and placed in a courtyard on NW 10th Avenue near Everett. If you're walking into the Pearl District from the western part of the city, it's likely the first landmark you'll see. Check 'em out. RELATED - Going to Portland? Here are the places I visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2B0haJD

Experience: It was a happy discovery to find several water…read morefountains as I returned from dinner on a rainy winter evening. Locals will know their history, but visitors may encounter surprise that stirs curiosity... Why are Portland's streets sprinkled with water fountains that percolate streams of water throughout the day? Origin: Local lore suggests an early 20th century philanthropist named Simon Benson donated funds to construct and install elegant bronze water fountains along the city's streets. Some say this act was inspired after witnessing a young girl crying with thirst, while others attribute it to an effort to satisfy manual laborers thirst with something other than saloon beer. Tip: Currently there are around 50 fountains that can be discovered by chance, or intention via map (attached).

These are the historical Benson Bubblers in downtown Portland. The story goes that the founder of…read morePortland was tired of his workers drinking at the taverns so he offered an alternative that exists to this day

This statue of a baby elephant standing on its dad is kind of cute. It is covered with all kinds…read moreof shapes. While the statue is fairly new it is based on a much smaller pitcher that is very old. I like that the location is very visible but I wish it didn't feel as sketchy.

This is one of my favorite sculptures downtown. It's actually an enlarged replica from the Shang…read moreDynasty, created in 2002. It's one precious packaderm!

After visiting the food carts on SW 4th Ave & SW Hall St we were looking for a place to eat. Just…read morea few blocks up was Keller Fountain Park. It's a small but gorgeous park in downtown Portland. 13,000 gallons of water runs through this beautifully designed fountain. This park is great for having lunch. The sound of the water was so peaceful. It somewhat reminded me of Japan. The park hours are 5am to 9pm and street parking only. I forgot to take a picture below the fountain but there's a nice tiered seating area. Note: in general Portland struggles with homelessness and vandalism. Certain parts of the park reek of urine and parts of the fountain are defaced with graffiti.

The PBOT waterways Bike Ride stopped at the Keller Fountain. It's an artistic representation of a…read morestage using cement squares and unique standing shapes. The water was not running but you can imagine how majestic this is when flowing. Going to come back in spring.