This is a pretty great open event space. The staff are pretty friendly. The bartender was great and…read morevery helpful plus a healthy pour is welcome though I did long for more than two vodka choices since it was well vodka or Grey Goose and I don't want either - just a middle road is ideal. I was glad a friend later said I am not alone is loathing Grey Goose and a lot of the supposedly higher shelf vodka's - weird after taste for those of us who actually like tasting our alcohol but a nice mid ground too. Also, I hear the upstairs is neat too but alas, that is a long stair way up - like a lot of the older buildings in Portland, those of us who are not able bodied and have yet to master levitation cannot do it. I had a great time at the Meow Mixer last week an look forward to more events in this space though!

Fun bar & went to support & watch drag queens & kings…read more They also have game consoles to play video games Do not order the food it was not goood however drinks are severely strong but delicious

Man, is this about a halo effect or what? Look at all these 5s, meaning "as good as it gets." Is…read morethe major street, Hawthorne Boulevard, and its side streets, running through a trendy, counterculture, and hip close-in neighborhood really "as good as it gets?" I will admit that, coming from Los Angeles, the very name Hawthorne makes for a knee jerk reaction toward the negative. In SoCal, there is also a Hawthorne Boulevard. However, it is very different. That Hawthorne begins near the airport and works its way down through Hawthorne, Lawndale, an actually banal dogleg of Redondo Beach, Torrance, and then up into Palos Verdes. Only the southernmost reaches of that wide boulevard, when in South Torrance and Palos Verdes, are nice. North of there, it is strip mall hell and blight. Even an indoor mall named Hawthorne Plaza in the city of Hawthorne didn't thrive and was abandoned. Visit YouTube. Now, I'm not that narrow minded about the Hawthorne label since there are Hawthornes everywhere, being that it's a name like Springfield and Bloomington. There's a Hawthorne in New Jersey, for example, which is a ho hum town west of and across the Hudson River from Manhattan. However, Portland's Hawthorne neighborhood causes some people's eyes to widen, almost if they're sweeping the pros and cons under the rug, because they're in love! Basically, it's a little hub of culture and, in this case, culture means indie restaurants, diners, coffeehouses, brewpubs, doughnut stores, book stores, thrift stores, and the like. To me, culture would imply museums, theater, art galleries, and, yes, some, but not as many, of the things listed above. The main landmarks are the Bagdad Theater, a branch of Powell's bookstore, Blue Star Doughnuts, eateries like Bread and Ink, and similar venues. But there are really two Hawthorne neighborhoods ... one west of 39th, and one east of 39th. The aforementioned businesses are west of 39th. The only corporate venue is the Fred Meyer store there, on the very corner of 39th. (Good luck finding a parking spot there.) East of 39th, it's quieter and less hyped while still containing indie eateries, bars, and coffeehouses. Not only that, that part of Hawthorne sort of melds with the Mount Tabor area, which is topographically interesting. Hawthorne is in demand and thus priced accordingly. Most of the housing stock is older and newer housing is either infill homes or boxy and trendy San Francisco type new condos like the ones you will find going up on the Eastbank and in the Alphabet District. Another thing about Hawthorne is that it might be cool, but it's not very diverse. If diversity means guys with beards and stocking caps and women who look like Carole King as she did on the cover of "Tapestry," then it's diverse alright. But almost everyone you will see partaking in its offerings is white, young, educated, and progressive, though they can run the gamut from being put together to being frumpy. And there sure are a lot of Subarus ... a lot of them! And it's hard to find a parking spot for that Subaru or whatever type of sled you may have. And you can even still "feel the Bern." In my mind, diversity would mean that enough different types of people and points of view are represented. That's not the case here. I need to cool my jets. However, an in-flight magazine that once featured an article on the City of Roses corroborated the hip and cool enclaves in Portland, showcasing three of them: Hawthorne, Multnomah Village, and NAAD (North Alberta Arts District), so I'm not off base here. To sum it up, I am giving Hawthorne 2 stars: 1 for existing and housing some of Portland's residents and 1 for how conveniently located it is to downtown and not being too distant from the freeways. Stars are missing because of (1) the prices, (2) not enough (of what I think is) culture along with a somewhat ample supply of "groupthink," and (3) the aloof and even surly service and attitude that you may encounter in many of the places you might step into because they seem to believe they have a captive audience. Of these hip and cool villages, I'd go with 3 stars for Multnomah Village on the West Side for being near the ethnic diversity surrounding PCC, lacking a rigid gridded street pattern, and having more topography and trees, 2 stars for the Hawthorne neighborhood, and 1 star for the NAAD, as in "not my cup of tea" ... at all. O.k., I'm done being an ass.

This is one of the better neighborhoods to explore, well at least in Portland. Lots of small shops…read moreand restaurants. And of course the Bagdad theater. One of the things I like is that, at least so far, there arn't many big chain stores. It has a reputation as home to Portland's hippie population. It does but there are a lot of great businesses here.

Nice area in between Laurelhurst and downtown. Lots to do from swimming at the pool, going to the…read moreparks, walking, bicycling and lots of great food choices. They also have a nice variety of bars in this area and a movie theatre. Come check it out!

We headed out to Alberta Street last night having no idea what we were getting ourselves into…read more When I think of a "Last/First (insert day of the week)" I think of local artists getting a chance to display their art showcase at various locally owned stores, usually galleries or art related stores. The "Art Walk" was more like a combination of Saturday Market, street fair, with a smattering of legitimate artists. We were actually there with a purpose: find art by a local artist for our living room. I was pleased to see a wide variety of art styles and enjoyed examining what was on display in the stores. I was less impressed with the displays on the street, although many made me chuckle while others were just puzzling. In the end, it wasn't what we thought it was going to be, but it was still a fun time. Lots of unique people with unique talents and I think it is fabulous that they have a place to display them (even if I don't want to take any of it home and hang it on my living room wall). :)

My friends who live in the SW section of Portland invited me up recently to Portland and said, "You…read morehave to come check out Alberta Street with us, it's the last thursday of the month" And I'm like, 'What's Alberta Street?" The last thursday of each month, this section of Alberta Street attracts all kinds of people who walk, ride bikes, skate, sometimes arrive on stilts to check out all the art and restaurants in the area. When I was there it seems like the whole neighborhood opens up and everyone is having a good time. This is a slice of Portland worth checking out. Certainly not something you find very often in LA. The trains don't go to Alberta street is my understanding, but you can take a cab part of the way, or if you have access to a bicycle, there are a ton of bike lanes in Portland. I wouldn't advise driving there as there are a ton of people in the streets at this regular event. Saw a few people drive by in cars that were having heckuva time given the number of people in the streets. However you get there, it's worth checking out. It happens from i believe 6 - 9PM on the last thursday of each month.

We are huge fans of Thomas Dambo's trolls so whenever we're near one it's pretty much a guaranteed…read morestop. Ole Bolle definitely stands out for me as one of the more whimsical Dambo experiences. You follow a path into the woods and then all of a sudden you spot this giant troll lifting the roof off a tiny house like he's trying to sneak a peek inside. It's such a fun scene and you can't help but smile. You can actually go inside the Little House and look up at Ole Bolle from a completely different perspective. This it makes the sculpture feel more immersive than some others we have seen. The setting is also beautiful and the wooden trail makes you feel like you've wandered into a fairy tale. There are shaded picnic tables nearby if you want to sit and relax for a while. There is also a nice spot at the beginning of the trail to have a good lunch that I just reviewed as well. This place will make you feel like a kid again and I definitely recommend a visit.

Lovely place to visit. There's a little museum and gift shop too, very cute. My kids liked reading…read moreabout the Ole Bolle and the other similar works that the artist has. There's a lot of charming Nordic style decor in the area. We even found a cute bus stop that is very Swedish. There is a cafe but we went around closing time, or else I would enjoy some food and drinks during our visit.

Robot Alley is the best Keep Portland Weird experience for out of town guests! If you haven't been…read moreto this wonderful art installation, I highly suggest you visit! The art installation includes a collection of droids, stormtroopers, and robots that smoke, speak, and perform for anyone passing through the alley. If you park your car in the alley, beware, there will be all kinds of sirens and warnings urging you to keep moving as a courtesy to neighbors. This is pure, deliciously nerdy fun!

There are 12 South Park blocks, Starting with Directer Square and working south. Most have a…read morepiece of art. I think it helps ad a bit of interest to them I believe that other then Teachers Fountain this is the next newest. Definitely modern this sets in the area where Farmers Market is held. It is simple in its nature. I like it though my taste in art tends towards the more representative. It is by the same artist, Donald Wilson that made Interlocking Forms and the transit mall.

We arrived Union Station from Seattle. Upon arrival, the crew directed us into the station. We had…read moreto cross tracks. It's a very small station. 3-4 ticket booths. A area to pick up the checked baggage. Benches for travelers. We waited a bit for the baggage. Staff were helpful. The waiting area outside is a little sketchy. Smell bad. Lots flies. I'm sure I don't want to be there at late night.

there isn't really anywhere to park. It a get in and get out kind of situation. The surrounding…read morearea is a bit sketch at certain hours. There is an area for taxi cabs and Uber pick up and drop off only. I dread coming here to pick up or drop off my husband for short business trips to Seattle. Wish there was a better short term parking option especially if the train is running a bit behind.